The next morning, a southwest breeze was apparent.
Vivian shut the windows and back door as she turned the central air conditioner on.
She had just made herself comfortable on the couch when she heard the sound of the mailman outside instilling mail in her box.
"Figures," Vivian groaned, getting up from the couch and getting her mail.
As she flipped through the envelopes and magazines, she discovered her electric bill, phone bill, among other credit card bills. One piece of mail caught her eye, as she dropped all the other items of mail, letting them scatter onto random places on the floor.
Her heart began to pace at a quicker rate as she tore the envelope open. It seemed like an eternity as she tore away at the paper.
Her eyes filled with tears and her stomach felt as if someone was wringing a wet towel as she read the contents of the letter.
"The divorce is final," Vivian muttered, feeling relief, anger and sadness all at the same time. She fell back into the couch, not aware of her surroundings as she tried to take in the reality of the situation.
As she sat there in a blank stare hugging the envelope, which told of the finalization of the divorce, the phone began to ring. She glared at it as she proceeded to get up and answer it.
Wiping away a single tear, she put the phone up to her ear. "Hello?" she asked.
"Are you happy?" a voice on the other end asked her.
"You should be, Bob," Vivian shot back, her hand trembling as she held onto the phone with her now ex-husband on the other end. "This is what you've wanted: out."
"Citing irreconcilable differences was not only reasonable but it was the truth," Bob Neelan defended. "You were granted restoration of your maiden name, Vivian Baker."
"I see that," Vivian noted, holding up the document. "I'm glad I don't have your last name following mine anymore. It was always an eyesore."
"Someone like you doesn't deserve my last name," Bob meanly replied.
"Yeah, yeah," Vivian replied in a bored tone. "What's this about spousal support? I don't need anything from you."
"Our assets were divided equally," Bob explained. "We took care of the property issues, and on those papers we signed, it said I would pay you the spousal support."
"I don't need it," Vivian replied, walking back over to the couch. "Where the hell are you anyway?"
"Here and there," Bob vaguely replied, refraining from giving her a definite answer. "I will give you a number where Kevin and James can contact me."
"They haven't asked once to contact you," Vivian took pride in replying that. "I don't think giving them a number will change their interest."
Bob paused but proceeded to give her his new number anyway. "Whether you told them about that affair or not," Bob started. "I planned to tell them, so don't think you did the wrong thing. I'm glad they know they have another sibling." With that, Bob hung up the phone.
Vivian slammed the phone down on the receiver as she looked at the phone number she wrote down. "I should just throw this away but I won't," Vivian told herself as she looked around at her empty surroundings.
Amid a nervous deep breath and a few tears sliding down her face, she gathered her mail that was scattered on the floor as she finally began to sort through them.
Georgia walked into Kevin's office and dropped a stack of paperwork on his desk as she turned around and began to file out.
"Hold on," Kevin called out, stopping Georgia dead in her tracks.
"I must get back to work," Georgia told him in a serious tone. "What is it?"
Kevin laughed. "You're such a workaholic," he pointed out. "I just wanted to thank you for going to my mother's dinner party last night."
"I felt it was appropriate," Georgia replied, walking up to his desk. "Now that I'm seeing your brother, I think I should get to at least be on friendly terms with his mother."
"Since you can't with our father," Kevin concluded.
"I haven't even met him," Georgia reminded him. "If he were still here, of course I would like to get to know him, too."
"I don't even know where my father is," Kevin admitted.
"He's probably just giving you some space for now," Georgia figured, pushing her orange hair behind her ear. "I'm sure he'll contact you soon."
Kevin was about to reply when his phone rang. "Do you have ESP?" he jokingly asked with a shocked expression.
"Darn, you figured out my secret," Georgia teased him with a wink. "I'll let you get that," she said, walking out the door.
Kevin smiled as he watched Georgia walk out the door. She could always put a smile on his face. That's one of the things he liked best about her.
"Kevin Neelan," Kevin said, putting the phone up to his ear.
"Remember me?" a voice on the other end, asked.
"Since I just saw you last night, Frankie, yes, I remember you," Kevin replied.
"Thanks for being so polite to me last night," Frankie kindly told him. "Despite what everyone has said, you've always remained impartial."
"We're mature adults, Frankie," Kevin reminded her. "I'm sure those jerks from high school would treat you differently today."
"Yeah, probably worse," Frankie retorted. "I don't care about them anymore. Right now, I just want to live free, live each day as if it were my last."
Kevin smiled to himself, he knew where she got that line from. "And be spontaneous?"
Frankie paused. "Why not?" she asked.
Kevin laughed. "Why don't we just get down to it?"
"Get down to what?" Frankie asked in a nervous tone, unsure of what he meant by that.
"Why you called," Kevin replied.
Frankie paused once again. "Well, I would like to see you sometime but I wouldn't dream of doing that since you just broke up with Lalie like that," Frankie replied.
"Frankie, it's okay," Kevin told her, trying to calm her down. "Look, I'll go out with you in a friendly manner but that's all I can handle. Is tonight okay?"
"No, it's not," Frankie immediately replied. "Tomorrow?"
"Fine," Kevin replied. "Tomorrow for lunch, it is. I really admire your honesty, Frankie."
"Great!" Frankie exclaimed. "Bye!"
Frankie stood by the fountain in the center of the City Square. The sound of the rushing water from the fountain was very appealing on a hot day like that.
Frankie shut her cell phone off and put the antenna up to her lips as a smile slowly formed. "I can taste that entrepreneurship like garlic."
Frankie's cell phone began to ring as she began to walk away. "Hello?" she asked. "Of course, I'll be right there," she added with a warm smile.
Ryan pulled a T-shirt over his head and then walked out into the large living room.
He picked up a towel and wiped off the glass coffee table before setting the remote control on the stand next to the television set.
He looked outside at the very warm afternoon, the humming of the air conditioner seemed to be a common sound that afternoon across the city.
Ryan seemed anxious, seeming as if he was waiting for someone as he stepped into the kitchen. His actions got interrupted when there was a knock on the door.
"Finally!" Ryan exclaimed as he walked over to the door and opened it.
Frankie Stone stood on the other side of the door, smiling at him in a loving manner.
"You don't know how much I wanted to see your face," Ryan told her as Frankie entered and shut the door behind her.
"It's been like hell not being able to see you on a daily basis," Frankie replied, kissing him passionately on the lips.
"Frankie, did you get another makeover or something?" Ryan asked, noticing her made up hair and face.
"Actually, I didn't," Frankie replied. "I just teased my hair more and put more makeup on. Do you like it?"
"I like anything you do," Ryan whispered, kissing her again. "Except..."
Frankie put her hand on his cheek. "Except what, sweetie?"
"Going back to your mothers," Ryan replied, walking around to the living room area. "The last three months we lived together here were great."
"Ryan, you know it was time for Mom to see me," Frankie tried to make him understand.
"I suppose," Ryan reluctantly admitted.
"I'll never forget how we snuck into each other's dorm rooms at Tampa University," Frankie reminisced, throwing her hands up with a laugh.
"We don't have to worry about anyone catching us here!" Ryan reminded her. "Move back in!" he goaded her.
Frankie remembered to herself what she has to do to get that entrepreneurship. "I can't," she sighed. "But I assure you that we'll still be seeing each other."
"You're the best thing that ever happened to me," Ryan said, massaging her shoulders. "I'm so glad we both met in that Italian club at the university."
"You were the sexiest Italian there," Frankie grinned.
Ryan bowed his head and smiled. "If one good thing came out of Tampa University, it was meeting each other. How are you doing with your entrepreneurship?"
Frankie turned around, obviously uncomfortable about something. "I hope to have some progress with that soon," she replied, not letting on about anything. "How have things been with you since I moved back in with my mother?" Frankie turned around and asked him, changing the subject.
"I ran into some trouble yesterday after I met you at Bergman's," Ryan began to explain.
"Oh, my God," Frankie uttered. "What happened to you?" she asked him, very concerned.
"After I came in and met you on that line," Ryan began to explain once again. "Well, you left and I was looking at something in the men's department."
"Yeah?" Frankie asked, encouraging him to continue.
"I was heading out and then the stupid security bell started going off," Ryan groaned. "The cashier chased me down the street and then something worse happened."
"What could be worse than being accused of shoplifting?" Frankie wanted to know.
"My aunt happened to be there," Ryan replied. "She got me out of trouble with the cashier but now she knows I'm here and she called my Mom in Florida. I didn't want them knowing I was here."
"I didn't even know you had extended family here," Frankie admitted, stroking his hair. "At least your aunt saved you from getting into trouble."
"I know," Ryan replied. "I had to go over her house and call my Mom. Luckily, I got her to agree that I could stay here. I could never leave you."
Frankie smiled, leading him to the couch, kissing him as she did so. "So, everything is okay now?"
Ryan didn't know how to respond as he sat down on the couch's cushion. "With the shoplifting, yeah," Ryan began. "But now, my aunt and my cousin, Lalie, have my address and phone number!"
Frankie blinked a few times as her eyes began to widen. She swallowed as she took her hand back. "What's your cousin's name?"
"Lalie," Ryan repeated. "Well, Layla, but everyone in my family calls her Lalie."
Frankie continued to stare at Ryan, unsure of what to say. So many emotions were going through her head. She did her best not to scream and tear up, emotionally. How could this possibly happen? "Lalie Mills?" Frankie nervously asked.
"Yes," Ryan replied. "You know her?"
"You're related to Heather and Lalie Mills?" Frankie simply muttered a question.
"Yeah?" Ryan replied in a confused tone.
"I know Heather," Frankie answered in complete and utter shock that he was their cousin. "She and I didn't get along in high school." "She doesn't get along with most people," Ryan assured her.
Frankie couldn't even hear what he said, all she could think about was this horrible turn of events. "Ryan," Frankie began. "Look, you can't see your family no matter what they say."
"I 'can't' see them?" Ryan replied in question.
"I mean, you don't HAVE to see them," Frankie corrected herself. "You've always been independent, you don't need them running your life."
"Well, I DON'T plan to be in contact with my aunt or Lalie," Ryan told her in a serious tone.
Frankie hugged Ryan in relief as those words came out of his mouth. "You're doing fine. You almost have a steady job, you can pay the rent that's needed to reside in this apartment. You don't need your family looking over your shoulder like that."
"You're right, I don't," Ryan replied, looking into her eyes. "The only person I need is you."
As they kissed passionately on the couch, Frankie stopped and told him that she had to leave. She picked up her belongings and began to head out.
"I love you," Ryan called out to Frankie.
Frankie turned around. "Ryan, I love you," she cooed, as she planted yet another kiss on his lips.
Outside Ryan's apartment door, a frantic Frankie slid down Ryan's door. "Oh, my God," Frankie trembled, wiping away a continuous line of tears from her eyes that seemed to pour out the minute Ryan shut the door. "Vivian, if this plan ruins my relationship with Ryan-" she stopped abruptly. "I can't think of that," she scolded herself. "But how can the love of my life turn out to be the cousin of the girl who I'm supposed to make look bad in her ex-fiancees eyes?" Frankie didn't have an answer for herself, as she stood up and headed down the hall.
Chapter 9
Hosted {Fiction}
I'll Never Stop {Fiction}
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