Merry POV
"I-I'm a ....striper." Hailey's confession made her heart jump in surprise..... that was all. As Merry looked down at this beautiful fragile flowers in her arms, her thoughts could not even begin to be bothered with her words... All she was concerned about was trying to help this broken girl.
"So?" She voiced her opinion, making Hailey's head jerk up towards hers. "So what if you were a striper? Everyone has to make hard decisions and go out of their comfort zones once in awhile my dear. Do you know what that is called?" She asked, placing her hands on Hailey's cheeks and wiping the tears away. "That is called life. Trying to survive life does not make you a bad person.... it makes you strong."
Hailey's opened her mouth, closed it and opened it again but nothing came out. Her eyes wide with astonishment...
Merry continued.
"So what if you were a striper? It was just a job right? And I am sure the only reason you took it was for your son.... Am I right?"
A single tear rolled down her cheeks, speechlessly she nod. Opening her mouth she tried to speak again, finally a word came out.
"I always tried my best for my baby... even if he did not know what I had to go through to give him what he wanted and needed." She confessed.
"Your son never knew?" Merry asked. How could Hailey have possibly pull that of?
"No one knew....Not even my parents." She confessed again.
Merry looked at her with a stern expression as if she could not figure out how this could be possible. Suddenly she burst out laughing. "My dear you are full of surprises!"
The first sign of a smile peaked on Hailey's face.
"What choice did I have? Hayden would have most likely got kicked out of school and my parents would have killed me... " Hailey beemed.
Merry shook her head, wiping away a stray tear. Hailey was making her laugh so much she was beginning to cry.
"You are a very wise woman, very wise indeed." Merry laughed. Rising to her feet she helped Hailey up as well. "Smile honey, good times are here... enjoy them. " She pat Hailey on the shoulder before walking towards the door. "You know, my mother use to tell me when I was younger that 'you should cry when in happy times because you know sad times are coming and smile in sad times because you know happy times are coming'...
Everything in life happens for a reason, it happens to make you stronger and a better person. Life is so funny. It is there one day and gone the next. Nothing is forever... so it is best if you move on as fast as you can because you never know how how much time you have....or how much time your loved ones have." For a split second her son's face flashed in her mind making her tear up. She quickly forced it away, placing a fake smile on her face as she left the room.
***
Matthew POV
Finally he was home. The office had been nothing short of plain hell to deal with today. Tugging his tie loose from around his neck he unlocked the front door and stepped inside, immediately aware that someone was still awake.
Strolling towards the living room he leaned on the door frame when his eyes dropped on Hailey's form sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket.
"Hey why are you still up?" He asked. His voice made her jump in surprise as her eyes darted in his direction.
"I-I can't sleep." Her eyes looked red and puffy. Was she crying?
Leaning his weight of the door frame he walked closer to her, sitting next to her on the couch.
"What happened?" He asked curiously making her eyes shift away from him and back towards the television.
"Nothing...why?"
Her reply made him raise a brow, she was hiding something....
"Well you don't seem to be in the same frame of mind I left you in this morning...." He replied, figuring that it was the best way of hinting that he could see how upset she was.
"Busy day..." She disregarded replied.
This caused him to frown to deepen. What happened today that has her so worked up?
"Look, I know we are not friends and we don't really get along but you can talk to me.... if you want that is." He confessed, looking away quickly as her eyes jerked towards his direction.
"Everyone seems to be telling me that lately..." She sighed.
Matthew turned his attention back to her. "Let's call a truce then. I know that you have many questions for me and well... I have some of my own so if you would like to do so now then feel free." Matthew smiled.
Hailey's eyes met his for a few second before looking down at her entwined hands on her lap. "Okay..." She whispered.
"Would you like to go first?" Matthew inquired.
Hailey shook her head. Matthew smiled. "Me first then. What happened today that has you so worked up?"
Hailey took a moment to reply...
"Someone found out what I did for a living and it didn't go so well..." She replied. Looking everywhere but his face.
Matthew opened his mouth to asked another question but Hailey's question stopped him dead. " What do you plan on gaining for helping me and my son?"
"Benevolence from Karma." Matthew replied, a smile tugging the ends of his lips. Hailey looked at him confusingly but he left no time for her to think more before his mouth asked the next question.
" Who found out about you?"
"An old acquaintance." This girl kept confusing him. He thought by playing this little game he could get some answers but all he got was more questions.... This was not going as he planned. In fact it was not going anywhere.
"My question." Hailey said looking deep in thought. " Who is Catlane Samantha Williams?"
Matthew's jaw tightened the moment that name came out of Hailey's perfect lips...
Standing abruptly he stared daggers down at her shocked face. "Game over."
