One Man's Heart

"Now we have no money, no warm clothes and no place to go. What are Pamela and I going to do? I just don't . . ." she began crying not being able to finish her thought.

"Well for starters. You have a place to stay. My house is more than large enough for the three of us. Secondly, I'll pay for these clothes. You need them now as it isn't going to get any warmer for the next several months."

"But how can we . . . I ever pay you back. I don't have a job. I've been looking but, so far, with no luck." Tracy said to me.

"We'll worry about all this later. Let me pay for this now and then we will go home," I said escorting the sisters back to the sales counter.

On the way out we passed a shoe store and I ushered them inside saying, "you both need some cold weather shoes or boots. This is as good a place as any for that. Each of you pick out two pairs apiece. One for everyday wear and one pair for dress up occasions. No arguments."

With the sister wearing their new warm winter jackets we made our way back across the parking lot to my truck. Each of them grabbed onto my arms on either side of me while carrying their bags of new clothes and shoes in their other hand. It was then that I realized that I hadn't felt this good in a long time.

Once we reached home I settled down in front of the fireplace while the girls took their new possessions upstairs. They took turns coming back down to model their new outfits for me thanking me each and every time. It was a small price to pay for how good it made me feel.

After a light supper the three of us sat in front of the fire and talked. Gunner curled up in front of the fire and was soon asleep. Around nine-thirty Pamela announce she was going to bed since there was school the next day and she needed to get up early. I told her I would drive her to school on my way to work.

After Pamela had left Tracy started telling me about her job search. "I've gone just about everywhere with no luck," she explained.

"Have you tried at Secure Security Systems? I work at 'Triple S' and after we drop Pamela at school I'll take you there."

"Do you think that they may have any openings?" She inquired .

"Well you never know until you apply. Do you have something appropriate to wear?" I asked.

"Yes. I'll just need to iron out the wrinkles. Do you have an iron I could borrow?"

"Yep. There's one in the laundry room. You go get your outfit and I'll set it up for you."

After she finished ironing I announced that I was going to bed. She said she would just straighten up a bit downstairs before going up to her room.

The next morning, as the two sisters were getting dressed, I made a call to my PA, Martha Sampson. I told her what I was planning and asked her to give a heads-up to, Harriet Johnson, my HR director.

I had no sooner ended the call when the two girls appeared Pamela dressed for school and Tracy in the outfit she had ironed the night before. Before we left I wrote a note to Mrs. Elliot explaining to her that I had already fed Gunner and not to let him pretend he hadn't eaten.

When we dropped Pamela at school I told her I would be by to pick her up later that afternoon when school was over for the day. Driving to work I parked in the employee's lot instead of my reserved spot in the covered garage. Walking into the building we were met by Sam, the front entrance security guard.

Greeting me he said. "Good morning Scott. How are you today?"

"I'm doing good. How about yourself?"

It appeared that Martha had gotten the word out to everyone.

Walking to the elevators we went to the third floor where the HR office was located. Harriet saw us enter the office and she came over to greet me. I introduced her to Tracy and explained that she wanted to fill out an employment application.

"Sure thing, Scott, no problem. I'll take it from here."

"Okay. I'll leave her in your capable hands. Well, I better get on to work. You know how grouchy the boss can be on Monday mornings," I said winking at her. She just rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at me.

I made my way upstairs to my office and checked in with Martha.

"I'm going out into the shop. If anything important pops up needing my immediate attention call me on my cell. Oh and Martha, thanks for giving everyone the heads-up this morning."

"No problem, Mr. Mueller, no problem at all. By-the-way, if you don't mind my saying, you look and sound so much better than you have for the past year."

I spent the remainder of the morning and early afternoon wandering around the shop floor speaking with as many of my employees as I could. I found out early on that if you spent time to listen to your employees and implement some of their suggestions morale always stayed high.

After grabbing a quick lunch with Dave I saw the time was close to when school would be letting out. I called Martha and told her I would be leaving for about ninety minutes or so. She told me that Tracy was in her office and that Harriet wanted me to call her.

Arriving in front of the school I saw Pamela standing on the sidewalk waiting for me. There was no one else around and it appeared that school had been over for quite some time.

She told me that school had been dismissed just before lunch when the electrical system malfunctioned and couldn't be repaired immediately. She had no cell phone and the school phones had died along with the electricity.

"Well we can't have you not being able to get in touch with your sister or me," I told her. "We'll have to fix that."

While we were driving home Pamela asked me a question. "Who exactly are you Scott? My friend Patty saw you drop me off this morning and wanted to know how come I was with the owner of 'Triple S'. Why didn't you say something to Tracy? Did you give her a job today?"

"No, Pamela, I didn't 'give' her a job. If she gets one it will be on her own merits, not because I 'gave' her one."

It was then I remembered to call Harriet. I dialed her number and put the call on speaker so Pamela could hear what was said.

Without any prompting Harriet said to me. "Where ever did you find that girl. In all my years in HR I have never seen anyone so qualified. The accounting aptitude test, that even CPAs have difficulty in answering in less that a half hour, she finished in ten minutes. Her word processing skills are outstanding. I gave her a sheet with statistics and analyses and told her to compose a short synopsis. She returned with a report that was clear, concise and understandable for anyone to read and understand. She types at one hundred-fifty words a minute with zero mistakes."

"So did you hire her?" I asked.

"You better believe I did with your approval, of course. She starts tomorrow morning." Harriet replied.

"Where did you place her?" I asked.

"A girl with her talents would be wasted hidden away in a cubby hole. So I sent her up to your office as an assistant to Martha. You know Martha is talking about retiring in eight or nine months and Ms. Bennet would make an excellent replacement."

"Thank you Harriet. I couldn't have asked for a better outcome," I said ending the call.

"Pamela I could have 'just given' your sister a job. But how do you think she would feel about herself if I had done that? Now having 'earned' that job on her own merits her self-confidence will be off the charts."

I concluded by saying, "please don't say anything until I have a chance to tell her myself. Okay?"

"All right, I understand, Scott. I hadn't thought about it the way in which you just explained it."

When we arrived home I introduced her to Mrs. Elliot and explained that she would be picking her up from school every afternoon. I, also, told her how Mrs. Elliot had taken care of me when I was even younger then she was right now.

"I'll leave you two to spend some time getting acquainted with each other while I go back to work," I said walking out the door.

On my way back to work I stopped at the AT&T store and bought two iPhones. I set each up the same as mine; unlimited talk, data and text messaging. The store tech told me if I put them on a family plan along with mine I would save a couple of bucks as opposed to stand alone accounts. The term 'family plan' had a nice sound to it I thought to myself as I left the store.

When I arrived back at the factory I parked in my reserved spot in the garage and went directly to my office. As I walked in Martha gave me a big grin and nodded her head in the direction of Tracy, who was busy in front of a computer screen and didn't notice my arrival.

"Hi Tracy. What's happening?" I asked.

Seeing me she jumped to her feet, ran over and gave me a big hug saying. "I think I got a job. I'm just waiting for the boss to return and give his final approval. I am so nervous I'm about to jump out of my skin waiting."

Looking her into her face with my hands holding her upper arms I said to her. "Don't worry about it, Tracy, you're hired."

"I wish I had your confidence. But until he tells me himself I just can't be sure."

"Tracy," I said more emphatically. "You are hired! If you want to be told that in his office then come with me," I said taking her hand and pulling her toward the closed door to my inner office.

"Scott, what are you doing? You'll get fired for barging into his office."

"I don't think I'm going to fire myself," I said as I led her inside. "Please take a seat," I told her, indicating a chair in front of my desk. Instead of sitting behind my desk I took a seat facing her in the other chair.

"Tracy, I have a confession to make. I am the boss and you really are hired."

"Wait a minute, Scott. You mean you 'gave' me this job?"

Before she could say anything else I said to her. "I didn't 'give' you anything. You earned it on your own. Here read this," handing her the report Harriet had placed on my desk earlier detailing her aptitude test scores and the comments she had made about them.

As she read the report a big smile broke out on her face. Placing the paper back on the desk she leaned over, gave me a kiss on my cheek and whispered "thank you. I'll do my very best to live up to the confidence you have in me."

"I know you will," I whispered back.

"Okay, now have you done anything about your bank account?"

"Yes. I called about it this morning. They told me they would investigate how Frank was able to make such a large withdrawal from an ATM. Meanwhile, they gave me a new account number and I have set it up with an entirely new password. I gave Mrs. Johnson the new account information for payroll for direct deposits of my paycheck if I were to be hired."

"Great." Getting up from my seat I went to the office door, sticking my head outside, I asked my PA to do me a favor. "Martha, contact payroll and tell them I am authorizing an immediate advance on Tracy's salary. Tell them to make it for five hundred dollars."

"Hopefully, that should be enough to carry you through until payday a week from this Friday."

"Let's go home now. I've already picked Pamela from school and brought her there earlier this afternoon. She's with Mrs. Elliot, my housekeeper. She had a little adventure at school today. Nothing serious, but it needs to be addressed so it doesn't occur again."

I then proceeded to give Tracy a brief synopsis about the electrical problem at school, the early dismissal and the problem it caused for Pamela. When we arrived home Mrs. Elliot, with Pamela's help, had prepared supper for us. When Mrs. Elliot left Pamela told us to sit down and she would serve dinner.

After dinner Pamela and Tracy cleaned up the dishes and the kitchen while I started a fire in the family room fireplace. When they finished we all sat in front of the fire and Pamela filled Tracy in on all the details of today's adventure. She explained that she had no way to get in touch with either Tracy or me for help.

Getting up from my chair I went and retrieved my briefcase and returned with it. Opening it I took out the two cell phones and handed one to each of the sisters.

I explained all the features that came with the phone and told them I had created a contact list for each of them with my cell phone number, the home number and my office number. In addition I, also, added Mrs. Elliott's number as well as Tracy's number on Pamela's phone and Pamela's number on Tracy's phone.

"Now, Pamela, if another situation arises you can call any of us for help."

The two of them were stunned to say the least. They each came over and leaned down on either side of me. Each gave me a kiss on my cheek and thanked me over and over.

For the next few days everything appeared to be working out just fine. Tracy and I dropped Pamela off at school on our way in to work and Mrs. Elliott picked her up in the afternoon. Then on Thursday morning I received a call from my former father-in-law, Sheriff Don Paterson. He briefly told me that Frank Stilton and the rest of the bikers had made bail and would be released that afternoon. I told him to hold on for a minute while I called Tracy into to my office.

"This call pertains to you as well as me," I said putting the Sheriff on speaker phone.

He repeated what he told me initially and then continued to say, "a couple of jailhouse snitches have reported that Stilton had made some threats against Tracy and her sister. I don't think he's stupid enough to follow through with them, but you never know. So until they go to trial I think it would be best if you and your sister continued to staying with Scott."

"When is the trial?" I asked.

"Their case is schedule to be heard sometime after the first of the year," he replied.

"Is that okay with you, Scott? With the two of them staying at your house there is less likelihood of anything unforeseen cropping up."

"No, pop, no. It's not any problem for me. What about you Tracy? Are you okay with this?" I asked.

"Sure, if you think you can put up with two chatterboxes living with you for the next month or so."

"Great! It's settled then," the Sheriff said. "I'll step up patrols in your neighborhood, Scott. Try not to worry, Miss Bennet, you'll be safe with Scott."

After the call ended and Tracy went back to the office she shared with Martha I called Dave Collins and requested he meet me in my office ASAP.

When Dave arrived in my office I filled him in on the details of what the Sheriff had told me. "I'm not so sure of the Sheriff's assessment of Stilton's intelligence. He seemed to be out of touch with reality in the brief time I talked with him. I wouldn't put it passed him to try something."

"This is what I want you to do for me. I want you to put a team of our guys to follow me in from my home every morning. Most importantly, I want another team assigned to Mrs. Elliot when she picks Pamela up from school to take her home. Do on the QT. I don't want either of the girls to find out and become alarmed about the situation."

"You got it, boss. There will be a team in place by this afternoon to monitor Pamela's pick up from school. Do you want someone to follow you and Miss Bennet home in the evening?"

"Yeah. For a few days at least. I plan to start carrying again," I said, showing him my .45cal Colt.

"I wouldn't do that," Dave said to me. "If the girls see you carrying it's sure to alarm them. Let us do our job in keeping an eye on all of you."

For the next few weeks Dave and the teams did exactly that. After the third week, with no sign of any kind of trouble, I decided to curtail the teams following me. The resources could be better spent else where.

Ten days before Christmas I decided to take Tracy and Pamela into town to walk around the Christmas Market. Since everything was held outside on the town square we could take Gunner as he would enjoy the walk as well. After parking the truck we headed toward the square. I met a friend of mine who engaged me in a short conversation while Tracy and Pamela walked ahead.

I heard a scream and looked up to see Frank Stilton with one arm around Pamela's neck and the other hand holding a knife. Before I could react he stabbed her in her upper right shoulder. As he drew back to stab her again Gunner reached him, knocking him to the ground, and before I could stop him, he clamped his jaws around Frank's throat.

Tracy was screaming and was being restrained by a man I didn't recognize. I knelt down by Pamela's side and, using her scarf as a compress, I attempted to slow the flow of blood. Just as I was reassuring her that everything would be okay everything went black.

******************

As I was walking along a path, through a field filled with beautiful Spring flowers, a women approached me with the setting sun at her back making it difficult to see her clearly. When she reached out and grasped my hands I realized it was Barbara.

Pulling her close to me I whispered into her ear. "Barbara I've missed you so much. I love you."

She replied. "I have always known that you loved me, Scotty. I have loved you since the first time I ever saw you. But I have to leave you now and I came back to say good-bye."

"Wait! No! Barbara please don't leave me, please, don't leave me. Take me with you."

I'm sorry, my love, but you can't come with me. You have a long life ahead of you. I'll always be with you right here," she said placing her hand on my chest over my heart.

"Scotty, you will find love again. There is another who desperately wants you to love her. Your heart is big enough for both of us. Go to her and love her as much as you loved me."

As she pulled away from my embrace a blinding light struck my eyes. When I reopened them Barbara was gone.

******************

The bright light was back shining in my eyes. First one eye then the other.

"He's coming around." I heard a voice say. "He still has a severe concussion, but I think he'll be alright. He just needs to rest."

I don't know how long I drifted in and out of consciousness before I finally woke up. Sitting next to my bed holding my hand was Tracy. Standing behind her were Dave and my PA, Martha.

Tracy was the first to see me open my eyes and look around. "Thank God you're awake Scott. You are going to be just fine. You need to rest," she said.

"Pamela? What about Pamela is she . . . .?" I couldn't finish my sentence. I was so afraid they were going to tell me she was gone.

"Why don't you ask her yourself," said a voice I recognized as Mrs. Elliot's as she pushed Pamela into my room in a wheelchair. "I snuck her out of her room when we heard you were finally awake."

Tracy got up from her seat and shoved the chair away from my bed as Mrs. Elliot wheeled Pamela over to me.

"Are you okay?" I whispered hoarsely to her.

"I'm fine. It took fifteen stitches and seven staples to close the wound. The doctors told me I was very fortunate that nothing vital was struck. I'm being released tomorrow."

Then she asked about me. I told her I didn't know what happened after I tried to stop her bleeding. I've not spoken with a doctor since I woke up.

Just then Dr. Emerson, my long time physician, walked into the room. He asked everyone to leave before he examined me. After finishing he said, "Scott you are a lucky man. The x-rays show no skull fractures. Other than a severe concussion and a nasty bump on your head you're all right. I am going to keep you here for a few days, though, for observation and some more tests just to be sure. But I do expect to release you in time for Christmas."

Later that afternoon Don, Emma and Susan paid me a visit to see how I was doing. Susan told me that she was one of the responders to the altercation. It was touch and go for a while before I got there she said to me. Gunner was standing guard over you, Pamela and Tracy. He wouldn't let anyone come close. After he recognized me he settled down somewhat and I was able to lead him away to allow the EMTs to treat both you and Pamela.