| "Which car is yours?" Justin looked over the parking lot filled mostly by mini vans. "She has the blue one today." Colton wiggled in his arms, searching for where she had parked. "You stalking me now?" She walked toward her blue Civic. "Here it is." "Nice." Justin took it in completely with his eyes. "I wanna listen to your music." Colton informed as she sat him down. She started the music and Colton danced around acting like a conductor to Fur Elise. She listened to all music, but in her car she kept Fur Elise on, it helped with her road rage. When she had been younger her mother had played classical music for them at bed time. She had always told them to make up thier own cartoons to it. The lower tones meant a bad guy was near and the higher ones meant the good guys were happy. It had always been successful at getting them to sleep. Sometimes she still caught her self making up cartoons as she drove down the highway. "Yes Colton can go to the party." Justin finally answered, keeping one eye on Colton. "Good, I'm going to hand out maps this week." She pulled her keys from the ignition and shut the car door. "Let's go Colton." "Bye, Ms. Tiffany, love ya." He called as Justin put him on his shoulders. Tiffany watched as they walked away. She was happy to see Justin was good with Colton, that meant he hadn't been forced to watch him. She walked into her office and gathered her things. Minutes later she was at the car wash. She set the radio to full blast and gathered her things. Just then her cell phone started to ring. "Hello?" She got out and shut the door in one swift motion. "Hello I am Jenny with Cingular Wireless, I heard you would like some new features." "No thanks, I have told ya'll a hundred times, I don't want any new features." She paused. "I don't want anyone else calling me." "Ok, I can arrange that." She said in a the fakest voice Tiffany had ever heard. "You better." Then she hung up and thrust the cell phone into her pocket. Not too long later, her car was sparkling, roof to wheel. She circled the car once, to check for spots she had missed. When she was satisfied she got into the driver's seat. At least she tried to, the door was locked and her keys were inside. It was okay though, she could call the car company and they could unlock it via satelite. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed the number. But her cell wasn't working. That prick turned off my cell! Her eyes searched the parking lot for a pay phone. Of course not, everyone has cell phones now. She thought bitterly. Suddenly she was relieved, she noticed Justin and Colton nearby. "Hello again." She waited for him to walk the few feet to her. "Hello." He let the brush rest at his side. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor." "Sure." He pulled a piece of paper and pen from his pocket, thinking she had finally realized who he was. "It's not that complicated, you don't need instructions." She giggled then continued. "I just need you to watch my car while I run home for the extra keys." "Well if you leave your car here, how will you get home?" "I can walk, it's right there." She pointed to the nieghorhood accross the street. "Ok, be careful." He warned as she walked away. As he watched her walk he realized something, she lived in his neighborhood. There was something about this girl he couldn't put his finger on. Maybe it was the fact she hadn't recognized him. He would have understod if she was ederly, or very young, but she was right in his fan's age group. He guessed her to be eighteen or nineteen. How had she come to own a daycare? How had she gotten to Orlando? He picked up a southern accent on her. Maybe Texas or Alabama. When he saw her walking back toward him, he wondered how long he had been staring into space. "Thank you so much. Can I repay you with dinner and a swim?" She looked from Colton to Justin. "Yeah." Justin answered almost jumping with Colton in excitement. "Meet me at the vaccums when you are ready." She had finished her car ten minutes before when she saw Colton walking toward her car. "We are ready." He announced, his chest pushed out, proud of the fact Justin had let him deliver the news. "Ok, then let's go." She put her car into first and led them to her house. Justin was very surprised to discover she only lived three houses away from him. How could he have lived so close to her and never noticed her? He knew he didn't get out much but he would have noticed her had he seen her. "Come on in. I'll get some drinks." Colton and Justin took a seat on the couch while she went into the kitchen. "How come she didin't scream at you?" Colton may have been young but he knew Justin was famous. "I don't think she recognized me." Justin whispered, hoping Tiffany couldn't hear them. "Should we tell her who you are?" Colton asked concerned. "No, I think we should wait." Justin hoped he wouldn't push the subject any farther. He was releaved when Colton began to wonder around the room. He stood to explore also, deciding to take a closer look at a wall covered in framed puzzles. He noticed in the corner of each frame was a piece of paper with a date on it, quessing it was the date of completion. He also noticed there were six months with no puzzles. Many had been completed within weeks, why would she go six months without doing at least one? "Would you like to see the latest one?" She set the tray of drinks on a nearby table. "Huh?" He was still trying to figure out why there were no puzzles for six months. Usually something this small would not bother him, he couldn't figure out why this was. "Would you like to see the latest puzzle?" She repeated slowly. When he nodded his head she led him into her library, to a desk toward the back of the room, with a half done puzzle. "So why puzzles?" "My Daddy got me into it when I was like nine. We used to do them all the time." She answered trying to turn away from him. "Used?" He pushed, sure he would get the answer to the six month mystery. "Yeah but not anymore." She was trying to get him to leave the room and drop the subject. He was stubborn and wouldn't give up until she told him to. "Why not?" He could see the tears coming to her eyes. "Uummm." She was quickly searching for a way around it. "Nevermind." He saved her, finally allowing her to feel free to leave the room. She found Colton in the door way. "Hey lil' buddy." She bent down to talk to him. "When you look that way it makes me wanna cry." It was the reason she had chosen to work with children. Adults were immune to other peoples emotions, but children were innocent. They picked up on peoples emotions easily. |
| Chapter 2 |
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