Fandom: Guiding Light Characters:Natalia/Olivia/Sam/Doris/Blake/Misc Others
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination, and a few stray thoughts. Characters belong to CBS and P&G.
Ratings: Mature Situations
~Ramblings Chapter ~XII ~
By Guest00
Natalia Cooper
A/N: Insomnia, Disgruntled Co-Workers, Failed Leadership, and Incessant channel surfing inspired ramble in a very Alternate Universe.
A/N:Frank Married Natalia. Unhappiness abounds.
A warning beep sound from the car and the gas-gauge blinked red and orange. Natalia saw a familiar red, green and white neon sign on the right side of the interstate Quikee-Mart.
The Latina. disembarked from the Sport Utility Vehicle. Grasping the gasoline pump with both hands she willed it to fill the tank quicker. A tall man with red hair shot with silver exited the Quikee-Mart holding a paper coffee cup.
"I'm Red Harrisburg, not too many folks traveling during the week. Here Miss, it's free when you fill up with more than twenty dollars. Heading to Chicago Miss." he stated.
"Yes, I'm trying to get there before rush hour traffic." Natalia replied
"If you take old interstate eighty you might avoid most of the traffic. It's a little more scenic, some old stand trees and there is a the view of Salt Creek splashing and rolling down to Mexico. Look it up on your G.P.S. I don't want to steer you wrong." Red Harrisburg advised with a smile.
The dark haired woman climbed back into the black SUV and depressed the on-board G.P.S. button. She directed it. "Road conditions interstate eighty, travel time to destination."
"Recalculating ...rerouteing. Road conditions light traffic, average speed seventy-two miles per hour, wind gusting at ten to twelve miles per hour, road conditions dry...adjusted time is two point five hours." the modulated voice of her G.P.S. intoned.
"If this short cut works I'll be there before nine. If not I'll be doubling back. Cross your fingers little one." She told her daughter.
Natalia prayed silently to her gang of three favorite patron saints, Rita La Abogada Saint of the Impossible, St Anne benefactor and defender of mothers, and St. Christopher champion of travelers. As a teenager she found comfort in her extended family in heaven, when her worldly family rejected and shunned her. These three saints where her examples of grace turned corporeal.
The Puerto Rican women reflected on her marriage. A union built on expectations; his and hers, never jointly. His assumed she wanted to stay at home, tend to him and have a houseful of family around her. He thought he was a man of quite strength, a man of few words, but well intended actions.
Her supposition was their friendship would deepen, they would grow together in mutual activities, adventures, and concerns. Somehow they were never on the same page. Her idea of a joint activity such as working on her old car, or going bowling together did not appeal to Frank. He thought that working together at Company on weekends, or going fishing would bring them closer.
He flatly stated that as a cop he had enough adventure, and if she needed an adrenaline rush, she could do a ride along with one of his beat cops on the wrong side of the tracks.
The Latina wanted to be involved and interested in Frank's concerns, his work, his father, and his daughter. She found his priorities annoying. She and Francesca were frequently last or forgotten.
She discover life with Frank was dull. He did not have any passionate beliefs. He was apolitical, and not particularly social outside of his Cooper Clan and his cop buddies. Simply put they were mismatched, she concluded. No mater how she twisted and turned the relationship in her mind, it was not a union of two souls it was a yoke.
The Latina's mind drifted back to her own lack of charity. Having Lizzie arrested, suspending the night manger, and firing the night clerk were acts of pettiness. She regretted them, even if she did make amends. Well God must have put Marina in her path last night for a reason.
Natalia contemplated her dispossessed compassion. Lizzie Spaulding Lewis was a young woman with too much, and not enough. She was too young, and too irresponsible, and she did not have enough good friends or enough self confidence to ground her. Lizzie had traded on her family name and her beauty because she did not know a better way. It was an affront to Natalia. and Lizzie was Allan Spaulding's creation though and though.
Serendipity rode to the rescue. It awoke beside her in the tangible form of Marina Cooper. The younger woman's gentle and empathic request for leniency swayed her. Marina was Lizzie's best friend. She could help Lizzie better if she could experience kindness where none was warranted.
Did she not do this with Olivia time and again during her recovery?