With a groan, he pressed the gas. At least with the new plans for the weekend, he had something to look forward to because falling into the pit of despair disguised as paperwork was not how he planned to spend his days.
***
Shelly folded the last box's flaps, and with a quick hand, she taped the box shut that read kitchen. Her Greenwich Village condo had been wonderful for the last few years. A huge step up from her apartment in the Bronx. If she never stepped foot in that rusted building again, Shelly would be happy.
The sound of a remote control truck came barreling toward her with the giggle of her seven-year-old son in tow. Abel was the light of her life and though there were times when they struggled, he was always happy and well-mannered. Shelly knew she had truly lucked out.
“Mommy, can we go to the park to play with my truck?” he asked just as she stood from her squat on the floor.
“Well, I have a few more things to pack up, but how about we stop by the park on the way to grab a pizza for dinner? How does that sound?”
“Pizza? Mom, you’re the best!” her son shouted before scurrying off in the other direction.
She was sad to see her things packed up into only a handful of boxes, but she knew from experience that tangible items didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. For her, making memories was far more critical. Shelly learned that at a young age. Her mother had always said that things could come and go, but memories would last a lifetime.
Not that Shelly didn’t spoil her son a bit when she could, but putting money into savings for a rainy day was at the top of her list. She never wanted to spend another day struggling to live. DeShaun had taken everything from her except her child, and it left her having to leave college just before she graduated to make a new life for herself.
Her phone rang in the kitchen where she had left it charging and Shelly couldn’t help but smile as she took in the name that flashed across the screen. Cassidy, and her now-husband, Harlan, had changed Shelly’s life. She hadn’t known who the gorgeous blonde had been when she stepped into the dingy bar where Shelly had been waiting tables, but after an altercation with a customer and her boss, Cassidy and Harlan had come to her rescue. That night left her with a new job and a new friend.
It wasn’t until the next day that Shelly learned the woman had been the creator and CEO of Cassidy Designs. She didn’t know much about fashion, but even Shelly hadn’t been living under a rock. The name Cassidy exuded classic and feminine designs in the fashion world, but Shelly quickly learned they were expanded to international markets with a new line of everyday wear. Cassidy explained that she needed an executive assistant that could help her manage the new branches and help her keep her sanity amidst all of the changes.
Shelly jumped at the chance and hadn’t regretted it for a single second. Cassidy changed her life for the better and she felt forever grateful toward the woman.
“Cass, hi,” Shelly said with a smile as she answered the call.
“Hey, I just wanted to check in and see how the packing was going,” her friend replied.
“Good, just about finished up. The movers will be here at six tomorrow morning.”
“Good. I can’t wait for you to get here. We have so much to talk about.”
That much was true. Cassidy had officially moved her headquarters from New York City to Carson, North Carolina. The small town where Cassidy had grown up was quaint and Shelly had immediately fallen in love with the area the first time she visited. Cassidy had been pushing her to move for the last couple of years, but Shelly had been hesitant. New York was the only place she had ever lived, though since working for Cassidy, Shelly had traveled the world and appreciated the different lands and cultures. But New York was a culture into itself and Shelly had been born into it.
But with DeShaun’s recent jail stint, Shelly had finally made the decision to move. She hadn’t spoken to her ex since the night she met Cassidy when he had made a call to blame her for his being in jail. There was no reason for Shelly to stay in New York.
At least for the most part. Because of her precious baby boy, Shelly would always find herself tied to the man that had fallen neck-deep into drugs and weapon trafficking.
Thinking about her past, Shelly sighed into the phone, alarming her friend.
“Shel, are you okay?”
“What? Oh, yeah, definitely. Just going over my mental list of to-dos,” she lied.
“Okay, if you’re sure. I still can’t believe you finally decided to move here. You never did tell me what changed your mind, and on such short notice too.”
It was absolutely a spur of the moment decision, not that Cassidy hadn’t been bugging her about it for years, but Shelly finally took a good look at her life and the life she wanted for her son and knew that Carson was a better choice than New York. Small town living wasn’t for everyone, but she knew they would thrive. They always had.
Of course, Shelly probably could have spilled the beans last week when she hired the movers and had the boxes delivered. No, she waited until yesterday to tell her best friend of their plans. She hadn’t even figured out where they were going to live, not that Cassidy and her family didn’t have room to spare, and the bed and breakfast was always an option until she could find something more permanent.
“Do you think you could ask around if anyone has a place I can rent?”
“Of course, but you know that you’re more than welcome to stay with Harlan and me.”
“I know, but I don’t want to intrude.”
“I’ll ask around in the morning. Text me when you leave.”
“Will do. See you tomorrow, Cass,” Shelly said as she ended the call.
The pizza wasn’t the best that New York had to offer, but it was close by and a block away from the park. Shelly watched her son play with a few other kids before she wrangled him up and they went home.
Her son was excited about the move, loving the horses and open fields from his last visit. He had chattered on and on about it for weeks. As she opened the door to the now barren apartment, Shelly felt awash with sadness. She had worked tirelessly to give them a good life, a safe life, but nothing was guaranteed.
Shelly knew things could change in a snap. She had gone from living in a roach-infested apartment to dating one of the world’s most sought-after male models. She knew how to roll with the punches, but it was also why she kept herself guarded. Allowing a man to control her life again was a fear Shelly couldn’t seem to shake free of. Nightmares of the way DeShaun had treated her and how the police initially thought she had been a part of the dealings was enough to keep her up at night. Thank goodness for the few good people who had stood up for her and made sure no charges were pressed after the arrest.
“Let’s get you settled for the night, then I can put on a movie,” she exclaimed, quickly followed by cheers from her son. Abel had been on a superhero kick and as she followed him toward his room so found him slipping on a pair of Spider-man pajamas.
“I’m ready, momma.”
“Alright, you can pick out the movie while I heat up some popcorn.”
“Yes!” he shouted triumphantly.
It wasn’t long before the two of them were cuddled up on the couch that she was leaving in the apartment, mainly because she didn’t want to pay the fee to have it moved. It also allowed them to start fresh in a new place.