Dante sat holding Mandy doing a gentle roll back and forth. She woke up crying for her mother. He scrambled as fast as he could, cursing his damn legs the whole way. By the time he made it to her she was pulling on the front doorknob and screaming for her mommy. That was all he needed was his neighbors to call the cops because he couldn't get to her fast enough. Collecting her in his arms, she finally calmed. He assumed she had a bad dream. How scary to be this little and find no one at home to take care of you. He wished he knew what the other charges they had against her mother were. He was the one who had to deal with her fears, he should know what they might be. He needed to call the social worker in the morning and ask for more information. Maybe if he explained how she woke up crying, the woman may take pity on him and explain some things to him.
He hadn't heard from anyone in the last few days except Angie. She hadn't abandoned him. In a few more days she offered to take him grocery shopping once his check came in. James, his attorney, says his Social Security should start next month. With that, he will be on 'easy street', compared to now. Especially with Mandy living with him full time he gets her money too.
Locking his wheels, he put Mandy as far as he could in his bed, did his acrobat act, and slid in beside her. Pulling her to his chest, he breathed a sigh of relief that she slept even with all the jostling.
He willed himself to relax, he was so angry at Melissa for doing this to their baby. If she wakes up again in the middle of the night, he decided he would try calling out to her. If she understood he was just in the other room, she may calm quicker. She had been in a full-scale melt down before he got to her.
Peggy dropped Tomorrow off at the machine shop. Brice was happy to have her come down and visit. Giving him a quick rundown of what she wanted. He couldn't wait to hear her ideas. That was the best plan. She claims this is to get her feet wet for the job market.
She walked in the shop door and all heads turned. She dipped her head and smiled; she still had it. The office door popped open, and Brice came out with his arms open ready to greet her. Doing a little foot shuffle Tomorrow glides into his arms. "It is so good to see you out and about," he said, holding her tight. He hadn't seen her in weeks. The last time she was dropping to the floor.
"I know all I have seen is your namesake. He is adorable and you're looking good." The machines around them had become quiet and the men all stood watching them.
"Let's go on back to the office so the workers can concentrate on their work," Brice suggested loudly.
He introduced her around the office, meeting a half a dozen people. She was shocked by all the people who worked there now. The office area had doubled in size, or her memory was bad.
"You have really added on to this place."
"We have, we have done a lot of the structural work here and we needed more people to keep the scheduling and oh you know on and on. We all stay busy. Let me introduce you to our newest hire Collin. He was hired just last week to go out and find new customers. If I had known you were interested, I would have hired you."
"Thanks, but don't feel bad. I didn't know last week I could do this and then again, I may find it is still too early," Tomorrow assured him.
"Today was telling me about your last troubles. You must have been so scared," Brice said as he led her to his office.
"I was but I was so mad at Billy for sending them to scare me I just jumped on them. Thank God I didn't know he hadn't sent them; I probably would have been raped and killed."
"Well thank God you weren't. Wait here and let me get Collin and we can do a little brainstorming right here," he told her with a quick smile and left her sitting.
Moments later, he was back with a studious looking young man. Black slacks, white shirt, even a tie. Probably his first job out of college and trying to look the part. She stood and they shook hands and got down to business. She laid out her ideas, pulled out a legal pad and kind of doodled out an idea of what the pamphlet would look like. "You know something to hand out along with the business card. Pictures of some of the items we make, and the machinery you use. Show them we aren't some "nambee pambee" place. We can give them a quality product at a decent price," Tomorrow ended her spiel with a smile.
"That goes along with why I hired Collin here. We need to go out and find customers. With the economy down like it is we have to go out and look for work. This will be the helper that I hope brings in the customers." He sat back and smiled. "Yeah, Tomorrow take your pictures, and work up a brochure, we'll have them printed. Collin help her anyway you can so we can have them ready before you go out on the road," Brice suggested.
Tomorrow spent the next few hours in the Texas heat taking pictures of the shop, parts made, and being made. Accepted a number of flirtation's smiles and took a few pictures of Brice to show the owner and his friendly staff. They knew he wasn't, but the public didn't know how the structure of the company was. Unless Chance comes back and wants to take over full time, he is by all means the boss. Collin turned into a puppy dog following her around, jumping to help a little too much. She was glad when her mother came to pick her up.
The rest of the day, she spent on her father's computer arranging the photos and writing the captions. Trying different fonts, formats, and changing things around, doing a little Photoshop on some pictures, to freshen up the building, remove some rust. She was making a few of the workers look better. Whitening some teeth filling in some gaps of missing teeth. That kind of thing. Printing it up was proving to be difficult.
She had to buy new ink or take it to Kinko's. To do that she had to buy a memory stick. Walking out of the office, her mother was already in her room, and it was dark. Well, this day was done, but she felt good she had accomplished something. Roaming around the kitchen, she found something to eat and headed up to her room. Finally, she was back on schedule, it only took four weeks. If Dante doesn't call and keep her talking half the night, she will be ready to present Brice with her masterpiece in the morning. She felt good it hadn't taken her long, hopefully with just a few modifications they will be in business.
Her phone rang and the night was on.
"Yellow sweetheart."
"Well, you sound in a better mood," Dante noted.
"I am. I accomplished something today."
"Good tell me about it," Dante asked, willing to listen to just about anything an adult has to say.
"Well, I decided I needed to find a job. You know something to fill my days. Since my family owns this business, I thought I could start out there. You know, try my hand at creating a pamphlet to show what we do and bring in new customers. So that was what I was doing today."
"How far did you get?"
"I'm finished, I think."
"You think?" Dante queried thinking wow that was quick.
"Well, the customer has to approve what I have done, but I'm proud of what it looks like. My Brother-in-law runs the company..." And she went on explaining how he came to be in charge of the family business.
"I missed having a full-time job by a week. He hired this young man to create more business who followed me around all day."
"Why," Dante asked, not liking the sound of new competition.
"Brice, my brother-in-law, told him to help me. But I didn't need help, so it was just annoying."
"Good."
"Good, why good, he frustrated my day," she asked with a chuckle because she knew he was a jealous man.
"Good I didn't need another man in your life."
"You are so silly. No, I'm not interested at all in Collin Mc whatever. But I did enjoy the process. I miss feeling useful."
"I know the feeling. I spent my day filling out grant applications for college and applications for daycare. Taxing stuff really," Dante said, sounding so bored. "One good thing is my parallel bars are to be delivered in the morning, then the therapist is coming later in the day. I'm looking forward to that."
"I'm sure you are. I know you want to get back up on your feet."
"I have been pulling up at the sink and standing at least four times a day. You know, just trying to keep myself going. It just took a while to set up the therapy, but now that he is coming, I should improve quickly."
She could hear the hope in his voice.
"Well, that is good. How was Mandy today?"
"Good, the videos keep her occupied so I can cook and clean. Lord. I sound like an old lady."
Tomorrow laughed, "Just a little, that deep voice keeps you above that visual."
"Oh, you think you're funny, you should spend the day with me."
"Give me a few more days and I will come over I promise. It sounds like you need to get out of that place," Tomorrow suggested.
"I did for a little while today we went down to the courtyard and looked around. Angie told me to find another two-year-old for Mandy to play with."
"Did you find one?"
"Nah, no one was outside, I think I'm the only person that doesn't work around here. I know there are kids around, I hear them in the evenings."
"Well go out in the evening, maybe you can find one when they come home."
"No, not a good time, they will be coming home and have to make dinner and settle the kids for the night."
"True so maybe the weekend would be a good time."
"Yeah, I guess. When are you coming over?" He whined.
"I told you just a few more days. Will your Handi-rides take me to your place and then take us out somewhere?"
"Where?"
"I don't know; maybe the mall in Lake Jackson or if not to a shopping center here in town."
"I'm not sure, I have never asked for that kind of service. I can call and ask Randy to see if he can do that. I have to be honest, I can't afford to go shopping, except for necessities. Until next month."
"I know. I was just thinking it would be good for both of us to get out for a while. I can push and Mandy can ride in your lap." Her tone of voice turned sexy, "I can sit in your lap when she wants to get down."
Dante chuckled, "that sounds enticing."
"Yeah, I thought you would like that idea. You might like to know I'm only wearing a tee shirt."
"Oh Damn, I should have asked what you had on at the start of this conversation."
"Yes, you should have. What do you have on?"
"Just boxers, but I am in bed."
"Woo, so am I."
Dante wanted to remind her she could be with him if she wasn't so scared to upset her mother. He let it go as he didn't want to upset her, after all she had already hung up on him once.
"Leave a note and call a cab. I'll unlock the door and wait for you," he offered in his low sexy voice taking a different approach.
The rumble rolled through her body and landed between her legs.
"In a few days I promise. If we can't go shopping, maybe we could go swimming. Your complex has a pool right."
The thought of Tomorrow in a bathing suit made his reaction to the tee shirt statement grow uncomfortable.
"Yeah, we do. I just can't take Mandy there by myself."
"I understand, but if we could get you in the pool, I think it would be wonderful."
"I agree. I'll ask the therapist what he thinks and then how I can accomplish getting in and out."
"Perfect if you can stand you will have to be able to use your legs enough to push up. Plus, I will be there to help."
"So, you want to swim?"
"Yes, I haven't gone swimming in a couple of years."
"I can't even remember the last time I was in a pool. Probably when I was a kid. This pool here is only four feet deep."
"That is good, it will keep us from drowning. You think Mandy will like me?"
"Sure, she is a little shy to start, but once she knows you watch out. She will be all over you," Dante told her, remembering her reaction to Angie. Now he can't keep her off of her, but then again, she brings fun things for her.
Thrashing in his bed, he groaned, "Row you are driving me crazy, come over."
"You know I can't."
"Yes, you can. Call a cab and you can be home in a couple of hours. Your mom will not even know," he told her in that low tone he knows gets to her.
Tomorrow looked at her clock, it was only ten she knew her mother was asleep if not she would be soon. The thought of stepping outside in the dark by herself scared her. No matter how badly she wanted to go. What could happen to her stopped her. So, she explained that to Dante.
He suddenly realized what he was asking. "I'm sorry I was not thinking. I'll be patient, but I do want you."
"I want you too," she just couldn't bring herself to get out of bed. She could so easily slip her hand between her legs and at least give him the verbal release he is asking for. That was something she has never done, not even with Billy; with all her frustrating sexless nights she could never bring herself to be so bold.
"But you can't," he rumbled, "that is ok I understand. If I could, I'd come to you."
"You're so sweet," she said as her hand slipped down, putting pressure on the throbbing center. "I'm going to let you go."
"Are you sure," Dante whispered, not ready to let her get away.
"Yes; I need to go to sleep. I have work to do tomorrow and so do you. I promise I'll come soon," she told him and closed out the call. She rolled on her side and began to cry. She had never felt more alone in her life. She has to stand up to her mother starting tomorrow. "You say no man will ever tell you what to do again then you let your mother dictate your life. No more girl, you have to grow up."
Wiping her tears from her cheeks, she worked on the throbbing and fell asleep. At least that was some release.
Sunlight came pouring through her open curtains waking her from a very peaceful sleep. Stretching out, she set in her mind on everything she needed to do today. Number one she had to download the pamphlet to take it to Brice. She had to get his approval and then have them printed. She got up excited for the first time in a long time and she was accomplishing something. Proving she was still useful. Her mom was in the kitchen reading the paper and drinking coffee with remnants of a light breakfast remaining on her plate.
"Hey, you're up early," Tomorrow noted as she filled her cup with coffee.
"I heard your shower come on so I thought you would need transportation somewhere."
"Well, I finished the pamphlet, except I have nothing to download it on. I need to show it to Brice and get his approval."
"Ok, I guess call him so you can get some input from him," Peggy told her, doing her dismissal of knowing anything about the business. She knew her mother blamed the place for her husband's death. He worked too hard trying to make the most of what they had. The down economy was a constant concern for him. Brice was hired a few years back to help alleviate some of his stress. Today stopped by the office a few days after she graduated from college, to bring some paperwork for her father. Once she was introduced to Brice, the romance was on. Seeming to everyone watching, it was love at first sight for both of them. Tomorrow was thinking as she waited for her toast to pop up. She hoped she could find someone like him. Meanwhile, she had Dante weighing on her mind. She knew what he wanted, her body, her attention, and her time. What she had to do is decide if she wanted to give him all he wanted. Can someone who can't move his legs, as he wants to make love and give her what she wants. She buttered her toast and leaned against the counter. SEX, curl her toes, makes her scream, sex is what she wants.
Billy accomplished that once, maybe that was why she hung on for so long. She was hoping it would happen again, how dumb was that. She pushed herself off the counter and headed for the study.
"I'll call Brice and get his opinion," Tomorrow offered walking by her mother. She seemed to be in one of her I don't give a shit moods. Maybe she was as tired of Tomorrow being home as much as she was at being here, she noted.
Her mothers' mood took the glow off her day, setting her mind that she had to get out of here. She was a grown woman and needed to start acting like one.
"Brice, I'm finished."
"Wow already."
"Yes, my problem is I don't have a memory stick to download it so you can give me your approval. Plus, my mother is in a mood." Enough said, he knew Peggy and her moods.
"Oh no that isn't good. How about I send Collin over, you download what you have, and he can bring you over here, which will let mom have a quiet day."
"Thanks Brice, I think she is feeling like a taxi service."
"Well let me send Collin, he should be there in about twenty minutes."
"Ok, I'll be waiting." Tomorrow hung up and slumped in the chair. She hated having to depend on other people to get around.