Opposite Attraction (11 page)

Everything was wonderful. Life was plentiful, even without money. Time was hers to make of it as she wanted. Could it get any better?

Well, sure it could. If Curtis Keller would sweep her off her feet and ask her to marry him and live happily ever after, that would make it better. However, nothing could stop her from being giddy with happiness.

As she opened the door to the clinic she saw the woman she 'd seen the first day Cynthia had brought her in to meet Marsha. She thought quickly for a name. Regina. This time she had a black eye and her arm was in a sling.

The air of happiness whooshed out of her lungs and she was quickly reminded that life wasn 't just some grand yacht ride in the sun. People were hurt, sad, miserable, and abused. Simone slid her hand over her stomach. What was she thinking bringing a baby into such a cruel world?

Simone walked through the clinic and to the restroom. She shut the door to the stall and pressed her fingers to her eyes. Seeing Regina battered and abused, again, had her emotions on a roller coaster ride. No woman deserved that.

She thought about Regan. Zach had been very candid when he told her about her father 's business associate Alexander Hamilton, whom had nearly beaten Regan to death when he 'd tried to rid himself of her and marry another woman. What made men do such things? Certainly, Curtis couldn 't find it in his heart to be so horrible, could he? She rested her hands on her stomach feeling the energy from her child.

Regan had another child, she 'd given that child up for adoption when she 'd been attacked. When Zach had learned of the baby he 'd called Simone and as a best friend would do, he 'd confided in her. She couldn 't help but wonder why Regina didn 't run.

Not all men were so evil. Zachary, of course, would never hurt a woman. And having been around Regan 's brother 's and father, Simone knew she 'd be safe if she could just stay among them. When Curtis learned of the baby he 'd protect them, that part she was sure of.

She thought about Sam. She was about to put her life in his hands as well. They 'd be living in the same place, sharing an address, having access to each other all the time. Could he become violent?

She certainly didn 't want to think he could.

When sh1e 'd composed herself, she washed her hands and wiped her eyes. Working in an environment where people had to care for others was going to be a challenge. Never in her life, no matter how many large checks she 'd seen her father pass to organizations, had she seen the need that was out there. Only humanity could save some of the people who walked through the doors of the clinic.

Regina was near the water cooler when Simone walked toward her office. She had the baby she 'd carried the other day on her hip and tried to juggle the glass of water while her other arm was in a sling.

Simone hurried to her. "Let me get that for you. "

"
Thanks. " Her voice was soft.

"
Regina, correct? "

"
I like your accent. " Regina smiled. "How 'd you know my name? "

"
My friend Cynthia is one of the nurses here. I remember her talking to you. "

Regina nodded. "Yeah, she 's nice to us. "

"
Where would you like me to take this? " She held the glass of water in her hand.

"
Over there. " Regina pointed to a bed behind a curtain. "They 're making me stay. The cops arrested Darius 's ass, but I think Sam is making excuses to keep me here. "

"
Sam? "

"
Yeah, that big nurse. He always tells me if Darius lays a hand on me again he 'll kill him. "

Simone looked out the window where the giant of a man sipped his soda. She smiled, he 'd be safe to live with.

She followed Regina to the curtained off area and set the water on the nightstand next to the bed.

"
Thanks. Would you mind holding him for a minute? " Regina turned toward Simone with the baby asleep against her shoulder. "He 's getting so heavy. "

Simone reached her arms out and took the baby, but it was the most awkward of feelings. It was completely unnatural.

"
How old is he? "
1

"
Six months. " Regina sat down on the bed and kicked her feet up. "It 's hard to take care of him and try and find work. I can 't leave him with Darius obviously. " She nodded to her arm.

"
What kind of work do you do? "

"
Nothing fancy. My last job I cleaned hotel rooms. "

Simone nodded. Her mind was wrapping around being a single mother who had no options for her child. What was she going to do with her own child when she had to go to work to support them?

Regina adjusted on the bed. "You doin ' okay? Your face is pale. "

"
I 'm fine. " Simone shifted the baby on her shoulder. "What will you do now? They certainly will not keep him in jail for long. "

"
If I could afford a place to live and had a job where I could take my baby I 'd make sure we had a decent life. He deserves that. "

Simone listened to this woman who was desperately in need of help to make a better life for herself and her son. How did a woman do that when there was a man who wanted to hurt her?

"
What will you do if you do not get a job? "

Regina shrugged. "I 've pawned all my grandma 's jewelry. Any money I did have Darius spent it on booze. "

The curtain moved and Marsha stood there looking at Simone. "You 'd best get back to work. "

"
Yes, sorry. " She passed the baby back to Regina.

"
Thanks for helpin ' me out. "

"
It was my pleasure. " She gave her a smile and went back to her desk, thankful she had a job -for now.

The rest of the day dragged on. She knew Regina and her son were still in the clinic. The pile on her desk kept growing, but her mind wasn 't on her work. She kept thinking about the cost of food, rent, and daycare. How did anyone make it all work?

She combed her fingers through her ponytail and then absentmindedly she began to twist her earring between her fingers. It wa1s an old habit. One her mother used to nag her about stopping. When she let go of her ear she instantly went back to the earring. She unclasped it and held it in her hand. Her father had given them to her for her sixteenth birthday. She 'd worn them to work because she thought they were small and not fancy, but each earring was well over a karat. She took the other earring out and looked at them in her palm. Each earring would feed Regina and her son for a few weeks. She could afford diapers and maybe buy herself some time to get away from Darius.

Her mind began brewing with ideas. She knew a lot of people in Nashville, a lot of people with businesses and means to help others. Zach. Zach offered his employees daycare for their children. She 'd remembered her father speaking ill of the idea. But now she saw the glory in it.

She stood from her desk and hurried out to the clinic floor. Regina was standing with Sam, who was loading up her diaper bag with diapers from the storage closet.

"
Are you leaving? " Simone 's voice was fast and her heart rate quickened.

"
Yeah, your boss says I can 't stay any longer. "

Simone nodded as Sam handed her back her bag. "You come back here if he comes home. You understand? " Sam asked.

"
Yes. I 'll come back. "

He gave her a nod and walked away.

Simone squeezed her hand tight, the earrings dug into her skin. "Here. " She opened Regina 's hand that wrapped around her son. She slid the earrings into her palm and closed her fingers around them. "You use these and feed you and your baby. If you need to get a hotel room, use them for that. Then, I want you to call me in the morning, here at the clinic. I think I can get you a job with daycare. "

Regina stood before her, her eyes wide and her mouth open. "Why you bein ' so nice to me? "

"
Every mother deserves to protect herself and her baby. You need to protect yourself. "

"
And you 're helping me? "

"
This is all I can do. "

Tears were forming in Regina 's eyes. "Thank you. You have the kindest heart. "

That nearly had Simone 's knees buckling beneath her. No one had ever told her she was kind.

"
You call me in the morning. "

"
I 'll do that. " Regina smiled and batted away the tears. "Thank you. God bless you. "

Cynthia sat at the nurses ' station leaned back in her chair when Curtis walked by. The smug smile on her lips had him stop. He realized he was smiling too just looking at her sitting there as if she was up to something.

"
You have something on your face. "

She raised her eyebrows. "Do I? "

"
Yeah, a grin that says you 're up to no good. "

She crossed her legs and bounced her foot which adorned bright pink Nikes. "Oh, well I 'm never up to any good. But that little princess of yours is. "

"
Little, what…oh. " He leaned over the counter. "What did she do now? Abandon that job already? "

"
Oh, ye of little faith. " Cynthia moved in closer to him and rested her arms on the counter as well. "I 'll tell you what she did if you promise to go dancing on Saturday. "

"
Dancing? " Cynthia nodded and he shook his head. "If I remember right I can 't keep up with you. But fine. I 'll go dancing. Now tell me what did she do? "

Simone paced in Zach 's office. She hadn 't had reason to visit him at work in months and when she 'd shown up with her hair piled atop her head, her makeup won off, and in scrubs of all things, his assistant Mary Ellen told her she 'd almost called security.

Other times she 'd have sat on his desk and crossed her tan legs so that it would have been the first thing he 'd see, even though he 'd never looked at her legs in all the years she 'd known him. He was absolutely the only man who looked her in the eye.

She sat down on the leather couch and gripped her hands together to keep them from shaking. Why was she so nervous? This was Zachary.

It had taken him twenty minutes to make it back to his office after his meeting.

"
I swear I just witnessed you bite your nails, " he said from the doorway.

"
Tais-toi!
" She stood up and wiped her palms on the legs of her pants. "I need help. "

Zach quickly shut the office door and walked to her. He reached for her arms and looked her over. "Are you okay? What happened? "

"
I need you to hire someone. "

Zach narrowed his eyes on her. "You need me to hire someone? " He shook his head and let lose a laugh that had her temper fume.

"
I need you. "

"
I offered you a job. And you turned me down. " He let go of her arms, walked to his desk, and began to go through the papers that lay on it.

"
It is not for me. Will you listen to me? "

Zach looked up from the papers he shuffled. "Okay. Who do you want me to hire? "

Simone swallowed hard. "Her name is Regina. She needs a full time job. She is comfortable in housekeeping and she needs to put her son in daycare. "

He watched her carefully before crossing his arms over his chest. "What has gotten into you? "

"
I am asking for help. If you are not going to help me then I will ask someone else. You are not the only contact I have in this city. "

Zach stepped around from behind his desk. "Now calm down. "

"
Are you going to help me? "

"
I 've never seen this side to you. It 's endearing. "

"
I need an answer, " she pleaded. How could she be so desperate for someone else 's wellbeing?