Georgia sat at one of the tables at the outside cafe, as her hair blew in the wind.
The hot coffee seemed to do the trick, as she put the Styrofoam cup up to her lips, and went into deep thought about the latest incidents with her stalker.
"Georgia?" she heard a familiar voice interrupt her thoughts.
"Phil!" Georgia exclaimed, as his figure came into her view. "Please, sit."
"How are you?" Phil asked. "You seemed like you were far away."
Georgia waited for Phil to make himself comfortable in the seat. "I was just thinking about this situation that I'm going through with this person that's following me."
"Following you?" Phil asked, in shock.
"I'd rather not talk about it," Georgia replied, looking down at her coffee. "It's not that I don't want to discuss it with you, it's just that James is constantly asking me about it, so I haven't had much time lately to just be myself."
"I just hope they'll be able to catch that psycho," Phil let her know in a hopeful tone.
"I have faith in the police department here," Georgia informed him. "So," she began, thinking of new conversation. "How are things going with your dear friend, Trey?"
Phil laughed lightly. "I haven't seen him much since he broke his promise to me."
Georgia raised her eyebrows, her attention caught. "He broke a promise?"
"He promised that he'd pay for my hotel room, and he never did," Phil explained. "Needless to say, I got kicked out."
Georgia shook her head. "Trey strikes again," she sighed.
"Again?" Phil wanted to know. "You mean, that wasn't his first time not keeping his word?"
"Oh, Phil, you are not experienced in the Trey department," Georgia let him know, taking his hand. "Let me tell you something about Trey: he'll take advantage of the vulnerable person, then throw them out like a day's worth of garbage when they're no longer useful to him."
"Well, I'm not vulnerable," Phil defended.
"I didn't say that," Georgia let him know, letting go of his hand. "There must have been something that he wanted from you, though."
"I did help pay for the airfare," Phil informed her.
Georgia nodded her head, as her point was proven. "There you have it, Phil," she replied. "You paid for that airfare, he offered to pay for your room, but look where that got you."
"Into Lalie's house," Phil muttered.
Georgia's ears perked up. "Into Lalie's house? Lalie Mills?"
"Wow, you didn't hear?" Phil asked, in shock.
"I told you, I'm really caught up in this whole stalker situation," Georgia explained.
"My turn," Phil began.
Georgia laughed as she watched Phil take her hand, in the same fashion that she took his a while ago. "Please tell!" she urged.
"Let me tell you something about Lalie: she's a caring, honest person, who will help any of her friends out in a heartbeat," Phil explained to Georgia.
An enraged Kevin slammed his breaks, as he came to an abrupt stop in front of the outside mall.
"I don't even know if an espresso will make this day get any better," Kevin muttered, reaching into his pocket and looking at the ring that was just returned to him.
As he made his way into the heart of the mall, he saw Georgia and Phil sitting at a table with intertwined fingers. H
is eyes bolted, as he made his way to the table.
"I hope Kevin doesn't take the situation out of hand," Phil told Georgia, as he let go of her hand, and then felt someone grab his collar from behind.
Phil stood up and turned around, coming face to face with Kevin.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Phil demanded to know.
"As if, you don't know!" Kevin shouted. "I won't let you break up James and Georgia, the same way you broke Lalie and I up!"
"Break James and I up?" Georgia stood up and looked Kevin in the eye. "The way you and Lalie broke up?" she asked, in shock. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm sure Phil, here, will fill you in!" Kevin shouted. "Or maybe I should... the engagement's off, again, Georgia... no double wedding, nothing."
"I didn't know Lalie was going to do that!" Phil shouted.
"It's what you wanted all along!" Kevin accused, raising his voice to the highest level. "Georgia, maybe you should-"
Georgia felt the stare emerging from Kevin's eyes and quickly took the hint. "I think I will take a look in the dress shop before I leave," she quickly said.
Phil turned around and saw Georgia walk off before turning back to Kevin. "Look, Kevin, I said that all I want is for Lalie to be happy and I meant that. I did not have any impact on her decision to break up with you, none at all!"
"She never selectively kept secrets from me like that, until you came to town and brainwashed her!" Kevin shouted.
"Oh, I'm a brainwasher now?" Phil laughed. "I just keep getting new titles everyday!"
"I'm serious!" Kevin screamed, as Phil felt his collar being jolted again. "Don't you know that I'm being serious? Damn it!"
"I know you are!" Phil shouted. "I know you must feel like shit right now, but that's no reason to take it out on me! We're just friends!"
"You and that 'friends' nonsense is getting old!" Kevin warned him. "If you ruin James and Georgia's engagement, just like you ruined mine and Lalie's, you will regret it! I'll come after you myself!"
"And what?" Phil asked, taunting him. "Kill me?" he wanted to know. "Why don't you just say it?" he goaded him. "I'm gonna kill you!" he shouted. "I'm sorry," he lowered his voice.
"Are you finished?" Kevin whispered. "I'm not... going to do... that!"
Frankie, who was approaching the cafe area of the outside mall, stopped dead in her tracks as she overheard what seemed to be Phil threatening to kill Kevin. She couldn't make anything else out, but after a few minutes, Kevin walked away and Phil was left standing there by himself.
She raised an eyebrow and took this as an opportunity to see what had just happened. "Hi, there," she greeted Phil, strutting up to him from behind.
Phil turned around and looked at the woman standing behind him. She seemed to have recognized him, but he couldn't place her. Although, he had a pretty good of who she was... since she was pregnant.
"You probably don't know who I am," Frankie guessed, judging from his reaction.
"I think I do," Phil began. "Frankie Stone?"
Frankie was impressed by his knowledge. "Well, it's nice to know that I'm getting some fame around here... or infamy."
"I know all about what you did," Phil informed her. "Telling Kevin he was the father of your baby."
"Oh, please," Frankie rolled her eyes. "He assumed he was, and I just... went along with it," she added, nonchalantly. "Anyway, that's water under the bridge," Frankie shrugged it off. "I was just walking up and saw you talking with Kevin. What were you talking about?"
"I'm not sure that I should discuss that with you," Phil replied.
"Are you sure you don't want to?" Frankie asked him, walking up to him and rubbing his shoulders. "I'm a really good listener, if you know what I mean."
Phil took a step back. "I have no doubt that you are," he replied. "Frankie, as much as I want to stay and chat, I have to go."
"So soon?" Frankie wanted to know.
"Sorry," Phil apologized.
Frankie folded her arms as she watched Phil walk away. 'Well, I might not know what that conversation was about, but I do know what I heard,' she muttered to herself, as she felt a tap on her shoulder.
She spun around and came face to face with Georgia.
"Hi, Frankie... out in the morning air?" Georgia asked.
"Yes, I am," Frankie replied, matter-of-factly. "It's good for me and the baby. Well, if you don't mind-" she started, only to feel Georgia stop her.
"Why the rush?" Georgia wanted to know.
"Georgia," Frankie whispered, pulling back. "I know you don't like me because of what I did, so, why pretend to act all friendly with each other? I'm getting the hell out of here," she finished, starting to walk away, uncomfortable with being around the person that she helped Trey get the job with.
"Frankie!" Georgia called out.
Frankie blinked a few times and bit her lip, before turning around. "What is it now?"
"While I don't agree with what you did, you don't have to think that the whole world is against you," Georgia tried to reason. "I was so happy when I heard that your baby was okay after that fall at the mall."
"You were?" Frankie wanted to know.
"Everyone was," Georgia informed her. "No one would wish a miscarriage on anyone. Have you come up with any names for the baby yet?"
"I really like Jason or Lisa," Frankie replied. "But, because of my Italian roots, perhaps Giovanni or Donatella would suffice, too," she continued, in an Italian accent. "Wash the dishes, take the dog out, Giovanni!" she continued in the accent. "What do you think?"
Georgia quickly looked down at the ground, as she thought about the phone call with Ms. Hammond and how much her Italian accent sounded like Frankie's just now. "I think those are great choices, Frankie."
"Thanks!" Frankie gushed. "Who knows? Maybe you and James will be welcoming a child soon."
"Well, we have to concentrate on getting married first," Georgia replied, still thinking about that accent. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound-" she paused. "I know that you and Ryan aren't married."
"Ryan and I are on very good terms, so it's okay." Frankie nodded at Georgia. "Hopefully, with any luck... I'll be on that altar soon, just like you'll be."
"Maybe," Georgia smiled at Frankie. "Well, I'll let you go, Frankie. Oh, and I really liked your accent before."
"Thanks, Georgia," Frankie replied with a sincere smile. "I'll see you soon, and thanks for being my friend."
Georgia watched Frankie walk away and finally ran her fingers through her hair in complete shock and anger. "Trey, Trey, Trey... I finally found your Ms. Hammond. I think it's time to find out just what business Trey and Frankie have been conducting."
Frankie was beaming as she made her way to her car. "That went so well!" she gushed. "Thank God she didn't figure out that I was Ms. Hammond, that was quick thinking using that accent on the phone." Frankie turned the lock, as she put the key in. "Let me give Trey an update!"
Ryan shut the box of cereal and shoved it back in the cabinet, as he thought about how he hasn't seen Frankie in a while, and wondered what she could possibly be up to now.
As he was about to get up and sit on the couch, there was a knock on the door.
"Maybe that's her now," Ryan muttered, opening the door and finding a woman who looked very familiar standing on the other end. "Aren't you-"
"Yes, Georgia Caldwell," she replied. "Would you mind if I came in for a moment? There are some things that I'd like to discuss with you."
"No problem," Ryan replied, allowing her entrance and then shutting the door. "James is always talking about you at work."
"Is he?" Georgia smiled from ear to ear. "James is how I know where you live. He has your address and phone number in our address book."
"He's real excited about the wedding," Ryan informed her. "Won't that be coming up soon?"
"Yes, soon," Georgia replied. "I'm actually going to start looking into chapels later today."
Ryan wasn't sure what else to say on the wedding topic, as he noticed Georgia's uneasy expression. "Well, what can I do for you?"
"Oh, right," Georgia seemed to remember the reason why she was there. "I just ran into Frankie at the outlet mall."
Ryan raised his eyebrows. "You did?" he replied with a question.
"She said that you two were on very good terms, so I'm hoping that you could help me out," Georgia began to explain.
"She said that we're on good terms?" Ryan wanted to know.
"You mean, you don't know if you are or not?" Georgia questioned.
Ryan frowned, and shrugged. "Well, I haven't seen her for some time, and we weren't exactly on good terms the last time I saw her."
"I'm just going by what she told me," Georgia let him know.
"I believe you," Ryan assured her. "What did you want to ask me?"
"Does the name Trey Clemens sound familiar to you?" Georgia asked him the question that was on her mind.
"Might have heard the name, but never met him. If I saw him, I had no idea who he was," Ryan explained. "Why?"
"Well, I have reason to believe that Frankie and Trey are... well... working together," Georgia replied.
"What do you mean by 'working together'?" Ryan wanted to know.
"That's just it, I really don't know what's going on between them," Georgia seemed confused as she tried to piece things together. "All I know is that Trey Clemens made Frankie call my office and pretend to be some client, Ms. Hammond, to be exact. Frankie tricked me!"
"Why would Frankie do a thing like that?" Ryan wondered. "I mean, she should have known that you'd recognize her voice."
"Well, she spoke in a convincing Italian accent on the phone," Georgia explained. "Then, today at the mall, we were discussing baby names for your little one… and she started speaking in that accent again. Needless to say, it was Ms. Hammond." Georgia paused. "Sorry if I left you confused," she laughed lightly.
Ryan scratched his head. "No, I should be used to this, shouldn't I?" he asked, in amazement. "Where can I find this Trey Clemens guy?"
Georgia wrote down the address on a piece of paper and handed it to him. "There," she said, giving him the paper. "You can find him there."
"Thanks, Georgia," Ryan gratefully told her, as she nodded him at him and left his apartment. He looked down at the paper and tugged at it. "Frankie, what are you up to now?" he asked aloud, before running off into the bedroom to get dressed.
Trey straightened his tie and checked himself out in the mirror, as he got ready for his first day of work. He sprayed on his cologne, as there was a knock on the door.
"Frankie," Trey acknowledged. "Can't you see that I'm getting ready for my first day?"
"I know that," Frankie replied, as Trey let her enter.
"Well, what do you think?" Trey asked, regarding his attire, and forgetting to shut the door after Frankie walked in.
"Don't you look handsome," Frankie smiled at him. "And, my, you smell rather good, too."
"Two compliments in a row," Trey observed, impressed. "What did I do to deserve that?"
"Oh, nothing," Frankie replied with a smile. "I just ran into Georgia at the outlet mall, and she was so friendly toward me AND she didn't suspect a thing about Ms. Hammond."
"How could I ever repay you?" Trey wanted to know with a grin.
"Well, you could start by helping me get Ryan back as promised," Frankie reminded him.
'Gee, won't she ever forget?' Trey asked himself. "I promise that after my first day of work, we'll get right on that. How could we pull this off?"
"I'll think of something spectacular," Frankie replied, her eyes sparkling like dazzling diamonds. "Too bad I'm in love. You could be everything that I'm looking for."
"Another compliment," Trey noted. "Are you sure that you're everything that Ryan is looking for?" he asked her.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Frankie wanted to know.
"You are certainly going out of your way to impress the man," Trey responded. "He doesn't seem to share the same interest in you that you have in him."
"I'm the love of his life, Trey, of course I mean everything to him," Frankie firmly replied. "And we WILL get married."
"Why are you so adamant about trying to marry a guy who can't accept you for who you really are?" Trey wanted to know.
"Because he's the father of my baby," Frankie replied.
"Would it really be worth it, to marry him and only be miserable because you have to live the way he wants you to live?" Trey proposed a thought. "I-" he stopped, as he saw Ryan walk up and stand in the doorway, in the corner of his eye.
"You, what?" Frankie asked.
Trey took her shoulders and rubbed them gently. "I'm the one that could love you," he proclaimed, grabbing her and kissing her passionately.
Chapter 16
Non-Nsync Fiction
I'll Never Stop {Fiction}
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