Payment

"Meet me at 10 o' clock at Tippy's." Devon kept it short when he called Derick at 5:30 in the morning.

"What? Why? What time is it?" Derick was groggy and noticed that it was still dark.

"Payment."

The line went dead.

Derick looked at the phone, pressed the 'off' button, and went back to sleep.

* * *

Derick walked down the street, his white jumpsuit dusty and stained from the factory. He carried a tin lunch pail. He shuffled along, tired and overworked. Days at the factory were becoming harder and harder, and while he walked home, he prayed that the book deal would pan out.

"Derick?" A sweet voice asked.

Derick shifted his gaze from the sidewalk to the voice in front of him.

"Lydia?"

Lydia smiled, and moved to hug Derick. Derick accepted the hug, but didn't return it. "What do you want?"

"I miss you."

"Oh, Lydia. That's rich." Derick began to walk away from her.

"Wait!" Lydia ran after him.

"What is it? Do you want money or something?"

"No! I want you, Derick."

"You should have thought about that two years ago." He turned his back on her.

"Derick, listen. Let's go up to your apartment and talk this out." She began to walk with him.

"Can't. I've got better things to do."