The Dilemma

Unbelievably, the day had started out unusually well. Waking up just moments before her iPhone alarm rang out its usual siren was always an instant win. For once, there was no issue with the hot water in the shower. It seemed as though her housemates had finally understood the fact that she used the shower at the same time, every day. Her toast was unburnt, there were no crumbs in the butter and she managed to find a seat on the subway. All in all, this was turning out to be a great day, which was surprising, as she was sure she should definitely feel a lot rougher than she did.

As she searched fruitlessly through her bag for her headphones, her heart lurched as her fingers brushed her little, black pocket notebook. Hazy memories flashed through her confused mind. Sweaty hands fumbled, as she began to remember the conversation she'd had in the bar last night. Dare she call the number she had hastily scrawled in her drunken state? Sober, she would never previously have considered the somewhat ludicrous suggestion peddled to her by the incomprehensibly handsome stranger who'd sidled up to her, conspiratorially. Drunk, she all but bit his hand off. In the harsh light of day, however, the moral quandaries seemed to multiply by the minute. What if her friends found out? What if her boss found out? Surely, this could be a sackable offence. Worst of all, what if her family somehow discovered the truth?

But... $20,000 would solve all of worries. Admittedly, not for life. But her immediate future would be a lot less terrifying. Once she had got past that one terrifying hurdle. Could she do it? Could she actually bring herself to do it? Would the money wash her memory of what she was expected to do to earn it? The last month had been particularly gruesome - as it was, she barely made rent each month. For the last few months, her brother had been wiring her additional money for basic food supplies. And then she'd been hit with an unexpected hospital bill. With no more savings and her brother's goodwill running short, panic was beginning to set in about how to keep a roof over her head.

With a jolt, she looked up and realised she had missed her stop. Great, now she would be late. Yet again. There were only so many warnings her file could hold before she was let go. Deciding to try to avoid another warning, she thanked the Lord she was wearing her trainers and took off at a fairly fast-paced jog. Not being a natural runner, she had to pause for breath every now and then, but surprisingly, her busy mind cleared. Arriving at the office red, flustered and with a huge sweat patch across her back, she glanced up and saw that she'd made it on time. Shuffling to her cluttered desk, she took a moment to gulp down some water. The endorphins from her run, together with her sudden mental clarity helped her to formulate a plan in her mind. Faced with the situation she found herself in, and with limited recourse to solve her problems alone, it seemed that she would have to take comfort in the 'kindness' of a stranger.

Throughout the day, she contemplated messaging him, but every time she thought about it, she chickened out. The morning's meetings passed by in haze. Lunch was over before it started. He had given her a 24 hour time limit to take him up on his offer. When the time came to clock out, she rushed out of the door. Only one thing would give her the courage to message him.

Sitting atop a barstool in a different dive bar with a large glass of Malbec in hand, she picked up her phone and began to type. "Let me know where to meet you..."