This book is authored by G O A. Why Tech Billionaire Artemis Rhodes would post such a thing?! "Everyone is talking about the hashtag that just went viral in less than a few hours. Nevertheless, this girl has become a mystery everyone wants to solve. In fact, we have pictures from several people who have seen the girl in person." The screen of the phone is small but I catch several pictures of me flashing on the screen. This can't be happening! You know that panic attack I had been pushing down? Well, that thing comes back with a vengeance. It feels like all the air is sucked out of me and my chest gets tight. My vision blurs and I register I'm falling just before things go dark. "Relax Miss Riley, this is Mr. Rhodes a donor to our hospital. This woman is his fiancee. I'll take things from here." The doctor says and steps aside to let the nurse out. I watch her scurry away before I focus on the doctor. He's an older man with white hair and a friendly face but he gives me weird vibes. Wait...did he just say, fiancee? "I'm sorry what did you say?" I ask. "I have a proposition for you." The man says. "A proposition for me? What do you mean?" "A proposition? It means-" I wave my hand. "Not that! I'm not an idiot. I mean what proposition?" "I want you to marry me." He says with a straight face. So I bet your wondering how a woman who lives in an abandoned train car ends up married to a big tech billionaire. Well it's simple. We ran right into each other, locked eyes and the rest is history.
View MoreBlue
The sound of banging on metal has me jolting awake and looking around through blurry eyes. It takes me a second to remember where I fell asleep last night.“Little Blue you gotta wake up!” A muffled voice calls from the other side of the wall next to me.
It takes another few seconds to pinpoint the voice as Bucky, my neighbor. If you can call him that. He lives in a tent a few feet away from the train car I’m currently in.
“Come on girl, the patrol will be here in less than an hour!” He calls out.
That has me moving like my ass is on fire. I can’t get caught by the security patrol again. Last time I couldn’t go back to my favorite place for at least a month. It’s not that I have many belongings but it’s a hassle carrying the small things I do have everywhere. I don’t bother with shopping carts since I don’t stick around in one place long enough to collect a large amount of stuff. A backpack and a small duffle bag are all I allow myself to keep.
I quickly roll up the sleeping bag I sleep on most nights and stuff it into the duffle bag. The pillow I use is an inflatable neck pillow, so I deflate that and slide it in with the sleeping bag. I turn off the small light I keep on while I sleep and put that in my backpack. Once my little camp sight is packed up I grab the worn-out blue converse that I got at a second-hand store and slip them on. They are holding up okay but I’m going to need some new ones in about a month from the looks of the soles.
When I’m finally put together I grab the handle for the train car door and grunt when I pull it open. It’s heavy and I have noodles for arms. Not much time for exercising when I’m on the move so much. If anything my legs are the strongest part of my body thanks to all the walking I do. I guess I could splurge on a bus pass but I try to keep my spending to the minimum. I never know when I’ll need to spend money on something a little out of my budget. Like shoes and clothes.
Bucky is standing outside the door with a small cup in his hand. I smile down at my friend and jump down to greet him. When my feet hit the ground I stand and lift my arm and place two fingers on my forehead.
“Good morning Sir!” I say before saluting him.
He had served in the military for ten years and came home without any support and ended up on the streets for his trouble.
He rolls his eyes. “You’re funny. Here take this and warm up.”
I accept the cup and take a long sip of the warm liquid inside.
“You don’t have to bring me coffee every day Bucky. Especially on Wednesday since I play at Monica’s!” I tell him once again.
This isn’t the first time we’ve had this conversation.
“It's not like 3 small coffees will break me Little Blue. Now hurry up and get a move on." He turns and finishes loading his cart. "I'm stashing this at the alley on Main. Where are you headed?"
"I have a morning performance at Monica's, so I'll head there now. Where's Maria-Ann?" She was the other squatter here.
She was an interesting character with a bad attitude that took some getting used to but is also a kind person in her own way. She's emotionally stunted but she cares and has helped me find all the best places to find cheap liquor stores in the area. I've only been here for a few weeks, so it was a huge help. I haven't always been this lucky. Not all homeless communities are as welcoming.
They can also be dangerous for someone like me. I make money by playing my guitar wherever possible which makes me a steady income. Not enough to settle down anywhere but enough to keep me alive. That's more than most and they will come for me if I'm not careful. Thankfully when I arrived in Seattle I met Bucky and he told me I could camp out with him by the abandoned railroad switch point.
There was only one train car still intact and he told me I was welcome to use it. At first, I refused because I didn't want to take it from him or Maria-Ann but he assured me they never used it. I knew that was bull, but he wouldn't let me bring it up again. Since I'll only be here for a couple more weeks they won't have to give it up for long.
"Well, get on with it and I'll see you tonight." He pats me awkwardly on the shoulder and walks off.
A quick glance around tells me Maria-Ann had already left for the day so I don't bother waiting around. I pull the cheap little pay-as-you-go phone out of my pocket and check the time. There is still about an hour until I need to be at Monica's at seven, so I can walk in the park and enjoy my coffee.
The park is about a twenty-minute walk from the train depot and a ten-minute walk to Monica's Cafe. It's the perfect place to hang out and people-watch. It is also my second job. I play near the huge water fountain and I have an in with the park patrol so they leave me alone when I'm here.
I enter the park and see a few people running along the paths. There is an empty bench only a few feet away so I head in that direction. When I see a small sign on it I stop to read it.
"In memory of Cecilia Rhodes. Loving mother and wife."
Rhodes?
It's a name I've seen on one of the buildings downtown but I'm not sure what the family is known for. I don't bother keeping up with the lives of socialites. What's the point? I never understood why people were so interested in the lives of the rich and famous. Don't they have enough going on in their own lives? Or maybe I just never thought about it because I could never afford a gossip magazine.
When you have a strict budget or a foster parent who barely feeds you let alone pay for something like that, it doesn't seem very important.
Anyway, I give a moment of silence to the woman whose memory inspired this sign and take a seat. It's getting colder out so I have to pull my jean jacket tighter around me. Another super find in a second-hand store, but it's one of those that has holes in it because that's in style now. I was able to patch a few of the holes but it doesn't help keep out the cold much.
I'm happy now that Bucky got me this coffee because it's working to warm me up a little. When I take another sip I sigh in contentment and settle back in my seat. A pair of women jog by in their designer workout clothes and hundred-dollar sneakers. They glance my way and say something to each other as they pass, but I don't dare try to listen. It's not like I haven't heard people talk about me when they see me, but I also don't want to go out of the way and listen for horrible words.
It's not like I look dirty or anything, but it's clear that I'm not very well off. My clothes are old and well-worn. That's enough proof that I'm lacking in my life. At least in everyone else's eyes.
Truthfully I enjoy my life most of the time. It's better than foster care for sure, and I get to see so many new places. Not many people have the freedom to pick up and leave at any time. They are busy in their lives with nine-to-five jobs and bills. Me? I'm free of all that.
Don't get me wrong, if life offered me a steady job and a place to live I wouldn't snub the chance but it's never happened. It's best not to hope for things that are impossible.
So I have accepted this life and tried to live with a smile on my face. Bucky told me that if you smile through the rough times it makes it easier to survive. So far he hasn't been wrong.
I finish off my coffee and throw it away in the closest trash can. It's time to head for Monica's Cafe, so I turn down the opposite path and start walking that way. It's getting busier on the street and I'm too busy looking around at the chaos to notice someone coming my way. I run into a hard chest and whoever I bumped into drops their phone.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" I bend down and pick it up.
It doesn't look damaged but I brush it off and look up at the person. When he sees me he looks surprised.
"Here you go. It looks okay." I hold the phone out to him but he doesn't move to take it. "Okay..."
I reach for his hand and set the phone in it.
"I'm expected somewhere, so I have to go. Sorry again." I move around him and quickly walk away.
When I glance over m shoulder he's watching me walk away with that odd look on his face.
Okay, that's a little weird.
BlueWhat is going on? Here I was expecting some yelling or fighting but got hysterical laughter instead. Are they all high? Well, probably not Iris, but she looks a little confused as well. Same girl, same. “What is so funny?” I yell. They all slowly calm down and it’s Rhea who speaks next. “Blue, I know that this may seem strange, but we’re happy.” Say what now?“What do you mean? You guys would be getting nothing!” I remind them as if it weren’t clear. “We know and that’s the great part. Honestly, it’s a relief. That money is tainted with bad memories for us. It’s a burden, but to someone who’s as kindhearted as you it could be a huge blessing. You’ve come from having so little to having enough money for a hundred lifetimes. You could do anything! We are happy to let that money go and let you decide what to do with it. Once the funeral is over we can finally let that time of our lives die too. It’s the last tie to what our family name used to
ArtemisThis week has been hell. My grandfather and parents did not want to leave this world without one last special, and I’m hating every second of dealing with it. Still for my sisters it means closure even though our relationship with them was strained. Then there’s the whole matter of the will. Honestly, I don’t want to know what my grandfather has left me to deal with. If what’s happened in the last few months are only a piece of what I have to face then I’m going to hate the rest even more. My sisters are happy to let me handle it since they don’t want a thing from my father or grandfather. As much as they feel a sense of loss, they also feel relief. The last die-hard Rhodes are gone and we can all move on. My charity work with blue has been a lot more rewarding than any of the other work I’ve done, and seeing her smile is all the payment I need. Fuck. I haven’t been able to spend much time with her thanks to all this, but as soon as it’s over I am taking the fi
BlueI make it back to the bookstore just as Dane comes in searching for me. “Everything okay?” He asks looking me over for injuries. “Yeah, they didn’t have what I was looking for and I even asked an employee to look, and it took forever just for her to tell me they didn’t have the book. Crazy right?” I laugh weakly and hope he doesn’t notice my discomfort in lying.He doesn’t ask anything, so I guess I did okay, but as we drive home my anxiety hits an all time high. How am I going to look at Artemis and his sisters knowing what I know and not say anything. These people have been rich all their lives and even though they are individually wealthy do they expect more now that their grandfather and parents are dead? I can only imagine the amount of money those three died with and now it’s coming my way. There is so much anxiety and pressure waring inside me that when we get home I rush through the front door and to the nearest bathroom to throw up. No one seems
BlueI need to find a way to get out of here without anyone asking questions. Also, that means leaving the babies and Lilly which I’m not sure anyone will be willing to do with everything else going on, but I need to go to this meeting. There’s no time to debate logistics, so I head back to the living room where I see the Rhodes siblings still discussing something. Artemis’s eyes lift when I walk into the room, and he gives me a confused look. Maybe he sees something in my face that has alarm bells going up, so I try to smile and act like nothing is going on. “I’m sorry but something came up at my office, I need to run in and handle it. Can I leave the kids with you?” I ask him. “Of course. Is everything okay?” He asks standing and stepping around the couch to walk in my direction. I don’t really want him touching me right now. It feels fake now. After what I heard it has me overthinking still and I don’t have time to dig deeper into all those feelings right now.
BlueThe door opens behind me, and Artemis walks inside with Iris next to him. His sisters are on their feet in an instant and rushing over to wrap their little sister in their arms. The three of them start to cry while Artemis stands off to the side watching them. His forehead is creased, and his jaw is tight like he isn’t sure what to do but also like he’s worried. So, I walk over to him and slip my hand in his. “You okay?” I whisper. He sighs. “I’m glad she’s okay.” That’s enough for me. This is all so fresh, so it makes sense that none of them know what to say or do next. “What can I do to help?” I ask him. “We need to wait for the lawyer to the estate contacts us. They will let us know our grandfather’s and parent’s wishes for burial and memorial services. Then we go from there. After the funeral there will be the reading of the will, and we’ll all know where we stand in this family.” He grinds his teeth at that last part. I may not know much a
BlueAfter Artemis leaves, I stand in the hallway and try to figure out the best way to go about this. Rhea is torn up over the news and I want to be there for her, but what can I do? I don’t want to just sit back and have them handle everything while they work through everything emotionally. It’s no secret, things were strained between all of them but that was still Artemis’s parents and that has to be hard for him. Before I can come up with a plan one of the babies starts crying. All of them have a different cry and this one is Eros. I walk into the nursery and pick him up right away. His head turns to my boob as soon as he’s in my arms. Before I take him out to feed, I check on Selene and Damion, but they are still asleep.Those two sleep like the dead when they want to except apparently at night when the smallest sound has them wide awake. In the end all of them end up in bed with me and Artemis to finish off the night. Not that either of us care much, we love cuddling u
ArtemisI hadn’t heard from my grandfather in several weeks and I’m wondering when he will send Iris to us. I’m willing to fly to wherever they are and pick her up myself but any attempts at contacting my grandfather have gone unanswered. That is until Rhea comes stumbling into the house looking as if she’s seen a ghost. “Artemis…” It sounds like saying that much was too much effort. “What?” “Rhea? What’s wrong?” Blue rushes over to my sister and helps her to sit down on the closest chair. “Rhea, what’s going on?” “Just look.” My sister hands her phone to Blue, but I can hear the audio. 'Another tragedy involving the famous Rhodes family. Unfortunately, this accident resulted in the death of three members including the Patriarch of the family, his son and his daughter-in-law. The following information may be upsetting for some. The police and rescue crew discovered the pilot a mile away and the members of the family different distances from the crash. Ou
ArtemisSeeing Blue juggle, the children’s home and motherhood is like watching a bee buzzing around a hive. She has been going non-stop and is trying so hard to make up for the time she lost not being there to help. I know she thinks that she will let someone down if she isn’t giving one hundred percent of herself in everything she does, but I can see her burning out. At night she’s been crashing as soon as her head hits the pillow, but she’s up any time the triplets need to be changed or fed. I try to help as best I can, but she always tells me to sleep, and she will handle things. Only she doesn’t realize that she sleeps through a few of the nightly cries, and I make sure nothing wakes her. Now that she will let the babies in the nursery, I turn off the monitor while I’m in there and switch to getting alerts on my phone. That way she can sleep, and I’ll still be able to hear the babies. She needs the rest. Since the babies came, I’ve been in full dad duty. Not that
BlueThe first few weeks home with the triplets is chaos. Lilly is such a sweet girl and even though she needs a lot of help with things she hasn’t complained once having to share our time. Artemis has made everything so much easier by just being here and helping wherever it’s needed. He was joking about the personal chief either. I mean when does he ever not mean these things? I should know that by now. He also did have a whole medical room set up in the house. There are plans to expand the house even more thanks to all the plans he has. Athena found a house down the street from us and has been so happy with her decision to adopt. She’s an amazing mother and it’s been great having her so close by. Rhea, not wanting to be left out also bought a house on our street and has been stopping by with her kids almost everyday much to Artemis’s displeasure. He’s gotten a lot better with having his sisters around but he’s still his grumpy self with them. Now they just find it fu
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