I sat outside of my parent’s house later that night, just staring at the shadows, passing by the windows. I wanted to go in and just hug my father but I didn’t want to leave my car.

I woke up not long after I passed out from hitting my head and Strait swore up and down that nothing happened. He looked like he was scared shitless and I could tell that he was. When I woke up, my head was pounding and I was confused. I was scared that he had raped me or did something to me, but after checking myself out, I could tell that nothing happened.

Strait offered me a job, and even my own office with a great view but I turned him down. I told him that I didn’t want to work there anymore and that if I had to have sex with someone just to get a job, then, I would be jobless for the rest of my life.

I held my head up strong while I was there, but as soon as I got in my car and locked my doors – I lost it. I began crying hysterically, shaking, and wanting a shower. I couldn’t crank my car up and I couldn’t do anything really. I just wanted to go home and hug my father.

Now I’m sitting outside my parent’s house and I’m too scared to go in and face them. My eyes are puffy and my make-up is ruined. If I go in there, they will know something bad happened to me. It didn’t matter, I needed to go in.

Just as I was about to get out of the car, a truck pulled up. I stared at it, seeing Nick step out of it. He stared back at me and could tell that something was wrong. I could see his inner demons, fighting his emotions and his legs from walking over to see what’s wrong with me.

I stepped out of my car, tucking my hair behind my ears and began walking to the front door. I didn’t say anything to him. I didn’t even look at him. I knocked on the door and felt him, walk up behind me.

“Erin, are you okay?” Nick asked. I looked over my shoulder, staring into his eyes.

“What do you think?” I asked as my father opened the front door.

I reached up, hugging my father tightly. I didn’t want to let him go. I smiled, feeling his arms wrap around me tightly and before I could help it, I was crying.

“Erin, what’s wrong baby?” my father asked as I moved away from him. He stared at my face and then up at Nick. “Nickolas, what happened?”

“I don’t know sir, I just pulled up to come and pick up Katie and she was sitting in the driveway,” Nick said, walking past us.

“Erin,” my father said as he put his hands on my arms, staring me in the eyes. “What’s wrong? You look as if you’ve been crying for hours? What happened?”

“I hit my head,” I whispered, looking down. “I had a interview at Strait Designs and I went and Strait was there, you know, he’s my age, and we went to school together –“

“Oh God Erin Scarlett, why the hell did you go there?” my father asked as I looked at Nick. “You know better than to even step foot in that building…”

“I needed a job, Daddy,” I said, walking away from him. “I went to every other fashion place in Los Angeles and even called and faxed a few places in New York and Miami and nothing.”

“Erin, what did he do?” Nick asked. I looked away, looking up at my father. “What did that guy do because I’ve heard a lot of shit about that punk?”

“Nick, don’t worry about me,” I said, reaching up to hug my father again. “I didn’t want a job there.”

“Erin, what happened?” my father asked. I backed away, looking down at my hands. “Did he try something on you?”

“I need a job, and so I went there and it was just him there because everybody is mostly on vacation this week. So he goes to get my file from his mother’s office and he comes back in his office. He starts talking about high school one thing led to another and we were kissing.”
I looked at Nick to see his eyes close.

“Then well, I decide I didn’t want a job that badly and he gets mad because I said that and he bangs me against a wall and then knocks everything off of his desk and when he pushed me down on there… he pushed me back and I hit my head and it knocked me out.”

“I’ll kill that bastard,” my father said as I shook my head.

“Daddy, he stopped, he didn’t do anything to me,” I said, reaching up to hug him again. “Nothing happened.”

“I’m so sorry, sweetie,” he said, kissing me on the cheek. “I should have never fired you from your job and put you in that position.”

“No Daddy, I went against company policy,” I whispered, opening my eyes to look at Nick. He looked upset and I wasn’t sure why. I didn’t know if he was upset by the fact that I could have been raped or the fact that my father was upset because he had fired me instead of him.

“Erin,” Nick said, walking up to us. I moved away from my father, looking at him. The look in his eyes told me exactly why he was upset. Before either of us could say anything, he put his arms around me and held me tightly. I hugged him back, wondering what my father was thinking at this time. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” I whispered, feeling him kiss my neck gently. I leaned up, smiling at him until he gave me a little kiss on the lips. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry about, Erin,” Nick said, moving a strand of hair from my face. “I’m the stubborn one that got mad because you gave up your job for me. I should have appreciated that.”

“Daddy!” a little voice said as we both turned around to see my mother standing there with Katie. Nick walked over to take her from my mother who was smiling.

“She’s saying Daddy now?” I asked as Nick nodded his head. Just as I said that, I looked over at my father who was looking away. “Daddy, I’m sorry you just saw that, I know you don’t want –“ I said, taking Katie from Nick. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I smiled.

“It’s okay,” my father said, looking up at Nick and myself. “I was an ass for doing what I did.”

“What sir?” Nick asked and then looked at me.

“I was an ass for firing my daughter because you two obviously care for one another and she obviously loves you if she put her job on the line for you,” my father said, walking over to where my mother was standing.

“I do love him, Daddy,” I said, looking down at Katie who was resting her head on my shoulder.
“I know that it was putting my job and his job on the line but I thought he was worth it.”

“Thought?” Nick asked.

I smiled. “You are worth it.”

“See dear, I told you that they were not just playing around and that Erin was serious about this,” my mother said as I smiled at her. “Erin, why don’t you go upstairs and wash up or something? You have some extra clothes here.”

“Yeah, I could really use a shower right now,” I replied, giving Katie to Nick. I smiled, walking over to give my mother a hug. It was one of the very first times that I felt like we really had a mother and daughter relationship. Before I knew it, my father was behind me, giving us both a hug.

“Alright Daddy,” I said as he let go. I turned around, giving him a gigantic bear hug.

“Be sure to come to the office first thing in the morning.”

“Why?”

“We have a board meeting. The damn place is falling apart without you,” he said as I started to laugh. I gave him a sloppy kiss on the cheek and smiled. “I love you Daddy.”

“I love you too, now go freshen up while I talk to Nickolas here.”

“Be nice,” I whispered, smiling at Nick as I walked upstairs.

It didn’t matter how horrible my afternoon was, what just happened with my parents and Nick made everything better again. My father apologized and gave me my job back. He realized that Nick and I were serious about one another. Then I felt like I finally had the mother that I always wanted: one that was supportive of me, my career, and my relationships.

Stepping under the shower made me feel clean once again. I wanted to wash everything away so that now I could start the rest of my life with the guy that I love, my family, and my job.

“She’s asleep,” Nick said, later that night as he walked back into the living room from my extra bedroom. He smiled at me and I looked away, staring at the door. “Are you okay about today? I can go kick this guy’s ass if you want me to.”

“Nick, I’m fine. I just want to forget about it,” I replied, motioning for him to come and join me on the sofa. He sat down beside me and I curled up next to him, laying his head on my chest. “You know that I love you, don’t you?”

“Of course, I know that.”

“Because I have to be honest and say that I kissed him and that I probably would have went through with it all if I hadn’t began to feel guilty,” I whispered, closing my eyes. “I was just desperate for a job.”

“Erin, we were apart at the time and I’m not mad at you. I know that you’ll never do anything like that again,” Nick said as I smiled. I moved up, straddling his legs and watched a smile smear across his face.

“I –“

“I have something I want to say,” he said, interrupting me. “I’m serious about us, okay? I want to marry you one day and I’ve already talked to your father about this. I know this is right.”

“I never thought I would say this but, I’ll marry you one day, whenever you get ready to ask.”

“Good because right now we’re both going to be so busy with this new line,” he whispered, giving me a little kiss on the lips. “That and kissing your father’s ass.”

“So this is it then?” I asked. Nick nodded his head, smiling slightly. “When we get in bed, will you keep your arms around me all night?”

“Sure, why?”

“I just feel safe this way,” I whispered, feeling his hand move up my back. “So, do I get to finally meet your parents now?”

“They’re actually coming back next week.”

“I’ve got to make a confession,” I replied, putting my forehead against his. “I thought I had lost you forever after quitting.”

“You never lost me,” he said. “Hell, you always had me. Ready for bed?”

I nodded my head, wrapping my arms around his neck as he lifted me off of the sofa, carrying me into my bedroom.