The Other C-Word Read Online Free PDF

the whole cheapskate debacle.
    “Her name’s Stevie?”
    “Yes,” I wondered if I should share how crazy my family was. He seemed curious. “It’s for Stevie Nicks.”
    He smiled, nodding. “It’s Monday morning and you sure look fine.”
    Huh? Is he flirting again? I cocked my head at him, trying to give him my intimidating gaze, which didn’t even falter his smile.
    “Fleetwood Mac, right?” he asked.
    “Oh yeah,” I replied, feigning nonchalance, realising he was quoting song lyrics. I thought it was ironic, since it was Monday morning and besides being a blundering mess, I felt I did look…fine.
    “So, did your mom name your sister Stevie because she’s in love with Fleetwood Mac?”
    I smiled because it was corny, but I loved the way my mom named us, although not everyone thought it was so cute. I might as well tell him — I’d most likely be out on my ass by the end of the week anyway and never see him again.
    “My mom loves all types of music. She’s been to every kind of concert there is. It’s a part of our lives. I know people say that music is important to them all the time, but in my family, it’s more than entertainment. It’s a form of communication.” My mom often would play a song on the living room stereo to emphasise her advice or feelings—we all did. Sometimes, we couldn’t find the right words ourselves, so we used other people’s sentiments to fill the void, and why not? They were poets after all.
    “She sounds like a character. Who’s Billie, your brother?”
    I laughed because my eighteen-year-old sister Billie was the epitome of femininity with long blonde locks and bright blue eyes. “No, she’s my younger sister.”
    “Let me guess, Billy Joel?”
    “That’s what everyone thinks, but she’s actually named after Billie Joe.”
    Rick looked at me quizzically.
    “Billy Joe Armstrong, the lead singer of Green Day. Dookie came out the year Billie was born and my mom decided she was in love with him.”
    “Ah, must be the guy liner thing.” It impressed me that Rick knew the band and could follow along with my mom’s crazy logic for naming us.
    “Yeah, guess so.”
    “And your name is Marley? So that’s for…”
    “I’ll give you a hint. If I was a boy it would be Robert, Bob for short.”
    “Bob Marley…very nice. Your mom’s very…eclectic in her tastes.” I couldn’t believe I’d divulged how crazy my family was in a few sentences. He most likely thought I smoked weed—I didn’t, but I decided not to voice it. It would probably make me sound worse. I mean that’s what someone who smoked weed would say, wasn’t it? Just great…I’d managed to reveal that I didn’t know the meaning of simple words like randy, I got lost, I talked to my mom all day long and I smoked weed, even though I didn’t. I should just fire myself at this point.
    “She’s definitely one of a kind.”
    It was funny, I never told people about my name. At least Rick didn’t seem judgemental.
    “Do you want to know anything else about the company?”
    “Why does your mom think I’m a cheapskate?”
    Oh boy, he wasn’t taking the high road. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, cringing noticeably.
    “Did you think I was just going to let it go?”
    “I was hoping you would.”
    He patiently assessed me with his eyes, not yielding to my silent plea. He wanted an answer.
    “It was an assumption on my part because you didn’t get a rental car. I’m sorry. It was wrong.” I hoped the apology sounded sincere, because I did feel terrible about calling him that, although my new nickname of ‘Dick’ was even worse.
    Rick was quiet for a moment, contemplating my excuse. “It’s a fair assumption,” he replied.
    “There are no fair assumptions. I hope I didn’t offend you.”
    “There are fair assumptions. We all make them, but please allow me to disillusion you of it.”
    “It’s okay, you don’t have to explain,” I replied sheepishly.
    “I want to. There