Escaping Debt & Death

Chapter 4- What are friends for?

Caroline

I get home in time for dinner with the kids. My mom prepared spaghetti,their favorite. I grab a prepped salad from the fridge to have as a side with my spaghetti. Over the years I've figured out the meal prepping so I'm never in a rush to cook when I'm hungry. There's always something I can grab that's ready to eat or quick to prepare.

I update my mom in the kitchen as we wash and dry the dishes. I still have the hardest task ahead...telling the kids.

I sit them all on the couch and I tell them that daddy had an accident at work and he has to stay in the hospital for a while. "How long is a while?" Dominic asked, I can see the worry on his little face.

At 12 years old he's so mature. His voice is deepening but his face is still babyish.

"I'm not sure baby. But he's going to be ok and he wouldn't want us to be worried and sad because of him" I squeeze the three of them into a bear hug. Giovanna had a hard time falling asleep without her dada. The boys were allowed to have a sleep over with grandma. She took them all to the guest house for cookies. I only agreed to lighten the mood. Jamie is coming over to stay a few days with me. She insisted that she come over to help me with the kids, but I know it's an excuse for us to drink cheap wine and eat ice cream.

"Caro… " she called from the doorway, "I'm here babe" "I'm in the bedroom!" I yelled from upstairs. I hear her footsteps coming closer. She leaves her bag in the doorway and rushes to hug me with urgency. No words just silent understanding. I allow myself to melt into her embrace. She wasn't here for anyone but me."Have you eaten?" she asked as she stroked the back of my head. "Uh yeah" I muttered. We sat on my bed and I filled her in on the situation.

"So are you gonna take time off from work?" she searched my eyes knowing what the answer to that question was.

"No"… "I can't do anything as it is, I've already arranged with mom for after school, I'll try to keep it as normal as possible for the kids."

"Normal! You haven't had normal in a long time honey!" "You're concerned about taking care of the kids, who's taking care of you? It's not fair!"

She's upset. "The bills aren't gonna wait for Trevor to recover , I can't just sit and wait." I'm interrupted by the phone...one of my former suppliers are calling to follow up on payment. I watch it ring until it stops.I just can't deal with that right now. "Speak of the devil." I motioned with my eyes to the phone. "They call so late in the evening?!" Jamie asked in disbelief. "Yup."

My phone lights up with a text message "Hi Caroline I'm following up on behalf of Panda Trading for payments to your outstanding balance, can you advise when we can expect a deposit?"

I'll respond tomorrow. I just can't right now. "I'm gonna take a shower ok babe... you wanna put your stuff in the guest room?" I asked Jamie as I walked to the bathroom. "Yea I'll do that...where are the munchkins?" She finally noticed the quiet of the house. "Oh they're with mom can you collect Giovanna?" “It's past her bedtime, the boys are sleeping over" "Sure thing…" She said something else but all I heard was her receding footsteps.

By the time I'm finished with my shower Giovanna is fast asleep in Jamie's arms. She's holding my baby but I can see that she misses her little Emma. Jamie is a domestic violence survivor. She sent her mom and daughter back to Japan to keep them safe from her abusive ex husband. She is finally free of him in a new country with a new job. He'd be really sick to follow her to the Caribbean.

The only familiar face was myself when she came to Barbados. We'd studied years ago at Uni but we weren't close like we are now. I helped her plot her escape and relocation. She struggles to put Giovanna on the bed. At three years old she's one solid rock. I laugh at my friend's struggle.

"You're such a b***h!" She hissed as she throws a pillow at me. I catch it and place it at the foot of the bed. "Come on I could use a drink after the day I had" She looks at me again with that silent understanding; I turn and she follows me down the stairs to the kitchen.....

"Wait,wait, wait...so you're telling me Trevor is the only man you've ever been with?!" "I call bullshit!" "BULL-f*****g-s**t" Jamie is in disbelief. "I swear on my daughter's grave." I held my right hand to my heart.

Two bottles of wine later we help each other up the stairs and crash into my bed with my little princess fast asleep in the middle.

Jamie is asleep in less than a minute and I'm looking at the ceiling just praying that in the morning Trevor would wake me and tell me it was all a bad dream.