Chapter 2 - BEFORE THE CAKE
Seven weeks earlier, I thought the worst thing in my life was money.
Rent, gas, groceries, medication, and dialysis three mornings a week for my mother, Linda.
“You should go back to school,” Mom told me one morning.
“You should stop pretending dialysis is a social club.”
She smiled weakly.
“I like my nurse.”
“You like everybody who brings you crackers.”
“That’s called emotional intelligence.”
After that, I quit competition.
Quit college. Quit believing life waited for anyone.
I had once been good enough at martial arts to dream about national tournaments.
Then hospital bills replaced medals.
My first delivery to the Moretti estate came on a freezing Thursday.
I waited outside twenty-two minutes.
Vanessa finally opened the service door.
“It’s cold.”
“I’ve been standing in the rain.”
She looked at me as if weather were a personal failure.
“And?”
I offered to return to the restaurant.
Then Dominic appeared behind her.
He took in my soaked jacket and the food bags.
“Why was she left outside?”
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“She’s delivering food, Dominic.”
He handed me a hundred-dollar bill.
“For the delay.”
I took it.
Four days later, the app showed another order.
MORETTI ESTATE - PREFERRED DRIVER REQUESTED.
The payout was triple normal.
I accepted.
Vanessa met me at the door.
This time she stared at my hands.
“What have you touched today?”
I frowned.
“The restaurant requires hand washing.”
“I didn’t ask if they were clean.”
She looked at my chipped nails.
“I asked what you touched.”
I said nothing.
“Wear gloves next time.”
I bought disposable gloves that night.
For seven weeks, she requested me again and again.
At first I thought she liked humiliating me.
May you like
Later I learned the truth.
She had requested me because she already knew exactly who I was.
