His last chance

chapter one

Money. She needed money. She had nothing. Yes, she had a job, but it paid next to nothing. Her salary a month couldn't even pay for the tiniest apartment so she slept in the diner she worked as a cook.

She ate there, she slept there, she did everything there in that ratty dinner. Most evenings after she closed from work, she would pack a small snack pack with burgers hotdogs that hadn't been sold and she would walk around the city.

New York City had ups and downs but some parts of it were beautiful. She would walk round and feed her eyes with the beautiful things she knew would never have. Like Anthony. The god of sexiness and kind generosity.

She had bumped into him once when he was at the park. He was sporting a very, very expensive suit and he smelled of deliciously expensive perfume. His brown hair was slicked back and parted in front. Underneath his suit, you could see his muscles bunching as he did something as simple as tucking his hands into his pockets.

He was so beautiful, she was dumbstruck by him. Even when he'd asked if she was alright. All she had done was stutter an 'i'm so sorry' then he'd gone and smiled. Her heart skipped three beats. He was breathe taking. Even after he'd politely excused himself and brushed past her.

She hadn't moved for minutes. Them she remembered that she was wearing ratty, cheap clothes, cheap perfume and deodorant. Even thing about her was ratty and cheap. Even if she wasn't the definition of cheap, she was fat, plain and poor. Muscular handsome men like that didn't even glance at women like her. Say less of wanting them. But she could dream.

She'd known his name was Antony when she'd heard someone call out behind her. She'd watched as 'Antony darling' had hugged and elderly woman.

She'd watched as rich good-looking people had moved around the park that was now a shopping mall. It appears that they were here to supervise land they had bought, else they wouldn't have even be in this side of town.

Now, she stood staring at him on a billboard. She knew that he was far out of her reach and would always be.

She bit into her burger as she sat on a bench to watch people walk by, some happy, some excited, some in love and walking happy alongside their lover, some sad and slow, others indifferent. she wasn't in any of those groups. She wasn't happy, or excited or sad, or indifferent or in love though she was in love with Antony, it didn't count.

She was just floating in a void. Lost. Irredeemable. Alone and broke. But she did her best. After she'd lost her family in the plane crash that brought her Scottish parents to New York, she'd been alone, wandering the streets until she found that diner. She was twenty four at the time. She had just graduated from college and her family had wanted to celebrate by taking a vacation even when they didn't have much, they still wanted her to be happy.

Her mom, Florence Milton, was a happy woman even with the fact that she came from a powerful family who had cut her off when she fell in love with her father, Joshua Milton. They had been so In love and happy that they were together. Her mom was only forty one when she died. It was obvious She'd had her when she was just eighteen. But even with how things were tough they made sure their daughter was happy.

Matilda flora Milton wasn't happy now. She was alone, had a ratty job and lifestyle. She got up and started to make her journey back to where she'd come from, hf eaten burger and hotdog in her brown paper bag. She walked past a child huddled in a corner. Two actually. The older one was protecting the younger from the cold. They seemed not to much older than five year olds. She knew they weren't or at least she hoped. Little children weren't safe on the streets.

She walked up to them and felt bad as they squeezed into the corner tightly, clearly afraid of the fact that she was a stranger. They were both girls. The older one looked to be just seven. And the younger was just a bit over two. Her heart squeezed. The clothes they wore were extremely dirty that she couldn't make out the actual color. They both had dark hair like herself so she felt a kinship to them.

"Here" she said and handed them the paper bag and a few loose change in her pocket.

"You can come to 'crunch it' diner anytime you're hungry. Just come around back and I'll fix you both something. Remember just the two of you and no one else." She said softly. Knowing fully well that they could decide to bring all their friends and she didn't want that.

She was glad she had the job though else she would be a beggar like these kids. They stared at her with blue wide eyes and took what she offered with a nod and a small "thank you" .The older one had tears in her eyes as she looked at tilly as though she was an angel.

Tilly smiled at them and walked away. Maybe when she had a better job, she could help them. Walking back to the diner felt like she'd been walking forever even though it was just a five minute walk.

When she got there she stopped in her tracks. There was a man in a black suit who had his back to her, talking to Mrs creak, the owner of 'crunch it'.

What was wrong?

Mrs creak didn't get visitors like that. The only visitors she got were the kind that behaved just like her. Loud and annoying. Tilly didn't want to eavesdrop on them so she made to walk past them, but as much as Mrs creak was annoying and loud, she never missed things.

"Oh Tilly dear!, What are we to do this man wants to buy the diner" Mrs creak said and walked up to Tilly hands widespread as though beaconing for a hug.

Tilly froze. Buy the diner? What was she to do when that happened. As much as she hated the diner, it was her home. She lived there, she'd depended on the diner for five years. And now she was to lose it all.

Looking past Mrs creak who liked a cat that finally got the cream, she noticed that the man Standing there was Antony. The Antony. The one that starred in all her wet dreams. That Antony stood there. He wanted to buy the diner just the same way he'd gotten the park few months before.

Before she'd looked up, she'd intended to angrily talk to who ever it was that wanted to take her life away. Mrs creak spoke up to break the deafening silence.

"This is Mr Antony Thomas. He is a conglomerate business man and he will be buying the dinner." She'd said excitedly.

It seemed to Tilly that Mrs creak really did want to sell the diner and she had absolutely no thoughts for the people who work in it. All she cared about was money like the crustacean in the kids series: SpongeBob SquarePants.

"But what about us? Where will we go?" She asked Mrs creak completely ignoring Antony, completely hating the fact that her voice was wobbly and not firm.

"Well you'll find somewhere to go." Mrs creak said offhandedly.

"But Mrs creak, I live here." Tilly threw her hands in the air. " If you sell the diner then I'll have no place to go. I'll be stranded. The money you pay me isn't enough to have a savings. It always goes to food or something petty."

"I know that my dear but it's time you got on your feet. I can't skip this one in a million opportunity just because you'll be stranded. I mean you've been leaving here for five years. Don't you think it's time to grow up and out?" Mrs creak said and brushed past her to smile at Anthony.

Tilly turned away as her shoulders shook with the thought of losing everything, even when she knew she had nothing. She didn't know how she would go on. She had no one, no where to go, she was alone, helpless.

Then a thought occurred to her. What if she asked Antony for help? Would he lend her a hand or would he snub her and act completely cold and indifferent? She wouldn't know if she didn't try. It wasn't a matter of pride. Pride couldn't feed her or shelter her so she had to make a decision.

Before she could turn around and say something, she felt a touch on her shoulder. She looked up to the face of Anthony Thomas looking at her with pity. Her heart hammered in her chest. She didn't want him to feel pity for her. Pity was the last thing a woman wanted the man she was in love with to feel for her.

"I have a small flat behind my house" he spoke softly in his deep voice. "I need a cook, so you're hired"

Her jaw unhinged. she stared at him open mouthed. He'd just given her a job and a place to stay. Who was this man?

"I'll pay you a thousand dollars a month." He added.

"Oh... My... I... Sir are you serious about that" she stuttered.

"Yes so here's my card if you want the job" he reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a black card.

She laughed and tears spilled from her eyes. " If... If I want the job" she burst out laughing while as she continued to cry, she held the card in hands that shook. Her vision was blurry as she looked up at him.

"Why, yes. You'd only be cooking though. I have servants for everything else. So come to the address on the card when you're ready." He said and turned away to briefly wave at Mrs creak.

"My lawyer would be contacting you soon Mrs creak."

"Yes sir. I will be waiting." Was Mrs creak's reply.

Tilly was about to wave at him but then she remembered those girls. Alone and scared. They needed help. So an idea popped up in her head and she followed him to his car and asked.

"I have two kids...sir...may I bring them too?" nervously hoping he wouldn't ask too many questions.

"Of course Miss Milton. You can."

"Then I accept the job." She smiled at him and he froze staring at her. "I will be there tomorrow with them. The kids I mean."

"Sure Miss Milton. I will be expecting you." He said and got into his car and drove away.

Tilly looked towards 'crunch it' and for the second time she was glad that she worked there. Yes, it hadn't been easy but at least now she wouldn't suffer anymore.

Movement caught her eye and she looked to see the two girls she'd promised food creeping to the back. She'd told them to come when they were hungry. Of course they were hungry now.

Well at least she had a job to feed them both and herself included. No more living on the streets and feeding from hand to mouth.

She breathed a sigh of relief and went inside the diner through the front door and straight into the kitchen. She got there right in time to hear a little scratch on the door. Pulling it open she started at the starved children and choked on a sob.

She moved away from the door, gesturing they follow and went to the pots, scrapped off every single edible kind of food that had been left over from the day's cooking.

She placed plates of everything that she had scrapped - burgers, hotdogs, mashed potatoes with gravy, cooked and spiced meat and lastly soup. The children had hesitated to touch the food. She pulled out chairs and helped the younger one sit and wash her hands. The older one compelled by hunger followed suit and soon they were devouring all the food at a breakneck speed.

It looked like they hadn't eaten in days. Or probably weeks. Her heart ached for them. Once they were done, she led them to the bathroom for a warm shower. They hadn't uttered even a word of protest. They seemed to be grateful for the care. Then she gave them some ill-fitting but soft and clean clothes to wear and led them to her room that only had enough space to contain a small bed.

When she'd first gotten the job five years ago, she'd asked Mrs creak if she'd had any room she wasn't using for anything at all and Mrs creak has shown her this small room that had been home for years. This small room with it's equally small window. It was obviously a storage room before, but Tilly was not picky at the Time. There was a bed in it and some old bed spread and curtains that had an inch thick spread of dust on them. She'd been happy to have this small room.

The little one lay crawled on top of the bed and slept immediately her head hit the pillow. It was much, but it was better than sleeping in the streets.

"Het name is Olivia." The older one said to Tilly's back. Tilly stiffened and turned to face her. She hadn't expected her to talk. Yes she'd said thank you continuously to Tilly but it warmed her heart that the girl trusted her enough to give her baby sister's name "That's a wonderful name, I'm Tilly."

"I'm Amelia and I want to know Why are you helping us" Amelia said firmly. Brave girl. At least now she had a full belly she would question her motives.

"Olivia and you shouldn't be out on the streets. You're girls and it's not safe" she said softly as she pulled the threadbare covers over Olivia.

Amelia nodded. And lay next to her sister. "Thank you." She said and shut her eyes.

Maybe it would be a good idea if she told Amelia what would happen tomorrow morning. It wouldn't be nice to spring it up in them.

Now that they had showered, all the dirt was scrubbed off their pale skin and lean limbs she saw that the little one had curly brown hair and Amelia's hair was black, straight and tangled. Tilly had to buy her a new hairbrush once she got money.

She wondered were they were from and what their story was. Squatting, Tilly tapped Amelia on the shoulder and the girl sat up.

"Tomorrow we're leaving this place. I got a new job in somewhere better than here and you're both coming with me." Tilly said.

Amelia processed this bit of information for awhile then said " if it's alright with you then we can come."

"Of course it is. It is. We're all going to have a better life there." Tilly said and got up.

"Good night, Amelia."

"Good night miss Tilly" the girl said and snuggled into the bed again.

Tilly stepped out of the room and went into the kitchen to tidy up. Scrubbing pots and washing the dishes didn't seem much of a chore because for once she needed her hands to be busy while she got lost in thought.

She had enough money to convey herself and the children by subway into his part of the city and maybe a bus around or so but not much. She had to be careful with her spending. She would make them lunch so she wouldn't need to buy food if they got lost.

So she set out to start peeling potatoes for fries. After all Mrs creak wouldn't be needing most of the food in stock since she was selling the diner so she knew she wouldn't mind.

She cooked and cooked and cleaned the kitchen until it was a little bit after one in the morning. Packing up the food, she went into her room and began to pack up her meager belongings. She would need the books she'd saved money to buy, her second hand duffel bag and some of her clothes.

When she was done, her back ached and her eyes started to close out of exhaustion. She picked up everything she need and went into the Main shop to lie on a red leather Booth.

Tomorrow was a big day. It was the end of her suffering. And With That thought and a smile, she drifted into a dreamless sleep.