04 - Little Leo

Five years later

Five years went by. It felt like a lifetime and a blink of an eye all at once. The sting of betrayal from my family all faded into a distant memory. Now, my life was dictated by my little Leo who’s now five years old.

My little Leo, my unexpected blessing was my everything. His bright green eyes and mop of messy brown hair, the spitting image of mine, brought love and joy to my universe.

Being a single mom was tough, a constant juggle between work, daycare, and the mountains of laundry that seemed to multiply overnight. But the exhaustion that washed over me every night was replaced by the pure, unadulterated love I felt for my son. 

At work, Mr. Jones, the rumpled manager with a comb-over that defied the laws of physics, hovered a little too close for comfort again. "Looking lovely today, Rayne," he said. 

I forced a smile, the same practiced one I used to deflect unwanted advances at my fathers agency. "Thank you, Mr. Jones. Busy day?"

“Busy enough," he chuckled, lingering a beat too long. "You know, if you ever need someone to help you out, a shoulder to lean on, my door is always open."

The implication was clear. "Appreciate the offer, Mr. Jones, but I'm good. Just trying to get through my shift."

His smile faded, with annoyance crossing his face before he plastered on his usual oily charm. "Suit yourself. But remember, a hard worker like you deserves a little reward sometimes." With a wink, he left me to be.

I worked as a cleaner at the Grandview Hotel in Chicago. Dating wasn't even a remote possibility. After everything that had happened to me I was unwilling to risk my heart on someone who might not understand the complexities of my situation. Leo was my priority, my rock, and the only man I needed in my life.

The insistent ring of the alarm clock irritated me. I slammed my hand down on it, with a groan escaping my lips. Leo, had decided to forego his usual sleep routine in favor of a late night dance party involving stuffed animals and a plastic drum set. By the time I finally decided to wake, the clock displayed 8:15 AM.

I began to panic. I was fifteen minutes late to work, a cardinal sin in Mr. Jones' book. I quickly woke Leo up and bathed him, and in turn I took my bath. Throwing on my work clothes quickly, I raced out the door, praying I wouldn't lose my job over a single missed alarm.

Traffic was horrendous, a mess of honking horns and brake lights. By the time I had dropped Leo to school and arrived at the hotel, I was already 30 minutes past my shift start.

Mr. Jones stood by the cleaning cart bay, his face painted with anger and annoyance. "Rayne," he said. "Late again?"

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Jones," I stammered, breathless. "Leo woke up late, and the traffic…"

He held up a hand, cutting me off. "Excuses don't clean rooms, Rayne. This is the third time this month you've been late. We can't have that kind of inconsistency here."

"Please, Mr. Jones," I pleaded. "This job means everything to me. I'll make it up, I promise! Extra hours, anything…"

"Unfortunately, that won't be necessary, Rayne. Consider this your termination." He snatched the key ring from my outstretched hand. "You can collect your final paycheck at the office on Friday."

My world tilted on its axis. This couldn't be happening. Leo, daycare, rent – everything depended on this job. "Mr. Jones, please," I begged, desperation lacing my voice. "There has to be another way…"

He shook his head, his face was unsympathetic. "Sorry, Rayne. Company policy." With a final dismissive gesture, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing alone. Tears welled up in my eyes. Fired. How was I going to explain this to Leo? 

On my way out of the hotel, a figure bumped into me. I dropped some of the things I held in my hands. Looking up, I met the surprised gaze of a tall man, impeccably dressed in a dark suit.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, hastily wiping a stray tear with the back of my hand.

Bending down, I began to pick the things I fell moments before.

"Here, let me help you," the man offered, his voice deep and surprisingly gentle. He bent down picking the rest of the things on the floor with me.

"Thank you," I mumbled. Straightening up, I finally got a good look at him. His face was handsome, with piercing green eyes that seemed recognizable. Déjà vu washed over me, but before I could place it, he spoke.

"Sarah?" He questioned, his gaze lingering on me a beat too long. "Sarah Payne, isn't it?"

I was confused, who was Sarah? “I’m, Im sorry Sir but I don’t know who Sarah is.” I stuttered.

"You're… you're the woman from…" He was cut short by his ringing cellphone. 

"Mr," I started, my voice trembling slightly. "I apologize for the… interruption. But I really need to be going."

He held up a hand, his green eyes staring into mine. "Wait, Sarah. This is… unexpected, to say the least. But there's something we need to talk about."

The persistent ring of his phone disrupted our conversation, "Would you mind waiting a moment?" he asked as he took the phone call.

With a hesitant nod, I agreed to wait.