Chapter 4

Di wakes up rubbing her eyes. She looks around the room that she was in. Hmm Sam's guest room, she thought as she stretched. Throwing her legs over the edge of the bed she stands up. Last night was not too bad, Di thought as she walked towards the door. Opening it, she makes a left to go to the bathroom. She knocks on Sam's door as she passes it.

"Sam, I'm up. Shout out what you want for breakfast!" Di hollers.

She enters the bathroom and relieves herself. Leaning back on the toilet she looks up the ceiling. It has been some time since she had such a nice night out. It is unbelievable to her that she let such a man control her for so long. Why did she have to be so weak? What was wrong with her that she let herself be so used? Pain ached in her heart. Things the happen in those years are burned into her mind, playing on repeat. The memories torment her. She just can't let go of the hurt she endured while she was with him.

Shaking her head she pulls herself out of her thoughts.

No, we are better than this, she tells herself. We can't let a sack of shit like him control us when he is not even here.

Hyping herself up she gets up, washes her face as well as her hands and she leaves the bathroom. She heads to the kitchen and a wave of emotions hit her all at once. Tears fall from her eyes, her heart feeling heavy. Why is it so hard to be okay? She has tried for so many months and days to get feel like herself yet in the end she still feels like she was drowning in emotions. Having no idea how to get out to feel or rather be okay. She leans against the wall right outside of the kitchen, she allows herself a few moments to let the tears run down her face.

Her life feels so heavy on her shoulders. She kept taking blow after blow. Reminding herself that it is okay not to be okay is no longer working. She now just feels that she is using that to be an excuse not to be better.

This is it I am done with pitying myself, tomorrow I will get my life back in order. Diane declares to herself. Mentally she shakes off her emotions for the moment and begins to make breakfast.

Jax is sitting at his day jobs desk, trying to slove a problem about a pesky client. This client refuses to listen to their security's detail advice about not disappearing on them. Even though they still eyes on him regardless, him slips pass his main team of guards is getting quite frustrating. In order to protect the client to the best of their abilities everyone needs to work together on this. Jax is at the point of ending his contact with the client. A client who refuses to follow the needed guidelines to keep themselves safe is a hazard that is unable to be protected properly. He genuinely cares for the safety of his people as well as his clients. Putting his people at risk over and over for someone who is not doing their part by staying within a six feet range of the security detail is not someone he feels comfortable working with.

While still trying to find the best solution someone knocks at Jax's door.

"Come in." He yells out.

Gabe comes into the office carrying a file. He hands the file to Jax and takes a seat in one of the chairs that is in the office.

"Take a look at that." He says to Jax.

Jax rasies an eyebrow. Skimming over the number, his mind draws a blank. He know nothing of number. While he is good at leading, he is not the best when it come to numbers.

"What am I looking, Gabe?"

Gabe grins proudly.

"You, my dear brother are looking at our current revenue for this month. We are nowing bringing in 5,000 more than the last report. There is now enough money in our business account that we are able to afford possibly hiring a computer tech."

Jax nods. This was very good news. Having the right amount of revenue coming into the business means they can build up their team more.

"This is great. I know that you probably already have a person in mind that you want to give the position to."

Gabe smirks at him, from the look on his face you can tell that he was feeling cocky.

"Right you are. Meet Mindy Clue, they are a non-binary person and prefers they/them pronouns. They are 29, and have Masters in computer science as well as computer engineering. They have been out of college for two months and are ready to work."

Jax rolls his eyes. Knowing his brother as well as he does, he knows that Mindy is already here. Since Gabe added that they are ready to work, Jax knows that is an indicator that they are already in the building.

"How much are we paying them?"

"Twenty-two dollars an hour for now." Gabe says.

Jax nods.

"Invite them in. I would like to meet them."

Gabe grins, getting up to walk over to the door.

"Mindy!" He calls out.

A feminine looking person walks over to the door. The person tucks some of their hair behind their ear.

"Yes?" The person says.

Gabe waves them into the office. He shuts the door behind the two of them. Leading Mindy over to a chair, he introduces Jax to them.

"Hi, nice to meet you my name is Mindy Clue. If there is anything you like to know about me ask away." They say.

Jax smiles and nods.

"Alright great, before we continue anything I would just like to say that you are hired."

Their eyes widen. Squealing they jump and hug the two brothers.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have made me so happy. I am so grateful to you."

Jax laughs and shakes his head.

"There is no need to thank us at all. I do have a couple of questions for you. Question one, will there be a problem for you to a wear a pronoun badge? I ask this because I want everyone here to feel like this is a safe space. Using someone's correct is always our first step."

Mindy takes a moment to ponder the question. Jax, in his mind was pacing back and forth. Did I offend them? I am trying to. I want to ease them into this job and to lessen the uneasy about coming into a new space. He thought.

Mindy now nods at him.

"I am okay with that. I do not see too much off a problem with that."

Jax sighs in relief.

"Great question two is when would you like to start working?"

Mindy grins happy that they landed the job.