The McKenna Legacy: A Drifter Story | 001.4 Summer is ending

A few weeks had passed since the party. Her work at The Limelight was going well. Johnny was giving her a lot more stage time, so she was expecting a promotion soon.

Zuri had saved a few more bucks and she recently bought an old fridge and a camping generator from her neighbor Miss Rivera. From a salvage store near the town market, she manged to buy a used counter top, so she now at least had a functional kitchenette.
She quite didn't have a roof over her head yet, but things were looking up at work and that promotion she was expecting could be the financial push she needed to start building a real house.

***

Summer was coming to an end and Zuri had been sleeping under the stars for a couple of months now. With a colder season coming in, she was worrying the makeshift bed she had improvised with her sleeping bag was not going to protect her from the elements anymore.
She was getting anxious for that promotion at work, but Johnny kept telling her not to worry, that he was working on making it happen.
Alton could see the stress on her face, when she popped by the store the other day to get some tools. "What's with the long face Zuri?", he said while getting some tools from the upper shelf. She looked up and with a sigh she replied "My sink keeps breaking! Even the old radio you gave me the other day, broke this morning. I feel like things are just getting worse everyday, and I'm getting so stressed from not getting that promotion at work." Alton stepped down from the ladder he was on and gave her a hug trying to comfort her "Don't worry Zuri, you know we will always be here to help you. If you need help fixing stuff you could have just told me!" Zuri wiped the tears that started rolling down her face, "I know, but it's not just that. I really need that promotion or I wont be able to start building my house... Fall is so close, and I started to get cold at night. I just want to have a real roof over my head Alton." Alton held her hands and said, "Here's what we're gonna do. You're gonna stop crying your eyes out and we are going to figure this thing together."and with a smile he added, "Didn't you said your neighbor's son was a contractor? Didn't she gave you his card? So what are you waiting for to call him?" he asked. Zuri nodded recognizing she was making a mountain out of a molehill.

***

Days passed since her talk with Alton. She was feeling a little bit better and she even called Miss Rivera's son Rodrigo. She asked for some estimates on construction materials. He agreed to send her all the information she needed by e-mail that same day.

When she got the estimate, she sighed, "How am I gonna pay for this!". She called Alton, and she explained her problem to him. He agreed to loan her some money for the materials and he said she could stay with him and Cynthia until the house was ready.

After the conversation she was over, she went to her garden. It always calmed her down to take care of the plants. It seemed some of the carrots she planted were ready to harvest so she collected them and put them in the fridge. Either she could use them to cook something later or she could sell them in the market. "I'm probably gonna sell them, every simoleon counts!"

Gardening was a good way to relax, but she really enjoyed strumming on the guitar she bought with her first paycheck.  

Later that night, Zuri had a surprise visit. Her friend Paolo had come to visit.
She was really tired from the hard day at work, but she can always make time for a friend, especially one that lives so far away.
They usually talk on the phone every-other day, and Zuri was very grateful to Paolo, because he helped her get that job at The Limelight . It was kind of a surprise when she saw a car stopping at her door, and a man inside waving frantically at her. Then she recognized him and she was so happy to see him after all these months. They talked for hours, as she ate her dinner, and he explained that he had come for the weekend, visiting Johnny and her. She would've offered for him to stay with her, but she really didn't have an extra sleeping bag and he told her he was going to sleep at Johnny's. Knowing Paolo as she did, he wouldn't be having much sleep anyways... he was a party animal.

The conversation ran long, and Zuri was getting tired. Paolo noticed her sleepy face trying to stay awake for him, so he said "I really have to go now, Johnny is waiting for me and you have to work tomorrow morning right?" Before she could answer he added, "I'll see you tomorrow at the club, Johnny got me tickets for your show!", then he hugged her and left in his car.