LITMIR.BIZ

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math. It would cover her rent…if she lived very, very spartanly.

      And, say, didn’t turn on her lights.

      I don’t know what the next job offer’s going to be, either. Or when. And Benjamin isn’t going to help me.

      Sarah weighed, decided. Nodded. “That seems fine.”

      Becky’s quick smile sealed the deal.

      Sarah would be starting work that following Monday. It was now Thursday. Rent was coming due Tuesday.

      She needed help.

      How do you expect to survive in L.A. without me? Benjamin’s voice rang in her head.

      She’d find help somewhere else.

      There, on the coffee table in her barren-looking living room, sat Taylor’s business card, with “Martika” written on it. Taylor’s friend, Martika—the one looking for a roomie.

      Possibly the help she was looking for.

      She finally dialed Martika’s number. It rang five times. She was about to hang up on the sixth when she heard a deep, sultry voice say, “This is me. And you are?”

      “I’m sorry?” Sarah looked at the number. “Maybe I’ve misdialed…”

      There was a pause on the other line. “Maybe you have. This is Martika.”

      Sarah winced. This was not starting off well. “Um, Taylor asked me to call you…”

      “Taylor! That bitch, he hasn’t called me, and he missed Beer Bust. Well, you can’t be his new flame, unless something weirdly radical has changed in his life that he’s not telling me,” she said, all in a rush. Sarah thought she could hear her puffing cigarettes…there was a crackle, and Sarah realized that she had called Martika’s cell phone. “So, what did he want you to call me for?”

      Sarah paused. “Well, ah, he seemed to think you might be looking for a place to live, and I’m looking for a roommate…”

      “Great! As a matter of fact, I am,” she said. “Where are you?”

      “Santa Monica and Robertson.”

      Martika squealed. Sarah had to pull the phone away from her ear. “Perfect! I’m right around the corner…and this is my spot. I hadn’t realized Taylor would find me something so convenient. How do you know Taylor again?” Sarah started to answer, but was quickly cut off. “Dumb question. I’ll be over in ten minutes. What’s your address?”

      Numbly, Sarah gave it to her, then heard her say “Be there in a sec. Byee!” and quickly clicked off.

      Please, let her not be a psycho.

      She still didn’t quite know why she trusted Taylor as much as she did…maybe it was still gratitude at the fact that he’d at least given her one positive experience in this strange new world. She would have had a truly miserable night if she hadn’t bumped into the flamboyant giant.

      It was less than ten minutes when her intercom buzzed, and Martika announced her presence. Sarah buzzed her in, praying even as she walked to the door. When she opened it, she felt her jaw drop.

      Martika was an Amazon. Easily five-ten, she had deep maroon hair that cascaded in curls down past her shoulder blades. She was wearing a pair of hip-hugging bell bottoms in a deep black, and a maroon top of a sort of silky material that sported some sort of Indian embroidery design at the bottom. She had on a black leather coat over it. She was wearing sunglasses perched on her head, ostensibly to keep the curls out of her face. Her face…it wasn’t necessarily pretty, not in the vogue sort of way. She had large hazel eyes and a pug nose that looked odd on her. She had a strong chin, and a round face. She stared back at Sarah.

      “I don’t bite,” she said pointedly. “At least, not until I get to know you.”

      Sarah shook herself. “Oh! Sorry. You must be Martika.”

      “I must be,” she drawled, and walked in, her stacked heel half-boots making her stride seem even more impressive. She gave Sarah a little questioning look as she walked in, then let out a low whistle as her attention shifted from the owner of the apartment to the apartment itself. “Nice. Empty, but we could fix that in a minute. All yours?”

      “Um, yes. Although it’d have to be month to month…”

      “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Martika said, eliminating that possible bone of contention. She went out to the balcony. “I guess this would be my smoking area…I can’t stand smoking in the house, strangely enough. I like smoking, but hate smelling it all the time.”

      “Okay,” Sarah said.

      Martika turned around, and studied Sarah again. Sarah felt…dowdy. And old, although she knew the woman was probably older than she was. “And you’re Taylor’s friend?” Martika asked.

      “I know,” Sarah said. “I have trouble believing it myself.”

      Martika laughed, a leonine laugh that matched the rest of her. Sarah was torn between admiring her and being intimidated by her. “So which room’d be mine?”

      Sarah showed her. “I’d move the boxes, of course…”

      “Oh, this would work out fine, just fine,” Martika pronounced on the spot. “Great! So when could I move in?”

      “Um…” Apparently, this was more of a done deal than she’d expected. “Don’t you want to ask any questions about me?”

      Martika looked at her, a sarcastic, wry expression on her very expressive face. “You look like…” She paused, as if editing her words. “Let’s just say I trust you to pay your bills on time, sweetie, and leave it at that.”

      Sarah knew that wasn’t a compliment, but didn’t know what she could say to counter it. “I might need a little time to think about it.”

      Martika looked at her, curious and amused. “You don’t like me, do you?”

      “I don’t even know you,” Sarah protested. “How could I not like you?”

      “I can just tell that about people. They get this poochy-faced little look that says, ‘I may not know you, but you’re definitely not my kind of people.’ You haven’t gotten that look yet,” Martika said, ducking her head to meet the level of Sarah’s face, “but you’re working on it.”

      “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sarah said, even though she did. “I just…I’m new to L.A.”

      Martika laughed. “I’d guessed, sweetie.”

      Sarah glanced around, trying to buy some time. She needed a roommate, but she’d already made one snap decision out of desperation this week. She was starting to develop a habit.

      “It’s just that I’m very linear,” she said slowly, looking at Martika. “I get the feeling you’re very…organic.”

      Martika stared at her, then burst out into another round of raucous laughter. “Oh, sweetie, if you keep popping out with gems like that, I may have to live here!” She chuckled. “No wonder you’re a friend of Taylor’s. You’re so cute, I could eat you up with a spoon.”

      Sarah wasn’t sure how to handle that comment. Things were already getting less linear by the minute.

      “This will work out perfectly,” Martika said with a flourish. “I’ll have Taylor and the boys move me in on Saturday. Do you have a spare key?”

      “Wait a second. I hadn’t decided yet.”

      Martika shot her a skeptical look. “You’ve got rent on the first, right?”

      “Well, yes.”

      “Where else were you thinking of looking for a roommate?”

      Sarah fidgeted. “I hadn’t…well,

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