Alessa became stronger and more mobile. She and Remo were very comfortable together, not only as a therapist and patient but as friends, too. Often, after her therapy sessions with Remo were over, Alessa and Lucy would go with him and check on the homeless and volunteer time at shelters throughout Philadelphia. Lucy and Remo got along well and enjoyed each other’s company, especially when they were planning a silly prank on Alessa.
Ebby was pleased for both girls. She could tell Remo was good for them and they enjoyed being together. Ebby often thought what a close-knit family the three would make.
As the therapy sessions were nearing their end, Alessa realized how hard it would be for her once she and Remo went their separate ways. She had gotten so used to his company. They had spent a lot of time together, and while they would still carry on with their volunteer work, they would see each other much less. They had shared much about their lives, and Remo, along with Ebby, had encouraged Alessa to go to college. He had cheered her on, telling her she was smart enough to do anything she wanted to.
In her three months of therapy, Alessa received financial aid for community college and started her first real college class. At first, she was apprehensive, aware that she had to pick up the skill of acquiring knowledge, something her childhood hadn’t taught her. However, with Remo and Ebby to support her, Alessa had found her groove in college, and she was taking it all in stride. Lucy was thrilled that Alessa had gone back to school. She told everyone they knew—and these were mostly homeless people—that Alessa was going to college.
By the time Alessa had completed her therapy, she was walking almost as normally as she had before the incident. At her last session, Remo asked her to dinner to celebrate. She was thrilled and promptly accepted the invitation. On the same day, Remo and the other therapists threw a small party, with balloons and a cake. They even invited Ebby and Lucy. Alessa was moved to tears and thanked them all for their kindness and their help with her recovery. They all admired her for being brave and capable of moving past whatever had happened to her three short months earlier.
As Alessa was leaving, she turned to Remo. “I never could have done this without your help. You’re an amazing therapist, and I want to thank you for everything.”
In response, he reached out and hugged her. “You worked hard, which made it easy for me to look like a rock star. Now go home and rest. We have a date tonight, remember? I’ll pick you up at seven. Wear something nice because I’ve made a reservation at a restaurant on the water. I think you’ll love it.”
Alessa smiled and gave him one last hug. She turned to Ebby and Lucy watching them with expressions of pure happiness on their faces. Remo walked over and picked the child up in his strong arms.
“Okay,” he boomed, “make sure Alessa is ready and on time tonight. I’ll see you on Saturday when we go to the shelter.”
Lucy happily agreed to be Alessa’s “boss” and make sure she followed his instructions. She loved it when Remo put her in charge of things. It made her feel needed.
As Alessa, Ebby, and Lucy drove back to their apartment, Ebby asked, “You do have something to wear tonight, right?”
“Yes,” Alessa said happily. “It so happens that I bought a little black dress a couple of weeks ago. I bought the whole outfit and shoes to match for thirty-two dollars at the thrift store near our apartment. The stuff doesn’t look used at all.”
Ebby was humbled by how accepting Alessa was. It didn’t matter to her she would have to make do with a secondhand dress and shoes. That was the thing about her that moved Ebby to tears. Alessa had never pretended to be someone other than the person she was, and she wasn’t afraid to let people know that she was content with the small, simple things in life.
Back at the apartment, Ebby prepared to babysit Lucy while Alessa went out with Remo. Lucy turned on the television while the other two went to the kitchen for a glass of iced tea. Alessa looked anxious as they sat at the kitchen table.
“What’s wrong?” Ebby asked, concerned. “Why do you look upset?”
“Remo described tonight as a ‘date.’ I’ve never been on a real date before. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. What if I do all the wrong things?”
“Alessa, pull yourself together,” Ebby said firmly. “You have spent a lot of time with Remo over the last three months in therapy and doing volunteer work. You don’t need to worry about tonight. All you have to do is be yourself.”
Ebby knew Alessa and Remo were drawn to each other. It was obvious to anyone who saw them together. They would always stand a little closer than necessary, and their eye contact lingered for a moment too long. It was no big secret they were attracted to each other.
“But Ebby,” Alessa persisted, “he doesn’t know anything about my past. Do you think a guy like Remo will say that it’s no big deal that I was a stripper? I mean, let’s be honest. I was a prostitute. This whole thing is ridiculous.”
Then Ebby said something that surprised Alessa. “You should tell him the whole truth. He will either accept it or run as fast as he can. It’s his choice whether he wishes to win or lose. If he stays, he’ll win big. But if he runs, he’ll spend the rest of his life comparing every woman he meets to you. The important thing in life is not where you came from, but where you are going. You’re going places, Alessa.”
As always, Ebby had a knack for calming her frazzled nerves.
“You’re right.” She beamed. “You’re always right.”
At six thirty that night, Alessa emerged from her bedroom in her newly acquired secondhand dress and shoes. Ebby thought she looked beautiful. The black dress fit her perfectly. It showed off her flawless figure and made her look sophisticated. Alessa had drawn her hair back and fastened it with a clip, so her natural curls flowed down her back. She looked young and vibrant. The night was hers, and her life was just beginning.
When Remo knocked on the apartment door, Lucy darted forward to open it. He looked handsome in black pants and an ocean-blue shirt that pulled out the blue of his eyes. When he saw Alessa, he had to catch his breath for a moment, before recovering sufficiently to tell her she looked great.
Alessa hugged Lucy and Ebby and took Remo’s arm, heading out of the apartment into the warm night air. With her new optimism, she knew anything was possible. She had paid her dues, and now it was time for her life to become her own. Tonight would determine if Remo was in it for the long haul. She planned to tell him everything. Or a lot of it anyway. Because if he couldn’t accept who she had been in the life she was about to leave behind, she didn’t want to get romantically involved with him and include him in her future.
