When I arrived at the train station, I parked my car and bought my ticket. There's so many things going on with me right now, and I think a trip to the city will help clear my mind. Thankfully Mrs. Anderson pays well, so I have a little extra money to spend while I'm with Stacey. I boarded the train, and took a seat. I brought out my phone to listen to music and play games, when I noticed a man looking at me from the corner of my eye. He had blonde hair and blue eyes, and his suit was fitted to his body. I'm not going lie he was hot, but I thought back to the argument I just had with Jason and it put me back in a sour mood. I immediately break eye contact and focused on my phone again. When I looked to peek up at him again I noticed that he began to make his way over to me. I sat up straight in my seat, as he took a seat next to me.
I made no effort to turn and face him, as I continued playing oven break on my phone.
"Ah I hate that game," he said with an amused smile. I turned to face him and smiled to myself. "I can never seem to get past the infinity level."
"Me too," I say beaming at him. "It feels like it goes on forever sometimes I feel like quitting."
"Exactly," he said staring into my eyes. "I'm Aiden Maxwell by the way," he said extending his hand for me to shake it. I shake his hand and smile at him, "Christina Munoz."
"Nice to meet you, so what's a pretty girl like yourself doing all alone on a Saturday?"
"I'm going to meet a friend of mine who lives in New York."
"You don't live there?"
"I used to but I left for personal reasons, what about you?"
"I live and work in New York; I was just coming back from a business meeting in Jersey."
"Oh that's nice." I text Stacy letting her know that I'm almost there. "Hey Christina If you don't mind me asking, I couldn't help but notice that you seemed sad are you sure you're alright?"
"I'm fine I'm just going through some stuff, and my best friend just happens to be away from me so she's going to help me vent." The train stops meaning that we've arrived. I get off the train and Aiden follows behind me. I look around and see Stacy coming in the distance.
"Well it was nice meeting you, my friend's right over there."
"Likewise," he says with a slight smirk. I begin walking in Stacy's direction when he stops me, "Christina before you go here's my card. You can call me if you ever need someone to talk to. I've been told I'm a good listener." If I didn't know any better I would say Mr. Maxwell was interested in me.
I smile and nod my head, "thank you, I'll remember that." Aiden smiles and walks off in the opposite direction.
Stacy runs up to me and hugs me from behind. I let my attention drift from Aiden's back to my friend who is squeezing the life right out of me. "Christina I've missed you."
"I can tell geez I can't breathe." She slowly releases her grip and laughs. "Sorry I guess I don't know my own strength. So anyway who were you talking to?" She looks past me towards the fleeting back of Aiden as he continues to walk away before he turns a corner and is out of our sight.
I pull out the card Aiden gave me and hand it to her. Stacy's eyes go wide, and I begin to freak out, "What's wrong Stacy?"
"Aiden Maxwell, you were talking to Aiden Maxwell!"
"Yes why?"
"Christina he's the son of Preston Maxwell of the Maxwell Models Inc." I give her a blank face, because I really have no clue what she's talking about.
"Geez Christina, did you not watch any television while you were in college."
"You already know the answer to that so get on with it."
"His father owns one of the most prestigious modeling agencies in New York, so what was he talking to you about?"
"Nothing really, he just saw me on the train and sat next to me. I thought nothing of it just that he was a nice guy," I say as we walk towards her car.
"Okay moving on, what was that phone call all about Christina?" My mood dropped the minute she brought up the phone call, which made her even more worried. "Is it your mom?"
We get into the car and she turns to face me. I'm on the brink of tears, and she gives me a hug, "its okay Christina I'm here for you."
"Well Stacy I found out last week that my mother has about two more weeks to live." She covered her mouth in shock, "Oh my gosh honey I'm so sorry."
"Wait Stace it gets better. I tried on a dress at Mrs. Anderson's home, and got caught by her son, Jason. Mrs. Anderson made it very clear that the maids should not try on any of her clothes, and I just couldn't resist. Jason caught me and made a deal with me that if I become his private maid, then he wouldn't tell his mother."
"Oh wow."
"Wait there's more. Jason is very flirtatious and he always coming on to me. The other day he gave me hickey's on my neck which my mother saw." Stacy started laughing, "I wish I was there to see you get out of that situation."
"I tried to make up some excuse like I was allergic to some spices but my mom knew I was lying so I told her the truth. Well anyway yesterday after spending time with my mother I go back home and find that everyone in the house is gone, so I decide to see if Jason is around. When I get to his room he's screwing some model named Amanda, and I was supposed to go to his room later on that night."
"Well did you?"
"Hell no, that's completely disrespectful. So this morning he brought up the fact that I didn't come and I told him that I saw him fooling around."
"No you didn't."
"Yes I did, we got into a big fight and I told him off. He even threatened to tell his mother about the dress," I say as I begin to cry.
"I threw the fact that my mom only had three weeks left to live at him, and that she trumps all the bullshit he was throwing at me. Then I left the house and called you"
"Wow Christina, it sounds like you two really got into it. It also sounds like you like him." I paused and looked at Stacy in disbelief.
"I do not Stacy don't even say that."
"Look at it this way Christina, seeing him with another girl wouldn't have bothered you if you didn't like him."
"Seeing Jason with Amanda did not bother me, it's the fact that he would fool around with her before seeing me that night that's what pissed me off."
"Yes and its called jealousy. I know you don't believe it since you haven't felt like this since your boyfriend from high school, but I think you really like him."
"I don't like him end of story."
"Okay if you say so," she said throwing her hands up in the air. "So what are you going to do when you see him tonight?"
"Stace I don't think I want to go back home tonight, do you mind if I stay with you?"
"Of course not, I was hoping you would stay the night. So where do you want to go?"
"I don't know," I say shrugging my shoulders."
"Christina seriously whenever a girl is down shopping is always the way to go."
"Okay so let's go shopping."
We pulled up to Macy's and parked. "Today's the one day sale so get ready," she said with a smile.
"Ugh I have a feeling this is going to be a long day."
A couple of hours later when we were done shopping, Stacy decided to take me out to dinner. She took me to an old rustic pizzeria, Mario's, just outside of town.
"You are going to love their pizza; it's out of this world. We order up a pepperoni pie and some coke to drink. I take the first bite, and I roll my eyes. "This is the best slice I've ever had."
"I told you so."
"God Stace I hate you, now you're going to get me all fat."
"Please you could use some weight if you ask me."
When we finished eating, we asked the waiter to put the rest of our pie in a box to go. After we paid, we went back to Stacey's loft. She gave me a toothbrush and towels so that I could shower. Once I finished, I saw a change of clothes waiting for me on the sink.
I put on the pajama pants, and tank top, before walking out into her bedroom. "All done," she asked.
"Yup," I say popping the p.
"I still can't believe you met Aiden Maxwell. Most girls would kill to have him just stare their way."
"Not me, I didn't even want his attention he came to me remember."
"He saw something in you that he liked I'm sure of it."
"Okay Stace relax I'm not going to call him anyway."
"Oh no you have to call him, if you don't that would just be plain rude. Besides I think some excitement in your life would be good for you, seeing as you don't like Jason," she said with suggestive eyebrows.
"I don't and we are not going through this again."
"Okay, well let's get some sleep I have class in the morning and you have to go back home I presume."
"Yeah," I say letting out a sigh.
Just as we're about to go to sleep my phone begins to ring. I see a number I don't recognize, but answer it anyway seeing as it could be from the hospice about my mother.
"Hello."
"Oh good Christina, I was thinking I had the wrong number for a second."
"Mrs. Anders... I mean Gloria?"
"Yes dear it's me. I came home and April told me she hasn't seen or heard from you all day."
"Yeah sorry about that I just came to the city to visit a friend. I'll be back in the morning I'm fine."
"That's good to hear, Jason has been in panic mode all day wondering where you could have gone."
"Really?"
"Yes even I was surprised, he's usually cool, calm, and collected, but today he was off and jumpy. "
"Well I'm fine really; I'll see you in the morning okay."
"Okay goodnight Christina, I'll see you soon."
I hung up the phone and turned to Stacy. "Is everything alright," she asked getting up.
"Yeah Mrs. Anderson was just worried about me that's all."
"That's good; at least you know she cares about you."
"She also said Jason has been in a panicky mood all day."
"See I told you."
"What?"
"He obviously likes you. He's been worrying, because you left the house in an emotional state, and drove off in your car. When you didn't return home, he probably thought about the worst case scenario."
"What me getting into a car accident somewhere."
"Exactly, he feels guilty because he knows he messed up."
"I really don't care anyway, let's just get some sleep." Stacy turned out the lights and I crawled into bed.
In the morning Stacey drove me back to the train station. She gave me a hug before I left, "come back and visit me soon okay, and if anything happens with your mom just know I'm only a phone call away." I break the hug and smile at her, "Thanks Stace I don't know what I'd do without you."
I get back on the train and head back to New Jersey. Once I arrive at the station, I take my car back to the Anderson's house.
I open the door, and see April running up to me. "Christina, thank goodness you're alright. Everyone was so worried about you yesterday."
"I'm fine really I just needed some time to myself. Is Mrs. Anderson here by the way?"
"Yeah she's in her office."
"Thanks."
I walk down the hallway, and knock before opening the door. "Gloria."
"Christina there you are, please come in." I walk towards her desk and sit down.
"Is everything okay dear?"
"Actually no Mrs. Anderson everything couldn't be more worse. I found out my mother only has two weeks left to live."
"Oh my god," she said as she place one hand over her heart.
"Dear I'm so sorry, when did you hear about this?"
"Last week."
"If you had told me I wouldn't have had you working. You should be spending every waking moment with your mother."
"Gloria that isn't necessary."
'No Christina it is. Your mother was not only my maid, she is my friend and I would do anything for her. Don't worry I will still be paying you, but you are to not work while you have these last two weeks with her, do you understand?" I nod my head and she smiles. Mrs. Anderson really was a nice reasonable person. I'm glad my mother was able to have her support all this time.
"Good, now I have a meeting to attend, but I will go and see your mother after it okay, so feel free to do whatever you want in this house."
"Okay."
I get up and leave her office only to come face to face with Jason. I stop and stare at him for a moment, before walking right past him. He turns around and grabs my arm, "Christina wait." I look down at his hand and he releases me immediately.
"Look can we talk?" He rubs behind his head nervously waiting for my response.
"There's nothing to talk about Jason," I say as I begin to walk down the hallway. Jason begins walking with me and keeping up with my pace.
"Yes there is, look I know I was a jerk and all but please give me ten minutes of your time." I stop walking and face him. "Please Christina, just ten minutes that's all I ask for then you can go back to hating my guts but I hope you won't."
"Fine ten minutes, but that's all." We walk back to his bedroom and he closes the door. I sit down on the sofa cross my legs and stare up at him.
"Wow where to begin, "he says scratching his head.
"How about you start at the part where you were a complete and total ass to me?"
"You're right I was an ass, and I'm sorry. I had no idea about your mother, and when you told me she only has two weeks left, I didn't know how to respond. I'm also sorry about the Amanda situation. She's not my girlfriend and you're right her being here with me a few hours before I'm supposed to see you was completely disrespectful. I apologize for raising my voice at you. I'm the one who was acting unprofessional, and if we can start over I promise that anything related to me and you will just be strictly business. I won't come on to you anymore, and I will act with a sense of professionalism, so please Christina don't give up on my project. You are the perfect girl for it and I've already started making the clothes. Can you give me another chance?" I sat there staring up at him for a moment, before I got up and started heading for the door.
I saw Jason put his head down, and I turned to face him before leaving his room. "So ten o'clock tonight sound good to you."
He lifted his head and that infamous smirk came across his lips, "I'll be waiting." I nod my head and leave his room smiling to myself. Jason had admitted his faults and he was willing to start over with me, so I gave him a chance to do so. I just hope he doesn't mess up a second time.