Chapter 6: Just Trying to Figure Things Out
1522 Words
-Journee's POV-
“Oh, how the mighty have fallen.”
Stephanie, my best friend, said those words… and to be honest, I didn’t know how to feel about it. Not something that I would have said to her if she was in my shoes. Then again, she didn’t lie.
“It’s such a shame, honey. I’m sure that things may get better for you. Are you still living in your car?”
“Um, no,” I said reluctantly, already knowing what the next question would be.
“Oh! Oh really?” She was clearly surprised by this. “Ah! Oh, well that’s good! Very good! Where are you staying? Maybe I’ll make time to come and see you and the little one-what’s her name again?”
“Jasmine.”
“Hm, well, that’s pretty,” Stephanie stated.
I got the feeling that my best friend was a little busy. “Thank you,” I replied. “Listen, Steph, if you’re too busy to talk, I can call you later-”
“Oh, no, no, well, I mean, I am a little busy, but I can still make time. “So, you said you’ve found a job, but not the one that you wanted.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. “It’s nowhere near ideal, but it’s something, and it pays better than nothing at all.”
“What are you doing for work now?”
“Janitorial,”
“Jani-what? You’re cleaning up after others?!” It was clear that Stephanie didn’t think much of my career change.
“It’s just temporary, Steph, until I get back on my feet, get back into the chef game.”
Silence followed my remark, “You sure that’s a possibility at this point, love?”
I straightened up in my seat, “What does that mean?”
“Well, it’s…it’s no secret, Nee, you’ve been blacklisted.”
I had a feeling, but hearing Stephanie say it was clear confirmation. “I’ll figure something out,” was all that I could say at this point.
“I hope so. Shame you dated your boss…and that the jerk had connections,” she added salt to the wound.
I suddenly wasn’t in the mood to talk to Steph at the moment. The only thing that I could think about was getting off so that I could get back to my little girl.
“Yeah, well, it’s about time for me to get back to work, so, I’ll talk to you later,” I said, standing up from my seat.
“Yeah, sure love, maybe…maybe we can link up some time before Thanksgiving…you know, so that I can meet that little troublemaker of yours.”
I chuckled, that she was-my little troublemaker, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. “That would be awesome. I would really love that, Steph.”
“Great! We’ll be in touch, bye!”
I picked up the fruit cup and sandwich that I didn’t have the appetite to finish and tossed it in the bin. Then I grabbed the trash bag out of the bin. “Might as well, I murmured,” then I continued off to finish the rest of my shift.
After I clocked out, I made a beeline to the exit of the building. Hayes Industries was a high-end corporate pool of the elites, walking around, beautiful women looking down on those that they considered less attractive or just simply less than. Having to work around such pretty women and in this maintenance staff garb, wasn’t necessarily a bonus for me.
“Hey! Excuse me!” I heard someone say this, but I didn’t respond.
There were numerous people around, and I was an invisible worker, so surely they weren’t talking to me. And even if they were, I knew that it was only because they were too lazy to walk five steps to a trashcan to throw their own garbage away and I was off the clock for the day, so that was their problem, not mine.
“Hey! Lady janitor! I’m talking to you!”
I was already on thin ice with Jafaar Hayes. I couldn’t afford to stir trouble. That didn’t mean that I would happily allow someone to walk over me either, however.
I stopped, as I was only one of two female cleaners on staff and the other one had already come in to relieve me, so it wasn’t her that the young woman was talking to.
When I turned around to face whoever had discourteously called out to me, I tried to hide the contempt in my expression.
“Yes?” I finally replied.
“I need you to throw this away,” said the young woman.
Oh, she was beautiful! Her hair was medium-length, blown out and laid. Pout deep red lips, and curves to kill. By the looks of the short tight pencil skirt suit and red pumps she was wearing, it was clear that she didn’t have to lift her fingers to do much.
I glanced at her, and then at the trash bin that was barely a sneeze away from her. She was trying to show me who was the superior one, like I didn't already know that her title no doubt outweighed mine.
“I’m off the clock,” I told her with a small smile.
“You’re right here, so why can’t you?” she asked.
I sighed. “Well, I guess, for the same reason that you can’t.” With a continued smile, I turned around. “Maybe next time. Have a good day.”
See? That was what I was talking about. I couldn’t wait to get home. I rushed out of the Hayes building, and quickly ran to my car. I didn’t want whoever Mr. Hayes depended on to watch Jasmine, to beat me home.
On the way home, paranoia set in concerning how much blind trust I’d given to this man. “So stupid, Journee!”
Now, emotional me started to cry as the worst horrors imaginable began to plague my mind. I mean if something terrible happened, and I tried to go to the police, who would believe me? His name surely held far more weight than mine, and no doubt I'd be considered the careless villain mother who entrusted my practical newborn to a stranger. I'd probably end up being the one locked up instead of him.
I sped to the Hayes apartment building. I thought about leaving my car on the street, but driving straight to his parking garage would have landed me closer to his private elevator.
There was a process to gain access to his private garage. Using that temporary key card only gave me space to become even more paranoid about not having my little girl in my arms.
When I finally got to the parking garage, I didn’t care about where I parked, and barely placed the car in park before stumbling out of the seat of my car and rushing towards his elevator.
As soon as I hit the top floor, I stood there right at that elevator door, beating myself up for placing Jasmine in this situation. I paced the floor, my paranoia so loud that I didn’t hear it when the elevator finally opened.
“Ms…Ms. Woods?”
The voice was loud, as if he had already called my name one time but realized that I couldn't hear him and tried again, this time, louder.
I turned around immediately, eyes wide with worry, when I saw an older man, standing there, a soft expression on his face with a baby car seat in his hand.
“Ms. Woods, I presume,” he smiled. “It’s nice to meet you.”
I was still speechless. I didn’t know who this man was. “Hi,” was the only thing that I could manage to say at that point.
“Oh, dear me!” the man said, in a subtle southern drawl. “Please excuse the confusion, my name is Jesse Holmes,” he introduced himself. “I’m Mr. Hayes’ trusted assistant.” He smiled.
He quickly handed over the portable mini-seat to me. One, that, for sure, I did not buy. Suspiciously, I looked at him.
“Mr. Hayes insisted that a new car seat be bought so that we would not have to remove yours from your vehicle. I hope that is okay.”
“I…yes, yeah,” I stumbled. “I..I just thought that.”
“Trust me, Ms. Woods, no one else knows about you. I am the only one, which is why I have been awarded the task of ensuring little Jasmine’s care.” He smiled. “If you have any questions or concerns, I’d gladly answer them. I can see that you were clearly worried, and rightfully so.”
“I am-I was!” I quipped, as suddenly I wasn’t sure that I couldn’t trust the guy. “I do…have questions.”
His smile brightened. “Then by all means!” He gestured to me to take a seat. “Let’s talk about it!”
- Writer
