Chapter 1:
Sheridan sat her black bag down leaning against the futon style couch
in the middle of the
beautiful Manhattan loft. Just then the door opened and an attractive
man walked in sitting down
his briefcase and rushing over to where she stood. In a tailored navy
blue suit and a pale blue
shirt and contrasting tie with dark hair and eyes he pushed her out at
arms length and looked her
up and down. “Sher, you look absolutely gorgeous.” He kissed the top of
her head and they
hugged tightly. “Andy you look wonderful too! I’m glad I moved in with
you.” “Im glad you’re
here. You wanna go get some Chinese or something?” “I’d love to”
Switching off all the lights
except the one illuminating the stainless steel counter of the
kitchenette they left arm in arm.
Luis walked into the lavish apartment provided by his company and sat
on the elaborately
patterned carpet pulling a box from the corner of his bag. He laid out
the photo’s of them and
smiled as a tear trickled down his cheek. So many times he wondered why
she never came back
after her almost marriage but then again part of him wondered why she
would. So much had
happened. They had dated been lovers and torn apart by her father’s
ungodly hold on her they
lost touch. So his tango down memory lane was painful and open-ended.
He decided to take a
walk. Pulling on a tight black short sleeve t-shirt and leather jacket
he locked the door to F3. He
got onto the elevator.
“Ops. Andy, I left my bag on the table, I’ll get it you hold the
elevator.” “Sure thing, doll”
Sheridan rushed into the room a picked up her bag just as the elevator
doors opened in the
hallway. Andy looked at the attractive dark man in the elevator and
smiled “Going down?” the
man inside asked? “Yeah but I’m holding for someone, and you know how
women are..it could
be a while. Im Andy.” he shook the man’s hand firmly. “Luis, Luis
Lopez-Fitzgerald Nice
meeting you.” And the doors closed as the indicator on the wall drooped
down 5 floors to lobby
level. Inside apartment D12 Sheridan took one last look in the mirror
and swiped some lip gloss
on before heading towards the door. Andy was waiting with the elevator.
They headed to the
lobby also...
To Be Continued...
Chapter 2:
Once inside the lobby with the vaulted ceilings Andy
turned to Sheridan. "I met a man in the elevator while you
were getting your purse." He smiled at her broadly. "Is
he...?" she asked looking tentatively at a dark mass of
spikes atop a chiseled body that looked alot like...
"...Luis" Andy finished,grinning. "And what were you
saying?" sheridan frowned a little. "I said I don't know,
I couldn't tell and he said his name was Luis and that his
law firm just moved him here into an upper apartment.
Sounded like he was livin in one of the roofhouses. My bet
is he lives on F" Sheridan smiled a little. How strange it
would be to run into Luis here after never returning to
him once an engagement fell through. She remembered how
it had been with him before her family choked the oxygen
out of the lungs of their relationship. "Let's go Andy."
and she led him out the door.
Summer was always Luis's favorite time of the year and he
remembered how much so when he headed out into the steamy
New York night. Walking along those streets he felt a
longing for her he had not experienced in some time. He
walked into a deli with chessboard floors and ordered a
hot dog and a cup of chocolate ice cream with colored
sprinkles. Sitting at a corner table he read a newspaper,
completed the cross word puzzle and decided to call it a
night. Maybe even tomorrow he would find out which
apartment that Andy fellow occupied and find out if he
wanted to watch the Baseball game on TV.
"Im stuffed!" sheridan emitted a sigh as the elevator
sped towards their floor. The beige well lit hallways of
their building made Andy and Sheridan's smiles seem
glittering. Once inside Sheridan changed into some
patterned pajama pants and a green tank top. "Damn" Andy
called "What happened Andy" "I think I dropped a cuff
linkoutside the door." "I'll look" Sheridan put her feet
into a pair of furry shoes and walked into the hallway as
the elevator topped and opened. There, looking sexy and
alone stood the last man she meant to find or to be found
by in the vast expanse that was New York.
Riding in elevators was one of Luis's least favorite
things to do because they were erratically stopping and
less efficient than stairs but in this building, no matter
how nice the building was the stairs were dank and musty.
The elevatore stopped on the floor that Andy lived on.
Standing there looking, to the naked eye less than
glamorous, but to the in love eye gorgeous was Sheridan
Emily Crane. "Sheridan Oh my god what are you doing in New
York?" "Oh Luis I could ask you the same friggin thing!
Wow it's so great to see you!!"
She walked towards the
elevator as the doors began to close. Luis stuck his hand
on the door to keep it open, and pulled her inside.
"Sheridan now that I've found you I cant lose you" 'Well I
gotta go back inside now Luis but come see me You know the
door...and Luis I missed you" She smiled wistfully "alot?"
"a whole lot" And she went back into the apartment
cufflink in her trembling hand.
Andy came out of the bathroom wearing boxers with chilli
peppers printed on them. "Found it" She grinned at him,
sometimes she just couldnt help smiling when she was near
him. "Good Thank you so much!" He hugged her and she
hugged him back, a little tighter than she usually did.
"What puts you in such a good mood??" "I just saw a very
very good friend from my past and by the way that guy you
mentioned...
To Be Continued...
Chapters 3-5:
Sheridan fell against her satin sheets and emitted a sigh.
She closed her eyes and began humming a tune when Andy
bounded in and flopped belly down on her bed right next to
her. He slung an arm over her back and began humming the
tune along with her. "Sheridan, you're in a better spirits
than I have ever seen you in our entire lives. What's
up?"he was despereately curious to find out what or who
had her so giddy. "Well like I said, he was a man from my
past and I ran into him in the hallway when I was looking
for your cufflink. Im really glad I saw him.
He's from my
hometown and his mother was like a mother to me when mine
died and well you get the picture!" she sighed again, more
for empahsis than necessity. "So.." Andy prodded "did you
have a relationship with this man in Harmony?" "Yes if you
must know I did...untill..." she got a far away look in
her eyes and tears gathered in the corners. In unison the
both spat "Alistair" Sheridan laughed a little. "So old
man Alistair didnt approve of you and him?" Andy picked at
the obvious. "Nope, he didn't and ya know what? He never
approved of you and me either."
she said once again
looking forlorn. then as if they read each ohers minds
they once again spoke at the same time "Jerk" This time
Andy laughed. "Goodnight Sher Bear" He walked to the
doorway "G'Night Andy Pandy..ooh and by the way that guy
you met in the elevator...was his last name
Lopez-Fitzgerald?" she asked. "Yeah why?" Andys eyes lit
up. Sheridan shook her head confidently. "He is SOOO not!"
Andy's eyebrow arched "how do you know?? Oh! My God! Is he
the guy from your past?" "Yup! Goodnight!" And she turned
the lights off and drifted into sleep.
~~~NEXT DAY~~~
Luis woke up smiling and walked into the bathroom. He was
going to shower put on his hottest outfit and go see
Sheridan. It was so unusual for him to sleep as late as
12:00 but then again who would want to wake from the
dreams he was having. As he stood under the shower spray
he checked himself out from all angles in his mirror
walled shower. Every panel was reflective and aside from
being a pain in the ass to clean, it was cool, and now
that his every thought was filled with Sheridan, it was
erotic. He could just see them in there steaming up that
glass more than the hot water ever had.
Then, speaking of
hot water, his ran out causing him to finish off his
shower cold. All the better, especially since he was going
to see Sheridan. He dried off and put on his Gap khakis
and a shirt. He reminded himself of Patrick Swayze in
dirty dancing, oh well She loved that movie. Spiking his
hair with gel anbd sprayin on some cologne he walked out
of his trendy penthouse and shut the door. It really was
way too much for one person. 2 people could easily occupy
it. He headed down to her floor.
Andy stood in the living room and kissed Sheridan on the
cheek. "Dont spend too much of Father's money Sheridan" he
mocked Julian's drunken slurring voice. "Funny Ands! I'll
meet you back here for lunch at 4 ok?" With that she was
out the door to hit all her favorite shops. Maybe Luis
would ask her out in which case she would want new clothes
and even if he didn't there were ways to make sure he saw
her in them. She could easily ask the desk clerk where he
went and besides she knew all the places he would probably
go on the block, plus how hard could it be to find out
what law firm he worked for? All thses thoughts among
other more descript ones floated through her mind as she
meandered down the avenues stopping in every few stores.
Luis knocked on Sheridan's door harder. He heard music
blaring inside and he knew she could probably hardly hear
her own toughts let alone someone banging at the door.
Finally he heard the music being turned down and he
knocked once more, and as the doorknob turned his hopes
soared. But the face staring at him was not the beautiful
one of Sheridan but rather of the man he had met on the
elevator wearing an apron covered with flour over black
armani pants and a dark blue dress shirt, sleeves rolled
up to his elbows. "Hey Andy" He shook the other mans hand.
"Hello Luis. What brings you here?" he asked. "Actually I
was looking for Sheridan Crane's apartment. I thought this
was it" he frowned a little "You thought right then but
she isn't home now she went shopping.
Can I help you with
something?" he offered, knowing that the goodlooking man
before him was one Sheridan held dear. "Nah I was just
hoping to see her. I've known her for a while and I was
hoping to catch up with her but I guess not..." "You can
come in and have a beer. Im fixing lunch for she and I if
you want to wait." he invited hoping to learn more about
Luis, the lawyer. "No you know what Im just gonna leave.
Catch you later" and he turned before Andy could say
another word and stormed to the elevator.
He slammed his
apartment door shut and threw the key on the table. A long
string of curses fell from his mouth as he vented the
anger and shot down hopes. "Why didn't that bitch tell me
she was living with another man! She could have had the
DECENCY to tell me she was involved with someone before
she invited me to see her. Damn her! And worst of all ,
her boyfriend now knew him and that he knew Sheridan.
Great just great! He laid ontop of the made bed and cried
into the pillow. He cried untill he fell asleep broken
hearted. She walked out of his life taken and she walked
back into it taken.
Sheridan walked back into their apartment slogged down by
bag after bag of pants shirts sweaters dresses skirts
shoes bags evening gowns makeup jewlery and one pink and
white bag from Victorias Secret. That was a surprise she
would share with Luis if it ever went that far, if not
then she would just wear it to sleep one night to feel
sexy again. "Mmm, andy is that your world famous pasta and
port sauce I smell?" she called into the apartment. "Yes
it is and OH WOW! How much did all that cost your family?"
he asked gesturing towards the mountain of bags she piled
by the door.
"Alot! Now let's eat" Sheridan sat at the
table and Andy followed suit and they talked and ate and
did the dishes and sat down to watch a movie. "Not this
again!" Sheridan wailed when Andy put in Rocky IV "Yes
this! Why not?" "It was Luis's favorite movie is all" She
whispered. "Speaking of....he came by today" Sheridan just
stared at the screen thinking of Luis sipping her wine.
Hour after hour passed and Luis didn t stop by again.
Sheridan was surprised and stood up to go change. Maybe
some alone time at the bar would clear her mind.
Luis slumped over the bar stool looking like hell. He'd
lost count of how many drinks he'd had and he was pretty
well wasted. His hair was tousled and his face still held
the imprint of the mint the housekeeper left on his
pillow. He called for another strong drink when Sheridan
walked in and sat next to him. She smiled tentively and
listened as the bar tender said Luis had reached his limit
and told him to go upstairs. Sheridan slid off the
barstool and stood next to Luis. She had a pair of Leather
flare pants on and a red halter."I'll walk you up" she
offered but he rebuffed her hand and stumbled out on his
own, numbly hitting the buttons on the elevator door.
She
joined him in the elevator and tried to put an arm around
him to steady him but he stumbled away slamming into the
wall. "Luis what is your problem?" she asked. "Im drunk,
whats yours?" he was incredulus and very angry. No matter
how wasted he was the knowledge of her living with another
man was still at the top of his mind. "Luis why are you
wont you let me help you? What posessed you to go out and
drink that much anyway?" he just rolled his eyes at her
and stumbled out of the elevator. He tried to put the key
in the lock but couldn't seem to find the hole and scraped
around the door untill Sheridan's hand closed over his and
turned the key, allowing him to enter his place.
Sheridan
walked him back to the bedroom and turned down the sheets.
She turned around and Luis was standing there naked. "oh"
Sheridan gasped and couldnt help but stare at his perfect
body. Despite temptation she went and put an arm around
his waist,making sure to keep her arm high away from his
butt. She walked him over to the bed and laid him down
pushing the covers up to his neck. Just as soon as his
head hit the pillows he was asleep, snoring. Sheridan
took that oppurtunity to check out his place. (2bctd)
Sheridan looked around the bedroom first, hoping to find
some clues about where he ate, who he spent time with or
if he had a girlfriend and where he worked.
She noticed
where ever he was workin didn't skimp on making sure his
life was comfortable. The sheets she had pulled down were
maroon silk and they had a navy paisly print on them,
precisely not Luis's style but she also knew he wouldn't
complain. The bedroom suite was dark mahogany wood and
there was a full length mirror in the corner. The window
seat was cluttered with books and the rug was thick and
soft. She opened a door to her right and the bathroom was
a far cry from the rich deep classic bedroom. The shower
was open and she peered in noticing it was completely
mirrors, every wall and ceiling too.
The counters were
stainless steel and littered with his grooming items.
There was a picture of Miguel and Theresan sitting near
the sink. She turned the corner and saw that there was a
healthy collection on magazines, the Harmony Herald and
The New York Times piled beside the toilet underneath a
shirt and tie.
She left the bathroom and went back into his bedroom,
where he was still sound asleep. She quielty slid open the
drawer next to his bed where she found pictures of Harmony
and places in New York stacked neatly and seaperated by
doubles. She took one of each from New Yourk and put in in
her purse. The drawer below it had pictures of her and
him and letters they had written, not to mention many
newspaper clippings from when he'd saved her.
She smiled
and a tear slid down her cheek as she pushed them shut.
She walked into the living room which was mainly creme
with huge stuffed chairs and sofa's annd dark wood all
around. There was a desk in the corner scattered with many
papers. She opened a few drawers there and found reciepts
and matchcases and napkins from some restaraunts and
deli's in the city nearby. She borrowed a piece of paper
to write down names and addresses. Heading into the
kitchen she noticed once again a change of decor with
steel and light tawny wood paneling. It was spotless save
his address book by the phone. All the numbers were for
people in Harmony and only a few in New York. There in the
back was a handful of business cards all printed with his
name on them. She took one and grabbed a muffin out of a
basket and prepared to leave.
She would deal with Luis tomorrow. She left the kitchen
and noticed two more doors. One she assumed was a closet
but there was still so much of the apartment she knew, so
she turned its knob. She walked into a room with a
beautiful chandeliere hanging over the table, the room
much like the living room. This was meant for
entertaining. There were heavy drapes hung in a windowand
parting them she realized it was a sliding glass door.
She
walke into the beautiful New york Night and almost
stumbled into the black marble jacuzzi that was bubbling
beneath her. There was a black marble mini-bar in one
corner of the tiled terrace and it was fenced by intricate
wrought iron. She stepped inside and found her way out
the door, and down to her own floor. Luis was living a
very full life, that was for sure.
Sheridan opened the door and Andy was waiting. "Sheridan
it's after 1:00 am. Where have you been? Are you Ok?" He
asked hugging her. "Yeah im fine. I just ran into Luis and
let me tell you he had been at the bar and THAT was one
plastered bastard." Andy laughed at the use of their
inside joke. ""Well go to bed young lady!" he ordered.
"Yess sir" she saluted him and went into her room. Andy
sighed as her door slammed shut. 'be careful mon aime' he
whispered, turning off the lights and slamming his own
door.
~~~NEXT MORNING~~~
Sheridan rolled over and fell off the bed. Her hair was
sticking up in funny angles and her nightgown was twisted.
The covers were on the floor in a heap and she knew it
had been a restless night yet she didn't remember any of
it. She must have had more to drink in that bar than she
thought. But she had only had one drink before scavaging
in Luis's place. She wondered if he was OK. She stood up
and the wave of diziness that hit her scared her. She got
off the floor and put on some dark blue jeans and a white
tee shirt with a red graphic on it's front and some black
flipflops. She ran a hand through her hair, being a little
careless but the last thing on her mind was her looks.
She
ambled into the kitchen where Andy handed her a cup of
coffee. "You look like hell" he smirked. "Goodmorning to
you too hottie" she said sarcastically. "Im going up to
Luis's place so, i'll be seeing ya" she walked into the
hallway still holding her coffee mug. She went back inside
and sat it down, putting on her glasses. Her contacts
would have given her a headache anyway. She rang Luis's
bell a few times but when no one answered she turned the
knob, finding it unlocked. He was sitting on a tall stool
in the kitchen wearing jeans and a shirt displaying his
lawfirnms name in Navy blue. "morning Luis I came to see
if you were ok" she said softly. "fine and you?" he looked
a mess, but she still thought it was very sexy in a very
unplanned way. "Hungover" she laughed a little.
"Me too.
Very hungover." "Do you remember anything from last
night?" she asked putting a hand on his shoulder. He
looked deep in thought for a minute and the shrugged her
hand off. " Get the hell out of my apartment" he groweled.
"But Luis.." she stepped back afraid of the change in his
demeanor. "I do remember what happened last night which is
WHY I GOT DRUNK IN THE FIRST PLACE!" he boomed at her. She
shrank back, suddenly very aware of his power and left. As
soon as she was gone he began to cry all over again.
Sheridan on the other hand decided to go out. It was a
beautiful day and the worst thing to do was sit and mope.
He would come around...she hoped.
It was the perfect day in New York and Sheridan decided
to take advantage of it by going to Washington Square
Park and sitting for a while to contemplate her situation.
Shr walked all the way there and sat on a foutain. It
reminded her of Europe with it's fountain and arch so she
took a short stoll through the flower beds and left. To go
to her next choice she would have to go home and change.
She did that fast while Andy was in the shower and ran
quickly out headed for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's
Rooftop Garden.
It was such an overlooked place but one of
her favorites. Standing there looking out over the city
Sheridan felt eyes on her bare back. She was wearing a
handkerchief top with lace at the bottom forming a
tirangle and a skirt with straw platfoms and a small straw
bag. She turned and her eyes met Luis's. She walked past
him and left the rooftop. She didn't realize the haughty
coldness in his eyes untill then but she was pretty sure
somehow she had put it there.
Walking along the streets a few paces behind Sheridan was
not how Luis had planned to spend the better part of his
day but that's exactly what he did. She went to many of
his favorite places and when she finally sat down for a
drink at an outdoor cafe he sat at a table behind her. She
sipped so elegantly but as he watched her hands, there was
no wedding band. What kind of game was she playing and who
was that guy she lived with. There was so much he wanted
to know and so much he was unwilling to ask her. He stood
just as she did and motioned her over. She walked but
stood a good distance from him. "What? Why are you so
angry at me all of a sudden?" She frowned. "come back to
my place and we'll talk and order dinner." he was trying
to be civil because as soon as he asked her he knew he
would blow up.
She accepted and left with him. once inside his apartment
Sheridan felt awkward. "Go ahead and look around if you'd
like..." She walked straight into the dining room and
onto the terrace. "I love it out here" Luis said. "shall
we eat out here?" He motioned to a wrought iron and glass
table she didn't notice before. "Yeah" she sat her bag
atop the minibar and he pulled out her chair.
"I called and ordered chinese for us. I hope that's ok"
She smiled, thankful he remembered her favorite. "Luis,
you said you wanted to talk. Why are you so damnable mad
at me?" She asked. " I dont want to go there"
He turned
away from her and fingered a dead leaf on a little potted
tree. "Well I do!" she yelled. Somehow when they were
together communication ceased to be simple. "Fine then!"
he screamed "You wanna tell me who that guy at your house
is?Why you didn't mention having a man who cooks lunch for
you to me when we reunited. Why you didnt have the god
damned decency to tell me you were living with someone!!"
He yelled louder than she'd ever heard before. "You! You
were jealous the whole time of me being with ANDY??" she
reacted "Well let me tell you something you self centered
son of a bitch, that what you misread into me and him will
very well cost you our friendship.
Andy has been there for
me always since my mother died and when we were forced
apart. I love him and I always will. He is the perfect
gentleman and he treats me right and you are jealous. You
know what Luis, under normal circumstances I would see
that a woman moves in with a man she is involved with. But
ours is NOT normal." she raged. She threw down her napkin
and picked up her purse, going inside and to the door. He
followed her 'Well then Sheridan" he screamed "you love
him and you live with him.
To Be Continued...
Chapter 6:
'Well then Sheridan" he screamed "you love him and you
live with him. How is it you arent involved with him?" she
opened the door and turned to face him. "I can live with
andy like that because he's GAY luis, so are you happy?"
She didnt hide the tears as she slammed the door and went
home leaving Luis to his thoughts and a double order of
Chinese food.
Luis stood staring at the cartons of fodd on his counter.
He slid them all open and grabbed some chopsticks. There
was definetly no glamour to what he was doing. He ate one
carton and went to the jacuzzi. He took off his clothes
and slipped into the steamy water. He shut his eyes and
before he knew it he was asleep.
Sheridan came in the door in crazy tears and Andy heard
her wails over the HBO he had on in his room. He peered
out a crack in his door and noticed her red face and that
she had taken off her shirt and kicked off her shoes. She
walked into her room and flopped face first onto the bed.
She fell asleep and didn't hear Andy come in and put her
things on a chair and crawl under the blanket with her.
She woke up the next morning with an arm around her and
thought that she was dreaming and Luis hadn't been jealous
such as he was. For him to be unaccepting of Andy broke
her heart. She rolled over and saw Andy fast asleep and
realized that she didn't dream her and Luis's fight and
that Andy must have come in to comfort her when he heard
her crying herself to sleep. She shook him.
"Andy wake up"
he opened his eyes and "Sheridan what happened last
night/" he took her hands in his. "Luis and I had a fight.
He thought you and I were well, you know involved and he
took it the wrong way. But for him to have been so
assuming...i just dont see how I will ever be able to
speak to him again. " She got off the bed and went to the
kitchen.
Luis meanwhile, woke up shivering and felt his face being
pelted. Blinking he reallized he'd fallen asleep in the
hot tub and it was now raining hard. He stood up and felt
jellylegged from his time in the heated water.
'Sheridan....' that was what he was thinking of. "So" he
began analizeing the situation "she lives with her best
friend. A man, which is ok because there cant be any
romantic relations.
Why not? The guy is gay. No damn
wonder she was so confused as to why I had a problem with
her sharing a home with him. Oh god, Im such a fool" he
shook his hair and changed to a pair of khaki's and a grey
sweater with a red stripe in the center. Slipping on shoes
he went to his bedroom and grabbed a wallet. There was so
much he had to do before Sheridan totally hated him.. 'not
long Lopez-Fitzgerald' he thought leaving once again.
Meanwhile...
Sheridan sat crosslegged on the counter staring at Andy.
She had a blue blanket wrapped around her with red trim on
the sides. "so..."she said rehashing the previous days
events"I dont ever want to see him again. and i dont
imagine that will be hard since he's living in new york
and im living in tacoma." she took a sip of her cafe au
lait and waited for andy to register her last remark. "You
DONT live in Tacoma Sheridan, you live in new york, with
me! your gay best friend. Sheridan he'll understand OK"
Andy said despretly hoping she would listen. "NO! Im
leaving and im changing my name and voila...NO MORE LUIS!"
she hopped off the counter. "Im going out!"" she hollered,
turning up the stereo in the bathroom.
"Where?" Andy asked, following her picking up the blanket,
her slippers and her robe as she discarded them down the
hall. "No clue" she yelled slamming the door over the
noise "Maybe hop the subway and visit some of my students
at NYU then chill at Barnes and Noble and Virgin Mega or
not, go to Italy and have an eclair and then go to the
gym. Not in that particular order." Then andy heard the
laundry chute door slam shut and her shower start. He was
glad she was leaving. This gave him time to talk to Luis.
Maybe figure out a way they could work together to keep
her from hating him...they were both lawyers. Damn good
ones at that and both desperate to keep the woman they
loved, each in their own right, in New York.
To Be Continued...