Make Me Yours: A BWWM Billionaire Love Story (23 page)

Meaghan flinched in
sympathy and her mom nodded her response.

“
Yeah,
and that was the fun part. There was the diabetic going into insulin
shock because of too many missed meals, and that HIV positive mom who
comes in for checkups turned up with jaundice. Fun times.”

“
Wow
mom, I do not know how you do it,” Meaghan said as she gathered
her school books together.

“
Frankly
my dear, neither do I. I’m off to shower and sleep now so do
you need anything?”

“
I’m
fine Mama,” Meaghan said leaning up to kiss her mother as she
passed on her way out. Her mother waved and wished her a good day and
then she was off to the shower. Meaghan could see how tired she was.
In addition to working full time as a nurse at the general hospital,
her mother also worked part time at the grocery store as a clerk. She
made barely enough to make ends meet and Meaghan knew that; which was
why she was applying for academic assistance to attend Dalton School.
She’d taken her test for the interview and had just received
the notification that she’d passed and had been awarded a
place. Now all she had to do was convince them that she qualified for
one of their scholarships. She was ready to work extra hard on this
if they would just agree to pay her tuition and maybe give her a
small stipend for books. If they agreed with her,
then
she could tell her mother. She knew how much it would break her
mother’s heart if she knew that her daughter wanted to attend a
school that she couldn’t pay for. So there was no use in
getting both their hopes up. She’d try for the scholarship, if
she succeeded then yay. If she failed…well mother would never
have to know she’d even applied.

Mr. Henley was
waiting for her leaning on his semi as he smoked a cigarette. He
smiled when he saw her approach and walked to his door, getting into
the truck and pulling open the passenger door for her. Classic rock
was already blasting from the speakers of his stereo. Mr. Henley had
infected her with his penchant for rock music from the eighties. He
had everything from AC/DC to Bon Jovi and he not only introduced her
to it, but was always picking up both CDs and Vinyl for her when he
went on his trips. She figured that she liked the music so much
because listening to it gave her a chance to use her late father’s
record player that he’d bequeathed to her. And Mr. Henley was
right; the music really did sound better on vinyl.

They talked about
the possibility of seeing U2 in concert when they came to town in a
few weeks. Mr. Henley thought that he could maybe get tickets but
Meaghan couldn’t really afford to buy concert tickets and she
wouldn’t take one for free. Mr. Henley tried to make it seem
like she’d be doing him a favor if she agreed to go with him
but Meaghan’s mama had taught her that there was no such thing
as a free lunch. Mr. Henley was nice and all but it just didn’t
pay to put any ideas in his head. And going out to a rock concert
with him was crossing the line…not that she’d ever seen
any evidence that he was into pedophilia or anything but best to be
safe rather than sorry.

“
Mr.
Henley it’s really nice of you to offer but my mama wouldn’t
like for me to go out with you like that on my own so I can’t.
I’m sorry,” she said.

“
Well
how about I just give you the ticket and you go on your own?”
he wheedled.

Meaghan thought
about it, “No. I can’t go on my own, I’m not old
enough and I still can’t pay for the ticket.”

Mr. Henley sighed,
“Fine then. I’ll just have to record it for you on my
video camera. It’s not the same as seeing it live though.”

“
I
know,” Meaghan said wistfully, “and I really really wish
I could go but I can’t.”

“
Hey.
What if they’re not free? What if you…wash my trailer
for me for a month as exchange?” Mr. Henley suggested, very
excited at his brilliant compromise.

Meaghan smiled to
see him so excited, “I can’t Mr. Henley. I still wouldn’t
be able to go because I can’t go alone.”

“
And
you won’t let me take you,” he sighed in disappointment
and was so preoccupied with their conversation that he almost passed
the bus stop, “Fine then. It’s your funeral,” he
said as he let her out.

“
Bye
Mr. Henley,” Meaghan said with a small wave.

“
You
have a good day Miss Sunshine,” he replied with a smile of his
own and drove off into the sunrise.

There were some
other kids from her school waiting for the bus as well and they
greeted her casually but then went back to their conversation.
Meaghan was a bright student and she was an apt pupil but that didn’t
mean she knew how to win friends and influence people. Being an only
child and living more as roommates and friends with her mom rather
than traditional mother and daughter meant that she was used to
having conversations that didn’t begin with “Like…”

She also had a very
clear picture of what she wanted her future to look like and was
laser focused on that. It didn’t leave her a lot in common with
her classmates. Meaghan didn’t mind though. She had all the
friends she needed in Mr. Henley and her mother.

The school bus drew
up and the driver got the door open, giving Meaghan a grin. He always
grinned at her; he had told her one time that her hair reminded him
of Donna Summer in her prime. Meaghan hadn’t known who that was
so she’d gone to look her up on yahoo. Looking at the great
halo of Donna Summer’s hair in a picture she’d found, she
nodded her agreement. Yeah, she could see how the giant pouf she wore
her hair in would remind Clarence of this music star. And she was
also a tall girl; willowy. The only discordant note was the glasses
she wore and her braces. She decided to take it as a compliment.
Meaghan had always been a glass half full type of person.

Ms. Lainey was
waiting for her as the bus drew up at the school. She was
instrumental in helping Meaghan apply to Dalton School and today they
needed to prep for the interview that would determine whether or not
she got that scholarship. They only had thirty minutes before class
began and the interview was at lunch hour. It would have to be
enough.

*****

“
Come
in Meaghan Leonard is it? Don’t be scared,” the severe
looking lady with the tortoise shell glasses said. There was a panel
of three people; the severe lady, a pale fat gentleman in a black
suit and a pin striped lawyer type with a pince nez. Meaghan wasn’t
afraid but a lot was riding on this interview and a lot of thought
went into every step she took. That might have made her appear a bit
tentative but Meaghan wasn’t sure that was entirely a bad
thing. Might make at least one of these panelists sympathetic. As
long as she was articulate and convincing. Meaghan prayed that she
would be convincing enough. Heaven knew there were enough people
waiting to take her place if she wasn’t.

“
You
applied to this school to join our high school next year did you
not?” severe woman asked. The other two panelists were just
staring at her.

“
Yes
I did,” she replied nodding her head once. In honor of the
occasion, she’d tied her hair in a tight bun at the back of her
head. Ms. Lainey had helped her with the style; she’d said it
made her look more serious.

“
And
you passed and have been accepted?” Severe asked her again.

“
Yes
ma’am,” she replied, nodding again.

“
So
please tell us in your own words why you feel you qualify for this
scholarship?” the lady asked her. Meaghan took a deep breath
and began to speak.

Her father had died
in the first Iraq war; he had been an army medic who died when the
camp was bombed by friendly fire. They received his small military
pension but it was barely enough to keep them clothed. Her mother
worked two jobs as a nurse and a store clerk to provide for them but
there was definitely no money for private school. Meaghan had been a
good student consistently throughout her formative years as well as
an active participant in student politics. She worked as a
photographer for the school newspaper and a photograph of hers had
been used by the local papers. She aspired to be a surgeon and she
knew that Dalton was a stepping stone that could get her where she
needed to be. She asked nicely for their consideration and pledged to
work hard to ensure that if they chose her they would be vindicated
in that choice. She thanked them nicely for taking the time to
interview her and listen to her.

By the time she was
finished fat pasty looking guy was actually looking interested in the
proceedings. She wondered why they didn’t introduce themselves.
Perhaps they didn’t want her to have their names in case they
rejected her bid…

*****

It was the final day
of exams when Ms. Lainey asked her to stay behind after all her
classmates had filed out. She looked grim and Meaghan braced herself
for news that was maybe not good. She began to think what her plan B
could be; public high schools might not be an automatic in to an Ivy
League school, nevertheless, it wasn’t impossible.

“
Meaghan,
I just received a reply from the panel at Dalton. I haven’t
opened the letter. I thought we could do it together,” Ms.
Lainey said. Meaghan could barely find the wherewithal to nod her
head. She swallowed hard; suddenly her mouth was really dry. Had she
gotten in?

Ms. Lainey slit open
the envelope and pulled out the letter.

“
Dear
Ms. Leonard, we are pleased to offer you-“

That’s as far
as Ms. Lainey got before Meaghan was screaming and crying in her
arms, her joy could hardly be contained. She snatched the letter to
read the words for herself. They were offering her the scholarship as
well as a book stipend. Furthermore, transportation to and from
school was part of the package. Meaghan’s heart was so full she
felt it was leaking out of her through her eyes. She looked up at Ms.
Lainey; it looked like she was leaking at the eyes too.

“
You
should go and tell your mother,” she said to Meaghan.

Meaghan nodded
mutely and ran out of the door, forgetting her bag behind her.

*****

When Meaghan began
high school, she had all these lofty ideas of how Dalton School would
be. She imagined herself having debates on history, culture and
politics with her classmates and teachers but she quickly learned one
thing. School kids were the same everywhere and teachers were more
concerned with homework turned in on time than abstract debates on
subjects beyond their ability to do anything about. So just like in
middle school, Meaghan found herself spending more and more time in
the library; among books which were always ready to engage her in her
hunger for knowledge and higher truths. She took to spending her
spare time in there, reading everything that caught her eye. The
Dalton library was certainly extensive. She didn’t have as much
time to utilize it as she would like; as soon as she turned sixteen
she began work at Mr. Henley’s garage; keeping his records in
order after school. She liked the job because it taught her a lot
about managing finances on a tight budget, plus Mr. Henley didn’t
mind if she read her books on her breaks. The perpetual rock music
playing in the background was also another plus. She was working for
a boss she liked, in a job she enjoyed and surrounded by her favorite
music. She couldn’t ask more from life.

*****

She was working late
one night, or rather she’d gotten caught up reading the Iliad
while Bon Jovi blasted from the speakers and she didn’t want to
move when a new customer drove into the garage. She peered down from
the window in the office and saw that the garage was deserted. Mr.
Henley had said something about going out for a smoke; no smoking was
allowed in the garage because it was a fire hazard and it was late so
no-one else seemed to be around. She wondered what she should do; it
wasn’t like she could help the customer with his car…

He alighted from the
vehicle and Meaghan got a load of his full head of hair as he looked
around for someone to help him. He looked lost. The car was too
expensive for this neighborhood and the guy was too well dressed.
Meaghan stood and left the office, descending the stairs
self-consciously as the guy watched her come to him. She guessed
there was nothing else to look at really but still she wished he
would look away.

“
Hi.
Can I help you?” she asked him. Now that she was up close to
him and standing on the same level she could see how tall he was; and
well built. But not as old as she’d first thought when she saw
his clothes. No, he was closer to her age than the mid twenties she’d
assumed at his outfit. Fitted khaki slacks and blue fitted shirt that
looked tailor made for him. His dark hair was windswept and untidy
but that could have been because he’d just alighted from a
convertible…Lamborghini Aventador if she wasn’t
mistaken. His green eyes were so intent on her that she felt like
squirming but drew herself up instead and looked back at him.

“
Where
do I know you from?” he asked ignoring her question.

“
What?
I’m pretty sure I don’t know you,” she replied and
then wondered if that was rude and if Mr. Henley would be mad at her
for being brusque with his customers.

“
Yes.
I’ve seen you somewhere,” he said looking her up and
down. And then his eyes fell on the book in her hand. It was
emblazoned with ‘The Dalton School’ along its sleeve
which was facing him. The frown cleared from his face.