Dari's Delights

18

I woke up Sunday morning showered and got dressed in a simple dress that was easy to get on and off. I walked to Ryan's apartment but stopped to check in with Mrs. Lane briefly before knocking on Ryan's door. Betsy answered with smile talking about how nice it was for me to join them at church. I asked her to tell me about the church and what they did to help the community. It was like opening up a can of worms as she told me about everything. She continued talking throughout Ryan joining us and part of the walk there until I interrupted, "Let me get some cash out for the offering plate." That prompted a stop at an ATM nearby for me to withdraw a couple hundred. As I was glad I brought my checkbook with me today. When we arrived at the church Betsy rushed us to sit down as the sermon began momentarily. Afterwards, I asked Betsy to introduce me to the minister and she did so happily but stayed by my side until I asked the minister to talk privately. The minister excused himself from the rest of his congregation and lead me to his small office at the back. "Betsy spoke very highly of this church and all you do to help out the community. I am not promising I can help much. However, I ask how much money would benefit not only improvements to your facilities but also help each area of charity you help. What monetary donation would make things easier for a month?" I asked. I listened as he tried to figure it out before apologizing to me and saying the secretary is the one who handles the money. "That's okay just tell me what you would think would help," I said to dismiss his worry. "Honestly, every cent helps us in some way. So whatever you have in mind is more than enough," the minister stated humbly. "Very well, do you know how to do the charitable donation form?" I asked. He pulled one from the desk draw while saying, "Yes I can do these. It's just the allocation of all the charity we do that gets harder to remember and keep track of." I wrote the check handing it to him causing him to be shocked at the amount. "Ma'am are you sure you want to give us $30,000?" He said seeing the number first. "Minister, I'm sure I am donating three million. If every cent helps in some way this should help a lot and that's exactly what I want," I assured him. He didn't quite lose the shock as he filled in the paperwork. He professed his appreciation multiple times before I excused myself back to Ryan and Betsy.  I called Theo to meet us at Ryan's before we walked Betsy home.

Shopping with Ryan was not fun for me but we found a dress for the ball before I asked Ryan if he was comfortable coming. I made sure to warn him of who attended the ball and he decided against it. So instead of shopping more we went to see the finished products on the places I bought in Brownsville. The places were all small apartment buildings. We toured the open apartments in the buildings and Ryan asked what my plans were for all them. "I plan on housing recently released convicts who want to get on the right path. Torte Reform is doing great and Titus is worried about losing some of his best chefs because of unaffordable housing. I know this a bit of a distance but it'll have to do for now until I can buy property closer to Torte Reform. Other than that rentals at a decent price with a fourth of each reserved for those in need." I answered on our drive home.

Monday came and I helped out in the coffee house before Theo picked me up taking me to Torte Reform. There I met with the workers and Titus. I told the few workers there that they would have a place in Brownsville for free for three months as long as they stayed on the straight and narrow. After that I just talked to Titus about finding a place closer to Torte Reform for employee housing. After that I met with a realtor looking for empty buildings I could purchase. We found two in Chinatown that I bought. I went and met with a contractor afterwards. I had them remodeling both with a two month time line. By the time I was done with all that I decided to call it a night and went to bed.

Tuesday and Wednesday blurred together as I stayed busy at the coffee house until I went home to bed. When I woke up Thursday I went to the club to see the guys and ran into Jett on my way to their office. He caged me to the wall and confirmed my fears I've had since I met my three men. Instead of being scared like he wanted I brought my knee up into his groin causing him to hunch forward cupping himself as he backed away. I took  a deep breath as I quickly grabbed his head and kneed him in the face breaking his nose. He fell to the floor groaning in pain as I stood above him. His pain filled groans was enough to draw the attention from their office. Ace and Ares came out of the office seeing me standing by one of their men who was groaning in pain. I walked to them not offering any explanation just walking into their office. I need to know whatever this is going on between us what it means to them.

I sat in the office listening to Jett claim I attacked him out of nowhere. When they came back they asked me what happened and I simply said, "He was being a jerk." They dropped it at that not pushing the subject anymore. "What are the four of us?" I questioned straight forward. "We would like to be your boyfriends, for now, but eventually we want everything you are willing to be to us and to give us," Ace stated. "Boyfriends, eh?" I asked. "Yes," Ares confirmed. "Am I your three's only girl? I will be selfish when it comes to you," I stated completely serious. "It's only you dove," Ace confirmed. "Okay. Where's Alec?" I questioned. "Alec's at another job right now. Okay, as in you will be ours?"  Ares asked. "I will think about it. You are asking a lot more of me than simply being your girlfriend. You want more that I'm not sure I can promise," I explained standing and going for the door. "Wait, dove," Ace rushed out. "What is it Ace," I inquired. "We have a ball to go to this weekend. Will you be our plus one?" Ace asked. "I can't. I'm going home to Seattle to celebrate with my family on Saturday." I answered. "Our ball is in Seattle we leave tomorrow," Ares stated. "Well maybe we will see each other in Seattle somewhere," I said before leaving the club entirely. I sent Ryan a text message asking him to give the guys my phone number since we've never exchanged phone numbers when I got to the coffee house before the day flew by.

After work I called my mom but got no response.  I sighed heavily as I fought with myself mentally. I wasn't paying attention as I rounded the corner running straight into Betsy. "I'm so sorry Betsy. I wasn't paying any attention," I apologized before going to leave. "Buttercup, will you come up and have a cup of tea with me," Betsy asked. I agreed and followed the woman up to her apartment watching her put on a kettle before we sat on the couch together. "Now, buttercup, I'd like to sincerely thank you for all that you have done for us and becoming friends with my boy. I don't know how you got your money but I do know you are very generous with it. I'd like to thank you on behalf of the church for your large donation. It will help more people than we could have ever imagined.  Now, buttercup, what has you crying while walking in the streets?" Betsy questioned. I frowned as I brought my hand up wiping my face. I felt the remaining tears as I wiped them away. I quickly deflected with, "It's nothing." "Buttercup, I'm old not senile, it's obviously something," she stated flatly.

The kettle went off saving me from answering right away as she made two cups of tea and brought them over. "The men I am some what seeing are from a life I was never a part of but I was raised in. I've left that lifestyle opting for a more simple life here. I don't know if I should go back to the life I was raised in or if I should walk away," I admitted crypticly. "It's not about what lifestyle it is. It is about what these men of your's make you  feel. What are their names?" Betsy questioned not missing a beat that there were multiple men. "Ace, Alec, and Ares," I answered. "Tell me the first thing you think of each of them," Betsy inquired.  I said their name and the first thought I had after each, "Ace, comfort. Alec, safety. Ares, cherished." "Now when you think of all three of them together," Betsy questioned. "Touch, desire, passion," I answered. "Now ask yourself if you could live without feeling that way. You sit there and figure it out and see yourself out when you're done buttercup, these streets aren't made for tears," Betsy said patting my knee gently before rubbing it lightly and heading off to bed herself. I sat there for a few minutes before I put my cup in the sink and went home for the night.