Negotiating The Rent

It had been a hard year, the twins recently started preschool, Mike had his overtime cut, and the cost of everything seems to rise with every weekly shop. Sophie was finally free to start the part-time job she had been offered at the local supermarket. At twenty-six, with a degree in Political History, this was not the life Sophie had imagined.Raised in a middle-class household, Sophie excelled at school, had a wide circle of friends, and would have been considered one of the ?beautiful people? by those around her. Popular, pretty, well-mannered, and always willing to help others. University opened her eyes to a wider world, life away from home and boys. Sophie had enjoyed herself, not enough to get a reputation, but more than her parents would have liked.On finishing University with a first, Sophie secured an Internship in the City which she hoped would be the step into Politics she had planned. Living back at home saved money, but was a culture shock. Sophie met Mike on a night out, he rented a studio flat, which made him far more attractive than he deserved. Many evenings were spent in bed in his place, which was no better than a bedsit.Mike fell head over heels for Sophie, she was everything he wasn?t. She was driven, and intelligent, with a career and a nice family. Sophie fell pregnant despite taking precautions, she did not even think it possible until morning sickness started. She decided to keep the baby, which the first scan confirmed to Erzincan Escort be twins. She had to give up the internship and with it her dream career. Sophie?s parents did not approve of Mike.Mike and Sophie had moved a little further out of town and rented a two-bedroom flat on the ground floor of a converted house. The landlord called monthly for the rent, in cash, and Sophie made sure it was always ready. She went without many things to ensure they kept the roof over their heads for the children. The rent had gone up by over three hundred in the three years they had been there.Two weeks into her new part-time job, Sophie got paid, and all the extra money and some of the rent that had been put aside was used to fix the boiler again. A week later Mr. Wilson, the landlord, knocked on the front door. Sophie had just collected the twins from preschool.?Hello Mr. Wilson, I?m sorry but I am short this month, only fifty, but we had to fix the boiler. I can get it in a week or so, honestly.?Mr. Wilson could not remember Sophie ever not paying in full, on the day. He had often fantasized about Sophie missing a payment and agreeing to ?pay in kind?. It was a cliché he knew, but Sophie was the most attractive tenant he had by far. Mr. Wilson had never taken a ?payment in kind? from anyone, his wife would probably kill him in his sleep if she knew he even thought about it.Mr. Wilson tried to put on as friendly a smile as he could, but Erzincan Escort Bayan it looked a little creepy. ?That?s OK Sophie, I think I can trust you, this is the first time ever I think. I?ll call back in a week, you can call me Brian.? He smiled again, took the rent, and left.Behind him, Sophie closed the front door and cried a little, neither she nor Mike would be getting paid in the next week.?Why can?t you ask your parents?? Mike asked when he got home. ?They have plenty of money, ask them.??You know they won?t help. Mum would, but Dad looks after the money since he retired from the civil service. He says he has a plan and a budget for his whole retirement. I can?t ask them, and you know it.?A frosty evening followed with Sophie trying to think of things she could sell or pawn to raise the money. A week of worry went by. Sophie asked her manager if she could get an advance on her wages. He called her into his office as she finished work that afternoon and asked what she could offer or do for him in return. Sophie understood what he was asking, and was desperate, but also had to walk nearly a mile to collect the twins from preschool on time, so excused herself and left.Sophie raised thirty-five towards the rent, selling a few unworn clothes on an internet auction site, she hoped Mr. Wilson would accept it and let her pay the rest with next month?s rent. The bank account was empty. A knock on the front door made Escort Erzincan Sophie?s heart sink.?Hello, Mr. Wilson.??Brian, please.??Oh, yes, sorry, Brian. I have another thirty-five for you now. Please can I add the rest to next month?s rent? I promise it will all be there next month.? Sophie held out the money and smiled.?I don?t think I can let it slide to the end of the month.? Brian had been playing this moment over in his mind all week. ?I wonder if we could come to an arrangement.? He tried his friendly smile again.?I?m not sure what you mean.? Sophie lied.?Could I step inside, just for a minute, I might have a solution to your problem.? Brian took a step forward.Sophie stepped back into the hallway and Brian followed her in, closing the door behind him.?I can see you are struggling, so many people are these days, and I like you as tenants, no trouble and always paying in full. What if I said to keep the thirty-five for now, and you could do something for me in return??For a few seconds, silence hung in the air between them. Brian was fearful he had seriously miss judged things and overstepped the mark. Fearful that Sophie would report him, tell his wife, and cause all sorts of trouble. Sophie knew what he wanted, knew it would sort the rent shortfall, but wondered how to be sure Mike never found out. Sophie knew Mike would be home in an hour and didn?t want to get caught having sex for fifty in rent arrears.?Just exactly what are you proposing?? Sophie asked. ?Just so we are clear.?Brian was starting to wish he had not brought it up. He knew this was a bad idea, a fantasy he should have kept in his imagination. Brian struggled to find the words to explain, and tried to think of a way to back out of the obvious innuendo.