"What?" Jocelyn exclaimed.
"The government refuses to fund the orphanage. They sold out to us, but we need the land for something worthwhile," a Mr Parker was explaining to Ian and a furious Jocelyn. He was a representative for the company that was sending the orphanage away and he'd just implied that the orphanage wasn't worthwhile. Furious was an understatement for how she was feeling, her face felt hot, and her palms were sweating badly.
Jocelyn wondered how people could be so cruel. He was talking about turning twenty four kids out onto the street as if it was normal to him.
Her mind ran to her own parents. She had experienced cruelty at an early age. It was no surprise to her any longer.
"And where would they move to?" Ian quietly tried to reason with the Parker guy.
"The matron should have something in mind," he leaned back in his chair. He looked very relaxed. He was probably going to get a raise out of the whole situation, while kids would go homeless and possibly starve.
"But she doesn't," Jocelyn ground out, her eyes darkening in anger. The man turned to her, he shifted a little at the look on her face, then quickly covered it with a shrug.
"What if we buy the orphanage?" Ian asked.
He laughed, while Jocelyn ground her teeth. "Do you have a couple million dollars sitting around somewhere?" he asked after his laughter subsided.
"No," Ian whispered.
"I didn't think so. If you do, then come see me some other time. If you don't, be gone in a week," he replied, then waved his hand towards the door.
"You will be hearing from us," Ian said. His voice lacked their usual vigor. He stood up to go with Jocelyn following behind him.
"I can't get that money in a whole lifetime," Ian whispered once they were out.
"We'll take a loan," Jocelyn replied looking straight ahead. She was already knee deep in debt, but she couldn't sit and fold her arms.
"I can't. I already have my students loan to pay off. I'm scared, Josie. How are you so calm?" There was sweat beading on his forehead, his breath heaved out of him in loud, short gasps. His hands tightened and released at his sides.
Jocelyn turned to look at him. "I have to be, Ian. For everyone."
"But..." his voice faded.
Jocelyn's eyes widened in fear as she watched Ian try to breathe in, it was taking him longer to inhale and exhale. She held his shoulders, squeezing tightly to get him to focus. "Breathe, Ian. You are fine. We'll be fine. I'll come up with something. Just breathe, okay?"
Ian nodded.
"Okay, breathe with me," Jocelyn slowly breathed in and then out. Ian obediently breathed with her as she counted to ten. It hurt to see Ian this way, usually he was the one who stood up for her and helped her calm down whenever she was having a panic attack or just freaking out. He was the only one who had an inkling of the pain she passed through daily, so seeing him so weak and tired, made her weak and defeated too.
"Thanks. I love you Josie, thank you," he pulled her in for a hug. As usual Jocelyn couldn't hug him back. Memories assaulted her as he hugged her tightly. She patted his back, then balled her hands into fists to keep from pushing him away.
"It's OK, Ian. I need to get to work," she muttered. Ian let go of her reluctantly.
"I'm here for you, Josie. Remember, I'm the big brother. Right?" Ian asked trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah. Come on. I need a ride."
"I thought you didn't work on Wednesdays?" He asked opening the car door for her.
"I work every damn day, Ian. I took the morning off at the restaurant, but I still have to get to the pizza shop. I have two hours left before my shift starts," Jocelyn replied as she tugged on her seatbelt, then fastened it.
A newspaper was in front of her, since she couldn't afford to buy one, she picked it up and began to read.
An ad caught her attention.
Wife wanted! Contact the newspaper hotline.
She pulled out her phone and copied the number. Just in case, she thought to herself.
Ian drove off.
* * *
"Two medium sized pizza. That's the address," Dunstan Squire stuck a note on two boxes of pizza before handing it over to Jocelyn. "I can see you are tired. Its almost 9pm, you can go home after that. "
Jocelyn took the boxes and thanked him. She turned to go but his next words stopped her.
"Or you could let Nora take those, then we can go on that date," his voice was low as he probably didn't want people hearing him.
Jocelyn stared at him for a few seconds. He was tall, with blonde curls and gray eyes. He was definitely handsome and had a bad boy vibe going on, what with the tattoos on his arms and his piercings. In another time or life, she would have considered dating him, even if it was just for the fun or for experience purpose.
However, she had so many priorities and getting hurt wasn't exactly number one on it.
"Not today, Dun," she forced a smile, then hurried out before he could reply.
She climbed the delivery bike and strapped on her helmet. The building wasn't that far away from her home. She could deliver the pizza, get back to work to return the bike and then head home in an hour.
She pressed the doorbell when she got to the only numbered door on the top floor of the building. It had five floors, but from the looks of it only the top floor was occupied. The elevator dial pads for the other floors were covered in a transparent box.
She wondered what one person would need that much space for. Some people could be so inconsiderate, he had empty rooms that didn't look like they were being used, while people like the kids in the orphanage were homeless.
She sighed, she couldn't blame other people for her misfortune. It wasn't the owner's fault if he had too much money to waste on unoccupied homes.
She was about to press the doorbell again when the door swung open.
Shane Malcolm stood there in shorts and a T-shirt, even without the expensive suits and styled hair, she recognized him immediately. He held a beer bottle in his hand and was leaning against the door.
All the magazines and TV shows she had seen him in didn't prepare her for the real deal, she had never had the chance to serve him at Mallory's, he was usually seated on the side of the restaurant that she never waited. Up close he was breathtakingly handsome, his jet black hair was mussed, a few strands falling to cover his eyes. He was about six foot four inches tall and what she could see of his t-shirt clad body reminded her of the sculptures of Greek gods she'd seen at an exhibition a while ago. His gray eyes that were currently staring back at her was confident and had that gleam of someone planning something mischievous. Eyes that could charm the socks of a woman, or silence a grown man with just one look. He had a strong, pointed nose and a square, chiseled jaw.
"Wanna join the party. I need a partner for tonight," he slurred a little, probably already drunk.
She shifted back, shaking her head at herself, she had been staring at the man, it was a wonder he didn't call her out on it. "No. I'm good. I got your pizza," she politely declined. She had too many bad memories attached to drunks and alcohol.
"Oh. Did someone order pizza?" He yelled, turning to look inside his house.
"Yeah," a deep voice yelled back in response.
"Okay. Give me the boxes."
He grabbed them from her before she could say anything, turning to place them on some sort of counter before turning back to face her. "You are pretty."
"Thanks. You too. I meant handsome," Jocelyn stuttered.
He nodded then pulled out a credit card. Jocelyn took it and swiped it on the small device she had with her. She turned it to him and looked away as he typed in his pin.
"My mom says if you get a kiss from a pretty girl at night, you'll have good dreams. Will you kiss me goodnight, pretty girl?" He asked as she handed him his card and receipt. He took it and leaned on the door, staring her down with a sly grin.
"Uhm. No, goodnight," Jocelyn replied.
"Shane, you bastard. I'm starving," the deep voice from before yelled.
"I'm coming, Eric," Shane yelled back then turned to face Jocelyn. "What's your name?"
Jocelyne thought about it for a minute. He wouldn't even remember her. "Josie," she turned and walked towards the elevator.
"Goodnight, Josie love," his soft reply chased her till she got into the elevator. She immediately let out a loud breath, bending and putting her head between her knees to help her calm down.