< badcompany_muse - Green - Making Ends Meet - arkhams_dr >
Nadine Lewis sat at her kitchen table, a notebook open in front of her. She wrote a few figures down, some in red and some in black. The only time she worked on finances was when Harvey was out. She didn't know where she was. Really, she made it a point not to ask. If she didn't ask, she didn't have to lie if she was ever questioned.
He'd lived here for... three months? That was about right. She knew he wouldn't ever be the same Harvey Dent, and she'd accepted that. After all, she was hardly the same anymore herself. The Joker had changed Gotham, changed them all. Now, they just had to pick up what pieces they could and go on with what was left of their lives.
Of course, it would be much easier if expenses didn't keep increasing. Or if the new D.A. actually believed in giving his A.D.A.s raises. Her rent had gone up the first of the year, and the new budget had been approved by the D.A., completely lacking any pay increase. It wasn't that she was broke, not yet. She'd had to dip into her savings the last two months, though, as her pay hadn't covered rent, utilities, and food entirely. She'd been depending on that raise, so had a few other A.D.A.s. One was moving to accommodate the change, another had a roommate willing to work with him, and the third was married. Nadine supposed she could downgrade, but a smaller apartment wasn't really an option at this point. She was already sleeping on the couch. Not that she was going to complain about that. She really didn't mind. She also wouldn't ask Harvey for money. He was her guest, not a roommate.
Still, though, money was tight and getting tighter. Not that she was going to admit that, not to Harvey, not to Jonathan, not to Mr. Sale, not to anyone. She'd figure out how to make the numbers work.
He'd lived here for... three months? That was about right. She knew he wouldn't ever be the same Harvey Dent, and she'd accepted that. After all, she was hardly the same anymore herself. The Joker had changed Gotham, changed them all. Now, they just had to pick up what pieces they could and go on with what was left of their lives.
Of course, it would be much easier if expenses didn't keep increasing. Or if the new D.A. actually believed in giving his A.D.A.s raises. Her rent had gone up the first of the year, and the new budget had been approved by the D.A., completely lacking any pay increase. It wasn't that she was broke, not yet. She'd had to dip into her savings the last two months, though, as her pay hadn't covered rent, utilities, and food entirely. She'd been depending on that raise, so had a few other A.D.A.s. One was moving to accommodate the change, another had a roommate willing to work with him, and the third was married. Nadine supposed she could downgrade, but a smaller apartment wasn't really an option at this point. She was already sleeping on the couch. Not that she was going to complain about that. She really didn't mind. She also wouldn't ask Harvey for money. He was her guest, not a roommate.
Still, though, money was tight and getting tighter. Not that she was going to admit that, not to Harvey, not to Jonathan, not to Mr. Sale, not to anyone. She'd figure out how to make the numbers work.