July1st, 2005
Gina stood on the balcony watching Maxine jump into their pool. Her nanny was sunning herself. Gina shook her head. She didn't know why they hired that girl. She sighed and walked back into her very large house. Marc had given her a lot of things and a large house was one of them. She stepped into her closet and stared at the clothes. She touched her lips. Two weeks later she could still feel Mark's lips upon hers. They hadn't talked about it since then.
"Mommy!! Mommy Look!!" Maxine yelled form outside.
"Hold on." Gina yelled pulling out a blue sundress. She quickly pulled it on as she walked back to the balcony. "What, Baby?"
"Watch!" Maxine got onto the diving board. She bounced and dove into the water. Gina's heart did a few pitter patters. Maxine popped out of the water, "How was that?"
"It was terrific." Gina clapped her hands, "But please be careful."
"I am." Maxine said swimming to the steps. A knock came upon Gina's bedroom door.
"Ma'am," April held out the phone, "You have a phone call."
"Who is it? I can't deal with people today." Gina said. No press calls. She was going to give them hell.
"She said her name was Corey." April said. Gina turned around with a smile.
"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" She took the phone, "Corey?"
"Hi G-Gina." Corey sniffled.
"Corey, what's wrong?" Gina frowned deeply. Corey wiped her eyes.
"AJ and I got into a huge fight. I told him I couldn't live in Boston any more and I needed a new change of pace in my career." Corey said, "We just blew up at each other. I know it's partly my fault because I'm pregnant but-"
"He shouldn't yell at you regardless of who's right." Gina said, "There's no need of getting your blood pressure up so high."
"I can't stay here, Gina." Corey said wiping her eyes, "Can the girls and I come over?"
"I live on the other side of the country, Corey." Gina said with a frown.
"I'll get some plane tickets, but I can't stay here." She said, "I can't stand to look at his face when he's so pissed off at me and I have no one else that would take us in."
"You know I have plenty of room here." Gina said, "There's no sense of you buying tickets when I have a plane you can use. Just go to Logan Airport and I'll have your name and the girls' names on the list and I will send my plane there to get you, okay?"
"Okay." Corey sniffled, "Thank you."
"No problem. I'll see you in a few hours." Gina hung up with a sigh. This was going to be very very interesting.
Gina and Maxine sat on the front stairs watching the limo drive up the long drive way. Maxine was very excited about getting a playmate. Gina patted her back as the car pulled up. Corey pulled her tired body out of the car. God, she looked horrible. Gina got up and took Arwen out of her car seat.
"Max, go show Piper her room and you can show her your toys." She said.
"Okay." Maxine took Piper's hand and the girls ran inside.
"Come inside, Corey." Gina said.
"Thank you." She whispered walking behind her friend.
"Are you hungry, Arwen?" Gina asked. The toddler nodded. "April can you make the girls some sandwiches please?"
"Yes, Ma'am." April said walking into the kitchen. Gina put Arwen down and pulled out one of Maxine's colouring books.
"Thanks for letting us stay." Corey said.
"No problem. With all my interviews and studio work, it'll be nice to have someone in my house I trust." Gina said, "Some of these maids I don't trust them as far as I can throw them." Corey chuckled softly.
"I understand…Well, I don't." She said, "I've never had a maid before."
"It's nice sometimes, but most of the time it's just s burden." Gina said. "I hate to ask it, but how was AJ when he found out you're coming here."
"He doesn't know." Corey sighed, "I just left a note so expect a call from him soon."
"Okay," Gina smiled rubbing Corey's back. "Why don't you try to lay down for awhile? I'll watch the girls."
"Thanks." Corey said again. There weren't enough thanks she could give her.
July 8th, 2005
Mark got out of his car with a stretch. He looked at Gina's house. It seemed like everything was quiet. He cocked his eyebrow as he opened the door.
"Gina?" he called out.
"Shhhhh!!!" She ran down the stairs, "Arwen is sound asleep."
"Oh…" Mark rubbed his neck, "Okay, it's not that I don't love Corey…"
"You don't have to finish your sentence." She chuckled.
"Good." He said putting his hand at the small of her back. "I want to talk to you." Gina licked her lips as she looked at him. She knew what he wanted to talk about.
"I ah…" Gina looked around her. Corey was upstairs. The girls were out playing. "What?"
"I want to talk about what happened the other week." He said.
"We don't have to." Gina giggled nervously.
"Yes, we do. I told you how I felt. I told you how I love you." Mark said, "But, I need to know how you feel."
"Nothing like having a spotlight on you…" She chuckled.
"I'm sorry." Mark said.
"No don't be." She said. Gina stared at his hand that was on her knee. Her heart felt like it was going to leap out of her chest. "I love you, Mark. I always have. I'm just…I'm scared."
"That's okay. Me too." Mark chuckled.
"I want more with you. I want Max to have a father, but I don't want to loose my best friend." She whispered.
"You won't be loosing me as a friend." Mark said, "I promise." Gina looked at him. He looked so sincere. He looked so worried that she was going to walk away from him.
"I love you." She whispered, leaning over and kissed him. It felt right. It felt right to feel his arms wrap around her and to feel his lips upon hers. God, she wasn't lying. She loved him with all of her heart.
"Ma'am?" April stepped into the room, "I'm sorry to disturb you but there's a man at the gates claiming he's Miss Corey's husband. AJ?" Gina sighed deeply pulling away from Mark.
"You can let him in." She said, looking at him, "Let the sparks fly." Gina stood up and silently waited. She could hear him walk up the steps onto the porch. She opened the door and saw AJ. He looked tired. "She's upstairs…Third door on your right." He smiled gratefully.
"Thank you." AJ whispered. He climbed the stairs counting the doors on his right. He stopped in front of the third one and knocked.
"Come in." Corey called out. AJ opened up the door and stepped into the room. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw him. "AJ! What…What are you doing here?"
"I need to be with you, with Piper, with Arwen, with the baby." He said.
"Well, you're too stubborn to know what I want." She said.
"A two story home with five bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a huge back yard. A two car garage." AJ said. Corey frowned.
"What?" She asked. AJ reached into his pocket and pulled out a newspaper clipping. He handed it to her.
"This house is across town. It has all of that that I described." AJ said, "I bought it." Corey's eyes widened.
"You what??" She cried.
"I bought the house. If living here is what you want, then we will live here." AJ told her.
"But our jobs." She said.
"The high school is looking for an art teacher and health teacher." He said. Corey frowned deeply.
"You think doing this will make me forget everything you said to me, Austin??" She asked. AJ sighed deeply shaking his head.
"No I don't, but mason is going to be here in October and I love you so much, I want to be here Corey." He said to her, "Please let's try this." Corey stared at herself in the mirror and then sighed.
"The house does sound nice." She said.
"It's gorgeous. Huge garden in the front." AJ said walking up behind her putting his hand on her shoulders. Corey smirked.
"I like flowers." She said. "Fine, AJ, but I'm putting you on a warning. Screw up again and the four of us are gone."
"I promise, I'll think before I say anything." He said. Corey smiled and turned around.
"Kiss me you fool." She said. AJ didn't want to wait any longer. He lowered his lips to her and kissed her gently. He hated not seeing her and now he refused to ever let her go.