“I can explain!” She gushes out in a scared tone. “It’s, it’s not what it looks like!”
My tone goes as icy as the conditions this woman has put her little girl in. “Really? You can explain what the hell you’re doing out here in the freezing cold overnight with a child? What the hell were you thinking? Do you know how dangerous this is?” I snap at her.
I see fear and guilt wash across her face and her voice comes out with a whispered tremble.
“Not as dangerous as where we were. Please, just…just leave us alone.”
I scoff at that. I can’t in good conscience let her stay out here, putting a child at risk like this, so I pull out my cell phone to call the authorities. Her hands flash out and desperation fills her voice.
“Please! Please, I’m begging you, don’t. Don’t call anyone! They’ll take her from me and give her back to…him! Please, please, you don’t know what he’ll do to her, to us!”
Tears are flowing down her face as her words trigger a memory that rocks through me. A memory of the last time I saw my own mother, her outstretched hands reaching for me as my father dragged me away. She also was pleading and crying for him to give me back after he found her trying to leave with me. It was the last time I saw her. I tune back into what the woman in front of me is saying.
“…till I get a job and make some money! It’s only for a few days! Please…”
I cut her off as I remember her words last night after she refused to take the money I offered.
“Just pay it forward the next time you see someone in need.”
“Can you cook?”
She flinches back at my unexpected question and then nods cautiously.
“Can you cook and clean and organize?”
I see her swallow hard as some of the fear leaves her expression and she nods again slowly.
“I, yes… that’s all I’ve been allowed to do for the last five years.”
My cold fingers curl into fists hearing that and I notice how much she’s shaking from the cold. I need to get her and her daughter out of here, out of the cold.
“Good, you're hired. I need a housekeeper. The position comes with room and board plus salary. You can start today. Follow me back to my house,” I order her gruffly.
The fear blooms back full force on her face and I curse internally.
“Look, you’ll be safe at my house but more importantly, your daughter will be safer than living in your car. Give it a week and if it doesn’t work out, you are free to leave with a paycheck that’ll let you get a place to live.” When I see her hesitate still, I play the dick card. “That or I call the cops right now. I’m not leaving you both here in the cold.”
Her eyes drop away and her mouth trembles as she gives me a little nod of agreement. I sigh at having to take away her choices and adding to the trauma she’s already been through but it feels like the only way to make sure these two are safe for now.
I reach around her, ignoring how she flinches and yank open the driver’s door and gesture for her to get in and start her car. She won’t meet my eyes as she slides behind the wheel and I hold the door open until I hear the engine start with a wheeze from sitting all night out in the cold. I close the door and then grab my snowbrush and ice scraper from the trunk of my car and go to work cleaning her car off. A little face with matching violet eyes peers out at me from the back seat as I see her mother leaning back from the front to strap her into a car seat.
I blow out a frosty breath of air at how my day just upended and then get back into my car and lead her out back onto the road.
Avery
For half a second when he pulls out of the lot onto the road, I consider turning in the opposite direction and speeding away to disappear. My fingers are white on the steering wheel from clutching it so tightly when I finally turn and follow his car. I don’t know this guy. I only have his word that we will be safe in his home, safer than living in our car. I just don’t have any other choice but to hope he can be trusted. Even if I take off, he can still report me to the police and give them the make and model of my car. I’m screwed if he does that.
Chloe is full of excited questions about who the man is and where we are going but I don’t have any answers for her. We might end up in an even worse situation here but…if he’s true to his word…this might be exactly what we need right now. Lord knows I can cook and clean up tohishigh standards so I would do a good job - but it’s the room, board, and salary that fills me with a surge of hope. To have somewhere warm to sleep, food to eat, and make money? That’s all I’ve been searching for.
I try and think of worst-case scenarios and my mind goes dark thinking of all the ways this stranger can hurt us. Harsh fists and unwanted advances are just the top two that come to mind but he said we could leave if I wanted to so maybe I should take this chance. Maybe not all men are likehim.Maybe, maybe this is the universe trying to make up a little for all that I’ve been through? Tears fill my eyes again because agreeing to this is the only option I have left. Twenty-six dollars and thirty-two cents and the temperature dropping by the day. I glance into the rearview mirror and pray that this will work out. That we will be safe.
I follow his car as he turns through huge arched columns that anchor an open wrought iron gate. The driveway seems to go on forever until a massive house appears. I can’t help the wide eyes as I stare at it and then start to doubt if I’m up to cleaning such a huge house. I press my lips together, ignoring the flare of pain and sit up straighter in my seat. I’ll work all hours of the day if it means Chloe will be safe and warm. The driveway circles around to two massive doors and he pulls to a stop with me parking right behind him. I sit staring at those doors as doubts flood through me again until a knock on my window has me jumping in my seat.
I take a deep breath and then open the door and step out. He’s already walking up the steps so I scurry around and unbuckle Chloe and help her out of the car.
“Just leave your stuff for now. The guys can help you move it all in after introductions.”
I squeak out, “Guys?” and he turns back to look down at me with a frown and then he comes back down the stairs and I realize I don’t even know his name.
