Chapter 7 - The payment
768 Words
Naledi wiped her hands on a napkin and stepped out of Salt & Foam Café, blinking against the late afternoon light. Her stomach was tight with worry, but seeing Aiden leaning against the railing outside made her shoulders relax slightly.
“You’re waiting,” she said, a small smile tugging at her lips.
“Of course,” he said softly. “Thought I’d walk you home. Make sure you get there safe.”
Naledi hesitated as they started walking down the quiet street. “Aiden… why are you helping? We barely know each other.”
He glanced at her, his expression calm but sincere. “I see you as a friend, Naledi. That’s enough for me. I don’t mind helping.”
She looked down at her feet. They walked in silence for a while, the city noises fading behind them.
When they reached the bus stop near her house, Aiden stopped and reached into his jacket pocket. He handed her a small envelope.
Naledi’s eyes widened. “You… you brought it?”
“I said I’d help,” he said simply. “No strings attached.”
She bit her lip, feeling the weight of gratitude pressing down on her chest. “Thank you,” she whispered, and before she could think too much, she hugged him tightly.
Aiden stiffened slightly but then relaxed into it, his arms wrapping around her in a protective manner.
“I’ll pay you back,” she said as she pulled back, giving him a quick smile. “I’ll text you as soon as I can.” She scribbled her number on a scrap of paper from her wallet and pressed it into his hand.
He looked at the number and nodded. “I’ll hold you to it.”
She turned and rushed toward her house, the envelope clutched tightly in her hand. Her heart was pounding, not from fear this time, but from the urgency of what had to happen.
Inside, the house was quiet. Her brother paced the living room, his face tight with nerves. Her mom stood near the kitchen counter, wringing her hands, eyes wide.
“They’re coming,” her brother muttered as soon as he saw her. “We… we might not have enough. We could lose everything.”
Naledi’s stomach clenched, but she forced a calm tone. “I have it.”
Her mom froze. “You… you do?”
Her brother’s brow shot up. “Where… where did you get it?”
Naledi shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. We have it now, and that’s what counts. You can pay them tonight.”
Her brother’s eyes flicked to the envelope, relief mixing with disbelief. “Okay… okay. Let’s do this.”
When the knock came on the door that evening, Naledi’s brother took a deep breath and opened it. Two men stood there, faces hard, their eyes flicking immediately to the envelope in his hand.
He extended it calmly. “Here’s your money,” he said firmly.
The men snatched it and began counting quickly, eyes narrowing. As they realized it was all of it, their faces twisted in suspicion.
“All of it?” one of them asked. “Where did you get this much in a day?”
Her brother straightened, meeting their gaze evenly. “You don’t need to know. You just take it and leave. I’m done with you.”
The men exchanged a look, clearly skeptical. “The boss won’t believe any of this,” the taller one said. “We’ll be back.”
Her brother’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t flinch. “Then you come back. It won’t change anything. I’m done with your threats.”
They hesitated a moment longer, counting the money one last time, then grumbled and left, their footsteps fading down the street.
Her mom sank into a chair, her hands trembling slightly. “Thank God,” she whispered. “Where did you get it? Was it Natasha?”
Naledi shook her head. “No. Natasha’s been on vacation with her family. We haven’t been in contact for the past two weeks, but she’s coming back tomorrow. I’ll see her then.”
Her brother exhaled deeply, rubbing his face. “I can’t believe that worked.”
Naledi leaned back in her chair, exhausted but relieved. The danger wasn’t over, not completely, but tonight, at least, they had won.
Her mom reached out and took her hand. “I don’t know how you managed it, Naledi, but I’m proud of you.”
Naledi smiled faintly, letting herself feel the small relief that had been missing for days.
- Writer
