She'll Take It by Mary Carter Read Free Book Online Page A

on the Number 1 train to Penn Station and walk a couple of blocks from there. I’ll just cut through the garment district and—
    Garment district. The words have a psychotropic affect on me. The air around me shifts slightly, and suddenly everything burns just a little bit brighter. God I love shoplifting in the garment district. I could spend hours there staking out my next claim, lovingly running my fingers over beautiful, brand-new sweaters—slipping slim bottles of perfume into my pockets. I could really go for a little “lift” right now. It would make all the stress over Trina Wilcox go away for a while. Tempting thoughts swirl around my brain like a stuck record. It would balance out the universe. I don’t steal enough to hurt anyone’s bankroll. I’m not really hurting anyone. Nobody’s perfect. Think of all the other horrible things I could be doing instead. That’s true. I don’t even drive a car. I’m not one of the millions of people polluting the environment or getting behind the wheel after having a few drinks. And okay, maybe I don’t exactly abstain, but last I checked, drunk walking never hurt anyone except maybe the occasional pigeon. And really, how was I to know his little feet were stuck in gum? Besides, he should be grateful that I knocked him down. Otherwise he might have been stuck in that gum all night long.
    Hell, I could be a drug addict or a porn star. I’m probably the only actress on the planet who doesn’t smoke cigarettes or snort cocaine! Stop it, Melanie. You are through with shoplifting. Get your mind on something else. I whip out my cell phone and call Kim. She’ll know whether or not Trina still hates me. I get her voice mail. “Hey Kim. It’s me. Call me ASAP. I’m on my way to an assignment and I’ll be working with Trina Wilcox. And I know it’s silly but—just wondering—is she over the whole Ray and soap dish thing yet?”
    I giggle as I hang up the phone. It’s ridiculous to think that she’s still upset with me. Isn’t it funny the unnecessary stress we put ourselves under? Positive thinking 101 tells us that ninety percent of the things we worry about never come to fruition. There’s nothing to fear but fear itself! It’s eight-thirty and I’m on my way to an assignment. Okay, so it’s a demotion, but I’ll do a phenomenal job of filing (filing!) and surely I’ll have a new assignment in a matter of days. By next week I’ll be out of there. Maybe Trina and I will become great friends. Someday we’ll laugh over it. In fact, this is really the beginning of my new life.
    There you have it, I’m going to stop stealing. Not because it’s that big of a deal, but because it’s time to wipe the slate clean and start a whole new life. Do you hear that, Saints? I’m done. From now on, I’m a law-abiding citizen! I pick up my stride and smile. Everything is going to be fine.
    Thanks to the Saint of Trains on Time , I arrive at Penn Station in a matter of minutes. In fact, I have time for a latte. I shouldn’t buy coffee twice in less than an hour, but I didn’t even get a chance to drink the other cup, and besides, Starbucks is right across the street. I have plenty of time. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Starbucks! A Venti quad shot nonfat vanilla soy latte. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! God I love coffee. Smack! Smooch! I do a little espresso dance. Oh my god. Oh my fucking god. Somebody didn’t put the lid on tight enough. I’ve spilled coffee all over the front of Kim’s baby blue cashmere sweater. There is a large dark streak sliding down my left breast like the Oregon Trail. Damn you, Starbucks! Damn you for handing me hot, dark coffee and making me jump up and down with joy. I hate you. I hate you—you big, evil, corporate giant. I am going to sue you! Sue you, sue you, sue you.
    I can’t show up for work