My Time is Yours
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“My Time is Yours” just had a facelift (New cover!) done by Dark Water Covers Premades. As always, I am beyond happy with the results!
This book is one of my babies. It gives the reader a glimpse into the world of autism. What it’s like to be a single mother, struggling to make ends meat, while raising an autistic child. (And, that isn’t even the main character.) This book has laughs, tears of joy, tears of sadness, more laughs, some romance, and by the end your eyes are more open towards the world around you. ❤
Excerpt:
My black heels clicked as I walked down the tile floor towards my office. Everyone who was at their desk quickly put their heads down and pretended to work. Typical response when the boss entered a room. Tina Rodriguez, my bubbly assistant, wasn’t at her desk, as usual. Something was up; I just didn’t know what yet.
Usually, Tina greeted me with a smile and French vanilla cappuccino. She hadn’t missed a day of work in three years. She was one of the few that I could count on. I walked into my office and set my stuff on my desk. Just as I was about to sit down, I noticed smears on my computer screen like someone had tried to wipe something off with their hands. No one was allowed in my office but a select few and those few knew my computer was off limits. My day had already started off bad at the gym and not this. Someone needed to give me answers, now.
All of a sudden, people were running through the hall outside my door and shouting. I headed towards the commotion. Ricky, my new intern, jumped out from behind his desk and in front of me.
“Good morning, boss. Did you do something new with your hair,” he asked grinning.
Ricky was becoming another loyal employee of mine. He was skinny as a rail, tall as a pole, and had the most perfect hair. He claimed it as a Puerto Rican feature which always made me laugh.
“Ricky, what is down that hallway that no one wants me to see,” I asked crossing my arms and grinning. He gave me a look of a little kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Ricky, spill it.”
“Tina’s son is here,” he whispered and quickly covered his mouth with both hands. I didn’t even know Tina had a son. Three years of employment and she kept quiet on having a kid. She didn’t have an ounce of fat on her, so no one would ever guess that she had one.
“Why is he here,” I asked looking around him trying to catch a glimpse of Tina and her son.
“The daycare got shut down this morning and she had nowhere else to take him. Please don’t fire her,” Ricky said giving me the puppy dog look. I couldn’t resist laughing.
“Just help me find them,” I said walking around him with Ricky shadowing me. We found a crowd outside the janitor’s closet.
“Please, Joey, open up for mommy,” Tina said pleading with the kid on the other side of the door. She was in a cute black business suit. She was getting her pants dirty because she was on her knees in front of the door. “Joey, please,” she was almost in tears. Theresa placed a gentle hand on Tina’s back and Tina almost came unglued. She took a deep breath. “Please, Joey.”
“Joey, come on out for your momma,” Theresa said in her down south voice. She was the mother figure to all of the employees. First one to work, last one to leave- besides me. She was African American, in her late fifties, a bit on the heavy side, wore her shoulder-length hair down, and had no problem letting everyone know her opinion; which was one of the many reasons that I loved having her as an employee.
“What seems to be the problem,” I asked startling all of them. Tina quickly stood up and blocked the door.
“Morning, Ms. York. There’s no problem,” Tina said smiling. For a fake smile, it was pretty convincing.
“Is there a meeting inside the closet today,” I asked walking towards them.
“No, ma’am, we are just having a peaceful social gathering, which will be ending shortly,” Theresa said stepping in front of Tina.
“I know about Joey,” I said making their smiles drop.
“I am so sorry, Ms. York. The daycare was shut down when I got there. I panicked and brought him with me. I was hoping to figure something out before you got here,” Tina said speaking a million words per minute.
“And, now, he is inside the janitor closet and won’t come out,” I asked crossing my arms. Tina hesitantly shook her head yes. “I see,” I uncrossed my arms and walked by all of them to the door. “Joey, my name is Layla. Can you do me a big favor,” I asked with the response of silence on the other side of the door, “can you let me in so I can hide too?”
“He’s autistic, Ms. York,” Tina said in a squeaky voice. I wasn’t sure what autism was exactly, but I had read a few articles on the topic. I found the key for the janitor’s closet on my key ring and unlocked the door. I slowly opened the door and a bright-eyed little boy sat in the corner of the closet. I smiled and let Tina inside the door. She quickly ran inside and swooped the boy up into her arms. She began crying. I faced the rest of the employees.
“I do believe there is a desk with the rest of your names on it,” I said raising an eye brow. They quickly went to their desks. I turned and faced Tina, who was hugging Joey like there was no tomorrow. Joey had a head full of curly brown hair, olive colored skin and the brightest brown eyes I’d ever seen, “Tina, follow me,” I said scaring her out of her wits. She slowly nodded and followed me with Joey in her arms. I led them to my office. Once inside, I closed the door and took a seat at my desk. “Have a seat.”
“Thank you, Ms. York,” she said holding back more tears. “I am so sorry for all of this.”
“Are you a single parent, Tina?”
“Unfortunately,” she took a deep breath, “Joey’s dad didn’t want anything to do with him after the diagnoses. I’ve tried dating but no one wants to deal with chaos. We can’t go to normal places, because Joey gets upset with loud noises,” She was nervous and rambling at a thousand words a minute.
“When’s the last time you had a break,” she laughed at my question and kissed Joey’s head. Joey was staring around my office. He found the Newton’s Cradle to be the most fascinating. I gently grabbed one of the balls and released it. Joey got excited and began flailing his arms. I couldn’t help but smile.
“I haven’t had a break in a very long time.”
“Do you have family around here,” I asked staring at Joey.
“No, it’s just Joey and me.”
“What’s your game plan for daycare,” her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m not really sure. I could barely afford the daycare he was in,” she laughed to play off the pain in her heart.
“How long have you been working for me,” I asked looking at her.
“Three years,” she said smiling, “and it has been a wonderful experience,” I began cleaning off my computer screen, “I am again sorry for Joey causing so much trouble this morning.”
“I’m not firing you, Tina,” judging by her face, she was in disbelief.
“You aren’t?”
“No,” I laughed to myself and looked at Joey, who was still watching Newton’s Cradle, “I may not have children, but I understand that life happens.”
“My Time is Yours” Amazon Link
❤ ❤ ❤
