Nameless Love

Chapter One

I time the clicks of my keyboard to the banging in the vent. As suddenly as it started it stops, she hops off the stool and flips the hammer as she turns towards me.
"All finished here." She says with a charming smile.
I stand there for a second, searching for words, before finding "Thanks."
"You're welcome, but 'thanks' doesn't pay the bills." She replies, arching an eyebrow.
My mind moves like honey as I slowly process her words... "Right!" I exclaim as a sharp jolt pushes me back into reality.
I take the lead to Ernest's desk trying not to trip on my overly large feet, I feel the heat rise to my face as I stumble and fall, forced to lean upon Ernest's desk.
He looks upon my face with disdain so strong that I feel a blossom of anxiety unfurling inside my chest.
"What?" He asks. There is an authority in his voice and he clearly savors it.
"Um...she...um...needs to be paid," I manage to get out.
He glances over to the handywoman, then to the newly fixed vent. Connecting the dots, Ernest takes out a jar of money. He grasps a 10 dollar bill looking as though to hand it to the handywoman, but before the money reaches her hand he realizes what he is about to give her. His hand quickly withdraws and rummages through the jar again, but this time his hand pulls out a 5 dollar bill and the money makes into the palm of her hand.
She takes one look at the money in her hand before her face contorts in rage and she exclaims, "THIS IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH MONEY YOU CHEAP BASTARD!"
Ernest turns away, giving the handywoman a cold look and saying, "Be thankful I paid you anything at all."
She scoffs and grabs the entire jar of money off Ernest's desk before storming out.
Completely unfazed, Ernest turns to me, "Find us a new handyman."
I quickly nod and walk away, wanting to end the conversation as soon as possible.