Bound to You

Chapter 22: The Broker

PAWS Animal Shelter, 16:35

Ileana whispered, "Oh my God, this is so precious!"  

Gisele, one of the pet groomers waved her brush at the Saint-Bernard who had six small kittens cosily sleeping against it. "They've been like that since this morning and Bella isn't letting me close at all. Look at how messy her fur is."

The dog growled protectively as the groomer approached her territory again. She threw her hands up in defeat and grumbled, "Alright girl. I get it. You don't love me." 

She turned to Ileana and tossed the brush at her, "Maybe you can get something done. She's used to you."

Ileana grimaced as she quickly caught the tool, "I'm sure that was meant for Sierra but okay..." "You're a saviour. I'll be at the rabbits' lair if ever you need me." 

"Alright..."

Ileana bent on her knees so that she was eye level to Bella and softly said, "Hey girl..." She raised her hand slowly and the dog brought its muzzle close to her and then licked her fingers. "That tickles. Okay now let me brush your hair. I won't touch your babies!" 

She stroked her soft fur, patted her head and began brushing her coat. The kittens looked so cute cooed against her. It was as if she adopted them. She wanted one for herself since so long but she had never really dared to ask Sierra about it. 

Her weekend would have been spent on reading books and watching movies if her aunt had never shown her this place. The latter often volunteered here when she was without a job. 

Midway, she took out her phone to snap a quick selfie and right after, she typed a message: Come fetch me please? I'm at Paws!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She had ample time to think about it at home and she made up her mind. Yes, that was the thing to do. James wasn't giving her much of a choice anyway and she didn't care anymore. 

She pushed pass the door, the tinkling of a bell announcing her entrance. An old man wearing thin glasses was speedily typing on a calculator behind a counter, a long receipt in his hand. He briefly glanced up at her before returning to his work and smiled, "Sierra! Looking pretty, dear. What did you bring me today?" 

"Hi Tobias." She carefully unfolded her hand to reveal the ring and the man's tired eyes widened in sudden excitement. "Goodness! Been a damn good while since I saw one of this kind..." 

She watched, a little perplexed as he wore his intricate lenses on his right eye, holding the ring right beneath the device. It was quite rare that Tobias expressed this much interest and enthusiasm in things. This man has literally seen all kinds of gems. She wondered if he was not exaggerating his reaction. 

He studied it for a good moment and she broke in, worried to see he was shaking, "Are you okay? ...Tobias?" 

She hesitantly held his shoulder and he instantly put down his device and said, "So beautiful. So authentic. Literally crafted from the hands of several experts. Very magnificent. Girl, you don't recognise the value, do you?" 

Sierra shrugged, "Well, I know I can get at least $ 25000 with it." 

Tobias broke into a sarcastic hearty laugh and she was puzzled now. "Oh you ignorant little girl. It's made with two of the finest tanzanite gems I have ever seen and beautified by the extremely rare blue diamond." 

She drummed her fingers impatiently on the counter, not wanting to hear another of his long lessons on those precious stones, "Can you sell it for me fast? Like...fetch me a good price?" He was the only broker she trusted...and the only one she knew for all it mattered. 

He scoffed as if insulted, "If I can sell it?! I know people who would die for such a ring and you just...want to sell it?!" 

She nodded silently. It'd be a good way to get part of the money James was supposed to give her. That bastard only used her for his selfish purpose and she was certain he would blackmail her into marrying him. She had seen in his eyes that he had no intention of going against his parents' wish and she...well, she wanted nothing to do with him. 

After a long moment of weighting and analysing the ring, Tobias seriously said, "Fine. Starting price. $ 3.4 million." 

She stared at him and then at the ring and then back at him, "You're bluffing!? How can that small thing be worth so much? I don't believe it." Her phone vibrated in her pocket but she paid no attention to it.

"I don't joke around with this stuff. I'm the expert, Sierra. Not you. For the moment, I can see at least two immediate potential clients. Do you really want to do that? I'll tell you one last time, blue diamonds and tanzanites gemstones are terribly rare and precious." 

She bit her lips, still not able to recover from the fact that it was worth so much, "But...I badly need the money..."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Sierra pulled up her car at the animal shelter and made her way inside. She warmly hugged her friends, shared a few talks and directed herself to the pets she cared about. 

A cockatiel flew from its open cage and flapped its wind rapidly to land on her shoulder as she walked by. She was used to this by now, "Hey my little Birdie. How you doing, gorgeous?" 

The bird responded by singing the video game Mario theme which he picked up when Bradley, the pet adoption counsellor played his console in his cabin. Sierra playfully scratched it under its neck and meet up with Gisele who was feeding the rabbits their chopped veggies. "That's a pretty deep mark on your arm. How did it happen?" 

Gisele raised her eyes to her and grinned, "I fell in a lion's pit at the zoo. Man, the cute zookeeper rescued me." 

Sierra rolled her eyes, "And now the real story?" 

Gisele laughed, "Some guy's German Shepard. He brought him in for training the day before. Apparently, he became conscious that his dog was out of control when it chased his neighbours' kids or something like that." 

She stood and hugged her tightly, making the cockatiel hop on her shoulder, whistling even more loudly now. They both laughed as they tore away. "I finally got a job at Torres High School." 

"Wow really?" 

"Yes. But it's temp." 

"Isn't it always temp with you? You know you can always work here, Sierra. You're pretty good at this." 

She chuckled, "I'll rather stick with volunteering for the moment but thanks for the offer. Where's Ileana?" "I'm here!" She came running, holding a small bundle of fur in her arms and she pleaded, "Sierra...please, can we keep it?" 

Sierra stroked the head of the kitten as it meowed and she felt lost for a moment. She always wanted a cat...but could she afford? "I'm afraid not—" 

"I swear it won't disturb you!" It began to meow even louder as it moved and purred against her chest. She quickly added, "I'll...even keep it in my room. I'll use my pocket money to buy its food..." 

Sierra sighed, "Ileana..." 

Gisele suggested, "Oh you know. We haven't registered the lovelies yet. You can...you know, keep it without all that paperwork stuffs." 

Ileana hopefully looked at her aunt. She was weighting her options so meticulously and she felt all hope fading away as the seconds passed and then, she realised she didn't actually need to hear Sierra's decision because she already knew what she would tell her. It made her frustrated. 

She gently placed the kitten in Gisele's arms and said, bitterness in her voice, "It's fine. Maybe some other day." Sierra nodded, "Yes, another time."

Ileana began to walk off to the exit and Gisele muttered once she was a safe distance away, "Damn...she's annoyed, right?" 

"Worse. She's disappointed. I'll catch up with you guys later. Say hi to Bella on my part. Funny thing she's not running around today." 

"She's babysitting these cuties." "Send me some pics!" Sierra waved to her and hurried to her car where Ileana was waiting.

Once they were inside and she was already driving, Ileana mumbled, looking away, "I'm sorry...I shouldn't. I know it's kinda expensive to keep a pet." 

"Thanks for understanding, sweetheart. That's very considerate of you." She heard Ileana sighed deeply and it pained her. God, she swore she would not let anything happen to Mason.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~