July 12th, 2006

Randi sat on the front porch staring at a letter in her hand. It was from Albany, New York. She couldn't imagine whom it was from. She slowly opened it up and pulled out the pages. Her heart stopped. It was from him.

Dear Randi,

I'm sitting here thinking of you. Of course I am. I always think about you. There was just an interview with you on Inside Edition. Those hazel eyes of yours, god, they're gorgeous.

It's raining outside and I can't help but to think of your tears. Your tears begging me to save your life and Ireland's life. I'm sure you cried when I took her and rightly so. Ireland, Lyric, and Sailor are gorgeous little girls. I would give anything to have them as my own daughters.

I'm sure you're thinking right about now why I am writing you. Why shouldn't I? You captured my heart the first time I laid eyes on you. I know you think I'm crazy but I'm not. Okay, maybe I'm crazy with love for you.

We need to get together again. We could go to the park with the girls and maybe the zoo. I just need to smell that vanilla smell of yours. Could you maybe send me something so I could remember you better? Okay, that sounded horrible, but I mean it, Randi.

Does Dave really make you happy? How can he give you and the girls enough time when he has his own clinic? I can make you happy. It may take you awhile to realize that, but I know you will accept it. Maybe by the time I get out, we can be a family. I can give you the son you have always wanted. You can give me the daughters I have always wanted. It will be perfect, Randi.

You don't have to write me back if you don't want to, but I would love it. The only source I get of you are a couple of newspaper articles here and there. Give me more, Randi. Give me you.

Your future husband,

Charles

Randi folded up the letter and slipped it back into the envelope. She had been expecting him to write her. She looked around her as if she felt someone was watching her. It was only her nerves. He wasn't here. He was in a prison in Albany.

She couldn't believe how sick Charles was. Why couldn't he just get past the fact she was happily married and never would want to be with a man who had permanently scarred her? Randi couldn't move on if these little reminders kept on being thrown at her.

"Mommy?" Lyric walked out onto the porch. Her hazel eyes twinkled at her mother.

"Come here." Randi picked Lyric up and cuddled close to her. "I love you, Babydoll."

"Are you sad?" Lyric asked. Randi smiled at her.

"No. I'm not sad. I'm just happy to be holding you." She said.

"I'm happy too." Lyric said kissing Randi's neck. "I start school soon." Randi chuckled softly. Nice change of subject.

"I know." Randi smiled, "We'll go school shopping next month and get you new shoes and jeans." Lyric smiled with happiness. Randi ran her hand over her silky brown hair. How could Charles ever think he would get her or her children? She knew Dave would murder Charles if he ever saw him again and frankly, so would she.

July 26th, 2006

Dave ran his hands over his face. His head was pounding. Clothes shopping with four females drove him crazy. Even if three of them were under five years old. Luckily school started in two weeks and Ireland and Lyric would be out of here. Too bad Sailor was only seven months old. Dave didn't understand why Randi wanted to spend so much money on clothes when she could just make them. Randi just laughed in his face when he suggested that.

"Randi, I'm going to the electronics." Dave said. Randi shot him a look.

"Oh you think so?" She asked.

"I know so." Dave chuckled. "I'll check back in twenty minutes." Randi growled as she watched Dave walk away. Ireland and Lyric ran around her with clothes in their hands.

"I like this one mommy. Get this one." Ireland held up a pink sweater.

"Like this one, Mommy." Lyric held up a green sweater. "Isn't it very pretty?"

"It's very pretty. Put them in the cart." Randi said, "Not on top of Sailor."

"Sorry." Lyric giggled as she skipped over to the skirts.

"There cute." Randi looked up to see a very attractive brunette man standing in front of her. His aquamarine eyes pierced her. Randi smiled at him.

"Thank you. They have their moments." She chuckled grabbing a pair of jeans. The man laughed and extended his hand.

"Allan Finch." He said. Randi smiled shyly as she shook it.

"Randi Malucci." She said to Allan, "You here with your kids?"

"Yeah. Getting my son some back to school clothes." He said.

"Me too." She said as Sailor started to fuss. Randi gave the baby her pacifier. Allan watched Randi and glanced at her ring.

"Where's your husband?" He asked. Randi chuckled.

"Electronics. He couldn't handle all the running around." she said. Allan nodded.

"I can understand that." He said. "I don't mind spending time with my son though." Randi smiled at him.

"Family man. We need more of them around here." She said.

"I have to agree." Randi said. She could feel Allan's eyes roam her body. It made Randi blush, but it made her feel good. She still had it. "Where's your wife?" Allan chuckled at her.

"In the ground." Allan said, "She passed away five years ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stick my foot where it doesn't belong." Allan held up his hands.

"You didn't." He said, "It's all right." A small blond haired boy walked up to them.

"Daddy, can we go now? I'm hungry." He said with a whimper.

"Sure." Allan reached into his pocket; "It was a pleasure talking to you. Maybe if you're bored one of these nights we could hang out, even if its for a laundry date or a play date." Allan handed her his home phone number. Randi looked at it feeling guilty.

"Sure." Randi said, "I'd like that."

* * *

Dave stood in front of a large screen television. God, he wanted it badly. He could see it fitting perfectly in the living room.

"You know what they say about the size of a man's television." Dave turned around and saw a very attractive brunette.

"No. I don't know what they say." Dave stood up and smiled.

"Well," She smiled and winked playfully. She extended her hand; "The name is Raine Bishop." Dave smiled and shook her hand.

"Raine. That's an unusual name." Dave said.

"You hate it?" Raine giggled softly.

"No. My three daughter's have unusual names." Dave said, "Ireland, Lyric, and Sailor." Raine grinned.

"Not unusual, lovely names." Raine said leaning against the counter. "You plan on getting one of these? They're expensive."

"That's al right." Dave chuckled, "I'm just fantasizing."

"Ahh…I love fantasizing." Raine smiled looking down at his ring. "How long have you been married?" She asked him.

"Four years in April." Dave said.

"Me too." Raine smiled showing him her wedding ring, "April first, 2002." Dave laughed with a nod.

"Me too." He said, "My first thought it'd be a perfect date."

"Great minds think a like." Raine smiled twirling her hair round her finger, "So you have three kids. I have two. One of each."

"How nice." Dave said. Was this woman hitting on him?

"Kennedy and Holden. Not exactly exotic names." She chuckled, "So, you manage to get out often?" Yes, she was hitting on him.

"Enough." Dave smiled, "My wife's birthday is next month and I plan on taking her out somewhere special without the girls."

"It's always special when a woman can be alone with a man." Raine chuckled softly. Dave nodded, as he looked her over.

"Yeah. I agree with that." He said, "Listen, I should get going. I need to pay for the cart of stuff I'm sure my girls has."

"All right." Raine took out a pen and began to write down her phone number on a receipt, "Just in case you want some fun."

* * *

Dave couldn't control his smile as they drove along. The girls were in the back seat talking about what they had bought. Randi looked at Dave with a small chuckled.

"What's making you smile?" Randi asked. Dave chuckled.

"I got a phone number while I was looking at televisions." HE said.

"Dave! Did you keep it?" Randi laughed.

"Yeah." He handed it over to her, "Her name was Raine."

"God, that's a strippers name if I ever heard one." Randi chuckled, "I got a number too."

"You didn't." Dave looked at her.

"Allan Finch." She said, "He was picking women up in the little girls clothes section." Dave burst out laughing.

"Oh lord. We certainly know how to attract them don't we?"

"Yeah, but only one attraction matters." Randi said.

"You've got that right." Dave reached over and took Randi's hand. God could throw a thousand Raine's and Allan's at them but their love for each other wouldn't change.