"Hi, Lola." Connie greeted when her friend answer the phone.
"Connie, where are you? When I got to work, they told me you went on a two week vacation."
"Mark, proposed me, Lola." Connie told her.
"Oh my freaking god."
"I know." Connie said. Connie could hear Lola writing something down.
"Where are you? We can get together and plan your wedding!"
"I can't, because I'm in Minnesota."
"Oh my freaking god."
"I know." Connie said again. "I've got to go; I'll call you back later, alright?"
"Okay, bye."
When they hung up Connie stood in front of Guy Germaine's house. She took a deep breathe and was about to knock when he opened the door.
"Connie?" Guy was obviously confused. "Why are you here? Did something happen?"
"Hello Guy. I'm here because of this." Connie pointed to the papers she was holding. "I need you to sign the divorce papers."
"I'm not signing the damn papers, Connie." Guy declared. He tried to walk around her but Connie was not going to give up she moved into his path.
"Just give me a divorce, so I can get married." Connie showed him the diamond ring on her finger.
"Are you kidding me?" Guy asked her. He was not a happy camper.
"No, I'm not kidding, joking, or even shitting you. Just sign the papers, so I can check this off my things to do while I'm in hell list." She advised him, as she shoved the divorce papers in his face. "Well?"
"I'd at lease expect you to act like a wife to me, if you want to get married to some Yankee cake eater" Guy commented, taking the papers.
"Oh, what did you want me to do? Say 'when you get home from work, I'll have dinner ready for you?' Yeah right." Connie snorted. "Hey what are you doing? I'm not finished!" Connie said as Guy walked passed her, and shoved the papers back at her.
"I figured I'd be the one leaving for once."
"It's not like I stayed gone. I come back a few times a year, and you know it." Connie replied.
"Go see your folks; I'm sure they'd like to see you." Guy told her, as he started walking away. Connie followed him.
"Don't tell me what to do."
Guy ignored her and said, "Go see them, and maybe I'll talk to you."
Connie stopped walking and kicked the trash can on her right as hard as she could. "No wonder I left." She walked a few blocks to her friend Julie's house. She needed to talk to her. She knocked and Julie let her in. She left a few hours later. Connie began walking in the direction of her parents house. She knocked.
She heard her dad ask, "Who the hell comes to visit at eight thirty at night?"
The door opened, "Apparently Connie, dear." Connie's mom yelled back at her husband.
"I'm sorry; I haven't visited in a few months." Connie apologized. "I've been busy promoting my new book." Mrs. Moreau hugged her daughter.
"It's alright. Come in!"
"Connie, how are you?" Mr. Moreau asked coming to the door. "What are those?"
"Divorce papers," Connie muttered. "Guy won't sign them though." Connie's mom went into the kitchen.
"Can you blame him? He loves you." Mr. Moreau said as he and she went to the living room.
"Look, I know Guy is like the son you never had, but I'm your only daughter," Connie was cut off
"Connie…"
"If you don't count Colleen." She finished.
"I just wish he'd sign the papers, so I can finally get on with my life." Connie's parents looked at each other.
"Why is it so important now?" He asked.
"I met someone, and he asked me to marry me. I said yes. I need Guy to sign the papers, so I can just forget about him." Connie explained looking at the papers.
"Connie, you know as well as I do you will never forget about Guy. You just can't." Her dad looked at her, and then continued, "Have you told this new guy?"
"No, but I plain to…eventually."
Mrs. Moreau came out of the kitchen wearing her apron. "Connie, do you want something to eat? Maybe a piece of cake? You look like you've lost some weight since we last saw you."
"I'd like that." Connie smiled. "I've not lost weight, mom."
"Oh, well maybe it's just the way you're wearing your hair." Mrs. Moreau went back into the kitchen and Connie and her dad could hear the rattling of plates.
"I wore my hair like this last time, and most of my childhood." Connie sighed.
"She's only looking out for you, you know."
"Here you go, honey." Connie's mom handed her the plate, and sat down next to her.
"Thanks." Connie started eating the cake.
"You know, Guy's really starting to go places." Mrs. Moreau commented.
"Oh, not you too?" Connie asked getting up. "I'm going to bed." She then left the room and before she went to her old room, she turned into Colleen's room. She knew Colleen wouldn't be asleep; she never went to bed that early even if she was suppose too.
"Colleen? It's Connie." Connie said sitting down on the bed.
"Connie!"
"Hey, how's things been?" Connie asked. "Want me to braid your hair?" Colleen turned around.
"Things have been okay. Guy came over today after school and we went and played hockey on the pond, again." Colleen told her.
"He comes a lot doesn't he?" Connie asked, as she wove Colleen's blonde hair.
"Yeah, he does. I think he just wants to see if you're here though." Colleen admitted.
"Listen, Colleen I'm getting married just as soon as I can get Guy to sign the divorce papers, and I want you to be my flower girl." She wrapped the end of the braid with a scunchie.
"Can you just work it out with Guy? I like Guy." Colleen said reaching back to feel the braid.
"No, I can't. It's over with Guy. I really like – no love this new guy."
"If it really means something to you, fine I'll do it." Colleen laid down and turned away from Connie
"Thanks, Colleen!" She left to go to her old bedroom.
The next day after Colleen left for school, Connie went out to call her lawyer.
"How long does a contested divorce take? Five months? Mr. Buford, I don't have five months; I only have two weeks! That's really not going to work for me."
"Hey Connie!"
"Look, Mr. Buford I'll call you back later." Connie said hanging up. She looked for who called her. "Banks!" She ran up to him and hugged him. "I've missed you!"
"I've missed you too. When did you get back?" Adam asked her.
"Yesterday, how've you been?"
"I've been alright, what about you?" Connie showed him her ring. "Oh, Connie, how'd Guy react?"
"He told me that before I get married I needed to act like a wife to him." Connie snorted.
"Yeah, that's Guy for you." Adam said.
"Yeah, typical jackass."
Adam shook his head and sighed. "I have to get going." He looked at his watch, "By the way, congratulations on the new book, it's my favorite." He winked at her.
"Alright, I'm in town for awhile I'll talk to you later." She laughed, "Thanks." After she said good-bye to Adam she walked to Guy's house, she knew he'd already be at work. She grabbed the lawn gnome and turned it upside down and took the hide-a-key from it.
"I couldn't find anything about a Connie Banks, from Edina." Barry told Candace in her office. She frowned.
"Did you try the local high school?" Candace asked. Barry shook his head.
"They said they've never even heard of her."
"That's weird."
Mark walked into the room. "Mom, why are you having him look into Connie's past?"
"I just thought it was a bit odd, that you haven't met her parents yet. It seems like she's hiding something." Candace said calmly. Barry waved good bye to Candace and left.
"Connie isn't hiding anything. She wanted to tell her parents before they found out in some newspaper." Mark told her.
"There is no Connie Banks from Edina, Mark."
"I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation."
"You're so naïve. You're like your father that way." Candace sighed.
"Those are your problems."