If she ran the joint though there wouldn't be any hanky panky like Cleo was doing, but she didn't run the joint and Marvin didn't mind the cashiers making some extra dough on the side just as long as he got a cut of it. They'd slip him the money by making their drawers come up over an extra forty bucks.
Nicole had told Nanna about the dirty dealings and Nanna was upset, but she assured Nicole she had taken care of things and soon no one would worry about the business, but Nicole. She had no idea what her grandmother meant by that, but Nanna was still strong mentally although her body was giving up physically.
She prayed for Nanna's good health everyday, but she and Nanna knew their time together was coming to the end.
A ten came through the money slot and without looking at the face, she picked up the bill, made sure it was real then put five ones and a five dollar bill in the slot. When the stranger continued to stand there, she mumbled, "Can I help you?"
"If you don't mind," he said.
His voice instantly caught her ears and she looked up into the sea of green she had just been telling Cleo all about. "What are you doing here?" she asked clearly upset.
"I'm washing my clothes, or do you do other things in this Laundromat."
She looked towards the bathroom. "Nothing you'd want." She picked up her book to ignore him again, but he didn't move away from the mirror. Did he naturally look cuter by the minute or was it just too late at night for her. "Can I help you?" she snipped not at all liking the way her emotions were acting with him. It wasn't in her nature to be so perturbed all the time.
"I need your assistance. I've never worked these machines before and I can't turn it on. I think it's broke."
"Did you read the instructions?" she asked.
"Please, come help me?" he asked again.
"I need assistance," he snipped.
"What did you break?"
"The dryer completely stopped and I have already put my clothes and money in. Are you going to get me a refund?"
She gave him a long hard look then looked around in the lobby. At midnight on a Tuesday there was no one around washing their clothes. So why was this idiot out here tonight? "You wouldn't happen to be following me are you?" she asked suspiciously.