Chapter One _I lost my job

All Elena wanted was to become the best mother to her daughter.

She showered her with love and attention whenever she could.

Shielded her from the harsh reality of their situation.

No one could call her a bad mom. No one.

****

Elena.

I felt those hands again, creeping up my back and sending trails of pleasure up my spine.

My hands were placed firmly on the table behind me to help keep me balanced lest I slipped and fell on the floor. He wrapped his hand around my neck, pulling my naked body against his, until my front was up against his abs.

"Elena," He whispered my name at first, his deep voice sent shivers through my entire body.

I moaned softly when he kissed me, his mouth tasted of tequila and whatever flavourful toothpaste he used. A delicious cocktail of flavours that made me mad with desire.

"Elena, Elena," He grunted as his hands slipped down my body and towards my core.

I was entirely soaked at this point. I would have given my left lung just for him to plunge those fingers in.

Why was he going so slowly? Damn.

"Elena," the voice ripped into me in a way I wished his hands and tongue would.

Every inch of me was on fire. Desire upon desire nestled in me like a baby growing in my uterus. My entire body was a network of nerves bundled together.

When I couldn't take it anymore, I let out a strangled cry, "Please, just put the fucking finger in me."

My hands found my breasts which I squeezed softly, to get something done at least.

"Elena, wake the fuck up."

The person thundered this time, but it was no longer the voice I had grown accustomed to.

My eyes flew open, and I stood up suddenly, almost slamming my head on my coworkers. The dream slipped away as I found myself standing in the back room of the coffee shop I worked in, surrounded by bags of coffee beans.

I sighed softly as I took a seat on the chair at the side, almost placing my ass on my phone that was barely making it at this point.

I became super aware of my coworker at the side, who just kept watching me.

"Hey Jasmine," I said softly, my cheeks burning due to how embarrassed I was at the moment.

I gathered every inch of strength I had to look her in the face, my lips spread out in a tight smile.

"I just wanted to rest a bit. My entire body hurts and....."

Though the lighting here was bad, I could have sworn I saw her roll her eyes.

She walked towards me and placed her hand on mine.

"You don't have to explain anything to me, trust me," She said softly, "I don't judge. But you would need to explain why you were touching your breast and crying out the boss' name to him because he caught you and then stormed out."

It was at that point I knew I fucked up. It was one thing to dream about your boss fucking you silly in the bathroom, it was something else entirely when he caught you touching yourself.

And not when he was married. While you were asleep.

My mouth dried up immediately.

"Did he look really mad?" I asked, my way of determining how bad the situation was.

The look in Jasmine's eyes told me my situation was not funny.

Like a zombie, I knocked on the manager's door softly. The door opened immediately to reveal my boss, a beautiful man with eyes as blue as the sea while his blond hair dropped over his face.

For some reason, my mind had conjured him as a much sexier version.

"Elena," He interrupted my train of thought, "Come in, and leave the door open please."

That should have been my first cue that something was seriously wrong. The boss never said to leave the door open.

I walked inside, leaving the door open as he had said and walked to the seat that was farthest away from him.

"Listen, Elena...." He started, he looked like a scared child that would rather be anywhere but here, "I don't want to do this...," Then don't. Please don't.

"But I have to. You displayed indecent behaviour, yes, you were in the inner room and no one but Jasmine and I saw you, but what if I had gone there with my wife or with a loudmouth like Tracy there, then what would happen?" He rushed out the words so he could be done with the conversation as fast as he could.

I nodded, taking a deep breath to steady myself.

"Elena..." He started, then stopped, his gaze left my face to the ceiling. He cleared his throat, "I would have to let you go. I'm sorry."

And those were the words. I couldn't even argue because I had gone against the rules, though it was while I was asleep. The rules were the rules.

Fresh tears sprang to my eyes and I tried my best to blink them away.

"What can I do? To resolve this situation?" I asked, desperation clawed up my throat like a parasite, "I would do anything. Please don't fire me. Don't let me off."

This job was the only constant in my life. It helped pay half of the bills and gave me a place for my daughter when I had to work other odd jobs, and I couldn't bring her along.

The boss looked like he wanted to run away from the room. He kept on clutching at his tie like it choked him.

"Please, just go home. Don't make this even more difficult."

I sighed. I didn't want to leave, but I knew that staying any longer might worsen the situation. I had a feeling that if I searched around the room, I was sure to find the Boss' wife lurking around somewhere.

She never liked me.

He didn't say anything else and I didn't bother to ask. I felt so helpless at the moment, a pool of dread settled in my stomach as I spied the lights outside.

I knew no one knew about the situation because Jasmine just wasn't the kind of girl that would spill secrets like that, yet I felt like everyone was talking about me when I came out.

I felt the stares on my back as I walked out through the back door towards my beat-up car at the parking lot.

Squinting up at the night sky, I wondered what would become of me for the next few days when I wouldn't have a job.

Damn. I forgot to ask for my pay for the days I worked this month.

I desperately wanted to bang my head on the steering wheel.

**

"Where's Charlotte?" I asked the moment I saw the babysitter who watched my little girl when I was at work.

She smiled sweetly at me. A young girl of about thirteen, fourteen, or perhaps even fifteen. She looked older than her age, perhaps due to all the work she had to do to put some food on the table.

"She's asleep. Told her a bedtime story about the Princess and the frog, and she fell asleep within a few minutes," She whispered like even the smallest of sounds would wake my baby up, "She said something about a bake at her school tomorrow though....."

Her voice trailed off as I yawned. I didn't know if I should apologize or not, I was tired, she was talking, and none of it would put money on the table.

I smiled softly at her, "Thank you," I gave her ten dollars, "That's for your three days of work, I wished it was more than, but money is a bit tight."

She was a smart one, that girl. She knew what happened immediately.

"Whenever you want me to babysit Charlotte again, please call. I'll be ready," And with that being said, she picked up her bag and walked out of the apartment.

Knowing the way life was in this part, I knew I might never see her again.

My daughter, on the other hand. She was not asleep. She sat on her bed, some sort of colouring book in front of her, while she placed the blanket over her.

I stood by the door, "Seems like you don't like the Princess and the Frog," I started as my way of announcing my presence.

The little scream of delight that came out of her was enough to warm my heart. To tell me that I was trying my best to do enough for my daughter.

"Mummy," She wrapped her arms around me, holding me so closely.

I had no idea when the tears started coming, not until I felt the salt in my mouth. I placed a kiss on her head.

"I'm here, baby. We're going to be alright. We'll be alright."

Those words were for me. But at that time, telling Charlotte seemed to do more good for my soul than anything else.