Chapter 3
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect. Easton didn't show up on my doorstep the next day. Or the day after that. I worked my day jobs as usual, trying to push the new thoughts of my first love to the very back of my brain, where they belonged. There was no way I was going to reminisce over those days with him. What was the point? He didn't come after me that night. He didn't try to stop me. He never called or texted or anything. So why would bringing up the past change anything? It was probably some regular using a new name anyways. That's it. Just a really fucked up coincidence.
One of the reasons that made me choose the delivery driver job was that I could bring Zeke with me. It was perfect and helped with the bills my other jobs couldn't. I strapped my toddler into his car seat and shut the door to my little Ford Ecosport. Today's route was looking to be a lot less fast-food places where I could leave my car running out front while I picked up the orders inside and a lot more of the fancy, hipster places where I had to find a parking space and tote my insane child inside with me. Lovely.
But I wasn't going to complain…much. The hard to pronounce sushi bars and sandwich joints that used more caviar than mayo had the best tips. And, when it came to this gig, I heavily relied on the tips.
I always tried to stick in the downtown portion of Phoenix. That's where all the orders came from, anyways. Sometimes, a order would come in where the customer lived outside of the hustle and bustle of the city. I'd take it if it was slow and if the tip was over $4. Otherwise, I would turn it down so that I could take the more convenient requests.
Tonight, was a busier night than a usual Monday. I was picking up food from Taco Bell and then running across town to get high end meals to go from places that made me look like a prostitute (yeah, okay, not far off from my night arrangement in my bathroom but at least I don't actually suck dick for money, I suck my dildo…it's not the same).
So far, in a matter of 4 hours, I had made a total of $60 which is amazing, considering I usually only rake in about $30 a day with this job. My tips were coming in at $5 and $6 and I was seriously feeling great. The sun had just begun to set so I was about to call it a day so I could head home and get Zeke to bed so I could set up for my cam session. Tonight's theme would be Cat Girl. The "animal enthusiasts" died every time I pulled out the but plug with the black, feline tail attached.
I learned early on to appease to the kinky fuckers to get the most views/tips.
After I dropped off the last delivery, I picked my phone up from it's perch on my thigh to switch my mode from "on shift" to "off duty" when another order came through. My finger hovered over the option to not take the request when I saw how much I would make from it. $150? Yeah, there was no way I would turn that down. Despite getting that massive amount from Coop the other night, I really could use all the extra cash. The money made from cam sessions went toward getting Zeke and me a better place in 6 months while the $150 would go toward our bills and the gas it took to make all these deliveries.
I confirmed that I would take the order. It was take-out from some classy steakhouse. I had never been to the place, myself, but I heard of it from my baby sister, Fee. Some random guy she met at the hospital where she did her clinicals had taken her there. She claimed that the food was "out of this world". I laughed, knowing I would never find out. Zeke and I had cheap palettes. We stuck with the dollar menu at McDonald's.
When I pulled up to the restaurant, I wondered how I was going to secure the order. There was nowhere for me to leave my car running so I could go in and out real quick so that meant I had to get Zeke out, which was never my favorite option. I saw a valet stand and pulled up in front of it.
Rolling down my window, I spoke to the young teen who had come to take my car keys. "Hey, I'm with Minute Meals and I was wondering if there was a way, I could just leave my car here and get the order for the customer?"
The kid rubbed his jaw. "I guess it would be okay…." He looked over at an older man who I assumed was his boss. "But let me ask my manager. Hold on."
I nodded and he ran over to the balding dude. They talked for a few seconds and then the boy returned.
"Yeah, it's cool but be really fast. We aren't really supposed to let cars idle here unless a guest is coming to pick it up." He smiled at me.
"Of course, I get it." I grinned. "Thanks! It will only be a second."
Looking over my shoulder at my son, I said a silent prayer for his safety. It was something I always did whenever I had to leave my car without him. I hated it but it was the only way to make enough to cover our bills these days.
It took two seconds to run in and get the food. I got in my car, looked to make sure Zeke was still in the backseat and headed away from the steakhouse.
The customer's address was a lot further than the rest of the places I usually delivered to. I was used to apartments in the ghetto areas (like where mine was located), houses in cute neighborhoods, and condos all the way by the mountains. But my navigator was taking to me to some fancy as hell town, with mansions and penthouses. I didn't even know there were places like this in Arizona, let alone Phoenix. So far the only side of Phoenix I had seen was gang-ridden and falling apart.
I pulled my car, which now felt old and dirty, up this huge driveway, parking next to some vehicles I couldn't even pronounce. My Ford is a 2020 and under 10000 miles but next to these million-dollar cars, it looked like a piece of junk. A clunker that I paid $450 a month for.
I grabbed the bags of what I guessed were steak, potatoes, and whatever else a rich person must eat. Maybe gold-crusted salmon and black truffle risotto with flecks of diamonds in it. I didn't take Zeke out with me, just leaving my car on and running. This was a really nice area, I doubted it was anything like the complex we called home.
I looked down at my leggings and dusted off the crumbs from my lunch of peanut butter crackers (I got Zeke nuggets and fries but I didn't want to spend anything more on me), and cringed at my ratty slides. I was also wearing neon pink, ankle socks. I definitely looked the part of broke delivery driver. With the bags in hand once again, I walked up to the front door of the mansion and knocked, unsure if I should ring the bell.
Normally, I would leave the food on the mat, take a picture to upload on the app, and leave. But the instructions said to hand directly to the customer. I hated having to deal with people, one on one.
The door opened and I prepared myself to talk to some old, rich dude with grab hands.
I was not prepared for who actually came to the door.
"Took you long enough, Baby Bird."