To Be Yours Again-Chapter 236 Those girls

*DANICA*

"I’m not flirting...."

“Well, Andro, I have a rule my employees always maintain, don’t have anything to do with the customers except giving them what they ordered for."

"I haven’t been flirting with them, they’re the ones always coming around to see me. Fine, some had asked me out on a date but I declined.”

They asked him out of a date?!

Who raised those girls?!

"And beside, I don’t think you have any rule against that, I saw Cora the other day..."

"You don’t need a cellphone, Period!" I stated, flatly.

I turned around to leave but sweet-edged shock ripped through me as he held my hand.

"I just want to say thank you for everything, I’m sorry about buying clothes on credit, I just felt compelled to. I know you think I’m a bad person but I’m going to try and be good, I can be good, Danica."His expression softened, becoming almost... vulnerable.

He stood up and suddenly hugged me.

My cheek was pressed to his shirt, his heartbeat strong under my ear.

My tensed muscles melting.

I told those muscles, very sterny, not to bow to the enemy.

I should not be inhaling his scent like it was oxygen.

I quickly pushed him backward.

"I’m sorry, it’s just..I... gratitude and..." He stuttered.

"Good night.”I said.

"Good night, Danica."

Why was he pronouncing my name like that?

*********

*LORENZO*

I loved my three days off.

And I mostly spent it with Lucy.

Helping her with her homework, listening to more stories of her life. And playing games with her.

Danica had three employees, me, Cora and Markus.

Markus and I became friends and I was glad to finally have someone to talk to about guys stuff.

"How are things with Danica? Is she still mean to you?" He asked when I resumed work again.

"Well, she isn’t exactly yelling at me for nothing as before but there’s still the cold look sometimes.”

My eyes darted around the restaurant and I found her attending to her customer.

I caught a man staring at her ass, she really do have a nice behind.

I recalled the hug we had shared.

I don’t know where I summoned up the courage to hug her but when I did...I just wanted to stay like that for a while.

I felt warm and comforted.

From this confusing life that I found myself.

"Anyway, Bianca won’t stop talking about you. You are getting the girls in this neighborhood under your skin"

I laughed. “I didn’t do anything."

It was not my fault that I was hot.

I guess they aren’t used to seeing a hot man around here.

"Tell me, Prince Charming, what kind of spell are you using on them? I swear if I were in your shoes, I would...."

"You two didn’t come here to talk about girls, did you?"

Yep!

Iron Lady was here.

"Markus, get to work!You...come with me"

I gulped.

What did I do now?

When we got outside, she handed me a piece of paper.

"Go pick up Lucy from school, that’s the address.” She instructed.

I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

I have to get used to taking orders from this little woman.

********

"Andro!"Lucy squealed and ran into my arms when she saw me.

I ruffled her hair.

"Did you get everything that was taught today into your pretty little head?"

She giggled."Yep"

"Good day, mister"

I looked up to see a lady.

"Lucy’s mom told me to pick her up.”I said before she would think I was a kidnapper or something.

"Oh, you’re related to them.."

"Kinda."

"I’m Mona, Lucia’s teacher.” She said, stretching out her hand.

I shook her.

"I’m Andro."

"Alejandro."Lucy corrected.

I grimaced. “Any name she says then.”I let out, jokingly and we laughed.

"Nice meeting you, Alejandro. Can I have your number? You know...in case I have anything to tell you concerning Lucy."

"I don’t have a phone."I replied.

"Oh.” She bit out, disappointedly.

"We have to get going now, bye Miss Mona.” I announced.

"Just Mona is fine.” She replied, slunging me a smile.

*******

"I love it that you picked me up from school today...I’ve always felt bad seeing my friends’ Dads coming to get them.” Lucy said to me as we walked home.

Was that why she had been so sweet to me?

Was she suddenly seeing me as a father figure in her life?

I swallowed.

I was so not ready for that.

"What happened to your dad?"

"I don’t know. Mommy doesn’t talk about him...no matter how hard I had asked."

We came by a small park.

"I wanna get on the swing"

"Lucy..."

Before I could protest, she ran into the park and got on it.

"Come on, Andro."She urged.

I laughed and walked forward to stand behind her, pushing the swing to and fro until my arms ached.

I was relieved when she got out of it then into the slide.

When she finally got tired of playing, I had to carry her on my back.

"I wish you could stay with us for a very long time"

I laughed.

This girl had her own plans for me.

But I know I couldn’t stay.

Soon, I would have to go back to a life I don’t even know of yet.

**************

*DANICA*

It’s been a while since I sent Lorenzo to get Lucy.

I stood in front of my restaurant, stomping my foot, getting ready to tongue lash him the moment he gets back.

Then I saw him approaching with Lucy on his back.

He was talking and laughing with her and Lucy seemed to be over the moon with joy.

Seriously?

I’ve been trying to make Lucy stay away from him.

She can’t have any bond with Lorenzo because it would break her little heart when he had to eventually leave.

I didn’t know simply telling him to pick her up from school would make this bond grow stronger.

I know what my daughter desperately craves and I couldn’t give it to her.

Given that Lorenzo was now living with us, she was seeing it in him...seeing us as a family.

This was crazy.

Even if he was her real father, it didn’t matter because he could never have a life with us.

"What took you so long?" I asked, sternly, when he walked up to me.

He bent down a little and Lucy hopped down from his back.

"I played on the park, mommy...it was my fault...please don’t be mad at him"

I sighed.

Apparently, everyone sees me as the bad person when it comes to dealing with Lorenzo.

"I’m not mad, honey, go freshen and come down to eat"

She smiled and walked away.

I glanced at Lorenzo and walked into the restaurant, not having the energy to berate him at the moment.

**********

At the middle of the night, I came awake with a start wondering what had woken me up.

Then I heard his voice, Lorenzo...He sounded ill at ease...I hurried out of my bedroom to the living room and found him murmuring "Dad" in his sleep.

I bent before the couch and tapped him.

"Loren...Andro...wake up...wake up... you’re having a nightmare"

His eyes opened and he sat up, breathing heavily.

I slowly sat beside him.

He suddenly had tears on his eyes.

"I don’t think I have a Dad."

I frowned. “How do you know that? What was your nightmare about?"

"I was at a cemetery and I saw a man who looked like me but older getting lowered into the ground.”

He sighed, finally getting a hold of himself.

"I can’t remember much of the nightmare anymore, maybe it’s just something my mind made up, I mean, my brain’s pretty empty.”

I could tell he didn’t want to believe that he truly didn’t have a father.

He still had one before he broke up with me years ago.

I don’t know if anything had happened to his dad.

I don’t want to comfort him but I held his hand ignoring how uneasy it made me feel.

"Just get some sleep... I’m sure it’s just a random nightmare.” I let out in an effort to make him feel better.

He stared at me, intently.