*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter they were greatly appreciated thank-you all so much*
"Did you enjoy shopping?" I ask Journey as she walks into my apartment.
"You really didn't have to do all this or send me to that store. I could have gone to Wal-Mart and been just fine. It would have saved you a lot more money," she says.
"No," I say, "I wanted you to get the best of clothes. You're going to need some of the best to get a job here in the city. It was no big deal."
"I'm going to pay you back every penny," she says. "I promise."
"It's a gift," I say, "you don't have to worry about any of that. I don't need you to pay me back. Did you get evening gowns to go to a few events with me?"
"Define events," she says laying all of her purchases down on the couch in my living room. "What kind of events are you talking about?"
"You know charity dinners, red carpet events and galas," I answer her. "I never go to those things with anyone but I figure if you're going to be living here we could go together," I say.
"I don't know about all that," she says. "I never really went to something like that and I am not the kind of girl you take down the red carpet. I wouldn't know how to act or how to behave. I wouldn't know what spoon to use and what fork to use. I don't know I'm not elegant enough for any of those things besides I am sure you can find someone far more beautiful and polished than me to accompany you to one of those events."
"I think you're beautiful enough to accompany me to these events and if you truly believed you're unpolished you can take etiquette lessons to learn what spoon and fork to use honestly no one is really worried about your etiquette as long as you're polite and eat properly you have nothing to worry about," I say.
"I don't know, Dean. You're being so nice to me. I don't understand why," she says.
"I told you, I want to help you. That's why I am being so nice I hope that you start to trust me and allow me to help you."
"Trust you?" she asks. "You're practically one of the richest men in America that moved a homeless woman into your home, a homeless woman you barely even know. A woman that has been abused numerous times in her life and has had her child taken from her, trust doesn't come too easily."
"I'm a good guy, Journey, I promise," I promise her. "I would never do anything to hurt you."
"Okay," she says wearily. I know she's not too trusting of me or my motives. My only motive is to help her and get her back on her feet. I know there's potential there and I know she has a lot of potential hidden beneath the surface. I want to see her succeed and I want to see her get her daughter back.
"I ordered us some Chinese food," I say. "Why don't you go put your new clothes away and then we can hang out and talk, have dinner together. How does that sound?"
"That sounds good," she says, "I'm going to change into some pajamas too is that okay?"
"Whatever makes you comfortable," I say with a smile.
"Okay," she says picking up her purchases and walking to the bedroom I prepared for her. I answer the buzzer as soon as it buzzes and tell them to send the delivery man up to the penthouse. I pull the cash out of my wallet and when the bell rings I open the door and pay for our food before he hands it to me.
I get everything ready for us and set everything up at the kitchen table. I wasn't sure what she wanted to eat so I got what I thought she would like hoping she likes it. She comes out of her bedroom and makes her way to the kitchen wearing a pair of short black shorts that come to her mid-thigh showing off her long tanned and tone legs and a hot pink camisole top that brings out her naturally tanned skin and her dark hair pulled up into a messy bun with tiny ringlet curls hanging out at the ends. "Um," I say trying to find the words I'm looking for. "I, I got some Chinese food. I wasn't sure what kind of food you like I just ordered something I thought you would like," I say trying to catch the breath that she stole from my chest.
"You should know by now I will eat anything," she says with a smile. "Are you okay?" she asks as she takes a seat at the table next to me in front of the chicken fried rice and egg rolls I ordered for her.
"I'm fine," I say.
"Are you sure? You look a little nervous," she says.
"I'm all right. It's just I never saw you dressed like that. I'm used to seeing you in t-shirts and basketball shorts."
"Do you want me to go change?" she asks before she starts in on her food.
"No, you're fine," I say, "I mean you're okay, well you're not okay, I mean I want you to be dressed comfortably and feel comfortable," I say as I feel my face heating to a light shade of pink. She smiles and shakes her head as she eats her dinner and I join her. "So let's do some talking," I say. "I wanted to get some idea about you."
"Okay," she says. "What do you want to know that you don't already know, I told you my story already."
"I know," I say, "but we need to find you a job. What kind of things are you good at? What do you like to do?" I ask.
"I don't know. I haven't really done much in the last few years. I've worked at McDonald's and Burger King," she says. "That's about as far as my skills go. Not having a college degree doesn't get you too far in life these days. You have to take what you can get. I am fine working at McDonald's or Burger King. I'll work anywhere."
"Can I ask why you haven't been working?" I ask. I don't' want to seem rude or inconsiderate but I am curious.
"Well," she says. "It's kind of hard to get a job when you're using an alias."
"An alias?" I ask. "What exactly do you mean an alias?"
"To be honest, Journey isn't my real name. My real name is Alexis also known as Lexie," she says shocking me.
"So Journey isn't your real name?" I ask. "Why the fake name?" I ask.
"Because my ex-husband knows my real name, I had to use a fake alias, change my name when I ran so that he wouldn't be able to find me. I haven't had it legally changed to Journey but I have to. Most places do background checks on people these days and without a social security number and a birth certificate with the name Journey on it it's kind of hard to do a background check on someone."
"I understand," I nod. "You needed to use a fake name to protect yourself and that's keeping you from getting a job."
"Yes," she says. "I worked when I was with Cody, that's my ex-husband but he didn't like me working. He told me that my place was at home taking care of him and taking care of Zoey. He didn't want me to have an education either."
"I see," I say. "Most abusers seek control and control all aspects of your life."
"He certainly did that," she says. "So how are you going to find me a job if I can't have a background check done?"
"Well," I say with a smile. "It just so happens I own my own company and I have a couple of job openings."
"What do you mean a couple job openings? I'm not skilled in business."
"Very simple jobs," I say, "can you answer the phone, can you type and file papers?" I ask. "Can you use a phone? Can you get coffee and things like that?"
"I mean it's not difficult," she says. "I am sure I can manage doing something like that. I thought you meant something that has to do with business."
"I have an opening for a secretary and I have an opening for a personal assistant," I offer. "Would you be interested in any of those jobs?"
"Personal assistant? Don't you already have one of those?" she asks. "What about the girl that took me shopping? I thought she was your personal assistant?"
"She is," I say, "but she is moving onto something bigger and better."
"I don't think there is anything much bigger or better than you," she says with a smile before eating some more of her dinner. "Dinner is good thank-you."
"You're welcome," I smile back. "So what do you say, would you like to be my new personal assistant? You wouldn't have to do too much."
"What would I have to do?"
"You know make phone calls for me, set up some appointments and meetings for me. Filing some of my paperwork, get me coffee, accompany me to events and things like that," I answer. "I heard the boss pays very well."
"Dean," she says.
"Journey," I respond. "It's pretty good money."
"Are you sure you want me to be your personal assistant?"
"If I didn't' want you to be I wouldn't have offered you the job. So what's your answer?"
"I'll do it," she says. "I need the money and I need a job but what about my alias?"
"I'll work on that. I'll take care of all of that. I'll make sure everything is sealed and taken care of. Alexis will never exist again and Journey will."
"You will?" she asks with a grateful smile.
"Yes," I say. "I will."
"Thank-you so much, you're so nice to me. I really do owe you so much after all the gratitude you have shown me."
"You don't owe me anything. I just want to see you get your daughter back and I want to see you succeed in life. That's the only thing I want to see."
"But I'm not going to be able to do any of that without you."
"I won't be doing it alone," I say, "you'll be doing your part too."
"Thank-you."
"So when you went to school what were your interests? What did you want to go to college for?"
"I was really into Science that was one of my favorite classes and I liked English too. I wanted to either be some type of biologist, maybe even a doctor or I wanted to get into journalism. I had so many options that I threw away."
"It's not too late," I say. "You're what 20 years old?"
"Yes," she says, "almost 21."
"It's not too late to go to college to get the degree in what you want to get a degree in. We can look for colleges in the area for you to attend and take some classes. Does that sound like something you want to do?"
"That sounds great but I can't pay for college. I could get financial aid."
"Or I could give you the money for school," I offer.
"Dean," she says, "I can't allow you to do that. You've already done so much for me. I don't think it's fair to have you do that for me."
"It's all a part of building your future. I want you to make Zoey proud and be able to give you two the life you deserve. I'll take care of the alias and get your name changed to Journey and erase the life of Alexis and I will pay for your college education as long as you make a promise to me," I say.
"What's that promise?" she asks.
"I was once in your position before too. I didn't have anything but the clothes on my back and the shoes on my feet. I had NOTHING but then someone helped me. They came in and they helped me much like I am helping you. They gave me a place to stay, helped me finish school and helped me find a job. They helped me become the man I am today. I gave back because of everything they have done for me. I want to do the same for you. I want to do for you what they did for me but I want you to promise me that when you become successful and you have the job you always wanted that you return the favor to someone else and help someone else that comes from where we do and give them a chance. Can you promise me that?"
"I promise," she says with a smile. "I promise." I smile back at her and her dark brown eyes meet my blue eyes and we stare at each other for a few minutes before she breaks eye contact in the midst of tension and an odd sensation that passes between us. "I have a meeting with Zoey on Friday," she says with a happy smile.
"That's great. Is it supervised?" I ask.
"Yeah, I can only have supervised visits with her while she's in foster care. I don't really understand why. I never abused my child or harmed her in any way. The only thing I failed to do was give her a home but I would never hurt her or endanger her. She's my entire world. I miss her so much."
"I know you do and I know you would never hurt her," I say. "I'm going to see what I can do about getting her out of the system. As long as you're staying here and you're in a stable environment I don't see why they can't allow Zoey back into your care. You'll have a job and a home. You'll be providing for her. I don't see why they can't allow you to have your daughter back. I'm going to call my lawyer and get something set up, talk to a judge and work to get Zoey back for you."
"Dean," she says with tears in her dark brown eyes. "You are a wonderful man. I can never thank you enough for everything you're doing for me. Getting Zoey back means more to me than anything in the world."
"I know it does," I say with a smile. "I know it does."
*A/N: What do you think of Journey's humbleness? What do you think of her having a fake alias so that her ex husband can't find her? Do you think Dean has the power to make her past disappear and make Alexis non-existent? What do you think of Dean offering her a job as his personal assistant, is it a good idea? What do you think is going on between the two of them? Why do you think Dean was at a loss for words before dinner? What about Dean paying for her school and helping her get Zoey back? Is he doing too much? What about the promise he had her make? Do you think if she gets successful she will return the favor one day? How do you think the meeting with Zoey is going to go? Will Dean be able to get Zoey back for her? Please review and thank-you for reading.