BOUND BY DEBT

Caitlyn Flannel refuses to be intimidated and tightened her grip on the clutch purse she held close to her waist. She suppressed the urge to wipe the smirk of the asshole's face sitting behind the mahogany teakwood desk with a clean slap to his plain face-but she couldn't afford to be rash just yet-so she flashed a dimpled smile at him. "Thank you sir for your time," She told the man and extended her hand across his desk for a handshake, "I would see myself out. He didn't let go of her hand. She raised a brow. "An advice Miss Caitlyn...? He gave a cocky grin and tilted his head to the side, "You'd be better off working as a er-night worker, if you get what I mean-in some of those clubs downtown, not as a corporate lawyer. You are simple not cut out for the corporate world. I mean you have a great body." Despite her earlier resolve to be calm, Caitlyn's body flushed with anger. "First thing Paul, I am not a stripper,' she seethed in a clipped voice, "I graduated law school with first class honors so I deserve this job as much as anybody else so for the fact that I won't let your sleazy hands on my body doesn't reduce my qualifications for this job. If you won't hire me, that's your loss. So damn you to hell. The man's gaze skimmed down her petite figure and his mouth curved into a slight grin, "Ah, o-kay," Like he was humoring her. Caitlyn angrily pulled open the door to his office and walked out of the small law outfit into the active streets of Venice. She had planned to stop somewhere for lunch, but instead decided to walk around to calm her temper. The man who interviewed her is a lecherous jerk who wanted nothing other than fresh p***y and why should she, a graduate, deserving of the job position sleep with some HR in order to be hired. He could shove his consultant position up his stuck-up ass. The day had started out overcast and chilly, but now, by early afternoon, the sun had broken through, and the streets almost deserted earlier when she left her home, were now teeming with people. Seeing all those people-from village locals like herself to gawking tourist-made her walk pleasant and she is able to forget about her encounter with the HRM momentarily. Caitlyn loved Venice. There is no other place like it, she thought. And she was lucky to grow up here. Living in Venice as a young girl had been filled with good memories, nights when her dad would get back from work and tell her stories, would take her out to get fried chicken until everything her father had got destroyed in a fire, along with the bad memories of him being barely sober. Then her brother started doing drugs too. Caitlyn remembered when her older brother brought home his friends from school, their father had been adamant not to let them into their house, claiming that they were bad influence but everyone thought he was just being paranoid and since he wasn't exactly sober at the time, everyone ignored him. Then her brother spiraled into self-destruct mode. From sneaking off some of her father's whiskey and beer, he graduated into c******s and cocaine, now the fool is hooked on hard drugs. Caitlyn also remembered when her father came home, bawling, cussing, and unkempt. When she had finally managed to get him to calm down, he buried his face in the slope of her young shoulders and a strangled sob broke through his lips, "I lost the trade Cait. I should not have put the business on the table for the poker game but I was so sure I would win this time. I am so sorry Caitlyn." The business he so freely talked about losing had been in their family for generations, before it was passed down to him. Caitlyn remembered feeling burdened her stomach muscles clenched and unclenched and a lone tear slid down her left eye. Her fists curled and she physically restrained herself from hitting him that night. Patrick had never really given a s**t what he placed bets with, he just wanted to be in command of everything but that had never worked out because he never won. A white expensive looking car swiftly zoomed past her, pulling her out of her reverie and she tripped over a litter bin as she felt cold shivers run down her spine. Vehicles like that doesn't belong on this side of Venice, she and her family lives on the poverty stricken tracks of Venice, the social outcast so something must be amiss for a Lamborghini to cruise past her village. Peering at the sheets of pink cloud drifting over the blue skies, the sun gently showering their radiance over small cottages and gardens, Caitlyn soon enough pushed the worrisome thoughts to the back of her mind and continued her walk to her part time job as a waitress in the local diner, it was actually her day off but she could make do with the tips. *** The low droning of journalists on the TV screen was drowned by the heavy rain outside on the stuffy May evening. The weather was so unpredictable-One minute chilly, the other hot and another raining heavily. Just few minutes are left before closing time at the diner, though there were barely any customers in today, which Caitlyn was grateful for as her sour mood caused by the jerk who had interviewed her earlier that morning returned although there was a downside to it because she scarcely made anything from tips. The rain started just as she arrived at the diner so the usual customers either didn't come or just stopped by only for a minute to wait the rain out. Time went by quickly, the clock reading ten thirty and Caitlyn was on her last table, rubbing away the liquid stains that splattered on each surface. As she returned to the counter, trying to make her way to the back room to get rid of her apron and leave for home, her close friend Mica, stopped her with his fingers wrapped around tight her wrist. "Cherie, you are not yourself lately, talk to me, what is up with you?" She passed a tight smile and pulled away from his grip, "I am fine Mica, just a little tired." He gave her a pointed look, "see, if it's because of your failed interview, don't be too worried about it. It's their loss anyway for not hiring the best lawyer in all of Venice." That compliment brought a smile to her face and she sighed, "I need money badly Mica, we barely get enough to eat back at the house anymore and My elder brother refused to get a job, says heavens doesn't give a s**t about drug addicts, so he too won't give a s**t about pleasing anyone. So he is a lost cause and a c***k head. So much is going on right now and I wish I could do more for my family but I feel so useless because no matter how hard I try it just seems like...." "Hey-hey-hey..." he hugged her this time, patting her back, running his hand over her back, "None of whatever is happening to your family is your fault, they all made a decision to live their lives the way they are doing it now so stop being too hard on yourself. You know what?" Mica asked her with a grin. "What is it Mica, you know I hate guessing." He pushed her from him gently and reached into his back pocket, out came with his hand a wad of dollar bills and he pressed it into her palm. She gasped, "There's no way I am collecting this from you. This would be literally your entire life savings." Mica threw his head back in laughter, "Shut up cait, you need this money more than I do so take it." But..." "No buts cait, Mica loves you and that's all that matters right?" Caitlyn sighed deeply and nodded. "I love you too Mica. Thank you." "Before you go, have you been listening to the news broadcasting on the television?" he asked eagerly as he reached over the counter to grab a coffee mug, knowing that no matter how tired she was, she would listen to him rant all day about the latest scoop on TV. Sighing again, Caitlyn dried her hands on a paper towel and shoved the money into the waist band of her skirt, "No, you know more than anybody that I am apathetical to politics. The only reason why the channel remained the same is that you always demand it did, I would much prefer a music playing station." "Whatever, this one is interesting." Mica countered. And I think you'll like what it is saying too. Tune the volume higher." "Mica, it's late already and my shift is already done. I have to go home right now." He gave her his best puppy-ocean eyes. Against her better judgment, Caitlyn caved and grabbed the remote control and her fingers flew over the button tuning the volume of the TV, enhancing the reporter's high-pitched voice. ".... Although enough evidence to prosecute Damien Delaine had been gathered and he had been sent to prison to serve a fifty years jail term, the federico are dropping all charges against him after just two years in prison. Just as the public had expected, the son of the criminal gang leader of the mob is walking the streets of Italy free as a bird, again!... "Also, reports of unremitting unlawful activities in the illegal trafficking trade have amplified in Italy, Sources believe that Delanie's drug cartel is the biggest drug supplier in the whole of Italy and even internationally, he is the Capo Del Capi of the underworld." "Just coming in now is a video of Damien Delanie as he walks out of Central Prison a free man and his Cosa Nostra gives him a grand welcome..." The newscaster's statement was cut off when Caitlyn switched the television off in a rapid motion, Mica never saw it coming. If she had known better, her eyes would have been riveted to the screen so as to absorb the features of the man who would soon turn her life upside down. "Cait!" Mica protested, "I was watching that." Eyes rolling hard, Caitlyn spun on her heels to look at him, sending him a death glare that had him recoiling back, "Don't you have some girlfriend to be with right now, THE DINER IS CLOSED!" "Yes, but it doesn't hurt to catch a few minutes of the evening news, does it?" he pouted. "I don't know how many times I have to tell you that I really have no interest about what's happening to some corrupt politician or some crime boss except its directly related to my family, which is not. So no thanks, I hate the freaking news. Bye Mica, I gotta grab my things from the back room and go now. Father would be worried about me if I stayed out too long."