My Safe Refuge

Chapter 1

It's just a regular Monday morning, I'm making my way into the kitchen when I hear my brother Jake call out to me.

"Morning sis, you need a ride to college? I'm leaving the house in about 5 minutes, I can drop you off on my way to work."

I turn around to face Jake when a pair of Jake's crusty old socks on the ground catches my eye.

"Thanks Jake, I'm alright I don't have a lecture until after lunch so I'll just get the bus. Anyway someone has to clean this pig sty up, don't they?" I grab the pair of socks with one hand and throw them right into Jake's face.

"Hey!! Okay, I get the message, I guess I have been a bit of a slob lately. Work has been hectic but I promise as soon as I get home this evening I'll tidy up."

I roll my eyes as I answer Jake back. "Promises promises, I'll believe that when I see it!"

"Well I can't have my new important client seeing my house in a mess like this." Jake says with a sudden serious expression.

I look back at him puzzled. "What do you mean? Since when do you bring your work home with you?.......Oh god, please don't tell me it's some glamour model your taking pictures of?"

Jake tries to look like he's offended at my first initial thought, but he can't seem to hold in the amusement as he chuckles to himself.

"Why Ellie I'm offended, what do you take me for.....it's not a shoot for playboy magazine, you can relax.....although......"

I narrow my eyes at my brother in slight suspicion.

I quickly snap at him. "Although what? Spit it out Jake!"

Jake smiles when he starts to speak. "I guess some might refer to him as a sort of glamour model."

My eyes widen in response.  

"Did you say him?" I ask with a not so subtle hint of curiosity.

My brother smirks at me knowingly.

"Oh Ellie, does my work interest you all of a sudden?!" he says smugly.

"Stop messing Jake, it's my house too and I think I have the right to know if you're bringing some stranger around the place." I quickly say defensively.

Jake looks at me with a serious expression.

"Okay firstly, he's not a stranger. His name is Chris Baker, a hugely successful businessman from New York, I have worked with him before on a project in NY. He's a bit of a celebrity over there I guess, but he's actually a really decent and down to earth guy."

I'm just about to say something when Jake interjects.

"Look I really can't stay chatting about this now, I'm going to be late for work. I'll answer all of your questions when I get home." 

"While you're tidying up the house?" I say sarcastically.

"Uh huh....Bye sis!" Jake mumbles as he leaves the kitchen quickly.

I manage to get through two hours of cleaning the house and 3 hours of lectures. I'm just out of the shower and I'm getting dressed when I hear Jake arrive home from work. I hear him call me from downstairs.

"Hey Ellie? I come baring food!"

I make my way down the stairs quickly as the smell of Chinese food tickles my nose, sending my stomach rumbling in response.

"How was work?" I ask.

"Nothing too exciting, just trying to get things organised for my new client." Jake says causally.

My ears perk up at the mention of his new client.

"Ah yes, the famous Chris Baker......Are you at least going to tell me what he does and why exactly you are going to be taking photos of him?" I ask firmly.

"Well he's a very wealthy man, built his business from practically nothing, his business is very important to him for personal reasons. With the profits from his investment company he buys old run-down or abandoned buildings and turns them into refuge centers for women/mothers and children who are coming out of an abusive home and have no where else to go."

(Wow I was not expecting that at all.)

"That's incredible....you said his business is important to him for personal reasons? What did you mean by that?" I ask curiously.

"Well himself and his mother suffered at the hands of his own father until he was 10 years old, when his dad came home in a drunken rage and beat his mother so bad, Chris had managed to escape and ran to get help but by the time the ambulance got there, it was too late, his mother was dead."

I can feel myself almost starting to tear up as my own memories of losing our parents come flooding through my mind.

"Oh god Jake, that's horrible. I cant even imagine what he must have went through." I say sympathetically.

"Yes, but he's turned his tragedy into something that will really make a difference and help people." Jake says positively.

"So what's the deal with him coming to Jersey?" I ask.

"He's been looking for new places to start centers and a contact of his found the old Connelly's shopping center on the market, and well he done his research and found that there are no refuge centers for miles around. He remembered I was from here and contacted me to see would I be interested in doing the promotional shots for his business magazine."

"Well it does sound like an incredible project to be involved in." I add enthusiastically. 

"Yes it sure is.....so you won't mind if he'll be staying in our guest room for the few days that he's here on business?" Jake asks innocently.

My eyes shoot across the kitchen table at my brother.

"What? How is it that a billionaire or wealthy man like himself has to stay here?.....Surely he could just book into the nearest hotel?" I ask in disbelief.

"For your information he was going to book into a hotel but I insisted he stay here. It's the least we could do considering he is planning on making a big contribution to our town. It's not going to be a problem with you is it?" 

(I can't exactly argue with Jake on this one.)

"No no, it's fine. Sure I probably won't be here too much between college, working my shifts at the coffee house and seeing David." I say defeated.

"Jeez Ellie, are you still with that loser Davy?" Jake asks mockingly.

"His name is David and he's not a loser. What is your problem with him?" I ask irritated.

"You are way to good for that punk. He treats you like crap most of the time.....how many nights have I been your shoulder to cry on after that ass let you down, cancelling your dates all the time and forgetting to pick you up after work?!"

"Look he hasn't done any of those things in ages and he was truly sorry about all of it. Things have been going really good lately." I say trying to convince both Jake and myself.

(That wasn't completely true, unfortunately there has been a few let downs in the last few weeks but I'm certainly not going to tell Jake that now....he already has it in for him.)

"Just please say you haven't slept with that pest?"

I look at my brother with utter disgust at him bringing that subject up.

"Eww Jake I am not talking to you about my sex life.....This is not happening. I'm going to bed....I'll see you in the morning." I say quickly as I get up from the kitchen table and make a dash for the stairs.

I hear Jake chuckle as I leave the room.

(The truth is I haven't slept with David....or anyone for that matter. I don't know what is holding me back, I mean we have been together 6 months. I just don't ever feel like it's the right time or that I just don't feel ready. It has been a bit of an issue with David a lot lately, I think he's fed up waiting for me to be ready. I don't know what I should do at this point, maybe I should just get it over with!)