Hero Contradiction

Act Three

Bzzzzzzzzt.

Heather flinched out of her seat on the couch. She then jerked to the right and stretched her arm out over the armrest. The tips of her fingers ran over the smooth plastic of the telephone as she grasped at the device before pulling it back toward herself. She glanced at the caller ID only to see an unfamiliar number flash in front of her eyes. Huh, it had to be that call Rye was talking about. Ugh, so she was going to have to turn down a desperate parent? Talk about awkward silence to come. Eh, it was the least she could do for Rye though, seeing as she was the main source of income.

Damn, why did having to be a yard duty suck so much? If she could get a job as a tutor it would mean more money for her! Wouldn't that be grand? Ah, the idea of having extra cash to not only pay for Bug's vet bills but to buy nice things for herself? It was a heavenly thought something she could really indulge in!

Tutoring kids couldn't be that hard, could it? It was just a few worksheets here, a math test there, wasn't it? Nah, she could get all that stuff online then print it out easy! And as if correcting elementary schoolwork wasn't a breeze, it was so tempting! Damn if Rye didn't want the job, she'd take it in a second!

Bzzzzzzzzt.

Heather jerked backward, that's right the phone was still ringing. After her short second of clarity she tapped her finger on the phone and lifted the speaker to her right ear. "Hello?"

"Yes, I'm assuming this is the Matthews' residence?"

Why did she suddenly feel the urge to nod her head as if this older gentleman could see her? "Yes, it is."

"Very good. I was wondering that if you have any space for one more child this school year?"

Ah, so this was the phone call Rye had been waiting for. "Uh…"

"Because I'm in desperate need of a tutor. It seems that every other local tutor is full for this semester. It is critical that I get a tutor within the week."

"I'm sorry sir," Heather's voice cracked as she spoke into the phone's receiver. "But there isn't any more space this semester or even next semester."

"Oh dear. Is there any way I can persuade you otherwise? You see this girl really needs a tutor. I'm sure her father would be more than willing to made accommodations for you."

"No, I'm sorry but-"

Wait did he just say he was willing to make 'accommodations'? Did that include a something along the lines of a tip at the end of each week? It was a long shot but what the heck, why not ask? She was going to reject him anyway!

Heather cleared her throat. "I could make room for a small extra fee." A sneaky smirk crawled across her cheeks.

"I don't see why that would be a problem."

Her jaw dropped. No way, there was no way that she just got offered a few extra bucks to teach a little kid how to read and do math problems! This had to be a joke or an elaborate plan made up by one of her tricky sisters! It was too good to be true. She had to be sure; she had to be sure this wasn't a prank.

"How's thirty a week?"

"Sounds fair."

That sounded fair? Now there was no way this could be happening! Not at all! That was nearly one hundred a month! That would definitely pay for Bug's doctor bills, not to mention a special trip to Applebee's!

"Fine." Heather grunted.

"Ms. Rye Matthews, is it?"

Heather felt the words on her tongue die in an instant. Oh shoot, she wasn't a tutor and she wasn't really Rye Matthews. She just made a deal to tutor a child under her sister's name in order to make an extra buck? No, this had to be illegal somehow. Could she turn back now, even after agreeing and posing as Rye?

"Y-yes."

"Good. I'll inform the school district right away."

"Okay…" Heather hissed as she grinded her teeth together. "Then I'll get all your information in the mail. I'll see you when the school year begins."

"Fine. Thank you for your time, Ms. Matthews."

Click.

Heather pulled the phone away from her ear in slow motion, the buzzing sound of the disconnection for the opposite line ringing in her ears. Oh geez, this might be the worst decision she had ever made, and to think all of it happened within two minutes. Ugh! What the heck?! She didn't need this! How was she supposed to explain this to Rye? Surely her older would understand, right? It was an extra one hundred bucks a month, she couldn't turn that down!

This could still be a prank as well. Rye and Ailea had to be setting this up, for sure! There was no way a real letter from this old coot could come in the mail. No, no way! It was almost laughable! Now it was time to play the waiting game, she would give her sisters one week and if they didn't confess then she would confront them with their cruel plans!

This had to be payback for wrecking the car last month. What a cheap shot! Well, she'd show them! She might be dumb but she was not stupid. But then…what if it wasn't a clever practical joke created by her evil sisters? Oh geez, she could even start to think of what to do if this wasn't a joke.

If this was all real then she wasn't just stupid, she was crazy too.

XoXoX

"Ah Gru, I just got off the phone with the tutor."

There were a few words he longed to hear. Gru stepped into the living room, fresh from his lab, and turned to Dr. Nefario. The older male stood straight with his arms tucked away behind his back. Finally some good news, after the last incident in the park, this news should come as a round of fresh air. If the good doctor was able to find him a tutor that easily then maybe it wouldn't be too hard to break the news to Edith…maybe.

"Which one was that?" Gru's pale blue eyes locked Dr. Nefario.

While waiting for his reply, Gru stepped over to his large couch and took a seat. His back hit the sofa with a soundless thud and he closed his eyes before sighing. He wasn't sure if he could take any more bad news, not after having to settle with that woman and her injured son.

"Ms. Rye Matthews." Nefario answered with a single nod.

"Hm," Gru took a moment to reopen his eyes and fold his arms over his chest. "She sounds decent enough. I will be sure to have the minions look up her information later."

"Does her name ring a bell, Gru?"

He felt his eyebrow lift in confusion. "What?" He asked with peeked interest. "What do you mean?"

Dr. Nefario grew silent as he lifted his right hand to his chin. He took a few quiet steps across the living room, pacing back and forth in front of the super villain. "I thought that name sounded familiar when I first read it."

His baby blue's watched the doctor as he strolled left and right. The look of concern had washed over the elderly man's features and produced a deep frown. He remained quiet as he moved throughout the room, hand still latched to his chin.

It sounded familiar? Since when did Dr. Nefario remember anything like that? Details, like some female's name, were something the doctor did not concern himself with. It wasn't like any woman in the past twenty years made any difference in their lives. The only woman that even made contact with either man was his mother.

So what was with the worrying?

"But she said she would tutor Edith?" Gru broke the awkward moment of silence.

"Of course," The doctor stopped mid-step and turned to his superior. "I had to persuade her however."

"Persuade?" Gru pouted.

Nefario nodded. "Nothing much, just a tip at the end of the week. Shouldn't bother you at all."

"A tip?" The villain's jaw dropped open. "What are you talking about? You mean we are paying this woman now? Ugh." He lifted his right hand to his cheek and groaned. Great, there was a burden he didn't need. "How much?" He grunted.

"Thirty dollars due at the end of the week."

"Thirty?! Wha? Ugh…" Gru pulled his hand down the side of his face in slow motion. "Dr. Nefario, I do not think we can-"

"She was the last name on the list, Gru." The doctor said in a firm tone. "I didn't have much choice."

So ninety dollars a month was the answer? How was he supposed to pay for this, it wasn't as if being a super villain paid any outstanding bills. Whatever money that had come in went straight to his girls. Shampoo, clothes and food didn't pay for itself! His funds were running low as it was and now this?

Then again, he couldn't allow Edith go uneducated. Not only would the government come down on him like a ton of bricks, but it wasn't fair to her. It was only for one year after all, after she learned some social skills she would be able to return to the public school system.

Just one year, it is only for one year.

"Fine." He said with a heavy sigh. Even if he didn't like it, it was only for a year, one short school year. He'd find the funds for it, even if it meant working a nine to five job.

"Very good."

Gru felt the urge to roll his eyes. Great, not since his early work in villainy did he ever work a regular job. Ugh, just the thought of returning to the average work force made him gag. That meant working alongside or in service of people it meant he would have to be social again.

It was being social that drove him to his wicked ways, that and the influence of his 'caring' mother. Either way, it was something that he would dread. What other choice did he have, he was at least two decades away from receiving his 'villain pension'. Things were going to have to change, one way or another. If keeping his girls meant that he had to work and be social with the idiots of his society then that was what he was going to do.

He would provide for his girls with everything he had. No matter what.

Act End.