"Thank you for coming." said Bridget as she lead Gina to the small booth in the back of a small diner.
"Not a problem. You said it was important." replied Gina as she sat down.
Bridget said nothing as she looked her over. She was a beautiful woman. Long brown hair. Still looked youthful. Wore stylish jeans and a pretty dark pink kaftan. On her feet were matching pink sandals. Bridget could see why Mark would want to reconnect with her. Aside from her beauty, she was a kind-hearted person.
Bridget placed her hand on the small baby bump of her
stomach. She had her child to think about as well. More than anything she wanted the baby to have its grandfather. To have him shut out of the child's life, it just wasn't right.
"Yes it is important." Bridget finally spoke. "I um I got a visit the other day."
"From who?" asked Gina.
"Mark." replied Bridget.
Gina sat frozen in place. She pursed her lips and then sighed. "What did he want?" She asked.
"He said he wanted to see both you and Deacon. He wanted to make things right."
Gina shook her head and laughed. "Make things right? After all this time...That man has got some nerve."
"He said he was sorry and that he screwed up."
"Of course he did." Gina said putting her hand to her forehead. She then put her hand down. "I thought...I can't believe..."
"Don't you want to see him?" asked Bridget. "At least talk to him?"
"No I don't." Gina said firmly. "And I don't want him near my son either."
"What about your grandchild?" stated Bridget. "I want my baby to know their grandfather."
Gina shook her head again. "No...No you don't...trust me..."
"Why? Please tell me. What happened between you and Mark?"
"It's a long story. It was a long time ago.."
"He obviously cares about you or he wouldn't have showed up..."
"Oh please!" exclaimed Gina sliding out of the booth. "If he cared he wouldn't have left me for that bitch Suzanna! That stupid smug rich whore!" She then looked at Bridget and calmed down a bit. "I'm sorry...I...I..."
"Please. What happened?"
Gina sat back down and sighed. "Okay...as you know I was a showgirl. I loved it. I love dancing. Always had. Putting on shows...it was the best time of my life. Mark was the manager of the casino/hotel that I worked at. He would always watch my shows. He told me I was spectacular dancer. Loved to watch me on the stage. We didn't really go out on a date, but we did spend a lot of time together in between the shows, talking and gambling in the casino. There was just a lot of heat between us. Physically, we were both attracted to eachother. And one night...it happened. We went up to his room and...we made love. It was one of the most incredible nights of my life. It was then that I realized, that there was more than just a physical attraction. I was in love with this man. I didn't want anyone else. And he realized it too. That's when he asked me to marry him.
So we had a small ceremony in of the wedding chapels here in Vegas. Two of my dancer friends were present along with my sister. Mark and his casino buddies were there and his brother, Craig who as you know died five years ago. It was like a dream come true. Soon after, I found out I was pregnant with Deacon. Mark was ecstatic. He couldn't wait to be a father. Then Deacon was born and that's when things started to fall apart. This woman came to Vegas. Suzanna Jackson. She was beautiful, had striking red hair, very smart, ambitious. She had her own business. A investment firm. She told Mark that he was capable of so much more than just managing a casino in Vegas. She seduced him with the idea of riches and power and wealth. Convinced him that I was leading him nowhere and she could make something of him. He fought it for awhile but she finally wore him down. The fact that he was married and had a child meant nothing to her. She didn't give a damn. Deacon and I may very well have not existed for all she cared. Mark and I fought about it all the time and then one day..he left. I got child support checks from him and never saw him again."
"Did you ever tell Deacon about this?" asked Bridget.
Gina wiped the tears from her eyes. "No I didn't. I didn't want him to know."
"Gina he had the right to know."
"No." Gina snapped. "I don't want that louse near my son. He will cause him nothing but pain."
"No I won't."
Gina looked up and saw Mark standing there. Her heartbeat quickened and she cursed herself for having that reaction. She hated that he did that to her.
Gina slid out of the booth and stood before him.
"What are you doing here?"
"I want to see you Gina." replied Mark. "I miss you."
"Miss me?" Gina scuffed. "You had years to tell me that."
"I know I did." said Mark. "After things ended with Suzanna, I thought it wasn't right of me to come waltzing back in your life. So I stayed away. But it's not like I tried to stay away from our son."
Bridget was startled. She looked at Gina than Mark. "What do you mean?"
"Nothing." Gina said wishing Mark would keep his mouth shut.
"No." Bridget said sliding out of the booth and standing up.
She turned to Mark. "What did you mean by you didn't try to stay away from your
son?"
"I would send him birthday cards every year with $50 to spend on whatever he wanted. I sent him letters and I would even said him a present for Christmas."
Bridget was stunned. Deacon never mentioned...She then looked at Gina. "You never told Deacon did you?"
Gina looked down at the floor.
"You knew that Mark was..and you allowed Deacon to think...How could you do that!" Bridget said angerly.
Gina looked up. "I was trying to protect my son."
"No you were trying to protect YOU. You were thinking about the hurt he caused YOU." snapped Bridget. "How could you keep Deacon from having a relationship with his father?"
"I didn't want her taking my son okay!" exclaimed Gina. "I didn't want Suzanna getting her hands on my son! She took my husband but I would be damned if she took my son too!" With that Gina stormed out.
Mark followed her outside trying to hail a cab. "Gina." He said.
She turned to face him. "What."
"I want you to know something. Your fear of Suzanna taking Deacon away. It wasn't far off."
"What?"
"She did want to get custody of Deacon. I told her no. I wasn't going to rip him from you. I tried to talk her into visitations and maybe every other weekend...but that wasn't good enough. I told her under no certain terms Deacon was going to remain with you. She called you a no talent whore and said Deacon would be better off with her. We had a huge fight. She accused me of still being in love with you which to be honest was and is 100% true. Suzanna was nothing like you. I thought she had class but she had no class. She is a stuck up rich bitch who cares about herself and no one else. So I left her. Two years after I moved to Connecticut with her."
Gina was stunned. "You...you mean..all this time..."
"Yes that's right. I believed I had no right to come crawling back after what I did. I thought...Gina wouldn't want me back. I walked out on her and our son. I left a note saying good-bye. You two did not deserve that. But now...I see how incredibly stupid I was. I swear to you I want to make things right with you again. I love you. I never stopped loving you and I promise you with all my heart, I will never ever leave you again."
Gina pressed her fingers to her temples. "Mark...I...this is too much to handle at once...I don't want what I'm supposed to say. I guess I should apologize for not telling Deacon about your letters and cards and everything. I should not have kept it from him. I'm sorry."
"I know." said Mark brushing her hair back from her face. "But it's not all your fault. I should have gone to see him. I should have tried to be more in his life."
Gina managed a small smile. "I guess we both fucked up."
Mark smiled. "Not completely. He did manage to find a gorgeous young woman named Bridget to share his life and have his child."
"That's true but there were two women before her that were total shit to him. I couldn't protect him. They both broke his heart and caused him great pain."
"But Bridget isn't like that."
"No she's not. She's sweet and kind and I just love her to pieces. And so does Deacon."
"I would love to get to know her." said Mark.
Gina nodded. "I know you do but that is going to depend on Deacon."
"What do you mean?" asked Mark.
"I think it's time we told him the truth. He's not going to be very happy with me and probably not with you either but he deserves to know that his father did love him and care about him. And I think it would be best if I spoke to him first. I will let him know you are in town. But Mark...don't be surprised if he says he doesn't want to see you."
He nodded. "I know but I should at least try to see him."
"He owns the Lucky Hearts club. You could try seeing him there. But please...let me talk to him first."
"Okay."
Gina sighed to herself. This was not going to be an easy talk. Not by a long shot.

Hour later at Lucky Hearts

Gina walked in and looked around. As usual, she felt a sense of pride. Deacon did a remarkable job and she was very proud of him. She scanned the room and found him sitting at a table looking over some papers. She walked over to where he was.
"Hello Deacon." She greeted.
He looked up. "Mom." He said surprised.
"What brings you here? I thought you were in L.A.?"
"I was but something came up. I had to come back to Vegas."
"Oh what was it?"
Gina sat down. "I don't know how to tell you this...gee there's a cliche'...Okay here goes..your father is in town."
Deacon stared at his mother. Did he hear her correctly? His father?
"He wants to see you." Gina continued. "And I think you should."
Deacon set the papers aside. "I see. And why may I ask should I see him?"
"Because Deacon...he cares about you. He loves you."
"Oh really? So that's why he left? Because he cares about me?"
"There's something you don't know...You see..."
"I don't want to hear it." Deacon said standing up. "I don't want to see him. I don't care what his excuses are."
"Listen to me." said Gina firmly. "It is not all his fault. It's mine too. God...you are going to hate me for this but...Deacon...he...when you were growing up...your father sent you birthday cards and letters. I never gave them to you."
Deacon was taken aback. Letters? Birthday cards? His father sent..."What?"
"When he left, he hurt me a great deal. I didn't want him to come into your life and...I was selfish okay? I didn't think of you. It thought of me and I didn't want that bitch to take you from me. I thought if Mark was in your life...you would want to live with him and then that Suzanna would seek custody...I couldn't lose you. So I kept him out of your life. I'm sorry. I swear to you I am. It was wrong. I know it. Deacon...please please I don't punish your father for what I did. Please talk to him. See him. He does love you."
Deacon looked at his mother and said nothing. He was about to storm out when he ran smack in Mark.
"Hello son." greeted Mark.
"Son?" replied Deacon. "You have a lot of nerve calling me that."
"You are my son no matter what." said Mark.
"What do you want?" asked Deacon. "Why are you showing up after all this time?"
"I saw in the paper that you married Bridget Forrester. And I heard she was pregnant. It was
then I realized what I was missing. Yes, I should have tried to contact you sooner but when I never got a response back to the letters I sent...I figured you didn't want to have anything to do with me. But now that I have a grandchild on the way...Please give me a chance. I want to be a part of your life. I want to be your father."
"You had years to try to be my father and you didn't. You just expect me to just allow..."
"No I don't expect...I want you to consider it. I want you to think about it. I understand that you are angry with me. I know I was a louse for walking out like I did. I'm not perfect. I made mistakes. I want to make up for what I did. Can you at least give me a chance to do that?"