Finding Me: Book 1: All I've Ever Wanted (A New Adult Romance Series) (3 page)

Call it what you like, Laila. But I want this dress right now, are you going to wrap it for me or am I going to pay your boss a visit?” Tracy challenged her. “I’m sick of being poorly dressed, while I have someone who can keep me furnished with the latest dresses.

There was nothing Laila could do. She wrapped the dress and handed it to the girl and paid for the dress herself as she was at the girl’s mercy.

“I knew you’d see sense in the end, Laila. Thanks very much for all your help.” She said and walked out of the shop very coolly. Laila felt sick and wondered why she let her get away with that? She should have reported herself to Miss. Devonheart rather than let the bitch Tracy walk out of the shop with the dress.

Just a while later, Laila was at her table pondering over at what had happened when Lamia, her friend walked up to her and spoke.

“Laila, I’ve finished in the stockroom, where do you want them put when they’re brought through? Laila, are you listening to me? Are you all right?” Lamia asked her.

“Yes. I’m fine. Why?”

“You look as if you’ve seen a ghost, that’s why! Why don’t you take an early lunch and rest in the canteen for a while? I’ll cover for you here.” Lamia volunteered.

Laila was very glad to have a friend who could help her. She gave her a lame excuse that she was feeling a bit strange and that a cup of tea would probably put her on her feet again.

“Take your time, Laila. I’m in no rush and it’s not exactly busy in here today.” Lamia said as Laila headed towards the canteen. But Laila needed more than a cup of tea to solve her problem. It was worse than her worst nightmare coming true. It must be a million to one chance that Tracy would walk into the shop and see her again after all these years. It would seem like the opportunity of a lifetime to her to blackmail her into giving that dress.

Laila regretted her past doings. It wasn’t even as if she stole anything valuable. Her dare was to steal a cherry-flavored lip salve. She could have bought one for 20 cents. But Tracy wouldn’t allow that. She had to steal it to be part of her gang. How could she have been so stupid? Why didn’t she just tell her to get lost?

She thought getting in Tracy’s gang was the end of all her problems, but it turned out to be the beginning of her worst ones. Her Aunt was devastated by her shoplifting conviction and not to mention the gossip in her high school.

Laila thought perhaps she should resign now? She could put the money for the dress in the cash register that afternoon  and then hand over her notice in the evening….. But what would she do if she did resign? She wouldn’t get a job like this one again, that’s for sure. And the only reason she didn’t mention her record on the application form was because she knew the way other firms treated her when she did. As most firms were already prejudiced in hiring colored girls.

Whatever she did, she had to put the money in the register for the dress. She didn’t want to get Lamia into trouble. It had nothing to do with her or anyone else. It was her problem and she had to work it out herself.

With all these thoughts in her mind, Laila got back to her station to relieve Lamia who greeted her with a kind word.

“You are looking a bit better now. How are you feeling?” She asked her friend.

“Fine, thank you, it must have been all that rich food I ate last night. My stomach just isn’t used to it. You take your lunch break now, Lamia and thanks for covering for me. I do appreciate it, you know.” Laila lied trying to cover up her misery.

“Anything for you, boss! I’ll see you later.” Lamia said and made a hasty exit to the canteen, and it was Laila’s opportunity to open the cash register and put the money in with her fingers crossed that no one comes into the store while she was doing it. The job done she gave a great sigh of relief but it was going to leave her short for the rest of the week. But there was nothing else she could have done.

That evening Dave called in at her house as usual to take her out. “Hello, love, are you ready for the pictures? We haven’t got a lot of time you know.” He said trying to hurry her.

“Come in Dave, there’s something I have to tell you,” she said, hating to lie to Dave, but…”I’m sorry, Dave, but I haven’t left myself enough money for the pictures tonight. I under-estimated the electricity bill and had to make up the difference.”

“I don’t know how you run the dress boutique and do their accounts, but you can’t work out your own electricity meter….what am I going to do with you in future?” Dave said planting a gentle kiss on her cheeks.

“Well, I was hoping you’d join me for a quiet night in front of the idiot box, would that make up for missing the pictures.” She asked.

“Just as long as I am with you, dear, I don’t really care what we do.” Dave consoled her. But Laila had other thoughts in mind. She hated lying to Dave or keeping things back from him, but how could she tell him her dark secret from her past. She didn’t want to lose him over this… things were bad enough already.

“Cheer up Laila, I don’t mind missing a film now and then I’m just glad you put up with a boyfriend who is broke all the time.” Dave said.

“Putting up with you is very easy, Dave.” Laila said as Dave snuggled up close to her and started caressing her breasts and then slid his hand gently down, under Laila’s skirt to feel her pussy.

Laila very politely brushed his hand aside and said, “No, Dave, not tonight, I’m tempted, too, but I’m having my periods, maybe some other night.” She lied to him as she was so tensed and not in the mood for sex. 

A fortnight later Tracy, the professional shop-lifter who was blackmailing Laila happened to walk into the dress boutique once again. “Hi! There, Laila! Still working here, are you?”

“No thanks to you, Tracy, and what are you doing here again? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” Laila questioned her.

“I need a new coat, Laila, that’s why I’m here. Wrap this up for me, will you?” she demanded.

“A new coat? No. I will not wrap this up for you, This coat costs 170 dollars. I can’t put the money in the register for that.” Laila said.

“That’s your problem, Laila, not mine. All I know is that if you don’t wrap that coat up for me. I’m going to your boss right now. Would you like me to do that?” the girl asked. “And add a few of these things, too, to the bill.” Gathering the things the girl simply walked out of the boutique without looking back.

Lamia, who had witnessed all this silently approached her friend Laila. “I’m sorry, Laila, I saw everything that took place, that girl simply walked out without paying and you let her go, are you okay?” she questioned her friend.

“Why ask me?.....Oh, Lamia, I’m sorry.” She said in a trembling voice. “I’m not feeling well, I’d like to go home, will you cover up for me?”

“Go ahead, I’ll do that.” Lamia said and just after she left she walked into Miss. Devonheart’s office. “Can I have a word with you ma’am?”

“Yes, Lamia, what’s troubling you?” Miss. Devonheart asked.

“Nothing, but its Laila…. She is in some kind of trouble, there is a girl who comes to see her every other week and after she leaves Laila acts kind of jittery and funny.” Lamia said.

“Yes, I too noticed that, it’s not like Laila, in fact she has made quite a lot of blunders with the stock cards.” The boss lady informed Lamia. “Just find out what’s troubling her.”

That evening Lamia gave a call to Dave and explained everything to him and told him to get to the bottom of Laila’s troubles. “I certainly would do, Lamia, in fact I too find her acting kind of strange, these days.” Dave told her.

That very same evening Dave dropped in at Laila’s house and it was a kind of very cold welcome he received. “Hi! Love, what’s troubling you, I find you acting quite strange these days?” He told Laila.

“Why ask me?” It was the very same question she had asked Lamia earlier, and broke down in tears. But with a lot of persuasion Dave was able to get the full story of how she was being blackmailed by this strange  vindictive girl.

The next day Dave met Miss. Devonheart and Lamia in the dress boutique and explained everything about Laila being blackmailed and the reason for her strange behavior.

“What a stupid girl she is, I thought she had a head above her shoulders and a girl with guts. Dave, tell her to lay off for a week till this whole thing is sorted out…. I will need your help to trap this girl, Dave,” she said, “And Lamia, can you identify this girl if you see her again?” the boss lady asked.

“Of course, Miss. Devonheart, In fact, I’m certain she will visit the shop on Thursday.” Lamia said.

“Well, then let her come and take whatever things she usually takes, we’ll nab her when she leaves, I will get a couple of police women to act as sales girls so that she can be caught red handed.” The boss lady said.

“It sounds like a brilliant idea, ma’am.” Dave confirmed. “But from all what I heard from Laila, she seems to be a very hard not to crack.”

As planned the trap was laid and just as Lamia had predicted the hard nut girl walked into the boutique, and with a pre-planned signal Lamia informed the two plain clothed police women of the shoplifter’s presence.

In fifteen minutes the girl walked all over the shop and collected a whole heap of things and got them to be wrapped by one of the police women, acting as a sales girl. “You are not the girl who usually serves me, where is she then? Off ill?.... hand me those packages, I’m in a hurry, you can tell your girl, Laila to settle this bill for me.” She said and walked out.

The two plain clothed police women waited till the girl had stepped out of the boutique so that they could nab her outside on a charge of stealing goods from the store.

One of the police women approached her and addressed. “I’d like a word with you, if you don’t mind. In fact. I think there are a lot of people here who would like a word with you, step this way to the office please.” She said leading hard nut Tracy to the office.

“Why should I? And who the hell are you to ask me to step into your blessed office?” the girl asked.

For an answer the plain clothed police woman dipped her hand into her pocket and came up with her police badge. “I’m a police woman and I am arresting you for shop lifting. If you want you will be given the privilege of retaining a lawyer to defend you, but for the moment I would strongly advise you to come with me without causing any trouble.”

Tracy was arrested and taken to the police station and was sure to be prosecuted and sentenced. Miss. Devonheart and Lamia were very pleased with the proceedings. Miss. Devonheart called Dave and asked him to inform Laila that she could resume work as usual the next day.

“I’m sure she will be thrilled with the good news.” Dave informed the boss lady.

“I hope she does not do any more stupid things like this.” Miss. Devonheart said.

“You’ll have to excuse her ma’am; she is a good girl but a scared one, scared because she feels that the whole world is prejudiced against colored girls.”

“That’s a very silly thought, well, what has happened has happened let us look at the bright side of things and work sensibly in future.” The boss lady said.

Dave went to see Laila that evening and…. “Dave, I think I must tell you that I’m a no good girl for you. You know, I have a police record….” She was not able to continue.

“Will you please shut up and let me come in, I have a message for you from Miss. Devonheart, she wants you to report to work as usual…. And as for me I don’t care if you are the worst criminal in this world, whether you are black, white or yellow. I still love you. Please get that into your thick head.” Dave told her.

“Oh, Dave, how could I ever thank you for all what you have done for me.” Laila said throwing her arms round Dave and kissing him all over his face.

“Well! For a starter you could let me continue with what I started a couple of nights before.” He told her and led her towards the bedroom and Laila followed him docilely.