“I’m so sor...” she started, but I had told them once before that I didn’t care about hearing their apologies. So I talked right over her.
“Here’s my next suspicion that you’re free to dismiss because of my past with you all. You only liked it with them because you never knew any better. With how often I could hear you all go at it, when I was still living in that house, I would’ve expected each and every one of you to be able to write a new Kamasutra. And you didn’t know you could squirt? That never happened before!? Come on, give me a break!”
“Are you saying they’re just bad in bed?” she asked with a hint of amusement in her voice.
“No, not necessarily bad. But I AM saying that Aaron and Claire have been married for ... What ... Twenty-one years? So, by now, Aaron should know what he’s doing. But then you yourself just said that the sex with him was only good when Claire or Danny were there as well. Now look at Golden Boy. He’s been at college for over four months now. Someone as good looking, charming, and presumably gifted but definitely experienced as him, should be literally drowning in pussy over there. But has he ever missed a single weekend coming back home, to stay with someone he met over there? Sure, I could be wrong. Maybe the women in your family are just that good, so no other woman can compete. I’m pretty sure, though, that he would be laughed out of the building if he ever told one of those college chics about his protein injections.”
She did not respond to that. Instead, she just seemed to contemplate that information dump I just dropped on her while I finished my own breakfast. I think that little reminder of Logan’s cringy pick-up lines at the end of my speech, went a long way in making her see things for what they really were. When I was done and had placed the leftovers in the fridge, Ava jumped up to help.
“I’ll do the dishes! You cooked!”
“Thanks.” I said, and opened the dishwasher for her, causing her to look somewhat forlorn before I checked my watch. “I should hit the shower. I’ll have to do some grocery shopping, since I didn’t have a chance during the week. Then I’ll have to meet someone at noon. Do you have plans, want to stay in, or should I drop you off at the house?”
“Oh! No ... I have some homework left to do, so I can enjoy a free sunday.”
“Alright. I’ll be back at around Three, since we’ll have to pick up Mia and Jack for our next training session.” I said, and left for my bedroom.
First order of business was to pack the cash I’d need for the meeting with Danny and John, then grab the printouts from the houses in foreclosure I had picked out. Then I made my way into the bathroom and mentally practiced my sales pitch under the shower. I had no idea if it would work, but I decided to just trust in their wish to prove themselves to me. Then I stripped the bed again to let the mattress air out, and left the apartment.
I actually went to an Ikea and got new sheets before taking care of most of the grocery shopping. Then I drove to John’s house and simply sat in my car, waiting for the clock to strike Twelve. I was nervous as hell, trying to resist the temptation to just drive back to my apartment. Earlier, I had decided that it wouldn’t be a loss if they screwed me over. But with all that cash in my passenger seat, actually seeing how much that is, that resolve had crumbled. When the time came, I just sighed, grabbed the bag, and got out of the car.
I was greeted with a hug from Danny and a handshake from John before they led me into their living room to sit down. Danny started the meeting with casual smalltalk, something I also never understood when it happened in meetings with clients at work, but then she tried to ask me how my nightly disturbances developed given how Ava was now in my home.
The look she got from me, after I threw a side glance at John, made it clear that I did not appreciate her telling him about that, and that I was anything but eager to discuss this in front of an audience. Yes, in her mind we were all family, and yes, in her mind they were all trying to help me, but those nightly events were embarrassing for me. My opinion of her as a therapist plummeted once again. John seemed to immediately realize what just happened, and tried to take over by changing topics.
“So, uh, what’s that favor you want to ask of us? Does it have anything to do with what happened between you and Aaron two days ago?”
“Yes. How’d you guess?” I was confused.
“Since that evening, things between him and Claire are ... strained, to say the least. I actually saw her throw stuff at him last night! Whatever he did, she’s not happy with him. Which has us quite confused, since we all saw how happy they both were after you and Aaron came back from your car. I didn’t want to get involved in their bickering, so I don’t know any details, but then you asked about this secret meeting.”
“Really? Interesting.” I mused, not entirely sure what to do with that information.
With what little I had just learned, I couldn’t tell whether Claire was mad about Aaron taking my money, or about something else. Maybe I should have just used the bugs I still had on their phones to listen in on them, but I really didn’t care enough about them anymore. So, my curiosity about their affairs was limited, and I had more pressing problems on my mind.
“Tim?” John’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I saw him and Danielle look at me concerned. I realized they were hoping for some insight from me.
“Well, they’re broke. So broke, in fact, they can’t pay for Logan’s board and tuition. But, instead of asking their Golden Boy to get a job, or apply for federal grants, or take out a student loan ... Aaron’s taking the money from my bank account. He told me how Logan would lose his scholarship if they failed to pay, and they had to pay within two weeks, so I agreed. That’s what made them so happy.”
I saw John’s expression change to surprise when hearing about them being broke, and then to disbelief when hearing the rest of my rant. I just shook my head and released a mirthless chuckle before I continued.
“You know, when this whole shitshow with Logan started, I had twenty grand in my bank account. I had just started to think about trading in my rusty Jeep for something with an actual roof instead of a tarp, and maybe even with working seatbelts. Now I’ll barely make rent next month, especially with the extra expenses for Ava, since I don’t expect Aaron and Claire to pay for her meals. I’m not sure why Claire would have a problem with it, though.”
“What!? Why wouldn’t she have a problem with that?” Danielle asked in indignation.
“Your husband just said it himself. You all saw how happy Aaron was after our talk in the car. Claire knew all about their money troubles, so, going by her reaction when we came back into the house, she must have known that our talk had somehow solved that problem. She knew where that money came from, but didn’t look like she had a problem with it then, so why should she have a problem with it now? She probably just learned that Aaron also took Ava’s birthday money.”
“He even took Ava’s birthday money!?” John asked incredulously.
“I gave her a thousand bucks, since it was her eighteenth after all. He also pocketed the four grand in cash I dropped the day you all came back. And Claire pocketed the eight grand she took from my bank account for hotel rooms, despite you all camping out here.” I said, while waving my hand across their living room.
Now both of them just stared at me, not knowing how to respond to that.
“Tim...” Danielle finally spoke in a desperate tone. “There HAS to be another explanation. Claire was devastated the day you left again. I just can’t imagine...”
“I really don’t care anymore.” I interrupted her. “The money’s gone. I managed to work it in a way that I have enough to pay my bills on the first, and maybe even part of my first college exams.”