Desperate for Approval novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: The Biscuit Tin

The housing clerk was kind about it, which made it worse.

"I can put you on a payment plan," she said on Monday morning. "But we need a thousand dollars down by five o'clock, and the rest in three installments."

"I have fifty-one dollars."

She looked at the screen and then at me.

"Is there a relative who can help? A grandparent?"

"My grandmother has a pension."

"Then I'd call her."

I did not want to.

Grandma Gerlaine had never owned a credit card, and she counted her change twice in the checkout line.

I walked outside, sat on the bench by the bike racks and called anyway.

It rang until the answering machine picked up.

I left a message that said I was fine, that I only wanted to hear her voice.

At noon I was back in the line at the housing office, rehearsing what I'd say if they put me out.

I heard my name from the door.

"Britta."

I turned, and my grandmother was standing in the lobby in her good wool coat.

She had her brown purse across her chest and a round blue cookie tin held against her stomach with both arms.

Her knee braces showed under her trousers.

"Grandma?"

"There you are." She came toward me, walking slowly and carefully on the polished floor. "That bus is a terrible thing. Four hours, and the man next to me ate an onion."

"You took the bus?"

"How else was I going to get here?"

I put my arms around her, tin and all.

She smelled like lavender soap and the wool of her coat.

"Dale called me this morning," she said into my shoulder. "He told me you'd had a tantrum and wouldn't pay your fee. I said I'd come and see for myself."

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