Five: A Huge Favour

Bianca couldn't wrap her mind around the heartlessness of her landlord. She really thought she had him enchanted over the phone the last time he called asking for rent He'd give her till the end of the next month and she would pay back with a handsome interest. She had no actually intention of doing that but she just figured it would be the easiest way to ease him off for a while. One thing led to the next and she found herself walking to Elmer's place

She knew what she had to do. Elmer was a huge part of it. Time wasn't stopping for her and she had to figure out something real quick. She wasn't going to let Trixxy feel the fall of this current crush. Trixxy would be left unbothered and her life would flow seamlessly, she would make sure of that. No ten year old deserved to be worrying about whether the place they knew as home would be snatched away. Whether she would come back to all the things that were so near and dear to her heart. She'd never known any other home since the womb.

Elmer was home when Bianca got there, it was late in the evening and the sun dunked beyond the horizon, taking it's deep orange warmth with it. The smell of garlic slapped her as soon as Elmer opened the door, Elmer was cooking dinner at that time. Bianca always thought her schedule was weird for an adult and was worried a little about her social life. Other than her and Trixxy she wasn't sure who else Elmer spoke to. Her asexuality didn't cancel out the dating box but Elmer didn't seem interested in that either even though her job entailed inevitably connecting with tonnes of people everyday. If she knew Elmer, and she did, her plan was to sleep by 9:00pm and there couldn't be possibly any other adult who slept at that time too in the whole world.

Its not that Bianca was thriving in the social world either, but her case was different. She wasn't everyone's cup of tea and she was okay with that. After getting pregnant with Trixxy she had kind of lost the drive to try to be friends with anyone around Bradton. You know small towns,one single thing happens and it spreads like a plaque, and next thing you know everyone's pointing at you and whispering when you pass by as if you're an alien, so judgemental so unforgiving. So she did not care to to be liked by these people.

" This is a very bad time, Bianca." Elmer wasn't still over her earlier encounter with Bianca. They hadn't exactly talked it through yet. Elmer refused to be the one to repair the damage done when she didn't cause it, everything In her screamed for her to just initiate the talk but it would never get better if she always carried that burden alone.

" I won't take long. "Bianca assured Elmer's stiff frame by the door . She fought the urge to roll her eyes at Elmer. Whatever it was that was going on, she hated passive aggressiveness. But she had to leave her attitude by the door, because she needed a weirdo with a fixed schedule like that to stay with her daughter for a while. If would feel predictable hence comforting for Trixxy. Bianca would figure out where to sleep. Elmer and Trixxy were nearly as close to each other as Bianca and her were. "Its for Trixxy."

That last part seemed to work like a passcode to Elmer's heart which Biana had been shut out of. She could see the coldness melt out of Elmer's eyes. She rushed back into the house to control the heat in the gas cooker, and by the time she was returning Bianca had made herself comfortable on one of Elmer's second hand leather coaches.

" Can she stay here for a while? I'm figuring things out and I would just love to make sure that she's okay before I figure out how to make more money."Bianca asked after filling her in on the details, being very careful not so much as hint what her next cause would be.

"How long are we talking?"

Looking at the water soaked ceiling, she calculated in her head how much time she'd need to both to train and get anywhere with stripping. Eight months, she'd figured would cut it. If she did everything right, she would be making what she made in a month in a day. And while that involved something her conscience and mind were at war about, it would get her where she wanted to go,she ignored the disgust that swirled at the pit of her stomach.

" A month or two. I know it's a long time. But I really need this, Trixxy really needs this." She learnt the mention of Trixxy was really speeding things up. " Ofcourse you'd say nothing to her about what's actually going on. "

" Trixxy can handle it."

" I know but she doesn't have to,she's ten. "

" Yeah exactly, not stupid, so she'll figure it out anyway. "

" Can you leave me to worry about those other things? Thanks." Britt finalized.." sorry for that" Shame constricted her throat now. Couldn't she just do one thing right? Trixxy was adorable and Elmer would pretty much give her her liver if Trixxy asked.So it's not that Elmer didn't want to help, it's that Bianca was involved and she just wasn't a big fan of hers right now.

"Is that all you're sorry for?" Elmer thought she might burst from discomfort. After an eternity of just being someone who was at Bianca's mercy, putting her foot down made her insides scream. A part of her wanted to take it back, tell her to not mind her, make an excuse got herself and then apologize for punishing Bianca for her mistakes. It was becoming apparently Bianca wasn't used to consequences catching up to her. It was crazy even to Elmer the energy that Bianca commanded, she wondered if she would ever be that confident. That audacious.

" That's what this has been about the whole time?"

"Yes, it is. "

"I'm sorry!"

Bianca might have as well barked. Because that half assed excuse of an apology didn't have a shred of remorse, she knew it and Elmer knew it.

" For having my job on the line as well, or for doubling up my work load to save your ego huh? Or is it for how I'm constantly saving your ass and you've gotten so used to it asking is just an empty formality? Or can we talk about how you neeever explain anything to me and you live me in the dark all the time and I have to just drive myself crazy guessing what you're up to?"

She'd been terrible, that much was factual. But in her defense, Elmer had never asked her for anything. She didn't know whether she could turn up for her. Whether she could be reliable to anyone else but Trixxy. Trixxy was the only living thing under the sun that received kindness at all times from Bianca, otherwise everyone else had to tread lightly before they'd have their souls punctured by the force that was Bianca. Whatever the case,Elmer had been direct and Bianca appreciated it. Elmer didn't know this at the time but merely asking for an apology was definitely very modest of her. If she could see the desperation right through Bianca she would have known if she commanded, Bianca be her main source of transport from that moment on, by means of piggy back ride, she would have been on it like donkey Kong.

" I really am sorry. And I will make it up to you as soon as I can. But I'm really trying to leave Hot and Sweet for good and you're the only one that can help me. I'm sorry I'm such a bitch to you sometimes. "The taste of apology nearly numbed Bianca's tongue just from how unnatural it felt coming out her mouth.

" You're a bitch to me almost always. If I'm going to help you out I need you to respect me atleast. And I love that girl so much it hurts but if you keep being that way I just want you to know that this isn't actually my problem. I'm just trying to make things easy for you. " Elmer couldn't wait for the words to settle. Her heart was banging so loud on her chest she could barely here herself speak. That was enough bravery used up for the day. Maybe even the rest of her lifetime. But her being nice even in situations she didn't need to be was why people that had worked for a shorter period of time than her, now were breathing down her neck with a manage tag clipped onto their chests instead of hers. Yes, she mean Jemma.

" I got that. I'll try to make sure you don't regret this. " Bianca promised , not having to yell at her from a different room because the house was basically a shoebox. The walls seemed to close in each time Bianca blinked. But then again,it was supposed to be for one person. The crowdedness would have to be a motivation for her to leave.

" I happen to have some warm water boiling and my feet are all knots..." Elmer's head poked through the kitchen door, unable to fight the urge to be silent through the awkwardness of defending herself from someone who usually spoke up for her. That was the basis of their friendship.

"No fucking way!" Bianca shot back jockingly rembering her earlier offer to wash Elmer's feet. She really had to stop saying things she didn't mean.