A/N: Thanks Everyone for your reviews.
Marcher, AJ Mackey and EvieFan, you all made me blush with your 'welcome back'. Thanks so very much.
AJ Mackey, I must say that you really made me feel all fuzzy with your 'where in the world have ya been' :) Thank you so much for being a fan. I am truly glad that you are enjoying my story telling . Now, as far as a 'happy ending', I noticed you slid that in both of your reviews. Are you trying to hint at something???? Well, I'm still that hopeless romantic that I was when I wrote my very first Rick & Evy story. So how else can it end except happy? :) I simply I hope I don't disappoint you guys.
I must warn you though, this chapter may be a bit bumpy, but remember that real love always stands the test.
Also, about what Rick is drinking: I'm not a drinker so I don't know what gives a wallop. 'Black Vodka' sounds like it can pack a wallop so I used it. Please excuse if it's a wimpy drink! :)
Now on to part 4.
Happy Reading.
"A di- what?!!" Rick yelled, startling Evelyn.
"A divorce" Evelyn said as calmly as she could.
"You want a divorce?!" he stared angrily at Evelyn.
"Yes" she said as she straightened her back. He was not about to intimidate her with his anger.
Rick gritted his teeth and looked hard at Evelyn with a frown. She wanted a divorce. His eyes became glossy and he felt as if he had been hit in the gut with a pillar of stone. She wanted a divorce.
"Rick..." Evelyn said but did not know quite what to say next.
His frown became fiercer and the pool of water in his eyes began to rise. She wanted a divorce. A sick feeling started in the pit of his stomach and began to rise and Rick felt as if he would choke. She wanted a divorce. Rick could not hold back his tears and before they fell, he turned away from Evelyn.
"Rick..." she called out to him but he walked out of the room.
Evelyn repented of her decision the moment that she looked into his eyes. The despair she saw ripped at her already torn heart. His despair matched hers and the sick feeling in her stomach made her realize that she had made another terrible mistake. Of course she did not WANT a divorce. She loved him. She loved him with all her heart. There HAD to be a way to work things out between them.
"Rick!" Evelyn ran after him. "Rick!" she called as he opened the front door and slammed it shut. Evelyn opened the door and rushed onto the porch. "RICK!" she yelled as he got into Jonathan's car and slammed the door shut.
Evelyn looked on as he sped off. She watched and watched, hoping he would come back. But he never did. Evelyn stood there crying silently for several moments before slowly turning and going back inside the house. After closing the door, she leaned her head against it and let out a sob. Her sobs grew louder and as the weight of the world settled on her shoulders, Evelyn sank to the hardwood floor.
To her way of thinking, Evelyn had presented Rick with the only logical solution she knew of that would let him walk away. She thought she was doing what was best for all of them. But it was quite apparent that the only thing she succeeded in doing was hurting the man she loved. As she remembered the hopelessness in his eyes, she knew he was devastated. She had been. She was still.
When Evelyn had made up her mind to tell Rick she wanted a divorce it was the most difficult thing she had ever done. And now, after seeing the pain in his eyes, a pain that she had caused, her heart cried out. She desperately wished he would come back. She would tell him that she was sorry. She would tell him that she did not want a divorce. She would tell him that she loved him, wanted him... and their baby. She would insist that he forgive her for making such a hasty, irrational decision. For making such a mess of things. For causing him so much pain. If only he would come back, she would tell him. But he never came back.
Evelyn did not know how long she had been sitting there crying when Jonathan knelt down beside her.
"Evy" he said in an urgent voice as he touched her shoulder. "Evy" his worry very evident, even to a sobbing Evelyn. "What's wrong?"
Evelyn did not answer Jonathan, but instead pushed herself away from the door and leaned into him. She was grateful for Jonathan. Though he was most irresponsible, she knew without a doubt that he loved her and when she needed him most, he always seemed to be there. And she needed him now more that she had ever needed him.
"What's wrong Evy?" Jonathan asked again, his anxiety increasing. "Tell me what's wrong?" he said as he held her tightly in his arms and tried to comfort her.
Evelyn did not answer him but continued to cry. She had not cried since she was a tiny little girl. She had not even cried when their parents died. And now, Evelyn, strong dependable Evelyn was wailing uncontrollably. Jonathan became most unnerved because he had never seen Evy so completely distraught. He was at a loss as to what to do, so Jonathan simply held his sister and let her cry.
********************
Rick had pushed the gas petal to the floor in an attempt to outrun his pain. She wanted a divorce. The feeling in his stomach was worst than when his Pa left him at the convent. She wanted a divorce. His heart had been ripped out of his chest when she said that and the pain was excruciating, almost unbearable.
The last 3 months had been the best of his entire life. Rick never thought he could ever be truly happy. Then he met her and she changed his entire life. She was a breath of fresh air the first time he saw her. He had been rotting away in that stinking prison and she came along. She saved his life, made him fall in love with her and the rest was heaven on earth.
And now she wanted a divorce. His heaven had quickly turned to hell.
Rick punched the steering wheel as rage and hurt boiled over in him. His life would be nothing without her. It would have been better had she never come into his life. He would have preferred never having known her to knowing her and falling in love with her only to have her walk away from him.
Rick gritted his teeth as a tear slid down his cheek. Hopelessness began to suffocate him as, in his mind's eye, he kept seeing Evelyn turn and walk away from him. Then he saw his father. And he too turned and walked away.
Evelyn's 'decision' had plunged a knife into his heart. Conjured up memories of his father's abandonment only served to twist the knife deeper. His father. His wife. The only two people in the world he had ever loved. He lost his father all those years ago and now he was losing his wife.
It all had become too overwhelming for him and instincts lead Rick to the only solace he knew. When he walked in, not much had changed since the last time he had been there. He quickly found himself a table and sat down.
"What will you be having?" the serving girl came up to his table and asked.
"Bring me two bottles of Black Vodka" Rick said. Tonight he wanted to drown his sorrow and dull the ache in his heart. He wanted to drink himself into oblivion and forget about everything. Black Vodka would do the trick.
Rick was looking around the room and taking inventory of the 'ladies' when a redhead caught his eye. Before Evelyn, his inclination leaned heavily toward redheads but he was not sure why. Maybe the reason was because of the way the hot red of the hair contrasted with the soft ivory of the skin. But whatever the reason, Rick was attracted. When the redhead finally turned her gaze to him, an artificial smile spread across Rick's face as he beckoned her over.
"Hello" she said in a very seductive voice when she stood next to Rick.
"Have a seat" he said as he pushed the chair out with his foot. "Want a drink?" he asked when she had settled in the chair.
"No thank you" she said sweetly.
This one, she thought, was young, strong and handsome. She did not need a drink this time to aid her in doing her job. Drink dulled her senses and helped her forget. But for this one, she wanted her senses alert so that she could feel and remember everything.
"No?" he said as the serving girl set his two whiskey bottles on the table. "Well, I guess that means more for me" he said as he unscrewed the first bottle and lifted it to his lips. "So" Rick said after the hard liquor slithered down his throat. "You got a room here?"
"Right upstairs" the redhead smiled. This one wasted no time and she liked that. Lately she had been plagued with old, almost lifeless men. But now, now she had a vibrant, young buck.
"You sure you don't want a drink?" Rick asked as he took another swallow.
"Quite sure" she gave him tempting smile. "I don't perform my best if I have too much to drink."
"That so?" Rick said after taking yet another gulp. "I guess I'd better stop offering then since we want you to perform at your best" he said. "So how good are you?" he asked in the next breath.
"Good enough to make you forget everything else" she said enticingly.
"That good huh?"
"That good" she affirmed as she ran her tongue over her lower lip. "Are you ready to find out for yourself just how good I am?"
Was he ready to be unfaithful to Evelyn? The thought of her reminded him of the anger that was brewing just below the surface. She had hurt him more than she would ever know. He wanted to lash out at her and hurt her just as she had hurt him.
"More than ready" he said as he stood up and grabbed the two bottles of Black Vodka.
The redhead smiled as she rose to her feet and lead the way upstairs.
Marcher, AJ Mackey and EvieFan, you all made me blush with your 'welcome back'. Thanks so very much.
AJ Mackey, I must say that you really made me feel all fuzzy with your 'where in the world have ya been' :) Thank you so much for being a fan. I am truly glad that you are enjoying my story telling . Now, as far as a 'happy ending', I noticed you slid that in both of your reviews. Are you trying to hint at something???? Well, I'm still that hopeless romantic that I was when I wrote my very first Rick & Evy story. So how else can it end except happy? :) I simply I hope I don't disappoint you guys.
I must warn you though, this chapter may be a bit bumpy, but remember that real love always stands the test.
Also, about what Rick is drinking: I'm not a drinker so I don't know what gives a wallop. 'Black Vodka' sounds like it can pack a wallop so I used it. Please excuse if it's a wimpy drink! :)
Now on to part 4.
Happy Reading.
"A di- what?!!" Rick yelled, startling Evelyn.
"A divorce" Evelyn said as calmly as she could.
"You want a divorce?!" he stared angrily at Evelyn.
"Yes" she said as she straightened her back. He was not about to intimidate her with his anger.
Rick gritted his teeth and looked hard at Evelyn with a frown. She wanted a divorce. His eyes became glossy and he felt as if he had been hit in the gut with a pillar of stone. She wanted a divorce.
"Rick..." Evelyn said but did not know quite what to say next.
His frown became fiercer and the pool of water in his eyes began to rise. She wanted a divorce. A sick feeling started in the pit of his stomach and began to rise and Rick felt as if he would choke. She wanted a divorce. Rick could not hold back his tears and before they fell, he turned away from Evelyn.
"Rick..." she called out to him but he walked out of the room.
Evelyn repented of her decision the moment that she looked into his eyes. The despair she saw ripped at her already torn heart. His despair matched hers and the sick feeling in her stomach made her realize that she had made another terrible mistake. Of course she did not WANT a divorce. She loved him. She loved him with all her heart. There HAD to be a way to work things out between them.
"Rick!" Evelyn ran after him. "Rick!" she called as he opened the front door and slammed it shut. Evelyn opened the door and rushed onto the porch. "RICK!" she yelled as he got into Jonathan's car and slammed the door shut.
Evelyn looked on as he sped off. She watched and watched, hoping he would come back. But he never did. Evelyn stood there crying silently for several moments before slowly turning and going back inside the house. After closing the door, she leaned her head against it and let out a sob. Her sobs grew louder and as the weight of the world settled on her shoulders, Evelyn sank to the hardwood floor.
To her way of thinking, Evelyn had presented Rick with the only logical solution she knew of that would let him walk away. She thought she was doing what was best for all of them. But it was quite apparent that the only thing she succeeded in doing was hurting the man she loved. As she remembered the hopelessness in his eyes, she knew he was devastated. She had been. She was still.
When Evelyn had made up her mind to tell Rick she wanted a divorce it was the most difficult thing she had ever done. And now, after seeing the pain in his eyes, a pain that she had caused, her heart cried out. She desperately wished he would come back. She would tell him that she was sorry. She would tell him that she did not want a divorce. She would tell him that she loved him, wanted him... and their baby. She would insist that he forgive her for making such a hasty, irrational decision. For making such a mess of things. For causing him so much pain. If only he would come back, she would tell him. But he never came back.
Evelyn did not know how long she had been sitting there crying when Jonathan knelt down beside her.
"Evy" he said in an urgent voice as he touched her shoulder. "Evy" his worry very evident, even to a sobbing Evelyn. "What's wrong?"
Evelyn did not answer Jonathan, but instead pushed herself away from the door and leaned into him. She was grateful for Jonathan. Though he was most irresponsible, she knew without a doubt that he loved her and when she needed him most, he always seemed to be there. And she needed him now more that she had ever needed him.
"What's wrong Evy?" Jonathan asked again, his anxiety increasing. "Tell me what's wrong?" he said as he held her tightly in his arms and tried to comfort her.
Evelyn did not answer him but continued to cry. She had not cried since she was a tiny little girl. She had not even cried when their parents died. And now, Evelyn, strong dependable Evelyn was wailing uncontrollably. Jonathan became most unnerved because he had never seen Evy so completely distraught. He was at a loss as to what to do, so Jonathan simply held his sister and let her cry.
********************
Rick had pushed the gas petal to the floor in an attempt to outrun his pain. She wanted a divorce. The feeling in his stomach was worst than when his Pa left him at the convent. She wanted a divorce. His heart had been ripped out of his chest when she said that and the pain was excruciating, almost unbearable.
The last 3 months had been the best of his entire life. Rick never thought he could ever be truly happy. Then he met her and she changed his entire life. She was a breath of fresh air the first time he saw her. He had been rotting away in that stinking prison and she came along. She saved his life, made him fall in love with her and the rest was heaven on earth.
And now she wanted a divorce. His heaven had quickly turned to hell.
Rick punched the steering wheel as rage and hurt boiled over in him. His life would be nothing without her. It would have been better had she never come into his life. He would have preferred never having known her to knowing her and falling in love with her only to have her walk away from him.
Rick gritted his teeth as a tear slid down his cheek. Hopelessness began to suffocate him as, in his mind's eye, he kept seeing Evelyn turn and walk away from him. Then he saw his father. And he too turned and walked away.
Evelyn's 'decision' had plunged a knife into his heart. Conjured up memories of his father's abandonment only served to twist the knife deeper. His father. His wife. The only two people in the world he had ever loved. He lost his father all those years ago and now he was losing his wife.
It all had become too overwhelming for him and instincts lead Rick to the only solace he knew. When he walked in, not much had changed since the last time he had been there. He quickly found himself a table and sat down.
"What will you be having?" the serving girl came up to his table and asked.
"Bring me two bottles of Black Vodka" Rick said. Tonight he wanted to drown his sorrow and dull the ache in his heart. He wanted to drink himself into oblivion and forget about everything. Black Vodka would do the trick.
Rick was looking around the room and taking inventory of the 'ladies' when a redhead caught his eye. Before Evelyn, his inclination leaned heavily toward redheads but he was not sure why. Maybe the reason was because of the way the hot red of the hair contrasted with the soft ivory of the skin. But whatever the reason, Rick was attracted. When the redhead finally turned her gaze to him, an artificial smile spread across Rick's face as he beckoned her over.
"Hello" she said in a very seductive voice when she stood next to Rick.
"Have a seat" he said as he pushed the chair out with his foot. "Want a drink?" he asked when she had settled in the chair.
"No thank you" she said sweetly.
This one, she thought, was young, strong and handsome. She did not need a drink this time to aid her in doing her job. Drink dulled her senses and helped her forget. But for this one, she wanted her senses alert so that she could feel and remember everything.
"No?" he said as the serving girl set his two whiskey bottles on the table. "Well, I guess that means more for me" he said as he unscrewed the first bottle and lifted it to his lips. "So" Rick said after the hard liquor slithered down his throat. "You got a room here?"
"Right upstairs" the redhead smiled. This one wasted no time and she liked that. Lately she had been plagued with old, almost lifeless men. But now, now she had a vibrant, young buck.
"You sure you don't want a drink?" Rick asked as he took another swallow.
"Quite sure" she gave him tempting smile. "I don't perform my best if I have too much to drink."
"That so?" Rick said after taking yet another gulp. "I guess I'd better stop offering then since we want you to perform at your best" he said. "So how good are you?" he asked in the next breath.
"Good enough to make you forget everything else" she said enticingly.
"That good huh?"
"That good" she affirmed as she ran her tongue over her lower lip. "Are you ready to find out for yourself just how good I am?"
Was he ready to be unfaithful to Evelyn? The thought of her reminded him of the anger that was brewing just below the surface. She had hurt him more than she would ever know. He wanted to lash out at her and hurt her just as she had hurt him.
"More than ready" he said as he stood up and grabbed the two bottles of Black Vodka.
The redhead smiled as she rose to her feet and lead the way upstairs.