Spare Change

I'll Do It

"My mom has fucking cancer. Fucking breast cancer," he sobbed, "We don't even have health insurance, Georgia. She's going to die because we can't pay for treatment."

I stepped closer, "I'm so sorry, Eddie, really, I don't even know what to say."

He leaned up against one of the metal railings, raking his hands through his hair, "My dad and I are going to have to find another job, we're both gonna have to work first and second, he's going to have to-"

"Hey, relax, relax," I mumbled, sliding up next to him, "We're going to figure something out, we can start a GoFundMe or something."

He continued to stare straight ahead at the basket of fresh produce in front of us. We were quiet for a minute, our breathing falling into sync as we both contemplated what we were going to do. I grabbed his hand, he jerked back for a second, almost like he forgot that it was me that was with him.

"We're going to figure something-"

Justin burst through the door, "I swear to god if you two are fucking in my freezer, I'll just pass away. Right here and right now. You'll have to throw my body out into the streets."

Our hands dropped and my heart sank for a second, he needed more comfort. I grabbed the eggs behind me, "I was just getting these for-"

"Eh, eh, eh," Justin teased before snatching them out of my hands. "Georgia, you've been requested to cook upstairs in the Governor's Penthouse."

"What?" I laughed, Eddie looked at me, confused.

"I saw your Instagram so I'm not going to play dumb or punish you for what you decide to do outside of work," he remarked. "The man wants you to make him something upstairs in his kitchen. I can't really say no. So, take a room service cart and fill it up with whatever you need. You'll still get paid for this."

"But I'm not even a cook!" I protest.

"To him you are," Justin grumbles.

"Did he say what he wanted?"

Justin shakes his head no and backs out of the fridge. I open my mouth to tell Eddie what I was going to make, but he shakes his head at me and strides out of the fridge, slamming the door behind him.

I feel absolutely ridiculous as I push a fucking room service cart full of ingredients for whatever he asks for into the hallway. He asked me to sleep with him three days ago, and now I'm the help? It was a power dynamic that I was not enjoying.

I take a deep breath and wipe the sweat from my hairline. Suck it up. I ring the doorbell and Charity instantly pulls the door open, wearing a t-shirt that definitely isn't hers, grinning like a maniac.

"What are you still doing here?" I hiss.

"Every time I try and leave, he always finds a way to make me stay." She gloats, wiggling her eyebrows in a wink wink sort of way.

"Oh, shut the fuck up!" I huff, jiggling the damn room service cart in front of me. "Are you the one that called me up here?"

A small smile starts to creep across her lips, "Well I had to tell Louis to do it, but..." I push the cart forward, smacking it into her. "Ow!"

"Let me in so I can make you a damn omelet or something."

The place looks the same as it did during the party, but there's far less mess and people crowding the room. It seemed even bigger when it was this empty, like it would echo if I yelled too loud. Louis is sitting on one of the plush black sofas, scrolling through his phone.