FIVE YEARS LATER
Lucy's pov;
I was wiping the tables in the cafe ,when I saw a man wearing a suit walk in and I smiled.
I just suddenly remember how Daniel, my son , is so fixated on men in suits,not suits but a tux ,I think he likes the bow tie in particular.
It makes me smile when he says he wants to wear a tuxedo but it also makes my heart ache that I can't buy him a tuxedo just yet.
I am saving up to buy him one on his next birthday but I don't know if he would still love to wear a tuxedo by then because kids change their mind on things so easily.
One minute he is fighting to get it with all his strength, but the next minute he just tosses it away to the side as if it meant nothing.
"Good morning sir, please sit ,what can I get you?" I asked the man who smiled and sat.
"The usual." He said and I went to prepare his coffee.
I work a lot of part time jobs because it is flexible and I can control how long I want to work to an extent,the only thing that matters is I have time to go and pick up my son Danny from kindergarten.
After working in the cafe I returned home.
"Where's the rent for this week?" My stepmother asked the moment I walked into the house.
I sighed and as I put my hand in my trouser pocket and brought out money stuffed in my pocket and she snatched it away from my hand.
"You still owe me $50." She says not even counting the money she took from me as she put the money in her pocket.
"The money is complete." I told her and she eyed me suspiciously not wanting to count the money.
"I want to buy toys for Danny." I added.
"For Danny?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes."I replied and she brought out the money and counted it.
"It is complete." She said and headed to the kitchen.
I prefer calling my son Danny by his name Daniel. I think Danny is cuter and my stepmom, even though we never agree on things ,also agrees with me.
I sighed as I headed to my room.
Even though my stepmom didn't like me and they even made me pay rent in my own father's house while I was struggling financially while my step siblings weren't paying any rent ,it was unfair I know but she also loves her step grandson Daniel and she babysits him at times and boosts to her friends how she had such a lovable and well behaved grandson.
That was the only reason I stayed, my stepmom might hate my guts but she loves my son and babysits him for me while I work and she hardly asks me to give her any money when it concerns Daniel.
I don't know if she is doing it in respect of my Father's memory, because he always said how he wanted a son to play football with him, but he didn't see his grandson before he died and my father and step brother never really got along.
I got into my room and after taking a bath I headed to Daniel's kindergarten to pick him up from school.
It was a short walk from our house that was why I enrolled him there.
Getting there my son saw me. He ran up to me and embraced me but he had company because his friend ran up to me as well.
"Hi Miss Lucy." Joseph,my son's friend, greeted with a cute smile.
"Oh hi Joey how are you?" I asked with a smile and his smile beamed.
"I am fine." He said.
"Mommy." Danny called, drawing my attention and I turned to him.
"Yes darling." I said.
"Let's go home." Danny said.
"Say goodbye to your friend." I told him.
"Bye bye Joseph." Danny nodded goodbye to his friend.
"Bye Danny , but why don't you come and meet my Daddy, he's coming to pick me up today." Joseph said to Danny whose eyes sparkled.
"Sure." He squealed as Joseph grabbed Danny's hand and started running.
"Oh! Danny, Joseph! stop running."I called after Daniel and his friend who refused to listen to me, they ran up to someone and I followed them.
When I got closer to them, I saw Daniel was looking at the man in front of him in awe as he had the cutest smile on his face.
"Danny ,what's wrong?" I asked and he seemed to snap out of his thoughts and smiled as he pointed to the man in front of us.
"Mommy, I want a Daddy in a tux." Daniel squealed while pointing his finger at the man who was rubbing Joseph's hair and the man turned his attention to him.
I was so embarrassed that I drew him to myself and put his hand away.
"Danny don't say things like that." I scolded him softly, avoiding eye contact with the man and I wondered if I should apologize until I heard a hearty laugh.
"Oh so you want a Daddy in a tux as well?" He asked Daniel, his velvety voice made me stare at him in awe as his face was plastered with an unwavering smile as I watched him as he squatted down to Daniel's level.
"Yes." Danny nodded happily.
"Then I will gladly be your Daddy in a tux." He smiled at Danny.
He looked up to me and his eyes fluttered open and close and I was just left staring at this stunning man in front of me.
"Do you want a Daddy in a tux as well?" He asked.
"Yes." I said and he raised an eyebrow as if I was supposed to say no and my eyes suddenly widened in realization.
"No! Oh no goodness I didn't mean to say yes." I defended as I shook my head but he stood up and laughed and I could only bite my lower lips and look away.
"I don't believe you,I think you need a Daddy as well ." He chuckled.
"Desmond,why are you messing around with her?" I heard someone ask and we turned towards her direction and his eyes turned cold.
"You are here?" Joseph called questionly with furrowed brows.
"Joseph darling mommy's here." She said as she spread her hands out, expecting a hug but Joseph took steps backwards away from her and hid behind his Father.
"How many times have I told you not to come here?" He gritted out with narrowed eyes and the soft voice from earlier was gone.
The lady batted her eyes.
"Well I came to see my son,who says I can't see my son?" She asked.
Even though I was worried about Joseph,my son's friend.
I didn't want to get involved in another person's family drama. I have a lot going on at home already.
"Danny, let's go home." I said to him as I pulled him away from the tense environment even though he didn't want to leave his friend.
"Bye Joey." Daniel called out to his friend who wasn't paying attention to him anymore.
I don't know what that was about but I think I have embarrassed myself more than enough to stick around to find out.
I took Daniel home and scolded him for the way he said he wanted a Daddy in a tux so openly and he pouted and sat on the bed with his arms crossed and turned his face away from me.
"I won't talk to Mommy again." He huffed.
"Danny, it's rude to just say things like that." I explained to him.
"But he didn't mind Mommy." Danny argued.
Well I guess he didn't.
"But I won't do it again if mommy promises to buy ice cream for me." Danny offered and I chuckled.
"No." I said.
"But Mommy." Danny pouted as he turned to me.
"If you act like a good boy I will reconsider it." I told him.
"Fine." He said.
Danny was happy for the rest of the day and was happy he saw Joseph's Father.
Desmond that's his name, we didn't even get to talk,but thank goodness I was pulled away from that embarrassing situation.
I just hope that Joseph was fine.
***
I was working at the cafe the next day when my boss and best friend Bella came to talk to me.
She told me that a friend of hers ,their company is looking to hire a secretary for his boss and wanted me to apply for the job position.
"I have to make out time for Danny." I explained to her.
I know I need a better paying job but I can't bear to just leave Danny for too long.
"It doesn't matter because the pay is good ,besides he has another secretary you might only need to work three times a week, you will have enough time to take care of Danny the rest of the week." Bella explained.
Since that was the case ,it wasn't that bad, I thanked Bella for her help and I applied for the job after she gave me the details.
The day of the interview I was quietly seated waiting for my turn to be interviewed as I saw other applicants nervously waiting
I was finally called and I stood up and went into the interviewer's room.
"You!" I heard someone yell and I flinched as my eyes scanned the room.
"Jason?" I called in surprise as my eyes landed on one of my interviewers.
Lucy's POVOne look at Jason made me think.Oh shit! there was no way I was going to get this job.Jason is one of my ex-boyfriend Andrew's friends. When I was dating Andrew, Jason would flirt with me constantly and I once slapped him for groping me because I found that disrespectful when I was dating his friend and when I told Andrew about it , Andrew, my ex boyfriend, brushed off what I said.Thinking about it now there were signs that Andrew never really cared about me but I ignored it. I think he was just trying to use me to get over Tory his ex girlfriend or get her jealous to come back to him but either way I guess it worked they must be happy together because I haven't heard from him since,it won't matter if he tried to get in touch with me because I changed my phone number."Miss Lucy." Another interviewer called and I snapped out of my thoughts and recomposed myself and avoided eye contact with Jason.It has been years I don't think Jason would remember me that well.I deci
Lucy's POV;I gritted my teeth as I angrily glared at Jason who seemed to have no shame and just spilled nonsense from his mouth. To think that Jason wants to stoop as low as insulting me in front of Mr. Desmond was just unbelievable.Because of what Jason just said, I dared not make eye contact with Desmond, what must he think of me?Jason walked towards us, while glaring daggers at me as I heard murmurs from people around us, Jason came to a stop in front of me, his masculine figure towering over me.Was he trying to scare me by giving me a death glare or intimidate me with his body build because he was a man?I stood my ground staring eye to eye with him."Shouldn't you be leaving already Lucy?" Jason asked, seeing that he hadn't succeeded in intimidating me and I scoffed."You know you are just plain stupid, just because I rejected your advances you dare insult me, you are a shameless man for even daring to hit on your friend's girlfriend!" I yelled at him and I saw his eyes wide
Lucy's pov:Bella's face suddenly turned sour."Oh my goodness ,what have I done?" She asked with a pout."I am so sorry Lucy I don't know it was him that was looking for a secretary, my friend just told me about a job opening and I was happy because I just wanted to find a better job for you ,I am so sorry I didn't do proper research." Bella apologized in a low voice as her shoulders were dropped in defeat.I don't even know why she was apologizing when she did nothing wrong, I know she just wants the best for me and I was glad to have a friend like her that just looks out for me."You don't need to apologize, Bella . I know you just had good things in mind for me when you told me about the job opening." I reassured her I wasn't angry at her in any way.Andrew,my ex boyfriend was still a sour subject for me even till now.I don't know when I will truly forget him , because seeing my son Daniel each day remind me that his Father is not with us because he abandoned us to be with anothe
Lucy's Pov:I heard my alarm clock start ringing and I jolted upright and slammed my hand on it and it stopped and I slowly turned to look at Daniel who was lying beside me and then I sighed in relief when I saw he was still sleeping.I slowly got up from the bed. I wake up early in the morning to go for a run at times. Sometimes it helps me clear my head from the intrusive thoughts that won't let me be and today I was certain I needed to run more than anything. The last thing I want is to think about him, I don't know why I woke up today thinking about my ex boyfriend. I would not give him that right to control how I feel anymore.I got up and walked into the bathroom and I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror.I had eye bags under my eyes, I didn't sleep well yesterday but I know I was stronger than this. I know this was not something that would easily break me.I have been doing well all these while, but I don't know why what my Stepmom's friends said yesterday got me up
Lucy's POVI knew that rent money was the only reason why my stepmother Mercy would come and talk to me.Mercy,my stepmom had a displeased look on her face when I mentioned I didn't have the complete rent money, it wasn't as if I didn't want to give her the money,but I came home with the money yesterday afternoon but she wasn't at home.I kept the money in my room and went off to work in the evening, next thing I know when I came back at night, I didn't find the complete money.I know my son Daniel would always ask me if he needs something and I kept the money out of his reach but I still asked him about it and he said he didn't see any money,he told me he was playing cook with my Stepmom so he wasn't in the room to know who took the money.So I don't know who took it, I will just blame it on my carelessness but the way my money and important items get lost so suddenly is something that I am still baffled about, because my room is locked most times when I am away but my stepmom has th
Lucy's pov:I spared a side glanced at my stepmom Mercy, who had her arms folded and was watching me through the corners of my eyes.What is wrong with this woman?She called me out here because her friend's son wants to date me?Has she forgotten her friends don't like me?"Lucy." Travis called my name and I snapped out of my thoughts and smiled at him."Oh..It's nice to meet you then." I said because I didn't know what else to say.Is my stepmom Mercy and her friend trying to act as matchmakers? I thought my stepmom only said bad things about me. Why was her friend trying to match me up with her son?"Both of you should get to know each other. I am sure you have a lot to talk about." His mother said.I didn't know how to reject this offer because I don't want to go on any date, but I don't know how to say no to my stepmom.She is too cunning."I don't know how to say this but..um... I don't want to go on a date ma'am, I don't think….""Ha! Are you still rejecting men when there is n
Lucy's pov: Daniel exhaled as he continued sleeping and I sighed in relief, the last thing I wanted was to wake him up. I looked at my son with sad eyes, I just wanted the best for him. Even if I didn't want to admit it, my son needs a father figure in his life ,I don't even have anyone that could act as a responsible man for him to look up to and my uncle's don't keep contact with me ,because they don't like my step mom when my Father married her. My Dad's side of the family hates my stepmom, so when my Dad married her against the wishes most of them cut him off, his side of the family cutting him off included me as well. That was why I had no one to rely on that made me go and live with Andrew after I told him how awfully I was treated by my stepmom. I didn't try to get into contact with my Dad's side of the family because last time I did, I was told to not follow the footsteps of my stepmom but they didn't offer me any help. Since Travis doesn't seem like a bad guy ,I will j
Lucy's POV:The next morning got me in a happy mood.I told Bella about Travis's call. I don't know why I felt happy talking to him over the phone.I don't know if I was just glad that someone was being nice to me and paying attention to me. I know it sounds childish but that makes me feel happy.Bella just keeps telling me to do what makes me happy and if going out with Travis would do that ,then she was happy for me.After working at the cafe, I had to pick up Danny from kindergarten ,and to my surprise I saw Desmond there, his son and Danny were playing, while Desmond was talking to one of his teachers when I arrived."Danny ,darling mommy's here." I called out to Danny who turned and ran up to me with open arms.Desmond must have heard my voice because he stopped talking to the teacher and turned to me and I smiled and waved awkwardly at him.Joseph also ran towards me and he and Daniel were standing in front of me."Good afternoon Miss Lucy." Joseph, my son's 5 year old friend,