Checking In With Another Friend-Part II

"Well, how about that?" Phyllis asks amused. "It was nice to see Amanda reach out to you." She raises her eyebrow.

"Yeah, I haven't really heard from her in a bit," Nate remarks, a bit surprised but pleased that Amanda had called him. "You know ever since she went away, I really haven't talked to her that much." He makes a gesture with his hands. "I mean she did come back home for the birth of Kenny, but she didn't stay." He shrugs. "And now that she's tied up in her family drama, back in Madison, I wasn't sure when I would really get to talk to her again."

A thoughtful look comes across his face. "But she was concerned about Lily." He tells Phyllis. "And she wanted to make sure she was okay. And even offered her legal services if she needs it."

Phyllis nods. "Yeah, that was nice of her." She then gives Nate a mischievous look.

"What's that look for?" He asks.

"Maybe she also missed talking to you." Phyllis muses. "Her kind, caring handsome guy friend, who was one of her biggest supporters when she first came to town. And one of her first friends." Phyllis shrugs. "Well in addition to me of course."

"I do miss our friendship." Nate confesses. "And I wish she hadn't left, but…" He makes a face. "It's what she wanted to do."

"Was it though?" Phyllis asks and then stops before she says too much.

"What do mean?" Nate asks. "Amanda said she felt like she needed to get out of GC." Nate states. "She felt like things ran her course with her here." He shakes his head. "Now, I didn't agree with that and tried to convince her to stay…, but it was her choice." He touches his face for a moment thinking. "I guess after the stuff that happened with Ripley and Billy…"

"But that drama with them had been subsided before she left town…" Phyllis reminds him.

"Yeah, but maybe it had lingering effects and she just wanted to go back home." He shrugs again. "I don't know why she left, but I do know I miss her." He replies earnestly. "And I hope she at least comes back to visit."

Phyllis makes a face, when he says this. She thought for a moment about conversations she had in the past with Amanda and felt like she knew a big reason why she'd left GC. But she figured Amanda didn't want her to say anything about that to anyone else. Especially Nate.

"Yeah, maybe she will. It would be so nice to see her again." Phyllis says.

Nate nods and smiles. "Yeah, it would. I hope she comes back." He says optimistically.

"Yeah me too." Phyllis agrees with him smiling. They talk a bit more and then they get ready to bid each other bye."

"We're going out dancing again." Phyllis informs him.

Nate makes a face.

"We're going to find you a woman. And I don't care how many times we have to go dancing or go to some sort of event to make that happen." She tells him.

He shakes his head. "What am I going to do with you?" He asks laughing.

"Be grateful for me..." She whispers. He laughs. They then talk for a little more and then he bids her good-bye promising to meet up with her again later. After he leaves, Phyllis pulls out her phone thinking.

"I will help you find love, and maybe now that will be even easier than I thought." She then heads home.

Later that evening, Phyllis looks at her phone thinking about her conversation from earlier with Nate. She contemplates whether she should make a phone call. Just then her phone rings and she smiles when she sees who it is.

"Hello, girl." She greets Amanda on the other line.

"Hey Phyllis. Sorry, I haven't talked to you in a while." Amanda apologizes.

"Yeah, I know you've been entangled with family business and drama…" Phyllis states knowingly. "And I totally get all of that. I do." She says. "Though, you still could have kept in more contact with your girl…"

"Yeah, I know but you know how things go…" Amanda says on the other line.

"I do. And at least you reached out to Nate today." Phyllis remarks slyly on the other line.

Amanda makes a face. "Yes, I reached out to him, because I... well I wanted to check in about Lily."

"Un-huh…" Phyllis replies a bit skeptical. "But it's not like you were completely in the dark about her. Your sister and Devon told you about her."

"Yeah, but I just wanted to check in on her…" Amanda states.

"Which is why you called Nate."

"He is her cousin. And he attended to her after the attack."

"Yes, he did. Him and Elena." Phyllis tells her.

"Yeah, so I just wanted to check in on her and…"

"And it was nice of you to talk to Nate again." Phyllis remarks coyly.

"Phyllis…"

"What? I'm just making an observation. That's all." Phyllis insists smiling on the other line. "An innocent observation."

"You don't do a lot of things innocently." Amanda replies knowingly on the other line.

"Maybe not but… hmmm, you know I'm glad you felt compelled to call him." Phyllis states. "Especially after the conversations him and I have had lately about him finding love with a new lady."

Amanda makes a face, when Phyllis says that about Nate. "Oh, he's met someone?" She asks curiously. "I mean I know that things didn't work out with him and Elena."

Phyllis nods. "No, they didn't. He fell for her, but that situation ended up being complicated." Phyllis reminds her. "I mean you know. You were around for a lot of it."

Amanda frowns. "Yeah, and I wish, I could have been I don't know more helpful to Nate in that situation…" Amanda expresses sincerely.

"But you were, you were a shoulder for him to lean on." Phyllis reminisces. "Even though, you were also dealing and then coming out of your own drama with Ripley and Billy."

"Yeah, those two." Amanda rolls her eyes. "Big regrets there on both ends."

"Yeah, but you smartened up and found a way to deal with those situations."

"Ripley going to jail, helped." Amanda admits dryly.

"Yes, it did and thankfully you don't have to worry about him anymore." Phyllis comments gratefully. "But like I said you smartened up and tried to be there for Nate. You two became closer and you realized that Nate is…"

"Phyllis, let's not…"

"Why are you afraid of speaking the truth?" Phyllis asks.

"He fell in love with Elena and I had so much baggage. Still do with my family situation, and I just..." Amanda sighs. "He deserves a woman that doesn't come with a complicated situation." Amanda sighs again. "And it seems like that's what he's been getting."

"First him and Abby end up breaking things off, because she feels they are too different and then he falls for Elena and she ends up pushing him away, probably because she felt guilty about hurting Devon."

"Though that totally worked out for Devon in the end." Phyllis remarks. "It's amazing what has happened to him and how he's been able to get the family he's wanted."

Amanda smiles. "Yeah it did, but still Nate's been hurt multiple times by women..." She throws her hand up. "He doesn't need a woman with a complicated past…"

"Let him decide what he needs." Phyllis suggests. "You know even before I became friends with Nate, I always thought you two would be a good match for each other. And I still think you would be. And I know you think the same…."

"Phyllis, uh… I have got to go." Amanda says getting a bit uncomfortable.

"He may end up thinking the same too." Phyllis says. "He's open to finding love again. I've promised to help him find the best woman for him." She reveals to Amanda. "And you calling today, may have made that job easier for me…"

"Well, that's nice you want to help him. I hope you guys find success with that." Amanda responds a bit halfheartedly.

Phyllis laughs. "Right. I don't know how much I buy that."

"Nate's a wonderful man. And he deserves a good woman. And I sincerely hope he finds her."

Phyllis purses her lips. "I do too. And maybe she's right underneath his nose. Maybe she needs to tell him about her feelings…"

"Okay, yeah definitely time to go…" Amanda repeats again.

"I know how you were feeling about him Amanda." Phyllis tells her knowingly. "And if you still feel the same, you can say something to him. You can call him. Or better yet just come back to GC…"

"I don't know when I'm coming back there." Amanda says unsure.

"Come back home with your sister…" Phyllis suggests.

"I don't know Phyllis; I'm still needed here to sort out things with the estate."

Phyllis rolls her eyes. "You're just going to keep using that as an excuse."

"It's important." Amanda insists.

"I know it is and so is your happiness." Phyllis reminds her. "And I'm not sure you've put your happiness first in well... forever."

Amanda sighs thinking about Phyllis words.

"You know I'm right." Phyllis remarks to her. "But I don't want to keep you too long." She shrugs. "I've got plans with my business and helping Nate find the best woman for him."

Amanda frowns. "You are serious about helping him do that?" She questions.

"I am." Phyllis comments firmly. "And since you have taken yourself out of the running, I'm going to have to find him someone else." A mischievous smile breaks out across her lips. "I've gotten to know Nate and he's a really good man. And he's become a dear friend…"

Amanda raises her eyebrows and a thought hits her. "Are you interested in him like that?" She probes.

Phyllis turns her head to the side. "I care about him, but I don't think I'm his type. And we work really well as friends." Phyllis remarks honestly. "And I'm actually digging the single life right now, so no I'm not putting myself in the running."

"Oh…" Amanda remarks on the other line.

"You're relieved about that aren't you?" Phyllis laughs.

"Uh…"

"I wouldn't do you like that." Phyllis assures her. "Like I said I know how you feel about him. And you're my friend and I look out for my friends. Which is why I'm going to continue to bug you about coming back to GC."

Amanda rolls her eyes and then smiles. "Yeah, I can see you doing that."

"Well, anyways, I'm going to let you go." Phyllis says to her. "Since you have all of that family business, you have to attend to." Phyllis then smooths out her dress with her hand.

"But I am going to keep up with you and will be checking in on you again. So, this conversation isn't over." She warns Amanda smiling.

"It never is with you, Phyllis." Amanda smiles. "It was nice talking to you. Talk to you later."

"Talk to you later, girl, have a good night." Phyllis hangs up the phone and then smiles, hoping that she had planted seeds in Amanda's mind about coming back to GC.