Forever Girl (3 page)

    I’m walking into work the next morning when I see Quinn. I try to discretely get to my office without him noticing.

“Come in.” I say but he has the door open before the words are out of my mouth completely.

He’s a good looking man with black hair that’s styled in a faux hawk. He has piercing blue eyes that have made many women drop their panties for him. He’s 6’3 and lean but defined in a way I’ve always found attractive. He steps in and shuts the door behind him. He takes a seat in the chair directly in front of my desk. He sits back in the chair like this is his office and not mine. I’m getting a little aggravated with his presence already.

“What can I do for you Quinn?”

“I wanted to know if you wanted to have dinner with me on Thursday?”

“For the last time Quinn my answer is No.”

“You’ll say yes at some point.” He gets a look in his eyes but it disappears just as quick.

“Why don’t you hold your breath until then.” He gives a short laugh like what I’m saying is funny.

“Why do you always say no.” He asks me like he really doesn’t know.

“There’s a long list as to why I always say no. The first two reasons are my children.”

“I know your children and they know me. What’s the big deal?”

I use the voice I use with my children so that they know I’m serious.

“They know you in regards of being my boss’s son. They see you around the office ever so often. You know them in the same regards. I won’t go out with you for that main reason. However, there are even more reasons I have. I shouldn’t have to explain myself to you or anyone else. NO means NO and you need to learn that really quick. For the last time; I won’t date you because you’re my boss’s son. You go through women like I go through water bottles. If and when I decide to date someone it’ll be because I want to start a relationship. Which you my friend aren’t looking for. Now I have work that won’t do itself so if you’d kindly show yourself out. I need to get most of this done before I have to pick my children up. I have to leave early today.”

His flirty attitude leaves him and there’s a stunned look on his face momentarily.

“I’ll leave you for now. I’ll be back though and I’ll show you that you’re perfect for me. I would change my ways if I had a woman like you.” He smirks and has that cocky grin on his face that I would love to smack off.

I shake my head and ignore him until he leaves my office. I start up my computer to prepare for my day. I look at the clock and see its already 9:15 am. I don’t have anything done and I’m annoyed. I start on my tasks and before I know it my alarm goes off. I see that it’s already time to pack up so I can get the kids to the doctor.

     I walk into Dr. Stoner’s office and the kids go right to the play section. I walk up to the desk to register them and the receptionist greets me. I sign the paperwork and give her our insurance card so she can make a copy. I hear a couple receptionist talking about the new doctor that’s taking over the practice. They say she’s here today shadowing Dr. Stoner so that she can start meeting the patients and their parents. I knew Dr. Stoner was older but I didn’t think she’d be retiring yet. When the receptionist comes back I ask her about it.

“Dr. Stoner’s getting married and they’re going to travel that’s why she’s retiring early. The new Doctor is young around your age. Maybe a little older maybe.” Jill says to me.

“How can she be out of medical school if she’s so young?” I ask

“She graduated when she was sixteen and went right to college.” She replies

She must be smart because I only know two people that graduated that young and they were twins I think to myself.

“You’ll meet her today. She’s being introduced to all the parents and patients by Dr. Stoner.”

    The children’s names get called by Nurse Julie. We’re taken to the scales to get their height and weight. Jazz goes first she’s thirty inches tall and weighs thirty-eight pounds. Jamie gets on after his sister and he’s forty-one inches tall and weighs forty pounds. Jasmine’s in the regular percentile for her age. Jameson’s a little taller than the normal percentile but his weight’s right on. Julie shows us to the exam room. I pull out a book to read to them until they’re seen. I have almost finished reading the second book when the door opens. I swear I think I’m going to faint. Dr. Stoner rushes to me and asks if I’m okay. There’s still a ringing in my ears. I come out of the paralyzed state and look at Nic. She is standing in front of me for the first time in six years. She’s looking at me and then at the twins. Tears start running down her face as she’s shaking her head telling me she’s sorry. It’s only then that I realize I also have tears streaming from my eyes. I have my hand covering my mouth. She rushes to me from the doorway and gives me a tight hug.

“Oh my god Lyric. I’m so sorry I didn’t know.” Nic keeps saying to me.

My children are scared and confused. They’re trying to get her away from me and get into my lap. They’ve never seen me cry. They don’t understand who she is and why she’s made me upset. Nic moves away from me and I get the twins on my lap.

“Can you gives us a minute with the new Doctor please?” I ask Dr. Stoner.

“Take as much time as you need.” She looks at all of us one more time and then walks out the door and shuts it behind her.

    I sit both of the children down in the chair. I squat down so they can see my eyes.

  “Do you two remember looking at the pictures of your daddy and Auntie Nic yesterday?”

  “Yes momma.” They answer looking unsure of why I’m asking that question.

I can see their little minds going a mile a minute. I see it click when they look at me and then Nic. It’s then that they realize who she is. I move out of the way as they both jump up.

  “Auntie Nic!” They yell.

She squats into a position so she can brace herself for the hurricane that’s Jameson and Jasmine. She starts laughing and hugging them tight. They start to pepper her with questions about where she’s been. They ask her when their daddy will come home and see them. She looks at me over their heads and all I can do is shrug my shoulders. I know we have a lot to talk about and questions that need answered on both sides. I tell the children that they need to get their physicals finished. I ask Nic to figure out a time she can come over and we’ll sit down and figure everything out.

Chapter 4

Lyric

Then

    I walk into work at grocery store and see my friend Jessica. She’s getting ready to start her shift also.

“Something’s different about you?” She says to me.

I grab her hand and pull her into the bathroom. I tell her about getting my period for the first time. When I look up she has this look on her face.

“What?” I ask

“You should’ve started your period years ago.” She states as she shakes her head.

“I know but I guess it’s stress or something.”

“Have you told your doctor about you not starting? What did she have to say?” She asks with concern.

I look down at my shoes and shake my head no.

“Well why the hell not?” She whisper yells.

“I haven’t been to the doctor in years.” I whisper as I lower my head.

She gets this look on her face and I think she’s getting ready to cry. I start babbling about not needing a doctor because I don’t get sick.

“I should go to your house and kick your rotten cunt of a mother’s ass.” She spits.

“I’m fine I promise. Ali would just find a way to make me pay for her getting her ass kicked anyway.” I laugh but we both know it’s the truth.

“You need to make an appointment with my doctor. They have a sliding scale. With you being a minor you should not have to pay more than a couple of dollars. They give you prescriptions and things like that there in the office also.”

Jessica’s nineteen years old but got emancipated when she was fifteen. I sometimes wonder if I should try to emancipate myself but I’m getting ready to turn seventeen. I only have one more year until I can leave and never look back. I have a 3.8 grade point average. I can go to a good college if I can get grants, scholarships, or financial aid on my own. I’ll do what I have to do to get out of Ali’s house. I shake my head to clear my thoughts. I tell Jess that we have to go punch in.

    The line’s relentless today and I’m tired and these craps are killing me. I look up to greet the next customer when I see those sexy green eyes. I greet him all breathless like I just ran a marathon. I groan and give a little cough. He looks at me and has this look like are you dying or something.

“Are you okay?” He asks me with concern in his eyes.

“I have a little tickle in the back of my throat from it being dry.”

My answer must pacify him because he gets a huge smile on his face.

“It must be the refurbished air in this place.” He replies with a smirk on his face telling me that he knows I’m lying.

Delia comes up behind him with another cart and starts putting the contents onto the conveyer belt.

“I didn’t think that we would need this much stuff.” She says to us.

I remind her that they just moved here and the first shopping trip’s always the worst.

   As I’m saying good night to Jess I look up. Dean’s standing with his back leaning against his car with his legs crossed at the ankles. He’s looking sexy and I can’t help but do a slow appraisal from his muscular legs up to where you can see the bulge in his pants. I stay there for just a minute until my eyes start the slow crawl up to his tight stomach and defined chest. I continue to appraise his muscular arms that I would love to have wrapped around me. I move my eyes to his face and see a small smirk on his face that tells me that he knows what I just did and he liked it. I tell Jess good night as I walk towards him.

“I wants details tomorrow.” She grabs my arm and says with a huge smile on her face.

“Get out of here. I’ll see you tomorrow. Have a great night.” I say as I laugh at the expression on her face.

She hugs me and swats my ass as she walks to her car.

    Delia and Dean have lived next door for a couple of weeks now. I spend most of my free time at their house or showing them around. One day Delia stops me as we’re walking.

“We should come up with nicknames.” She says out of the blue.

I give her a look like you’re crazy.

“I’m serious. I hate my name and I want one that suites me.”

“What’s your middle name?” I ask.

“Nicole” She says.

“You can be Nic or Cole” I say.

“Well I think I’ll be Nic then” After she thought about it for a minute and then smiles.

“It’s nice to meet you Nic” I say to her.

She shakes her head and tells me I’m crazy.

“What is your middle name?” She asks me.

I tell her it’s Jade.

“That name’s awesome too.” She says with a look of aww.

“Well at least Ali named me something cool right.” I laugh because the look on her face is funny.

She shakes her head and agrees.

“I can’t come up with a cool nickname for you. When I figure one out I’ll let you know.”

“I don’t need a nickname, but I like yours.” I say with a smile and a laugh.

    From the moment Dean picked me up that first night; we all three spent our free time together. He would take me to work and pick me up. On my days off we would take drives to different places like Red River Gorge, Cumberland Falls, Mammoth Cave, and into the Mountains down by the Kentucky-Virginia state line. I knew he was going to College for Geological Engineering as well as Coal Mining Engineering. Dean wanted to transfer here because of the Engineering Program and Delia followed because U.K. has a good Pediatric Program. I’m happy they moved next door from me. For the first time I have friends that have made my summer amazing. Normally I would be working all the time or trying to stay out of Ali’s way. My birthday’s in a couple of days and this is the first time I’m actually looking forward to it. Even if we don’t do anything it’s the fact that I get to spend the weekend with them that makes this the best birthday ever.

    Today I turned seventeen and I’m excited knowing I have less than a year until I can get out of Ali’s house.

“I was running behind and wasn’t able to take the car home to Dean.” Nic says as I get in the car.

“It’s fine. Y’all really don’t have to take me to work and pick me up all the time.” I say as I get in the car.

“Yeah right like my brother would let you walk home at night now. Even though he knows that’s what you’ve done ever since you started working.”