Corrina was not the type of caregiver that Manny had envisioned for Molly, however as he observed Molly interacting with her after their botched interview, he decided to try her out.

It bothered him immensely that Molly was not talking to anyone. He knew that she was having a hard time dealing with her mother's death. He wasn't much help because he couldn't deal with it too well himself. At least he wouldn't have to worry about Corrina coming on to him like Jonesy did.

Manny sighed. He didn't want to think about another woman. Corrina was a safe bet. She was black and while he did not think she was 'ugly' or anything, there was nothing outstanding about her features. Yes, he liked being safe.

God, he missed his Annie. He hated coming home sometimes. Things weren't going too well at work either. They expected him to be able to just jump back into things, to just get over the emptiness he felt in his heart. How do you get over losing what he lost? They just didn't understand.

He almost lost it when the furniture store delivered the chair and ottoman that Annie had ordered. It took him completely off guard. When they asked for 'Mrs. Singer' he had rattled off the first thing that came to mind. He could not bring himself to say that she was dead. Watching Molly run into the bathroom to look for her mother shocked him as guilt and shame from his white lie overpowered him and he came undone.

He sat on the new furniture she ordered and wept bitterly. He did not know how he was going to survive this. How would he ever recover from this loss? He looked up and saw Corrina watching him with compassion in her eyes. She went and talked to Molly who was sitting in the bathtub with her sunglasses on while he got himself together.

Lately Molly would touch her nose when he would try to talk to her. What was that all about? She had come out of her room and caught him watching the home movies that the three of them had made together. He didn't know what to say to Molly. How could he help her when he couldn't help himself?

He knew that Molly was angry with him but he couldn't understand why. Last night he had tried to get her to talk to no avail. Then she began taking his cigarette from his mouth. He knew she was acting out but he didn't know what to do! Maybe Corrina had some answers.

He waited for Corrina as Molly stubbornly refused to get dressed the next morning. He had to go to work. Molly sat at the piano and began playing her part of the song Annie had taught her. It had gotten on Jonesy's nerves and he wondered if Corrina would be able to take it. When Molly got like this, she would play the tune for hours.

Corrina came in the door and he was relieved. He looked over at Molly.

"We didn't have a very good night last night." he said as Molly plucked away.

"I see" was all Corrina said looking over at her.

"I feel like I should stay, but I have to go." he looked torn.

"Well, it's your house." Corrina replied.

Manny walked out the door, but then turned around and returned.

"You see Mr. Potato Head is here from Trenton."

"Really? The Mr. Potato Head?" Corrina asked.

"Yeah"

"Well you better get your heiny going then." she replied.

Still looking torn, Manny walked out the door.

He could hear Molly plucking away and then to his surprise, he could hear someone join in playing along with her. Corrina! He backed up and looked through the window. He saw Corrina sitting at the piano beside her playing.

He smiled as he listened recognizing the tune now that Corrina was playing along with her. He decided that hiring Corrina was the best decision he had ever made.

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Manny picked up the stuffed giraffe hoping that Molly would be in a better mood than the one she was in when he left that morning.

He opened the door calling her. "Molly!"

Molly came out of the kitchen carrying a tray.

"Look Daddy, I made you some pinnacles."

Manny was shocked! Molly was actually talking. He didn't know what happened but he quickly picked up his child hugging her. He was a happy man. He looked up to see Corrina smiling from the doorway. She then turned and went back in the kitchen.

He looked at Molly. "Daddy is so happy to be able to talk to you." he said

He put her down and she returned to the kitchen smiling at Corrina.

He looked at Corrina who smiled at him.

"What happened?" he whispered eying Molly.

"She just decided to talk" Corrina responded.

Manny watched Molly out of the corner of his eye as she ran back into her bedroom.

"You're the best decision I've ever made." he said to Corrina smiling squeezing and rubbing her hand. She smiled back at him and he found himself staring at her a moment as he held her hand. A warmth spread over him and he suddenly felt drawn to her. He pulled away as Molly ran back into the kitchen.

Corrina placed two plates on the table and then watched as Molly placed a third on the table also. Corrina removed the plate and Molly replaced it.

"I think someone is inviting you to dinner." Manny said smiling. He was glad. He wanted her to stay. There was something about her that made him feel less lost and lonely.

"Uh, maybe some other time." Corrina protested obviously uncomfortable.

"No, I'd like you to join us too." Manny replied pulling out the chair. He knew that he was being selfish in a way. She probably had to get home to her husband.

Molly quickly pointed out that her husband was gone and he noticed that Corrina looked away. Manny was secretly relieved. She had no husband! Why was he so happy about that? He watched her as he lit her cigarette. He looked at her with longing in his eyes, the desire he felt apparent.

She was nervous and he could tell. It didn't surprise him when she knocked over the pitcher. She jumped up and told them she had to go. She emphasized calling him 'Mr. Singer' even though he had asked her to call him Manny. He knew that she was trying to keep their relationship on a professional level and for some reason he was unhappy with that. He wanted more from her and that surprised him. Manny hated to see her leave.

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Things were not going well at work. The bosses were losing patience with him and he knew it. The jingles were not coming easily to him anymore. He would always talk to Annie about his projects, run them by her and she would tell him what she thought. God, he missed her. It had been over a year since her death and it still seemed like yesterday.

He completely blew the meeting about the Mr. Potato Head jingle. Sid insisted that he get a babysitter and come to a party on Sunday. Manny tried to protest, but Sid was insistent. He called Corrina and offered to pay her double time for Sunday and she agreed.

The party did not go well for him. Sid tried to hook him up with a divorced woman named Jenny. He was in no mood to date. The pain was still severe. He did, however, agree to take her home. She was pretty enough, but something about her turned Manny off. He was not the least bit attracted to her. Perhaps he was still dealing with his grief in such a way that another woman right now was not an option.

He found himself thinking about Corrina. Jenny would be the perfect woman for him, he reasoned. Why is it that he found her voice annoying, her personality grated on his nerves? Why couldn't he be drawn to her as he felt himself being drawn to Corrina?

He gave her a ride home and she introduced him to her two sons. Manny could see that both of them were a handful. He tried to concentrate on Jenny and see her positive attributes. She did have a nice figure and there was a time that seeing a woman walk off switching as she was doing would get a rise out of him. Now he just felt dead inside.

He went home and called Corrina and she told him that she would have her brother in law Frank bring her by to drop Molly off. He was grateful. He needed time to think. What was wrong with him? He thought of Annie and all they had together, the passion between them and the desire. Would he ever feel that way again?

Molly was a bundle of energy when she arrived. She wanted to talk about her mother and that was the last thing he wanted to talk about. Sunday's was the day that he and Annie would spend their time together making love, talking and just enjoying each other. He could never get enough of her and as Molly got older they considered it a delightful challenge to be able to sneak around her to get their lovemaking sessions in.

He wondered if he would ever feel that way again. The fact that he felt nothing in the presence of a beautiful woman depressed him. Maybe he would never have what he had with Annie or anything close to it ever again.

He knew he had handled Molly's questions about her mother badly, but he couldn't bring himself to talk about it because it was just too painful.

Where was this God that Corrina told Molly about? He was irritated because he had asked Corrina not to put that foolishness in Molly's head. Yet Molly seemed happy and peaceful and when she asked him what was wrong with believing in heaven and angels if it didn't make you feel sad anymore, he didn't have an answer for her. He wished that it could be that simple for him.

*******************************************

Jello was demanding a new jingle for their commercial and the task had been dumped in his lap. He could tell Sid was anxious and wanted the 'old Manny' back. What could he say? That Manny was dead.

He was in a foul mood when he came home and he knew it. Corrina was in the kitchen. He needed a cigarette and was irritated that there was none in the cabinet. Must she smoke up all his cigarettes! This was the only thing that ticked him off about her! Well he guess no one was perfect! Corrina had replied that she had just put a carton in there last week, well where were they?

Molly's cries in her sleep caused them both to forget about the cigarettes temporarily as they ran to the bedroom. It hurt to hear Molly say that she hated him even though he knew that she didn't mean it. He appreciated the fact that Corrina took control of the situation and had her channel her anger to the Mr. Potato Head boppers he had brought home. It seemed to work like a charm and Molly calmed down after a few minutes and even began laughing. He looked at Corrina catching her eye. How did she do this? She could handle Molly better than he could!

He didn't want her to leave even though he knew her time was up for the day. Now that he knew that she had no husband, his desire for her company increased.

"Please stay for dinner." he pleaded placing his hand over hers. She looked at him, hesitation in her eyes. "Please" he said again smiling. She returned his smile, averting her eyes as he stared at her. The familiar warmth he felt when he touched her came over him again. She really had a beautiful smile. Why couldn't he feel this way with Jenny?

"Alright, Mr. Singer" she said looking away.

Manny watched her throughout the dinner. She knew her music and she had such passion. She was a college educated black woman who couldn't get a break, but he found no bitterness in her as she joked about it. He listened as she talked poetically about Bill Evans. He looked at Molly who smiled back at him. Molly was wise beyond her years. Could she see the attraction he was beginning to feel? It was confusing to him. He couldn't really be attracted to Corrina, could he? Maybe he just enjoyed her company. After all the candles she had lit gave the kitchen a romantic glow. He listened as she talked about her dream of writing for High Hat Magazine. He didn't care that the dinner was bad. He was enjoying her company and the sound of her voice was soothing to him. He glanced at Molly and saw the adoration in her eyes as she hung on Corrina's every word and he realized that he was beginning to feel the same way.

They sat on the couch and for the first time he felt like he had his family back again. They played along with 'Name That Tune' that was on the television. Her presence totally relaxed him. He was sorry to see the evening come to an end.

"I've got to go." Corrina said looking at Molly. Manny watched as she put Molly in the bed. He kissed Molly on the head and turned to Corrina. "I can call you a cab. I don't want you catching the bus home this late in the evening."

Manny quickly called the cab and Corrina straightened up the kitchen. "The cab should be here within thirty minutes." he said leaning in the doorway watching her. His eyes followed her around the room eying the movement of her hips as she moved. She really did have a nice figure. She turned and caught him watching her and he averted his eyes.

"I appreciate all you are doing here, Corrina" was all he could think of to say. He helped her with the dishes as she straightened up the kitchen. He wondered if she felt what he felt whenever he touched her, the warm feeling that seemed to overtake him. He asked her what she was afraid of and why she didn't want to call him Manny. She looked at him, her expression guarded. She told him that she did not want to become too familiar. Too familiar? he thought. That was exactly what he wanted. He wanted to get closer to her, wanted to know her better. He didn't say it though because he didn't want to scare her.

She finished the dishes and he helped her with her sweater. He inhaled her scent which was slightly intoxicating to him, a mixture of lavender and vanilla. He felt his own arousal and realized that he wasn't so dead after all. He wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her. He was surprised at the strong attraction he felt and he wanted to spend more time exploring these new feelings.

The cab blew its horn and he opened the door slowly hating to see her leave.

"Goodnight, Mr. Singer" she said avoiding his eyes. He wondered if she was feeling the attraction he felt as he stood close to her. He reached out and rubbed her arm smiling at her. She smiled back shyly and looked away. He knew at that moment that she felt it too.

"Goodnight Corrina." he replied softly. "I really enjoyed your company this evening."

She looked at him a moment before speaking. "I did too, Mr. Singer."

He grabbed her hand. "Please call me Manny, Corrina."

He could feel the electricity flowing between them and it was all he could do not to take her in his arms and kiss her at that moment. Instead he took the money he had for the cab and placed it in her hand squeezing it.

"Alright, Manny." she conceded. "I've got to go."

She quickly turned and rushed to the cab and Manny stood in the doorway and watched until the cab was out of sight.

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