Chapter 10
I thought the whole thing was finally over.
But it wasn’t.
I got a call from an unknown number, and to my surprise, it was Alan’s voice on the other end.
“Evelyn, sorry for calling so late.” His tone was unexpectedly gentle.
I asked, “What do you want?”
He said, “It’s nothing major, just… could you lend me some money?”
I let out a cold laugh and asked, “Are we close? You’re perfectly healthy and college-educated-why don’t you get a job and earn money the honest way?”
He said, “Finding a job takes time. For the sake of all those years we grew up together, could you lend me some money to tide me over? I’m really desperate here. Food, clothing, housing— everything costs money, you know…”
I said, “Sorry, I don’t know. Didn’t you say I had no compassion?”
There was a pause on the other end.
I asked, “How do you like your life now?”
He said, “Evelyn, why are you being so… ugh, forget it. That was years ago—are you really still holding a grudge?”
Alan tried to put on some attitude, but the next second he was back to pleading: “I’m begging you, okay? I’m really…”
I cut him off: “Don’t give me that. Figure it out yourself—you’re a grown man.”
With that, I hung up.
He was crying poverty to me? When he attacked me without question for Lola’s sake, where was all that talk about “growing up together”?
I wasn’t buying any of it now.
But he was persistent and actually called back.
I was annoyed and blocked his number.
