Sorry I know it's been a long time but here you are Chapter 6. As always R&R.
Chapter 6As Sandy watched his son storm out toward the pool house he felt an enormous relief. He looked at the broken remains of his cell and it was as though a weight had been lifted. He would never have to hear from her again. He didn't know why he hadn't smashed the phone himself. He didn't know why he needed someone to do it for him. He looked out toward the pool house again and saw Ryan sitting on the edge of the bed. Sandy looked down at his cell and bent down to pick up the broken pieces. He threw them into the trash before making his way to his study. He sat behind the desk and pulled a notepad toward him. He wrote the address and date at the top. He continued;
"Effective immediately I resign my position in Partridge, Savage and Conn.
Sincerely
Sanford Cohen."
Kirsten woke up to find Ryan sitting on the edge of the bed. "Morning." He said softly.
"Hey." She answered, "Where is he?"
"In the kitchen the last time I saw him." He replied. Kirsten smiled and sat up.
"I know I have to talk to him sometime... I just wanna know what I wanna say and... I don't think I do yet." Ryan nodded. He realised how difficult it would be for her to sit down and have a conversation with him. It was strange and almost heartbreaking to see the most perfect couple being torn apart by one stupid mistake. It seemed wrong for them not to be together. He knew in his heart that without each other they would crumble. Kirsten was Sandy's crutch and he knew she felt the same about him. But they would work it out. He knew they would. When he was a child he gave up on living a happy life with the one person you loved more than anything but after being around Kirsten and Sandy for so long he had started to believe again. He had invested all his hopes in their marriage and now it was shattered.
Almost.
Maybe he could still save it. He tried again, "Do you love him, Kirsten?" She looked at him wide eyed; surprised that he would ask such a forward question. She nodded silently and saw his expression soften. "Could you ever forgive him?" he pressed. He wanted to reach inside and find something to help her remember the man she married. She didn't answer. Instead she closed her eyes and pulled her hair out of her face. He stared at her searchingly. She saw him staring and she answered, "I don't know. Maybe." Ryan felt a wave of relief wash over him. Maybe it would be okay. Maybe it would go back to normal. He eyed her searchingly. She sighed and lay back down again. "Okay get dressed." He said suddenly. Kirsten frowned.
"For what?"
"We're going out. You haven't been out in ages."
"Ryan I went out yesterday."
"Where?"
"Nowhere in particular. I just drove around for a while."
"Well today we're going OUT out. So go get dressed, it's almost eleven."
Ryan made the bed and threw the contents of his backpack onto the bed. He pulled open the drawers to put his clothes away but instead he found neat rows of Kirsten's tops. He pulled open the nest drawer and found her pyjamas. She had moved out. He threw his crumpled clothes back into his backpack and closed the drawers, "Come on Kirsten. What's taking so long?"
"I'm ready." She said triumphantly, "So what did you have in mind?" she asked. Ryan raised his eyebrows, "Uh... well... I was thinking that maybe... you could decide. Yeah it's up to you. What do you wanna do?" he was so preoccupied trying to think of ways to get Kirsten and Sandy to sit down together that he didn't come up with anything for them to do. Kirsten frowned.
"Well, Ryan, I like tanning, shopping and lunching. You don't exactly seem like the shopping, tanning and lunching kinda guy." She smiled. He realised it was the first real smile he'd got from her since he arrived.
"Well I'm not so sure. I mean I can eat. How about option number three? Lunching? Or since it's only eleven thirty brunching?"
"Hey Newport's rubbing off on you." She laughed. Ryan beamed at the sound of her chuckling. He was making her laugh and it meant everything to him. He just didn't realise how much before now. She went toward him and linked her arm in his, "So how does it feel being my escort for the day?"
"I could've done worse." He smiled replicating Sandy's words when he first met him. "So let's go." He made to move out of the pool house but Kirsten froze. She was staring fixedly at the kitchen trying to see inside, "Kirsten?" Ryan asked.
"Uh... maybe."
"Want me to check he's not there?" he offered. She nodded softly.
"I'll follow you in a minute." She answered.
Ryan went into the main house and found a half empty mug of coffee sitting on the counter. It looked as though it may have been the same one Sandy had been drinking earlier. He noticed the shattered remains of the cell phone were gone. He checked the study and found that it was empty. He looked out at the driveway and saw that Sandy's car was gone. Ryan didn't want to think where too. He heard Kirsten calling behind him, "Hey where are you?"
"I'm at the front door. Come on or it will be a lunch date."
Sandy sat in his car holding the envelope in his hands. He stared at the post box. He undid his seatbelt. That was the first step. He wasn't scared about losing his job. He didn't enjoy it anyway. He was built to be a public defender. It was something else and he was petrified even to think it. If he quit the firm he may never se her again. Was that a good or a bad thing? Did he care? Would he really miss her? No. He knew he wouldn't. He didn't care about Rachel. He didn't love her. Just her body. The fact that someone that looked how she looked could possibly be attracted to him. It was invigorating. He opened the car door. Step two.
"So what happened with you and Theresa? You never got to telling me." Kirsten said over her garden salad. Ryan played with the lettuce on his plate. "She ran away."
"What?"
"I got home from work one day and she was gone. Her mom said she went to Atlanta and that the baby wasn't mine." Kirsten stared back open mouthed.
"So you came home?" she asked.
"No. I stayed with Eva for a while but when I talked to Sandy. I knew something was wrong. That's why I came home."
"How did you know something was wrong?"
"You could just tell. His voice quivered whenever I mentioned your name and was constantly talking a mile a minute about... I don't know what. I could just tell I guess." Kirsten nodded and continued with her salad. Ryan sat back in his chair and pushed his plate away. "Aren't you hungry?" Kirsten asked.
"Uh... nah I don't really have much of an appetite."
"You don't need an appetite it's a sala... Oh it's a salad. Why didn't you say something?"
"What do you mean?"
"We'll go somewhere else. Wherever you want."
"Nah Kirsten honestly it's fine."
He was still protesting as Kirsten ordered two large slices of pepperoni pizza and two cokes. She handed him the first slice and paid the man at the cart six dollars. They proceeded down the pier in silence. "So..." Ryan began but the cheese from his pizza began to stretch and dribble down his chin. Kirsten laughed and cleaned him with a napkin. "So..." he began again, "are you gonna talk to him?" Kirsten didn't answer. She made her way to the side. She looked out at the surf and sipped her coke, "Well?" Ryan asked again. She continued to look out to sea. She turned to a garbage can and dumped her pizza. "Not yet." She said determinedly, "But I will." Ryan nodded. He finished his pizza and drained his coke. "So that was lunch... or brunch whatever you wanna call it. What now?"
"We could go home." Kirsten suggested.
"No this is your OUT out day. How about some drinks?"
"It's twelve thirty in the afternoon." Kirsten reasoned.
"Yeah and we live at Newport Beach. Everybody's a borderline alcoholic." He joked. Kirsten smiled and looked around.
"Where d'you wanna go? Not the Lighthouse. That's the last place..."
"What about La Roca? They make a mean Margarita. Or so I've been told."
"Uh huh." She answered sceptically, "Okay then Mr Atwood lead the way." They both walked down the pier toward the terracotta building with the heading, "La Roca." As they neared the bar they saw that there were only another two parties inside. A blonde woman in deep conversation with a man in a business suit and two red heads giggling over fish bowl sized Blue Lagoon's. Kirsten seated herself at a small table and let Ryan order the drinks. She heard a familiar voice behind her.
"The partners are desperate to get you on board."
Kirsten spun around and saw the blonde woman more clearly. Her sparkling blue eyes and bright smile were all too familiar. Kirsten spun back around. She didn't know what to do. She remembered that this was where she found Sandy and Rachel gulping down margaritas one night. She realised this is where she convinced people to join the firm. She saw Ryan eyeing her suspiciously and she shook her head slightly. She made to get up off her chair but as she stepped around the table she bumped into the man in the business suit. "Oh I'm sorry. I wasn't looking." He apologised.
"No it was me. I'm sorry." Kirsten struggled to get away but the man had a strong grip on her arm.
"Are you okay you look a little startled. Do you want to sit down?"
"NO really I'm fine I just have to..."
"Kirsten?"
Kirsten spun around to find Rachel staring at her red faced. She felt Ryan beside her, "Kirsten, let's go." The man still clung to her arm obviously forgetting to let go. Ryan pulled his hand away, "Let her go, man." The man pulled away instantly surprised at his threatening tone.
"Kirsten, I'm sorry." She heard Rachel say. Ryan was trying to usher her out of the bar but she pulled free of his grip.
"Sorry?" she said in a low tone. "You're sorry? Well you know what, Rachel? Sorry doesn't cut it." Kirsten voice was rising with very word. Ryan was tugging on her sleeve.
"Come on let's go."
"NO! SHE IS GONNA HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY! You have single handedly torn my family apart. You have ruined my marriage. You've ruined my life and you're SORRY? Why? Because you did it or BECAUSE YOU GOT CAUGHT?"
Rachel reached out in attempt to quieten her down but Kirsten flung her hand out and slapped her hard on the side of her face. The man reached out to stop Kirsten but Ryan caught him before he could get near, "Touch her and you'll have me to answer to."
"If you EVER go anywhere near MY husband again. I swear I will kill you." Kirsten screamed. The two red head's looked up to watch the drama. Ryan had placed himself between the women.
"Come on Kirsten let's GO!" He managed to pull Kirsten out of the bar before she could say anything else. She was still fighting to get back inside when they reached the edge of the sidewalk but she was becoming weaker with every second. She eventually collapsed into his arms, "Look what she's done to us, Ryan. Look what she's done."
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