Relentless Hope (Resilient Hearts)

by Cassidy, Ashley

  He is quiet for a few moments, seemingly lost in his thoughts before he responds. “You’re wrong. I would have been responsible. Not as a source of your problems, but for having the ability to help and not doing anything about it. There is a reason for everything, and it’s not accidental that I happened to pass by this place at exactly the same time as you were here, hanging on by a thread, twice in one week. I was placed here to give you a helping hand.”

  He takes a deep breath, then opens his mouth to say something, but closes it again. I realize he is struggling with whether or not he should tell me something. He stays silent for another few minutes, and I decide to follow course to give him time to come to terms with whatever he is besieged by.

  After what feels like forever, he raises his head and says in a whispering voice, “You may think you were fortunate to run into me when you did, but I believe it was my luck. I…I’ve lived a very selfish life. I’m not proud of the way I’ve treated people around me my whole life...and I don’t have a lot of time left. I think coming across you was an opportunity...a last chance given to me by the universe to do something good for somebody else to make up for some of my sins. If I had lost this chance because I couldn’t get my head together enough to give you the right phone number, it would have been my loss, and the results my responsibility.”

  He takes a shaky breath and a small smile crosses his old face. “I’m really glad it didn’t come to that, and now we can talk about moving forward with the future. I promise I will help you. I don’t believe in handouts, so don’t expect that from me, but I will make sure you’re given ample opportunities to not only stand on your own feet, but also succeed. If you are willing to work hard, which I think you are, I guarantee you will thrive.”

  I release a breath I had been holding, and a warm soft feeling gradually moves its way up my chest. I recognize it as hope, welcoming it warmly. I am still hesitant to get excited in fear that my hopes will be crushed again, but I let myself feel relieved as I return his smile.

  “I promise I will work hard. I’ve worked hard all my life, and now after becoming almost homeless, I’m extremely grateful for any opportunity given to me and I will make sure to do whatever it takes to use it.”

  “I know you will. I have no doubt.”

  David checks his watch at this moment, as if he’s suddenly remembered something he was supposed to do. When he sees the time, he turns his head towards the car, and looks in between the car and me for a few seconds, appearing conflicted. After a moment, he seems to make up his mind.

  “I need to get back home to take my medicine. I will send Nick back to take you to a hotel for the night, after he drops me off. Will you promise to stay here and not do anything stupid until he comes back?”

  My face turns red at the realization that he feels the need to make sure I won’t kill myself in the few minutes it takes the driver to come back. I feel deeply embarrassed by my earlier behavior, so I jump to explain. “Of course. I promise. I am not suicidal. The only reason I was even contemplating that was because I’m too terrified of living on the streets and I felt I had no other options. Now that you’ve offered to help me, there is no reason for me to even consider that.”

  He nods his head seeming satisfied by my answer.

  “Okay. Wait here. Nick will be back shortly. Get some rest tonight. I will send him back for you tomorrow morning once I find a job for you. We can talk about anything else you need then,” he says before turning his back and slowly pivoting his way towards the car.

  Before he gets too far, I run up to him. “Mr. Pierson− I want you to know how much I appreciate this. I’m beyond grateful and really hope I can pay you back one day.”

  He turns slowly around. “First of all, you can call me David. Secondly, you don’t need to pay me back. Like I said, this is as much an opportunity for me as it is for you. You can pay me back by making the most out of your life.”

  I nod my head and wish him good night. As I watch him climb into the car, I ponder about what he said, and realize that even though I don’t know much about his life or why he feels this encounter is an opportunity for him, I recognize there is a significance to our meeting. It is too unlikely that he would be randomly passing by twice at exactly the same moment I was standing on the edge of the cliff contemplating ending my life.

  I have never been a believer in destiny, but as I stand there staring at the wretched spot I was about to jump from, I realize deep in my soul that fate must have had a hand in this encounter. I try to wrap my head around what this could mean and imagine what life could have in store for me, and suddenly I feel a premonition of more dark days ahead. I swallow hard, blinking away the tears that unexpectedly appear, and try to change my train of thought, focusing on the positive instead.

  Nick gets back in less than fifteen minutes. He jumps out of the car trying to open the door for me, but I beat him to it and hop in. I don’t want him to think he has to treat me like royalty. I am grateful as it is just to have a ride and a place to stay tonight.

  He is quiet on the way to the hotel and I silently thank God for that. I still feel embarrassed at the situation Nick found me in earlier today and I really don’t know what to say to him. About ten minutes later, he pulls toward the entrance of a beautiful hotel. The entrance looks grand, and the place screams luxury.

  Nick walks to the registration desk with me and starts talking to the lady behind the counter.

  “I made a reservation under Mr. Pierson’s name a few minutes ago. Miss…?” He pauses, turning his questioning eyes to me.

  “Aleah. Aleah Lateef,” I say quickly.

  “Yes, Miss Lateef will be staying in the room.” He then continues to finish the check-in process, handing a black American Express card to the lady when she asks for a credit card.

  After I have the room key in my hand, Nick turns to me to give me a piece of paper.

  “This is for you. It has Mr. Pierson’s personal cell phone number and my cell number on it. Feel free to call me anytime with anything you need. I will give you a call tomorrow morning to let you know when I will be picking you up. Do you have any questions or need anything else tonight?”

  “No, thank you. I appreciate all your help. See you tomorrow.”

  “See ya.”

  I make my way slowly to my room for the night, admiring the beautiful décor around the hotel as I go. Once I open the door to the room and see the stunning view of the ocean out of the floor to ceiling windows, my mouth falls open. I have never been to a hotel room this nice. A look over to the luxurious looking bed brings a huge smile to my face. I walk to the edge of the bed and jump up, taking my shoes off quickly. I lie on my back closing my eyes and enjoying the plush bedding. I am so exhausted from the events of the day that I don’t even bother changing my clothes. I get under the covers and fall instantly asleep.

  The sound of a telephone ringing wakes me up, but I am too sleepy and disoriented to figure out exactly where it is coming from. I open my eyes and look around trying to make out where I am and it suddenly hits me. I jump up and pick up the phone before it stops ringing. Nick’s chipper voice greets me on the other end.

  “Good morning. I hope you slept well. Can you be ready in about thirty minutes? Mr. Pierson wants to meet with you at ten o’clock and I want to pick you up half an hour before to give us plenty of time to get there.”

  I look at the alarm clock on the side of the bed and realize it’s a little past nine. I can’t remember the last time I slept so late. The exhaustion of the past few days must have caught up with me, but I feel relaxed and refreshed now.

  “Good morning Nick. Of course, I’ll be at the front entrance in thirty minutes. See you then.”

  As soon as I hang up the phone, I run up to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Thirty minutes is really not enough time to shower and get ready for a girl, but I don’t want to sound whinny and ungrateful, so I rush through and make it downstairs exactly on time. As I start walking out the fron
t door, I notice Nick pulling up towards the entrance.

  Except for exchanging basic pleasantries, Nick and I keep mostly quiet on the way to David’s house. I look around and try to admire the beautiful views, and soon notice that we are pulling up to an iron gate. Nick pulls the car up close to the gate and it opens auto-matically. He then drives up along a curvy driveway lined with tall trees until we come across a circular driveway complete with a marble fountain bubbling with water in the center.

  The house looks huge. I have never been inside a mansion like this. Seeing the enormous estate makes me realize exactly how rich David is and the realization is quite intimidating. My stomach flutters and I feel nerves taking over, but I keep my head up and try to keep my legs steady as I make my way to the entrance. A sweet middle-aged lady who introduces herself as Maria opens the door before I have a chance to knock and greets me warmly, asking me to follow her to Mr. Pierson’s study.

  We pause at the door to knock and she lets me in and closes the door behind me when David asks me to come in. The room they call a study is larger than the entire first floor of my parent’s house. The walls are lined with shelves full of books and there is a huge mahogany desk on one side. There are also various couches and chairs placed around the room. I find David sitting in a recliner having his feet up on an ottoman, and reading a newspaper. He lifts his head up when he sees me and a warm smile crosses his face.

  “Good morning young lady. Did you rest well last night?”

  I return his smile, “Yes, I slept very well. Better than I have in a long time. How about you? How are you doing?” I ask.

  “Me? I’m still breathing. At my age and my condition, you need to be thankful just to have that.”

  Before I have a chance to ask what he means, a serious look crosses his features, and I realize he is getting into business mode.

  “Have a seat,” he says pointing to a chair near the recliner.

  I sit down, waiting for him to start the conversation. He seems to ponder something before saying, “I found a job for you. It’s at my company… Well, I should say my old company. They like to remind me I’m not holding the helm anymore. Anyway, I found you a secretary position at the company. I assume you don’t have any experience in that area, correct?”

  “Yes. I’ve never done anything like that, but,” I quickly add, “I’m a quick learner. I will pick it up quickly. I promise.”

  “I know…I have a feeling you will. That’s why I’m offering you the position. You will have to work hard. I’ll ask them to make sure they give you ample training and take it easy on you the first couple of weeks, but Pierson Investments is a fast-paced place. You will need to catch up quickly.”

  “I will. I promise.”

  “Good. Because you will have to prove yourself. You will be one of the youngest employees and people will wonder why you were hired, and will probably underestimate you. It will be up to you to prove them wrong,” he says enthusiastically.

  “Your salary will be over fifty percent more than a normal starting salary for this position, so make sure you don’t discuss it with anyone.”

  “I don’t need to get paid more than what I am entitled to. I just want a fair chance. I don’t want to be a charity case. I really just want an opportunity.”

  “I understand that and I admire it, but I am giving you a little more initially because you will need it to establish yourself. You will have to buy a car, save up for a deposit for an apartment, and cover your daily expenses. Doing all of that on an entry level secretary salary will be difficult. I want to give you a realistic chance of making it on your own without struggling too much. Even with that, you still will have to be smart with your money.”

  I start to thank him, but he waves his hand to shush me.

  “You start work on Monday morning. Nick will give you the information on where to go and who to ask for. Also, you can stay at one of our company apartments for a couple of months.”

  Hearing him say that is such a big relief to me, it makes me want to scream for joy. Becoming homeless has been my biggest fear in the past few days, and I was worried that even with the prospects of a good paying job, I would still be in danger of homelessness, as I would have to work for a couple weeks before I get my first paycheck. Knowing I will have a roof over my head is a huge relief. I still don’t know what I will have to do for food, but at least I won’t be on the streets.

  Just as I am thinking about how I could get some basic food for the next couple of weeks, David raises his head. “I’m also going to give you an advance from your first paycheck so you can cover your expenses until you get paid.”

  His kindness and thoughtfulness make me speechless. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. I am so over-whelmed by emotions, my throat constricts and my eyes get moist. David seems to sense my emotional reaction, and he tries to make light of the situation.

  “And until you buy a car, you can walk everywhere. I hear it’s good for your health,” he says with a smile. “The office is actually only a couple of blocks from the company apartments, so it should work out perfectly for you.”

  “Mr. Pierson,” noticing the frown on his face, I quickly correct myself, “David. This... What you are giving me, means the world to me. I cannot find the words to thank you enough. You are literally saving my life. I hope I can repay you one day, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to.”

  “You can repay me by using the opportunity as a stepping stone and succeeding in life. Showing your family and the people who deserted you what a mistake they’ve made. Knowing I made a real difference in someone’s life is the biggest return for me. It’s one of the only things missing from my life.”

  I nod my head in understanding. “I understand. Still, I feel eternally indebted to you, and I promise I will do my best to make you proud.”

  A genuine smile crosses his lined face. “I believe you will. It’s time you take control of your life and let go of the pain of the past. It’s time to let hope blossom in the garden of your heart.”

  I stand up to shake his hand and thank him again, before walking to the door.

  After exiting David’s study, I walk slowly down the hallway trying to find my way out of the house. As I turn the corner, I spot Nick sitting at a desk working on a laptop. As soon as he seems me, he closes the laptop and gets up.

  “Ready to go?”

  “Yes.” I nod my head.

  As we are walking towards the car, I wonder about Nick and his exact position with David. He is clearly David’s driver, but seems to do so much more than merely driving. I want to ask him, but fear the question may come across wrong, so I keep my mouth shut and get in the car.

  “We’ll go back to the hotel to get your stuff and then I will drive you to the apartment. I can also show you the company offices on the way to the apartment, so you know where to go on Monday morning.”

  “Thank you. That would be great!”

  The drive to the apartment takes a little longer, as we battle the L.A. traffic, but we stay mostly quiet. After some time, I stop paying attention to where we are going and get lost in my own thoughts, until I notice we are in a parking garage, and Nick is parking the car.

  I get out of the car as soon as we are parked. Nick grabs my bag from the trunk and leads the way to some elevators. We take the elevators to a lobby from which we take another elevator to the twenty-sixth floor. Nick walks me to a door down the hallway and hands me a key to open the door with. I walk inside the apartment that will be my home for the next two months, and I’m greeted by dark wood flooring and granite countertops. The place is not too large, but it is well furnished and is nicer than any apartment I have ever been to.

  Imake it to work on Monday morning fifteen minutes before I am supposed to be there, and take the elevator to the forty-second floor. Pierson Investments occupies the whole floor, and their reception area looks grand and prestigious.

  I walk slowly towards the reception desk as I try to cont
rol my nerves. Today is the first day I have ever held a job on my own, and I desperately want to make a good impression. Not only do I need this job for my own survival, I have a deep desire to make David proud. I try to remember this as I steady my voice when I get to the desk and ask to see Lynn Watson. The receptionist politely directs me to a seating area across from her to wait for Mrs. Watson.

  I sit there for a few minutes fidgeting with my hands and wondering whom I would be working for and what my responsibilities would be, when I hear the elevator door open. I turn my head around in time to see one of the most magnificently beautiful men I have ever seen walk out. The sight of him makes my breath hitch. I move my eyes up slowly from the tip of his shoes to his messy black hair, as I gradually take in his gorgeous body. He is tall, probably over six-feet tall with broad shoulders and a lean, but tautly muscled body. He has vivid green eyes surrounded with thick dark eyelashes, high cheekbones, and beautiful full lips. As he turns toward the recep-tionist, his face turns into a sexy grin, showing off a dimple on each side of his face, and my stomach flips.

  He is exceptionally handsome, but I am aware that my body’s reaction to the sight of him is not merely because of his good looks. There is something about the way he carries himself with a sexy combination of playfulness and confidence that is deeply affecting me.

  He exchanges a brief conversation with the receptionist, and I hear her tell him to take a seat in the seating area, pointing to where I am sitting. He turns around and takes a step in this direction, before he sees me.

  As soon as he looks at me, our eyes lock and time stops. He stops dead in his tracks, rooted to the spot, and I can’t take my eyes off of him. There is a crackle of energy between us, an unexplainable connection. It is as if we know each other from a different life, as if we are two opposite poles of a magnet, being instinctively pulled towards each other.