His last chance

chapter two

The next morning, Tilly and the girls had left the diner as early as they could. They sat in the train with what little of belongings she had as the train rocked and stopped at every station on the way.

Olivia didn't talk she never spoke a word. Tilly was starting to believe she was dumb. She only pointed at things at things and made small sounds in her throat. Only her sister understood her when she did. Tilly didn't want to ask Amelia why it was so. It seemed that both girls were forced to talk less from the trauma of living in the streets and having to take care of themselves at that age. She didn't blame them because she knew if she was exposed to such a life at that tender age she would be traumatized too.

A voice spoke over the speakers letting them know they were at their stop point. Tilly picked little oli - as her sister called her - and walked out of the train with Amelia gripping tightly on her shirt as she'd been told to do in order not to get lost in the crowd.

Once they left the sub way they sat at a bus stop to wait for the next bus to convey them to where they needed to be. Oli was quiet, too quiet and then she tugged on Tilly's shirt and tried to come down from her lap. She squirmed and squirmed until Amelia picked her out of Tilly's hold and ran into an alley behind them.

Tilly got up and gave chase then slowed down when she saw Amelia helping oli squat to pee.

"You could have just said she needed to ease herself" Tilly scolded Amelia

"I'm sorry, I just didn't want her to pee on you" Amelia said and helped oli up then picked her up

"You gave me quite a scare there. I thought you were running away."

"I can't. That would be stupid and selfish of me" Amelia said looking down.

"Selfish? Why?"

"Because if I wanted to run, I wouldn't want to take my sister away from the first real chance of ever having a home, a bed and food in her belly."

Tilly understood her. In more ways than she would know.

"Come on we gotta go so we don't miss the bus." She led them to the bus stop right in time for the bus to arrive. They got in and took a seat.

Oli fell asleep on her sister's body. From what she could tell, they had to leave the city to get to the outskirts. The map she had scanned briefly in the train showed that Antony's address was outside the city. Where it was cool and Serene. Away from all the chaos. She wondered if it was actually his house. If it was the one he lived in. It would be a dream come through to wake up every morning and see him.

She'd finally see him vulnerable. She see him tired, sad, hungry, wet from a shower with water dripping down his body, over his muscular naked chest and his..., Oh lordy. Get your self together Tilly, you're in a bus. She chided herself. But She want to see every part and inch of him. And see she would.

A touch on her right thigh snapped her out of her daydreaming.

"Olivia's hungry. Can we munch on something, please? We did eat much breakfast." Tilly knew why. She'd be hurrying them so they'd get to the subway Early.

"I'm sorry, I should have asked if you were hungry." She pulled out some food, which was actually junk food. But what choice did they have except to eat what they had. She made a promise to her self that she would cook lots of healthy food in Antony's house so she'd feed them properly and nurse them back to good health.

The bus slowed down a few minutes later and Tilly looked out the window to find that they had reached their destination. She bustled the girls out of the bus and payed the driver.

Once the jolly driver was on his way, they stood to stare at the looming house.

"Are we really going to live there?" Amelia asked again with her impeccable manners that made Tilly want to question their origin.

"Yes. Let's go" Tilly said and moved towards the gigantic house. At the black wiry gate, a guard dressed in navy trousers and a white shirt stepped forward.

"State your business" he called out.

"I'm the new cook. Mr Thomas hired me yesterday."

The guard burst out laughing. "You!" He looked her up and down.

"Yes" clearly understanding the fact that he was looking down at her and the girls.

"Get away from here beggar. Mr Thomas would never hire someone like you." With that he turned away.

"But he gave me this card." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the card and held it out to the guard.

"Where did you steal this from?" He accused.

"I didn't. He gave it to me." Anger reddened her face.

"No he didn't. Why would he hire you when he can get professional cooks." He spat out.

"But..."

"Out. Away. Now."he said and turned away.

Tilly looked at the kids next to her.

"What are we going to do now?" Amelia asked.

"I guess we'll just have to wait till he comes out then. At least he didn't say he was leaving the country." She led them to sit on a bench close by.

"What if we go back to the diner?" Amelia asked yet again. " At least we had food."

"Amelia we can't. Even if we could, the diner is being sold to Mr Thomas, that's why he hired me so I wouldn't be stranded." Tilly explained and exhaled and exasperated breath.

Amelia was quiet for a while before she turned to the gates and looked up at Tilly again. "Maybe we could beg for a chance to go in?"

Tilly shook her head. "We can't. You saw how rude the guard man was."

They sat there for hours and when they finally ran out of food, Tilly saw a car approach the gate from the inside. It seemed Antony was leaving. She jumped up and stood in front of the car.

"Oi!! Get away from there beggar!!" The guard shouted.

"No. I won't. I need to speak to Mr Thomas."

The car slowed down and stopped. Then the front door opened and Antony stepped out. He studied her from beneath his black sunshades.

"Why are you out there Miss Milton?" He asked.

"He didn't let us in, we've been out here for hours!" Tilly said pointing accusingly at the guard.

" Fred." He said calmly.

"Yes sir" Fred answered.

"Didn't miss Milton show you the card I gave her?"

"She did but I surmised that she stole it and tried to infil..."

"Open the gates and let them in. NOW." Antony said firmly.

"Yes sir, right away." Fred said and pushed open the gate to let Tilly through.

Tilly went back to the bench to collect a sleeping oli from Amelia and lead them in. She glared at Fred as they walked past.

"Get in." Antony said and got back into his car. Tilly did as instructed. As soon as she pulled open the passenger door she was hit with the overwhelming fragrance of new clean leather and expensive perfume. She helped Amelia in and placed their belongings at their feet.

"Welcome. Fred is a fool sometimes. It doesn't surprise me that he didn't think to call me to ask if I was expecting anyone. I'm sorry you had to wait."

"It's okay. I'd say he was just trying to do his job." Tilly said shyly. Fully aware of his eyes watching her from the rearview mirror.

"A lousy one, if I should say." He said and reversed the car to drive back up towards the house. Antony was quiet and so were the girls so Tilly took the opportunity to look at the passing scenery.

The grass was perfectly manicured and clean without even a single spot undone. There were ornamental trees on both sides of the tarred road. Their names she knew nothing about. Just that they were beautiful and they provided lovely sights and shades.

As they approached the house, Tilly saw that it didn't look so loomy up close only from afar. The house looked like an actual castle.

"A mini palace."she heard Amelia whisper next to her. The girls words were accurate. It was a mini palace with it's towers and chimneys and tall windows and it's water fountain Infront of it.

The house was beautiful. Antony stoped the car and got out. And they hurriedly followed him into the house that would soon be their new home.

He led them straight to the kitchen. "This is were you'll be working, Matilda."

"Please sir, call me Tilly." She said shyly.

"Then call me tony." Antony said.

"But sir, you're my boss."Tilly protested.

"Call me tony or I'll call you Matilda." He said watching her.

"Okay sir...I mean tony"

"Good. Now that we have that aside, the backdoor, leads to the cottage I told you about." He pushed the back door open and they stepped into the open space behind the house. It was another breathtaking view. A pool and Chaise lounge chairs besides the pool. And then a small cottage pool house on the other side of the pool.

"It looks like a mini-mini castle." Amelia said.

Tony looked down at her and smiled. "Yes it is. And it's all yours."

"For a price" Amelia said to him. Tony raised a brow. Smart child, he thought.

"So that's where you'll be staying. It has about three rooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room." Tony said.

" That's more than we've ever had." Tilly said.

Tony said nothing to that and then he handed her a credit card "Fred will drive you to the mall. Get you and the kids new clothes and food for the house."

"But how will I know what to buy?" Tilly asked.

"Just buy anything you want. And don't try to manage anything. Just buy everything if you have to. I have more than a million dollars on that card. You can spend all if you want." He said and walked away.

"Are we truly going to spend that much money?" Amelia asked.

"No dear. We can't possibly need so much."

Tony pushed at the back door to the kitchen and said. " My personal shopper will meet you there, just to guide you through. Make sure to have fun while you're at it." And he was gone.

Amelia suddenly hugged Tilly's leg tightly. "Thank you for wanting to help us" she was crying.

"I think we should be thanking tony." Tilly said with tears in her eyes.

"Yea. We will. When he gets back. Now let's go check out our new home"