Chapter 9 A Trip Down Memory Lane

• “What’s going on, beautiful? Why are you crying?” A masculine voice asked, so nineteen-year-old Becca raised her head from where she had it buried in her lap, to find a thirtyish man standing in front of her and staring at her with a sympathetic gaze. She wiped her eyes and shrugged, standing up from the concrete pavement of the supermarket where she worked, on which she had just spent her entire break time crying, and dusted her butt.
• “It’s nothing. Everything’s fine, sir.” She informed the man, smiling shakily at him through her tears and turning to go back inside. He was only being nice, after all.
• “I don’t believe you. Come on, you can talk to me. Who knows, I just might have a solution to proffer to what ails you.” The man called after her, but since her shift was over and she did not want to risk getting fired, Becca hurried away without responding.
• That day, she asked her manager for permission to come a bit late for work the next day so she could get some food for her sick brother in the hospital, but the man curled his lips, looked down at her, and sneered.
• “It’s always one excuse or the other with you, Becca. If it is not your grandma or ancestors being sick today, it’s your brother tomorrow. Get your ass here early tomorrow, otherwise you can consider yourself fired.”
• Becca tried to change the man’s mind to no avail, so she woke up extra early the next morning, despite working late at her second job as a waitress the previous night, and rushed down to the hospital, where she dropped the food she had prepared for her brother and grandma, who was staying with him there, frail and old as she was. She tried to make it in time to work, but there was traffic on this day of all days and she got there thirteen minutes late.
• The manager did not even allow her into the building, before telling her that her services were no longer required. Despite all her pleas, he remained adamant, and a dejected Becca made her way back to the hospital, wondering where to get another job. So lost in thought was she that as she got to the hospital’s entrance, she bumped hard into somebody and quickly pulled herself away, stammering apologies without looking up to see the person she had bumped into.
• “Hey.” A vaguely familiar voice said, and she turned around to see the same man from yesterday, who had been asking her why she was crying.
• “Hey.” Becca said in turn, trying to make a quick getaway as she was in no mood for a chitchat, especially with a persistent stranger.
• “Come on. I don’t bite. I was heading to get some food. Wanna come with me?” The man asked.
• “Uh, thanks, but I need to go be with my brother. Thanks for the offer though, but I’m not hungry.” She lied. As though to call her a big fat liar, her stomach chose that moment to grumble, and loudly too, so that she looked away, flushing in embarrassment. The man chuckled in amusement.
• “Your stomach says otherwise. There’s a restaurant just two or three blocks away from the hospital. Let’s eat there.” The man insisted.
• Since she had not had anything to eat this morning, and even last night too, Becca decided to take him up on his offer. After all, this area was a busy one. He couldn’t very well kidnap her in the full glare of everyone, could he?
• “By the way, I’m Peter.” The man said by way of conversation when they had sat down at the restaurant and we’re awaiting their orders.
• “Becca.” Becca said reluctantly. She should have just gone home to eat. What was she doing out here with this man who was almost twice her age?
• “Nice to officially meet you, Becca. So what’s wrong with your brother?” Peter asked.
• “He’s recovering from a heart surgery.” Becca said shortly. Now that this man had reminded her of Toby’s condition, the despair of the past few days came back to haunt her again. Where on earth was she going to get the money to offset the huge bill Toby’s hospital stay was wracking up?
• “That’s sad. I wish him a quick recovery.” Peter said, sounding like he meant it.
• “Thank you.”
• “I came to visit a friend whose wife just had a baby, but it turned out that they’ve been discharged.” Peter told her and when she did not reply, continued.
• “I take it your parents are with your brother.”
• “No. My grandma is.” Becca said, wishing that the food would come so this man would stop talking. Luckily enough, his phone rang, so he took the call, while Becca just sat there thinking until the food came and she dug into it ravenously, forgetting her reservations immediately.
• When they finished their food, they sat sipping wine while Becca thought of how she could make a quick getaway.
• “So why aren’t you at work today?” Peter asked.
• “I got fired this morning for coming late to work. I was only thirteen minutes late and it was because I had to cook for my brother and grandma at the hospital.” Becca informed him, and despite her best efforts, tears welled up in her eyes. She blinked them away rapidly, but they still dribbled down her cheeks regardless.
• “I’m so sorry about that, Becca.” Peter said, but now that she had started to talk, Becca could not seem to stop. She told him everything…everything about her mom and dad dying and about her ill grandma and grandpa. She told him how she did not know where to get the money to offset her brother’s hospital. By the time she finished, she was weary and glanced up in horror, realizing that she had just told her life story to a stranger.
• “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have told you any of that.” Becca murmured in embarrassment.
• “It’s okay. I asked, remember? Besides, I don’t mind. You needed someone to talk to. I noticed that yesterday. So I have a proposal for you.” Peter said.
• “A proposal?”
• “Yes. I’m going to pay off your brother’s hospital bills.”
• “What? I’m really grateful. I swear I’ll get a job and pay you back every dime.” Becca began, her eyes as wide as saucers but Peter was shaking his head.
• “I don’t need you to pay me back, Becca. That money means nothing to me. I do have one request though, and that is that you will have sex with me.”