While James was at work that evening, Georgia sat curled up on her living room couch, blankly staring off at the beige wall while running an emery board along her fingernails.
A rather chilly breeze trespassing through the balcony door didn't seem to bother her, as she continued sit there and stare, thinking about what happened earlier with Trey.
"I can't take this," Georgia muttered, getting up and closing the balcony door, and then reaching for her phone and dialing a number.
"Hello?" a person's voice came through the other end.
"Father?" Georgia asked, preparing to ask him a question.
"Georgia, dear," Grant Caldwell acknowledged, upon hearing his daughter's voice. "Everything okay on the business front?"
"Yes, and no," Georgia replied.
"Why don't you explain the 'no' part first?" Grant requested.
"Trey's here," Georgia answered.
Grant paused for a second. "That thief?" he asked. "What does he want?"
"He wants to be partners again," Georgia told him.
"Tell him that that suggestion is out of the question!" Grant exclaimed.
"I tried, I really did," Georgia began. "But, he blackmailed me... however, he's giving me twenty-four hours to reach a decision," she explained. "Isn't he considerate by giving me a day to decide?" she sarcastically asked in a rhetoric tone.
"Blackmail?!" Grant asked in shock. "What could he possibly have on you?"
"Not on me," Georgia quickly replied. "On our family," she continued. "He said he knows something about us that could make the company go under if it gets out... what on earth is he talking about?"
Grant paused again for a minute. "I haven't a clue," he replied.
"Are you sure?" Georgia wanted to know. "I knew he had to be bluffing!" she exclaimed, somewhat relieved. "Wait till I see him tomorrow!"
"Georgia, maybe you should give him a job there," Grant cut her off.
Georgia's jaw dropped as she heard her father say that. "Why?" she wanted to know. "He has nothing on us!"
"Maybe it's something that even WE don't know about," Grant tried to explain. "Even something small could cause a scandal, just give him the job incase he really does know something about us."
"What could there possibly be to know about us, though?" Georgia asked in a completely honest tone.
"Just do as I say, Georgia!" Grant commanded her. "I'm sure it's nothing, I'll keep in touch and let you know."
"Father, I'm worried now," Georgia admitted.
"Don't be," Grant assured her. "Just follow my instructions... we can't take any risks!"
Georgia nervously nodded, even though she knew her father couldn't see her nod over the phone. "Will do, Father," she replied, as she hung up and walked back over to the couch.
Georgia jumped when she saw a shadow through the bottom crack of the door that led to the main hall. The shadow moved to the left, and then Georgia got up and walked over to the door, resting her ear against it.
She felt a chill, as she checked the doorknob to make sure it was locked but felt that wasn't enough. She rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a chair and pushed it against the door to ensure that no one could get in.
"Hang-up calls, ringing the doorbell then running away, now this," Georgia muttered in fear. "Who is doing this?"
Grant wiped his brow, as he sat in his library, reeling from his conversation with Georgia.
"No one must ever find out," Grant told himself in a serious tone. "That was so many years ago," Grant muttered, crumbling a piece of paper and throwing it against the wall. "Damn, Trey!"
"Jim!" James heard a voice come into the store, as he was taking care of a customer at the cash register.
"Trey," James acknowledged. "As you can see, I'm in the middle of something..."
"Don't mind me," Trey assured him. "I'm just browsing the mall and the different stores. I saw you working the cash register from outside. Mind if I look around?"
"It's here for your pleasure, Trey," James informed him, as he finished up with the customer at the cash register. "Have a good day!"
"I'm sorry?" Trey asked.
"I was talking to the customer," James explained.
"I'm terribly sorry," Trey apologized. "What does Georgia think about you working as a cashier?"
"She doesn't have a problem with it," James replied. "Why?"
"Oh, nothing," Trey quickly replied. "It's just that she's next in line to own a company... and you're a cashier, it seems like you and Georgia are at opposite ends of the spectrum."
"Well, I'm sorry if my father doesn't have a bank waiting for me," James sarcastically replied. "It doesn't matter to Georgia what I do for a living… at the end of day, we're together and that's all that matters."
"Touching," Trey replied, picking up some items off the shelf and setting them down on the counter. "Would you be so kind as to ring these up for me?"
James looked at his watch. "Actually, my break has just started."
"Oh, dear, now who is going to ring up my items?" Trey wanted to know. "And I was so looking forward to having my very own-"
"He can ring them up for you," James pointed to Ryan, and waved him over.
"Thank you!" Trey exclaimed, as he watched the young man that James called, walk over.
"Are these all of your items?" Ryan asked.
"Yes," Trey replied, as his cell phone went off. "Excuse me."
Ryan watched as Trey stepped to the other side of the store to take his phone call, just as Frankie rushed into the store and ran up to the counter.
"I thought I made my feelings clear the other night," Ryan told Frankie in a serious tone, leaning against the counter.
"I'm sorry that I took Kevin's side at the restaurant," Frankie apologized in a desperate tone. "I just didn't think punching somebody out in the middle of a bar was the smartest thing to do!"
"Maybe it wasn't," Ryan replied. "But, you still defended Kevin and then gave me a lecture about it later!"
"If someone had told me that I was the father of someone's baby… well… that's impossible… but, I'd be pretty mad, too!" Frankie exclaimed.
"You're still defending the way he approached us and made those comments!" Ryan shouted, throwing his arms in the air.
Frankie threw her head back. "It won't happen again," Frankie assured him. "What do you want me to do?"
"Maybe you should just leave, Frankie," Ryan suggested.
"Grant," Trey spoke into the phone, watching as a young woman rushed out of the store. "You still have my phone number in your Rolodex?"
"How dare you!" Grant yelled.
"Don't blame me, you're the one who still has my phone number on hand!" Trey exclaimed.
"That's not what I'm talking about, and you know it!" Grant shouted.
"No, I don't know," Trey replied, trying to sound convincing. "What is it?"
"You blackmailed Georgia to become partners again!" Grant informed him of his knowledge. "And you're using something that my wife and I told your father in confidence such a long time ago, to hold over our heads!"
Trey gasped. "Georgia told you? I'm shocked!" he exclaimed. "I never thought she would-"
"Trey!" Grant yelled. "Your whole family are traitors!"
"Don't call us that," Trey replied with a smirk. "No one will find out about that if Georgia complies to my offer. Will she?"
"I can't speak for Georgia," Grant replied. "Just keep your mouth shut about what you know, or it will come back to haunt you!"
"I highly doubt that it will," Trey laughed. "As long as Georgia behaves, everything will remain quiet."
"I'm sorry the Caldwells ever had anything to do with your family," Grant sneered.
"You hurt me," Trey sarcastically pouted. "Good night, Grant."
Trey turned off his cell phone, and smugly smiled as he put it back in his pocket. He walked back up to the counter, and paid for his items as Ryan bagged them.
Frankie stood outside the store, and put a tissue up to her nose as a few tears came down her face. "Nothing I ever do is right anymore," she continued to cry.
"What is the matter?" a person's voice came up from behind her.
Frankie turned around, and shoved the tissue back into her pocket. "Who are you?"
"I'm Trey Clemens," he replied. "Who are you?"
"Frankie Stone," she informed him.
"I saw you talking to that young cashier in there," Trey began. "Is he the reason for those tears?"
"You could say that," Frankie vaguely replied, as a few more tears came to her eyes.
"Did he hurt you?" Trey wanted to know.
"No," Frankie replied. "It's just that I keep making mistakes by saying the wrong things, and I don't think I'll ever get it right. I did have it right once... but then things happened and-"
"Well, how badly do you want him back?" Trey cut her off, proposing a question.
Frankie raised her eyebrows at that question, as she looked over at Ryan behind the counter helping a customer, and then turned her attention back at Trey.
Chapter 7
Non-Nsync Fiction
I'll Never Stop {Fiction}
Email Tracia