Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald had spent the last four hours wandering the streets
of Harmony, the thoughts of her conversation with Theresa still fresh in
her mind. There was a distinct throbbing in the back of her head every time
she tried to push those thoughts out of her mind, and as each moment passed
the throbbing became more and more constant. After walking until her feet
burned, Paloma stopped to sit down on the rather familiar bench that made
the center of Lighthouse Park its home. A small smile spread across face at
the sight of the open field before her. The snow that lay on the ground,
only weeks before, had melted, and the sight of the grass underneath
showing a tint of green signaled that spring was fast approaching. Paloma
could feel the tension ease from her head and body as she rested upon the
bench, but the nagging fact that this was the exact spot that her feelings
had changed for her dearest friend still engulfed her thoughts.
*****FLASHBACK*****
"But," Fox knew there was more.
"But," Paloma bit her bottom lip to stop her voice from shaking, "I would have given all of it up just to be back home in Harmony again, to be with my parents, my brothers, Theresa. I gained the world, Nicky, but I lost myself."
"I didn't know any of this."
"So," Paloma continued, "you see, Nicky. I know more about your life than you know. Your life was my life."
"Listen to us, Lo." Nicky let a faint laugh escape his lips, "aren't we just the picture of perfection? Poor little rich kids?"
"Tell me about it."
Paloma closed her tired eyes and rested her head back against the cool metal of the bench. She breathed hard as she tried to sweep away the emotion that was aching to burst out of her body. She had never talked so openly, so candidly, about her feelings toward her family, toward herself. But, she felt so comfortable as she shared her heart with Nicholas Crane. Her mind was telling her that opening her life to this man was ridiculous, but she couldn't push aside the emotion that her heart was screaming to her. This man, a man whom she had thought she despised, had become her confidant, her friend. This man, who days earlier, she could barely stand to be with in the same room, had offered her his ear and his comfort. Her mind and her heart were telling her completely opposite things. But one thing was for sure. In all her years, Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald had never heard her heart speak so clearly.
So, very clearly.
******************************************
Nicky Crane was the one thing that Paloma could think about at that moment, but at the same time he was also the one thing she wished to God she could get out of her mind.
Most importantly, out of her heart.
She never intended to fall in love with this man.
She never intended to even become acquainted with him. It wasn't like their families frequented each other's social circles. It wasn't as it they were going to win 'couple of the year' at Harmony Yacht Club's annual spring picnic.
He was just a friend.
No. He was much more than a friend.
Nicky Crane was the only person in the world that could make Paloma fall to the ground in hysterical laughter with one of his lame jokes. He was the only one who could settle her nerves when she turned in the last slip of paper to the registration office at the college. Nicky was the only person who knew of her passion for acting and theatre. He knew the secrets that she had locked up in her soul from her family. He knew the heartaches that she suffered when she was living in Spain. Nicky was the only person who knew what her favorite ice cream flavor was. His eyes were always the downfall of her because Nicky was the only whom Paloma could never beat at a staring contest. It was this man who filled her thoughts the moment she woke up, the second before her head rested itself on the pillow, and he was the only man who has graced her dreams at night.
'It's no use.' Paloma whispered to herself as she brought her head into her hands.
She had spent the last few days trying to put him from her mind, but there was nothing in the world that could separate Paloma from the emotions that were swirling around in her head.
No. Nicholas Crane was not just a friend to Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald.
He was the man she loved.
The man she loved more than anything in the world.
'It's no use.' She whispered to herself again as she placed her legs on the bench and wrapped her arms around them with a sigh.
She could feel the tears aching to be released from her tired eyes, and when the exhaustion consumed her, and she could not hold them back any longer--- Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald cried.
She cried harder than she had ever cried before.
************************************************************************
"Mana?" The masculine voice caused Paloma to shift in her seat, "is that you?"
She sat upright and quickly brought her hands to her face to wipe away the freshly fallen tears that stained her cheeks. With a deep breath she opened her eyes and looked up where her brother was standing with a look of concern on his face.
"Hey Luis."
"What's wrong?" His tone of voice soothed her anxious nerves, she knew the sound of his voice, and the thought of him finding her in tears brought a bit of anxiety to her heart for she had no idea what to say, but the fact that his voice was more soothing than upset brought a calm over her nerves.
"Oh, Luis." She tried to smile as he took a seat beside his youngest sister, "it's nothing really. Girl stuff, nothing to worry about."
"I don't buy it for a minute, Mana." He shook his head and turned his body to face her, "will you please tell me?"
"Luis, trust me, you don't want to know."
"You shouldn't assume things."
"It's about a guy." Paloma placed her hands over her ears in anticipation of her bother's reaction. Luis was the epitome of the 'protective older brother', and he would not let this slide.
"I figured as much," Luis faintly laughed and brought his sisters hands down with his own, "hey, contrary to popular belief, my head will not explode the moment one of my sisters starts talking about boys."
"Your humor isn't helping."
"I'm sorry, Mana." Luis sighed and placed his arm around his sister in a gesture of comfort, "now, please tell me."
"You promise me that you will not get upset?"
"The only way I would get upset about this is if this man made you cry because he physically abused you."
"Luis,"
"He didn't?" Luis cleared his throat, "did he?"
"NO!" Paloma shook her head.
"Good." Luis felt his blood pressure lower, "there is only one other reason why I would be upset."
"Dare I ask?"
"Well, the only other reason I'd be upset is, well," Luis watched as his sister fidgeted in her seat, "if he was."
"A Crane?" Paloma knew where this conversation was going, and the fact that the man she was upset over did fit the latter of Luis' descriptions made her stomach turn.
"Exactly."
"Well," Paloma started.
"Now, I know it wouldn't be that because well, Ethan's no longer a Crane and it's not like he's available to be swooned over, but the only other Crane man is Fox, and it wouldn't be that little creep," Luis laughed, "everyone knows he's just like his father. A womanizing slimeball."
"Luis!" Paloma the weight upon her heart get heavier, there was no way she could every let Luis or any of her brothers know about Nicky, "that's not fair. You don't know him."
"Since when did you become Fox's protector?" Luis sensed that he had touched a nerve, "Listen, Mana, I know that you and Fox have spent some time together, but please do not tell me that this man you're crying over is the spawn of Julian Crane!"
Paloma wanted so badly to confide in her older brother, but she knew that if she answered his question truthfully, that more bad would come out of it than good. Luis would no doubt waltz over to the Crane estate and place his fist in Nicky's face and accuse him of things he had no right to, so the only safe bet was to lie. It was something she never in her life wanted to do, let alone to her brother, but there was really no other way around it. Besides, no one would find out because she wasn't going to let Nicky know of her feelings, and the only other person who knew, Theresa, promised not to say a word.
"Of course not, Luis." Paloma hated this, "Nicky Crane and I are just friends."
"Good." Luis nodded, "and even though I can't see why you enjoy that boy's company, I'm not going to stop you from being friends with him. BUT, friends only."
"Luis," Paloma sighed and placed her hand over her brother's, "I appreciate the protective older brother thing you've got going, but I'm fine. I promise."
"So, you're not going to let me in on why I found you sitting on this bench, alone, crying?"
"No." Paloma shook her head, and prayed that he wouldn't pursue this any longer.
"Alright," Luis nodded and pulled his sister closer to his side, "but, you tell this guy that if I ever see you crying over him again, he'll have to answer to me."
"I'll be sure to send him that memo."
"Mana," Luis smiled, "I'm serious. I don't like seeing my sisters upset, and whoever causes the tears will have to pay."
"You really are too macho for your own good, Luis." Paloma laughed.
"Mana," Luis' tone grew serious, "if you need anyone to talk to about this mystery man of yours, I'm here."
"I know you are, Luis." Paloma threw an arm over he brother's neck in an embrace, "I know you are."
************************************************************************
*****FLASHBACK*****
"But," Fox knew there was more.
"But," Paloma bit her bottom lip to stop her voice from shaking, "I would have given all of it up just to be back home in Harmony again, to be with my parents, my brothers, Theresa. I gained the world, Nicky, but I lost myself."
"I didn't know any of this."
"So," Paloma continued, "you see, Nicky. I know more about your life than you know. Your life was my life."
"Listen to us, Lo." Nicky let a faint laugh escape his lips, "aren't we just the picture of perfection? Poor little rich kids?"
"Tell me about it."
Paloma closed her tired eyes and rested her head back against the cool metal of the bench. She breathed hard as she tried to sweep away the emotion that was aching to burst out of her body. She had never talked so openly, so candidly, about her feelings toward her family, toward herself. But, she felt so comfortable as she shared her heart with Nicholas Crane. Her mind was telling her that opening her life to this man was ridiculous, but she couldn't push aside the emotion that her heart was screaming to her. This man, a man whom she had thought she despised, had become her confidant, her friend. This man, who days earlier, she could barely stand to be with in the same room, had offered her his ear and his comfort. Her mind and her heart were telling her completely opposite things. But one thing was for sure. In all her years, Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald had never heard her heart speak so clearly.
So, very clearly.
******************************************
Nicky Crane was the one thing that Paloma could think about at that moment, but at the same time he was also the one thing she wished to God she could get out of her mind.
Most importantly, out of her heart.
She never intended to fall in love with this man.
She never intended to even become acquainted with him. It wasn't like their families frequented each other's social circles. It wasn't as it they were going to win 'couple of the year' at Harmony Yacht Club's annual spring picnic.
He was just a friend.
No. He was much more than a friend.
Nicky Crane was the only person in the world that could make Paloma fall to the ground in hysterical laughter with one of his lame jokes. He was the only one who could settle her nerves when she turned in the last slip of paper to the registration office at the college. Nicky was the only person who knew of her passion for acting and theatre. He knew the secrets that she had locked up in her soul from her family. He knew the heartaches that she suffered when she was living in Spain. Nicky was the only person who knew what her favorite ice cream flavor was. His eyes were always the downfall of her because Nicky was the only whom Paloma could never beat at a staring contest. It was this man who filled her thoughts the moment she woke up, the second before her head rested itself on the pillow, and he was the only man who has graced her dreams at night.
'It's no use.' Paloma whispered to herself as she brought her head into her hands.
She had spent the last few days trying to put him from her mind, but there was nothing in the world that could separate Paloma from the emotions that were swirling around in her head.
No. Nicholas Crane was not just a friend to Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald.
He was the man she loved.
The man she loved more than anything in the world.
'It's no use.' She whispered to herself again as she placed her legs on the bench and wrapped her arms around them with a sigh.
She could feel the tears aching to be released from her tired eyes, and when the exhaustion consumed her, and she could not hold them back any longer--- Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald cried.
She cried harder than she had ever cried before.
************************************************************************
"Mana?" The masculine voice caused Paloma to shift in her seat, "is that you?"
She sat upright and quickly brought her hands to her face to wipe away the freshly fallen tears that stained her cheeks. With a deep breath she opened her eyes and looked up where her brother was standing with a look of concern on his face.
"Hey Luis."
"What's wrong?" His tone of voice soothed her anxious nerves, she knew the sound of his voice, and the thought of him finding her in tears brought a bit of anxiety to her heart for she had no idea what to say, but the fact that his voice was more soothing than upset brought a calm over her nerves.
"Oh, Luis." She tried to smile as he took a seat beside his youngest sister, "it's nothing really. Girl stuff, nothing to worry about."
"I don't buy it for a minute, Mana." He shook his head and turned his body to face her, "will you please tell me?"
"Luis, trust me, you don't want to know."
"You shouldn't assume things."
"It's about a guy." Paloma placed her hands over her ears in anticipation of her bother's reaction. Luis was the epitome of the 'protective older brother', and he would not let this slide.
"I figured as much," Luis faintly laughed and brought his sisters hands down with his own, "hey, contrary to popular belief, my head will not explode the moment one of my sisters starts talking about boys."
"Your humor isn't helping."
"I'm sorry, Mana." Luis sighed and placed his arm around his sister in a gesture of comfort, "now, please tell me."
"You promise me that you will not get upset?"
"The only way I would get upset about this is if this man made you cry because he physically abused you."
"Luis,"
"He didn't?" Luis cleared his throat, "did he?"
"NO!" Paloma shook her head.
"Good." Luis felt his blood pressure lower, "there is only one other reason why I would be upset."
"Dare I ask?"
"Well, the only other reason I'd be upset is, well," Luis watched as his sister fidgeted in her seat, "if he was."
"A Crane?" Paloma knew where this conversation was going, and the fact that the man she was upset over did fit the latter of Luis' descriptions made her stomach turn.
"Exactly."
"Well," Paloma started.
"Now, I know it wouldn't be that because well, Ethan's no longer a Crane and it's not like he's available to be swooned over, but the only other Crane man is Fox, and it wouldn't be that little creep," Luis laughed, "everyone knows he's just like his father. A womanizing slimeball."
"Luis!" Paloma the weight upon her heart get heavier, there was no way she could every let Luis or any of her brothers know about Nicky, "that's not fair. You don't know him."
"Since when did you become Fox's protector?" Luis sensed that he had touched a nerve, "Listen, Mana, I know that you and Fox have spent some time together, but please do not tell me that this man you're crying over is the spawn of Julian Crane!"
Paloma wanted so badly to confide in her older brother, but she knew that if she answered his question truthfully, that more bad would come out of it than good. Luis would no doubt waltz over to the Crane estate and place his fist in Nicky's face and accuse him of things he had no right to, so the only safe bet was to lie. It was something she never in her life wanted to do, let alone to her brother, but there was really no other way around it. Besides, no one would find out because she wasn't going to let Nicky know of her feelings, and the only other person who knew, Theresa, promised not to say a word.
"Of course not, Luis." Paloma hated this, "Nicky Crane and I are just friends."
"Good." Luis nodded, "and even though I can't see why you enjoy that boy's company, I'm not going to stop you from being friends with him. BUT, friends only."
"Luis," Paloma sighed and placed her hand over her brother's, "I appreciate the protective older brother thing you've got going, but I'm fine. I promise."
"So, you're not going to let me in on why I found you sitting on this bench, alone, crying?"
"No." Paloma shook her head, and prayed that he wouldn't pursue this any longer.
"Alright," Luis nodded and pulled his sister closer to his side, "but, you tell this guy that if I ever see you crying over him again, he'll have to answer to me."
"I'll be sure to send him that memo."
"Mana," Luis smiled, "I'm serious. I don't like seeing my sisters upset, and whoever causes the tears will have to pay."
"You really are too macho for your own good, Luis." Paloma laughed.
"Mana," Luis' tone grew serious, "if you need anyone to talk to about this mystery man of yours, I'm here."
"I know you are, Luis." Paloma threw an arm over he brother's neck in an embrace, "I know you are."
************************************************************************