INSIDE THEIR MINDS

With A Grin

PHIL
Breathe in. Breath out. Breath i---

"Phil, we need your signatures on----"

"I know." I said trying my best to not sound frustrated.

"Just give them here." I said to my assistant.

I was actually surprised by how hard he has been working lately, then again it only took me threating to fire him half a dozen times for him get himself in gear.

"And thanks." I said to him right before he closed the door.

I watched him sit himself down at his desk that sat just inches outside of my door and I could tell a smile was across his face.

At least someone is happy to be here today.

ERICA

"It's 15 an hour and I don't pick up after children." The older woman in dressed in scrubs said eyeing the few toys of Trevor's that had were gathered in one small area of the living room.

"It's fine, you can stay out of his room." I say to her looking past her and at his door that was shut tight down the hallway, not even I have ventured inside in the past several weeks.

"Alright, and based off of what I can see it will be about 6 hours worth of work if done correctly and 4 hours if you just want the basics." She says as her eyes judge the pit that was my apartment.

"6 hours would be good, when can you start?" I asked her.

"How's an hour sound, I will probably need to pick up some more supplies, my charge of course." She said standing from the cheap sofa.

"Sounds good. Thank you. Just ring the buzzer downstairs and I will call you up." I say to her as she walks out through my apartments door.

I didn't have much money, and I know Phil wouldn't consider this a "bill" neccessarily, but I needed to have it done.

I did however pick some of the plates and cups and placed them in the sink out of pure guilt, thinking, is this all I am without the help of other people? Am I just a rich, lonely, partially drunk slob with no one that cares about me? How did I go from having two men that cared about me to not having any? How can I possibly be a good mother if I can't even see my son? Who am I after losing everything I once had?

I tried my best to push those painful and self-destructive thoughts away without assistance but not even 20 minutes later I was pouring myself a drink, a strong one.

ALEX

A coffee date. I'm on a coffee date. This man that just had his hands all over my body is buying me coffee. It's weird that that had happened first, even for me.

Why did I do that? Why did I let him.. touch me... kiss me...?

"Campfire Cooler." He said as he placed the drink in front of me.

I looked to him with a smile then placed the black straw between my lips. It was pure heaven, and I didn't mean just the drink.

"So uh yeah, I wanted to start by saying that isn't something I do with my patients I'm not some sort of perv--"

"I would hope not." I said not letting him finish his last word. "Well if we are setting things straight I should tell you I would have paid extra for a happy ending." I said sarcastically instantly making him laugh.

"Now that I have not heard before." He says sipping his hot coffee slowly, his perfect lips brimming over the lid.

"Have I even paid you?" I asked him now that I thought back on it. I reached for my purse beside my feet and placed it on the table in front of me.

Then his hand was on mine, warm, soft, welcoming.

"No, but I am not going to let you." He said with a grin now taking his hand in mine.

I smiled at him as I tried to hand comb several knots out of my hair that were still there from when he... when his hands...I could feel them again now... such amazing hands. ..

"Wanna go for a walk?" I ask him not sure if he will bite.

"Yeah, It's about 40 minutes until my next appointment, and maybe just maybe this client will pay." He teased.

DEREK

She seemed very friendly, and I already knew she was very attractive, but it wasn't just her body that attracted me to her. Her tantilizing brown locks pulled me in, her smile an unexpected light in a weeks worth of darkness.

We had walked from the coffee shop and continued to talk and I couldn't help but take her hand in mine.

Then we made it, subconsciously, to the Mississippi river now standing behind a barrier that restricted access down the steep cliff that lead into the rivers choppy waters.

"So do you have any hobbies?" She asked me her eyes scouting the river and the trees surrounding it.

"I enjoy the simple things. I enjoy reading a good book, or five. I like going on simple walks with nice women." I say turning my attention to her not being able to stop myself from looking her over once again.

"Then you must hate this." She said with a smirk. "I'm the meanest person I know."

I didn't dignify her words with a verbal response instead I took both of her hands in mine, pulled her very close to me, her hands now wrapping around my waist and kissed her lips gently almost too delicately.

"You must not know many people if you're the meanest one you know." I whisper softly in her ear.

"Oh but maybe you don't know, there are several different types of mean."

Then her hands were down my jeans and under my boxers grabbing at me, stroking me, massaging me.

"Mmmmm now whats mean about that??" I ask my eyes reflexively closed.

But then she stopped. Her hands were now back in front of her.

I opened my eyes and looked into her hers and she winked at me. Then without a word she started walking back to the coffee shop a smile on her face.