Burn
Bethany came off the stand as she was sent to exit the same way she came. Sunny sat in the judges office as she didn't want to be in the room with James. She couldn't look James in the face after he took her Grammy away from her.
Axel was on his way home . The tournament wrapped up early when a few of the participants bowed out due to severe injuries. He wanted to surprise Bethany at the complex when she came home from a long day at testifying. Sunny sat in the car knowing why her mother was in the room .
" Did Mr. James look sorry for hurting Grammy?" She said sitting in the backseat of the car looking out the window.
" Sunshine some people are incapable of being sorry for anything they do. Mr. James didn't look like he was upset he lost his mother. But not everyone is like us. We care for people when they get hurt. " She said gently not to stir Sunny up .
" My birthday is coming up. Norma-Jean made me feel normal. I hope Axel makes it in time for my birthday. " She said sadly." I also miss Caden." She added.
" I know honey. I've tried calling Avery to set up a play date. It keeps going to voicemail." She said understanding Sunny missing her friend.
" Miss Avery don't like you and Axel together. She is always in a bad mood when you two do things alone . I watch miss Avery . She talks a lot on the phone ." She said sadly.
Bethany glared at Sunny through the mirror. She hated Avery was indifferent about them. When she gets a chance she have to confront Avery about her issue.
Axel pulled up to Bethany complex street.the fire department had the street blocked off as he saw flames and smoke in the distance. He rolled down his window as smoke filled the streets.
He stood in the street to get a closer look as he made his way to the scene . There were yellow caution baracades blocking the path. That when he saw it. The complex scorching high in flames and crackling and burst of fire bursting out like a dragons breathe.
Axels eyes swelled with tears with the sight . His first thought was Bethany and Sunshine. He searched for his phone and tried to call her .The phone rang and rang as panic filled his heart Bethany finally answered.
" Hello." She said softly.
" Bethany . Where are you ?" He said careful of his tone.
" I'm headed to the complex. We just got done in the James trial. " She replied.
" Is Sunny with you?" He said strangely.
" Yes, why wouldn't she be. " She answered now confused at the question.
" Don't come to the complex . Go to my house with Sunny. I will meet you there." He instructed. Now Bethany was beginning to worry about his tone.
" Why? Axel what is going on? Why can't I go back to the complex?" Said Bethany as she came to the cross where she saw the smoke in the sky . She saw the road block and the sides of the building in flames. " Is that the complex ?" Cried Bethany still on the phone.
The phone call ended as Sunny and Bethany left the car and ran into the crowd that was gathering in the street. Tears filled her eyes as she saw Norma -jean complex up in flames. She saw the trucks trying to extinguish the flames as the residents all also gathered in the crowd . She looked around in there faces .
Axel turned around to look for Bethany. Just then a flyer partially burned at the top part burning of the letterhead where it was unrecognizable flew into the crowd towards the crowd as the complex boomed and air blew out in firey blasts. The crowd screamed and coward on response.
Axel looked up to see the paper dwindling above the crowd as it glided on the air above his head as he looked up and caught it . Then read the strange message on it . Bethany and Sunny came beside Axel as she bursted in tears to see the complex in blaze before her.
Axel looked at the paper that he retrieved from the blast as he handed it to Bethany. Bethany looked down and saw the date on it . Someone planned this. Someone did this . She looked at the building filled with anger and confusion. Who would do this to Norma -jeans complex . Axel picked up Sunny and tried to steer away Bethany as she had tear stricken face.
The police tried to dismerse the crowd as the fire backflowed and then another burst blew through the top windows . The apartment complex blew up like a bonfire in the night. Soon only the glow of the apartment complex lit up the street.
Axel yelled in Bethany ears to bring her back to the present ." Go to your car . I'll meet you at my house. There is nothing we can do here." He assisted turning her around and moved her and Sunny through the crowd. Bethany clutched the flyer in her hand. She looked at all the faces now watching their home up in flames . She felt helpless as they all were homeless now.
" What about all these people. Where will they go." She said refusing to move. I can't let them be on the street. They too are a victims here . She saw small children and elderly people she recognized during her time at the complex . The eyes looked up in the sky as they saw memories. Entire lives. Even their hopes burn away right before them. Bethany felt terrible that some of them all they owned was in that building.
" Axel we can't leave them here like this. We have to help them too. How would it look if I got to sleep at night knowing they have nowhere to go?" Pleaded Bethany as tears dried in filth on her face.
Axel nodded his head understanding what she meant. He kissed Bethany on her head and thought ancestors bless a heart who thinks for others. He knew she was right. Now wasn't a time to be selfish and think of self preservation. This was a complex a miniature community within those walls. Norma-Jean treated her tenants like family and friends.
" How are we going to afford housing all these people until the complex gets rebuilt." He said looking down in Bethany's eyes for an answer.
" Axel. There is also something I need to tell you . Just know I kept it from you to keep you safe." She said looking into his eyes and the flames behind them flashed and lit up the street behind them.
" But first we need to help them. I will tell you when we settle them." She promised him.
Axel looked at Bethany in concern and suspicion. He didn't like secrets and he felt like Bethany had a few that could impact their entire relationship. He kept telling himself he needed to trust her as he took in this information she just gave him.
Bethany called around to local hotels in the city . She went through call after call to see if any rooms were available. She walked around and asked the watching tenants to step inside a shop building close by . The shop owner came out thinking they couldn't be of help .
Bethany glared at an unwilling shop owner as the restaurant filled with all her tenants. She had to get these people out of the street . She saw the clear panic on his face like they were ruining his day by coming inside his establishment.
" Miss no ma'am only patrons in this shop we can't allow loitering of any sort." Complained the shop owner. He propped his hand on his hip as he stood still like he was going to stop and entire crowd of people coming in.
The tenants eyes widened at the insensitivity of the shop owner." You should be ashamed of yourself . We are your neighbors. We live in the complex walking by your shop. Keeping your shop in business due to our patronage. You see for yourself we are suffering something right now . The moment you think we won't be any service to you at all wow all of a sudden we are loitering .Look how bad it will look you turning away your own community for the sake of business." Said Bethany now aggervated at the lack of humanity.
" It's not that it's policy." He tried to deny he had a choice to service or deny." Sorry you need to go elsewhere. I'm not the one who burned down your apartments which is like a human pound in this town. Letting in all kind of rift raft making lower or community value." Said the shop owner glaring at the people in a harsh stare.
" You think I set my own place on fire . That i wanted all of these people homeless and scared . That I'm making the value of this community less by my presence .in fact my tenant give your business and fund your business. I'm not asking a lot just some time to find them some hotels to go to since my complex is kind of on fire at the moment. Have a heart." Demanded Bethany annoyed by this owners attitude .
"You will have to buy something to be able to stay. I'm sorry " he insisted. He wasn't going to lose business with all these people keeping our paying customers as he thought . He was going to get something in return if he allowed this to continue.
" Your not sorry at all your greedy and only thinking of your pockets . One day you'll need help and I'll remind you it's just policy." Retorted Bethany. Bethany thought this man was unbelievable and immoral. He was a terrible person in her eyes .
" Everyone!" Bethany shouted over the group. As the room turned to Bethany as she made her voice project across the room as she got everyone's attention.
" Since this fine establishment only allows patrons to stay in our time of need . Order what you want while I make arrangements. They can not close the doors until the last customer is done." She said for all to hear as she glared at the owners as their faces twisted at her announcement.
" Who is going to pay for all of this. If you can't pay you need to leave. I'm about to call the police for loitering and disturbing the peace." Demanded the owner as he began to shove people to the door.
" Unless you want a riot on your hands then you need to listen. Have you ever heard of the Grigori small business charity . For start up of independent business . This here business got that loan to start up as a support the community through economic development " She said staring at the owner as his face grew white in shock. He pursed his lips and wrinkled his nose.
" What are you going to do call this charity to pull their investments. Who do you think you are? I think your full of crap. You need to leave " he demanded.
Axel stared at me now following the situation. He didn't realize what was going on just amazed how heartless this owner was against people in distressed.
" My name is Bethany Bruno Grigorii . I am the CEO and owner of that there charity. My mom Rana Grigori and I created that charity to support small businesses willing to help their community grow. Right now you don't look like you are upholding the charity guidelines. That sir is considered fraudulent uses of services." She said as stern as she could.
" I call bull shit. I'm so tired of you new age punks coming in here pretending like you own the world so you won't have to listen to rules and regulations." Fussed the manager as he was feeling like he was being made the butt of a joke now. He started to move Bethany back as Axel began to cut though the crowd as she saw this action before him.
Bethany reached in her purse and pulled out a company badge with her credentials of her claims .As the shop owners widened as he read off the name and position description on the badge she showed him. He realized who he talked too a privileged spoon fed princess . He despised them acting all high and mighty like they can't be touched.
" So you have two choices. You serve these people in need while I find them a place to stay because they literally lost everything they have right now and your being a greedy jerk about it ,or I call my company report you under immoral and unethical business fraud. It's your choice which I do." She held her phone in her hand.
" And no one said I wasn't going to pay you assumed that being self serving and greedy. I was going to pay for everything even rent out this establishment for a few hours which is more money you see in a week. But if you had let me explain instead of jumping to conclusions you would see I was willing to pay if I offered to get them food." Added Bethany as she shook her head in a disappointment in the behavior or this shop owner.
The owners jaw dropped. He looked between the crowd now looking at him and the phone. He hated that he was forced to service these strays as he saw them . He glared at Bethany.
" I won't forget you using your privilege to get your way. Are you even old enough to run a company ?" He said spiteful. This woman was younger than any CEO he had ever seen. He wondered if her badge was a fake and he was pulling a joke on him. Right now there was an entire crowd staring at him. He had to do something.
" You don't worry about that . Anything is Better than an unethical jerk. That gets what they want and forget about the little people whom you based your business standards on. You made a promise to the charity to uphold community growth that makes small businesses like this one help the community this also includes all the people inside it.I won't forget you either." Bethany said clenching her teeth.
The owner threw his hand up and retired to the back of the restaurant. He glared through the kitchen porthole as he didn't like to be bested by the one thing that can destroy his dream of owning and running a business. No one ever challenged him off n his policies until now. Now he had a room full of scum polluting his place.
This is going to ruin my reputation in this community. If I get a bad reputation it's all her fault. Matthew Tate came to this community to start over and he worked as a waiter in this restaurant for years until he saved up to get a loan to buy the company from the former owner who was a tyrant and unfair to his employees. I won't go back to being under someone else's employment he vowed .
Bethany went to her neighbors and started handing out menus she found behind the podium. Axel watched in a different light as he saw Bethany's' true heart come out. He watched her organize the weeping community as she spoke to them writing down names and ages one by one . The look on their faces were grateful . Little kids hugged her and she smiled and gave comforting pats.
She made a few calls on her phone as she read off the names and ages to available hotel rooms in the area. She didn't want to put them away from their community and ability to go to work or school. She smiled as she concluded her calls . She wrote down all the names and location of their visits . Axel looked at Bethany like he was watching a movie from a new set of eyes.
The shaken patrons ate in silence as the room began to calm down. Every once in a while they look at the complex as the fire fighters tried their best to fight the flames as it finally was dimming. Bethany left to grab coffee as she motioned Axel and Sunny to help . She went across the street and looked at the complex that once stood mighty and strong now blackened and destroyed as a tear rolled down her cheeks.
" I'm sorry Norma-Jean ." Bethany whispered looking at the building now steaming from the estinguished fire. She ,Axel,and Sunny went to the firefighters handing them coffee and breakfast bread all the while thanking them for all the work they have done . The people in the restaurant watched this woman as she changed their perspective of her not as their land lady but a friend to the community.