A Girl Named Sonata

by Broman

Number Crunching

Jack sat on kitchen table, his mind already going over the numbers in his head. It’s Thursday the eighth, one week since he had met up with Sonata and invited her into his home. However, since her stay he had to spent four hundred dollars or more for her living expenses and he was starting to feel the grind of overspending. He never realized having a second roommate who is barely starting out could be this hard.

He had about originally had enough to spend for the next few months, being careful with his money spending and trying to save up for future needs. However, since she has come in and started staying with him, he had been needing to make some serious changes if he didn’t want to go in the hole.

The sheet of paper he was writing in had various numbers, bank checks, credit card debt, and the income he gains from his part time jobs and gigs. Every receipt was written and every detail of cash earned or spent was recorded and he didn’t want to make any mistake in writing a wrong cash paid or dollar spent. He was on a budget and he wanted to ensure that he had everything planned out for the months ahead. While his mind wandered over the outcomes in his head, he cast a glance over to Sonata, who was at the coffee table and sitting on the couch.

She was busy trying to piece back together the blue vase that she had broke a couple days ago. She had a special glue that Lee was kind of enough to lend to her, and has been diligently placing the pieces back together as best she could. She would smile in delight whenever she would would find the right piece and place it back into position and was tentative in getting the glue in place and holding it there until the glue hardened. Despite the larger pieces being in place it was tedious work for the more smaller fragments that need to be locked into their respective spots. She had been at it ever since they got back to the apartment.

Despite her little project she had been busy with her new job.

She had orientation with Mama June and was already getting a basic rundown on how things went. From what she has told him she had been getting the hang of it and a call from a ecstatic Mama was enough to tell him that she was going to be just fine. Tomorrow would be her first real day on the job and she will no doubt be invaluable to the restaurant.

He gave a small yawn and glanced over to the time. It read eleven thirty, and it was getting late. He brought his papers together and stood up from the table. The movement caused Magnus to stir underneath the table and his faithful companion rose up to give a small shake. Jack smirked and gave him a small pat on the head, which caused his best friend to shake his tail. He began to head to his bedroom but paused when he heard Sonata groan and a clatter of glass on the table. He looked over and saw that she struggled with one of the larger pieces of the vase. She pouted out in minor frustration from the piece not fitting and having to re-glue the section once more.

The way she did it made the scene rather funny if not adorable

“Hey Sonata? Do you need some help?” Jack asked, watching her holding the large piece and gluing the sides once more.

“Oh I’m fine, thank you," she said, looking up at him with a happy smile. “This has been quite a project in getting this restored. I’ll be fine.” she said, placing the large piece of the vase down next to her ruby necklace and stretching out her weary bones. He eyed the ruby for a moment, wondering where she even got such a fine piece. However, sleep was on the forefront of his mind so he would have to ask at another time.

“Alright then, good night.” he said with a wave and headed to his bedroom.

“Goodnight!” she called out before returning to her work.

“Remember you got work tomorrow!” he called out while he heard a giggle from her.

“I know silly! I won’t forget!” she replied and she continued to have that innocent snicker. He soon closed the door behind him with a soft click and he sighed as he went over to his desk. He settled the papers onto his desk and eyed the safe nearby. In the back of his mind he didn’t want to open it unless it was important and today it was necessary

He knew what was coming tomorrow and the landlord will be waiting for him.

He went over to bend down to place his hand onto the combination lock. After a few seconds of spinning the correct number combinations the door opened with ease and he looked inside. The contents of the safe showed him a small box, along with something else he didn’t want to have to use.

A single handgun along with a small box with a handful of bullets.

It was a Korth super sport, a nighthawk custom that was capable of firing of .357 magnum bullets. It was a gift from his father and one that he knew he cherished dearly. In the big city of New York, despite all the flare of being one of the safest cities in the world, there was a lot of things that he needed to be careful of. Thieves, gang members and all that jazz. However, he didn’t want to risk himself carrying it all the time or having a friend come over and accidentally finding it. So he kept it safe so that he wouldn’t need to use it unless absolutely necessary.

But he wasn't here for the gun.

He grabbed the box within and held it up. Jack saw the letter on top of it which read, ‘studio funds’ on top. He sighed and opened up the box, seeing the money within. He grabbed the roll of cash and whatever was left inside and begin counting the bills. It was his life savings and the money he saved up after his college days plus the few scholarships and awards from high school. He was the best student, getting solid grades and was lucky enough to get the awards for college, but most of the money he received from his parents.

He could never thank them enough for getting him through those days.

After spending at least a minute of two of counting the cash he sighed dejectedly and pulled several hundred dollar bills from the roll.

Five hundred should suffice for now, he thought, setting back the cash back into the box and placing it back into the safe. Closing it shut he went over to his desk where his wallet was lying down and he put the money inside. He knew he had a small bank account but he kept a good size amount on his person in case of emergency spending.

With the landlord coming tomorrow he needed to pay up for the months rent.

After that was done he turned off the light and walked over to his bed, passing by Magnus who was already asleep at the foot of the bed. The cold welcomed him as he went underneath the covers and he shivered slightly from the initial contact but his body adjusted quickly. He placed his head on the pillows and was ready for sleep to embrace him.

Before he could rest his eyes he noticed a reddish light come from behind the door to his living room before turning blue along with Sonata’s saying something. A soft whine came from Magnus as his dog lifted his head up, seeing the pointed ears pop over the edge of the bed. Jack lifted his own head and grumbled for a moment to look at the door.

“Sonata?” he mumbled and the lights quickly vanished as soon as they appeared. He blinked in confusion over that and he instinctively lifted the covers, wanting to investigate what that was. However, before he could get up, he soon heard the rumbling blades of a helicopter fly overhead and the sound of police cruisers driving by. His initial curiosity was answered and he gave out a huff of annoyance as they went pass, leaving nothing but the continued sound of the city.

Just lights from outside, he thought while he fluffed his pillow. Lifting the covers back over him he then dropped his head back into the awaiting cushion.

Sleep soon overcame him and he dived in his awaiting dreams.

---

The next morning came quickly and Jack gave a loud yawn as he stood upright out of bed. He saw the light of the sun enter through the window and he rubbed the crust out of his eyes. He gave his back a stretch and heard a small audible pop come from his back. He looked to the alarm clock which read 9:15 and blew out a raspberry. He had to go over to his job in a hour and a half from now so he had to get ready. Getting a spare shirt and jeans he went up and headed towards the door. Magnus was already up and waiting patiently for him. He opened it up and headed to the bathroom to drop off his clothes before heading over to the kitchen.

Everything was quiet in the room, the sound of soft breathing coming from the couch. Jack glanced over to see Sonata was still asleep, her body covered by a couple thick blankets. The extra blankets paid off since he didn’t find her in his bed this morning. The soft whines of Magnus drew his attention and he looked over to see him having the food bowl in his mouth and looking at him. He chuckled and patted his head then went to the shelf underneath the counter. He opened to the doors and pulled out the fresh dog food. He opened the bag and poured the food into bowl. Once done Magnus immediately went into his morning meal. With that out of the way he went back down the hallway and into the bathroom. He proceeded to take off his clothes and get the shower running. Once the hot warm started flowing he jumped in to do his business.

While he cleaned himself up he put in a mental note of grabbing the money and going down to drop it off at the landlords room and then go out to his way before heading off to work. He also had to ask when Sonata would get back as well so to ask how her first real day on the job went. After spending an extra five minutes in the shower he finished up and quickly dried himself before getting his clothes on which were blue jeans and a red shirt. Once done he turned the exhaust fan on so that the moisture in the air would be removed. Jack then did a look over in the mirror and saw that his face was getting a little hairy. Getting the shaving cream and razor he sorted out the scruff on his face. It took roughly a couple of minutes but he finished in no time at all and washed himself up afterwards. Addressing his now clean shaven face he could feel the smoothness of his jawline and not a single resistance of hair when he ran his fingers through them.

It was smooth as a baby’s bottom and if his mother were here she would just be fawning over it.

Him mom didn't raise no hairy child.

Hearing the sound of his stomach calling he depart the bathroom and headed into the kitchen. Heading to one of the top shelves to grab a bowl and some cereal he heard Sonata waking up from the couch. Sonata’s hand were the first to rise above the couch before her head poked up like a mole. She then rose up and stretched out her arms, giving out a cat like yawn before rubbing her eyes. He chuckled at the sight, seeing the cow lick of hair sticking out from sleeping on her side.

“Good morning Sonata,” he said, while Sonata looked about the room as if in a daze.

“Hmmm… wha…” she mumbled incoherently, shaking her head a little to get herself awake. “What time is it?” she said, looking quite out of it.

“Ah.. it’s 9:30,” Jack said, grabbing the milk carton out of the fridge and sitting at the table. He could see the gears cranking over her head at the time and after another moment her eyes shot wide and she gasped.

“I’m going to be late!” she shouted, grabbing her clothes and quickly changing right in front of him.

“What time do you have to be there?” he asked, averting his gaze and blushing slightly from her exposure.

“I got to be there in thirty minutes! Oh she’s so going to be mad at me!” she said, getting her work shirt on and then working on her work pants. Out of his peripheral vision she struggled for a moment and looked quite frazzled. Not one for standing on the sidelines he stood up from the table and headed over to the closet were the coats hanged. Opening and looking inside he spotted a few big coats that was perfect for her in winter. He grabbed the nearest one, a big coat that was a tan colored, and he took it with him. He got to Sonata’s side, where she was already getting her socks and shoes on. Her work outfit was a red and white shirt, accompanied with black pants that slimmed down her toned legs. After a moment of getting her clothes on Jack handed over the coat by resting it on the arm of the couch.

“Here take this. It will help you keep warm on the way there.” He said and she offered a smile.

“Thanks Jackie,” she said in a almost sing song voice, though the pitch was slightly off.

“You remember how to get there?” he asked, wanting to be sure. She rolled her eyes in response, almost scoffing as she placed a hand up to her chin.

“Do you doubt my abilities? I can get there with no trouble at all and with no escort.” she said, replicating in great success of how a snobby noblewomen would act. It earned a hearty chuckle out of and Sonata merely giggled in response.

Knock knock knock

The door rapped from the sound of a heavy hand. Jack knew that sound all too well.

“Coming!” he said, taking off toward his bedroom to grab his wallet.

“Who is it?” Sonata asked, her voice sounding a little concerned.

“It's just the landlord!” he called out, appearing moments later with a wallet in hand. He went back into the living room, seeing her stand up and getting the coat on. Magnus was also up, wondering what all the excitement about, but he went to the door when he heard it knock once more. Magnus gave a low growl, and Jack knew that his companion was only protecting their home. Jack got to the door and put himself between him and Magnus. He then opened the door to the man on the other side.

The landlord was big and well toned, standing over six feet in height. He looked like he was in his mid to late thirties and had fair skin with a blondish hair that was turning brown. He wore a plain red shirt with blue jeans that had a leather belt strapped around the waist and a pair of white sneakers. Jack eyed him once over, seeing the big man had a stone look on his face that would resemble a killer. However, since being here long enough had told him he only gave that expression for the sake of appearance. The landlord looked down, and a small smile graced his features as he bent down slightly to give Magnus a pat on the head.

“C,mon Magnus. It’s just me.” he said in that deep baritone voice and Magnus protective nature disappeared and began panting in appreciation.

“Hey Phil, how’s it going?” Jack asked, extending a hand to the landowner. Phil didn’t reply right away as he was to immersed to petting his dog. It was a good thing the landowner was a dog person, especially the big ones. Otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to get this apartment in the first place. After another moment he rose up and extending his own hand and giving his a firm shake.

“Been good. Enjoying your new year?” he asked, his voice calm and collected.

“Yeah, can’t wait to see how things will turn out this year,” he replied and Phil nodded with a grunt of acknowledgement.

“Same,” he paused, letting go of his hand and folding his arms in front of him. Jack knew what was coming next and he opened up his wallet and began drawing the bills. “Before we begin,” Phil asked, making Jack pause in mid transaction of the money, “do you mind telling me who this pretty little lady is?” he directed a finger towards Sonata that stood behind him. Before Jack could reply she quickly pushed past him and out of his apartment.

“Sorry I got to get to work,” she said, getting past the two and was in the hallway. Before she got to the stairs Phil pushed his hand out and blocked her path. Jack flinched slightly from how quick he moved his arm, but he had went through the same experience when he first got here.

“It’s a little rude not introducing your name little missy” he explained, his native Scottish slipping out.Sonata did a one-eighty and gave off a big smile to Phil while he lifted a brow to her.

“The names Sonata! Pleasure to meet you Phil!” she said in a rapid pace, giving her own hand in response. Phil eyed her hand and gave a firm shake, then Sonata added, “ Your name sounds nice. Is the name Phil derived from the name Phillip from the King of England or is the name from the scottish Filib?” she asked, which caused the two men two give her a quizzical look.

Was not expecting that, Jack thought, casting a glance over to Phil who could only give a amused expression. He lowered his hand off the wall and his smile rose to Match Sonata’s own whimsical one.

“Actually it’s just Phil. But my grandparents grandparents had the name Filib as a family name back in Scotland, and continued on for many generations. What made you think of that I wonder?” he said, having a proud Scottish pride rubbing off him. Sonata giggled once again before turning to head for the stairs.

“I heard the name before down by the sea once. It was quite a fun name to hear and the guy was really sweet. I would love to stay and chat but I gotta to run to work! Take care Jackie!” She called out and disappearing out of sight and the sound of her distant footsteps was the only thing they heard.

After a pregnant pause between them Phil was the first to speak up.

“So where did you find a pretty little lassie like that?” He asked, having a little smug look on his face.

“It’s a long story, but I found her collapsed in front of the building and I just couldn’t leave her out there to freeze to death. I took her in and she decided to stay for a while.” Jack explained, but it also curled a brow from the landowner.

“That so? Does she have a time frame for how long she be staying with you?”

“Not from what she has told me. I guess she’ll stay until she finds her bearings but I don’t know for how long that will be.” Jack explained. He watch his landlord place a finger onto his chin and he pursed his lips in deep thought. Jack couldn’t help but feel that the landlord will question his reasoning.

“Are you... not considering,” he went to say but stopped himself when Phil eyed him and had a knowing look on his countenance.

“Well she didn’t rub me the wrong way now did she?” he asked and Jack shook his head. Phil then chuckled and patted him on the shoulder. “She’s fine to stay, lad.” he said and Jack exhaled a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

‘That’s good to hear,” he replied, going for his wallet and picking out the few hundred dollar bills, “Here is the rent for,”

“ah up bup bup, lad.” Phil interjected, making his stop from delivering the payment. The landlord looked at the five hundred bills in his hand and selected only two of the bills and taking in to his own. “This should suffice for now.” he said and began heading off down the hall. Jack looked at the bills and looked rather stunned and called out to his landlord.

“Phil! The rent is much higher than that,” he stated, holding the rest of the cash out to him. Phil merely looked over his shoulder and gave a half smile.

“Consider it a late Christmas gift, you’ll pay the normal rate next month. Take it easy with that girl now.” he called back before heading down the stairs and out of sight. Jack was left there in the hallway and was left stupefied. He half expected to pay the full months rent then and there but he couldn’t help but smile and looking at the money in his hands. He could save up for next month and maybe have some to spare for other money issues that would come down the road. He put the money in his pocket and went back into his apartment, a genuine feeling of happiness growing inside of him. He felt Magnus at his side and he was looking straight up at him. Jack bended down and placed both of his hands on the German Shepard's head, roughing up his fur and chuckling all the while.

“Things are looking good for us Magnus!” he called out, as his faithful companion panted and his tail wagged affectionately. After that was done he went back into the kitchen and grabbed the bowl and cereal. Taking a minute to pour his food and putting the milk away he shuffled over to the couch. He pushed a few of Sonata’s blankets to the side and grabbed the remote off the coffee table.

“Lets see what’s on the news,” he said, turning the channel on to the local news channel and what they were talking about for the day. Eating his favorite captain Crunch cereal he sighed contentedly and continued to watch, while Magnus curled up next to his legs. While he listened to the latest news about the upcoming snow storms that were to come he took notice of the vase that Sonata had been working on the night before. He took a pause from his morning meal and looked at the porcelain piece, but with more scrutiny.

The vase was whole and was no longer having any cracks or bad blemishes from its sorry state from the night before. However, it was not that it looked perfectly normal but it was the coloring of the vase that threw him off.

“I don’t remember it having a reddish hue?”

Author's Note:

He is another long overdue chapter everyone. Enjoy!

Comments

[BestinDworld]

…...shit sonata what did you do?

[Miles Skywalker]

A single handgun and cartridges holder for the gun.

Huh? "Cartridges holder?"

It was a Korth super sport, a nighthawk custom that was capable of firing of .375 magnum bullets.

Ah. You mean a speed loader. Something tells me you're not really familiar with firearms or you got a little confused. The .375 Magnum is a high powered rifle cartridge. Trying to use that in a revolver like the Korth SS would make it blow up in your hands. The Korth fires .357 Magnum. Next time, look something like that up to make sure you got it right. Remember, Google is your friend!

[Broman]

9341165
There is is magic in the air.

[Broman]

9343028
Thanks for the correction and I made the changes. I kept thinking about those classic magnum gun or the smith and wesson style guns. But when I saw the model for the Korth it looked really cool so I used that instead for the story. But I guess there was confusion on my part so thanks for that. Though I had to look up and see what the magazine size it would be. Kept thinking those hundred round bullets in those clear boxes in my head but I didn't know what it would be carried for those small ammunition or the right name for it. Unless you would now what I'm talking about.

[Miles Skywalker]

9343113
By clear boxes, do you mean the .22lr and magnum ammo from CCI? That's the only company I know that packages ammunition like that and they don't sell .357 Magnum in clear boxes. Go with a company that is relatively well known, like Hornady, Remington, Fiocchi, or Federal. Also, the Korth SS is a revolver, and revolvers don't take magazines. The closest thing to a magazine that a revolver could take is a half or full moon clip, but the Korth SS can't use those, so don't even include it. Like I said, do a little bit of research if you're unfamiliar subject.

[Broman]

9343404
Understood. Thanks for letting me know about that. I'll be sure to study them before I decide to put those in. I'll be sure to make the change that its clips in the future chapters.

[Orange Spice]

Any updates to the story soon. I'm really liking what I read so far due to my work life

[Prince Jules Moonshade]

This is a fairly enjoyable story. I hope to see new chapters start up again.

[Green-Venom]

Are you still alive? I would love for this to get updated, your story is amazing! 😄