Maxwell had been livid over seeing Jack and though it was none of his business what went on between them Erica felt bad for the apparent disappointment he directed towards her. And it was hard not to notice the way he looked tense as he expressed his desire for them to work on a project together.
But in as much as a part of her was excited about it, the call she received earlier that day from her father remained at the forefront of her mind, particularly the statement her father muttered quietly into the phone. It seemed they were dealing with some issues concerning the mounting medical bills for her mother's treatment. She had been sick for a while and despite her father trying to lay her worries to rest by insisting the financial crisis wasn't going to last long Erica felt antsy. When it came to her mother no words would ever be able to describe the full extent to which the love for her went.
As a result, throughout the day, she had been mentally trying to figure out what else she could do to lend a helping hand to helping them. The amount she was making at her job wasn't enough and that alone frustrated her. It seemed getting another job was the only other option.
"You, okay?" snapping back to reality she gazed up from her textbook lying on the table of the library to find Sabrina eyeing her closely.
"I'm good, why do you ask?"
"You keep frowning and it's kind of making me and that textbook nervous," Sabrina muttered lowly between them so as to not disrupt the other students preparing for the exams about to come in a few weeks. As much as she tried to downplay how fearful she was, it took a lot of effort to refrain her heart from nearly palpitating out of her chest from the anxiety gripping her body tightly.
And she was wondering how she'd manage getting another job whilst maintaining a steady level of care to her schoolwork.
"Stop that!' Sabrina whispered harshly at her once she saw the stress grow more apparent on Erica's face.
"I can't help it. I'm just trying to figure something out," she groaned reaching up to massage her temples gently.
"Could you do that without nearly giving yourself a stroke?"
"I'm fine... really," she replied placing her textbook and notes into her bag. Standing up she briskly walked out of the library with Sabrina still hot on her heels.
"Let me buy you some ice-cream," Sabrina sang hooking her arm around hers as they moved across the lawn. A small smile appeared on Erica's face at her suggestion that momentarily sparked flashes of them in their formative years chasing down the ice-cream truck along the black and white tar lanes, faces shining with innocence and ignorance of the world around them.
"If that ice-cream comes with extra money, then go ahead."
Sabrina's brows scrunched in confusion at her words before she stood in front of her, ultimately stopping Erica in her tracks. Her eyes immediately landed on the ground knowing like a window they'd reveal the tumultuous winds brewing insider her.
"Talk."
"It's nothing-"
"Erica," she cut her off sternly crossing her arms. Erica knew she could only keep this to herself for so long, truth is she wasn't the best at keeping secrets especially when it came to Sabrina who knew her like the back of her hand.
Taking a few calming breaths, she pursed her lips before finally gaining her bearings to look her older cousin in the eye to say the words she had yet to vocally say herself, "There are a few issues back home a few money problems that involve my mom's medical bills. But dad assured me it's just a small issue. Nothing that can't be handled," she quickly added the last statement mostly to coerce the cynical voices in her head to fade away.
"So, what are you going to do? Because it's obvious this is bothering you."
"At this point the only other option that I see that's possible is getting another job," she muttered shuffling on her feet as the annoyance erupted inside her knowing there was no other choice she had.
"How? Between school and the job, you already have at the restaurant how will that be possible?"
"I don't know!" she groaned; Sabrina quickly gripped her hand giving it a firm squeeze hoping the gesture would offer some form of comfort.
"I could always ask my pa-"
"No," Erica shook her head walking past her, "my dad would never allow someone to take care of those kinds of things."
And it was true. Erica's father was always taught that things like hard work would lead to a fruitful, prosperous life and that same belief led him to start his own business. She knew that her father was never the type to accept defeat especially when it came to her mother so she dismissed Sabrina's suggestion to bring her uncle and aunt into the situation.
"Soooo you don't tell him. Just say you've been saving money for emergencies or something."
"I don't know..."
"C'mon what other choice do you have, E. And I know my parents won't mind- we are family after all."
Erica bit her lip unsure of whether to take her cousin on the offer. The last thing she wanted to do was bother them with this but something about the look of certainty and confidence on Sabrina's face made her feel more comfortable with the idea that just asking wouldnt hurt. This was her mother's health after all.
"I'll think about it."
Sabrina nodded her head accepting that that would be the most she'd get out of her as they continued walking.
"Sooo are you looking forward to working with Max?"
Erica grimaced at the mere mention of his name knowing he had been acting strange around her.
"Still acting weird around you, huh?" Sabrina smirked bumping her shoulder gently. "I guess that is to be expected given he walked in on you and Jack nearly about to fuck on the kitchen counter."
"Oh god! Please don't remind me," she groaned throwing her head back at the memory she was trying so hard to supress," It was just a spur of the moment kind of thing. Call it a moment of weakness."
"Well whatever you call it, I'm looking forward to seeing him again."
"Don't. He's never coming around again."
"Awww boo!" Sabrina whined pouting. Erica briefly glanced in her direction wondering within the scopes of the universe how Sabrina was the older one between them. Choosing not to respond to her tactics she placed her focus on the wet ground taking note to bring an umbrella the next time she left the apartment.
"It's a shame... I kind of liked him."
"Is that ice-cream offer still on the table?" Erica inquired determined to move away from discussing anything related to Jack. However, Sabrina failed to take the hint as she continued to reveal more of her thoughts on the recent developments taking place in her cousin's usually dormant love life.
"He's got a nice torso too, wouldn't mind licking ice-cream of-"
"Sabrina!" Erica snapped as she burst out laughing at the blush creeping on her face at the mention of the same torso, she'd laid kisses all over not too long ago.
***
The hard, sharp pain radiating throughout his chest made the moment more daunting as his shaky hands gripped the cream-coloured wedding invitation staring menacingly back at him. The names of his ex-wife and old friend still mocking him the more his eyes took in the details of the festive occasion that was to take place in a few days.
Heartbreak holds a strong force capable of leaving anyone paralysed, immobile and incapable of seeing the beauty once lay across the open fields of life that Jack quickly crumpled the invitation hoping the pressure from his hand would diminish the nagging feeling that he had failed.
Since he received the invitation this morning nothing would pull his mind away from the pictures encrusted in old frames in his brain of the old days of bliss. He placed his hand into his pocket, only to be met with an empty space in which his wedding ring used to rest. Jack felt out of place without it since the day he lost it. Even though the gold ring no longer had value it was still too hard to throw it away and his mind kept on turning over every stone wondering where it could have gone.
"She isn't performing tonight," perking up he glanced up to find a woman clad in a waitress uniform smirking at him. He immediately recognized her and felt sheepish at the statement that she said quickly clearing his throat.
"I'm just here for the food."
Sabrina tilted her head in amusement narrowing her eyes on his profile taking note of him and Erica's joint habit of downplaying what was really going on," You've been here for over an hour glaring at that paper. There's no need to lie."
"You're keeping track?" he chuckled.
Ignoring his question, she wrote down an address on her notepad ripping the paper placing it on the table," Look she's performing at a little spot downtown. If you want to catch the set I suggest you leave right now."
"I-I was actually just going to head ho-" he stopped short at the incredulous look she was giving him and swallowed the rest of his lie down." Okay... thanks," he stood up gathering the crumpled-up invitation.
Sabrina followed his profile watching as he left the establishment disappearing from her line of sight, "Those two better name one of their future kids after me, I swear," she muttered under her breath annoyed at the pair.