1.1 Money, money, money...

Nazari

    "One more grey day, it's just one more grey day, without youuuu!" I sang. The words matched the weather outside, but I was singing it really upbeat. Sure, I had less than §40 in my pocket, with bills totaling more than §70 turning red in the mail box, but it was Geneva's birthday tomorrow, and although I hadn't been able to afford any toys, I had got a cake and Jordan had promised he'd come and bring an old tin dog our dad had made for us. And then I'd probably go out and busk the day after. I've got myself a gig doing sing-a-grams, but seriously, it's not 1916, nobody orders sing-a-grams anymore! I only said I'd do it because apparently you can't waltz into an agency and become a superstar, you have to live through the awful times starving half to death in a trailer hoping the repo man won't come and take the apple you mooched off your brother. Oh well, I suppose it gives me more emotional fuel to write songs or something.

   The next day I picked up the cake. It was quite a long walk, but no way could I afford a taxi. It annoyed me that one drove by just as I got home. Note to self, find some scissors and cut the lawn. I thought, knowing full well I really didn't care that much and would never get round to it.

    Not long after I'd got in and put Geneva down for a pre-party nap, Jordan turned up. Sunset Valley is only a 45 minute bus journey away, but we don't see each other often. We embraced in a big hug, and I looked around for Corinna and Marlon.
   "Where are they?" I asked.
   "Marlon's at school, and Corinna will be here with mum, later." He replied, wincing a little as if he expected me to scream at him.
   "I'm not going to shout at you for inviting mum, I expected you to, I just didn't want to invite her myself."
   "It's not just that.... I asked Corinna to marry me...." I tried to hide a look of disgust. "She said yes."
   "Congratulations." I responded. I was happy for him, but I don't see what he sees in that girl. Yuck.

    Before long, mum and Corinna turned up, so I woke my sleeping beauty and took her to her birthday cake. It suddenly dawned on me and I realised I was about to be the mother of an official toddler! I don't feel old enough, I can barely look after myself still!

   I pushed my nagging fears aside and enjoyed eating cake with my brother, just chatting about what was going on with each other, me inviting him to come over more often, and him saying he'll try, and  making me promise to go to his wedding.

   Before he left, Jordan gave Geneva some birthday fuss. It kinda hit me then, like a dagger in my stomach, not only was I failing miserably to support my baby financially, she wasn't getting all the attention she should as I had to busk for sooo long to make anything worthwhile out of it. She needs a daddy. I need a husband.

    As I'd promised myself, the following day I went busking. First I tried the playground, thinking it might be full of kids for Geneva to play with. Unfortunately not, and after several hours with NO MONEY in my jar, I moved on.

   I next tried the main park, that was much better. I made §34 in an hour, which nearly made enough to cover the bills! I'm sure the landlord would let me off a couple of simoleons, I've never been short before. Some kind gentleman who'd tipped me a tenner, pointed to a lady sitting tapping her feet to my music and told me she was the propriater. I looked at him a little confused.
   "See that set behind you? She puts on gigs and she'll pay you to play on it." He winked at me and walked off. I was a little skeptical, could I just walk up and demand her to pay to me to play? She did look like she was enjoying my set, so I picked up Geneva and walked over to her.

   "Hi." I began, sounding far more confident than I felt. "I hear you pay people to play on your stage?" Stupid! I cursed myself, How desperate does that sound?? She smiled at me.
   "I do, I have an opening 8.30 tomorrow evening? You're welcome to have it until 11.30, but you don't have to use it the whole time." I nodded, kind of shocked how easy that was. "We'll agree payment tomorrow, it depends how many people you draw in and etcetera. Do you have a stage name? I can start advertising you."
   "Uhm... Naz?" I said, just using my nickname from when I was younger, not really sure what else to suggest.

   And that was it. My first gig was booked in! I'm not going to lie, I was horrifically nervous, but excited all the same.

*****

A/N: Short, I know. Sorry... More starts happening after this chapter, promise!