11
Kelsey and Bobby walked into BJ's together and were quickly seated.
"So…," she said, fiddling with the flowers on the table.
"We really haven't talked much since we got back here."
"No, we haven't."
"Well, we should. Now."
"My thoughts exactly."
"So, how've you been?"
"Pretty good, you?"
"Same. So, Anita told me you came back after graduation."
"Yep, I'm a full-fledged intern now."
"At?"
"Pine Valley Hospital, of course."
"A doctor?" he said, sounding impressed.
"Yes, a doctor, but you knew that's what I wanted to be."
"Yeah, I did, I just didn't.."
"You just didn't what? You didn't think I'd make it, did you?" she said, throwing a napkin at him.
"I knew you could do anything you set your mind to," he said, cupping his hand in her's.
"So, what about you? You graduated?"
"Yep, law. Just have to pass the Pennsylvania Bar Exam and I'll be all set."
"I'm sure you'll ace it."
"Thanks."
"How are you and Anita?"
"We got married a few months after we moved to Chicago," he said, showing off his ring.
"Are things going good between the two of you?"
"They're okay, not wonderful, I think the stress of coming back here isn't helping. I want to stay here and she's the one who wants to be back in Chicago, imagine that. She's got me and her mama trying to convince her to stay here and she's not all too happy with either one of us."
"Well, she can go back for all I care," Kelsey said under her breath.
"What?" he asked.
"Oh, nothing," she said innocently.
...
Ryan opened up the door to his apartment to leave. As he stepped out, he was met face to face by Tracy.
"Where are you going?" she asked, pinning him in the doorframe.
"None of your damn business," he said, pushing her off of him.
"You're going to see her, aren't you? If you weren't, you'd give me a straight answer."
"Lay off, Trace, just mind your own business."
"It is my business when my boyfriend is sneaking off to see his ex-wife!"
"How many times must we got through this?" Ryan said.
"Well?"
"Yes, yes, I am going to see Gillian."
"But you're my boyfriend, Ryan, not her's!"
"Then maybe I don't need to be your boyfriend. You're such a whiny little spoiled brat, by the time I get back, I expect all of your stuff to be gone, I don't care where you go, just get out of my apartment."
...
Gillian buttoned up the back of Katalin's dress and then spun her around.
Kata giggled and then her face turned serious as she gazed at the picture on the nightstand.
"Mommy, when am I going to meet my daddy?" she asked.
"Soon, Kata, soon, I promise, it won't be long," Gillian assured her.
"But why not now?" she asked.
"Really, baby, I don't know, the time's just not right. It's something you'll understand when you're older."
"But I'm almost four years old, will I understand then?"
Gillian smiled. "I hope you will have met him by then."
"Is he not in town?"
"No, he's here."
"Then what's stopping you?" Kata said, raising her arms up.
"Kata, it's very complicated."
"Grownups are complicated."
"Yes, we are."
"I won't be complicated when I'm a grownup."
Gillian had to laugh at that. She pulled Katalin into her lap and told her, "Baby, you are so cute, you know that? Your daddy is just going to love you so much."
There was a soft knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Gillian called, sitting up straight and standing Katalin up.
"Myrtle, dear, can I come in?"
"Come in."
"Gillian, you have a visitor downstairs, I told him I'd come up to get you."
"Is it..?"
"Yes."
"Could you keep an eye on Kata while I go talk to him?"
"Surely dear, now don't keep him waiting."
"Thanks, I won't be too long."
"Take as long as you want."
Gillian practically ran down the stairs to the living room.
"Whoa, slow down, Princess, you're still recuperating."
"Ryan," she said, out of breath.
"Yeah, it's me," he smiled. "How are you?"
...
"You want something to drink?" Bobby asked Kelsey.
"Uh, yeah sure, your pick," she said.
Bobby excused himself from the table and headed to the bar.
Carmen opened the door to BJ's and tentatively stepped inside. A server quickly came to her side and asked how many were in her party.
"Just one," she said quietly.
She was seated and handed a menu. She held this up and scanned the items.
Kelsey's eyes wandered around the room, looking to see if she recognized anyone. It had been a while since she had been in Pine Valley and it was strange to see so many unfamiliar faces.
Carmen lowered the menu a few inches allowing her own eyes to wander. This place had such a familiar feel to her.
Kelsey's eyes finally stopped on Carmen. They grew wide as Bobby sat down with the drinks.
"What is it?" he asked. Carmen, suddenly feeling uneasy, dropped the menu and left the restaurant.
"This lady over there, Bobby, you won't believe this, but she looked just like Maria," Kelsey said pointing to the table.
"Kels, there's no one there," he said.
"She was there just a minute ago…," she said, searching the room for the woman. "Bobby, if I didn't know that Maria was dead, I'd swear that was her."
"But it wasn't."
"I know…I just wish it could've been, I know I gave her hell, but I miss her. She's Sammy's mother and Sammy should have her, she loved him and Maddie so much. She missed out on so much with both of them, with me taking Sam and then Erica taking Maddie, and then for her to be taken away from them right when she was so happy, it's just not fair," Kelsey was near tears.
"I know it wasn't," Bobby said, trying to comfort her.
...
"Come, sit down," Ryan said, gesturing towards the couch.
"Thanks for coming, Ryan," she said, sitting down.
"No, it's my pleasure to see you. How are you doing?"
"I'm doing great, I'm all better!"
"That's good to hear."
"How are things with you?"
"Nothing that great, but I'm getting along."
"Ryan, what's wrong? You seem sad today."
"No, just mad."
"At who?"
"Myself."
"Oh. What for?"
"For getting myself into these situations, over and over again, no matter how hard I try, nothing works out for me."
"If you don't mind, what happened?"
"Well, you see, I've been living with this girl, Tracy, for a few years now."
"Pretty serious?" she asked, trying not to show her disappointment.
"Yeah. Well, her and I, we get along ok, most of the time, but lately I'm gritting my teeth each time I'm with her just to keep from screaming at her. She just doesn't understand me. She's so self-absorbed, all the time."
"Kinda like I was?" Gillian laughed remembering how she was when her and Ryan first met.
"No, you could never be like her. Ever since your accident, she's been on me constantly. Every time I called to check up on you, she's get all jealous. Every time I want to come to see you, she tries to make me stay home. It's ridiculous! So, today when she tried to stop me from coming to talk to you, I told her to just get her stuff out, I don't want to see her anymore."
"Ryan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause any trouble for you by coming back."
"Oh, Gillian, this isn't your fault at all. I don't need a girl like her. I've been wanting her out for a while now, just didn't have the heart to tell her."
"Still…"
"Still nothing, I'm glad you're here."
"Really?" she asked, looking up at him.
"Really. Gillian, I've really missed you. It's been a long time."
"I know it has. I've missed you, too."
Both were silent for a few moments.
"Ryan, do you ever think about how it might've been?"
"If we'd have stayed together? Of course."
"Like what?"
"Like by now, we'd have been married for, what? Five years? We'd probably have a little one or two scampering around. I don't know why, I always pictured us with kids. Ha, that'd be funny. Miss worldly Gillian tied down by a pack of kids."
"That is funny," she said with a little grin.
"Things would be so different."
"Yeah, they would."
"Well, it was nice talking to you, I've got to get to the station," he said, standing up.
"Oh, ok, thanks for coming, please, don't hesitate to come again."
"I won't, Princess. Bye," he told her, with a kiss on the cheek.
"Bye, Ryan," she said, waving out the door.
Upstairs, Katalin stared out the window as Ryan went to his car. "Bye Daddy," she said, sadly.