Few seconds later, words from outside filter into my ears
"What's going on here Bint?" Eve questions the man with the bat
"Ow. Eve… the true descendant of Eve..." Bint jokes and his men laugh behind him
"What are you doing here disturbing my business?!" Eve shouts in anger but a held down one, she glances at me and her face twists into a sneer, she looks back up and her face returns to Bint.
Did she just sneer at me? After someone looking for her wounded me?
I say nothing but just get up and take a seat to understand what is going on and silently nurse my wounds.
"I just feel like it. Why? A creditor can't visit his debtor?"
Eve visibly calms down at the mention of creditor and debtor. She looks around nervously and gesticulates with her hands at me to stand up and start working.
"Let's talk about this upstairs. You don't have to disrupt my business. Follow me up." Eve turns back to Bint and makes to lead the way.
Bint laughs and she turns around to look at him.
"I have nothing to discuss with you. I want my money by this time next week." He says to Eve and then turns to face the customers
"No one will be spared by then..." He finishes with his eyes on me.
He sizes me up again and I give him a raised eyebrow.
He smiles slyly and faces Eve again.
"I'll stop disrupting your business if you pay me my money. Till this time next week, once again, we your boys sign out." He says and gives a mock bow and signals his boys to leave.
They all leave but there are chairs scattered around, Gina nowhere to be seen and me with a scrape on my forehead.
Eve pretty much just gives me a glance and leaves through the back door.
I guess I know what to do.
Maybe I can still get dinner tonight.
I get up sluggishly and start arranging the fallen chairs and side turned tables.
One by one, the customers in the bar began to pay and leave.
Until the last group leaves.
Then I remember I was not able to thank the man in the suit for helping me, or thank grey hoodie halfly for not watching me die although he made his mark. I unconsciously run my hand over the bruise.
I guess I have to keep my eyes peeled to see him again.
If I do.
Gina walks into the bar and helps out with the remaining arrangements.
I smile and straighten up.
"I have to use the rest room. The one here is broken, I'll use the one upstairs." I inform Gina
She doesn't say anything and just nods to me.
Is something wrong?
I'll ask when I come back down.
Because right now?
It feels like my bladder is about to burst.
I take the stairs up and running.
I reach the top and enter my room. I quickly do my thing and head back downstairs.
Passing through the main door, I can hear my parent's voices in their room.
I know the people I live with and when something is being discussed in hush voices, it has important facts in it and it could concern I or Gina.
I go closer and put my ears on the door.
"We are short of girls. I just heard from Dan. We are short of two girls."
I don't hear what my Dad says.
"Yes. Two. And without them, this house will be gone by this time next week. How did we end up owing that much to Ben? Did you borrow again? Four million dollars?! Are you stupid?!"
"I'm sorry. We needed it bad that time we got Gina." I hear what my Dad says this time.
"Yesss.... Gina. That's one girl down, we still need one more girl if we are to pay Ben back."
There is silence for about a minute until Eve speaks up again.
"What about Natalie?"