It's All About The Money

Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

            Charla had called Lynne to help her take the kids home and she hoped that she would stay long enough so that Charla could go out. Once at the soup kitchen, she had taken all the food onto a tray and carefully carried it with Conner still holding her. She began to notice that he was growing a fever so she let the boy sleep on her lap. She would give him his food when he woke up. She let Allie eat though, which was a small bowl of oatmeal with a piece of toast with peanut butter on it. While Allie ate, Charla carried Conner with her to the payphone where she called Lynne. If Conner was sick then he needed medication, which meant that Charla would have to find cash and fast. Someone would need to watch the kids.

            After hearing what was going on, Lynne promised to be at the soup kitchen and she would take the kids home while Charla would go out again.

            While waiting, Charla ate with Allie, keeping Conner on her lap. Lynne was with them in ten minutes, taking a taxi that she would also use to take the kids home. She sat with Charla, feeling the child’s forehead after hugging Allie a greeting. Charla promised Lynne that she would only be gone for three hours tops, giving Charla the chance to go out, try and find some guys, then get some money before going to the pharmacy for medicine and then the grocery store (if there was time) to try and get more food so that Charla could make Allie and Conner lunch and supper.

            So now, Charla was on her way to the pharmacy. She had managed to find three guys who were interested in blowjobs. It was quick and simple, and she now had one hundred and fifty dollars. It wasn’t a ton of money, but it would get Conner the medicine that he needs and the food for today before she would get her paycheck tomorrow. If Conner was still sick she would have to pick it up instead of getting it at the end of her shift, but she was fine with that. Maybe she could even call on one of the other girls to give it to her.

            She walked inside, of the store, going to the children’s section of drugs and she looked through the child-friendly medicines. Soon she found a couple of things for fevers and nausea. She knew it was the sickly sweet cherry and grape dense liquids that were like what she had when she was a child, but she knew that it would do the trick for Conner. She also bought extra, knowing that it was very likely that Allie would get sick like that as well.

            Charla was on her way out when she bumped into a person who she only saw a couple of hours before. The blonde came in as she was getting in line at the checkout. Charla looked away and at the clock on the wall above where the store clerk was. She didn’t care who came in, even if she knew his name. However, the man didn’t seem to think the same.

            Jake smiled as he noticed Charla and he said as he walked to her, giving her a small wave, “Hey! Charla, right?”

            The blonde turned to him and gave him a small smile, “Yeah…and you’re Jake, right?

            He nodded and said, “Yeah.” He looked down at what Charla had in her hands and he chuckled, “that doesn’t look good.”

            Charla looked down at the packages in her hands before she looked back up at him. She nodded and told him, “yeah. My little guy is sick.”

            He nodded and asked her as he pressed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, “The little boy you were holding before?”

            Charla nodded, not knowing who else she would be talking about when she meant ‘her little guy’ but she was being polite. She walked up closer in the line as another person left. Jake told her, “Speaking from experience about when I babysat my niece when my sister was in Chicago, the chewable pills for nausea are better than the liquid.”

            Charla looked down at what she had in her hands before she asked, “what did you niece have?” She wasn’t exactly experienced at fevers. Conner got colds when they were living on the streets, not fevers. She learned what to use for colds that way, but fevers were something different. There were mostly different brands for different symptoms.

            Jake answered her, “really bad stomach flu with fever, so everything with throwing up, the cough, never sleeping…I’m guessing from the types of medicine you are buying is because your son has a fever.”

            Charla nodded, hating to admit this to a stranger. Jake nodded and told her, “I’m just speaking from my babysitting adventure, the chewables work better and they make the kids drowsy so they give you a bit of a break.”

            The mother chewed the side of her cheek lightly. She didn’t know why this man cared, nor why he even talked to her in the first place when he came in, but he seemed to be giving her great advice. He was speaking from experience and he seemed to know what he was talking about. Though every child was different, going on some advice may be better than going on nothing at all.

            Charla nodded and turned to look up at him before she asked, “Would you mind keeping my spot in line?”

            He shook his head and told her, “I would mind because I won’t do it. You stay here and I’ll get the medicine since I know specifically what you should be looking for.”

            She stared at him for a moment, debating to herself if she should go against him and tell him that she could get the medicine herself, but Charla knew that she would only make things difficult and she would be a right old pain in his ass. She went against her better judgment to not do it herself and she told him, “Alright. Thank you.”

            He chuckled before telling her as he took the liquid medicine from her handful, “No problem, Charla.”

            After taking the medication, he walked back to the section and Charla moved up a bit more in the line after one person left. She looked at the clock. She wanted to get home and check on Conner, make sure he was okay. She knew that he was in good hands with Lynn, but it didn’t make her feel any better to be away from him. And she still had to get some food too…unless she begged Lynn to do it. At home she could take care of Conner and then make a shopping list and give the money to Lynn. She could do that…she would do that. Even though Charla was nervous about asking her she knew deep down that Lynn would do anything to help her or the kids. It made Charla feel bad because she knew that she couldn’t do the same thing.

            Jake came back with a smaller box and handed it to her. He said, “everyone likes dinosaurs so I grabbed the ones with different flavours that are shaped like different dinosaurs.” Charla chuckled and she took the box, looking it over before she nodded. Charla told him, “thank you so much. It…it does actually help.”

            Jake nodded and after a moment of silence, “You don’t seem like the person who takes advice or help that often.”

            Charla stared up at him, uncomfortable. Of course he was right, but she didn’t like having to admit that to him. She barely liked admitting that to herself. Not only that, but Charla didn’t like how he could read her so well, like a wide open book with huge black bolded letters. It made her feel uncomfortable, exposed and she didn’t like it. She didn’t like people knowing so much about her, especially people she only met for the first time a couple of hours ago.

            Charla told him, looking at his eyes to show confidence, “I have to leave, and maybe you should start shopping for your things.”

            She didn’t like to be cold, but it was her first defense system. However, Jake seemed to understand, something that annoyed Charla even more. Jake told her, “You are right, I am getting to be a nuisance and a personal bubble presser.”

            Charla sighed and told him, “Thank you though, for the help.”

            He nodded and told her, “I’m happy to help. I hope the kids are okay.” Before Charla could say anything, he turned and grabbed a basket, moving to get what he needed and by then it was Charla’s turn. She needed to get her things and she needed to leave. So she did.