Bittersweet Memories (Off-Limits #4)(6)

Dad looks at me and sighs. “Over a year. Far longer than I should have been. Ricardo helped me find a job, and he made sure I always looked presentable. He kept us all fed and as healthy as we could be. Many of the guys that work for me today are people I met right here, people who just needed a chance, someone to believe in them.”

Dad leads me to what appears to be a large sitting room, filled with books and one television that a dozen people are sitting in front of. “You said you wanted some more pocket money, didn’t you?”

I nod, and Dad turns to me. “Come volunteer here once a week, and I’ll pay you for the time you spend helping others. I know you’re upset that I’ve barely spent any time with you lately, and I think it’ll be good for you to spend some time here. We’re blessed, Alanna, but things could have been very different for us. It’s important to me that you remember that, that you realize what I work so hard for.”

I blink in surprise. Work here? This isn’t at all close to our house. It’d take me ages to come here and then travel back home.

“Think about it, sweetheart. If you agree to volunteer here, I’ll pay you twice the rate you’d get working in retail. Go walk around for a bit while you decide. I’ll be right here.”

I nod and look around me hesitantly, but Dad smiles encouragingly and tips his head toward the door behind us. I sigh as I turn around and walk away, doing as he asks.

My heart sinks when I walk into a large room filled with more bunk beds than I can count. I could fit ten of these beds into my bedroom, and it instantly makes me feel guilty for having as much as I do, and still wanting more of Dad’s time. I suppose that’s exactly why he brought me here today, to help me realize what the cost of everything we have is, what his success stemmed from.

“Alanna?”

I look to my side and I’m met with familiar dark green eyes. “Simon?”

He smiles, and my heart skips a beat. He looks older, rougher, but every bit as handsome. Simon is wearing jeans and a plain black t-shirt, but he looks good. What is he doing here? That day I saw him at the cemetery, it was clear he wasn’t poor in the slightest. I still remember the watch he was wearing then. It was identical to my dad’s in everything but the color. Simon’s watch was gold, while Dad’s is silver.

“That’s what you think Si is short for?”

I nod, feeling oddly flustered. “What are you doing here?”

His smile drops, and he cups the back of his neck, his expression vulnerable. “I live here,” he says, his voice soft. “What brings you here?” His eyes roam over my body, and I wonder if he still thinks I’m a little girl.

“I… my dad told me to, um, to volunteer. Here.” My cheeks heat rapidly and I bite down on my lip. Why am I being so awkward all of a sudden?

He nods, his expression on the wall behind me. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Alanna. It isn’t that safe here. I’ll admit that this is definitely one of the better shelters, and they care a lot more than they do in other places. They guarantee a spot for months at a time if you can prove you need it, and that you’re working hard to reverse your circumstances, but we still have many people with mental health concerns, and it’s not uncommon for them to lash out. Theft is common too. You won’t last a day.”

“Why not?” I ask, indignantly.

He smiles then, disarming me. “You’re too pretty, Alanna. You look too sweet, too easy to take advantage of.”

I cross my arms, and for a moment, Si’s eyes drop to my chest before he looks away. “I think you underestimate me,” I tell him.

Si shakes his head. “It’s not a challenge, Alanna. I’m serious. This is no place for you.”

I bite down on my lip as I consider his words, but my mind is made up.

“We’ll see about that,” I tell Si, before walking away to meet my father. I’ll tell Dad I’ll do it. I’ll volunteer here.





Chapter Five





Alanna



I’m second-guessing myself as I pause in the doorway of the shelter. Being here without Dad makes me feel out of place and uncertain. I’ve never really volunteered before, and I’m worried I won’t do a good job. It’s clear to me that this place means a lot to Dad, and I’m afraid to let him down.

“Alanna!” Ricardo walks up to me with the kindest smile on his face, and I smile back instinctively. There are some people that just truly resonate positivity and hope, and Ricardo is definitely one of those people. “Come in, come in!”

He leads me to a small office near the entrance and offers to make me a cup of tea, which I decline. “I’ll do my best,” I promise him, as soon as we sit down. “You don’t have to look after me or babysit me. I’m not here to be a burden to you.”

He chuckles and shakes his head. “You really are your father’s daughter, aren’t you? When he first walked in here needing a place to stay, he also promised me that he wouldn’t be a burden to me.”

My heart aches for Dad and everything he must have gone through. There’s so much I never knew about him. He’s always been my hero, and Dad has always seemed larger than life to me. When we lost Mom, he took on her role in addition to his own with such ease that he’s always seemed like a superhero to me.