The Way It Works by William Kowalski Read Free Book Online Page B

say. “But I just couldn’t stand the shame. I guess I’m a coward.”
    â€œNo, you’re not,” he says. “Do you think you can be as honest with Yolanda as you just were with me?”
    â€œDo you think she would listen?” I say.
    â€œWell,” says Mr. Jefferson, “there’s only one way to find out.”
    â€œYou mean I should go talk to her right now?”
    â€œThat’s just what I mean. If you’re serious about her, that is. If not, then don’t bother.”
    â€œI just thought that after what happened yesterday—”
    â€œYesterday you told her half the truth,” Mr. Jefferson interrupts. “What you need to do is tell her the whole truth.”
    I nod.
    â€œYou’re right,” I say.
    â€œWell?”
    â€œIs Yolanda at work right now?”
    â€œYes, she is.”
    â€œYou want to walk with me?” I ask him.
    â€œSure, Walter, I’ll come along,” he says. “I’m dying to see how this turns out.”
    â€œSo are we!” says one of my new employees. I’d forgotten about them. I turn and face them.
    â€œSorry, folks, this is some personal business,” I say. “Meet me back here tomorrow morning to collect the rest of your pay. And I’ll have more work for those interested.”
    â€œGood luck, Walter!” says a big guy with red hair. “Hope you work it out with her!”
    â€œYeah, good luck!” says everyone else. “Let us know what happens!”
    â€œThanks,” I say.
    Then Parnell and I head for the postal center. It’s time to make things right for real.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN
    M r. Jefferson says he’ll wait outside while I go in. He doesn’t want to interfere. So I head into the postal center by
myself.
    Yolanda is standing behind the counter. She’s got a pile of rubber bands in front of her. She’s sorting them according to color. There’s nobody in line. It’s just me and her. When she sees me, she stiffens up. A look comes over her face that tells me this is not going to be easy. Well, I didn’t think it would be.
    I walk up to the counter. She says nothing. She doesn’t even look up. She just keeps sorting rubber bands.
    â€œHi,” I say.
    â€œWas there something I could help you with, sir?” she says.
    â€œSo it’s like that?” I say.
    â€œYeah, it’s like that,” she says. “If there’s nothing you need, I’m very busy right now.”
    â€œYolanda, there’s something else I have to tell you. I didn’t give you the whole story yesterday.”
    She stops sorting the rubber bands and looks up at me.
    â€œOh, so you were lying?”
    â€œNo, I wasn’t lying. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
    â€œHow do I know that? You stood me up with no trouble. Maybe you can lie just as easily.”
    Oh, boy. This is not going well. I can’t believe how nervous I am. My palms are sweaty. I wipe them on my blue jumpsuit.
    â€œWell?” she says. “What’s this big thing you have to tell me? I don’t have all day. These rubber bands are not going to organize themselves.”
    â€œYolanda, the truth is, I’m homeless,” I say. “And it’s really embarrassing. So I didn’t want you to know. I was afraid you wouldn’t want to see me again. I stood you up because my life got turned upside down. Just when I thought I’d lost everything, I lost even more. When my car got towed, it meant I had to go back to the homeless shelter. I had no money. No job. No hope either. And I didn’t want you to know how bad things were with me. I guess I was afraid. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the whole story. But now you know.”
    â€œI already knew you were homeless, Walter,” says Yolanda.
    I can’t believe what I just heard. I stare at her, my jaw hanging open.
    â€œWhat did you say?” I ask.
    â€œOh,