From That Night. Best Contract I signed.

Chapter 2

“In summary, an asshole drugged you and a gorgeous man with deep grey eyes saved you?” Grace asked, panting. It was obvious she was trying her possible best to contain her anger.

“How can someone be that much of a creep?” Grace clearly wasn't done yet.

“I'm fine, really… Gigi.” Tomika said with a sad smile.

Grace paused and looked at Tomika through squinted eyes. She sat close to Tomika on the couch and held her hands. “I was so worried about you Mika. I'm just glad nothing bad happened.” Grace said, giving Tomika's hand a light squeeze.

Then something clicked in her head. “Why were you drinking alone at the bar in the first place?”

Tomika sighed, her mind scrambling, to come up with a better way to say this…

“My dad got into another debt,” She said as she looked at Grace. But Grace didn't seem as surprise.

“Okay, that's not the first time that's happening.” Grace said while giving Tomika a look to continue.

“He got into a huge debt with CARL.” She paused again, probably waiting for a reaction.

“Carl? Who's Car… Holy s**t! Carl!? You mean, The…” She gave an exaggerated gasp, one of her hands covering her mouth.

“Yes, that Carl.” Tomika finished her words.

“How'd he even get involved with Carl.” Grace asked in total disbelief.

“I had the same reaction, trust me.” Tomika said.

“Oohhh my baby.” Grace said, pouting. “Let me guess, he asked you to pay for it this time?”

“I wish he did, honestly.” Tomika replied, her mood getting more sour as she replayed yesterday's activity in her mind.

“Why would you even wish so, everyone knows not to mess with the CARL.” Grace looked at her like she was hearing things.

“He asked me to marry Carl to pay up his debt.”

"Sorry. I think my ears just resigned from their job. What did you say?” Grace said, while rigorously cleaning her ears just to make sure she heard her right.

Grace stared at Tomika.

For a moment, she genuinely thought she'd heard wrong.

"Your father did WHAT?"

Tomika winced. "Grace, please don't shout."

"Don't shout?" Grace repeated, her voice climbing an octave. "Girl, your father sold you to CARL, and you want me not to shout? What exactly am I supposed to do? Clap?"

Tomika sighed, looking down at her hands. "He owes him money. Apparently, a lot of it. And since he couldn't pay, he decided I was a suitable alternative."

Grace blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then she burst out laughing.

Not because it was funny. Not because she found anything amusing about what Tomika had just said. It was the kind of laugh that escaped when something was so unbelievably ridiculous that her brain refused to accept it as reality.

"Oh, that's hilarious." She slapped a hand over her mouth. "That's actually hilarious. Your father woke up one morning and decided he was a medieval king? He just looked at his daughter and said, 'Hmm, what can I use to settle my debts today? Ah, yes! The child I've been raising for years!'"

"Grace…"

"No, no, wait. Let me finish." She held up a finger, pacing across the small living room. "Because I'm trying to understand the business model here. When ordinary people owe money, they sell their cars. They sell their houses. They sell their kidneys if things get really bad. But your father? No. He said, 'You know what this debt needs? A whole human being. Preferably my own daughter.'"

Despite everything, a small laugh escaped Tomika's lips.

"Jesus Christ."

She began pacing around the small living room, running both hands through her hair. The apartment wasn't particularly spacious, and after three turns between the sofa and the dining table, she had to turn around and start again.

"No. No, no, no. I refuse to accept this." She stopped abruptly, pointing at Tomika. "Your father has officially lost whatever little sense God gave him. Has he gone mad? Is there something in the water at that man's house? Because why would a sane human being look at his own daughter and decide she's a payment method?"

Tomika pressed her lips together, fighting a smile despite the heaviness in her chest.

"Grace, it's not funny."

"Who said I'm laughing?" Grace demanded. "Do I look like I'm laughing? Look at my face, Tomika. LOOK AT IT!"

"I am looking."

"Then you should be terrified!"

That did it. A small laugh escaped Tomika before she could stop it.

Grace gasped.

"Oh, so you're laughing now? Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. Your life is falling apart, and you're laughing at my suffering."

"Your suffering?"

"YES! Do you know what this information has done to me emotionally? I might need therapy after this."

Tomika shook her head, smiling faintly. "You're so dramatic."

"And you're so unserious!" Grace threw her hands up. "Out of all the men in this world, your father had to owe money to Carl? CARL, TOMIKA!"

Her voice dropped to a horrified whisper.

"Do you understand what that means?"

Tomika's smile disappeared.

Of course she understood.

Everyone in their town knew Carl's name. It was the kind of name people mentioned carefully, sometimes in whispers, sometimes with a quick glance over their shoulders, as though saying it too loudly might somehow attract his attention.

Nobody seemed to know what he looked like. Some claimed he was old, others insisted he was young. There were even people who swore he'd never been seen in public a single day in his life.

But one thing was certain.

Carl wasn't someone you wanted to owe money to or try to mess around with.

People who crossed him rarely got a second chance to make the same mistake twice.

"I know," Tomika murmured.

Grace stared at her helplessly before dragging a hand down her face.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my actual God." She turned away, muttering under her breath. "I need to sit down. No, I need to lie down. Actually, forget lying down. I need to relocate to another country."

Despite herself, Tomika snorted.

Grace whipped around.

"Don't laugh! I'm being serious. We can move to Ghana. Or Canada. I hear Canada is nice. We can get jobs, change our names, and start a new life."

"With what money, Grace?"

Grace paused.

"Don't ruin my escape plan with financial questions."

Tomika laughed again, but the sound quickly faded. She looked away, blinking hard.

"I don't know what to do," she admitted quietly. "I really don't, Grace. My own father... He looked me in the eyes and told me I had to go with them. Like I was nothing. Like I was just some object he could hand over to settle a debt."

Her voice broke on the last word.

Grace's expression changed immediately.

All the outrage, the dramatic gestures, and the ridiculous talk of relocating to Canada disappeared. She moved closer and crouched in front of Tomika, who was sitting at the edge of the sofa.

"Hey."

Tomika shook her head, trying to hold back the tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I know I should have told you earlier, but I didn't even know how to explain it. Everything happened so fast, and I was scared."

"Hey, hey. Look at me."

Tomika reluctantly raised her eyes.

"You don't have to apologize to me for any of this, okay? None of this is your fault."

"But what if…"

"No." Grace shook her head firmly. "We're not doing that. We're not sitting here blaming you for something your father did."

Tomika's eyes filled.

Grace pulled her into a hug before she could say another word.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Tomika wrapped her arms around her best friend and buried her face against her shoulder. She hadn't realized how badly she needed this until Grace held her. She'd been trying to stay strong since last night, pretending she could somehow figure everything out on her own.

But she was tired.

So damn tired.

"I'm scared, Grace," she whispered.

Grace tightened her arms around her.

"I know, baby. I know."

"And I don't even know what happens next."

"We'll figure it out."

"What if Carl comes looking for me?"

Grace went quiet for a second.

Then she pulled back just enough to look Tomika in the eyes.

"Then we'll figure that out, too."

Tomika searched her face. "You sound very confident for someone who just suggested we run away to Canada."

"Canada is still on the table," Grace replied solemnly. "Don't test me."

A weak laugh escaped Tomika.

Grace smiled, brushing a few strands of hair away from her face.

"There. That's better."

She sat beside her and pulled her into another quick hug before standing up.

"Okay. Enough of this."

Tomika frowned. "Enough of what?"

"Enough sitting here looking like two abandoned kittens. Have you eaten anything today?"

Tomika shook her head.

Grace's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Tomika! You haven't eaten?"

"I wasn't hungry."

"Of course you weren't. Apparently, being sold to the most feared man in town kills your appetite or being rescued by a gorgeous man last night filled you up. Who would have guessed?"

"Grace!"

"What? Am I lying?"

Tomika rolled her eyes, and Grace pointed at her triumphantly.

"Exactly. Now, get comfortable. I'm going to find us something to eat before you collapse on my sofa and give me another reason to panic."

She marched toward the kitchen, then stopped at the doorway and glanced back.

"Do you want noodles or rice?"

Tomika blinked at her. "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously! The world is falling apart, but we still have to eat. Hunger doesn't respect anybody's problems."

For the first time that morning, Tomika laughed without forcing it.

Grace smiled to herself before disappearing into the kitchen.

"And, Tomika?"

"Yes?"

"If that your father calls, don't pick up. Because I swear, if I hear his voice right now, I might commit a crime, and I don't look good in prison uniforms."

"Grace!"

"I'm just saying!”