Taming Corky

Three

"It's time for school," I shouted down the hallway. Bella emerges from her room and I hand her lunch for the day. Together, we head out the door and make our way to school. After being absent from classes due to the attack and Layla's death, I am finally back and working at the bar. Dean informed the college that I was working on a case for them, explaining my prolonged absence. Thankfully, I was allowed to return because I was ahead of the other students. However, the teachers have assigned me a lot of homework with a two-week deadline.
I walk into my first class of the day, which happens to be my favorite: English. We are currently studying Sylvia Plath. As Professor Gallagher enters the room, he greets me with a smile and says, "and go."
"If you don't expect anything from someone, you'll never be disappointed," I reply.
"Sylvia Plath," he acknowledges. "Well done, Ms. Sullivan. Welcome back."
"Now, Teddy bear, give me another famous quote from Plath," Professor Gallagher prompts.
Teddy looks up from his notepad and recites, "The silence depressed me. It wasn't the silence of silence. It was my own silence."
"Dark, young Teddy, very dark," Professor Gallagher comments before moving on to another student. This pattern continues for the rest of the class, and then we proceed to our next classroom.
As I pass by Professor Gallagher, he intercepts me and waits until we're alone. "How have you been holding up, Corky, after everything you've been through?" he inquires. I pause, wondering how he's aware of my experiences.
"I'm resilient," I respond, and he grins at me.
"I know you are, but remember that I'm here if you ever need someone to talk to," he assures me.
"Thank you, sir," I expressed my gratitude before leaving the classroom. At my locker, I spotted Teddy waiting for me. I'm taken aback since we barely spoke the last time we saw each other. "Hey Teddy, what brings you here on this fine day?"
"I just wanted to check on you. I read about what happened to Layla in the newspaper, with the break-in and all," Teddy explains.
"I'll be alright," I reassure him as I retrieve my books from my locker. "Corky, you don't always have to be tough. It's okay to let people in," Teddy advises, but deep down, I know that opening up to others can lead to danger and harm. I simply nod at Teddy and proceed to my next class of the day.
Before I realize it, the final class bell has chimed, and I rush home to ensure Bella is taken care of for the evening. The girls have decided to order pizza and indulge in a frightening movie night, a tradition they've established for October at Bella's request.
"Well, that sounds like a blast. Just remember to be in bed by ten. You have school tomorrow," I remind Bella before making my way to my room to prepare. As I'm about to leave the house, Bella dashes towards me and embraces me tightly. "Stay safe, Corky," she utters before returning to the living room.
I head to the bar for my first shift since everything occurred, feeling a wave of nerves wash over me. Carrie and Martin were familiar faces to everyone there, and I anticipate a tense atmosphere. However, as I step into the bar, Gordon and Miranda promptly approach me.
"Oh, Corky, how are you doing? Is your leg alright? I noticed the limp when you came in," Gordon bombards me with questions. "I'm fine, Gordon. The limp is just a part of the injury. I don't even feel it," I reassure him. Miranda is waiting for a hug, so I turn to her.
"How are you?" she asks, and I whisper, "I'm not sure."
"We'll get through this together," she assures me, and I smile at her. "You're a great friend," I tell both of them.
"Alright, enough with all the Hallmark shit. Where do you need me tonight?" I ask Gordon.
Gordon rolls his eyes at me. "Where you always are, behind the bar. We also want you to meet two new staff members," he informs me. As they approach, I look them both in the eye and jokingly ask if they have any murderous intentions.
"Not unless you count wanting to murder my cheating ex-boyfriend," one of the girls replies. I laugh and say, "Been there." I don't know why I said that because I've never actually had a boyfriend, not even when I lived at home.
After that, we get to work. I observe the girls interacting with the customers for a while, and I find myself focusing on my own tasks for the rest of the night.
"So, what do you think?" Gordon asks me at the end of our shift. "So far, so good," I reply. We quickly clean up the bar and prepare to leave. As we walk out, Gordon notices that I'm parking my car under the lamps with the rest of the staff. "I'm glad to see you're taking precautions after what happened," he comments. I nod and smile, getting into my car and driving off.
When I arrive home, I take over Tiffany's babysitting duties. "Hey Tiff, do your parents have any issues with you coming home so late at night... or early in the morning?" I inquire. She shrugs and responds, "They're hardly ever home, Ms. Sullivan." I offer her a place to stay if she ever needs it. "Well, if you ever need a place to crash, you're always welcome here. I'm sure Bella would enjoy the company," I informed her. She expresses her gratitude and heads towards her house.
I walk down the hallway to Bella's room and find her fast asleep in her bed. After grabbing a small snack from the kitchen, I proceed to the bathroom for a quick shower. Once I finish, I make my way to my room, wrapped only in a towel. Just as I'm getting dressed, I hear a knock on the front door. I swiftly grab my robe and secure it around me before going to answer the door.
Through the peephole, I spot Dean standing outside. "What brings you here so early?" I inquire as I open the door. He explains that he wanted to check on me after my first day back at work. I invite him inside and ask him to lock the door behind him. Dean follows me to the bedroom and observes as I get dressed. "Why don't you just skip all that and hop into bed, Corky? It's all going to come off anyway," he playfully teases. I raise an eyebrow and playfully respond, "Who says?" He smirks at me, and I playfully sprint towards the bed and jump on him. He chuckles and pins me down. "You're in a great mood tonight, Duchess," he remarks. I smile up at him and reply, "Yes, I suppose I am."
Dean bends down and kisses me passionately, eliciting a pleasurable moan from me. However, I quickly remind him that we shouldn't engage in such activities while Bella is nearby. Dean suggests that I simply need to be quiet, but I know it will be challenging to restrain myself with his arousing touch. He swiftly flips us over so that I'm on top of him, and I slowly lower myself onto him. The intense desire between us intensifies. Dean exclaims, "Oh, my God," and we reach climax simultaneously. Afterward, we tidy up in the bathroom and then snuggle in bed, eventually drifting off to sleep in each other's arms.
The next morning, Bella enters my room and reminds me that we need to get ready for school. I realize it's already 8:20, so I hastily get dressed. As we make our way towards the front of the house, Bella informs me that she has her lunch and bookbag ready, but I still need to gather mine. Once we get out to the car there is a car pulling up in the driveway.
The driver rolls down the window and inquires if I am Corky Sullivan. I confirm my identity and ask how I can assist her. She introduces herself as Izabella Smith's grandmother and expresses her desire to take her home. Bella stares at the woman and demands to know where she has been all this time before firmly telling her to go to hell. Bella then definitely climbs into my car.
"I believe you have received your answer, ma'am. Please vacate our premises," I assert firmly, making my way towards my car. However, the woman halts my progress. "Do not force me to resort to legal action because, young lady, considering your background, you will not prevail," she cautions me.
"Challenge accepted, grandma," I retort defiantly. I have no intention of succumbing to her demands. After all, she was absent from her granddaughter and her mother's life, so why should she suddenly feign interest now?
Finally managing to enter my car, I drive off to drop Bella off at school. Once she is safely inside, I proceed to my own school. Arriving with a few spare minutes, I swiftly sent a text to Dean.
Me: Today, Bella's paternal grandmother visited our residence, demanding Bella go home with her. Bella stood up to her, but now she is threatening legal action against us.
Deputy Dewey: I know an excellent attorney who can assist. I do not believe you have much to worry about, but it is prudent to have legal representation as a precautionary measure.
Me: Thank you, Dean. I simply want Bella to have a voice in deciding what she wants to do, and it is clear that she opposes going with that woman.
Deputy Dewey: 😏!
Me: What's so funny?
Deputy Dewey: I knew you would excel at being a parent.
Me: Stop teasing me.
As the professor walks into the classroom, indicating the start of the class, I put my phone away and shift my focus to my studies.
After the class ends, I take Bella to the law firm suggested by Dean - David and David. The name sounds inviting. As we step into the office area, a friendly middle-aged woman welcomes us with a warm smile.
"Welcome to David and David. How can I assist you?" she greets us.
"Yes, we need to consult with a lawyer regarding a custody case. A friend recommended this office as the best in town," I explained.
"Ah, yes, you'll want to speak with Laurie David. Let me check if she's available to meet with you now or if we need to schedule an appointment for another day. Just a moment," the receptionist informs us and heads towards the back. After a brief wait, she returns to inform us that Mrs. Laurie is ready to see us. We follow her to the office where she just exited, and once inside, the receptionist closes the door behind us.
"Hello, I'm Laurie David. I understand you're in need of a custody case lawyer. Could you provide some details about your case?"
"Yes, ma'am. Well, here's the situation. This little girl's name is Izabella Smith. Her mother's name was Layla Smith, and her father's name was Herman Smith. Ten years ago, Martin, a pimp and drug lord, killed Herman when Izabella was just a baby. They forced Layla to work as a prostitute for years, and Izabella was forced to live with the pimp. When Martin was imprisoned, Layla was reunited with Izabella. Tragically, Layla was later killed by someone pretending to be a friend but was actually carrying out Martin's orders. Layla had a feeling that something might happen to her, so she prepared legal documents for me to take care of Bella. She didn't want any of the family to have her because they did not help when Martin took Bella. I know that's a lot to take in," I explain to the lawyer.
"And how do you know the mother well enough for her to trust you with her daughter?" I realize this was the next question she would ask, and I was afraid of it.
"I used to be a prostitute myself. However, I have since moved on and now work in a bar. I am also enrolled in college to pursue a teaching degree and become a high school English teacher."
"Good for you," Mrs. Laurie responds, without any judgment in her tone. "Now, I have to ask, Izabella, what do you want to achieve through this custody case?"
"I didn't have much time to get to know my dad," Izabella said. "My mom would only see me on holidays if she behaved." She made air quotes as she continued, "But I remember my mom being a great mom and a smart person. She didn't deserve what happened to us. I remember her asking for me to live with either of my grandparents, and she would do whatever Martin wanted. I also remember Martin calling and talking to my grandparents in front of me when I was younger. My mom asked him to, and my grandparents told him they couldn't take me in. Then, after my mom was killed, I heard Officer Adams call them again, and they still said they couldn't take me in. But when Ms. Corky took me in, all of a sudden they wanted me. Why now, that's all I'm asking?"
"Is it because of money?" Mrs. Laurie asked.
"Yes, my mom left me some money in a college fund, enough for Corky and me to live decently without her having to work at the bar until she got her degree," Izabella explained. "But Corky wants to work. She wants to make sure there are no cracks to be broken. I've done my homework, and my grandmother might still have a shot at getting me, but we need you to make sure that doesn't happen. I should be old enough to decide where I want to be." Izabella's words surprised both Mrs. Laurie and me. "She's mature for her age," I told Mrs. Laurie.
Mrs. Laurie smiled. "We understand the situation well, and we have a good chance of winning if you stay passionate during the hearing, Izabella."
"I feel pretty good about what we just discussed, don't you?" I asked Izabella.
"Yes, ma'am, I do. Can we get pizza for tonight?" Bella asked.
"Yeah, I don't see why not." We got into my car and headed to Big D's pizza, the best pizza place in town. We ordered a large pepperoni pizza with thin crust, light sauce, extra pepperoni, and cheese. Once we got our pizza, we went home. In the living room, Bella and I turned on a movie to watch while we ate. "I know it's a bad habit, but come on, we only live once, right?"
💋
It has been a couple of weeks since we visited the lawyer, but we haven't heard anything back from her. I'm starting to think that no news is good news, but Bella is getting anxious not knowing what's going on. After school today, I'll call the lawyer to get an update and ease Bella's mind.
As I serve a customer at the bar, he hands me some papers and asks if I am Corky Nicole Sullivan. Confused, I confirm my identity and ask him what it's about. He informs me that I am being subpoenaed to court for an emergency hearing with Izabella Rena Smith. I can't believe this is happening. How did my lawyer not know about this?
After receiving the paperwork and serving the customer his drink, I go to the back to call my lawyer and inform her of the situation. She expresses frustration and assures me that she will be there with all the necessary paperwork in the morning. Apparently, they didn't expect me to be proactive and contact my lawyer after hours. She assures me that we will show them who's in charge.
I appreciate my lawyer's sense of humor and confidence in her abilities. I end the call and return to the bar to continue working. It's a busy Thursday night, and the bar is packed. I make the most of it, flirting with the men and being friendly to the women. The tips are usually good on nights like these.
One of the street girls comments on the fact that I have a child now. I brush it off and ask her if she's not working the streets tonight. I can't help but be a little petty towards her. I know she doesn't think she's better than me.
She responds by saying that she doesn't have to work the streets unless she wants to because her partner takes care of her. I make a snarky remark about her partner's age, implying that she's only with him for his money. She tells me not to be a bitch and walks away with her drink.
Gordon, notices the exchange and asks if I'm pissing people off again.
"You know, Gordo, that's my specialty," I say, giving him a playful wink. I really enjoy working with him. He's like a father figure to everyone. He's in his 50s and a big guy who goes to the gym every day before work. With him around, we don't have to worry about anyone messing with us. If only people knew that he's just a big teddy bear who loves his wife and kids and can't wait to get back home to them every night.
"Hey Corky, what was that earlier? When you went to the back, you looked a little freaked out. Is everything okay with you and the kid?" Gordon asks, genuinely concerned. I appreciate his concern, so I tell him whats going on with the Smith family.
"Damn, Corky, why didn't you tell us how bad it's gotten? We'll be there for you in the morning," he says, sounding genuinely supportive. "All of you?"
"Yes, all of us. Like I've told you before, we're a family here," he replied, smiling at me. "Yeah, we really are a family here, aren't we?"

Authors Note: Hey lovely readers. How are you liking the book so far. Leave me a comment, and if you're really loving it hit the star to vote.
Much Love!
@Crystalsteadman 2024