Page 59 of Myself

He sits back in his seat. “So you want to start a non-profit organization?” I nod. “How will you choose which shelter to donate to? What about the children’s shelters? Will you sell children’s clothes? Men’s clothes?”

“I’m going to start with one shelter at a time. Locally. I would love to do women’s, men’s and children’s.”

He sits up and places his forearms on the table. “What about investors?”

I lick my lips. “Well, I was thinking you could sign over my trust fund.” I am not allowed to touch it until I’m twenty-five. That’s another three years.

“How much would you want from it?” he questions.

“All of it,” I say, and he doesn’t even flinch. “I need to find a building. I know that property is not cheap. And then I’ll have to hire employees. I’ll have to supply the store with merchandise ...” I trail off as he just stares at me. I’m not like him. I’m not prepared. I have an idea, but I’m just not sure how to make it come true. So I add, “You always say it takes money to make money.”

He smiles and nods. “I do.”

I look down at my hands knotted in my lap. “I’m not stupid. I know this is gonna take time, and it’s not gonna be easy. But I believe in this.” I look up at him. “Jaycent believes in this. You and Mom may not, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.”

He frowns. “I never said I don’t believe in you, Becca. I knew you were going to be like me. Driven. And you want to do some good in this ugly world.” He sighs. “I will have the paperwork drawn up for your trust fund and have it all signed. I will call the team of financial advisors to schedule a meeting for you. I will be present as well,” he says with no room to argue, and I can’t. I’m too shocked. “Then we will start looking for a location.”

“Really?” I ask in shock. He nods. “Dad .... thank you,” I say as I stand.

He stands as well and walks back over to me, hugging me tightly. “I believe in you too, princess. Don’t ever doubt that.”

**

The rest of the week flew by pretty fast. Ryder had left town Thursday, and Jaycent stayed at his home alone so I could spend some time with Ashlyn. We watched a few movies and ate ice cream while drinking a bottle of wine. It was nice to get some one-on-one time with her. She mainly talked about Ryder, and I let her ‘cause it kept the subject off me and Jaycent. Saturday was Ryder’s birthday party, which meant it was time for me and Ashlyn to go to the spa for the day.

“This place is amazing,” Ashlyn says as we step off the elevators and into Rosie’s salon. It’s on the twentieth floor of a business high-rise in downtown Manhattan. The floors are white and gray marble tile with a gray area rug sitting in front of the receptionist.

“Yes, I used to come here all the time before I moved to Seattle,” I say as I walk up to the desk.

“How long has she owned this?” she asks as she looks around.

“Ten years.” Rosie is two years older than Jaycent.

“What made her want to open a salon?” she asks.

“Her father bought her this place when she was twenty-one. It was her birthday present.”

“Wow,” Ashlyn says wide-eyed. “Nice present.” She looks over at me. “Do you get along with his parents?”

“They’ve both passed,” I say sadly. “His mother passed from breast cancer when I was seventeen and Jaycent was twenty-four, and their father passed two years later of a heart attack.”

“That’s so sad,” she says softly.

I nod. “It was a hard time for them.”

“I can’t imagine.”

Just then a woman walks around the corner. She has her jet black hair up in a tight bun. She wears a fitted black lace shirt with a white pencil skirt. I always thought she was beautiful. She looks just like her mother. I wonder if she sees that when she looks in the mirror.

“Becca,” she says excitedly as she sees me. She opens up her arms and pulls me in for a hug.

“Rosie,” I say, hugging her tightly.

She pulls away. “God, it’s been so long.” Her smile is wide and her blue eyes soft.

“Too long,” I agree.

She looks over at Ashlyn. “Hello, you must be Ashlyn. It’s nice to meet you.” She reaches out her hand.

---