Chapter 21:
So I set out to put my plan into motion. I called Gwen and Beth and they
decided to help me out. They too, like everyone else were angry with me at the
beginning when I came back but after Hank and Noah explained to them the reasons
behind my lack of communication, they eased up and we were friends again. Beth told
me to come over to her house. She said bring Gwen along. I was excited to be visiting
her again. And her son. I remembered that when I had my baby shower Beth told me
she was pregnant. Did she have the baby boy?! If she did, he would be just a little bit
younger than Ricky. They could be the best of friends, just the same way their
mommies were.
I had a little bit of trouble finding her house. After Luis and her got married,
they had moved out and began living in a new house they had bought a few years ago.
About half an hour later, I was able to spot their house. I took Ricky out of his
seat and we went up the steps to Beth's house.
I knocked on the door. She let me in. She seemed so excited to see me.
"Come in, come in," she motioned with her hand. She gave me a hug.
"It's been too long, Kay," Beth said regretfully. "I could personally kill Charity
for what she did to you and Ricky! I'm sorry that I was so angry when you first came
back here."
"It's ok, Beth," I answered. "The only thing that is keeping me sane and not
killing Charity right now is Ricky and my plan."
"Oh ya, ya," she responded. "Tell me more details about that plan!"
"Well," I began but we heard a knock on the front door.
It was Gwen.
I ran to open the door. I smiled when I saw her. I had truly missed her. And
Beth. My best friends were back in my life again. I was so happy. All I needed now
was Miguel. Then life would really be PERFECT.
* * * * *
Jessica called Beth's house about an hour after Gwen arrived.
We had barely accomplished anything about my plan. We had more important
things to discuss! Beth told me about her son Gary who was four and a half years old
now. He was playing with Ricky in the next room. Gwen mentioned to me that she was
still dating my brother Noah. Wow...their news was all happy and joyful...mine was sad
and regretful. Oh well. I told them about Ricky growing up in those years I spent at
college, meeting Tony who was the closest friend I had at UConn and getting my
Business Finance degree.
So when Jessica called and asked if it was too late for her to come over and
help with my plan, I said no. I could tell from the looks on Beth's and Gwen's faces
that they were a bit suspicious of Jessica. Why would she want to help? Didn't she live
with Charity and Grace in the beginning when Charity's plan was first being set in
motion?! I persuaded them that Jessica was on my side now. She was living in my
house. She cared about me and my getting Miguel back.
Jessica came over about fifteen minutes later. Gwen and Beth were nice to her
after they got rid of their suspicions. We began to think about what I would say to
Miguel if he came back here to visit for Ricky's birthday party.
"How about 'Hi, Miguel! We need to talk.' Kay, you have to take him
somewhere private and discuss things." Gwen told me.
"That's a good beginning process," Jessica said. "But what about later?"
Gwen, Jessica and I looked at Beth, who seemed lost in thought. From the way
I remembered it, she had her 'I have a plan' face on.
"What is it, Beth?" I asked, grinning.
She grinned back. "I was thinking you could tell him that Charity was very mad
when you and him got involved. So she came up with a fool-proof plan to threaten you.
She said she'd kill Ricky if you didn't obey her orders. And then go on into more detail
about the rest of the things that happened while you were away."
"Wait a minute!" I exclaimed, turning to Jessica.
"What is it?" Jessica asked, looking worried.
"Charity's coming along with Miguel, isn't she? I, oh no, how do I get him away
from her?! I'll never be able to tell him the truth if she...."
Jessica interrupted me. "I doubt she'd come," she said quietly. "After Grace, I
mean Mother died, well she just thinks that she has nothing here in Harmony. That's
primarily the reason why they moved away after they got married."
I could tell Jessica was hurt about the mention of Grace's death. I went by her,
giving her a hug. Besides for Charity, Jessica was Grace's favorite child. And Jessica
loved being that. That us up until a few years ago, when she began to drift apart from
her mother much in the same way Noah and I had. Sure Ivy was a great step-mom to
be, but she wasn't her REAL mom the way Grace had been.
Beth and Gwen gave their share of sympathy to Jessica as well.
"Well anyway," Jessica said, wiping away a tear, "you don't have to worry
about Charity showing up. I doubt she'd ever come back to Harmony."
I nodded. That was good to know. So Miguel would come alone. Charity
couldn't influence me this time around. I was gonna win Miguel back.
After I left Beth's house, I went back to Pilar's.
"I'm sorry for upsetting you, honey," she said after she let me in.
"It's ok, Pilar, it's not your fault," I answered.
"What can I do for you?" she asked. "Would you like something to eat or
drink?"
"No thank you," I told her. "I just came by to ask you a favor. It's Ricky's fifth
birthday this upcoming weekend, and, well I was hoping you could call Miguel and ask
him to come over to see his son and me. But please don't tell him it was my idea."
I fidgeted in my seat as she thought this through.
After a while, she nodded. "Of course, honey," she said. "He should see his
son. And you, too. It's been too long that the two of you have been apart from him."
I sighed with relief. Thank God she was willing to help me.
"Let me tell you a little secret, Kay," she said, lowering her voice, even though
we were the only ones in the house, "even though I don't agree with divorce, I'm
hoping that when he comes by this weekend, and sees you and Ricky, he'll run back
into your arms. Your Daddy told me about Charity's plan and I'm hoping Miguel will
know about it, too, very soon."
"That's why I want him to come," I told her, "so he can know the truth."
"Great," she said. "Good luck."
"Thank you, Pilar," I told her, standing up.
"I better go," I said.
"Ok, honey," she told me.
She led me to the door. I walked out.
It was time to go home and start thinking more in detail about EVERY single
part of my plan. It had to work. I mean Charity's had. Why couldn't mine? Right? This
plan had to be effective. It just had to.
So I set out to put my plan into motion. I called Gwen and Beth and they
decided to help me out. They too, like everyone else were angry with me at the
beginning when I came back but after Hank and Noah explained to them the reasons
behind my lack of communication, they eased up and we were friends again. Beth told
me to come over to her house. She said bring Gwen along. I was excited to be visiting
her again. And her son. I remembered that when I had my baby shower Beth told me
she was pregnant. Did she have the baby boy?! If she did, he would be just a little bit
younger than Ricky. They could be the best of friends, just the same way their
mommies were.
I had a little bit of trouble finding her house. After Luis and her got married,
they had moved out and began living in a new house they had bought a few years ago.
About half an hour later, I was able to spot their house. I took Ricky out of his
seat and we went up the steps to Beth's house.
I knocked on the door. She let me in. She seemed so excited to see me.
"Come in, come in," she motioned with her hand. She gave me a hug.
"It's been too long, Kay," Beth said regretfully. "I could personally kill Charity
for what she did to you and Ricky! I'm sorry that I was so angry when you first came
back here."
"It's ok, Beth," I answered. "The only thing that is keeping me sane and not
killing Charity right now is Ricky and my plan."
"Oh ya, ya," she responded. "Tell me more details about that plan!"
"Well," I began but we heard a knock on the front door.
It was Gwen.
I ran to open the door. I smiled when I saw her. I had truly missed her. And
Beth. My best friends were back in my life again. I was so happy. All I needed now
was Miguel. Then life would really be PERFECT.
* * * * *
Jessica called Beth's house about an hour after Gwen arrived.
We had barely accomplished anything about my plan. We had more important
things to discuss! Beth told me about her son Gary who was four and a half years old
now. He was playing with Ricky in the next room. Gwen mentioned to me that she was
still dating my brother Noah. Wow...their news was all happy and joyful...mine was sad
and regretful. Oh well. I told them about Ricky growing up in those years I spent at
college, meeting Tony who was the closest friend I had at UConn and getting my
Business Finance degree.
So when Jessica called and asked if it was too late for her to come over and
help with my plan, I said no. I could tell from the looks on Beth's and Gwen's faces
that they were a bit suspicious of Jessica. Why would she want to help? Didn't she live
with Charity and Grace in the beginning when Charity's plan was first being set in
motion?! I persuaded them that Jessica was on my side now. She was living in my
house. She cared about me and my getting Miguel back.
Jessica came over about fifteen minutes later. Gwen and Beth were nice to her
after they got rid of their suspicions. We began to think about what I would say to
Miguel if he came back here to visit for Ricky's birthday party.
"How about 'Hi, Miguel! We need to talk.' Kay, you have to take him
somewhere private and discuss things." Gwen told me.
"That's a good beginning process," Jessica said. "But what about later?"
Gwen, Jessica and I looked at Beth, who seemed lost in thought. From the way
I remembered it, she had her 'I have a plan' face on.
"What is it, Beth?" I asked, grinning.
She grinned back. "I was thinking you could tell him that Charity was very mad
when you and him got involved. So she came up with a fool-proof plan to threaten you.
She said she'd kill Ricky if you didn't obey her orders. And then go on into more detail
about the rest of the things that happened while you were away."
"Wait a minute!" I exclaimed, turning to Jessica.
"What is it?" Jessica asked, looking worried.
"Charity's coming along with Miguel, isn't she? I, oh no, how do I get him away
from her?! I'll never be able to tell him the truth if she...."
Jessica interrupted me. "I doubt she'd come," she said quietly. "After Grace, I
mean Mother died, well she just thinks that she has nothing here in Harmony. That's
primarily the reason why they moved away after they got married."
I could tell Jessica was hurt about the mention of Grace's death. I went by her,
giving her a hug. Besides for Charity, Jessica was Grace's favorite child. And Jessica
loved being that. That us up until a few years ago, when she began to drift apart from
her mother much in the same way Noah and I had. Sure Ivy was a great step-mom to
be, but she wasn't her REAL mom the way Grace had been.
Beth and Gwen gave their share of sympathy to Jessica as well.
"Well anyway," Jessica said, wiping away a tear, "you don't have to worry
about Charity showing up. I doubt she'd ever come back to Harmony."
I nodded. That was good to know. So Miguel would come alone. Charity
couldn't influence me this time around. I was gonna win Miguel back.
After I left Beth's house, I went back to Pilar's.
"I'm sorry for upsetting you, honey," she said after she let me in.
"It's ok, Pilar, it's not your fault," I answered.
"What can I do for you?" she asked. "Would you like something to eat or
drink?"
"No thank you," I told her. "I just came by to ask you a favor. It's Ricky's fifth
birthday this upcoming weekend, and, well I was hoping you could call Miguel and ask
him to come over to see his son and me. But please don't tell him it was my idea."
I fidgeted in my seat as she thought this through.
After a while, she nodded. "Of course, honey," she said. "He should see his
son. And you, too. It's been too long that the two of you have been apart from him."
I sighed with relief. Thank God she was willing to help me.
"Let me tell you a little secret, Kay," she said, lowering her voice, even though
we were the only ones in the house, "even though I don't agree with divorce, I'm
hoping that when he comes by this weekend, and sees you and Ricky, he'll run back
into your arms. Your Daddy told me about Charity's plan and I'm hoping Miguel will
know about it, too, very soon."
"That's why I want him to come," I told her, "so he can know the truth."
"Great," she said. "Good luck."
"Thank you, Pilar," I told her, standing up.
"I better go," I said.
"Ok, honey," she told me.
She led me to the door. I walked out.
It was time to go home and start thinking more in detail about EVERY single
part of my plan. It had to work. I mean Charity's had. Why couldn't mine? Right? This
plan had to be effective. It just had to.