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Dinner conversation usually starts with Bancroft asking about Francesca and Tiny, then I ask his his brother does to drive his

When he asks how the job hunt is going for ed to line up two auditions for next week, but both of the roles are sh for me to come up with a down payment for any kind of apart down o I secured part-ti drinks I had reservations about the place, partly because the lance at my résumé Apparently my "bad plan" radar was accurate

I lasted all of one shift Not because I’ propositioned by theter to stay positive I have the auditions I still have tibusiness seriously When I’ Tiny crawl up and downthe Internet for potential auditions and seeking agent representation or passing out my résumé at every damn place I can think of

I bomb the first audition Just choke Like literally I’I double over coughing and spit out a giant housefly, covered in e again

The night before ood reason I feel like I’ my dance routine all afternoon and I have it down perfectly I know every step, every word to the song I can perform it in my sleep I don’t take any chances with food I eat Cup-a-Soup and drink hot le It’s supposed to be good luck But I go to sleep feeling uneasy anyway

I wake up in the htmare that I left the lid off Tiny’s terrariu crawling onwarm and squishy In reality I do ju is a ashcloth I left on the floor after I’d given as washcloth I slipped on the floor and landed on my ass

I should’ve known from the lack of sleep, the bad drea to be a failure

The next day I nearly do break a leg, just like Bancroft told oes sidehen I faceplant on the stage in the o ho dooer

When I get home from my epically terrible day where I not only eet turned down for not one, but three cashier positions--word to the wise: a Triple-Threat Award does not make one universally eet this day ever happened

Bancroft will be back in little ood The envelope of cash--which contained the full five weeks’ worth of my stipend, well, double it, but it’s not my fault if his math is off--helps a lot, but I need to pay down my bills and save for an apartment I have another audition lined up in two days, but with the way things are going, I’ I see care of Francesca and Tiny

I almost caved when I spoke toand if I’d sorted out my apartment situation I played dumb and asked him what he meant Apparently, his brainless secretary told hih I’d said she didn’t need to There was no way I was going to ad able to take care of the situation on h

I kick off e A few days after Bane left Iarea, which is where it stays for thearound and doing tricks for irl," I coo "Did you e and lift her out She cuddles intofor snacks It’s her signature move every time I pick her up, as if she thinks I’ll have lost food down there She’s a bright light in my otherwise shitty day

I carry her down the hall, exhausted and defeated, looking for anything that will brighten rabout and watching s to do, especially after a long, crappy day Francesca loves nature docureat company when I watch horrorIn the past teeks, I’ve only slept in ht I stayed here Half of my boxes still line the wall, unpacked A constant reminder that I need a job, any job, and soon

I push open the door to his room The bed is made, because it’s so much more fun to mess it up when it’s already perfect Last week I relented and changed the sheets, because they were s less than fresh, but I sprayed thene so they still smelled like him It’s not authentic, but it’s kind of the sae that it’s a little creepy, this behavior of mine, but I tell myself it’s for the benefit of Francesca so she doesn’t think he’s abandoned her

I put her down on Bancroft’s bed and she does her little nose twitch-sniffle thing, bouncing around, waiting for rumpy, but this at least will put me in a semi-better mood I pull the sheet up over her and she ood fifteen or twenty h and all she wants to do is cuddle

It’s just after six, but I didn’t sleep well last night and the failed audition and unsuccessful attempts to secure ehts and find a good horror ood way to rey to consider les her way under h the neckline She likes being close to le in and close e the disappoint pullsto throw off the haze I realize the sound is coht Shit Bancroft said he’d call at seven and he’s pro to reach me for the past hour

I fuers struggling to grab hold of the device

"Ruby? Are you there? Ruby?" Bancroft’s concern is clear in his tone

"Here" I rasp "Fell asleep Sorry Here now"