Saving Melissa

Chapter 7

Gavin

Present

Well that date with Jenni was a disaster, I mean it wasn't awful but the end was. I tried so hard to take my mind off of Melissa and everything just felt forced. The kiss may have been the worst part of the date. The kiss itself wasn't that bad, but it was awkward and neither of us were into it. We were both trying to use each other to get over someone but at least we could still be friends. I did value that relationship with her. I was just about to pour myself some whiskey when my phone rang, I looked down to see it was Shawn, of course he was calling. Probably wanted to b.itch me out for taking his wife out on a date.

Funnily enough, the first thing he did was tell me he couldn't believe I had taken her out, but then he wanted to hire me to dig up dirt on Phoebe. I should probably have offered to just do it since I was still trying to get him to hand over his security to me, but f.uck it. I don't care he's an a.sshole, and it annoys me that he treated Jenni like such s.hit so I agree to do it, for an ungodly amount of money, even though I've already done the work, for Jenni.

After I finally got him off the phone I decided to send a message to Ms. Jones. I know I told Melissa that I would come look at the building after the construction was finished but that's not really good enough. Their current shelter will continue to remain in operation and if I'm going to do this I'm going to do it right. I'm not waiting until construction is done to make sure all those women and children are safe, I'm gonna start putting security measures in place for the shelter now. I finish the rest of my drink and head to bed.

I have a message from Ms. Jones when I wakeup the next morning, she seems overjoyed at having me come down there today. I head to the office first to get Nate and Patrick, these two guys have been working for me for a while now and they're probably my two best men. It's hard to find guys you can trust in this business, working in security we deal with a lot of sensitive stuff, you need to have good guys in your corner and these two are some of the best.

"Where we heading today?" Nate asks as I pull up and he gets in the car, followed by Pat.

"We're going over to the women's shelter on 89th street."

"That's the one we're doing the security work for right?" Pat questions.

"Yeah that's the place."

"I thought we were waiting until construction was complete?" Nate says, sounding confused.

"We were, but the more I thought about it last night the more I decided we should do something now. The current center will be renovated on the inside, but the outside will remain the same even after construction of the addition. I don't want to wait another six or more months to get their security systems upgraded so we're going to take a look at how we can outfit the current shelter now, then we'll do the same thing once the addition is built."

"I like that idea," Pat comments, "I don't like the thought of all those vulnerable women there with lax security. That seems like a disaster waiting to happen."

"I agree, which is why we're here now," I say, as we pull up to the shelter. We all get out and go over to where Ms. Jones is standing outside waiting for us.

"Mr. Sinclaire," she says reaching her hand out to shake mine but I quickly correct her.

"Please call me Gavin," I don't think this woman knows just how important what she does is. In my line of work I've seen some real pieces of s.hit and there's nothing I hate more than a man who thinks that he can put his hands on a woman.

"Gavin it is then," she says with a big smile, before introducing herself to Nate and Pat next.

"These are two of my most trusted men, I've brought them with me to make sure I don't miss anything. And Pat here is in charge of all my bodyguards, I think he'll be able to get a feel for who would be best placed here, since I'm assuming a lot of your women have an issue with men."

"Well, yes, you would be correct in thinking that. That was actually my only reservation about the security plan. I love the idea of having bodyguards available if we might need them; but I have women who are terrified of larger men and I worry about how they'll react if they go to leave or come back one day and there is suddenly a big man standing outside the shelter."

"I completely understand that," Pat said stepping in to take over this part of the conversation, "so please let me assure you that I would only select unassuming men. I'm talking about a man that most women wouldn't like twice at while walking down the street because he gives off an air of charisma. That being said, I know some women here would still be wary so I have also thought of putting them in a new uniform, something with your organization logo on it as opposed to our standard black suits. I would also like the ability to bring by the few men I'm thinking of and introduce them to the women staying here before we have any need for them. This way we don't spring anything on the women. And you know what," he said turning to me with his eyebrows raised to his hair line beofre giving me a shrug. I'm not quite sure where he's about to go with this but I trust his judgment. "We recently hired a few women," he continued, "if you think it would make the women here feel safer, I can partner each man with a woman."

I looked at Ms. Jones as Pat finished telling her his plan and she looked like she was about to cry, "You know what, when we got a call that our organization was the recipient of this year's gala I was so thrilled. Every year our budget shrinks and we have to put up more and more money before we get paid. We have a lot of grants that we receive but we have to get reimbursed for them, we don't just get awarded a grant and see the money the next day, or sometimes even within the next year. It's difficult to continue running this place when we have to front $250,000 for one grant and $100,000 for another before we get reimbursed. And now you're here and you're offering us these services free and it's just, so, so,"

"Incredible," Gavin heard a voice from behind him cut in, a voice that haunted his dreams.

"That's exactly it, Melissa," Ms. Jones said giving her a warm smile. Gavin turned around to see her and was surprised to see she was holding a young girl, who couldn't have been much older than one, on her hip.

"I know, they could have offered to just bring us some cameras and been done with it but here you guys are checking the place out, giving us state of the art equipment, providing accommodations for your bodyguards, it's just not something I think any of us expected," Melissa said still looking at Ms. Jones.

"That's why I love this girl, always knows what I want to say, and much more eloquently if I may add. What are you doing here honey, I thought it was your day off."

"It was and I'm so sorry to interrupt. I didn't know you all would be here," Melissa responds looking at me and my men giving each of us an apologetic smile. "It's just that the restaurant called and asked about an extra shift, and I could really use one, but I don't have anyone to watch Charlie."

"Charlie?" I say before I can stop myself.

"Oh yeah, I'm sorry this is my daughter Charlotte, but we all call her Charlie," I can see it now that she said it's her daughter, they have the same eyes.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry you know normally I would in a heartbeat but I have a donor lunch this afternoon that I can't miss. One of our largest donors asked to sit down and go over some financials so she can decide how much to donate this year. Maybe I could reschedule," she tells Melissa, trailing off as she bites the side of her cheek.

"Oh no I could never ask you to do that, it's okay really, I can just, I can tell them I can't make it today. I'm so sorry to have interrupted you all, I'll see you later okay?"

"Yes, honey, and I am sorry."

"Don't think about it," she says as she turns around but even I can see the worry etched in her face.

"I can help you out," I say, the words out of my mouth before I can stop them. What the f.uck is wrong with me? What the f.uck do I know about watching children? Nate and Pat are giving me bemused looks and I want to punch them both in the face.

"Oh, oh, no Gavin, I could literally never ask you to watch my kid."

"I'm assuming that's partially because you don't know me very well and no one wants to leave their kid with a stranger. But I could come to the restaurant with you and watch her there. That way we would still be near you, while you work."

"I guess that was part of the reason, but the other is that I can't put you out like that."

"You're not I'm offering," I say as I take a step forward, and slowly reach my hand out to Charlie. "Hey there Charlie, I'm your mommy's friend Gavin, do you want to hang-out with me today?" I don't think she can actually understand me but she starts giggling and reaches a hand out to touch mine.

"Well, I guess that's settled then," Melissa concedes. "Do you want to meet me outside Trinity Cafe in an hour?"

"I'll be there," I tell her and watch as she walks out the door and I silently curse myself for being so f.ucking stupid.