When Lexi would get to work she would sneak into the bathroom and lock the door, clean herself up, fix her hair and makeup then she would clock in. She even took the time each evening to wash her uniforms at the local laundry mat. She knew that if people knew the way she really lived, no one would want to talk to her.
That was until she was at work one day. She was standing at the front counter waiting on customers when one of the well-known doctors from the area walked in. She had spoken to him a few times and he was always nice to her. He always gave her a few dollars for a tip and she loved when he came in because it meant that she would get to eat lunch that day.
Lexi refused to spend the money that she earned while she was at work and felt that it was wrong for her to have to work an hour just to pay for her lunch so she refused to do it. Every now and then the cooks would sneak her something, but she never knew when that was going to happen. When the doctor came in she was sure she would have a hot meal.
He walked up to the counter and smiled at her. “Lexi,” he said, ignoring the menu and focusing only on her. “I saw you in the park last night.”
Lexi’s blood went cold. She had slept in the park the night before and fear flooded through her as she wondered if he knew. “Don’t worry, I am not going to tell anyone,” he continued confirming Lexi’s fears. “I do want you to come by the office so we can do a checkup on you. Just so I know you are okay. We might even be able to work out a deal. You know I do have a small house up for rent.”
Lexi shook her head. “I will be fine. I almost have enough money to get a place of my own.”
The doctor smiled. “You do know the house is fully furnished right? All you have to do is let me make sure everything is okay and we will get something worked out.”
Lexi’s eyes lit up at the thought of having a place of her own and having it furnished. She had no idea what the doctor’s angle was but at that point she did not care. She would do anything not to have to sleep in the park again.
“Okay,” she smiled.
“Great,” he smiled back at her and she could see a twinkle in his eyes. “Come by after work and we will get everything settled.”
“Oh, I have to work really late tonight, I am sure you won’t be open,” she said as she wrinkled her forehead and frowned.
“Don’t worry,” he answered. “I’ll be there.”
Lexi agreed that she would meet the doctor at his office; he ordered his meal and gave her 10 dollars so that she could eat. She was amazed at what a wonderful man he really was and even though she knew he was married and much older than she was, she found herself attracted to him.
His name was Dr. Daniel Mitchell; people called him Dr. Dan for short. He was a tall man, in his early 30’s, and he had blonde hair, the bluest blue eyes and skin that looked as if it had been kissed by the sun. Lexi could tell that he worked out as well. The muscles in his arms were large and she noticed that he had a very cute butt, much like the basketball players that she had gone to school with before she graduated.
Deep inside she wished that she could meet a man like him; he was the gentlest man she had ever known and could not imagine him ever raising his voice. Unlike her father, he was mature and was always kind to everyone. She imagined that his wife was the happiest woman on the planet.
Lexi shook her head and got back to work. She knew that she had a long day ahead of her. She was pulling a double shift which she usually did when she had the day off at her other job. She tried to work as much as possible now, she knew that the people she had been hanging around with were not good for her and even though she had a hard time saying no, if she told them that she had to work they seemed to leave her alone.
There were times that they would tell her to blow off work, but that was one thing Lexi refused to do. She was not the type of person who anyone would think was going out and getting high on a regular basis. Instead, she was quiet and reserved, people called her sweet and she was known for being very smart but there were times when life was simply more than she could handle. It was during those times that she would find herself out with her “friends”.
The group of them never did anything other than sit in one of their apartments and get high; they never went to see a movie or went out to eat. They were not the type of group that caused trouble in town, but they were still not the type of group that one would want to be associated with.
Lexi knew that if she continued to do the things that she had been doing for so long that she would never find a man like Dr. Dan. She knew that she would end up being stuck with a man like her father and she would live an unhappy life.