As long as we're breathing
It's not too late to change
Your story
~ Sheri Salata
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I don't think I've ever come across a person who's liked sandwiches as much as my dad and I used to, but I've been proven very wrong as I sit across Henry in a sandwich shop watching his face change into the biggest grin when he looks at the sandwich placed in front of him
I guess we don't realize what we have until it's taken away from us, we don't appreciate what we have until we don't have it anymore.
I never exactly took the time to realize just how lucky I was to have two extraordinary parents who loved me with their whole hearts until I lost them both,
I don't think my mother realized nor did she appreciate her health until it was taken away as she told my dad all those years ago,
So all in all when you don't have much in your life you begin to appreciate the little things in life, or just take the time to realize how important everything is.
So seeing Henry getting overjoyed with a sandwich and it bringing tears to his eyes... it breaks my heart to know this man lost everything he once had,
But I am going to do everything in my power to ensure he doesn't have to sleep on the streets anymore, if I can't figure out a way for him to have his own place I'll have to resort to him staying at my apartment ,
Hopefully, Mr. Huxley was serious when he mentioned getting a job for him...and that would be a big start so I seriously hope he wasn't joking about it,
As I listen to Henry explaining his life to me and where it all went wrong, I make a mental note to ask Mr. Huxley if he was serious about the job offer
"I loved my wife and daughter with my whole being, I tried my hardest to do everything to ensure they had the best life I could provide for them, and everything was great we had a nice house, all of us happy and healthy, but then little Annie died in a car crash and my wife and I got destroyed by it, my wife took it terribly and turned to drinking -
She started blaming me for buying the car for Annie and letting her go out that night, pretty much everything she could turn on me she did just that, it crushed me to know the day I lost my daughter physically I lost my wife mentally...she hated my guts and couldn't bear to look at me-
I tried my hardest to help and be there for my wife and with doing so I started slacking off at work with being with my wife so much...it ended in me getting laid off from work, so then I had no job, a wife who couldn't bear being in my presence and no daughter-
I want aware of this but my wife was using all of our savings and the money we had leftover to buy all the alcohol she could, she would go to bars every day spending thousands on drinks, restaurants and anywhere she could, and we ended up broke very quickly because of this, I tried finding jobs and working anywhere I could to build up our life-
But one morning I remember she slipped a drug in my morning coffee without me knowing in hopes of killing me, as she put it 'i didn't deserve to live when I took our daughter away', I ended up in the hospital the next morning from passing out on the way to a job interview, I didn't have a car at that point since I sold it for more money, so while I was walking to the interview I passed out on the side of the road and someone called an ambulance and then I was taken to get medical help-
In the end, the bill from all the medical help I received along with the ambulance came out to a massive amount of money that we barely had, because of that I couldn't pay rent and we got kicked out at some point-
My wife didn't care to stop drinking, we didn't have a lot of money left and she knew that but it didn't stop her from using every scrap we had left for alcohol, I was in a pretty heavy state of depression at that point, the death of Annie along with the hurt of losing my wife's love it hit me all at once, then the realization that we lost our home it took a heavy toll on me mentally-
My wife ended up dying from a massive amount of alcohol consumption and I was left all alone, I got heavily depressed I blamed myself for all of it, the death of Annie along with my wife, I stopped taking care of myself, and at some point when I knew I needed to get my life on track no job wanted me because my ability to work wasn't good enough, so I had no choice but to live on the streets-
It's been over three years since everything happened and I'm thankfully not depressed anymore but no job wants to take a homeless man...not even fast food places, so that's where I am now" he sighs wiping his tears away when he finishes talking
My heart felt as if it was being torn out of my chest and slaughtered, I can't believe this man has gone through all of that, how he tried hard to provide and help his wife just to be pushed to homelessness in the end...
I need to help him out, I genuinely can't imagine me not trying to do everything In my power to help, I can see how good this man's heart is, he deserves a second chance at a better life, he deserves a warm bed to sleep on every night and a better happier life, he's Only in his mid-forties so he still had a long life to live and I'm hoping with my whole heart that his future will have a better memory than his past
I spend the next hour explaining to him my past and everything I went through with my parents and how it led me to today, at the end we're both crying and ended our conversation with a big hug and I promise him I will help him
Even if it's one sandwich at a time...I will make his life better
I buy him a gift card to the sandwich place since he loved it so much, he cried for a while saying he hasn't been this happy for years, and how he's extremely thankful that I came into his life and brought some light into his darkness, and how he will repay me one day for all the kindness I've shown him,
To which I ended up going on a rant that kindness doesn't need to be repaid and how I didn't do everything I did to get something in return for it, I told him I won't accept anything from him and that all I want his for him to be happy and healthy along with staying safe
We say our goodbyes and hug a final time and I rush as fast as I possibly can to the office...I ended up taking over twenty breaks because I and any workout don't mesh whatsoever, I hope that Mr. Huxley is still there, he usually stays over a couple of hours more than everyone else in the middle of the week so he should be there
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Practically running to the office I knock on Mr. Huxley's door twice and catch my breath when I hear him say his usual 'come in'
I make my way into his office forgetting to smile and say hello because all my mind is over-focused on is helping out Henry and needing to know if Mr. Huxley was serious about the job idea
"Hello to you to Vanessa, is it the end of the world or something because you're acting an awful lot like me...no smiles or sweet greetings" Aaron's brows furrow and he watches me carefully
"Oh...sorry hi" I smile slightly
"How can I help you...are you doing any better since this morning?" He asks giving me his full attention
It's sweet that he's taking the time to ask if I'm doing better since this morning I wasn't okay
"I'm doing okay" I nod thoughtfully
"I was wondering if you were serious about helping Henry get a job" I give him a small nervous smile
"Exactly when have I ever joked around with business deals or jobs?" He raises a brow as he watches me carefully
I sigh slumping in the chair knowing very well that he'd never joke around when it comes to business
"Never" I mumble as my tongue goes to the corner of my lip
I notice his eyes follow my tongue as I glide it from one corner of my mouth to the other as I think, I stop it immediately because it's distracting the way he watches me,
He clears his throat before speaking diverting his eyes from my mouth
"I was most definitely serious when I told you I could help him get a job, if he truly wants one and will work hard, I can make it happen...but you have to know I won't have him be treated differently from anyone else, he's expected to not slack on the job and put hard work and time into the job " his serious tone and expression makes me sit straighter in my chair
"Really?" I whispered too scared to speak normally
"Really" he speaks as the corner of his mouth tips into the smallest smile
I practically fly out of my seat as I walk around the desk and hug him tightly, not caring that he's my boss at the moment or anything
His chuckle reassured me that I didn't just do something to get me fired, instead, he pulls me in closer, his hands going around my waist while my arms go around his neck
"Thank you so much" I mumble into his neck
"You're welcome sunshine, how about you bring him over here after work on Friday," he says filling my heart with more joy than before
My heart does strange flips when he calls me sunshine and I don't let my brain think about it too hard, instead, I think about Henry and the job, Friday is two days from now, so that gives me time to talk to Henry and see if he's up for this opportunity
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I grin and kiss his cheek
He chuckles in response to my excitement
"Do you need a ride back to your place? it's dark outside already" he points to the window,
Well crap I didn't realize the time went by so fast
"Umm it's okay I'm sure you're not done with work for the day, I can just get an Uber" I smile and shrug
"I was planning on leaving anyway, it's fine I can take you," he says getting up from his chair, closing his laptop, and crabbing his coat
We head towards the elevators and it's until the elevator doors close that I realized I kissed my boss's cheek
He didn't yell at me or anything for it but now he probably thinks I'm weird for kissing him on the cheek when he's my boss
Oh crap...now I'd much rather run home than be in a car with him, I can't believe I did that without thinking
My anxiety starts growing and completely takes over my body and mind as I think about the fact he's probably uncomfortable with me now, and will probably go to HR for it
But then my mind strays to today's lunch with Henry and his whole story and past, he didn't deserve to have that happen to him, sometimes life is truly unfair,
I don't realize a tear makes its way down my cheek until I feel a hand on the side of my face and Mr. Huxley's finger brushing the tear away as he looks over at me with a confused expression
"What's wrong?" He questions
I take a deep breath In and choose to skip over my overthinking about the cheek kiss and tell him half of it instead
"I just don't feel happy...Henry's past seems unfair, he tried so hard to make his family happy and bring them a good full life, and in the end not only did he lose his daughter and wife he ended up alone and homeless, he had no choice for anything that happened to him and it just breaks my heart" I shake my head looking at Mr. Huxley nodding along
A small little sad smile sets on his face that make me frown "why are you smiling...this isn't the time for you to smile"
He chuckles slightly "I just think it's cute that you care so much that's all...and stop worrying we will help him, I promise in no time he will have a job and won't be homeless any longer" he stares deeply in my eyes making me need to take a deep breath in
"You're pretty amazing" I smile sadly
"So are you sunshine, so are you" he chuckles leading me to his car
___________
When Aaron arrived at my place he opens the door for me watching me step out of the car
"Thank you for driving me, and for helping with Henry it means a lot" I smile
He pulls me into a hug, and my heart stops for a minute at the thought he wants to hug me
It's funny how this big grumpy man who hates absolutely everyone is pulling me into a hug...me his assistant
I've seen the man scream at countless people at work who are doing a 'shit job at their work' as he puts it, I've seen him fire many people in the blink of an eye,
And he never smiles or shows emotion to anyone...
Except me.
And I can't for the life of me understand why, but I don't mind, I adore the sweet, funny side of him
And I'm glad he's allowed me to see that side of him
"Anything for you sunshine" he pulls me out of my thoughts
"So if I asked you to go to build-a-bear and get matching frog stuffed animals with me you would do it?" I smile raising a brow
He smiles.
A big beautiful smile that fills my heart with warmth and swarms my body with the biggest butterflies
"Guess we have one thing down for what we will do on Saturday"
"wait you're serious?" I grin up at him
He smiles a little "dead serious, if you want to get matching frog stuffed animals then that's what we will do"
"You have a beautiful smile, Oh And I'm holding you to that promise" I grin up at him
"I think your smile is more beautiful," he says
"And don't you worry I keep my promises," he says whispers right before kissing my cheek
"Goodnight Vanessa" he says against my cheek
"Goodnight Aaron" I whisper
I turn around to get one last look at him before walking into my apartment
The minute I close my door I feel lightheaded when I realize he kissed my cheek just like I did in his office
Well, I guess my worry was for nothing.
I can't wait to go to build a bear with him now.
And so what if I'm 24 years old I will go get matching frog stuffed animals with my friend if I want to
And at this point, Aaron is a friend
My first real friend since Henry,
And I can't wait to see Henry's face when I tell him about the job offer
----notes----
Hope you enjoyed this chapter (*edit* also fun fact I bought a green frog from build-a-bear for my 17th birthday ð I ended up getting it like a couple of weeks late cus they were out of stock on my birthday (February 7th) but I still got my frog so we all goodð¤ð»ð§ð¼ââï¸
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