A Fair Exchange
by Janet Fremont
Copyright© 2026 by Janet Fremont
Romantic Story: A rough start in life for Julia. Will an unplanned phone call change things?
Caution: This Romantic Story contains strong sexual content, including Ma/Fa Heterosexual Fiction .
Julia Walker slipped on her coat, picked her purse up from her locker and started out of the restaurant. It was after nine on a Sunday night and she had been on her feet working since ten that morning. Now she was bone tired and looked forward to nothing more that getting back to her tiny apartment and dropping into bed. At least she’d have Monday off since she had worked the last six days straight.
Outside the February wind bit through her coat and she quickly began to walk the block and a half to the bus stop. She had a car but a week ago something had broken and it was going to take several hundred dollars to get it fixed. It would be at least a couple of weeks until she had that so until then she would need to ride the bus or walk the mile and a half to her apartment. She hoped she hadn’t missed the last bus.
As she approached the stop she saw an older man sitting on the bench at the stop. He was well dressed with a warm, new looking coat, gloves and low boots. A warm looking cap was on his head. Beside him was a nice leather case, the kind that would be used to hold a contract or other small group of papers. At first, he looked to be asleep but as she approached she saw that he was moving slightly but appeared to be in some kind of distress. She looked up. There were still dozens of people out on the street. Many college students but a mix of older adults as well. Many passed by the man without seeming to notice anything wrong, but as she got closer Julia became more and more convinced he was in trouble.
She quickly sat beside him and asked, “Excuse me, but are you all right?”
His eyes came around to her and for a second seemed to realize what she had asked. He tried to speak but couldn’t seem to manage to get any words out. He finally gave his head a single shake left and right. Julia reached for her phone. “I’m going to call 911.” As she pressed the keys she thought she could see a look of deep gratitude in his troubled eyes.
“What is the nature of your emergency?”
The operator sounded almost bored but Julia quickly answered, “I’m at a bus stop between fifth and sixth on Lincoln. There is a man on the bench who appears to have a medical emergency. He can’t speak but is conscious. My name is Julia Walker.”
The operator no longer sound bored. “We’ll have EMTs there in a few minutes. Is he breathing?”
“Yes, but he doesn’t seem to be able to speak although I think he is conscious and at least somewhat aware.”
“Help is on the way. Can you please leave this line open until then?”
“Certainly. I’ll wait here with him.” She turned towards the man and said, “There is help on the way.” He made no reply but it was easy to tell that he had understood and was quite thankful.
In only four minutes or so an EMT team pulled up at the curb and a man and a woman quickly moved to the bench. Julia spoke into her phone, “The EMTs are here. If that’s all you need from me, I’ll hang up now.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The team was quickly making a preliminary examination and she heard one of them say, “OK, Sir, we’re going to get you to the ER now.” They moved over a stretcher and quickly got him into the ambulance. Then the woman turned to Julia and said, “We’ll be taking him to the Grant Memorial ER. Can you give me his name?”
The EMTs hadn’t noticed the leather case and Julia had picked it up, planning to hand it over to them. She had noticed that the name Benjamin Harris was embossed in gold on the outside. Assuming that was his name, Julia replied, “I believe he goes by Benjamin Harris.”
Turning back to the ambulance, the woman said, “Thank you. We’ll get him to the ER.”
Almost surprising herself, Julia said, “I would like to go with him, but I don’t have a car.”
The woman turned to her and for a second looked unsure. Then she finally said, “OK, ride with us.” Julia thought she probably believed the man was her uncle or father - or grandfather - and that she was a relative. Julia didn’t correct her and climbed into the ambulance.
Julia was nineteen. With only two years of high school and no real skills she had been lucky to find the kitchen job in the small restaurant near the huge campus. She had been working there for the last two and a half years and the only possible thing she saw in her future was that someday she might make it up to senior cook. Most of the waitresses and a couple of the other employees were college students who looked on their jobs as something temporary to simply bring in a little spending money. None were planning to remain beyond graduation.
Julia sometimes looked at them in envy but saw no way she would ever be joining them. She often thought that she had been trapped and destined from birth. Maybe some people were just born lucky, with loving parents and money enough for a good life. If not rich, at least enough to live quite comfortably. Others, like herself, would never see beyond a poor existence. She never thought of that existence as miserable. No, she could often be quite happy and contented with her existence. It was just that she never expected her position in life to really change. She wasn’t like the college girls who worked there. Oh, she got along with them quite well, even shared jokes and laughs. But when they left work it was to a different world. Sure, sometimes she wished her future could change. It was just that she didn’t really see any way it could.
Julia’s mother, Mary, had only been twenty when Julia was born. Her father had married Mary as soon as she had found she was pregnant. At least they had that, but neither of her parents had any real skills. Her father had worked as a laborer doing construction work of several types, but never seemed to find a long term, steady job. Until Julia was born her mom had worked as a waitress and again after Julia was old enough to start school. However, they never made enough to move away from the tiny apartment in an area where the schools were not the highest quality. It wasn’t like some schools that were just glorified baby sitters where nothing was really taught - often because the teachers didn’t know much themselves. No, Julia got a basic education and did well at her studies even if not the top.
One day when Julia was ten her dad didn’t come home from work. The next morning her mother contacted the place where he had been working and was told that suddenly the previous afternoon he had stopped what he was doing, turned around and shouted, “I’ve had it! I’ve had enough of this fucking place and this fucking job!” He then started to leave the work site and when the foreman asked him where he was going he just shouted, “South. Somewhere, anywhere. I don’t know. I’ve just had it.”
Julia and her mom never heard from him again. The company did send her his last paycheck, but that was all. Julia was old enough that she could stay home after school while her mom began to work longer hours. She made enough that they got along OK and when Julia was a couple of years older she started to get some odd jobs and helped out somewhat with their expenses.
In May of her sophomore year her mom became ill. At first it looked just like flu or something but in a few days it got worse instead of better. After a week Julia called for help and her mom was admitted to the hospital. Her fever never broke and she died ten days later. The doctors never did determine just what she had had. Julia returned to the empty apartment and just stood looking around. For twenty minutes she just remained in one place, looking form one tiny room to another. Then she took a deep breath and out loud said, “I can’t stay here. I just can’t.”
She moved to her closet and dresser and packed her few clothes into a battered suitcase. She took the small stash of cash that they kept in case of a real emergency. Eighty-four dollars. She took a small picture of her, her mom and her dad and, with one last look around, left, closing the door behind her. Out in the hallway she turned for a final look at the door. For a second she stood still, just looking. Then she wiped a small tear from her eye and, again out loud, spoke a quote she had once read. “Either I will find a way or I will make one.”
At first she had no idea just where she would go. She had seen girls living on the streets in the city where she was and never wanted to join them. There were really no relatives she knew of and any friends she had were local and not close enough that she could ask them for help. Besides, she didn’t want to stay there. She had to get out of that city.
She considered heading to the bus station but was practical enough that she didn’t want to spend any more of her little cash if she didn’t have to. Finally she took a deep breath and headed towards the US highway leading out of town. She caught rides with two older couples who took her as far as they were going and then was picked up by a truck driver. At first she was afraid he’d want something from her that she didn’t intend to give, but he turned out to be a kind man and never asked for anything in return for the ride.
His destination was a reasonably sized college town. As they drove pass the campus Julia looked out at a world so different from that which she had known. For long seconds she closed her eyes and dreamed what it could have been like if she were born into that world, but then resigned herself to it just being a dream. Still, the town looked nice, the truck driver was finishing his trip here and Julia suddenly decided she’d try this place. It was probably better than the one she had left.
It was late afternoon when she got out near the campus, thanking the driver. As she turned to leave he called, “Just a second.” Julia turned around and he reached out towards her. Julia thought he was going to shake her hand and reached forward to take his. But instead of shaking he pressed a folded piece of paper into her hand and said, “Good luck.” Before she could say anything, he quickly closed the truck door and started off. Julia looked at the folded paper and saw it was a twenty dollar bill. She felt overwhelmed and almost cried but shook her head and quite quietly said, “Thank you,” to the empty space around her.
A small restaurant, The Hometown Kitchen, was just off the main road on a small side street and she suddenly realized she was hungry. After all, she hadn’t eaten anything since the previous night. Even though her money was tight, she decided that she’d get something in the restaurant. She went in and moved to a small booth. A girl only a bit older than herself brought her a menu and she was happy to see the offerings were fairly inexpensive. She settled for a dish of stew which came with a small loaf of bread and asked for just water to drink.
When she had finished she was feeling a bit better. How often are troubles magnified by lack of a recent meal? She went up to the register to pay and while she waited for her waitress to come over she noticed a Help Wanted sign by the door. When the girl arrived and Julia had paid, she asked, “Is that sign right? Are you looking for help?”
The girl laughed and said, “I’m not, but the restaurant is. School is out for the summer and a lot of the students who were working here have left. Can you cook? I know they’re looking for kitchen help.”
“I can.” Actually Julia had done quite a bit of the cooking. It was something she could do to free her mother for her job or for other work. “Who do I talk with?”
The girl looked around and checked that just then there wasn’t much of any business. “Come on. I’ll take you back and introduce you to John. He manages the place. I’m Sue, by the way.”
“Thank you, I’d appreciate that. I’m Julia.”
They started walking down a hall leading to the back of the building. Sue noticed the suitcase and asked, “Just get into town?”
“Not forty-five minutes ago. I have no idea where anything is or even where I want to go.”
Sue again looked at her, but said nothing. Then she knocked on a door and when the knock was answered, opened the door and led Julia inside. A man in his thirties was sitting behind the desk. “John, this is Julia. She’s interested in the kitchen position.”
He stood and reached out to shake her hand. “Have a seat. We’re looking for someone to do short order cooking as well as some cleanup. Have you had any experience at that.”
Sue ducked back out into the hall and Julia explained how she had never held a job doing that but that she had been cooking and cleaning for her mom since she was nine or ten. John listened and seemed to look her over in deep thought for a couple of minutes. Finally he asked, “How old are you? Do your parents know you’re here?” Was she a runaway? Somehow she didn’t seem to be exactly that.
Julia took a deep breath and replied, “I’m sixteen and, no. My dad left some six years ago and my mom died last week. I just couldn’t stay where I was.”
John’s face took on a serious look which she thought might be disapproval. She saw the job going away and resigned herself to getting up and leaving, but John motioned her to remain seated. At last he said, “I’m sorry about your mom. Are you really sixteen?” She nodded. “OK, I give you a try. Twelve to nine, Tuesday through Sunday.” He named a wage which was actually a little more than she had hoped for. “If you work out OK, we can make it a permanent position.”
“Thank you. I promise to do the best I can. Again, thank you.” He then had her fill out some paperwork and show some identification and her social security card.
“OK, I think that will do it. When do you want to start?
“As soon as I can. I’ll need to find a place to stay first. Would the day after tomorrow be all right?”
He smiled at her. “That will be fine.” He handed her a business card. “If something comes up, call me. Otherwise I’ll expect you the day after tomorrow.” Then he stopped and looked at her for a few seconds. “I don’t usually do this, but I have a feeling about you. Let me give you half of your first week in advance.”
Surprised, she quickly said, “You don’t have to do that.”
A wide smile crossed his face. “I know I don’t have to, but I have the feeling you can use it now.”
Julia felt herself turn slightly red, but all she managed to say was, “Thank you.”
John paid her in cash and when she went back out front, Sue came over to her. “Thank you, Sue.”
She smiled. “I take it you got the job.” Julia nodded. She glanced around at the nearly empty room. “Do you have someplace to stay tonight?
Slowly Julia shook her head. “No, I’d planned to try and find an apartment somewhere tomorrow. Is there an inexpensive motel somewhere close?”
“Inexpensive? Around here, not likely. But, look, for tonight why don’t you come back with me. I have two roommates but they’re gone for the next week. I’d be happy for the company.”
“Oh, I really don’t want to be trouble. I mean you and John have done so much for me already.”
Sue could see she looked like she was about to cry. To head that off a little she said, “Really, I would enjoy having someone t talk with. I’m off here in another half hour. Have a seat and then we can go. I’m sure that would beat paying what a motel will want - or sleeping on the street.”
Almost overwhelmed with the good luck she had been having, Julia finally agreed and sat in a booth until Sue was ready to leave.
The next morning Sue pointed her in the right direction and, because many students had left for the summer, before that afternoon Julia had found an apartment available for summer sublet. It was a small studio but she would have it to herself. Actually, although it was a bit smaller, it was nicer than the apartment she and her mother had shared for years and Julia was quite happy to find it.
Over the next two and a half years she settled into a reasonably happy existence. She liked her job and the people working there. True, most, like Sue, were students and each May found some leaving for elsewhere and a new life. Julia was a dependable, hard worker and she and John got along quite well. She did realize that the job was not likely to offer much in the way of promotion but she was in general quite content with her life as it was. Sometimes, especially when talking with Sue or one of the other students, she felt a longing, a wish that she could somehow go back to school and improve her lot, especially financially. However, with forty-eight hour work weeks and an adequate, but quite limited, salary, she saw no real possibility of that happening. All in all she was resigned to her life as it was, but quite content.
As the ambulance quickly made its way the three miles to the hospital, Julia watched the man. He was still only semiconscious but seemed to be resting easier. She supposed this was likely due to whatever was in the IV the EMTs had started although they had said nothing about what seemed to be wrong. It was obvious that even if they had an idea of his problem, they were in a hurry to get him into the ER where more knowledgeable treatment would be available.
Upon arrival they quickly moved the stretcher into the doorway where they were met by a resident. They said a few things to him and then let the hospital people take over. When the hospital personnel found that Julia was not an actual relative, she was told to wait in the lobby. She took a seat and as the two EMTs walked out past her, she heard one of them say, “I wonder it he is THE Benjamin Harris.” The other just shook her head and then they disappeared back out the door. Julia had no idea just who THE Benjamin Harris was. She didn’t recall ever hearing the name before but guessed he must be someone fairly well known locally.
Now as she sat waiting she asked herself just why she had been so intent to accompany a man she had never met. She didn’t really feel responsible for him or anything like that. Not to mention she was bone tired after the long day and should be home. She finally decided she couldn’t pin point a reason, but that somehow he had made some connection with her, mostly from the look in his eyes as she had questioned him. Some of that look might have been gratitude, but that wasn’t really the major thing. Just what was the biggest thing, she couldn’t say. Still, she felt she had to wait and hopefully find that he was OK. Or, if not, at least she’d know.
She leaned back in the chair, resting her head against the wall, and soon slipped into sleep. She was suddenly awakened by a touch on her shoulder and one of the nurses saying, “Ms Walker. Ms Walker, Mr. Harris is conscious.” For just a second she wasn’t sure just where she was or what was happening and then she remembered she had given the man’s name as well as her own when they had brought him in. In fact, she realized she was still holding the leather case she had brought from the bench.
As she came awake, the nurse continued, “Mr. Harris asked about the woman who had called for help and when he found that you were here, asked to speak with you.”
Julia looked a bit surprised. “Is he well enough that I can see him now?”
“Yes. Actually he’s fine now although we’re going to keep him a day just to make sure.”
“If it’s all right, I would like to talk to him.”
She smiled. “Sure. Come along and I’ll take you to him.”
She then led Julia along a short hall and into a room where Mr. Harris, assuming that really was his name, was in a bed with an IV and a number of wires attached. He was sitting partway up and looked much better than before.
The nurse turned away at the door and left Julia with the man. He suddenly smiled and asked, “Are you the young lady who save my life?”
Julia, embarrassed, felt her self go slight red and managed to stammer, “I didn’t really do anything. I just called for help.”
The man suddenly looked more serious. “Don’t try to minimize it. There must have been three dozen people or more who walked by after it became impossible for me to do or say anything. Most of them saw me and no one bothered to do anything or even find out if I had a problem. In another ten minutes it is likely that I would have died. You really did save my life.”
Surprised, and still embarrassed, Julia said, “You looked like you were in some kind of trouble and I couldn’t just ignore it. It’s hard to believe anyone could.”
“They not only could, but they did. Again, thank you for what you did.”
“You are most welcome. I guess it was just lucky I happened along then.”
“Not as lucky as I was.” This was accompanied by a wide smile which Julia could not help but return.
After a few seconds, Julia said, “I’m Julia Walker, by the way. Are you Benjamin Harris? Oh, if so, I have your case here. It was left on the bench.”
“I’m most pleased to meet you Julia and, yes, I’m Benjamin Harris and I’m quite happy to get the case back...” He stopped for a few seconds and then said, “How is it you happened to be walking along there just then? That is, if you don’t mind my asking.”
“Not at all. I just got off work and was going to catch a bus home.” Then a little sheepishly she added, “My car isn’t working at the moment.”
“Where do you work, if I might ask?” He quickly added, “I don’t mean to pry. I would just like to know a little bit about my rescuer.”
Again, a little embarrassed at being called a rescuer, Julia answered, “I don’t mind. I work at The Hometown Kitchen. That little restaurant just up the street from where you were.”
“I’ve seen it but I’ve never been there. I do know a lot of students work around there.”
“I’m afraid I’m not a student, Mr. Harris. I just seem to be able to cook OK and John, the manager, has kept me on for the last couple of years.”
Harris looked more closely at her as he said, “Just Ben, please. And do you mine if I call you Julia? I feel we should be close enough to use first names.”
She smiled in return. “No, I don’t mind.” The she said, “I understand they are going to keep you here for a day for observation. I’m off tomorrow. Would you mind if I came back to see you? I’d like to get to know a little more about the stranger I sent to the ER.”
“I certainly wouldn’t mind. In fact, I’d like to learn a little more about the woman who saved me. I’d guess you already know more about me than I do about you.”
Julia looked a little confused. “I don’t know anything about you except your name. Should I?”
Ben looked surprised. “No, no real reason why you should.” Then a thought suddenly came to him. “You said your car isn’t working. How did you get here and how are you planning of getting home?”
“They let me ride in the ambulance.” She gave an embarrassed smile. “I wanted to come and let them think I was your daughter or niece or something. I’m going to see if there’s bus I can get to take me home.”
Benjamin looked up at the clock. “Not likely at two in the morning.” Julia looked startled and stared at the clock. She must have slept a bit longer than she had thought. Ben went on, “Can you hand me my jacket please? It’s hanging right over there.”
Julia stood and took the garment over to him. He reached into an inside pocket and brought out a wallet. He pulled a bill from inside and held it out to her. “Here. Take a cab” He pulled another bill and added, “If you’re coming back tomorrow, take one then, too.”
“I couldn’t take you money.” She glanced at the bills and her eyes opened wide as she saw they were a twenty and a fifty.
He saw her startled expression. “You really don’t have any idea who I am, do you?” She slowly shook her head back and forth. “Have you heard of Harris Enterprises?”
Julia’s eyes open wider. “Is that you?”
He laughed. “It was. I built it but have more or less retired and left the running of things to others. Still I own over half. Seriously, That money doesn’t mean that much to me and - please don’t be offended - but I suspect it does to you. I don’t think that even begins to be a fair exchange for what you did.”
“I really didn’t do that much.”
“You did from my perspective. Please accept it, Julia. I would hate to think of the trouble you’d have trying to get home after all you have done.”
She drew a deep breath. “All right but when I come back tomorrow, I want to know more about you.”
He smiled. “That’s a deal. I will look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Julia.
It was after three before Julia got to bed and nearly nine when she awoke. She ate a quick breakfast. As she looked at the cash remaining from the seventy he had given her and saw there was more than sixty left. A sudden thought struck her and she headed out of her apartment and towards the small florist shop around the corner a block away. Inside she bought a single rose and then called for a cab.
Although Julia lived on a limited budget she still had a cell phone, even if not an I-phone. She had a few other luxuries she had been able to obtain over the last two years. She didn’t watch much television but her apartment did have a cable connection. She had heard the others who worked at the restaurant talk about everything available on the internet and had found a laptop. A couple of years old, true, but it still did everything she wanted. And of course there was her car, also a bit older. As she thought of this, she made a slight face. Well, it would be a car again when she could come up with the money to have it fixed.
The cab took only a few minutes to get her to the hospital. At the desk she asked and was told Mr. Harris’s room number. They also said they expected him to be released the next day. She took the elevator up to the fourth floor and walked down the hall to Room 454. The door was open and she looked inside to see Mr. Harris sitting up and reading something., She gave a quick knock and entered, saying, “Hi. How are you feeling today?”
He looked up and a wide smile crossed his face. “Hi, Julia. Actually I feel fine and everything looks as right as could be. They still want to keep me another night until they can confirm what caused the problem, but we’re already pretty sure.”
Julia moved over and handed him the rose. “I just thought you might like this.”
Ben looked totally surprised and very pleased. “It’s been a long time since a beautiful woman gave me a flower.”
Julia laughed. “Well, I’m not really a beautiful woman, but thank you for saying so.”
Ben studied her for several seconds. “Don’t sell yourself short. You are definitely a pretty woman. Very, very pretty.”
Julia was not used to thinking of herself in any terms like that. She knew she wasn’t ugly or anything. She stood five foot seven, was slim with a fairly good figure. She had dark red-brown hair which fell below her shoulders and deep green eyes. Still she never considered herself really beautiful or anything. Perhaps part of that was because she really had very little social life and little chance for anyone else to tell her so. She had dated some men but not frequently and didn’t spend a lot of time at other social activities.
Again slightly reddened, she replied, “I think you must be as blind as my mother was. She named me after Julia Roberts. You know, in the movie “Pretty Woman”. I just don’t think I came out quite the same.”
He was looking closely at her. Slowly he said, “Julia, you impress me as a rather intelligent person. Somehow I can’t see you remaining a cook in a small restaurant all your life. Maybe, if it is something you really enjoy, I could envision you as the master chef in a large hotel or five star restaurant. If you don’t mind my asking, just what are you considering for your future?”
Julia as first was taken somewhat aback, but then she replied, “Mostly it seems that what will happen is beyond my own choice...”
A frown crossed Ben’s face. “Just why is that?”
“Well, I never finished high school and now with the hours I work I don’t really have time. Besides school is so expensive.” Then she suddenly found herself telling Ben her entire history. How her father had left them and the problems she and her mother had had. Then her mother’s death and her escape to this town and about landing the job at the restaurant.
Ben listened in silence and suddenly Julia realized what she had been doing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go on and on. It’s not like I’m really unhappy with my life or anything like that. I guess I’m just caught up in circumstances.” Then she suddenly smiled and tried to change the subject. “But I’ve been talking too much about me. I’d like to hear some more about you. For example, just what happened to you last night? That is, if you don’t mind my asking.”
The thoughtful look which had covered Ben’s face changed to a smile and he answered, “No, I don’t mind. I have a condition which can cause a cardiac arrhythmia. The upper part of the heart will have extra beats and if it gets too bad, not enough blood is pumped to the lower chambers and thus not into the rest of the body. I take medication - one pill a day - that normally controls this quite well so it is prevented. However yesterday, although I took my medicine as prescribed, the arrhythmia appeared and became quite severe. Not quite A-fib, but when you came along I was going in and out of it. Another few minutes and I would probably have been dead.”
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