Georgia opened the blinds, allowing the bright sunshine rays to flow onto the carpet.
"James!" Georgia called out. "I'm going to the outside mall for some coffee before work. Do you want me to bring you back anything?"
Georgia watched as James walked out of the bedroom, and walked over to the window and shut the blinds. "No thanks," James replied. "I have to go into work early myself, and there's always the food court there."
Georgia ignored his reply, and focused on the blinds. "Why did you shut those?" she asked. "It's a beautiful day outside," she announced, attempting to open them again, only to feel his grasp tighten around her wrist. "What are you doing, James?"
"I think we should leave everything closed until those guards find the person who is following you," James explained.
Georgia felt his grasp lighten slightly, but the tension inside her was only building. "So, what? Are we supposed to live like vampires until this guy is caught?" she wanted to know. "That police officer said that we shouldn't compromise our daily lifestyle!" she reminded him, pulling the blinds open again, then turning to James, only to meet his frown. "Look," she started with a whisper. "The only person that could possibly look into the windows from this altitude is the window-washer, and there's nothing that interests Rachel Goal in here."
"Be careful on your way to that mall," James ordered.
"Oh, for Heaven's sake," Georgia huffed, grabbing her purse and throwing it around her shoulder. "Have a good day at work... dear."
"You, too," James smiled.
James watched as Georgia left, and grabbed his coat to leave, as well, when the phone rang. "Hello?" he spoke into it.
The only sound that was apparent on the other end of the phone was air.
"If this is the person that is harassing Georgia, why don't you leave her the hell alone?" James demanded. "What has she done to you?"
"You should be very, very ashamed of yourself," a person's scratchy, smoky voice came through the other end, then ended with a hang up sound.
Frightened, James dropped the phone back down on the receiver, and then walked back over to the window and quickly shut the blinds. He left the penthouse, double-checking the lock on the door.
"Ashamed... why?" James asked himself aloud, as he waited for the elevator.
Lalie paced back and forth, as she waited for Kevin to arrive.
"Well, I think I'm going to make myself scarce," Phil announced, walking down the stairs.
"That might be a good idea," Lalie replied.
"Know of any places where I could go to pass the time?" Phil wondered.
"There's some stores downtown, the outside mall, the... I don't know what else," Lalie rattled off some ideas.
"The outside mall sounds interesting," Phil replied.
"Don't worry about calling for a taxi," Lalie assured him, reaching into her purse and taking out her car keys. "I trust that you won't run away with my car."
"Me? Never!" Phil exclaimed. "How do I get there?"
Lalie smirked at his comment. "Just make a left on the corner, and then a right at the next two lights, and it should be on your left side. You won't be able to miss it!" Lalie explained.
"Thanks," Phil told her.
Lalie nodded at him, as she watched Phil get into her car and pull away. Suddenly, Kevin's car rolled up along the curbside.
She looked in the mirror and checked her hair, as the doorbell rang. She took a deep breath and walked over to it and opened it.
"I didn't know you were back in town already," Kevin admitted, walking into the house. "I missed you so much!"
"Oh, save it, Kevin," Lalie retorted, rolling her eyes as she shut the door and then turning around.
"Save what?" Kevin wanted to know.
"Don't act like that," Lalie warned her. "Phil told me all about how you came here last night in a jealous rage, thinking that we had left town together."
"That's not exactly how it happened," Kevin tried to explain.
"Then, why don't you tell me how it happened?" Lalie tried to get answers. "I just can't believe that you could even fathom such a thought. How could you think that I would leave town with Phil?"
"Well, you haven't been giving me much to think otherwise, Lalie," Kevin shot back. "Can't you see that your actions lately are enough for one to believe that something is going on between you and that man?"
"His name and Phil, and no I don't see what I have been doing," Lalie replied, matter-of-factly. "If I haven't been open about a few things, it's only because I know that you'd take the whole thing out of proportion... just like you did last night!"
"Oh, did I, now?" Kevin wanted to know in an angry tone. "I heard that you're leaving town without even saying a goodbye to me, and then I come over here, and Phil answers your door. What am I supposed to think?"
"You're supposed to think that I'm helping a dear friend who I was in a horrible ordeal with!" Lalie tried to reason. "I don't expect you to understand what went on in that basement, emotionally. I thought that you would at least understand that Phil and I will be close forever because of what happened."
"If you were just friends, I wouldn't care," Kevin told her in a serious tone. "You called me by his name once, and you pictured him in your head, you went to counseling because of it!"
"Well, thanks for the recap!" Lalie shouted. "You really don't have much faith in me, do you? I said that I loved you, and wanted to marry you, but still... you come over here in these ugly fits and act like a lunatic!"
"I know you said that, but how much did you mean it?" Kevin wanted to know. "Ever since Phil came to town, you've been acting differently. You said that you had an appointment and couldn't make our date, so I come over here to make sure everything's okay and there's Phil half-nude in your bathroom. I ask you to get married right away, you decline, then I find out that Phil is spending nights in your house!"
"That sudden marriage proposal was only because of Phil. If you thought that I was going to settle for some courtroom wedding, then you REALLY don't know me at all!" Lalie shouted in disgust. "I just can't believe you feel this way, and think that I am capable of having an affair with this man while I'm engaged to you. This is ridiculous!" she gritted her teeth and slammed her hand down on the table.
"I'm not so sure that it is!" Kevin yelled. "I love you, and I mean it when I say that, but it just feels like we're in two different worlds. Why does Phil have to be such a big part of yours?"
"Because he's my friend, DAMN IT!" Lalie screamed at the top of her lungs, turning around to look at him square in the eyes. "Why do I have to give up Phil to be with you? Love shouldn't be LIKE THAT! Phil is my friend, and I can't help it that every time you come here, Phil is here! I'm letting him stay here, for God's sake!"
"When I pulled up just now, I noticed that your car was gone. Let me guess, did you lend that to Phil, too?" Kevin wanted to know, cautious.
"Yes, I did!" Lalie shouted. "Only for the morning, because I knew this would happen! I really don't know what I have to do to satisfy you anymore!"
Kevin tugged at his hair. "I really don't know either, Lalie, I really don't. What are we going to tell Georgia about this double wedding? We haven't sat down with them ONCE to discuss it."
Tears began to stream down Lalie's face, as she lifted her hand and pulled off her engagement ring with her other hand. "I'm really sorry, Kevin, but that double wedding won't be happening." Lalie put the ring in his hand, and squeezed it shut.
Kevin looked down at the ring. "You gave this back to me once before."
"I know I did, but this time I'm serious about it," Lalie told him, grabbing a tissue and putting it up to her face. "We just don't understand each other anymore, Kevin. The moments we shared will stick with me forever, and I will never forget your touch or those tender words that you spoke to me. I'll never forget how you searched high and low for me in Saint Paul. There's a pain in my chest as I have to say these words to you… but… it's," she paused, putting her hand over her mouth, trying not to vomit. "It's... OVER, Kevin, it's over!"
Kevin slowly hung his head, as Lalie buried her head in her hands. Lalie looked up and noticed the tears running down Kevin's face. "It really is, isn't it?" Kevin asked her, realizing the situation.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Lalie wailed.
"When you realize that Phil isn't the man for you, don't expect this ring to go back on your finger as easily it did last time," Kevin warned her.
"I don't want it back on my finger," Lalie told him, pushing back her hair. "I don't want it. We tried, Kevin, we really did."
"I'm just sorry that we found an obstacle that we couldn't overcome," Kevin whispered.
Lalie released a heavy sigh, full of tears, as she watched Kevin walk to the door and leave. She collapsed to the floor and continued to sob against the carpet, slowly pulling herself up to a sitting position against the couch.
Chapter 15
Non-Nsync Fiction
I'll Never Stop {Fiction}
Email Tracia