Wildflowers; After the long wait

chapter 1

"Boss lady, I got those employee records you wanted." 

Alice looked up from behind her desk in the make-shift container office at the site of the latest building the D Brothers Construction crew were working on. She had been working for the Harrisons for the past five years now. D Brothers Construction Company was one of the best construction teams in the country and she was their on-sight manager.

"Thanks, Lee. I've got to get those forms filled out and down to the ministry of labor before Wednesday."

"Got you, boss." He grinned. She beamed up at her young, nerdy-looking assistant manager. "I'll be back in an hour to help finish up. I'm on a lunch break." 

Alice laughed. She liked her co-workers at the site, most of them were just regular joes trying to make a dollar, to support their families. She had grown up around them and they felt like her family. Her team worked well with each other. It had been five years since she had joined the company and ten since she had her miscarriage.

The night she had lost the baby was the last she had ever seen or heard from Dwayne Harrison, not that she cared to anymore. After the five-year contract was up in Portugal, he went on to do another one in Cuba. She lived like a woman possessed beside the phone for the first three years, waiting for him to have mercy on her and call. Until she realized that she was deluding herself and he was never coming back. She finally decided to stop. Dawn was a great help; he never left her side and he never pushed her in any way. She figured he had some idea of what had transpired between her and Dwayne. He never mentioned Dwayne after that day. She didn't think he knew about their marriage, which she thanked god for.

"Enjoy your lunch," she called as her AM walked out the door. A hand when out to grab the door. Dawn Harrison stepped into her office after Lee.

"Hey, Alli-cat, you want to hit the gym with me later?" He gave her one of his devilish smiles walking into the room. If she was any other woman, she would have melted into a hot puddle of sugary sweetness. Going to the gym together had become one of her therapies towards building back her lost confidence.

"Don't you get enough exercise chasing after Sierra in your dreams all day Cheshire?" Alice grinned. Dawn and Sierra had bonded while they were busy trying to solve her problems. They've been dating six years now and she didn't think the two could be anymore happier than they already were. Well maybe if Sierra finally agrees to marry him. Sierra didn't want anyone to know they were dating until she graduated from law school and got a job. She was away at college, and they hardly ever got to spend time together.

"It's the other way around Alli-cat." He grinned wickedly, sitting on the edge of her desk. Alice sighed happily, looking up at him. How could she have never fallen in love with him was beyond her. She felt sorry for her friend, no wonder Sierra was lost. Dawns sweet smile and boyish good looks could steal the heart of the ice queen. His smile reminded her of Dwaynes. Alice looked away.

Dawn saw the brief flicker of hurt that flashed in Alices eyes, and he knew that she was thinking of his brother. She was still hurting even after so many years, something big had happened between Dwayne and his best friend ten years ago. What, he couldnt figure out and wasnt going to push her for answers. He held onto the hope that she would tell him when she was ready. If not; He promised himself that the very next time he saw Dwayne in person he was going to beat the shit out of him, until he confessed. Dawn and Dwayne hadnt seen each other in ten years. They talked on the phone and video chatted occasionally but the topic of his relationship with Alice was a no-go area. Dawn figured that Dwayne was hiding from whatever was going on between him and Alice.

Alice never asked about his brother and that bother him even more. They never spoke of him; like Dwayne didnt exist. The years of memories they had shared together had seemingly disappeared. What had gone so wrong with them? He was scared to find out.