Chapter 17

When Valdo finished with his first slice, he drank some of his soda then looked at me and started laughing. He shook his head, "I can't believe you just removed all the toppings from the pizza." My mouth was still full, so I just nodded my head. Valdo took up the slices of pepperoni and pineapple that I placed in the box. He placed it on his slice and took a big bite. When I finished chewing my first slice, I looked at his as he chewed his second, "Are you sure you have diabetes?" When he finished chewing, he looked at me and nodded, "Yes, I have insulin to prove it and a whole heap of other stuff." "Is this pizza going to make you sick?" He shrugged, "Nah, eating pizza now and again didn't really mess me up. I eat healthily, my mother makes sure of it and my dietitian who sends me a list every week. I'm 100% healthy, well almost." I looked at him and nodded, "As long as you're certain you're not doing anything to harm yourself in any way. Diabetes is a serious illness." I was somewhat tempted to say my neighbour died from it, but I didn't want to ruin the mood. Valdo looked like a person who knew what he was doing after he's had diabetes for twenty years, he must have been doing something right over all these years, and that's why he's still alive. "Awe, Tiffany is worried about me?" he asked jokingly. "I'd naturally feel worried about someone who has helped me, given me the opportunity to better my life. To make a change." I looked down at the pizza and started removing pineapples and pepperonis. "Twenty years with Diabetes has taught me a lot and believe me when I say I'm as healthy has the other person, and I'm not going anywhere, at least not anytime soon." "Are you sure you'll be fine on your own?" Valdo asked as he stood five feet away from me dressed in a suit ready to leave the apartment. I nodded and gave him a small smile. "I'll be fine. I've been on my own for six months a few hours by myself isn't going to kill me." He hesitated before answering, "Well, it's just that you'll be in a strange place by yourself." I smiled, I wanted to say, "Been there, done that." but instead I said, "I won't be alone. I'll have King with me." At the sound of his name, King rushed over to me. "See, he likes me. We'll have a good time together. I'll also read the book you gave me. I can watch TV too. By the time you get back from work, I won't even realise that so much time has passed. He nodded, "Okay, fine, but I'll leave you my number just in case anything happens." "Great." He placed his briefcase on the ground, then dug into his left pants pocket. He took out his wallet and opened it, and after finding one of his business cards, he handed it to me, "This is my direct line. If anything happens, call this number. If you want anything, call this number." He was acting like a father sending off his child to the mall for the first time. His concern warmed my heart, and I couldn't help but smile. No one ever cared this much about me, well, except my mother. "Thanks. I'll be okay." And for the first time in six months, I really believed myself. I'll be okay. I looked down at my belly; We'll be okay. "Are you sure?" I nodded in response, "100%." He smiled at me and picked up his briefcase off the floor. "I'll be back before five." He gave me one last look before turning. He started walking towards the apartment but stopped abruptly. I looked at him and frown. Did he leave something? He turned around facing me one last time, "There is not a lot of food in the apartment. Thank God, I remembered. He fumbled in his pants again and retrieved his wallet. "Here are fifty dollars, you can order something for lunch. There is a restaurant list in the kitchen. You can choose anyone you want, and they'll deliver it. Don't worry about dinner; we're having that with my parents." "Thanks," I replied as he handed me the fifty dollar bill. He gave me one last smile before turning around. He walked straight to the door without looking back. I was a little disappointed because I wanted to see his enchanting blue eyes one last time before he left. "See you later," he said as he closed the door behind him. "Bye." King growled, and I look down at him and smile, "It's just you and me now." he growled in response. I smiled and patted his head, "Let's go get a seat." I walked into the living room and sat on the nearest couch. I laid my head and back and closed my eyes. The shortness of the couch was relaxing; I sighed in contentment. Who knew I'd be here sitting down on a soft, comfortable couch wearing clean clothes? Who knew I'd meet a man as nice as Valdo willing to help a girl like me? Who knew I'd be still living after six months, pregnant and alone on the streets of USA? Definitely not me and yet here I am. I was no longer looking behind me every three minutes to see if someone's following. No longer worrying where I'll be sleeping today—no longer worrying about what I'll be wearing—no longer worried about what I will eat. Because everything is okay. Uvaldo Dakoda was helping me, a stranger, to change my life, and I have him to be grateful for. ............... I sighed as I pressed the power button on the remote. Nothing on TV interested me, and I wasn't in the mood to read either. Bored out of my mind, not knowing what to do I start looking around the room.