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by Tammy Chapter Six
There was nothing he wanted to do – nothing he wanted to watch on TV, nothing he wanted to read. Nothing that was going to stop the voices in his head or the tenseness in his body. He paused in the living room it had been only a few weeks but Lucy’s touch was everywhere – in the new furniture, the flowers that softened the Lighthouse’s hard edges, the colors that they had settled on after some rather intense arguments (which Kevin had enjoyed very much.) If he stood very still, and concentrated very hard, he could even smell her perfume still lingering in the air – taunting him. God, he was going out of his mind. Kevin opened the door, watching the storm rage. Spring had come early this year, but tonight it was fighting its arrival with all it had. The sky was almost constantly lit up, the rain fell down hard, there was no trace of moon or stars. Almost as he was being drawn, Kevin walked outside and into the storm. He lifted his head up, letting the water pelt him in the face, feeling the wind surround him and welcome him. From her vantage point of only a few yards away, Lucy stood transfixed
watching him. He was dressed only in his pajama bottoms, and it was as
if he was in his own little world and she was trespassing in it. It was
like – like she had been caught up in one of his dreams, that none of this
was real. Her being here, the storm raging all around them. Like she could
do anything she wanted, and wake up tomorrow and find that Kevin had dreamt
it all, that she had no memory of it whatsoever. It was a freeing thought
somehow.
She thought about Scott, where he could be, what he could be doing but for some reason her thoughts drifted of their own accord to Kevin. Of all the people she had met since coming back to Port Charles, he had irritated, infuriated, and insulted her the most. But of all the people she had met – he was the only one she was considering telling the truth to. Because maybe, just maybe, Kevin could help her find a way out of the mess she was in. Maybe he wouldn’t judge her and find her lacking. Maybe he was her way out. But could she trust him? That was the question that haunted her. She really had no idea how or why she ended up here. She only meant to go for a drive, leaving Serena in Gail’s capable hands, but her car had found it’s way to the Lighthouse – and the lights were on and she knew Kevin was awake. And instead of finding him warm and dry inside, she found him out in the storm, getting wetter by the second, his pants clinging to his body like – “Enjoying the view?” Lucy looked up into the very dark amused eyes of Kevin Collins. She tried to turn away, but his eyes held her captive. In her confusion, she didn’t realize Kevin was approaching her until he was just inches away. Her first rational thought was to run as fast as she could, but as if he was reading her mind (and Lucy blushed at the very thought) Kevin grabbed her arms, freezing her to the spot. “Kev-“ Without a word or a warning, Kevin’s lips were on hers - hard and demanding. Lucy gasped in shock, and when she did so Kevin’s seeking tongue gained entrance into her mouth. It was the most amazing, most charged kiss Lucy had ever experienced – and she had lots of experience to compare it to. Her skin melted against his – both of theirs equally wet and clinging. The storm raged around them unnoticed and unheeded as Lucy kissed Kevin back with months of pent-up frustration and desire. They were devouring each other – starved for the contact, blown away by the electricity of the kiss. Kevin pulled back first, a smile a mile wide on his face. “Well Ms Coe – “ Whatever words he was about to say were lost forever by the force of
Lucy’s slap.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chris groaned at the sound of his beeper, detangling his body from Eve’s in order to retrieve it from its place beside the alarm clock. Squinting he checked the message and then cursed under his breath. Helena. His first instinct was to ignore her and go back to sleep, but he knew it probably wouldn’t be the wisest decision he had ever made. Quietly he got out of bed, not even bothering to wrap a blanket around him as he stumbled into the living room and picked up the phone and punched in a number. Helena’s voice came over the line instantly. “Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought we had an agreement.” “We did. We do.” Christ stifled a yawn. “Do you have any idea what time it is?” “As a matter of fact I do. Now I have a question for you – where is Lucy?” Were all the Cassadines this plain nuts? Oh that’s right, rich people were eccentric. “I might be reaching here, but my guess is she is in bed asleep. Which coincidentally, is where I am headed.” “Wrong Christopher on both counts. Lucy is at the Lighthouse.” “Really? Way to go Kevin.” Chris could hear a male voice shouting in the background and Helena saying something back to him. “Get out there now. If she is spilling secrets, I want to know what they are.” “You want me to go spy on Kevin and Lucy at the Lighthouse in the middle of the night? I do have some standards you know.” “I will expect a full report in the morning.” “Helena – “ Too late. The phone was dead. How did he get himself into these things? Resigning himself to his fate, Chris went back into the bedroom to put on some clothes. As he opened a drawer, Eve stirred. “What is it?” “Nothing, go back to sleep. I just got beeped by the hospital.” “Give me a few minutes to get dressed and I’ll go with you.” Eve sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, watching with a dash of disappointment as Chris put his pants on. “I have a patient that just had surgery yesterday that I need to check on anyway.” Oh yeah, that would work out great. Eve could help him with his peeping Tom duties. “Go back to sleep Eve, your patient is fine or someone from the hospital would have called you. I’ll be back before you know it. I intend to have breakfast in bed.” “Hmm, that sounds wonderful.” Eve was already lying back down; her eyes closed as soon as her head hit the pillow. “What are we having?” “Each other.” Chris kissed Eve on the forehead, ruefully noting that
she was already asleep. Picking up his shoes, he headed out the door.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The alarm woke Courtney from a dreamless sleep. For a second the fact that it was still dark outside confused her, until she remembered it was time for Neil’s pills. It was important he didn’t miss a dose, he had to stay as strong as possible until the baby was born. Courtney made her way through the dark house to Neil’s room. She turned on the light as she went in. “Hey Neil, wake up honey. It’s time for your medicine.” Neil woke up just long enough to swallow the pills, tell Courtney that he loved her, and whisper good night. He slept a lot these days. Courtney told herself it was a good thing, but there was a deep-seated fear in her that someday he wouldn’t wake up. She kissed his forehead and watched him sleep for a moment, trying to shut out all the scared voices that were screaming at her. If she only did this one thing right in her life, she would stay strong for Neil’s sake. She wouldn’t let the fear overwhelm her. Courtney wiped away a stray tear and decided that she just had to have a bowl of Rocky Road ice cream before she went back to sleep. The baby was probably hungry, she rationalized, and so she would have to eat the ice cream for the baby’s sake. Being pregnant had its perks. Courtney didn’t turn on any lights as she made her way to the kitchen and opened the freezer, pulling out the ice cream. She turned around, saw a figure sitting in a chair, and stifled a scream. “Frank! What are you doing sitting here in the dark?” “Enjoying the quiet.” Frank got up from his chair. “But since that is no longer a possibility, I’ll be leaving now.” “Can’t you stay and talk to me for five minutes? What is it you are so scared of? That you might actually enjoy my company?” “Hardly.” “Forgive me for interrupting yet another of your moping sessions. Frank, Joe has been dead for a long time, maybe it’s time you let him go.” “Don’t you say his name!” Frank was shouting, pushing Courtney against the refrigerator. “Don’t you dare say his name ever again!” “Frank stop it. You’ll wake up Neil.” Courtney stared back, facing his anger without fear. “It wasn’t your fault Joe died Frank, if you would just face up to that maybe you can allow yourself to live again. But that would just be too darn scary wouldn’t it? To join the land of the living.” “Shut up!” Frank kicked the refrigerator door in frustration, letting go of Courtney who did not move. “You have no idea what you are talking about.” Courtney reached out and touched his face tentatively. “Joe knew you loved him Frank, just like Neil knows you love him though you struggle so hard not to show it.” She didn’t say it aloud, but to herself she added – like I know you love me. “And my love is such a wonderful thing. It didn’t save Joe and it can’t save Neil. In fact, Neil will be lucky if my love doesn’t destroy him.” “Neil needs you Frank and I need you. We’ve been facing this alone when we should be facing it together. I need someone to help me through this and I think you need someone too.” Courtney was encouraged by the fact Frank wasn’t moving away; she moved her hand slowly up his arm. “Can’t we do this together? Can’t we be there for each other?” “Together, is that what you want Courtney?” Frank began ripping his shirt off, the buttons flying everywhere as he did so. “Fine, your son is dying and all you can think about is sex, but never be said that I didn’t help you feel better. Come on Courtney, what are you waiting for? What, the kitchen table not good enough for you? Since when?” “That’s not what I was talking about and you know it Frank. Please don’t turn this into something sordid.” “You are sordid Courtney. You can lie to yourself but never to me. You want me don’t you? All you think about is me and you and how good we still are, how great the sex has been ever since you broke Joe’s heart just for the thrill of it.” “How dare you keep throwing my past in my face. I wasn’t betraying Joe alone. You were there too Frank.” Courtney fought back the tears and the feelings of shame. “Enough, okay, you win.” “Oh so we are going to have sex after all. Cool.” Frank reached for her but Courtney pushed him away. “No, I give up. I won’t try to save you from yourself anymore Frank. Drown in your self-pity, live a dark lonely life, I don’t care. But you are not going to take my son down with you Frank, do you hear me? Stay away from Neil. And stay away from me, because I deserve better than this. Better than you.” The ice cream long forgotten, Courtney bolted for the stairs. Frank
stared after her. He should be feeling triumph he told himself, he had
finally made his point. But all he felt was more lost than ever.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lucy spun on her heels, determined to get as far away from Kevin as possible. Kevin moved faster however, and before Lucy could react he was standing in front of her, blocking her path. “Oh no you don’t. You don’t get to trespass on my property and attack me and then just walk away.” “You have it backwards mister, it was you doing the attacking.” “Oh really?” Kevin raised an eyebrow. “Look me in the eye Ms. Coe and tell me you didn’t enjoy yourself. Immensely. Either that or you missed your real calling, in more ways than one.” Lucy raised her hand again, but Kevin was ready for her this time. He grabbed her hand in mid swing, knocking Lucy enough off balance that he had dragged her several feet toward the Lighthouse before she realized what was happening. She pulled back, but he was stronger than she was. “Let me go you oaf!” “Now no sweet talk. Besides, you were the one who initiated the contact.” Kevin pulled open the French doors and pushed Lucy inside. “There, now we are going to have a talk.” Lucy eyed Kevin warily, half-afraid of him. “I want to go home.” “So you will, after we talk. I am going to get us some towels. Stand right there and don’t move or I will go to Lee and Gail’s and drag you back here. Trust me on this.” Lucy did. She stood there motionless for several minutes, calling herself every kind of fool for getting into this situation and trying very hard not to relive that kiss over and over again. She was just thinking about how strong Kevin’s arms felt when they were wrapped around her when he reappeared. Lucy immediately flushed. “Penny for your thoughts or do I know them already?” Kevin teased as he handed her a towel. Kevin had towel dried his own hair and had changed into a pair of jeans. Lucy took the towel, not realizing she was shivering until she reached out to get it. “Thanks.” “Poor baby, you look cold. I have lots of hot water, how about a shower? I could use one myself.” “What a charming offer, but I will be leaving soon.” “At least let me get you a change of clothes. I am sure I can find some for you. Some of the ladies that stayed left behind – ah – shall we call them souvenirs?” “I would rather freeze to death. Can we get on with this?” “I keep forgetting how jealous you are.” Kevin ducked as Lucy threw the towel at him. “You know, I like having you around. You amuse me.” Lucy couldn’t believe she ever even considered telling this odious man her secrets. “I am so honored to be your source of amusement. I am giving you five minutes, and I am history.” “Why did you come here tonight Lucy?” “No reason. I was just restless and I took off driving...” “And ended up here in the most remote part of Port Charles? Come on, you can do better than that.” Kevin was circling Lucy, making her even more uneasy. “Now tell me the real reason you came here.” “I – I was going to get some work done that’s all. I had some ideas I wanted to talk to you about.” “In the middle of the night? You’re not even trying Lucy. Well, since you won’t tell me, let me tell you.” Kevin stopped moving, standing very close to Lucy. “You came because you had to. You came because you feel this – this strange exhilarating connection between us. You came because when I touch you like this...” Kevin reached out and caressed Lucy’s neck. “...you feel the heat down to the very core of your being.” Chris could see Kevin talking to Lucy, could see Lucy jump when Kevin touched her but he couldn’t hear what was being said. It didn’t look like there was any exchange of secrets going on, it looked like a classic Collins seduction scene, but he had to be sure. He had to find a way in the Lighthouse. “I have no idea what you are talking about.” Lucy squeaked. “Don’t you?” Kevin placed his hand behind the back of her head. “Let me make this crystal clear then. You came because you needed this as much as I do.” Kevin slowly lowered his head to meet Lucy’s waiting lips. She forgot all about how much she despised him; she forgot everything but the powerful feelings rushing through her body. She didn’t even know they had moved until Kevin pulled her on his lap as he sat down on the couch, their lips never parting. Chris wondered what kind of alarm system Collins had. He backed up looking the Lighthouse up and down. There was a window that he might be able to reach if... “Why are you spying on my wife?” Chris spun around, facing a stranger with very unruly hair. “And who the hell is the guy she is kissing?” Chapter 7 Chris had never seen anyone look so angry in his life. “I thought that Lucy was divorced.” The next thing he knew the stranger had him thrown against the Lighthouse. “Now is not the time to play word games with me. If you don’t want to feel my fist in your face I suggest you answer my questions. Now.” Chris, for the life of him, couldn’t think of what the guy had asked, but he did have enough presence of mind to come up with one realization. “You are Scott Baldwin right?” He wondered if all the gossip he had heard about that guy was true. Scott lifted him up by the collar. “I am counting to three, and I might just decide to skip the first two numbers.” “Kevin. Kevin Collins.” Scott let him go. “Okay Kevin, keep going.” “Kevin? No I’m not Kevin. I am Chris – Dr. Christopher Ramsey. That’s Kevin in there.” Chris pointed inside where Kevin and Lucy were now lying on the couch, still very much making out. He could see Scott’s fist clenching and unclenching as he watched them. To be on the safe side, Chris took several steps away from Scott. “You still haven’t answered my question, why are you spying on Lucy?” Scott asked. “Well that’s an interesting story.” Chris began and then his beeper went off. The way his night was going, it was probably Helena wanting an update. “And I would love to get into with you, but that’s the hospital so I will see you around huh?” “Just in case my reputation hasn’t preceded me, I have a very short
fuse and I am just about to reach my limit. I don’t give a damn about the
hospital, you are not going anywhere until I get some straight answers!”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Oh God Lucy, you feel so good.” Kevin reached inside her shirt, determined to touch as much of her as he could, already feeling addicted to the softness of her skin, the way she softly moaned as his hands roamed over her body. “Please baby, please let me make love to you.” Almost immediately Lucy could feel panic creeping over her, a feeling that she couldn’t do this, that if she did her whole life would be turned upside down in a way that she wasn’t ready for. Kevin sensed that something was wrong, lifting his head he asked “Lucy?” “Get off of me.” Lucy said, struggling to rebutton her shirt. “I have to get out of here.” “Lucy what’s wrong?” Kevin was truly bewildered, just a few seconds before she had been every bit as willing as he was. “What’s wrong is that I don’t want you. I don’t even like you as a matter of fact.” Lucy had managed to stand up, trying her best to straighten up her still very wet clothes. “Don’t ever do this again.” “Listen lady, I don’t know what kind of game you are playing but you wanted this as much as I did.” Kevin stood up, his angry eyes flashing. “Don’t make me out to be the bad guy here, I don’t like it.” “Let me put this in words you can understand, whatever power you think you have over women doesn’t work with me. I am not going to be another name on your long lists of conquests. I don’t like being used Kevin, and I quit allowing myself to be long ago. Get your kicks with somebody else because I am not available.” Lucy was out the door before her last word was out. She was walking so quickly that she never even saw Scott and Chris who had just enough warning to move to the side of the house. Inside a very frustrated Kevin swore and kicked the couch, forgetting his feet were bare until the pain jolted through his body. “Damn damn damn. “ “I wonder what happened in there.” Chris asked thoughtfully, watching as Lucy pealed out the driveway in her car. “Go inside and beat that creep Collins up.” Scott ordered. “If you want Kevin beat up, do it yourself. I don’t do violence.” Chris replied. “No, you are just some kind of sick peeping Tom. And trust me, I would do it myself but for reasons I don’t care to get into with you, I have to stay out of sight. No one must know I am in town, not Lucy not my parents no one. And if anyone finds out, I will know who told them. And I will be very unhappy. And I don’t think you want that. So right now we are going somewhere quiet and private and you are going to tell me why you are following my wife – my ex-wife around.” Great, talk about being between a rock and a hard place. If he told this Scott person about Helena, Helena would be angry and Chris had never seen Helena angry and he didn’t think he wanted to. And if he didn’t come up with a darn good story to tell Scott, then heaven knows what the walking volcano would do. How did he ever get himself into these things? Chris’s beeper went off again, glancing down mainly to stall for time he saw the number was his own. He groaned, just when he thought things couldn’t get worse. If Eve was trying to beep him, then she knew he wasn’t at the hospital. And Chris would rather face a thousand angry Helenas and Scotts than one furious Eve. “Let’s go.” Scott began walking without looking back at him; Chris took
one more look at his beeper and resignedly followed him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eve slammed down the phone after calling Chris’s beeper number for about the tenth time. “Chris, where the hell are you?” She muttered to herself. She had tried the hospital, in fact had him paged several times. When she had woken up, she had thought of something she wanted Chris to check on at the hospital, but it turned out that Chris was never there. He was hiding something from her; she had known it for a long time now. And the only rational explanation she could come up with – the thought of which turned her stomach into painful knots was that Chris was having an affair. While she slept alone, he was sleeping with some floozy. Torn between anger and tears, Eve stormed around the apartment. He wasn’t going t o answer his page, that was for sure, so she would have to track him down. The trouble was, he could be anywhere in Port Charles, anywhere at all really. That was okay, she would catch up with him eventually and she would make sure he regretted putting her through this. The phone rang just as she was about to head into the bedroom, feeling an instant sense of relief Eve practically ran to the phone. “Chris?” There was silence on the other end, but Eve could hear someone breathing. “Chris? Is that you?” Still no answer. “Listen creep, whoever you are, you don’t want to mess with me. Don’t call here again.” Eve slammed the phone down for the second time that night, and then looked at it. She could call back, find out who was calling her. If it wasn’t Chris, it could be someone who had the answers to her questions. She had just pushed the star button when the door opened. “Damn it Chris, where have you been? And don’t lie to me, because I know you weren’t at the hospital. What the hell is going on?” “Yeah Chris, tell the lady what’s going on.” Following Chris inside, was a man Eve had never seen before. The first thing she noticed was his strangely attractive unkempt hair. The second was that he was just as angry as she was. The third was that she found him very handsome in an unconventional kind of way. She must have looked at him a second too long because Chris stepped between them. “Eve, I would be happy to explain everything to you, but first don’t you think you need to put on some clothes?” Eve looked down at the very flimsy nightgown she was wearing, and up
into the openly mocking eyes of the stranger who was unabashedly looking
her up and down. Eve headed for the bedroom as quickly as she could.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three in the morning and Julie hadn’t slept a wink. She had given up trying, going over to her window seat and staring into the night, wondering about all those people in all the houses and if anyone else was awake, doing the same thing. It was Kevin of course keeping her awake, Kevin who kept turning from hot to cold, Kevin who flatly refused her invitation to eat lunch together the day after he had suggested that he would love to see her more often, Kevin who hadn’t been at Ferncliff for the last couple of weeks and treated her like a casual acquaintance at work. Her father, Frank and then Kevin, what was it about her that made people treat her this way? Well enough was enough, if Kevin only wanted a professional relationship, then that is all she wanted too. Frank could have his Courtney, she no longer cared. So all her princes were actually frogs, what was the big deal? It wasn’t as if she needed a man in her life anyway, they weren’t worth the trouble. Julie leaned her head against the window and began to cry.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ryan studied the walls, wondering how many hours until morning. Yesterday
had been the last day of his visitors’ restriction, a restriction he had
received because he had lost his temper with that idiot Cooper. All he
wanted was for Cooper to stay away when Julie visited, because Ryan knew
how much Cooper’s presence bothered her. But Cooper only smiled in that
insanely annoying way of his and before Ryan knew he was even angry, he
had Cooper pinned against the wall. It had taken two orderlies to pry them
apart, the only reason his restrictions hadn’t been greater was because
he didn’t hit Cooper. But he had wanted to – very much. Every time he thought
he had his almost always-present rage under control, something like this
happened.
But it was okay; today he could see Julie and he could see Kevin. And
he would find a way to keep Cooper away from Julie and he didn’t care what
way he found. He was never going to spend this amount of time away from
Julie again; in fact fairly soon he was going to spend all the time with
Julie he wanted. He already had the plan, now he just had to make sure
it worked.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I still don’t understand this Lucy thing.” Eve whispered to Chris, as Scott slept noisily on the couch. “Tell me the truth, do you have a thing for her?” “The only thing I have, is that I am nuts about you. You know that. I just felt sorry for her that’s all, you know Collins is a creep and I think she’s in some kind of trouble. I just wanted to find a way to help her.” “Out of the goodness of your heart.” Eve snorted. “For free.” “Okay, don’t believe me but it’s the honest truth.” Chris gathered up his things, wondering if how he was going to make it through work with so little sleep. “Anyway I am through trying to help Lucy, Scott can take it from here.” “What’s his story anyway? Why doesn’t he want anyone to know he is here?” “I don’t know and I don’t care. In fact, throw him out the second he wakes up. I don’t want him to get the mistaken impression he’s wanted here. Let Lucy and Scott take care of their own problems, I would rather concentrate on us.” Chris grabbed Eve, nuzzling her neck. “Aren’t you going to be late for work?” Eve asked, still a bit ticked at him. She thought about that paper she found a few weeks ago with the numbers on it, did Chris’ interest in Lucy have anything to do with that? And if so, what? “I don’t care about work. I am sorry I lied to you Eve, but I was afraid you would think something was going on between Lucy and me. I was silly not to trust you with this, I promise I won’t lie to you again.” “See that you don’t.” Eve pulled away, not smiling. He was still hiding
something and she knew it. It might not be a woman after all, but it was
something he didn’t want her to know. And more than anything else, Eve
hated being lied to. She knew she and Chris didn’t have a conventional
relationship, but him lying to her in this way made her feel – less somehow.
And that was not a feeling she intended to live with.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “I hope we’ve at least learned a lesson from this.” Kevin said as he sat down opposite from Ryan. “Oh yes, we’ve learned to terrorize Cooper in private next time.” Ryan replied, and then laughed when Kevin glared. “Lighten up bro, don’t take it out on me because yet another woman has kicked you out of her bed.” There were times that Kevin hated the twin thing, this was one of them. “You have no idea what you are talking about Ryan so don’t.” “Whatever you say.” Ryan said, clearly not convinced. “But you know, you always get mad when I’m right. You aren’t still stewing about Ellen are you? You would think you’d be used to women leaving by now.” “Goodbye Ryan.” Kevin said, standing up. “No, no sit. I’ll be good, I promise. I’d rather talk about me anyway, and I think you’d better sit down for this one.” Warily, Kevin did so. “I have a girlfriend.” Ryan waited for the words to sink in. “A woman is in love with you?” “Well you don’t have to sound so shocked. I guess I really shouldn’t say she’s my girlfriend yet because I haven’t really asked her you know, but I intend to today if I see her and I always tell you everything so I am telling you this.” Ryan paused to take a breath. “And there is one more thing.” “As if this wasn’t scary enough as it is.” Kevin replied. “Be nice. She kind of – thinks I am someone different.” “Different? You mean as in me?” Kevin asked, his voice rising. “You let one of the patients here think that you are me?” “Well she’s not exactly a patient. In fact, I think you might know her. I was sure she was going to figure it out herself, but I am glad she didn’t because now I get to tell her and that’s very healthy of me don’t you think?” Kevin shook his head to clear it. “Who is this woman?” “She’s beautiful and smart and she listens to me and smiles at me and means it and no one else has ever done that for me – well maybe Felicia but that was before...oops, one of those topics that is on the forbidden list. Forget I said anything – about Felicia I mean.” “It’s not Julie Devlin is it?” Kevin asked, remembering how strangely Julie had been acting around him. “That’s why I’ve always liked you, you are almost as smart as I am.” “Ryan are you crazy?” “How professional of you to ask.” Ryan replied a bit stiffly. “Sorry, but this will never work out Ryan and I hope you realize that. You are going to be locked up for a very long time, if not forever. She thinks you are me, when she finds out the truth she’s never going to want to see you again. Why Julie Devlin? She isn’t even your type.” “What is my type, and don’t you dare say blonde.” Ryan looked Kevin straight into the eyes. “Thanks for the support brother of mine, I know that falling in love has you all uptight, but that doesn’t mean my relationship can’t work.” “I am not the one who thinks he’s in love.” Kevin was truly startled, in love, where would Ryan ever get a silly idea like that? “You have us confused again.” “We really are two halves of a whole person, even to falling in love
at the same time. The only difference is, I am not afraid to admit I’m
in love but you are too scared to even admit it to yourself. I don’t know
who she is, but I can feel her in you. The only question now is, which
one of us gets the happy ending?”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Frank slept late, very late. He woke up with a start, pulling on clothes; afraid he was going to be late for work. So focused was he on buttoning the shirt, he didn’t see the boxes until he almost stepped on one. “What do you think you are doing?” Frank asked Courtney as she put down yet another box, there were suitcases and boxes all over the place. “Moving.” Courtney replied matter-of-factly. “You made it clear you don’t want us in your life, and Neil and I won’t stay where we are not wanted.” “If you think I am supporting two households...” “Who asked you for money? I don’t want or need anything from you, I have a job and I’ll be paying my own expenses. I’m going to start working in patient’s accounts at the hospital.” “No you are not. You are pregnant remember?” “Thanks for reminding me Frank, I almost forgot. Pregnant women work all the time, this is a desk job, I think I can manage it even in my ‘weakened’ condition.” Courtney looked around the room. “I think that’s everything.” “What about Neil? He needs you to be home.” “Neil is at school almost every day, and the days he is too sick to go Mary and I worked out a schedule so he will always be taken care of, don’t worry your pretty little head about it. You’d better get to work; you don’t want to be late. Neil and I will be gone by the time you get back. Do you want me to call you when the baby comes? Or if a call is too up close and personal for you, I could always send you a letter.” “Courtney, I never meant for you to move out. I am Neil’s father – and this baby’s. I want to be part of their lives.” “You could have fooled me.” Courtney took off back up the stairs. “Goodbye
Frank, I hope living without responsibilities is everything you wanted
it to be.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Helena put the phone down. “Apparently he has turned off his beeper, so I am going to have to take care of this matter personally. I will let you know what I find out.” “You won’t have to, because I am going with you. I’m tired of hiding in shadows, I think it’s time Lucy knew I am here and I haven’t forgotten or forgiven her. I thought I’d pay a visit to that guy that has been spending so much time with Lucy.” Damian offered Helena his arm. “See how I can use him in this little vendetta of mine.” “I have always liked the way you think cousin.” Helena replied, as they
headed out the door.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “Can I talk to you?” Kevin asked Julie as she passed him in the hall. “I am sorry to interrupt, but have you seen Chris?” Karen asked them, holding a chart. Julie pointed down a hallway. “He was headed in that direction about five minutes ago.” “Thanks.” Kevin waited until Karen was out of earshot to continue. “Has anyone ever told you about Ryan my brother?” “No, I don’t think so.” Julie thought about it for a moment, and then her eyes got big. “Ryan as in Chamberlain, the serial killer?” “Pardon me, but are you Kevin Collins?” Kevin sighed at the second interruption. “I am but I am in the middle of something right now. Make an appointment with my receptionist.” “I don’t think that will be necessary. I just need a moment of your time – we have an acquaintance in common - a Miss Lucy Coe?” As if on cue, Lucy emerged from the elevator. Damian didn’t see her, but Kevin did and he saw how white she got when she spotted Damian and how quickly she got back into the elevator. If this man affected Lucy like that, then Kevin very much wanted to talk to him. “Well any friend of Lucy’s is a friend of mine, why don’t you have a seat in my office and I’ll be right with you.” Kevin pointed down the hallway. “I’ll be waiting then.” Damian nodded to Julie and left. “What about Ryan?” Julie asked. “Ryan is my twin brother Julie, he’s the man you’ve been talking to at Ferncliff not me. I would have told you sooner but I just found out today. If it makes you feel any better, Ryan did intend to tell you himself.” “But he said – “ “I know this is difficult to hear, but you are better off now that you know the truth. Stay away from him Julie. He’s my brother and I love him and he’s much better with the new medications, but he may never be well enough to be released. He’s brilliant and that makes him dangerous and you don’t want to get caught up in his life.” “But you go visit him right?” “I’m not a woman he thinks he’s in love with. Look Julie, I have to go but we’ll talk later okay? In the meantime, just stay away from Ryan. It’s the best thing for both of you.” Kevin walked away and Julie thought about what he said. It was Ryan
all this time – not Kevin. Ryan, who laughed at her jokes, beat her at
checkers, bragged about how much he enjoyed her company.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chris didn’t even see the arm that grabbed him, one second he was walking down the hallway and the next he was in a broom closet. The arm, and Chris wasn’t surprised, belonged to Helena. “I've been meaning to call you.” Chris began. “I am going to talk and you are going to listen. Don’t you ever, ever ignore me again.” Helena was furious; furious enough that Chris was a bit shaken. “I wasn’t ignoring you – “ “I will tell you when I want you to speak!” Helena pushed Chris back against the wall. “I think it’s time I made our relationship more clear.” Karen paused in the hallway, hearing raised voices. Curiosity overruling
better judgment, she put her ears to the door. She could have sworn one
of the voices belonged Chris.
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