Chapter 3

The next week goes by much like the first night. Natalie spends the day with her mom and the night with me. I think she is only with her mom for about five hours a day but at least she is getting time with her. I hear occasional yelling from next door but not too often and I haven't seen a mark on her since the first hand print. Heidi is exhausted but I've noticed lots of new things for her and for Natalie, clothes and shoes mostly. I know she is seeing at least three clients a night and from what I've gathered she earns around three hundred a night that way. I know the rent and utilities are paid so I keep hoping she will slow down a bit. As far as I can tell she works for herself so nothing is going to some pimp.

Natalie seems happier than she was that first day. She actually smiles when she talks about her mom now. She was so excited when Heidi took her shopping for her birthday and agreed to come over for cake after I took Natalie out to dinner. Natalie's eyes got as big as saucers when I showed her the cake I made for her. It was a large round cake decorated to look like her new doll, something called a Lalaloopsy. She got tears in her eyes when she read the card I got her and saw the money inside of it. I gave her fifty dollars and also gave her the sixty dollars her mom had given me to watch her. She was so surprised by the whole thing.

"I've never had a real birthday cake before. Mom usually just picks up some cupcakes from the store and we eat them together. She cries a lot on my birthday."

"Oh honey, she's probably just sad that you are getting so big so fast," I say hoping to reassure her.

"Yeah, maybe. She says it just reminds her of how things have changed, whatever that means." She said it like it was no big deal but she's too smart for that. I know she knows exactly what that means.

"Well, we will have birthday cake and we can watch whatever movies you want. Right now we need to get going, I'm starving," I say, changing the subject.

We head to a little burger place down the block where we both order huge burgers, fries and onion rings. I get her a chocolate milkshake that she sucks down faster than she should. We laugh when the brain freeze wares off and she has a mouthful of French fries. After dinner we walk back to the apartment. Heidi is waiting for us outside the door when we walk up.

"Did you have a nice dinner, baby?" she asks as she kisses Natalie's head.

"Oh my goodness, mom they have the best milkshakes. I can't believe I've never had one, they are so good!" she rattles on. Heidi's eyes show sadness but she covers quickly.

"That's great! Did you tell Bella, thank you?" she says as she looks over Natalie's head and mouths her own appreciation to me.

I just smile and remind them that cake is waiting. We head upstairs and sing happy birthday to Natalie while she smiles from ear to ear. That night watching her smile with icing on her chin, I knew I loved her and would do anything for her.

Things are pretty much the same for the next few weeks. Natalie and I have a special relationship. I love her like a daughter. I keep watching to make sure she is okay and that Heidi is doing the best she can for her. Right now it seems like the gifts have slowed down and so have the Johns in the middle of the night. Natalie is sleeping at home a few nights a week. School is supposed to start in a month and I really hope there is some sort of steady routine for her but I have a feeling that without my guidance there won't be.

I have started meeting with my publishers about the promotion of my book. I may have to do a tour, which makes me really nervous. I can't help but worry that Heidi will bring home the johns because she can't go too long without "working" now that she's making good money. I worry that my being gone will allow Heidi to go back to the abusive behavior I only briefly witnessed before.

I asked my publisher to help me out by keeping me local enough to come home each night. He laughed but when he saw how serious I was he said he'd try. The party for the launch of the book was next week and I made arrangements with Heidi to stay home with Natalie instead of working that night. She promised that she wouldn't leave her alone and that no one would be in the apartment.

I got myself a beautiful little black dress and made appointments to get my nails and hair done. My dad was driving up for the night. I offered to let him stay with me but he decided to get a hotel room instead. I didn't have a date but that was okay with me. After everything, I felt like it was better not to have one for this particular event.

The night of the event we met at the hotel bar and had a nice dinner. I gave my dad a special edition of my book, his copy has a special letter to him from me. He made me cry by reading it while we finished our dinner.

"Oh Bells, this is amazing. You know I've always believed in you. I knew you'd make it and I never expected anything from you in return. You are a blessing and I know I don't say it enough but I love you kid." He wiped the tears from his eyes and cleared his throat. "So have you met anyone since you've been here? I know you've been busy with your neighbor."

"Actually, Natalie and Heidi are the only people I've met outside of the publishing company. I just haven't taken the time to get out much," I say realizing that I had no life at all outside of my sweet Natalie.

"That's okay, honey, I'm sure you'll meet lots of people tonight and on the tour," he says reminding me we need to get going.

The launch party was fun, overwhelming, but fun none the less. I met lots of people alright. All the executives from the company as well as some sponsor representatives were there and I had to talk to them all. My book seemed to be very well received amongst the group that was there although I doubted most of them actually read it. I did meet the wives of the President and CEO of the publishing company and they loved my book. Both of them gushed about different parts of the story and how it affected them. I was so happy to hear from an actual reader that I spent a long time just listening to them talk.

Around ten o'clock I started getting antsy. I knew it was about the time that Natalie would be going to bed and I was hoping that she was okay at home. I wanted to call her but I settled for a text. I bought her minutes for her phone so she didn't have to wait for her mom to do it.

Hey kid, how's it going? – Bella

I didn't get a reply right away. Around eleven my phone finally beeped.

Ok I guess. Moms in bed – Nat

Why aren't you? – Bella

Cant – Nat

Try – Bella

Ok c u tomorrow – Nat

Night – Bella

Sometime after midnight we headed home and I left my dad in the lobby of his hotel. I was exhausted and my feet were killing me. Once I got home, I made a beeline for the shower and then collapsed into bed.