Wrecked

SEVENTEEN

That afternoon, Steve placed called through to Dr John Paul and invited him and his wife to dinner at his house on Friday. He had gladly obliged asking if it was okay to bring dessert. Steve had refused telling him he had a cook.
A knock came on his door and David peeked in.
"Am I allowed?"
"Of course."
David walked in closing the door behind him. "You have a meeting with the furniture company in an hour. Ready for the presentation?"
"Always."
David grinned. "I wish you'd be more positive in your personal life."
"I am. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have taken my son and Jody to live with me."
"Speaking of that, do I prepare to go to court?"
"No. Tory needs a counselor to help her out of her depression and he says it's helpful if Jody was close by. My father dropped it as soon as I told him that."
"Hmm. Okay. Looks like you won this one."
"Yes. Hopefully, there won't be a next time. After, my consultation with Greene and Harrington, I was thinking its time I took my own advice."
David raised his brow. "To expand? You think Howard Incorporation is ready for that?"
"I think so. We will still be a consulting firm, that's for sure. If the contract with the furniture company is signed today, we will be able to inform our clients that they could trust us to not just take care of the theoretical aspect of their expansion but the practical aspect too."
"Hmm. Sounds like a great idea. Expansion comes with location and a new building would need furniture. How about public awareness?"
"Would adding advertisement to the firm be too much?"
"If we employ the right people, then no."
"Any ideas?"
"I can check. We need a catchy topic to launch the new partnership as well as the expansion. Something that convinces the public that it's more efficient to employ a firm at a time?"
"How about this publication: 'The best way to acquire cost effective and time efficient services'."
Time passed after that conversation and then he hurried out to pick Tory and Vincent. The thought brought a smile to his face. Since Tory was close by, he picked her up first and then drove in the opposite direction to pick Vincent up. As he drove, he turned down the radio and listened to Tory blab about her day at school.

* * *

The package came at six when she had just walked out of the diner. The young boy looked about seventeen.
"Good day ma'am. I'm assuming you work in this diner?"
"yes."
"Do you know a Jody Howard?"
"I am her."
"Oh. Someone purchased this and asked to deliver it to you." He placed the package in her hand as though she was a child
"What's that?"
"I think you should see for yourself. Good day." He hurried away before she could hand it back.
She tore open the wrapped pack and gasped at the sight of the iPhone. She caught the card before it fell of.
"So then I'm not the only admirer."
She jumped at the deep voice and turned to see Zach with a smirk on his face.
"I'm married." She told him firmly and moved away. She knew it was sad to use that excuse when she could have just said she wasn't interested but she wasn't in the mood.
She took out the card from the envelope and froze at the words.

No is easy. Yes is easier. When fully
persuaded, or don't you think so?
Anyways, you have something of mine.
And I intend to collect.
P. S: Congrats on your new phone and stop
using that crap.

She looked around.
No one looked strange to her.
No one seemed to be paying her any attention.
She had something of his?
Or she assumed it was a man, right?
No, she wasn't going to let him drive her crazy.
She saw a trash can and ran to it and threw the pack inside.
And then she ran when she saw no cabs were coming her way.
She ran.
And ran.
It didn't matter that she was weak because the last time she ate was yesterday.
All that mattered was that she wanted to live.
For her children.
When she stumbled to Steve's gate and knocked, she was grateful when Tim opened up almost immediately.
She nodded, too weak to say a word.
"You don't look well at all, Jody."
She nodded that she was fine and literally dragged herself to the porch and knocked, trying so hard to keep her feet from shaking so violently.
Her vision blurred but she forced her eyes open
"Jody, I told you--My God, what happened to you?"
"Nothing" She forced herself to say. "Just tired from all the work." Her voice shook and she hoped Faith didn't notice. "I won't have dinner. Too tired."
She brushed past Faith and went in, trying to keep her legs up and her eyes open but before she gather her wits, she was falling and the only thing she heard as she fought for consciousness was her children's voice.