I stormed out of the apartment.

Roddy came up from behind and stopped me. “Laurel, don’t go there and cause a scene!”

I slammed the door in his face, shutting out his angry voice.

Drawing a deep breath, I rang the doorbell next door.

The sound of shuffling feet approached the door, and a young whiny voice boomed. “Who is it in the middle of the day?”

Natasha opened the door, dressed in her expensive nightgown, a facial mask plastered to her face.

She was surprised to see me.

“Oh, Mrs. Turner. What is it?”

She looked rather impatient.

“Is Lorelei there?”

“Mom’s out getting a facial,” Natasha said offhandedly. “You can just talk to me.”

“Fine.” I inhaled deeply. “I’ll be straight with you then, Natasha. My dad is in the hospital in need of surgery. Roddy has loaned your family 187,400 dollars. I need you to return the money now. It’s a matter of life and death for my dad.”

Natasha’s face behind the mask stiffened.

She looked me up and down like she was staring at something filthy.

“Mrs. Turner, I don’t quite understand what you’re on about,” she drawled. “Money? What money? You said that Roddy loaned us money. Is there an IOU? If you're just going to make things up to get cash, you might as well rob a bank.”

Having known this was coming, I pulled out the photo of Roddy’s ledger. “Roddy wrote down the records of the loans detailing the dates, amounts, and reasons. Should I call the authorities and have them cross-check against the bank statements?”

Natasha glanced at the phone with a scowl. However, she was quick to pull herself together and arm herself with hostility.

“Tsk, that’s just something he scribbled down. Who knows if it’s even real? Besides, he gave us the money willingly. He’s kind. He saw we were struggling and wanted to help.” Her voice turned shrill.

“Don’t put this on us because your dad is sick. This is not an attack on you, Mrs. Turner, but if you can’t afford your dad’s medical bills, that’s on you. Don’t come here to scam us. Have you no shame?”

“He gave the money willingly?” I sneered, “Natasha, so you’re saying that your college tuition, allowance, phone, laptop, makeup, even your mother’s physio sessions, medical bills, and home renovations were money given by Roddy out of the kindness of his heart? Do you think he’s running a charity? I’m here to collect today.”

“Why on earth would we pay it back?”

Lorelei’s voice cut through from the stairwell.

Cocking my head back, I caught the taunt on Lorelei’s well-kept face as she approached. a spa gift bag in hand.

Lorelei walked to the door and pulled Natasha behind her like a mother hen.

“What’s with all the fuss, Laurel? What do you mean by paying you back?” Lorelei’s voice was loud. “My good neighbor, Roddy, felt sorry for us and gave the money of his free will. It’s what neighbors do. You’re not even part of the equation. Mind your own business.”

Neighbors, she said?

I felt like I was about to throw up.

“Legally speaking, Roddy and I are married. His debts and spending are part of our joint assets. He lent you a large sum of money without my consent, and I reserve the right to reclaim those funds. Either you pay up, or I’ll see you in court.”

“Is that so?” Lorelei made a face as if she had heard the funniest thing. “Go ahead. Let’s see if the court thinks you even have a case. Here’s the thing, Laurel. You won’t see a dime from us. If Roddy wants the money, he can tell me to my face. I’d like to see if he actually has the nerve to demand it from me.

“Get lost! Stop blocking our door. You’re bringing bad vibes.”

Lorelei gave me a shove.

Caught off guard, I staggered back and nearly tumbled.

“Bam!”

The heavy door of Apartment 302 slammed shut in my face, the echo ringing down the hallway.

I could even hear the mother and daughter’s muffled giggles through the door.

“She’s gone desperate!”

“She’s lost her mind over money!”

“No wonder her father fell ill. Karma!”

Standing there, I shook in rage.

I had no idea how I even got home.

I opened the door to find Roddy still on the couch. Staring at my ashen complexion, he sneered, “I told you not to go. You’re only embarrassing yourself.”

The remark was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

I took large strides over and stood before him.

“Roddy.” My voice was terrifyingly still. “Your good neighbor said that they won’t return the money you so willingly gave. She dares you to ask for the money back yourself.”

Roddy fell silent, guilt written all over his face.

“My dad’s surgery can’t wait.” I added. “Get the money now. I don’t care how you do it. Just beg, borrow, or steal. I expect the money today.”

Snapping his head up, Roddy didn’t hide his disdain and annoyance.

“Give it a rest, Laurel!” He yelled at me, his finger up my nose. “Must you make us a laughingstock of the neighborhood over some money?

“Yes, I lent the money to Lorelei, but I was doing a good deed! It’s an act of charity! Look at yourself! You look like some heartless debt collector, shaking down a poor widow for change.

“It’s sad that your father’s suck, but you can’t make me the bad guy because of your family drama. I’ve been doing my best for our neighbors for three years. What does that make me if I ask for the money now? How am I supposed to show my face in the community?”

His face was red with anger.

“Lorelei is on her own, and Natasha lost her father at a young age. What’s wrong with helping them? You’re my wife. It’s bad enough that you’re not supporting me, but you’re trying to make me the bad guy? Where is your conscience, Laurel?”

He looked justified.

Anyone would think that I was some wicked person.

For three years, he never gave me a penny, playing a philanthropist to the neighbors instead. It was funny how generous he was with my savings.

Roddy painted me, his wife, as petty and malicious just because I needed the money.

Staring at his face, warped by self-righteous anger, I was struck by how absurd everything was.

“Roddy, you’re right. We should always be kind to others. Thanks for the valuable lesson,” I said curtly.

Taken aback, Roddy wasn’t expecting me to see things his way.

Turning on my heel, I went to the master bedroom and moved my duvet to the guest suite.

With a blank face, I opened my social media app and scrolled for local student aid information.

It didn’t take long before I locked onto a plea from a college boy desperate for tuition money.

The boy in the photo wore washed-out clothes. The post said his father had left, leaving behind a sick mother and a young baby sister. He hoped some kind soul would help him stay in school.

With a sick mother, a deadbeat father, and a broken sibling, he was the perfect candidate for my charity case.

I sent him a message. “How much do you need for your tuition and living expenses? I’ll help you.”

The response came back right away.

Jumping straight into it, I asked for his bank details and transferred every last of Roddy’s salary that came five minutes ago.

Once that was done, I put my phone on silent and tossed it aside.

Thanks to Roddy, I decided I would start opening my heart to helping people, too.