In the House of Spite Ch. 04

Then she took a breath. "And let me tell you something right now. If anybody owned me it would be because I gave them permission, and you sure ... as ... shit don't fucking own me."

And without giving Darren a chance for an argument, she spun herself around and raised her chin. Thinking she didn't want to stay in this house anymore, she went for the kitchen, saying, "I'll leave early if that's okay."

Weakly, his voice fluttered out to her. "Okay. That's fine."

She clocked out very quickly. Then she went to the living room to get her coat.

Darren was already opening his wallet. He looked at her card and counted out her pay. Pearl counted it for herself. It was all there. She didn't even say goodbye. She just went to get her shoes.

"I got you a Christmas present."

Pearl blinked. She tapped a shoe's toe onto the floor. "No thanks." She started off towards the foyer.

Thick and quick footsteps. She thought the general area trembled from them. "If I don't give this to you, I'll worry about it forever!"

"Not my problem. I didn't ask you to buy me a present." Her hand was on the doorknob. "And I didn't get you anything."

When she had the door open by a crack, one of Darren's large hands pressed on it, closing it.

Pearl stomped her foot like a bratty toddler, and she inhaled, a hair's width away from screaming at him.

A fairly tiny envelope in festive red and gold colors was held before her angry eyes.

"Just open the damn thing." He sounded like he was getting really, really tired of all this.

Whatever.

She was curious anyway. She wouldn't have admitted that, however.

She took the envelope and opened it up. A Steam card with $50 on it.

"I heard you like video games," he said. "I even asked for your mom's number so I could get details. She said you like Steam cards and Xbox."

So ... Mama had been texting or talking to him?

Huh.

Pearl had no idea.

But it changed nothing.

She tossed the envelope and card onto the floor. "Give it to some kid. I have no business accepting gifts from my boss." She opened the door again.

"What about a gift from a friend?"

He wasn't just tired anymore. He sounded hurt.

Pearl didn't know why, but she felt that pain.

Well ... shit.

She closed the damn door. She turned around and picked the envelope and card up. She leaned against the door and looked up at Darren's frustrated face. There were wrinkles in his nose and forehead. A corner of his irritatingly soft and full lips was twitching.

"I shouldn't be on bad terms with my boss." Pearl put the card in a pocket. Then, hoping to put a sweet note on the day, she stepped up to Darren and took his hand, the one with short fingernails. She saw his face smooth out, and she made a light, almost cooing noise in her throat. "Thank you so much." Both her hands held his, almost affectionately. She even gave him a few assuring squeezes. "I already know what games to buy."

Yes! He was smiling!

That's how she knew she could say this, "Now you have a Merry Christmas, alright?"

His free hand curled over her set. "Alright. Merry Christmas."

"See you in about two days," Pearl said as she left him, their hands separating.

She heard one of the dogs whine. Had to be Baby Blue. He probably wanted head pats.

She didn't even get to finish her hot chocolate.

***