The Plumber: Part 1
Madge gave up on trying to keep dry about an hour ago. The burst pipe in her bathroom had been spewing water for just as long and she'd lost twelve good towels and a bed sheet to the catastrophe. She'd tried turning the water off, somehow making the flow of water heavier and then she'd tried blocking the leak, that's when she'd given up on staying dry. She couldn't afford an emergency plumber. Prices would be sky high today of all days but she definitely couldn't afford any more damage to be done to her newly purchased home.
She tried every number for a local plumber she could find, after the ninth hung up on her she was all but in tears.
"Gale Hawthorne" the voice on the other end of the phone sounded as exhausted as her
"Hi I need help" she squeaked her voice trembling from crying "my bathroom is flooding and I know it's Christmas Day but my bathroom is flooding"
"Look miss it sounds like you've got a big problem and like you said it's Christmas Day"
"Please" she begged "I'll pay whatever you want" she caved, she'd crawl back to her father and his money on her hands and knees if it meant this night would be over
"Where are you?" He sighed and she collapsed onto the toilet from relief
"Town Street in Panem. Number 12"
"I know the place, I'm close. I can be there in 10 minutes" Madge could hear children in the background and felt awful but she couldn't feel her feet anymore
"Thank you, thank you so much. Thank you".
She barely had time to find her wellies in one of the moving boxes and pull them on before her door bell rang. The pipe was still dribbling a steady flow of water onto her bathroom floor when she passed by to open the door and she desperately needed a cup of coffee. She didn't even drink coffee.
"Thank you so much" she stressed, opening the door, momentarily blitzed by the man there. For a minute she felt like she was in a porno and the drop dead gorgeous plumber had come to ravish her whilst the blocked sink overflowed
"You must be Gale, come in" she stepped back granting him entrance
"Yeaaaah" he told her awkwardly before looking her up and down and averting his gaze. In all the chaos Madge hadn't noticed or cared that her camisole and shorts were soaked through and not only transparent but plastered to her body
"Oh God I'm sorry, I should get a towel. Come in though please, the bathrooms through there" she pointed to the end of the hall past the staircase and cringed at herself as he passed her. She hadn't worked out in weeks and she was sure sopping wet and distressed wasn't sexy
"Woah" he exclaims "you weren't joking. What took you so long to call?"
"I've been calling for over half an hour, you're the only person who didn't hang up on me. That and I tried to fix it myself because I can't actually afford a plumber" Madge admits, wringing out her hair "don't worry I'll get your money" she adds hastily, her boots squelching on the hall carpet
"Rookie mistake" he shakes his head and gives her a smug smile. Woah indeed
"I'm sorry to be taking you away from your family today" she tells him genuinely, half hoping to find out if she can flirt or if he's spoken for
"You'll pay well right?" He jokes
"Whatever you see fit" she promises "hopefully you can be back with your kids in time for Christmas dinner" she tries again
"Oh I don't have kids" he replies nonchalantly
"Oh, I thought I heard kids when we spoke on the phone"
"My brothers and sister" he nods, squatting down to see the problem from a different angle. Madge likes this angle just fine but scolds herself because if the plumber wasn't gorgeous and the situation had been in reverse she wouldn't have been happy. In fact she had only recently torn a mover a new one because she'd caught him watching her change
"Oh I see, still, don't want you missing Christmas dinner"
"What about you? Why are you alone today dealing with this mess?"
"Long story" she sighs "I've only just moved in, this really couldn't have come at a worse time" she deflates, totally dejected even if she had scraped together enough money to get a mortgage on her dream house
"I uh- I actually viewed this place myself you know" Gale tells her and she takes a seat on the edge of the bathtub, curious.
"Was it the bad plumbing that put you off?" She laughs and he chuckles in response
"Nope. Got outbid at the last minute" he deadpans and Madge feels her skin prickle as her blood runs cold
"Are you joking? Please tell me you're joking"
"Nope"
"Oh God I'm your nemesis and you don't even know me" she frets wondering if he might charge her more out of spite as well as inconvenience "you're not going to do a bad job to get back at me are you?"
"I resent that" he half laughs digging through a duffel bag of tools "I couldn't bring myself to ruin this place anyway"
"Your dream house too huh?" she murmurs guiltily
"Something like that"
"Maybe you'll find something better, with decent plumbing and a porch swing" she offers hopefully
"Not likely around here, I'll just let you keep beating yourself up about it" he grins
"Can I get you something? Coffee, tea or a can of something?"
"It's a little early to be drinking isn't it?"
"Oh no I - I meant a can of coke or something" Madge stammers to explain
"I know I was teasing, I'll take a strong coffee, lots of sugar"
"Coming right up".
Madge listens to the tinkering from the downstairs bathroom and puts the kettle to boil then goes upstairs to find something warmer to put on. She pulls out sweat pants and an oversized jumper but hesitates in dressing, deciding to forgo the pants and leave a length of leg on show. What the hell, where was the harm?
"One strong coffee, lots of sugar"
"Thanks" he smiles tightly, taking the offered mug "I got the leak under control but this is a pretty big problem, you're going to need new pipes at some point" he winces "expensive job"
"Great" she smiles falsely "how soon does it need to be done?"
"Honestly? Last year" at least he seems apologetic when he says it
"Can you suggest someone who won't totally rip me off?"
"Me, I have a partner and we're the best local service. I'm actually hurt I wasn't your first port of call"
"Just moved in, not up to speed with local rip off merchants yet"
"Tell you what, ring around and if you can find a better quote I'll match it. We can start next week"
"Really? That's good of you, I'll do that"
"No problem"
"Are you done? Can I use the water as usual or will I have to wait?"
"You're all set just be wary, that pipe has corroded pretty much to the point of falling apart"
"How much do I owe you?"
"I'll send an invoice in the morning. Besides I might be back here soon. You've got my number?"
"Yeah, I've got it, thanks"
"I'll be expecting your call" he's grinning again and even Madge can tell he's flirting
"Don't get too sure of yourself" she retorts, certain if money weren't an issue she'd hire him just because
"Have a nice Christmas" he gives her a tight smile
"Merry Christmas. Thank you so much for coming out"
"Bye" he's smiling in a way that makes Madge want to jump him now but he's half way out the door
"Bye, thanks again".
Before the door is even closed, Madge collapses on to the couch. How was she going to pay for this. Her moment of weakness was long over and there wasn't much she wouldn't do to avoid asking her father. She was on the brink of tears again when someone knocks at the door and she wipes her face before answering
"Oh Gale, did you forget something?" she asks, embarrassed at her obvious emotional state
"No actually I wanted to invite you to Christmas dinner at my house"
"You do?" Madge sniffles and wants to slap herself at how much she sounds like a six year old
"There's always heaps of food left over and no one should be on their own today"
"I couldn't impose, I've inconvenienced you enough-"
"I'm inviting you, please. If you don't come I'll just be miserable anyway worrying about you and your bathroom"
"You're sure?"
"Very sure" he nods "is that a yes?"
"You promise not to maim, torture or kill me?"
"What? Yes I promise" he chuckles
"Alright, just let me go grab some pants"
"Pants would be good".