Forgiveness and Punishment

14

Melissa closes her eyes and tears leak out. Timothy starts freaking, "Shit, what did I do this time? I promise I didn't intend to hurt you in any way. Will you please tell me what I did so I don't do it again?"

Melissa instead turns around in his arms and hugs him. She leans her head against his shoulder and lets herself cry. 

Hesitantly Timothy wraps his arms around her and just holds her. He doesn't feel anything like anger or pain and he's not sure just what he should do. "Just hold me." Melissa's voice comes into his head at that point.

They stand there for an unknown period of time. Melissa just letting out her emotions that she's held in for years and Timothy trying not to panic at Melissa's reaction. He's never been good at comforting people unless he takes them to bed. Melissa had made it clear that she wasn't interested and at this point he's not going to push anything.

"Sir, Miss, you will need to sit down and do up your seat belts. The pilot says that there will be turbulence ahead."

"Thank you, Lacey." Timothy says and walks with Melissa in his arms over to the seats. He makes sure that she is comfortable before taking his own seat next to her.

As the plane rides out the turbulence the two talk about the plans for the community center and what programs Melissa has going to help the people. He especially likes the idea of the mini gardens on the roof of her building. The food not only helps the families but they also help reduce pollution.

She has plans on buying the other apartment buildings on that block and instigating the same program for those families.

Any produce not used by the families that grow them is offered to other families nearby before taken to soup kitchens and food pantries in the area. He is pleased by how much is actually taken to local food pantry's.

He likes that she has literacy programs and offers to help subsidize books and other things to help teach. Melissa, although pleased with his offer, is hesitant to accept, not wanting to count on the help if he is just saying that to get on her good side.

She hides her reaction when he takes his phone out and orders the funds to be released to her charity immediately.

"Thank you, Timothy. You didn't have to do that." Melissa tells him.

"I know, but when you invest in the people great things happen." Timothy tells her and is thinking of how she doesn't just give them everything, they are required to give back. Every one that receives help is expected to help where they can. Parents that receive the daycare are expected to help out in the daycare when they aren't working. At least a couple of hours a week for each child. For children receiving homework help they are expected to help other children that are struggling in a subject that they themselves can do. For those with help from the literacy they help those with lower reading ability to read.

He is impressed with the rates at which the people are progressing. He is also impressed with how the dependence counselling works.

He works with her on setting up more funding for scholarships. She explains that for the people to get a scholarship that they are required to not only keep top grades in their classes, but also do some sort of community service that is acceptable to her. She pulls up the list of possible services that there are.

"And it works?"

"Yes, you'd be surprised at the ones that are chosen the most. Prisoner lessons and visiting the elderly. Those that visit the prisoners often tell me that it has changed their lives. Many of the prisoners when released find themselves in my programs for one reason or another. They've told me their stories as well. They've told me many times that it was the visit of one of my scholarship recipients that changed them, made them want to be better. They could see that it was possible to get out of the slums. That if a teenager could do it, then they could too."

Timothy sits still and thinks things through. "How has this affected the slums overall?"

"Crime rates have dropped significantly. It hasn't stopped by any means, there are still gangs and still drug use that is there. However, the rise in gang related crimes has actually stopped and started going down. Those in the slums now have healthier alternatives, that are safe for them and they have chosen them."

"How have the gangs taken that?" Timothy asks intently.

Melissa gives him a sad smile, "They aren't happy. In fact I've had more than one threat on my life.  When you build your office buildings you will definitely want more than one security officer. I couldn't afford any so I had to board up the windows and doors. It wasn't perfect, but the community has come together and have fought back."

Timothy gives her a nasty smile. "I will be hiring vampires to do the night watch for the offices and community center. I will extend that to your charity buildings. I don't think the gangs will stick around for long once that happens."

Melissa is stunned and shows it. "Thank you!" For the first time she sees that there might actually be something good about being a vampire.

Timothy doesn't let the smug feeling out even the tiniest bit. He feels that she is starting to give the idea of being a vampire a chance. There is no way in hell he's going to do anything to jeopardize that.