Her Billion Dollar Man

He knew he was acting out because they had lost both their parents but at least he had him and money was no problem, not like before where their only alternative had been to join a gang or end up dead. Now they had everything to their comfort and Tyler still did not appreciate it.

He leaned back against the soft upholstery and closed his eyes wearily. He sometimes wondered if he appreciated it as well. Sometimes he felt like chucking the responsibilities and just going off by himself where no one looked to him for financial and moral support but he couldn’t, too many people relied on him. It was too much for his twenty-seven year old shoulders. He was supposed to have gone to the studios today and record his song but he was not sure he wanted to. He had built the studio last year and had started molding artists and recording them as well but as his best friend Shaun had told him: “you have too much on your plate man, be careful you don’t get burnt out too fast.”

He needed a break!

*****

Debra slipped out of her work shoes, plopped down on the bed and stretching out her legs in front of her to ease the tension there. Ana had wanted her to go to a club with her but after leaving the store at ten o’clock she was too tired and she wanted to get some rest for tomorrow. Even though Wednesdays and Sundays were her days off she volunteered at the center uptown on those days and she had no intention of missing tomorrow.

She forced herself to get off the bed and head to the bathroom, stripping as soon as she got there. She stood and stared in the oval sized mirror at her reflection. She had no hang ups about how she looked and had been told too many times that she was beautiful not to believe it. Debra had lost her mother when she was eight years old from drug overdose and had been brought up in a group home until she was eighteen.

She had spent two years trying to find herself and then after almost being rap*d by a group of guys who lived in the rundown community she had found a room in, she had sworn that she was going to make a better life for herself. She had sought help from churches and private sectors and had gone back to school to get her GED and then her college degree and had gotten a job at the department store after that. She had never allowed her situation and the way she had grown up make her bitter but had used it to push her forward.

She had rented the tiny apartment uptown and had been delighted to discover that it was rent controlled. It might not be much but it had given her a sense of independence which she had so desperately sought. Ana had befriended her immediately as if knowing instinctively that she needed protecting and she had been giving back to the community center as her way of helping others. She had never known a father and could barely remember her mother but the stay at the group home had not been half bad. She pushed the hair off her forehead and ran her fingers through the soft strands and with a decided movement she moved away from the mirror and stepped into the bath shaking off the past.

*****

Debra caught hold of the ball with a laugh and threw it to the boy who looked as if he had lost his best friend. His name was Kyle and he was a new member. He had been caught stealing from department stores, even though he could more than afford to pay for the items he had stolen and that had prompted his parents to enroll him at the center. It was run by an ex military who although tough was very fair and cared about the boys brought to him. He had been grateful for Debra’s help and had teased her that it was due to her very good looks that helped to keep the boys in line because they were all in love with her.

“Hey Debra, looking sharp,” another boy called out to her. His name was Tyler Mitchell and he had made a vast improvement from when he had gotten there a month ago. He had turned from a sullen insolent boy into one that smiled more and participated in the games without being prompted to do so. Debra was planning to enlist his aid in dealing with Kyle. She knew who Tyler Mitchell was and that he was brother to the highly successful artist Derek Mitchell. She had never seen the brother in person but had seen his picture enough in the papers not to know of him. His brother looked like him with the same tall slim build and dark chocolate brown skin and strong jaw.

“Hey Debra how about some snacks?” Cameron suggested, dropping on the floor of the basketball court wearily, looking like a wilted flower. The temperature had gone up a notch from the eighties yesterday. The boys were out for the summer holidays and spent most of their time at the center doing all kinds of activities.

“Good idea,” Debra passed the ball to Tyler and beckoned to the rest of the boys who were sitting alongside the pool. It was a center built by members of the elite community and Derek Mitchell who had made sure that it was not just somewhere where the boys were disciplined but also somewhere they could have fun as well.

“Hey sweet lady! Won’t you put me out of my misery and go out with me? I am going out of my mind trying to find a way out, tell me when will it be?” the crowd applauded as Tyler finished rapping the two lines as he held on to Debra’s hands.

“I wish you would put that much effort into your school work,” a voice said dryly from the doorway. Everyone turned towards the sound and to her surprise she saw that it was Derek Mitchell. There were shouts of recognition from the boys and the other two female members of staff who rushed towards him.

“My famous brother,” Tyler said sardonically, letting go of her hands and slipping away to the far corner of the room. Debra wondered if she should go after him but just then Derek came over to her. He was taller than his brother and had a cynical look on his handsome face. His hair was black and cut low at the sides and higher at the top. His eyes assessed her coolly and she had a feeling he was looking right through her.