Chapter 6: The Date

Nessie

Jacob smiled when he saw us walking back from the bathroom. Apparently our food had been delivered while we were gone. It looked like Jacob was halfway done with the enormous pile of food that he ordered.

"I'm so hungry I can could eat a whole cow," Jacob patted his stomach.

Valerie giggled. "Daddy eats a lot,"

"and you don't young lady? You can clear a plate faster than me,"

She just shrugged her shoulders. The smell of fresh eggs, pancakes, and sausage made my stomach growl. The food tasted even better than it smelled. So much better than the food I would dig up from the dumpster. Hell if I found a half eaten McDonald's cheeseburger in the bin I considered that a luxury.

I ate so little out there on the streets that it was a wonder how I gave birth to a healthy baby. I guess he really was a miracle baby.

"So Nessie where do you want to go after we are done with breakfast?" Jacob asked me.

"Oh. Um. I haven't given it much thought actually. I just, I guess I just assumed we were going home,"

"Do you want to go home?"

"Not really. I mean I don't really have any plans," I said. The idea of spending more time with him made my heart beat faster.

"Then let's go to the movies. It's on me," he said.

I smiled in excitement. "Yeah that sounds great to me," I was trying to play it cool but deep down I knew I wasn't really succeeding.

The truth of the matter was that I had not been to a movie theater in a long time. Sometimes if we were lucky Elsa and I would somehow gather enough money to buy two tickets but that was extremely rare. One day I found we found a twenty dollar bill and ten dollar bill that someone else dropped just lying there on the floor. We were ecstatic. We had enough money to go to the theater and buy two tickets, popcorn, two sodas, and a box of candy. Now that was a treat!

After wr finished eating breakfast we headed to the theater though we had no idea what we wanted to see. We ended up picking a movie that wasn't going to start for two and a half hours.

So we decided to go to some of the local shops in the meantime. Valerie was very eager to go into a toy store that we found there.

I wandered into the baby section of the toy store. I was surprised by the assortment of toys that were designed specifically with babies in mind. I found a stuffed bear that made Dylan smile. He snuggled into the toy when I put it in his carrier. I looked around at all the other parents who were loading up their carts with toys for their babies and young children. I couldn't help but feel slightly envious. All of these parents could afford to buy their babies nice things. My son was just unlucky enough to get stuck with a mother like me. If it weren't for one of the local churches I wouldn't even have the carrier.

"Nessie are you ready to go?" Jacob made me jump a little when I heard his voice behind me. "The movie is starting in fifteen minutes. If we stay any longer this girl is going to break me financially," he laughed. Valerie was holding a stuffed toy wolf not unlike the one I saw this morning. There were also some other toys in the basket as well.

"Yeah I think we're ready," I sighed quietly as I look the stuffed toy bear away from Dylan. He started crying which tore me up inside. "You know what I'll just go wait for you two outside," Really I just didn't want them to see me crying. What kind of mom can't even afford to buy a damn toy for her baby!

It wasn't until fifteen minutes later that I saw the two of them coming. "Here," Jacob said as he pulled a stuffed bear, the same stuffed bear, out of a bag. "This is for you little guy," Jacob was smiling as he placed the bear right next to my son.

For a few seconds I was speechless. "Jacob I don't know what to say. Really. You shouldn't have,"

"I bought this for him to," Valerie handed me the toy wolf.

I shook my head. "No this is way too much," I tried to hand her back the wolf.

"But I bought it for him with my allowance," she said. "It's for him,"

"She sure did. She wanted to make sure he got a toy. So she chose to buy him that with her allowance,"

I really didn't know what to think or even say. Except "Thank you,"

Again I felt like I was going to cry but tears of happiness this time. I wasn't used to people showing me so much kindness. I didn't feel that I deserved it honestly.

"Well Valerie wants to go to the concession stand. Do you want anything?"Jacob asked me.

"Maybe just some popcorn and a Coke please. I'm going to go to the restroom. I'll meet you outside of the theater,"

"You can leave Dylan with us if that's easier for you?" Jacob suggested.

Some people would probably think I was crazy taking him up on his offer. I mean I barely knew the guy. But my instincts told me that he could be trusted. Deep down I knew my son was safe with him.

I was almost at the restroom when I heard a voice that sent shivers down my spine. "You got that guy over there playing father to my son?"

I stood there frozen in horror. David was there. He looked angry. "Are you surprised to see me? Shocked that I found you after you skipped out on our deal?"

"Look," I gulped. "I mean to bring you the product but something happened. I'm sorry-"

"Oh shut the fuck up. You're lucky we're surrounded by people if not I'd kill your ass right here," I could see it in the way that he looked at me that he wanted to kill me. "You're lucky you caught me in a more generous mood today. I'll give you an extension. You have until Friday night. I'll find you then. If you fail me again I will kill you. Do you understand?"

I couldn't speak. So I just shook my head. "Yes,"

"and I better not see you hanging out with that other guy again. If you do it will not end well for you, him, or that little girl of his. Got it!"

"Y-yes," I was so scared I stuttered.

"Good and I would also be more than happy to tell him what a little whore you are. Agreeing to sleep with me just to stay out of jail. You're a slut but a damn good one at that. Now be good for me and do exactly what I say,"

I watched him rejoin his friends and leave. A bad feeling settled into the pit of my stomach. I looked around and it didn't appear that anyone heard our little exchange. He knew how to keep his voice low but still menacing enough to threaten people in the presence of a crowd.

This wasn't good. What was I going to do now?