A/N: Eli has admitted to Alicia that he deleted Will's voicemail from 2010. Alicia has returned from Iowa and wants to talk. This is the first part of the story. I will update it after the weekend, just wanted to post the beginning.
What Becomes Of The Broken-Hearted (Jimmy Ruffin)
Chicago, December 2015
Angela was relaxing on the big old leather chair in her bedroom, stretching her feet out over the ottoman in front of it as she turned the page of her book. It was early evening and the light had faded long ago, so she sat in the glow of a table lamp. Her cell phone rang and she noticed the glow of the screen coming from the middle of the bed. She climbed over the ottoman and onto the bed – she always loved the fact both were so close – and grabbed the phone. Looking at the display she was surprised to see the caller ID.
"Hey," she answered, "are you back from Iowa?"
"Hi, yes, got back last night. Do you have time to talk?" Alicia sounded downcast, but her voice was urgent.
"Yeah, where do you want to meet?"
"I don't think I'm up to going out," she paused to sniff and stifle a tear, "can I come to your place?"
"Sure," Angela answered, "if it won't be too weird."
"Why would it be weird?"
Angela took a deep breath and pursed her lips before continuing, "My place is Will's place."
"What? You live in Will's old apartment?"
"Yeah, I couldn't bear to part with it. Holds a lot of memories and I helped picked it when he was house-hunting."
"No, no," Alicia replied, "it'll be fine. I have the address. What time?"
"Anytime is good for me."
"OK, see you in about half and hour. Thanks Angela."
"OK, see you soon, bye." She hung up and rolled over onto her back. She pulled the grey comforter over her body and sighed. Five minutes. She just needed five minutes. Alicia was coming to her apartment, to an apartment that used to belong to Will – a space that didn't hold any memories for him of his affair with Alicia but had been his sanctum over the proceeding years and a place that she helped both choose and decorate. She loved it here and wondered if inviting Alicia here was the right thing to do.
Angela willed herself to get up and moved towards the edge of the bed. She pushed herself off the soft mattress and turned to tidy the sheets. Walking down the hall she looked at her watch, she had fifteen minutes before Alicia arrived. She scanned the living area, it was tidy, so she decided to tidy herself instead. Looking in the bathroom mirror she brushed her hair before cleaning her teeth. She swapped her t-shirt for a black cashmere jumper, it went well with her jeans and helped to highlight the red lipstick she would soon apply. Sweeping the Coromandel across her lips she was ready for her visitor.
She chuckled as she tossed the t-shirt into the laundry, remembering her surprise when she found her long-lost shirt in Will's gym bag. It was a white Bruce Springsteen t-shirt that she had bought years ago at a concert. The front showed a picture of jeans below the message, 'Born in the USA.' As a joke Angela had written 'Made in England' to signify her mixed parentage on the back. Will always loved the fun of it and would often wear it around her apartment – or steal it for the gym!
She was still smiling when she heard a knock at her door. When she opened it, Alicia stood there looking like a ghost. She was pale, paler than usual and even though it was a winter's night she wore dark sunglasses. Angela stepped back to allow Alicia to enter; Alicia walked falteringly into the apartment scanning the main room trying to picture the few times she had been here when Will was alive. She first visited during his suspension and was amazed at the light; it was so different to his previous apartment and she felt a little jealous at the space comparing it to her own home.
"Do you want a drink? Coffee, wine, beer…?"
"Coffee, thanks," Alicia replied. "I'd forgotten how lovely this place is." Her voice trailed off as she followed Angela into the kitchen, seating herself at the counter.
"Yeah, it is great and it is much closer to the hospital than my apartment was. Although my heart wouldn't have let it go, my head also thought moving in was the most practical option."
Alicia watched Angela move swiftly between the refrigerator, tap and coffee machine as she prepared their drinks. "I can understand not wanting to let it go. Did you buy it from his family?" Angela looked at Alicia, puzzled, she titled her head to the side, "No, Will left it to me. Were you unaware of that?"
Alicia breathed out slowly, shaking her head, "No, I didn't. I assumed everything went to his family, his sisters."
Angela lent on the island counter and looked directly at the brunette. "Will left his money and share in Lockhart Gardner to his sisters. They sorted out ownership of the firm with Diane; I didn't get involved in that. Everything else, apart from what his sisters wanted – mementoes, family stuff – he willed to me. It was basically the mirror image of my will." She paused, looking up to the ceiling, "In fact I need to change it, as he's not here anymore. Thing is, apart from my Dad, I don't have anybody. No further family. No partner or kids. Anyway, yes, I sold my place and moved in here. I think if the shoe was on the other foot, Will would have sold my place and stayed here," she nodded at Alicia, but "he would have used the E-type as his everyday car!"
They both laughed before Alicia added, "I remember him coming to court in it one day and showing it off to Cary. He said he was looking after it for a friend. That was you?"
"Yeah. Technically it is my Dad's car, but I drive it as he prefers his modern Aston Martin. My paternal grandfather, who was English, bought it new in the Sixties. When my Dad moved back from Cambridge and sold his parents' house we shipped the car over the pond. It was during Will's suspension and he spent quite a bit of time driving it – handles very differently to his own convertible."
Alicia smiled, "I remember that car. It was his 'weekend car' and we used it a few times to get away when we were together. Even just getting away from the city in a different car, a sports car, made it feel fun. Almost illicit," she laughed, "guess it was," she raised her eyebrows to Angela, "so long ago…" Her voice lowered and she sighed. "Thanks," she said.
"For what? I haven't done anything."
Alicia looked up, "For making me remember the good times," she said smiling at the redhead.
"Good, I'm pleased," she said returning the beam. "I guess I'm kinda special in that I only had good times with Will. No real arguments, no problems, but that is what real friends are for. Sticking by you and telling you when you are being an idiot. Anyway, what did you want to talk about? Seemed serious." She poured coffee into two mugs and passed one to Alicia.
Alicia sighed, taking a sip of the hot liquid. "Do you remember when Peter was running for State's Attorney – the second time?"
"Yes, I do."
"Well, the night he announced his candidacy, Will left me two voicemails. One told me that he thought we should just stay friends that I was right to not want a relationship. The other," she paused, "the other included an admission of love and he said that he would give up everything for me. Did you know that?" Angela nodded. "I only heard one of them at the time – the one that told me he wanted to leave it. I didn't hear the second one. Eli Gold deleted it. He told me the day we left for the caucuses. He listened to it and didn't want my feelings or a relationship with Will getting in the way of Peter's SA run. Can you believe it? The bastard." She felt her blood pressure rise along with her voice.
You know what? I'm not just dropping this.
You wanna know my plan? My plan is I love you, okay? I've probably loved you ever since Georgetown.
So phone me.
I'll meet you anywhere, and we will make a plan.
If none of this makes sense to you, just ignore it.
No embarrassment, nothing.
We'll just go back to where things stood.
"Eli did what?" Angela couldn't believe it. She sighed and put down her cup so forcefully that coffee spilled onto the counter. "He waited you know," she bobbed her head, "he thought you would call him or talk to him. Maybe after a few days, but when it got to a week… he knew you had decided to stick with Peter."
"But I didn't!" Alicia interrupted fervently. "I didn't know I had a choice," she added, sadness in her voice.
A/N: To be continued… we hear more of this conversation and Angela's insight into Will's love for Alicia. Please review and let me know what you think/what you hope.
