Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Six
They always had left over food in the fridge that she had to clean out. She sometimes wondered if someone left the sealed carton of food on purpose for the cleaning crew. Every Friday night she’d find a sealed carton of either Chinese food, fruit or dessert in the fridge.
She never ate it at work but instead took it out of the fridge right before she clocked out. She smiled as she opened the fridge and saw two sealed cartons instead of the usual one. She stood up and arched her back slightly as another spasm shot through her.
She cleaned the reception area and hurried through the other four offices. She always cleaned the CEO’s office last, taking extra care with it. He was the boss after all. She was halfway through his office, humming a song when a sharp pain started in her lower back and stretched across her stomach.
She grabbed her stomach and sank down onto the CEO’s couch. She breathed through the pain as it dulled and she leaned back against the couch’s backrest. She sat there for several minutes but the pain didn’t return.
‘I’ll just close my eyes for a minute,’ she thought to herself as she closed her weary eyes with her hands around her stomach. The couch was luxuriously soft against her back and she felt herself drifting off but she just couldn’t muster the strength to keep her eyes open.
Milana’s dreams were filled with images of Kelley, their dates, him kissing her forehead when he thought she’d been asleep. The look in his eyes when he woke up in the mornings and looked into hers. It was all the good things she knew about him and she slept soundly.
Milana stretched her arms over her head and groaned at the feel of the soft cashmere blanket around her. Bright lights shone against her lids and she blinked her eyes in surprise and sat up straight and looked around.
“You’re finally awake,” a voice said from across the office.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” Milana said as she stood up from the couch and started folding the blanket and placing it back down. She felt mortified at having been caught not only sleeping on the job but on the CEO’s couch!
“Do you make a habit of it to sleep in my office when you should be cleaning it?”
“Mr Marchant, I’m really very sorry. This has never happened before,” Milana said, wringing her hands together.
He gave her a look, a look that said she had no business being in his office at all. “You may go.” Milana grabbed her cart, flicked an eye over her cheap, plastic watch and saw that it was just past five am.
She hurried out of his office and back down to the employees lounge. She stowed her cart in the storage closet and got her things from her locker. George waved goodbye as she swiped her card and left the building.
Hot tears threatened to spill from her eyes as she walked to the bus stop. She had no idea what was going to happen and she was sure that Mr Marchant would cancel his cleaning contract with Clean and Shine.
She couldn’t believe she had the audacity to fall asleep on his couch. Once she was on the bus she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. The baby kicked against her ribs softly, as if to comfort her with his or her presence.
From the bus stop she walked back to the apartment building as the sun started rising and her steps were slower than ever before. The stairs seemed daunting but the building didn’t have an elevator, not in this part of the city.
She had just made it inside her apartment when her phone started ringing. The screen lit up in a green light, an older, cheaper model that could only text and make and receive calls. She hadn’t needed anything more at the time.
“Hi, Bling,” Milana answered already knowing that Mr Marchant had complained. It was the first time ever that someone would complain about her work.
“Hi, Milana. As you probably know I’ve had a call from Mr Marchant.”
“Bling, I’m so sorry. I really don’t know what happened,” Milana said but got cut off by Bling.
“I have to let you go, Milana, if I don’t we lose the contract and it’s a lucrative one. I’m sorry. Last night’s wages will be paid into your account and tonight’s shift has already been covered.”
The call ended and Milana sank onto the ratty couch and really cried. It was the beginning of the month and without this job she wouldn’t be able to pay her rent at the end of the month. At thirty-five weeks pregnant she wouldn’t be able to find another job.
She was completely screwed now, she had about $300 in savings that she’d put away for the baby. In three weeks, she’d be homeless too and this baby could make an appearance at any time. She stayed on the couch for hours, crying and feeling utterly helpless and hopeless.
Milana took a hot bath, something she never indulged in because the utilities were so expensive. She had no plan and no matter how she tried to make one, she only came to one conclusion every single time.
Her groceries would be finished by Sunday and Bling had only paid her for the three hours she had worked, totaling less than $50. She was screwed. Utterly and royally screwed. She wouldn’t be able to survive the next two months with only $350 in her name.
She took a deep breath and dialed the only person that could help her now, no matter how much it broke her soul to call him, she had no other choice.
“Kelley speaking,” he answered the call.
“It’s Milana,” she said.
“I’m glad you reached out, Milana,” he said and paused for a few seconds. “We need to meet so we can discuss our divorce.”
Tears spilled out of her eyes and she wiped them away angrily. “We need to talk.”
“Where are you? I’ll come to you.”
“In St. John’s City … I’m …”
“That’s good, I’m in the city too. Text me your address and I’ll swing by to drop off the papers,” Kelley said and ended the call.
Milana took a deep breath and sent her address to him. Divorce wouldn’t be so bad. No matter what kind of man he was, he wouldn’t let his child starve. Once he knew she was pregnant she was certain he would pay maintenance.
She’d never planned on telling him, never thought she’d need to but now he’d find out and maybe that would be a good thing. He’d take care of his child, she knew that much.
