All She Can Take

F O R T Y - S E V E N

The metallic scent of diaper rash cream filled the entire room. It was after hours and the daycare was clear of children but the evidence of them still lingered. The toys spilled in a corner. Bright green cubbies with a single tiny sweater still hanging there. The place looked cozy and well taken care of. Sid sat on the couch across from Chante who was busying herself with absolutely anything she could. Right now it was vacuuming even though the multicolored rug was spotless. Sid watched as Chante went over it again. And again.

"Chante...can we talk?" Sid shouted over the vacuum. She was sure Chante could hear her but she reached the end of the carpet and just swung around again, going back to the same patch of bright red carpet that she had just vacuum. Sid huffed and stood up, striding over to the wall she yanked the vacuums cord out of the outlet. As the vacuum whirred to a slow hum and then silence Sid watched Chante's back.

"You've always been rude." Chanted quipped as she gave up and wrapped the vacuums cord up. After she finally stowed the whole thing away in a closet, Sid sat back down on the couch and this time Chante followed. Sid slid the backpack off of her shoulders and unzipped it, pulled the bag with the money was out, and placed it on the small desk next to the couch. Chante looked at it but left it where it was.

"That's from Kru."

"I know who it's from." Chante's acrylic nails were cut low. Manageable to deal with the smallest of kids, Sid imagined. She watched as she picked at those nails. The usual flow of words, her super chatty demeanor stifled by the presence of Sid and that bag of money.

"How did he get to you?" Sid asked choosing her words carefully. Not asking how Chante got involved with him because no one got involved with Kru. He found you. Got to you. Infiltrated every part of your life until you think he controls the very blood that courses through your veins. Your happiness. Your life seemed to be in his grips.

"I leased the space here a few months back and had everything ready to go but on my last inspection, the department of health flagged a bunch of stuff. The refrigerators and there weren't enough sinks. Random shit. I really think they do that to try to discourage business owners. I'm trying to help single moms like me. Who gives a fuck about how many sinks there are?" Chante's hands were waving all over the place. Her frustration was rising again as if the Health Inspector was knocking on the door at this very moment. Sid nodded and stayed quiet.

"I'd spent all my damn money. Didn't have another penny left but if I didn't fix this stuff they wouldn't clear me to open." Chante looked at Sid for the first time since she crossed the threshold. "I needed to open, Sid."

"He gave you the money to fix the stuff and now you clean money for him." Sid finished what Chante could not say and watched the tears fill in her friend's eyes.

"I thought it would only be one time. But every week there's more and more." The tears were spilling now. The false lashes that were framing her large almond eyes were limp under the moisture. Chante grabbed a nearby tissue and dabbed at them only to dislodge a lash from its place. "Fuck." She mumbled. Sid looked away thinking of all the times she fell apart and how she wished people would give her the dignity to look away. Chante blew her nose into a tissue.

"Why are you here though, Sid? With money from Kru no less?"

With the spotlight now turned on her Sid stood and began to track across the carpet that Chante had just cleaned within an inch of its life. Her first instinct was to be vague. Say that she just got tied up in some stuff and was trying to fix it. But after seeing Phil's battered body. Baring her soul in front of Aiden. And talking with Ahsan about dreams slipping away she couldn't find it in herself to be vague. They were all in it. In this violent, ugly, heartbreaking tragedy of reality. They couldn't afford to play coy or have secrets. That's where Kru lived, in shadow and secrets and Sid didn't want to be anywhere near that place. She'd had enough of that.