Author's Note: To all of you who were curious as to why I stopped writing, I had writer's block for the longest time but it removed itself this morning and these following five chapters just popped into my mind. Thank you to those of you who have posted your reviews. They really have helped more than you could possibly know. I wasn't even sure I was going to write more in this story until you all posted reviews!
I'm not sure who made the offer to help me with ideas for my story (because they signed as anonymous) but thank you. Anytime I need an idea I'll be sure to ask. But for now can someone please send me ideas for names of characters? I suck at coming up with names. Kimberly's name comes from my favorite power ranger (don't act like you all didn't watch that show as children...or maybe you didn't and I'm just a loser), Sweet is the name of one of my closest friends, and I realized after re-reading my story that Jaswall and Griswald kind of sound alike. I'm stumped as far as names go.
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine! Nothing is mine! Nothing is mine! I'll keep repeating this until those corporate millionaires stop feeling threatened by those of us who write fan fiction.
Chapter 7-Michael's Day (Friday)
Michael sat down at his desk late Friday night and started writing in a college ruled notebook:
Man if Gus finds out that I keep a journal he will never let me live it down. But hey it helps me relieve stress.
So I woke up this morning thinking about her. Nancy is always on my mind, whether I'm studying for a class, talking to a friend, or even sleeping. I've never met a girl with so much drive, so much potential.
I have to admit that I've never really wanted a woman with a mind of her own. I'm not a chauvanist or anything. Its just that after my mother died and my dad went through girlfriends and wives as if they were nothing, I felt like love wasn't worth it. My dad didn't even take two seconds to mourn for my mother, he acted like she hadn't even mattered, she was just a passing phase in his life. If my own father, the person I looked up to, didn't think love was worth it why should I? Of course I learned later from many counseling sessions in high school that my dad was only trying to deal with his grief the only way he knew how. That didn't change things. It was too late. I had lived with the same mentality since I was seven. I still tried to weed out every brainless ditz from the masses of girls at school.
The only person that has ever called me out on my choice of women is Nancy. Before we started dating, when we still hated each other, she told me that I dated the dumbest girls imaginable, even set me up with a friend of hers to show me the error of my ways. I didn't take her seriously though, I still hated her then. Why would I hate her? Well let's see, I saw her as bossy, irritating, driven, and everything I wanted. I kept denying to myself that I loved her. It wasn't until a fateful snowy day that I tried to make a move on her. We were stuck in a barn because of a blizzard, we ended up staying there over night and I tried to kiss her. Of course she freaked. But what was I expecting? I had spent the whole time we had known each other giving her a hard time.
Anyway I called her to tell her I needed to talk to her but I got her roommate. I just left a message with her and left it at that.
After I got myself out of my Nancy induced trance I actually got ready for my classes. I meant to get to my first class early today, I really did, but I got sidetracked. On the way to Russian Literature I heard my friend Brad calling my name. I wasn't planning on staying to talk to him, what with already being late for class, but he started talking about Nancy. He told me that he thought it was great that I finally turned into a one-woman kind of guy, yadda yadda yadda. Then he said that he knew Nancy from somewhere. Turns out her dad is a lawyer and he defended a friend of Brad's family. Of all the conversations Nancy and I have had about our families the fact that her father is a lawyer, no, a famed lawyer, never came up. Why she chose communications as a major is clear to me now. She chose it for the same reason I did, to make my dad proud.
Needless to say I did not pay attention in Russian Lit., World History, or Journalism. I needed to talk to Nancy. I needed to know what else she was hiding. When I called her before it was only because I wanted to talk about our relationship but....I don't know, we just need to talk.
I hurried home after my last class. Two minutes after I got home, Nancy rang my doorbell. I led her into my apartment. I wanted to get to talking about us but I couldn't help it, I kissed her. I really didn't want to stop but I got the feeling I was suffocating her. She just smiled and made a cute little comment. God, is that really me using the word cute?
For a second I found myself tongue tied, I couldn't help it. I dare any man to look into her deep blue eyes without feeling something. On second thought I don't want anyone else looking at her like that.
Wow, way off track. Long story short I got her to tell me what it was she was hiding from me. When she was finished telling me her story I could understand why she wouldn't want anyone to know. It wasn't anything bad, she did a lot of amazing detective work on many dangerous cases with some friends and the Network. But still if I was her I wouldn't want people to know about all that. People would start to treat her differently and all that. Actually that was the reason she gave me, word for word. I believe her. Actually I believe that that was one of her reasons for not telling me sooner. I didn't push the subject though. I just decided to let it drop.
Then we got to talking about her sessions. It was amusing, in all the years that I have been seeing counselors, psychologists, and therapists, not once have any of them dressed up like a chicken. I couldn't help feeling bad for my Nancy. She told me that her psychologist thinks she has issues with her dad and denial. I think there was more. I could tell by the look in Nancy's eyes. She'll tell me when she's ready. I know from all of my own sessions that it doesn't help when people force you to tell them what you talked about. Whatever she wants to tell me I will listen and I will not pass judgment.
No, that's a lie. I will try not to pass judgment. I have to admit that I do think Nancy has issues with her dad. She has told me time and time again that she is uncomfortable with her dad dating this new woman, Avery. I was able to relate. And I know she has denial problems. I have seen it in so many people, my father and myself included, that I can spot it in anyone.
Nancy left looking happier. I love it when she's happy. I wanted her to stay but I knew she had a class to get to.
Later on in the day a policeman we work with a lot, Officer Kruvuche, called me. Turns out he was able to track down Sweet Rodriguez. She's in Bayport, New York and was easy to trace because of her hospital records. I called Nancy's cell phone to tell her but she didn't answer. Officer Kruveche also informed me that Jack Maher and Berney Valleys had various addresses. The only ones that Kruveche could find were in San Francisco, Seattle, Maine, and one in New York.