Chapter 14

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Alex

SIX FOURTEEN AND NO sign of the princess making her appearance to greet the peasants. It was just as well. Now maybe my uncle would finally get off my back about bringing her along. I was about to head inside when I cringed at the sound of my name. I turned around and there she was, hopping out of the cab.

“Sorry I’m late. It took a little longer than I expected at the nail salon.”

Why was I surprised? Hair, clothes, and nails all took priority with girls like her. She was a walking fashion plate. At least she had changed from what she had on earlier in the day. The close-fitting skirt that hugged every inch of her body was now replaced with a pair of tight jeans, and the white translucent blouse that showed part of the lacy bra she had on underneath was changed out for a white tank. The six-inch heels she had been wearing all day still remained, and I couldn’t wait to see how her feet fared after being on them for the next few hours. She was so clueless. Practicality was a word that wasn’t in her vocabulary. Little did she know, these people couldn’t care less about her nails or her expensive shoes. They were just trying to make it through each day.

“Are we gonna go in or are we just gonna stand out here all night?” she asked.

I cleared my throat and snapped out of it, pissed over the way I had been checking her out, even more so because she had caught me doing it. I trudged forward and held the door open for her.

“Wow, so you do have some manners,” she teased as she walked in ahead of me. The sly grin she had on her face just moments ago was now replaced with dread and disgust as she took in her surroundings.

“Alex! I’m so glad you could make it tonight,” Jermaine, one of the coordinators, greeted me with a firm handshake.

“Jermaine, this is Rose, she’s a coworker of mine.”

“Rose, it’s so nice to meet you. Thanks so much for coming in. We could certainly use the help.” Jermaine held out his hand to her, but she was half-paying attention, still seeming disoriented over her surroundings.

“Oh, yeah. No-no problem.” She forced a quick smile and returned his handshake.

“So normally Alex would help out on the men’s side and I’d send you to help out with the women and children, but since this is your first time—”

“Wait, there are children here too?” Rose asked.

“Yes, I’m afraid so,” Jermaine replied, and for a brief second, a hint of remorse adorned Rose’s face. “So, like I was saying,” Jermaine continued. “Since this is your first time here, I think it would be best to have you stick with Alex, and the two of you just help serve dinner.”

He looked my way for approval, and I gave him a quick nod. Not that I wanted to be stuck with Rose for the next few hours, but I knew this could be a somewhat dangerous place, especially for a woman as naïve as her.

“Okay then. Alex, you know what you’re doing from here. I’ll let you two be on your way. And again, thank you so much for helping out tonight, Rose.”

“No problem.” The self-assured, conceited behavior she normally possessed was now stripped down to uncertain and scared.

“Hey, hey, pretty lady…come here,” one of the residents shouted.

Rose stopped dead in her tracks and stared at the scraggly old man in bewilderment.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her along. “Just keep walking and don’t pay attention or take offense to anything they may say to you.”

“Oh, so treat them like I treat you every day.” She smirked.

I put my head down and looked away so she wouldn’t catch my grin.

Two hours and too many dinners to count later, and we were done. I hated to admit it, but I was kind of impressed with the way Rose handled herself. She was compassionate toward the residents, especially the children, and worked her ass off serving the food, in her killer heels and all.

I decided to be a nice guy and make sure she made her way out and into a cab safely. After all, if something were to happen to her, my uncle would kill me. We were almost at the door when I noticed William standing all alone, looking confused. William was well into his seventies, and a Marine who had served in Vietnam. He lost everything to drugs and alcohol years ago, including his family. But through it all, he was still proud and only came into the shelter when he absolutely needed to. I tried to help him get assistance through the VA, but he declined—in addition to being proud, he was stubborn.

“William, how are you?” I approached him.

He was going downhill fast from when I had seen him just about a month ago. It was clear that he was struggling with Parkinson’s, and since he refused to see a doctor that battle would only become worse. His hands shook, and he struggled with his words. “Getting by.”

“Are you sure about that?”

He nodded and gave Rose a toothless smile. She shocked me once again when she acknowledged him with a warm smile of her own instead of looking away in disgust.

“Hi, I’m Rose,” she greeted.

“Rose. Beautiful name for a most beautiful woman,” William responded just as he went into an uncontrollable coughing fit.

I guided him over to a nearby bench to have a seat and bent down next to him. “William, you need to see a doctor.”

“I don’t need a doctor,” he mumbled. “I’m fine.” He smiled up at Rose when she handed him a cup of water. “I just need some water. That’s all.”

“I think Alex is right, you really should see a doctor. If you can get some medicine to help get rid of that cough, wouldn’t you want to?” Rose asked.

“I’m an old man. I don’t need medicine,” he argued. Even though he seemed to take an instant liking to Rose, I knew not even she’d be able to get him to change his mind.

“If you won’t see a doctor, then you need to promise me you’ll be back here on Sunday afternoon when I come in, so I can check up on you,” I requested.

He waved his hand in a dismissing manner and mumbled something incoherent under his breath.

“What if I come on Sunday afternoon too, then will you stop in?” Rose chimed in.

I looked up at her in confusion, knowing this gig was supposed to be one and done for her. She keenly studied William’s face, waiting for a reply.

“Fine…fine,” he grumbled.

“Promise?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah…yeah,” he griped.

“William, just wait here. I’ll be right back.” I placed my hand on his shoulder.

He nodded and took another sip of water.

“Okay, William. I’ll see you on Sunday, and don’t you let me down by breaking our date,” Rose shouted as we made our way out the door.

“You know, you didn’t have to commit yourself to coming back here again. You served your time,” I said to Rose as we stepped outside.

“I know, but maybe I wanted to.”

“Whatever,” I mumbled.

“You know, Mr. Andrews, despite what you think of me, I’m really not that heartless person you have me made out to be.”

I tilted my head back and stared up at the star-filled sky. “I never said you were heartless.”

“Well, sometimes words aren’t needed to convey how you’re feeling.”

My eyes shifted downward until I was staring into hers. “Fine. I’m sorry if you felt like I was conveying that message toward you.”

She placed her hand over her heart. “Wow, did you just apologize to me?”

“If that’s what you want to call it.”

“Look, Mr. Andrews, we don’t have to be friends, but maybe we can learn to at least be civil to each other.”

“I guess that can be arranged, Miss Perkins.”

“Okay, good.”

“But on one condition…can you please stop calling me Mr. Andrews? I’m not my uncle.”

She nodded and walked the few feet to the cab that had just pulled up. Opening the door, she turned back around to me. “You’re right, you’re not your uncle…your uncle is much nicer,” she shouted with a playful grin just before hopping in and closing the door behind her.

I bit back a smile as I watched her drive away.