What Can't Be Bought: Part 1 Read online

  What Can't Be Bought

  Part 1

  Mel LeBrun

  Copyright © 2020 Mel LeBrun

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  ISBN-13: 9798642934197

  ISBN-10: 8642934197

  This project is dedicated to my mother who passed away from breast cancer in 1997. She was the inspiration behind Brenda’s character. She was my best friend and is still dearly missed.

  I hope you enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I’d like to thank all my friends and family for their support. A special thanks goes to Cadee, Kim and Amanda for being my sounding board. Thanks for all your help!

  Chapter 1

  Amanda Pierce sat at her desk in a cubicle at the IT firm where she worked in downtown Boston. Her face was buried in her hands and her long brown hair hung down, not looking as good as it did that morning.

  She had completed 9 support tickets with 15 more left over for the next day, not counting new calls that would inevitably come in. The feeling of accomplishment was drowned out by the never-ending torrent of support tickets. She was frazzled, tired and hungry.

  The last customer had been waiting 2 days for his issue to be resolved and had taken it out on her. Though it wasn’t her fault, she had a hard time not taking it personally. Everyone was overworked but the company refused to hire more help. Each day was wrought with frustration, hostility and stress.

  “You did great today, Amanda,” a male voice behind her said.

  She lifted her head and turned to acknowledge her coworker. He was a short Salvadoran with black hair and naturally tan skin that made her jealous since tan was something she had to work hard for. With somewhat fair skin and hazel eyes, striking the right balance between tanning and burning was challenging.

  “Thanks, Sam,” she replied as she gave him a weak smile.

  In his mid-thirties, Sam was 10 years her senior. He wasn’t her supervisor but he should have been. Out of the entire team, he had the most experience and everyone often relied on him for help. He was not only their safety net, though. He made working for the company tolerable. He commended others for their hard work and patiently taught them as they went. He was the glue that held the whole division together.

  “Only 2 more days until Europe,” he grinned. “Are you excited?”

  “I might be if I had time to think about it,” she laughed.

  “How many tickets you got left?”

  “Just one marked urgent,” she answered.

  “Go home. I’ll take care of it.”

  “I can't let you do that,” she protested. "You have a family to get home to."

  “I’ll let you cover for me some other time,” he insisted. “Go home and relax.”

  “I should probably start packing,” she replied.

  “So it’s settled then.” He gave her a warm smile and left to attend to her last ticket.

  “Thank you, Sam!” she called out to him as he walked away. He just waved his hand and kept going.

  She quickly packed her things and left. Traffic was brutal but she had gotten used to it over the last 4 years living in the city. She moved from a small town in New Hampshire, so it was quite an adjustment to make. She still didn’t like it but the job paid well and it allowed her to help her mom, who was recovering from colon cancer and couldn’t work. Money was tight but Amanda’s contributions helped her to stay in her home.

  She lived only 15 minutes from work if traffic was light. During rush hour it took twice as long, but still it wasn’t a bad commute. Some of her coworkers who owned homes outside the city had over an hour commute each way. Amanda had thought about doing the same but decided she hated sitting in traffic more than she hated the city. It was not without its charms after all.

  She lived in a large brick apartment building. It was not the best of accommodations but the rent was cheaper than others and every penny she could save meant more money she had to help her mother. It was rather plain looking, both inside and out. The hallways were long and narrow. The beige walls looked like they could have used a fresh coat of paint years ago and the tan carpet looked visibly worn and threadbare in some places with dark brown traffic lanes where everyone walked. She took the elevator to the third floor, praying it wouldn’t get stuck. She had never gotten stuck herself but a year ago it had broken down with people inside. Being mildly claustrophobic, just the possibility of that happening was enough to stress her out.

  The elevator door opened and she breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped out. She walked down the hall to the third door on the right while fumbling with her keys. The door opened into a large living room. It was decorated with simple, Swedish style furniture. The color scheme was a blend of greys and teal with cranberry accents. It had a crisp, clean and cheery look. Immediately to the left was a frustratingly small kitchen. What little counter space she had was used by the coffee maker and microwave. There was only a small section of counter she could use for food prep.

  Past the kitchen was a short hallway that led to the bathroom and bedroom. Both were decorated in similar fashion to the living area. The bedroom was a mix of a gentle purple, white and light green. The bathroom was mostly white with blue and silver accents.

  Once inside, she left her bag and shoes by the door and turned into the kitchen to figure out what she wanted for dinner. Most nights she was too exhausted from work to cook an elaborate or healthy dinner and usually ended up just heating up a frozen meal. As she surveyed the fresh produce in her fridge she decided she should have a salad since she was going to be out of the country for a few weeks and it wouldn’t last.

  She had just pulled everything out onto the tiny open space on her counter when her phone rang. She glanced at the number and answered.

  “Hi Sheila,” she greeted her.

  “Hey. Have you started packing yet?” Sheila asked.

  “No, I just got in from work. I’m getting something to eat right now, then I was going to start.”

  “Okay. Were you able to find us a ride to the airport?”

  “Yeah, Kim said she could drive us. She’s going to pick me up first and then we’ll come get you.”

  “Perfect.”

  “Have you started packing?” Amanda asked.

  “Yeah. I may need to pay for an additional bag. I can’t fit everything I want into one and I can’t make up my mind about what I want to leave behind.”

  “That’s going to be a pain traveling through 5 countries with extra luggage,” Amanda cautioned.

  “I know. I just can’t make up my mind on what outfits to bring and then coordinating shoes of course.”

  Amanda rolled her eyes and shook her head. While she got along with Sheila, they were polar opposites. Amanda would describe Sheila as vain whereas Sheila considered Amanda plain.

  “Well, as long as you don’t mind lugging all that around,” Amanda said.

  “Ugh … Well, I’ll let you go so you can eat. I’ll call tomorrow night just to touch base.”

  “Sounds good. Talk later.”

  Amanda hung up and turned her attention back to her dinner. She prepared a large salad and brought it out to the couch to watch the news while she ate. The weather was going to be nice up until they left and then was going to rain the day after they were gone.

  When she finished eating she called her mom and
they talked for a few hours while Amanda meandered around her bedroom trying to decide on what clothes to bring. She planned on doing laundry at least once while they were travelling because she wanted to travel light and not carry 21 days of clothes. She chose her clothing based on what looked good on her but more importantly on what was comfortable. She had been saving for 3 years to take this trip and wanted to enjoy every minute of it.

  After a monumentally frustrating Friday at work, Amanda was thankful to be leaving it all behind for a few weeks at least. Sam gave her a hug goodbye and told her to be careful and not to pick up any strange men. She laughed and told him he worried too much.

  She raided her fridge, trying to finish what perishable food was left and then talked with her mom again while she finished packing. She was proud of herself for being able to fit everything into one suitcase. She figured she could buy a second bag for souvenirs if she really needed the extra space.

  Sheila called later to touch base one last time before they met up in the morning. She was still struggling with how much to pack and currently had 2 bags full. Amanda encouraged her to consolidate and only take necessities.

  Kim showed up at 6:00 in the morning to pick up Amanda and they went to get Sheila. She came out with 3 bags, leaving Amanda feeling a little frustrated and hoping the whole trip wouldn’t end up with Sheila trying to look like a supermodel every second.

  Sheila was tall with long, dark brown hair and brown eyes. She worked very hard to keep her slender figure, going to the gym religiously and watching her diet carefully. She was borderline obsessed but thankfully didn’t try to impose her standards on others.

  While Amanda was conscious of her weight and tried to exercise regularly, she would rather enjoy life than nitpick every little thing she did or ate. She would rather go hiking than be in a gym. If she wanted to order dessert after dinner, she did. If her clothes started to feel a little tight, she would just pull the reins in for a little while until she trimmed down again. She could never live as rigidly as Sheila.

  “Do you have your itinerary?” Kim asked as they rode to the airport.

  “Oh, yes,” Amanda answered as she reached in the front pocket of her bag. “It’s right here.” She pulled out some folded pieces of paper and opened them. “Our first stop is Ireland then Scotland, Spain, France and finally, Italy.” She passed the papers to Kim. “Here’s a list of where we’ll be staying along with phone numbers. I’ll still be reachable as long as I’m near Wi-Fi.”

  “You better send lots of pictures,” Kim said.

  “I promise,” Amanda replied with a smile.

  Kim dropped them off at the entrance and they said their goodbyes. Amanda waited as Sheila checked her extra luggage and tried not to be annoyed. It was a minor thing, she told herself, like a grain of sand in her shoe. If she didn’t think about it, it wasn’t even noticeable. But if she focused on it, it would be all she could think about. She tried not to think about it.

  Chapter 2

  8 hours after they checked in to Logan International Airport, their plane landed in Dublin. Amanda felt ecstatic. She had been waiting for this moment for years and part of her couldn’t believe it was even happening. She grinned at Sheila, who didn’t quite share her level of enthusiasm. While Sheila was excited to be traveling around Europe, her feelings about it were somewhat muted by comparison.

  It was almost 9:00 P.M. when they arrived at the Clontarf Castle Hotel, where they would be staying. Amanda had thought it would be neat to stay in an old castle and she was well pleased with her choice after being shown to their room.

  “I’m starving,” Sheila declared.

  “Me too,” Amanda agreed. “Want to find a traditional Irish pub?”

  “Sure, I could use a drink.”

  They asked at the front desk and were directed to a nearby pub that they were assured offered amazing food as well as beer. They arrived and were seated at a table not far from the bar.

  After they placed their drink orders, Sheila began flirting from across the room with a young man at the bar. He was tall with brown hair and brown eyes.

  “He has a friend,” Sheila playfully informed Amanda as she continued trading glances with him.

  “I’m not sure I want to pick up a strange man in a bar while I’m traveling in a foreign country,” Amanda half-joked.

  “You worry too much,” Sheila replied. “Besides, they’re coming over anyway.”

  The two men came to their table and asked if they could join them. Sheila said yes, and their table for 2 became a table for 4. Amanda tried to be polite and keep up with conversation while Sheila shamelessly flirted with both men. Amanda was actually a little surprised by Sheila’s behavior since she didn’t act quite that brazen back home. She’s always been somewhat of a flirt but this was a bit much, even for her. Amanda hoped this wasn’t a prelude for the next 20 days to come.

  The men were polite and respectful but Amanda got the feeling they wanted more than she was willing to give and hoped she would be able to extricate herself and Sheila before things got awkward. To Amanda’s relief they merely exchanged contact information before parting ways.

  The next day they toured the sights in the city. They planned to rent a car the following day to visit some spots further away. Amanda was thoroughly enjoying her time in spite of Sheila’s overly flirtatious behavior that continued after the pub. If Amanda didn’t know better she would think Sheila was hunting for a husband.

  Sheila went through men like Kleenex. Rarely did a relationship last longer than 6 months. She always found some reason that she didn’t want to continue. A few times her reasons were legitimate but oftentimes it was over something trivial. Many times it was simply because she found someone new.

  Amanda didn’t want 20 relationships, just one good one. She sometimes found herself feeling jealous over the attention Sheila would get. She couldn’t understand how Sheila could go through 4 boyfriends in a year while she wasn’t even able to snag one. It didn’t seem fair that Sheila could waste so many opportunities while she herself had none. But between working like a dog and caring for her mother, Amanda didn’t have much time to meet new people. She also wasn’t the type to flirt and unlike Sheila, had some basic standards. So while she may have been jealous of the quantity of guys willing to date Sheila, she wouldn’t have wanted any of them.

  The next few days in Ireland were everything Amanda had hoped they would be with the exception of Sheila’s vivacious behavior around every man she came into contact with. Amanda just tried to ignore it and have a good time. That became harder to do after they arrived in Scotland.

  Within hours of checking into their hotel, Sheila met a handsome man named Gavin who she became rather enamored with when she learned he was somewhat wealthy and single. He offered to show them around Scotland and Sheila readily accepted without even asking Amanda.

  At first Amanda thought it wasn’t a bad idea. He was local and willing to bring them wherever they wanted to go. He agreed to pick them up in the morning and the day started out well. They had breakfast at a terrific local diner. Gavin insisted on paying. He then drove them to Edinburgh Castle and paid for their tickets. Amanda was simply awestruck by the historic fortress. She was delighted to be there and kept wishing her mother could see it. She took tons of pictures. As the day progressed, Sheila and Gavin began to grow more and more affectionate and Amanda couldn’t help but groan inside when she looked at them. She began to wish they hadn’t met him as she started to feel like a third wheel. By the end of the day, Sheila and Gavin were completely engrossed with each other.

  As they rounded dinner time, Gavin recommended a restaurant. Amanda was hungry so she agreed but hoped they would be able to part ways soon. Gavin and Sheila sat on one side of the table. They were so involved in their conversation with each other that Amanda very well could have not even been there and they wouldn’t have noticed.

  Gavin had his arm around Sheila, who was practically sitting in his lap she was s
o close. The sight of them made Amanda feel nauseated. She didn’t understand how Sheila could be so free with someone she just met. The food was good at any rate and Amanda tried to enjoy it and ignore the craziness happening across from her.

  After dinner Amanda said she was tired, hoping Sheila would take that as her cue to break off from Gavin.

  “Would you like me to take you back to your hotel?” Gavin asked her.

  “That would be great. Thank you.” Amanda smiled appreciatively.

  “We can stay out longer, though,” Sheila suggested to Gavin.

  “I would love that,” he agreed.

  Amanda felt deflated. This was supposed to be her vacation, not her chaperoning two teenagers. And while she didn’t want to be around the lovesick couple she didn’t feel comfortable leaving Sheila alone with a complete stranger.

  “Where is the ladies room?” Amanda asked. Gavin directed her to the restrooms and then she looked at Sheila and said, “You coming?”

  “Yeah, sure,” she replied and got up to accompany her.

  Amanda tried to gather her words as she washed her hands in the sink and Sheila primped herself in the mirror.

  “Why don’t you come back to the room with me,” Amanda suggested. “We can do something with Gavin tomorrow.”

  “Why?” Sheila stopped and looked at her. “Are you afraid to be alone?”

  “No. I’m just not sure you should be alone with this guy. You don’t even know him.”

  “Oh, honey.” Sheila returned to the mirror to touch up her lipstick. “You need to get out more.”

  “I’m serious,” Amanda held her ground.

  Sheila sighed and gave her a smile. “I’ll be fine. Stop worrying. I know how to handle myself.”

  Amanda shook her head looking dismayed. She debated whether she should just suck it up and stay with them.

  “Sweetie,” Sheila said. “Honestly, I’ll be glad if you gave us some room.”