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Chapter 8: Corey's Choice

The taxi pulled up at the terminal all too soon for Topanga. Minkus hopped out, paid the driver and collected the bags from the trunk and set them on the floor. He then went around to Topanga's door and opened it for her.

"Aren't you coming dear?" he questioned, with a smile that meant well, but looked too cunning on him. She looked up at him, and tears stung her eyes. Topanga did not accept his hand, but did allow him to usher her underneath the overhang. It was such a chilly evening, she thought, as she waited for Minkus to check the bags. She felt like running away from Minkus, but she knew that the desire to see her child was too strong. What Topanga also realized was that Minkus knew how badly she wanted to see the child that was probably going to ruin her marriage.

"Why won't you check my bags?" demanded Minkus crossly, shouting at the man working the desk. Apparently the man at the desk was foreign, having a difficult time understand Stewart's quick, direct orders. Topanga smiled to herself, thinking that people like that always sensed when it was urgent and deliberately took their time to annoy you, even if it meant a reduction in their tips. After all, they had to deal with snotty businessmen not unlike Stewart all day, and Minkus was just unlucky enough to be one of the last to come through. Ten minutes passed before Minkus finally checked the two bags, and then he gruffly pulled Topanga inside. The main terminal seemed to be busting with wet businessmen, all impatient to leave the airport. The line to go through the metal detectors stretched from the escalators at the end of the room to the doors where Topanga and Minkus had come in. Next to the metal detectors stood the giant screens.

"Damn," Minkus said, looking at the crowd. He ran a hand through his hair. "I need to make sure our flight isn't delayed,"

"Stewart, we can find that out when we check in. If we don't get in line now we'll never leave," Topanga warned him, despite the fact that not leaving the airport was precisely what she wanted to do. Her child's imagined face was beginning to haunt her, and the need to see him grew more compelling by the hour. She noticed the shocked look on Minkus's face as she said that. He had probably thought that she was still hesitant to go to New York. This cheered him considerably, that was obvious. Topanga wished she could take it back, so that he would be impatient and gruff again. At least when he was frustrated he wasn't hitting on her, which was very suspicious indeed because before he had been hitting on Angela…probably some revenge tactic for Shawn, Topanga thought. It was going to be a long night, that she could have figured at the restaurant. Her child, her baby boy, she kept thinking of him, and remembering the time she spent with her aunt. Most days that summer were spent laying in her room reading whatever her aunt had in the house. She finished her summer reading list in a week, and then moved to her aunt's private collection. As long as she was seen and not heard, her aunt would allow her to say. Over dinner neither woman talked to the other, but Topanga's aunt always gave her one look of pity mixed with disgust. Topanga could almost read her aunt's thoughts, they were as plain as day. "I'm glad your not my daughter," they screamed. At first Topanga had met this hostility coolly, accepting that everything came with a cost, and having an illegitimate child had major expenses. The only joy she could find in it all was that no one at school ever found out. That would be the end of her, and now that Corey knew…Topanga stopped that thought, as she had stopped it when she thought it at the restaurant. The present needed her focus, and dwelling in the past did nothing to soothe her.

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Shawn ran into the airport, wet and angry. It was crowded, no doubt due to the rain. The lingering lovers parted by the doors, the businessman liked the doors as well, they made for good reception for their cell phones. Families stood in the line for security impatiently, the children bored beyond tears and the fathers as impatient as Shawn. Scanning them all, he did not see Minkus, and what worried him more was that he did not see Topanga. Surely their flight had been delayed, even if it was only for a half hour. That would give Shawn plenty of time to find them, or figure out which flight they were taking. Growing desperate Shawn pushed his way over to the screen to find out which flights were going to New York. There were only two, both leaving around the same time from totally opposite ended gates. Casting a look over to the ticket counters, he knew that it would be at least fifteen minutes longer before he could eliminate the wrong flight.

"I'll find you, Minkus, and you'll wish I never did," Shawn muttered under his breath, looking out over the crowded room a final time.

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The rain kept coming, and the airport looked no closer as Corey ran down the road. Cars honked at him, and many called out catcalls. He was in a state of desperation, he heard nothing but beating of his heart and the sound of his breath coming in spurts. It had been ages since he last ran, but he didn't feel out of shape. His mission so important, his will so great, nothing could stop him from getting to the airport, or so he thought. As he drew closer, he saw that the narrow shoulder of the road ended, and gave way to four busy lanes of traffic. There was no hope in cutting through, and no hope of going around. Corey found himself stranded. Tears stung his eyes as he looked around for a way out.

As he stood there, ready to throw up his hands in defeat, a cab pulled over. It was an older woman with a kind face. "You look like you could need a lift," she said.

Eagerly Corey nodded and climbed in. "Thank you so much. I need to get to the terminal right away."

"Don't worry, that's where I'm heading now. There's no need to walk on a day like this." the lady responded with a smile. She reminded Corey of his own grandmother, not the one who would kill a man in Reno to watch him die though.

"I can't thank you enough," Corey said again, as he regained his breath.

"There's no trouble. I figured you needed a cab just as much as I do. I'm sure there's a good story too, behind your standing in the rain." The woman looked eager to hear it, but Corey was not so eager to tell.

"It's a long story that I would rather not say," Corey managed, turning red. Just thinking about it made his insides flip. It also made him want to kill Minkus. As he looked ahead, he saw hope was in sight. The terminal loomed closer, like a bright beacon. The cab pulled up to the curb and Corey got ready to jump out.

"Young man, you wouldn't mind helping me with my luggage, would you? You look so strong." the woman questioned. That was the last thing Corey wanted to do, but he knew that he had to. It couldn't take that long to pull her luggage to the curb. As he hoped out, the cab driver opened the trunk. Suitcases burst out, and Corey counted at least six still packed inside. Grabbing the loose bags, Corey began to pile them on the side when he heard a soft sigh from the woman.

"Young man, those are brand new. Couldn't you make sure they get inside?"

Her last request seemed ridiculous but Corey dragged them all inside, and in record time. Finally he left the woman by her things and fought through the crowds. Topanga was out there and he had to find her before it was too late.

There were so many people, he could hardly manage to weave in and out. His eyes never tired of searching every face, but none of them were his wife's. Several times he thought he found her, only to realize it was a bewildered stranger.

Then he glanced up and saw her. She was putting her purse through the metal detectors and ready to step through. Topanga threw a look behind her and her eyes met his. She froze, and Corey felt like doing the same, but he pushed ahead. He saw Minkus move towards her, to get her to move on, but it was too late.

Grabbing her elbow, he pulled her aside. The security guard gave him a warning look but he glared at him and then looked back to Topanga.

"Topanga, please don't go. I'm sorry for the way I acted before, but I have accepted the fact that you had a child. It must have been difficult, no impossible for you, but you overcame it. I love you, and I always will. Nothing will come in the way of that." Corey told her breathlessly. Topanga's eyes watered and she turned away.

"Thank you Corey, but I can't stay. You have to let me go to New York to see my child. He needs me now." Topanga begged.

"No, you can't! Not with him! I'll go with you." Corey argued and Topanga shook her head no.

"This is something I have to do, with Minkus. I know he hurt you but you have to understand." Topanga insisted. She started to back away. Corey knew there was no stopping her, but he couldn't bring himself to give her permission. Instead he turned and vanished into the crowd.