Chương 2: Head Under Water
Bethany's POV
It looked like any other bank, with security at the door and a few cashiers spread around. It had been a while since I had been in a bank, and the pressuring air around me didn't help to make this experience better.
My eyes darted around, trying to find something that could distract my mind from the situation I was in.
Unfortunately, the silence was only disrupted by the constant hum of bill counters. Not nearly distracting enough.
The main hall was a bit crowded, and with people walking in and out, the numbers barely changed. I walked away from the doors, clutching my bag to my side as I tried to hide the nervousness that surrounded me.
I looked around, found the customer service desk and walked up to them immediately. A middle-aged woman sat there, with her eyes glued to her phone and her mouth loudly chewing gum.
"Excuse me."
I hoped to get an immediate answer since I didn't have much time. Had to finish this and get back to Sedona to plan how I would raise the money.
Instead, she ignored me with all her focus settled on the video she was watching. I started a breathing exercise, as my nervousness was slowly morphing into anger.
My impatience hit the roof as I tapped on the table, increasing the tempo every second.
She raised her head to face me, a large frown on her face that I returned with a smile. I pushed the envelope to her, waiting for her to open it.
"I received this a few hours ago and I'd like to see the manager to clarify a few things. Could you please lead the way?"
I masked my anger, the smile doing its best with my pearl-white teeth. Instead of pleading, I softly demanded for her to act. I knew that if I showed any hint of weakness, I could spend the whole day waiting and I still wouldn't achieve a thing.
With reluctance, she pointed me to the stairs, telling me to take the first left and knock on the last door down that hallway. In her eyes, I could see her annoyance at the situation but I didn't care. I had bigger problems than an unruly clerk.
Each step I took on the stairs made my heart quake a little. What would be the outcome of my discussion with the manager? Would I find a way out of this mess?
A part of me wanted to blame my father but I knew he must have had no choice. The only thing that hurt me was the fact that he never said a word to me about the loan. Was he expecting it to just blow away with the wind?
How am I supposed to raise over half a million dollars in six months?
I don't even make that much profit in a good year, and now, I have a few months to do it.
Although a year wouldn't be enough to raise the money, it would at least give me some hope and space to think of other solutions.
I knocked on the door as gently as possible. In seconds, the door swung open and a mean-looking secretary ushered me in without any questions.
"Knock twice on that interior door and enter."
I nodded in response, doing just as he said.
There were three people in the office; a woman in her late fifties, a woman a few years younger than me and a young man that sported a small goatee.
"You can have your seat, Miss Addams."
I took the chair in front of the table, still holding my smile. Confusion raged a storm in my mind. She looked too sure of the situation like she had it all planned out. Did she know I was coming?
Before I could ask any questions, the manager spoke.
"This is my son, Hernandez. He's here today for the same reason you are."
The same reason? I didn't follow her words but chose to wait and listen to the end.
"I assume you're here to discuss the loan repayment. Your father didn't meet up with the terms while he was alive, and now that he's been dead for two years, we still haven't received any payment. You seem quite principled. Am I right, Miss Addams?"
I nodded at her question as I shuffled in my chair.
"Were you aware of the loan agreement your father signed with us?"
"No ma'am. I've been in the dark all these years."
I was going to say more, but the words got stuck in my throat. There was nothing I could say in my defence that would make the manager see things differently. I stayed seated, allowing her to finish.
She gestured to her son, who nodded with a smile before calling the young lady over. He whispered into her ear, and then she walked over to me with the laptop she had been holding since I walked in. I watched silently as her fingers tapped on the keyboard.
She stood aside, before pointing at a section of the screen. I stared, my finger sliding along the mousepad.
The lady had opened the company's mail, showing me the numerous e-mails they had sent to my father over the years. I could see some that dated about six years ago with the same reply from my father: "I'll pay as soon as I can".
"As you can see, your father stopped responding a few years ago. The emails were automatic so we didn't have the time to check. Now, the bank management is preparing to do an audit on our finances, so we're revisiting all loan cases. Your father's just happens to be the largest sum."
"I never knew about any of this. He was sick for over a year and bedridden for months, so I had to take charge of running the inn but I never saw these e-mails. He must have deleted them."
"I see, but you are well aware that your lack of information does not abscond you from the consequences of delayed payment as stated in the signed agreement."
She told me the story of my father coming to her for help; a story that left me with more questions than before.
I felt uneasy, my feet struggling to keep themselves from shuffling against the floor with each passing minute. I kept checking my watch, hoping that time would run faster and I would finally get to the end of this meeting.
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