New Beginnings, Old Problems

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I offered to drop Simmons at the train station.

They had decided to leave their car with Aunt Julie who had chosen to stay behind saying that she felt too old to begin again.

Zoe had stayed silent the whole ride to the train station. She was upset, she had every right to be upset.

Mr. Simmons went to buy two tickets, leaving Zoe alone with me.

"I didn't get to give it to you earlier." She said.

"What is it?" I asked, taking a small piece of paper from her hands, surprised that she had talked to me.

"Your final cheque. I never got to pay you the final installment of your fee. This is the money the pack paid us for Dad's case." She didn't look at me.

"You don't need to-" I started but her sharp gaze pierced me.

"According to our contract, I was expected to pay in full. In case of failing to do so, I owed you double the money. I was a paying client, wasn't I? Here is your final installment. Thank you for being lenient." Her words cut like a silver knife through the hea