by A. Marie
CARE
A. Marie
All Rights Reserved A. Marie
No parts of this book may be reproduced in any forms or by an electronic or mechanic means including information storage and retrieval systems, except in case of brief quotations.
All characters and events portrayed in this book are fiction or are used fictitiously. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
For John Lindsey Walker
Prologue
It began with the want of a garden. She got the best soil she could find, planted the plants she'd always wanted to have. She even made sure to water it and went as far as singing it a song every day. The girl always cared for the plant even when months passed and not even a single stem sprouted.
As time passed, she watered it less, did not bother to use her beautiful voice to sing to it. More time progressed, and she didn't even bother to check on her garden at all anymore.
Her grandmother’s eyes fell to look at the abandoned garden with a frown. On that day, she went up to her granddaughter and asked, "why have you given up on your garden?"
The girl had a look of hopelessness on her face as she and her grandmother strolled over to the not-yet-bloomed garden. Her shoulders hung in defeat as she pointed towards it with a look that said, 'it's obvious.’
Her grandmother could see the failure on her face.
"I care for my garden, granny. I watered it. I bought the best soil I could; I even sang to it just to get them to grow. I put so much care into them. I just wish they could give something in return," she whispered sadly—her eyes on the plot before her.
"You care? Well, that is an excellent start. Sometimes, caring can be enough, but I didn't raise you by simply caring for you. I raised you by constantly trying new things to make you better; by loving you, by supporting you, teaching you, and most of all, never giving up on you," she told her granddaughter before getting down and pulling out the seeds the girl had planted.
"Granny, what are you doing?" the girl asked with her shock evident on her face.
She could not believe her grandmother was tearing apart her months of dedication. It may have been nothing, but at least it was hers.
"Silly girl, the only reason your garden hasn't grown was because you placed them in the shade. Plants need sunlight to prosper," the grandmother told her, chuckling lightly.
"I never thought about that.”
"You see, girly. You gave up on something without ever giving it the chance to grow. Before you stop caring and you give up, make sure you remove the darkness," her granny said.
The girls' eyebrows eased as she nodded her head.
"When I continue to care without ever giving up again, and since we took it out of the darkness—does that mean my garden will finally grow?" the girl asked her. Her big doe eyes watching her grandmother curiously.
"No, but it means you are giving it a chance to."
CHAPTER ONE
Care for Butterflies
"I used to have sex all the time. I did it every day, every minute, almost every man. It didn't matter if he was married or single. I was a woman who loved to be satisfied," Miss Paola had stated as Avelina finished making her food.
"Sounds like you were never bored," Avelina chuckled in response.
Her back was facing the older woman, but she knew that Miss Paola was rolling her eyes. A scoff left the woman's mouth, leaving Avelina to smile softly. "I wasn't bored because I didn't spend my days taking care of old women like me.”
"What if I said that I have fun taking care of others?" Avelina questioned just as she placed the Chicken Alfredo on a plate.
Once again, Miss Paola was rolling her eyes.
"Then you'd be a goddamn liar.”
Avelina set the plate down on the glass table; her smile never faltering. "It’s not a lie, Miss Paola.”
Despite her age, Miss Paola didn’t look a day over forty. She had her hair up in an elegant updo, and she wore her usual business-like wear. For her to be older, she never seemed to be dressed down. Even her makeup looked professionally done.
"Aren't you, Brazilian?" The woman asked annoyedly.
Avelina watched Miss Paola get up from the couch and walk over to her seat at the table, grumbling underneath her breath.
Nodding her head, Avelina sent her a smile to ease the older woman from her grouchiness. Miss Paola always seemed to be in a cranky mood, no matter how hard Avelina tried to be kind.
“If I hadn't had gone through menopause already, I might be jealous of you," she said with a slight eye-roll.
Avelina couldn't stop her eyebrow from rising as she processed her words. It didn't seem like much, but it was the closest Avelina had ever gotten to a compliment.
"And why is that?"
"You have a nice figure, and your facial features don't make me want to throw up. I believe you should be out there putting your body to great use rather than here, taking care of me like I'm some sort of toddler," Miss Paola spoke.
Avelina couldn't hide the small smile on her face.
"I guess I'm just not the type. I prefer to be home or out doing my job.”
"You know, I own this hotel. All you have to do is come by for a room, and I'll let you have it for the night," she chuckled after thoroughly chewing her food and swallowing it.
Avelina turned towards her with a playful look on her face just before shaking her head.
"Fine, I give up trying to live my youth through you. You're just boring," Miss Paola muttered.
Miss Paola was ridiculously wealthy. The hotel she was currently living in was not just a simple hotel. It had to have had many penthouse suites, one in which she resides. The building reaches the sky, and only the classiest of people seem to live in it. Avelina would've never guessed that she had to take care of the millionaire who owns it.
The caretaking agency in which Avelina worked had seemed to grasp an upgrade. She went from taking care of people who lived in small apartments to people who were the richest of the rich. The only thing that she disliked most about the upgrade was that the wealthier the person was, the crueler they treated her. Luckily, she had gotten used to the treatment.
When Avelina had finished the dishes, she searched for Miss Paola until finding her sitting outside on the balcony. The woman seemed to be in deep thought as she looked out on all the color New York had to offer her.
Quietly, Avelina walked out and stood right beside her, leaving the wind to whisk through her hair.
"When I was little, my grandmother used to tell me about New York. She said all my dreams would come true. It hasn't yet, and I don't think it ever will," Avelina said randomly.
"What were those dreams?" The woman asked her.
The colors danced around the city as the loud honks and conversations of people joined in. If looked at too closely, no one would be able to detect the beauty in it all.
"To become someone I could be proud of, like a caterpillar to a butterfly,” Avelina said with a small smile gracing her lips at the memory.
"You know, you're the first caregiver that I didn't fire in the first two weeks," Miss Paola stated.
"Let's get you to bed, and then I will see you tomorrow,”
Avelina pushed open the double doors to the penthouse before stepping inside. Miss Paola let out a groan as she followed the girl. They walked up the stairs and to the vanilla-scented master bedroom.
Avelina aided Miss Paola to her bed. Peeling away the duvet, she left enough space for Miss Paola to get under the covers. The woman seemed irritated because someone was tucking her into bed as she laid down on the sheets.
"Goodnight, Miss Paola," Avelina smiled just before switching off the lamp.
She then walke
d out of the bedroom, where she wandered back down the stairs and towards the front door.
Her shoes clattered against the marble flooring as she made her way back to the elevator.
John, the elevator operator, stood by the elevator, waiting for an attendant. The moment he saw Avelina, his lips pulled up into a smile.
"Avelina, how has Miss Paola been doing?" He asked just as she walked into the elevator. He already knew exactly where the young woman needed to be without having to ask; she had to go to the bottom level to get herself a taxi.
“She's been better," she answered him, a polite smile on her face.
When they made it to the lobby, the doors pulled apart, leaving her to look over the elegant building.
"Goodnight, Avelina.”
She sent him a small wave before exiting the elevator and strolling past the front desk. Avelina wandered out into the busy streets where heavy rain welcomed her with open arms.
When a yellow taxi suddenly came driving down the road, she quickly waved her hand, letting the cab driver know that she needed a lift. The man in the car pulled over in front of her. She quickly sped-walked to the cab before hurriedly pulling open the car door and getting in.
"Where to?" He questioned.
She told him her address after shutting the door with a sigh escaping her mouth. Sometimes, her job took a lot of energy out of her. Depending on her client, she would sometimes go home, feeling completely exhausted.
Suddenly, her phone rang.
Letting out a huff of annoyance, she grasped her cellphone from the inside of her pocket before answering and pressing it against her ear.
"May I speak to Avelina Santos?" A man had asked.
Furrowing her brows, she couldn't help but wonder who it was. She also wondered what their purpose was for needing to speak to her.
"Speaking.”.
"Good evening, Miss Santos. I am Johnathan Miller, the CEO of HomeCare. I've recently received your file to see that you have gotten a 'Bachelor of Science in Nursing' degree, is that correct?"
Avelina nodded her head slowly before realizing that he couldn't see her.
"Yes, sir."
“I have a friend of mine who requires a nurse and caregiver all-in-one. I would love to speak with you in person about this when you are free. Does tomorrow sound okay?" He questioned.
Once again, she nodded her head nervously. There always seemed to be anxiety that loomed over her actions when she spoke to people that she didn't quite know.
"Yes, of course. I don't have to see my client until tomorrow afternoon," she informed him, thinking about Miss Paola.
"Perfect. I will meet you at 'Java Palace' at about ten in the morning.”
"Okay, I will see you there. Goodnight," she said just before hanging up the phone.
She allowed her elbow to sit on the space beside the window. Her finger graced her soft lips while she sat there waiting for the taxi driver to drop her off at home.
It didn't take much longer to pull up in front of her Row House. She paid the taxicab driver for the drive along with a tip just before stepping out and walking towards her front door.
Grabbing her keys from her pocket, she inserted it into the keyhole, where she unlocked her door and headed inside.
CHAPTER TWO
Care for Coffee
Avelina got out of her cab and looked up at the place Johnathan had wanted to meet her at, Java Palace. She glanced down at her watch to see that she was fifteen minutes too early.
As she walked towards the entrance, she noticed how the coffee shop was practically empty, aside from the employees.
Pulling open the door, she strolled into the small store with a warm smile on her face. An employee was quick to look up at her before returning her smile. "Welcome to Java Palace. What can we do for you today?"
"A caramel latte is fine with me.”
"Can I get your name?" He asked, flashing a flirty smile.
She did not detect the fact that he was preparing to flirt his way into her heart. "Avelina,”
"You have a lovely name,” he began, “I’m not sure if it's just my ear damage due to the blender, but I hear a tiny accent. Are you from here?"
He placed her card back into her hands as She shook her head.
"No, I'm from Brazil.”
He nodded his head and then turned around to begin making her drink. She decided to stand there and wait, seeing as there was nothing else to do.
"If you don't mind me asking you, Miss Avelina, what made you come here?" He asked.
She tucked her hair behind her ear, looking down at her watch once more.
There was that feeling of nervousness that rushed through her at the thought of the meeting happening very soon. She didn't know how high-class the client had to be if the CEO himself would need to talk to her.
"I got a scholarship. Now that I've gotten my degree, I may plan on going back," Avelina answered the cashier.
Just then, the door opened, leaving her to turn to look at the intruder. It was a clean man dressed in a suit with his black hair slicked back. He looked to be in his mid-thirties as he scanned the entire shop.
With a sigh, he sat down at one of the tables while glancing at his watch.
"Excuse me," She said to the cashier before walking up to the man.
In her heart, she was hoping that he was the Johnathan she was supposed to be meeting.
When she got to his table, she noticed how his eyes skimmed down her entire body before going back up to her eyes. "Are you Johnathan?"
"Yes, and you are?"
"Hi, Avelina Santos. I'm the woman you spoke to on the phone yesterday," she reminded him.
The boy from the cash register walked up to her and handed her the caramel latte. When she looked at the cup, she had noticed that he wrote his number on it. Johnathan seemed to have seen it as well but didn't comment on it.
"Oh! I am so sorry. I didn't expect you to look so..."
He stopped himself trying to figure out the right word to keep the conversation professional.
"…So young."
"No, don’t worry about it. I know that most caregivers tend to be a bit older. I only began caregiving to pay for my college books," she blushed as she moved to sit down in the seat in front of him.
"How is college now?" He asked, attempting to start up a conversation.
"I finished recently. That's where I got my nursing degree, which you already know," she chuckled slightly.
"Oh, right."
He cleared his voice before looking over her file once more.
"Tell me, Avelina, why do you go out of your way to care for others? One of your clients left a review stating, 'my children don't look after me the way Miss Santos does. The nights I can't sleep, she comes to my home to sing me my favorite song because she knows it helps me sleep at night. I will never forget her. That woman deserves a raise'," Johnathan read, then glanced up to look at Avelina once more.
She smiled as she immediately recognized the person that left the message. He was an older man, and she could remember the calls he made to her phone almost every night. She didn't mind putting him to sleep because it always caused a feeling of proudness to run through her.
"It's my job. Every time I take care of others, I think about how I'd want them to treat me. Most of the people I care for are lonely and don't have anyone to watch over them. The contract states I can only care for them for three months, so I make sure that it is the best three months of their lives. They deserve that," she answered softly.
"As you already may know. It's not usual for me to come directly to my employees for a job," Johnathan stated. "I told you on the phone that I had a friend who needed a caregiver and a nurse. I see that you planned to resign in the fall of this year to return to your home in Brazil. Miss Paola was supposed to be your last client, but I have a new proposition for you.”
He slid a piece of paper out in front of her.
She picked up the thin sheet as her eyes
glanced over it. There was a large amount of money written on top in bold letters leaving her eyes to widen.
"You're going to pay me one-hundred-thousand dollars for one person?" She asked, sounding confused.
The highest she had ever made on a contract was a tiny fraction of that amount.
What was so special about this mystery person?
"Because there is more. This client takes confidentiality to the greatest extent there is. Everything said, seen, heard, discussed—cannot be disclosed to anyone. That includes me. The contract is the normal three months, and once that three months is over, you can return to Brazil.”
She looked down at the paper as her brows furrowed, and mind attempted to put the missing pieces together.
"Why is he so secret? I don't disclose any of my clients' information. It's a part of the caregiving policy. Why is the money so much for this particular person?”
He leaned back in his chair before grabbing a pen and handing it to her.
"He's a phenomenally successful businessman. He makes millions and just opened a new operation that'll make him a billionaire. He has a lot of power, and when you have power, everyone around you wants it. If people find out you know more about this man than anyone else, they will stop at nothing to get information out of you. This contract states that under no circumstances would you ever say anything to anyone," Johnathan answered.
Her eyes continued to quickly read over the lengthy contract until she saw the name 'Adrik Zolotov.’ She heard of his name before but could not exactly remember from where.
"Are you saying that someone would possibly kill me just to know what water temperature this man likes his baths?"
"I'm saying he's the most powerful man HomeCare has ever worked with; It's a susceptible case," he stated.
She nodded her head slowly in understanding.
"If you sign the confidentiality form in the back, I will be able to tell you more about him. It doesn't mean that you accept the job, but it means that what we discuss won't be talked about with anyone else.”