"What is it?" Tanner asked, sensing my distress. He looked at me with a concerned expression, and I could feel his eyes searching mine.
My hand trembled as I picked up a fork to poke at my food, trying to calm my nerves. "It's just that the last job I had almost took me back to my husband," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. The memory of the abuse I had suffered at the hands of my ex-husband still haunted me, and I shuddered at the thought of ever going back to him.
Tanner reached out and placed a comforting hand on mine. "You don't have to be scared, Jasamina," he said gently. "You're in another city, miles away from your husband. No one knows you here."
His words were a balm to my anxious heart, and I felt a sense of calm wash over me. He was right; I was far away from New York, and I needed a job to support myself and Jaimie. I couldn't continue depending on him forever, especially since he was leaving soon.
Leaving. The mere thought of Tanner leaving me made my heart ache. I struggled to hold back my tears, knowing that he had a life to live, and I couldn't stop him from pursuing it. "You're right. I really need a job. I need to put my emotions aside and face reality," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
"I can't continue....you know... depending on you. And I'm sorry if I had been a burden to you. It wasn't-"
"Don't say it," Tanner interrupted, his voice stern. "Don't ever think that way. I've told you that before."
His words touched me deeply, and I felt a tear roll down my cheek. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you, Tanner, for everything," I murmured softly, sniffing.
Tanner took his time to chew and swallow before speaking. He looked at me with a sad half-smile, and his eyes lingered on Jaimie, who was still playing.
"Jasamina, you have no idea how much you've helped me this past month. You did the best for me. You will never understand what you did for me, my dear. Don't keep thanking me as if I gave you the world, because truly, you and your baby..." He trailed off, his voice choked with emotion. "....you two are the ones who gave me the world. The both of you gave me back my life."
I was surprised by his words and didn't understand how we could have done so much for him when we had done nothing.
Tanner saw my confusion and locked eyes with me. "After we look for a job for you today, I'm going to tell you about my past this evening. Maybe then, you'll understand why I'm indebted to you and not the other way around."
.
.
.
9. JOB HUNTING AND THE CALL OF A PAST UNKNOWN.
TANNER
After finishing breakfast, Jasamina changed into new clothes and dressed Jaimie. She then secured the baby into the carrier and strapped him onto her shoulders, so that he rested on her front with his head against her chest. Following my lead, we left the house to start our job search. I'd scoured through newspapers and websites but couldn't find any within Jasamina's qualifications so our only choice would be to go store to store.
We hailed a taxi and headed to a bustling area that accommodated numerous businesses, schools, and hospitals. It was the perfect place to find work.
"Here's our stop. Here's the fare," I said, handing the driver the money from the backseat.
Turning to Jasamina, I said, "We've arrived. Let's get started."
"This mall is enormous. It must be one of the biggest around here," Jasamina commented as we got out of the taxi. She scanned the surroundings, keeping a firm grip on the baby carrier that now held a wide-eyed Jaimie.
She was right; it was one of the largest malls in Texas, known for its wide range of products and high customer traffic.
Our eyes locked briefly before Jasamina looked away with a soft smile, her gaze darting around the mall as we made our way through the aisles in a zigzag pattern.
I had never seen her so relaxed. She was so beautiful. I tried to push the thought away, knowing I had to stay focused.
"That's the counter over there. Let's ask one of the cashiers to direct us to the manager," I pointed to the area where people were queuing up to pay for their goods.
As we approached, I moved forward to speak with a cashier, Jasamina following closely behind.
"Please wait in line," the cashier said curtly, glaring at us.
"I'm not here to buy anything. I need to see anyone in charge, could you please refer one to us?," I crouched down to lean on the counter.
The cashier, a woman in her late forties, scrutinized us with her gaze.
"Why?" she asked, shifting her eyes from her computer to each of us.