When “I” is replaced with “we” even illness becomes wellness. – Malcolm XReese preferred the Golden Iron gym over the bigger gyms. There were usually fewer people. He liked the owner. Although he wasn’t gay, he enjoyed flirting with Preston. And the pools.He was doing laps, well, umm, without doing laps. The current in the ten foot square pool was turned up almost all the way. He had been going at it for about thirty minutes and was getting ready to get out. With a warning beep, the timer started to lower the strength of the current.Even over the mechanisms, water and his own ragged breathing, he heard the giggling. Giggling like that belonged to girls. The ones around Dean’s age, maybe a little older. The ones that meant trouble. He knew that he did not look his age. But he was old enough to be the father of the majority of the girls that had been hitting on him lately. Or, as his lovely nieces pointed out, their grandfather. The machine beeped letting Reese know that he only
Please don’t cry, dry your eyes, never let up. Forgive but don’t forget, girl keep your head up. – TupacBunny worked a few blocks over from the Cooper Stone building where Helen worked. Friday afternoon Jaxon called her and asked if she could take his mom home because he had to finish up on the rig he was working on. Happily, Bunny agreed. It was nearly seven thirty when Bunny walked into the house. She stalked over to where Jaxon sat on the couch with Ty and they could tell that she was pissed.“Call your brother and sister. I need to talk to the three of you. Now, damn it!”“Okay, is everything okay?” he asked scrolling through his phone to get to their numbers. “No, nothing is okay.” She stormed to the kitchen and yanked open the freezer. “Why the hell do we not have ice cream?”Twenty minutes later, JD showed up and shortly after that so did Jolene, with ice cream. “Do you remember a day last week when your mom was out later than usual and you all went stupid?” Bunny demanded
Be stronger than what breaks you. – Sara SinghalJolene received the call from Jaxon and quickly left her apartment. She thought nothing of it as she pulled out of the parking lot and waved at the cop car that passed. Inside the car, the officer called Hank. “Hey, it’s Geneva. I just passed your apartment and saw your wife leaving.”“Really?” Hank replied trying to think if she had said anything about going anywhere. “I’m sure it’s nothing but I’ll call her to make sure that everything is okay.”The officer didn’t think that he was doing anything wrong. If his wife was going out when he was working a late shift he would want to know. They saw the horrible side of people. Their wives were too soft and innocent to be exposed to something like what they experienced.Hank pulled up the first app on his phone and checked to see where she was. The air tag that he had hidden in her car showed that she was headed down Milford Road. Pulling up the other app, her phone showed the same. He clic
Keep taking time for yourself until you’re you again. – Lalah Delia“Miss Helen!” Freddie exclaimed when she and Bunny walked into the nail salon. “We were worried!”It had been two weeks since she had been in to get her nails done. Bian was excited to see show off her wedding pictures. And that she had worn the bracelets that Miss Helen had gifted her.“I’m sorry. I had car problems.” Helen apologized with a sincere smile. “Don’t worry, I’m here!” Bunny laughed as Helen entered her phone number on the keypad. “What’s that for?”“Rewards program.” Helen smiled. “Maybe I should sign up for that.” Bunny mused.“Oh, Miss Helen, I have gift for you.” Freddie said pulling an envelope out if a drawer. Helen removed the card and looked at the elegant writing inside it.*Helen, your kindness made my niece’s day so much better. Please accept this small gift as a thank you. Uncle Owen*“Oh, the girl that sat next to me last time.” Helen smiled. “Her date to the fall dance dumped her the day
I love how I look. I’m a full woman and I’m strong, and I’m powerful and I’m beautiful at the same time. – Serena WilliamsReese pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant that his sister, Gina, had set the blind date up at. It was an upscale steak house with valet parking and a cigar bar. And a cognac that he only carried at one of his bars.He knew this because, unbeknownst to his sister, and most other people, he owned it.Everyone knew about his clubs and bars. But under O.A R. Investments, he owned the Oar House, Pier and Beam and this place, Cognac. Under Reese Enterprises he owned his other properties and bars; Dean’s List which was in an old library, Constellation in the old planetarium and Open Air which was at the top of a high rise. He loved old buildings and repurposing them. The architecture and detailing could be replicated, but it wasn’t the same. Sure Dean’s List no longer held the smell of old books, but the old shelves were still there. And Constellation had a wo
While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about. – Angela SchwindtAfter Tru left, Reese drove around to the back and parked in the owners spot. He didn’t usually do this, but there was something that he needed to check on.He slipped in through the employee entrance and took the stairs up to the third floor. Two IGYS guards sat at a monitor display watching the various screens.“Any issues?”“None here.” Clayton reported. “Constellations had a fight. Parties have been removed.”“Good.” Reese replied as he headed for the door marked private. Entering his code on the keypad, he opened the door and crossed the office. The second door required another code before opening. The apartment was tucked away and hidden for a reason. Reese was here to make sure that it was ready to be used if needed.It was one of the charities that he supported. The Family Advocacy Center had a side that many did not know about. One that he and several others sup
You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. – Cayla MillsBunny had two phones. Her personal phone and the emergency phone. There were no names to any of the phone numbers stored in the emergency phone. Initials and an eight digit date followed by special characters. Each entry represented a woman, child or family hiding from an abuser.No matter where she was, what she was doing, when that phone rang, she answered. She was sleeping between the two men. Her head rested on Jaxon’s shoulder and Ty was starfished behind her. She and Jaxon were both snugglers. Ty tried, but once he was asleep, he had a tendency to take up as much space as possible. His most common position being the starfish. The emergency phone started ringing and before she could reach over Ty, he was handing it to her. Jaxon got up and went downstairs to fix her a cup of coffee. She had her advocacy uniform set aside to pull on in an event like this. Black denim jeans, dark blu
Everything is within your power, and your power is within you. – Janice TrachtmanYesterday when they had gotten together at Jaxon’s house for Sunday dinner, Helen’s adult children, had told her that she should take some time for herself. It was what she wanted to hear for years. She wanted to be noticed. To be appreciated. And finally she was. Jaxon even gave her a gym bag with goodies. Inside was the outfit that she had bought and two more. There was a cute pink water bottle that declared ‘I’m a mom of three… you don’t scare me!’ There was also a motivational workout and food log. In addition to everything else, there was a gift card to the local sporting goods store. “You’ve got this, mom.” JD told her.Jolene seemed off. More quiet than usual. But midterms were right around the corner and Hank dismissed their concerns. “My girl is going to be the best teacher this town has ever had.” He had boasted and said that he was going to get her the best school ring ever seen. She had