Chapter 3
Natalie was on her way to the club, but had to make one quick stop. She looked down towards her feet at her uncle's gravestone. She crouched down and ran her hand over her uncle's name. "Hey, Uncle Benny," she said gently. "I'm sorry that I didn't go to the funeral. You know I don't do funerals." She laughed nervously. ".No, it's not that. I just didn't want to cry like a baby throughout the entire ceremony and look like an idiot. The last thing I wanted was to get sympathetic looks from people I barely knew. Please forgive me.I didn't mean to show any disrespect." She sighed. "I miss you so much. I should have moved to Port Charles years ago to spend more time with you. But.you know me. I had to see the world.I had to 'discover' who I am.I had to experience 'life'. But, I should have stayed with you--my family." Her eyes started to water, but she looked up and took a deep breath to keep the tears from streaming down. "Thank you for raising me. Thank you for teaching me everything I know. I promise to take care of Sonny's business for you. Don't worry about a thing." Natalie stood up. "I'll come see you again soon, Uncle Benny," she whispered, then turned and walked away.

Natalie looked at Carly's club in awe as she gracefully transcended down the club steps. Although she didn't realize it, most of the attention from the men in the room shifted towards her. Natalie was a very beautiful woman. She had long, straight hair that flowed down to her waist. Her hair was a very dark brown color, and it was so dark, that it can almost pass for black hair. She had a smooth, creamy complexion and a petite and slender frame. The most irresistible feature about her looks was her eyes. She had beautiful cat eye-shaped eyes that were an unusual blue-gray color and they gave her a mysterious, exotic look. Most would consider her looks as being intimidating, because she was so beautiful. However, the distinct dimples on her cheeks that showed when she smiled completed her looks and made her appear more warm and inviting to people. She was wearing a long, one-strap dress that bared her left shoulder and hugged her body. It was a vibrant rose-red color that went perfect with her complexion. She looked sophisticated and sleek tonight, and every man took a glimpse of her as she walked passed him.

She walked towards a large table in the corner, where Sonny, Carly, Courtney, and Jason were sitting. Ric was also sitting at the table. His back was turned away from Natalie and he didn't see her walk up. He had a clipboard in his hand and was talking to a club employee that was hovering above him. Sonny caught a glimpse of Natalie and smiled. "Boy! You look beautiful!" he yelled across the table. He stood up and grabbed Carly's hand. He walked Carly towards Natalie. "Honey, I'd like you to meet a dear friend of mine. Natalie Abrams. She's Benny's niece."

Carly smiled and extended her hand to shake Natalie's. "Nice to finally meet you. Sonny and Jason have been talking about you all night."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Corinthos." Natalie said as she shook Carly's hand. "I've heard a lot about you, too. You're even more beautiful than what Sonny described."

"Thank you! Please-call me Carly!" She stretched out her arm and placed it around Natalie's shoulders. She pulled Natalie along side her and walked her to the table. "Sonny told me that you would be a perfect accountant for the club. I would like to introduce you to my partner."

Natalie's heart began to pound and she could feel her palms getting sweaty. She has been waiting so long to have the opportunity to look into Ric's eyes again. She started to panic because she didn't know how she was going to react.

Ric was still talking with the employee. "Ric!" Carly called. "I'd like you to meet our new accountant."

Ric held up his finger, motioning Carly to wait. He finally finished his sentence and brushed the employee away. He turned his head and saw Natalie. For a split second, it looked like he had stopped breathing and that his eyes were going to pop out of his head, but he composed himself very quickly before anyone noticed. He didn't know what to do. Out of courtesy, he quickly stood up to properly welcome Carly's guest, but he accidentally knocked over his drink with his arm.

"Ric, are you okay?" Carly asked. She wasn't used to seeing him look so nervous, and she was surprised to see that he had suddenly turned into a klutz. "Look, we can have someone clean that up." She nudged Natalie forward. "This is Natalie Abrams. She's a good friend of Sonny's, and she's also going to be the club's accountant."

Ric brushed off a piece of ice that fell on his suit. He was still in shock over seeing Natalie, that he was still speechless.

"Ric?" Carly gave Ric a puzzled look. What was his problem all of a sudden?

Natalie spoke first before Ric could open his mouth. "It's nice to meet you," she said quickly. She extended her hand. "It's 'Ric', right?"

Ric looked at Natalie suspiciously. What was she up to? "Uh, yeah. Ric Lansing." He decided to play along because he didn't know what else to do. He shook her hand. He couldn't believe he was touching her! Was she really here standing in front of him?

"It's a pleasure," Natalie said with such ease. She was surprised that she was keeping her cool so well.

"So.you're a good friend of Sonny's, huh?" Ric asked coldly. He couldn't believe he had a relationship with someone who was close to Sonny.and he didn't even know it!

Natalie nodded. It didn't take her too long to sense Ric's cold tone of voice and it was beginning to make her feel uneasy. "Well, it's nice to meet you." She looked at Carly. "Please, excuse me. I'm going to go talk to Jason over there." With that said, she quickly turned around before Carly or Ric can say anything.

Ric watched Natalie as she walked away. He was still trying to gather up what had just happened at that moment, then Carly interupted his thoughts. "Hello! Ric? Are you okay? Look, I don't know what's going on with you, but I need to look over the numbers from last week so I can show them to Natalie. Do you have them with you?"

Ric quickly snapped back into reality. "Yeah. They're in my room. Let me run upstairs and get them."

Carly watched Ric as he ran up the stairs towards Kelly's. Then, she looked at Natalie. Carly walked over to Sonny confused. "I've never seen Ric like that before. Not even when he's around Little Miss Perfect (Elizabeth)." She grinned mischievously. "I think he might actually have a thing for our new accountant."
Sonny remained quiet but was a little pleased. He was very well aware that Natalie had something about her that had men drooling over her. Before you know it, Ric will be putty in Natalie's hands and he'll share with her the information Sonny has been waiting to find out.

Natalie watched Ric in the corner of her eye as he ran upstairs. She thought that it would be a good idea to leave before he came back. This was all too much for her, and she felt like she had to prepare herself to see him again. She smiled at Jason and Courtney and excused herself. She walked over to Sonny and Carly. "I apologize, but I think I'm going to retire for the evening." She looked over to Carly. "I'll be here bright and early Monday morning. If you need me for anything, just wander over across the hall. I'm staying at Jason's until I can get my own place."

"Well.Ric was just getting the numbers from last week to show you. I'll just swing it by Jason's penthouse sometime," Carly responded. She lightly placed her hand on Natalie's shoulder and smiled at her. Then, she turned around to talk to one of her employees behind the bar.

"Get some rest, sweetie," Sonny told Natalie. He was beginning to feel concerned because his friend was beginning to look a little pale.
Ric ran downstairs from his room.

"Hey, Ric!" he heard a voice call.

Ric turned around and saw Elizabeth standing behind the counter at Kelly's. "Hey, babe!" He looked around and didn't see anymore customers. "Closing up?"

"Yeah. It was a busy day today."

"Are you going home?"
"Actually, Lucky wanted me to help him with a project, so I'll probably be upstairs for the rest of the night," she smiled slyly. "I might need a place to crash for the night, because it might be too late for me to walk home"

Ric smiled and winked at Elizabeth. "I'll see you later tonight." His attention suddenly moved towards the window in the front of Kelly's. He saw Natalie leaving the club. "Uh, will you excuse me?" he said quickly to Elizabeth as he rushed across the diner and out the door.

Natalie was walking so fast that she had already made it to the docks before Ric finally caught up with her. "Natalie!"

Natalie knew someone was following her. She couldn't walk fast enough because of the heels she was wearing. Ric was finally close enough to stop her. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard there was an opening for an accountant at a new club in town," Natalie replied without looking up.

Ric stopped to catch his breath. It really WAS Natalie in front of him. The woman he fell madly in love with so long ago. "Natalie." he said gently. He cupped is hands around her face, and Natalie thought she was going to melt through the docks and drip into the water below. "it's really you."

"Ric, don't." Natalie pushed Ric's hands away.

"How long have you been here?"

"A while now."

"Did you know I was in town?" Ric waited for an answer, but Natalie refused to answer that question. "You've been here this whole time and you haven't tried to see me?"

"You've looked busy, Ric. You know.trying to get Sonny's attention and all while romancing your new girlfriend?" Natalie smartly remarked.

Ric suddenly felt guilty. Natalie saw him with Elizabeth and he knew that by the sound of her voice, it hurt her. And knowing this killed him. Then, he began to add up in his mind what in the world would have brought Natalie to Port Charles. "How do you know Sonny, anyway?"

Natalie suddenly started to feel defensive. "Like you don't know?"

"What?"

"I can't believe how stupid I've been this whole time," Natalie's voice began to raise. "Isn't that why you even wanted to get to know me before? Because I knew Sonny?"

"No.honestly, I had no idea about your connection to Sonny. That's not what happened between us." he reached out to try to touch Natalie again, but Natalie pulled away before he could get near her.

"I don't even know what happened between us. Whatever it was.it was obviously a lie. I don't even know who you are," she snapped.

That comment felt like a slap in the face to Ric. There was that time in his life where Natalie was his world, and now, Natalie was acting as if nothing even happened. He grabbed her arm. "What is wrong with you?" he asked. He was so hurt and frustrated. "Why are you acting as if I never loved you?"

Natalie looked angrily in Ric's eyes and pulled her arm away from his grasp. "Why are you acting like you ever did?"

There was an awkward silence, and Ric just looked at Natalie with a surprised look on his face. How could she say that?

Natalie could feel her eyes filling with tears. She turned and walked away as quickly as she can, leaving Ric on the docks completely speechless.