Chapter 5: Beau

Beau

I felt as though I'd been beaten and hung out to dry.

At that point, and since my lunch with Zoe, I'd been denied for two small personal loans and my credit cards were maxed out. It was official; the financial pits of hell were dead set on dragging me under.

Doing the right thing was hurting me.

At twenty-three, I lived on my own and paid my own bills. Understood that my parents deserved a break. That taking advantage of their generosity wasn't fair.

I should be able to solve my own problems.

I should be able to afford college even if it meant I'd be paying back the government until I retired.

I should, but couldn't. Not when every single door was being closed in my face.

Becoming a stripper was beginning to look very appealing.

Jesus, that kind of money would come in handy right about now. Just a few nights a week; I could do it. A decent club in Miami wouldn't be hard to find. On the beach would be my best bet.

My tits were perky and ass tight. Being a brunette, green-eyed co-ed was sure to pay me more than tending bar any night.

But then again, it would just be my luck that my niece's sperm donor would find me dancing in a club - in one of the many he frequented.

All hell would break loose. I'd crush my parents' hearts.

"Shit. Fuck. Damn," I screamed inside the confines of my car. My hand smacked the steering wheel, and I whimpered in pain. The all-encompassing anger inside was beginning to choke me.

Why had everything become so difficult?

It was bull.

Thank God my AC worked, or the old lady walking her dog on the sidewalk beside my car would've gotten an earful. As it was, the old coot was watching me with beady eyes.

Taking my foot off the brake, I waved to her and drove until reaching the cul-de-sac at the end of that same road. Right in the middle of the beige painted houses sat the house where I grew up.

Light grey and with a painted green door, it was home.

Pulling into my usual parking spot, I noticed a new car in the driveway. Nothing fancy, but new. Being that it was Sunday and my parents loved to host barbecues with friends, I didn't think too much of it.

Not until I realized - saw the bright pink car seat that belonged to Aubrey inside. The hell?

No one was inside the house as I made my way through the front door and down the hall into the kitchen. Noises coming from the back pulled me in that direction. A warm breeze met my skin the closer I got to the sliding glass door.

Hushed voices spoke fast, words jumping at me: school, opportunity, expensive.

Did they know?

"Honey, I'm home," I called out as I passed the door's threshold. The hushed voices quieted down, and all eyes looked up toward me. All familiar except one. The man who sat beside my sister and across from my parents I'd never seen before. Their mirrored expressions unnerved me(-)they looked guilty. "You guys okay?"

"Of course," Mom jumped in, and Dad nodded with a smile on his face. That serene smile put me at ease; had something happened, he would've rushed to explain. "And you, young lady, are early. Need to do laundry?"

"Nah, I'm good. Just wanted to spend some extra time with my munchkin." My girl's sweet giggles met my ears a second before her feet hit the ground. "Have you seen her? It seems my little Aubrey's missing."

She slammed into my legs and flexed her fingers out, asking me to pick her up. Her big blue eyes met mine, all happy and excited. "Titi!"

My eyes watered and wandered over to my sister. "When?"

Aubrey had been nonverbal up until three and since then had learned a few words. Just basics like: hungry, tired, potty, Bubs - which was her stuffed panda(-)and Mom.

That'd been it for the last eight months. Nothing new.

So, for her to call me the Spanish nickname for auntie...

"We've been working with a new program, and she's doing so well. Her therapist referred us to a school that opened near the Aventura mall area and she's loving it. Even her speech therapist is amazed with what this new structured routine is doing for her."

Reaching down, I picked her up and placed her on my hip. "Why haven't I heard about this? How long has she been attending?"

A throat cleared, and my eyes left Gloria's and settled on the man beside her. "I think it might be best if I explain, Miss…?"

He was handsome in a generic sort of way. Seemed tall, sandy blonde hair, and brown eyes. Well dressed in slacks, a long-sleeved dress shirt sans tie, and loafers. Put together in a casual way.

Nothing like her ex.

"You may call me Beau. I'm the younger sister and aunt to this precious thing." I nuzzled Aubrey's neck, causing her to laugh. Her chubby fingers pushed me away halfheartedly.

"Pleasure then," he replied without giving me his name.

"And you are?" Because shit, he was in our home and selling everyone on what was best for my niece. I needed more information on him. Learn what his angle was.

From the corner of my eye I saw the glare my sister sent my way, but I ignored her.

"Sorry about that," he said with a handsome grin. Reaching toward me, he extended a hand out for me to shake, but never made a move to stand up. Odd. "I'm Ivan Scott, director for the school in question."

Red flags were raised.

Warning sirens blared across my processors.

Why would he come all the way out here, on a Sunday, to speak with my parents about Aubrey's schooling? That was something for him to discuss with Gloria alone during business hours in a formal setting on the school's campus.

That's when I noticed his body language. Studied him. How he subconsciously angled himself toward her. How his fingers twitched in the armrest that separated his arm from Gloria's.

Then her blush.

The daggers sent my way demanding that I don't make him feel uncomfortable.

Someone has more than a crush, and I can't tell who has it worse.

I coughed to cover my laugh. "Can you please explain what's going on with Aubrey? What kind of program does the school have her on? Is it a PECS based system?"

He seemed surprised by my questioning, but kept his smile in place. Only looking away once toward Gloria to get permission to discuss my niece's improvements. "Is that okay?"

Holding in the laugh that wanted to escape hurt. "Were you not discussing this prior to my arrival? Do I need to leave?"

Ivan shook his head. "Of course not. Just didn't realize I'd be dealing with someone familiar with the process...to be honest, that makes it easier. Teacher or student, Beau?"

"My girl should've been a lawyer," Dad interjected with a laugh and a raise of his half-empty glass of iced tea. "Argumentative, determined...a pit bull when it comes to getting facts. Pumpkin has always made her pops proud."

"Not going to happen, old man." I rolled my eyes, causing Aubrey to giggle once more before she snuggled into the crook of my neck. Gloria held her hands out for me to pass her over, but I shook my head before kissing the crown of her head. "Lawyers don't get to hang out all day with the cool kids like I do."

"Pumpkin, you're killing this old man's dream."

Ignoring Mom's snicker and Dad's grunted response, I turned my attention back toward Ivan. "You must understand that this is my area of study. Anytime I see something be successful with one child, I like to do my research. Find out how I can implement it on the kiddos I work with through my student teaching."

"That's really admirable." Ivan gave me a head nod.

"To learn is to grow."

"In other words, she's the book nerd of the family. The boring one," Gloria snorted, and I flipped my pointer finger at her. It was our private joke. It'd be wrong of us to teach the little girl in my arms to flip someone off.

Laughter followed the act. Well, everyone except my sister's companion and Aubrey, who had no clue as to why her crazy family was acting a fool. That, and she was too busy trying to fall asleep.

A nap does sound glorious right about now.