tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40767774373979337422024-03-13T11:08:44.390-07:00Pahala ShoreApple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4076777437397933742.post-24423130187613208002015-09-02T18:16:00.001-07:002015-09-02T18:16:00.875-07:00Episode 38<div style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Episode 38</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika looked up from her desk as Willis approached. She had finally made a decision and had asked the man to meet her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Erika, darling, you wished to discuss my proposition?” Willis asked confidently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika nodded and decided to simply go the short route, “I’m declining. Thank you for the offer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What?! You’re declining! Do you realize what I am offering you?” Willis asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika nodded, she had asked herself the same question once she reached her conclusion after many sleepless nights. “I’ve decided to persue other opportunities.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Is someone offering you more? How is that possible?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika smiled, “He’s offering me love and I am actually on my way to meet him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Willis smiled. “Ah, love. I guess I can not compete with that. Well, in that case, good luck my darling. I hope he is everything you desire and more.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Thank you, Willis. I hope things work out with you as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I’m sure they will, there are not too many women on the island willing to turn down a fortune in the pursuit of love, but I commend you. Now hurry up, don’t keep the young man waiting.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika rushed into the diner and grabbed Kevin in a passionate embrace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Wow!” Kevin breathed collapsing into his seat. “What a greeting!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika smiled. “I’m so happy and content. Everything is falling into place right now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“How so?” Kevin asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Well, we’re getting married.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“We are?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Of course, silly. I love you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What about…about the other offer?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I turned him down. Told him I was following love.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Wow, if I had known that was why you were so excited I would have saved you a trip.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Huh? What are you talking about?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I’ve been thinking…about us. I love you, I really do, but the more I think about it the more I realize that we would never work together as a married couple. We value different things and our ambitions are not equal. In fact, they’re opposite.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What does this-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Basically, I couldn’t be married to a woman willing to enter into a marriage of convenience for money. I mean, what else would she be willing to compromise for the sake of an extra simolean? “<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“So you don’t want to marry me anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I want to marry you, I really do, but I can’t. We would be so unhappy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“So, where does that leave us?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I don’t know. I know that I can’t date you anymore, I love you too much and the temptation would be too strong to try and make you my wife. I don’t even know if we can be friends still, my desire for you is that powerful that I don’t trust my emotions around you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Why not just follow your emotions?” Erika asked pleadingly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I really can’t, we wouldn’t be happy. In fact, I need to go. I’m sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Kevin stumbled getting up and grabbed Erika into a hug. “I do love you, that’s why I have to go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika watched as tears threatened to spill over as Kevin walked out of the diner…and out of her life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lani stared at the pile of suitcases near the door of the condo, her heart was heavy and her mind clouded. Things had happened so fast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“You don’t have to go.” She whispered as Russel placed another bag by the door.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yes, I do.” He responded. “You deserve happiness and if happiness is without me, then so be it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“But it’s not!” Lani wailed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Don’t worry about the diner,” Russel answered. “I don’t renege my promises. I will continue to financially support the diner and the condo is yours as long as you want it. It’s paid for and the bills are handled directly from my account.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Russel, don’t-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I have to, Lani. I can’t stay here, loving you so desperately and watch as you run to the arms of another man. I have to leave.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">BEEEEPPP!!!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“That’s the taxi,” Russel said. “I have to go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">He swept her into his arms and held her tight. “I will miss you so much, I hope that one day you’ll see that I did love you. Perhaps I didn’t show it in the right way, but I did love you the best way I knew how.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Russel, please don’t go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Don’t ask me to stay, I can’t bear it.” He answered releasing her and grabbing his bags.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lani followed and stood motionless as he packed the taxi. Her limbs wouldn’t move as he took a seat and waved at her. They still would not move as the vehicle drove down the lane and Russel exited her life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“But don’t you get frustrated at times?” Sierra asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Sometimes, but I call my mentor when it’s gets really bad and I make sure to use my support system. Each day gets a little easier.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sierra nodded, soaking the advice in. Ever since that meeting, she and Donna would meet sometimes to discuss her road to recovery and each time she would leave with more hope of recovering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What about-?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Arial;">RIIINNNG!!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Sorry,” Sierra said glancing at the phone in her pocket. “I have to take this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Hello?” she asked walking towards a corner of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Sierra?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“You have to come back home quickly, grandfather is dying!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Opal glanced around the hall and quickly opened her locker. There it was, the small folded sheet of paper. She unfolded the creases and smoothed it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Good move-ur sekrets safe wift me<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Opal gingerly smiled, thankful that the whole ordeal was over. She couldn’t bear facing her disappointed teammates again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Opal, I’m glad I found you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Opal stuffed the paper into the locker and slammed it shut. “You found me, coach. What can I do for you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Well, it’s more of a question of what you haven’t been doing for me. Your performance lately has been letting down the team, the school and yourself. You’re better than that. What’s going on?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Nothing.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I was afraid of that.” She frowned. “If nothing is truly going on, then I must accept that your recent performance is not due to external factors and that you hold sole responsibility. Which then leads me to make the best decision for the team. I’m afraid that you are no longer the captain of the team, effective immediately. Dalma will be replacing you starting the next practice, I expect you to give her your full support.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Opal gulped, fighting back tears. “Yes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Great. Have a good weekend.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Opal squeezed her eyes shut as the steps of her coach receded. She had lost her position as captain, all because of-<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Ah, there you are.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Opal turned to face her idol, the man that could make her a star. She smiled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I’ll make this quick since I have another meet to attend. I am no longer considering you for the team, obviously your recent performance has been nothing short of a disappointment. I wish you all the luck in the future. Goodbye.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Opal felt her knees weakened. She had lost a spot on the nationals, she was no longer captain and all her dreams were very quickly deteriorating before her eyes. In addition, she was the only one to blame.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nailah watched as Donna turned a few knobs and flipped a few switches on the monitors surrounding her daughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“How long will..will”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Not long.” Donna answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Will it…hurt.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“No, she’ll simply…go to sleep.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nailah blinked back tears as Donna quietly exited the room, she watched her daughter lay in the tiny bed and watched the nearby monitor slow down and finally…stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Only then, once the screen was black, once her daughter was cold, did she allow herself to cry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Thanks for coming,” Nailah whispered to Donna as they watched the final shovelfuls of dirt cover the casket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Of course.” Donna choked, painfully aware of her own red-rimmed eyes and the matching eyes all around the little site. She hated losing patients, but she knew that the rhythm of life consisted of beats and silences. She just really really really disliked the silences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nailah knelt down over the fresh mound of dirt and placed Justice’s favorite doll. “Goodbye, sweetheart. Mommy loves you so much.” She said wiping at her tears, leaving fresh streaks of mud on her face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Do you want us to drive you to the house?” Missy asked her mourning friend.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nailah shook her head, “No. I’ll think I’ll walk.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The crowd slowly disappeared leaving the young mother and her child alone for their final words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nailah dropped the scissors on the bathroom floor as the knocks pounded again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Are you sure you’re ok?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yes! I’m almost done!” she shouted back, her toes covered with strands of hair. She leaned into the mirror and caressed her head and the tiny wisps of hair covering it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yes,” she whispered. “Now I’m ready.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p><img border="0" src="http://www.freewebs.com/pahalashore/SeasonFive/Episode38/e38s20.jpg" /></o:p></span></div>
Apple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4076777437397933742.post-38745319619373992762015-09-02T18:15:00.002-07:002015-09-02T18:15:32.006-07:00Episode 37<div style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Episode 37</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Randy rushed into the shelter looking frantically around. The call had came a hour before and he needed to see his baby girl at this very moment. It had only been a few days, but it seemed like years. Years of combing every beach, every hospital, calling friends and walking around the island in search of Carli. Now, it would end, if only he could find her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Randy! She’s in here!” Missy called, bringing him back from his frantic nightmare.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Randy rushed into the open room and saw his daughter sitting on a couch, staring at her hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Carli!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Daddy!” she cied before running into his arms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Carli! We missed you so much!” Missy said as the teen stepped out of her father’s embrace. “Why did you leave?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I didn’t want to be sent away!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“We’re not sending you away,” Randy interjected. “We did the research, the school sounds like a great place for the remainder of your education.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Your father chose a great school for you to attend, because he loves you. Like my parents loved me and sent me to a boarding school when the schools nearby were not good enough for their little girl.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p><img border="0" src="http://www.freewebs.com/pahalashore/SeasonFive/Episode37/e37s3.jpg" /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“You went to boarding school?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yes, it was the best time of my life if I do say so. You will enjoy the school, it even as a nationally ranked tennis program.” Missy added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Really?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Randy nodded. “I’m sorry for not including you in the decision making process, I need to learn that you are on your way to becoming an adult. It won’t happen again”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Thanks daddy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“So these are the numbers that first drew my attention to the problem,” Meka said as he and Lani sipped drinks over the accounting records. He had made a few changes in the book to support his plan and he could see that she was very close to taking action about Russel’s alleged stealing. He only had to push a bit more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Lani!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Meka groaned as the man walked into the diner. Lani grinned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Hello,” she said wary of why he rushed into the diner with such a big smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I have fantastic news!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I was offered a contract with the agency.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“That’s great.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“They want me to go to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Crystal</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Springs</st1:placename></st1:place> for a long-term project. I want you to go as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lani’s mouth dropped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“How dare you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“How dare you steal from the diner and then have the audacity to ask me to move to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Crystal</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Springs</st1:placename></st1:place> with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What are you talking about?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“So you were planning on telling me when?” Roxy asked staring at Jamal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I was going to tell you, but it just became bigger and bigger.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Roxy sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Honest. When we met on the cruise, I was celebrating my offer from the label. I didn’t want to tell you and then you date me because of where you thought I might be going. The business is tough and you could be offered a contract one moment and then the next, the company could go bankrupt. So I made up this alter ego for my career and then I never got around to clarifying the issue.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Never got around to it?” Roxy gasped. “We’ve been dating this long and you never thought to say, by the way, I’m a singer and a mildly successful one at that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I know, I was wrong. I have no excuse. I shouldn’t have kept it a secret, but it went on for so long that I couldn’t tell you either. Please forgive me.” Jamal pleaded wrapped his arms around Roxy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I don’t know, how can I be sure that there are no more secrets.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“This is it, I swear.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Roxy grinned, she couldn’t stay mad at him for long. “Ok, all is well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“The taxi is here!” Carli screamed running down the hall. “It’s here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Randy grinned at Missy as they watched the teen gather her last minute things. Carli had made a drastic change for the better concerning the school, especially after talking to the tennis coach on the phone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Hey! Don’t I get a hug or something?” Randy asled as his daughter lunged for the door.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yes, of course. I was just opening the door to let in some fresh air.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Or was it that you are so excited that you were going to leave without your things.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“No way, I couldn’t start the semester without these things.” Carli giggled. “I’m going to miss you, daddy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“You’ll be home for the holidays, and we’ll visit.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Missy opened her arms for the teen, “I’m going to miss you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I’ll miss you too. Take care of daddy while I’m gone.” The teen teased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Of course.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Thanks again…for everything.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“You enjoy yourself. Don’t work too hard.” Missy whispered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">After the driver had loaded Carli’s things in the trunk, Randy and Missy stood on the curb of the street watching their daughter disappear into the horizon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What are you talking about?” Russel hissed hoping Meka couldn’t hear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“You’ve been stealing from the diner. Admit it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Why would I steal from the diner when I’m investing in the diner?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“The numbers don’t lie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“The numbers…? Ah, Meka showed you something in the books, did he? It must be true if precious Meka said it’s true.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lani tensed her lips in anger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Well, I may be a fool in love, but I’m not a fool. I refuse to sit here and allow that man to spread lies about me. Even worse, you believe him. How could you actually think that after investing all my money into this place, helping you keep it afloat that I would steal from it? I guess you actually didn’t think, did you? Meka said it was so and you accepted it. Well, I’m done with this. Obviously you still have feelings for him and I’m fed up with playing second fiddle when I’m supposed to be your man. All I did was try to love you the way you deserve, try to show you how much I care, but instead I get this! I refuse to compete with that man anymore. I know that he won and I lost. Forget about <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Crystal</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Springs</st1:placename></st1:place>. I’m leaving Pahala.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lani watched as he stalked out the door and felt the rush of tears come to her eyes. How could she be such a fool. He was right, she still had feelings for Meka, but now she realized that she had even stronger feelings for Russel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“It’s ok…” Meka said rubbing her shoulder.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lani jerked away. “Don’t touch me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Wha-what?!?” Meka asked. This wasn’t part of the plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“You! You got what you wanted huh! You destroyed our relationship! I can’t believe I was so stupid!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Lani, you got it all wrong.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p><img border="0" src="http://www.freewebs.com/pahalashore/SeasonFive/Episode37/e37s20.jpg" /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“No, you got it wrong! Get out! You’re fired! You will no longer be my accountant, and don’t bother speaking to me when we pass on the street!” She screamed before running to the back office in tears.</span></div>
Apple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4076777437397933742.post-27443069677192664232015-09-02T18:14:00.001-07:002015-09-02T18:14:15.341-07:00Episode 36<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;"><strong>Episode 36</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sierra sat down in the class and looked around.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Many of the same participants were there, but the facilitator was missing. She sighed and restlessly gnawed her fingernails. She didn’t want to be here, but she didn’t want to be expelled either and the way things were looking, the board wouldn’t be very lenient about keeping her in the program.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Finally the door opened and Sierra watched in awe as Donna walked in the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">What is she doing now? Spying on me?</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Hello, my name is Donna. I’m filling in for your facilitator.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Hello, Donna.” The room echoed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I am an addict, pain pills are my drug of choice. It’s been 2,435 days since my last relapse and it’s still a day by day process.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sierra could barely keep her mouth closed, Donna…an addict?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Would the circle like to share?” Donna continued, leading the recovery group in their routine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Erika walked into the modern condo and bit her lip to keep from gasping. Willis’s beach house was amazing, the views of the surrounding ocean, the endless wood floors, expensive art work and even a staff to call its own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Wow, this is really nice.” Erika said as Willis lead her to the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I’m glad you like it, would you like a drink, some dessert?” Willis asked seating her in a comfortable stool in the kitchen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Erika smiled as a young man placed a plate of chocolate goodies in front of her. “You even have a cook?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Willis’ face wrinkled in confusion, “A cook? O, no… this is <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Leon</st1:country-region></st1:place>… I… well, we might as well ask her now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Leon</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> nodded and forced a smile for Erika.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">She looked between both men as the writing on the wall became clearer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“You’re- ”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Yes, and we would like you to marry me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What?!?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“It’s well known that I’m worth a small fortune, what’s not known is that I don’t have access to over half of that fortune until I marry. I need a discreet wife, one who will keep my secret.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“That doesn’t sound too fair for the wife, especially in the uh… bedroom.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Willis laughed. “That’s what I like about you, to the point. My wife would be free to entertain her lovers, however they too must be discreet and she must present the front of a devoted wife to the public, meaning her lover, like mine, must be hidden away. In return, she has access to my fortune, my property and of course will be maintained even after my death.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Wow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“So…will you marry us?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Uh… I …”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Take your time, think about it.” Willis assured, “for now, how about that drink?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna sat down and tried her best to formulate the words to be as tactful as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">After a few moments in silence, Nailah spoke up. “It’s a losing battle, isn’t it?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna nodded and Nailah started to weep. “I’m sorry, Justice isn’t getting better and now the machines are doing 90% of the work for her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Nailah nodded. “Now what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna took a deep breath. “Have you considered organ donation?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Nailah shrugged, “Not really.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna pushed some brochures towards the young woman. “Read these, they tell you a little bit about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“When do you need a decision?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Soon,” Donna spoke. “We have to… obtain the organs very shortly after… after…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Nailah gulped, “and that’s soon right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna nodded, not willing to tell her that it was sooner than she thought since the machines were basically living for her little girl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I’ll let you know tomorrow.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Opal fumbled with the lock of the locker, trying to calm herself down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">It was a few hours before the meet and she needed to focus since Central Isle wasn’t going to lose again so easily after being beat the first time. She reached for her towel and noticed a folded paper drop to the floor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What’s this? Another coupon for pizza?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Opal opened the note:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'AmerType Md BT';">I kno what u did 2 d babiy. Loz the meat or elsey<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Opal gulped and crumbled the paper. <i>This can’t be happening, not now.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Opal struggled to keep back tears, she was up and either she did her best or…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">She shook her head and scanned the audience, she couldn’t take any chances, the blackmailer could be in the audience right now, but who? Who would know and who would want her to lose?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">She didn’t have much time to think before the start whistle blew, forcing her to act.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Opal rubbed her face in despair and walked into the silent locker room. The team had left already, many of them avoiding her and she would have done the same if one of them had failed so miserably. What started off as her best year ever was looking suspiciously like it would be the worst year of her life… no, the second worst year of her life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Erika smiled as she entered the diner. She waved to Lani as the woman greeted other customers and joined Kevin at the small table.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“How was your trip?” he asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Erika blushed, “it was ok.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“How did he take the news?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Uh…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Don’t answer that, it doesn’t matter. It’s in the past and this,” Kevin continued pushing a small box towards her, “is our future.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Erika gulped, this could not be happening…again. She flipped the box opened and confirmed her suspicions with one glance at the small ring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Will you marry me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“O, Kevin…” Erika sighed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Well?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I… I …” Erika smiled, realizing that this was indeed very perfect. “Do you know that Willis proposed to me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Kevin gulped, “what did you say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Erika gave him a brief synopsis of the weekend. “This is great! You could move into the condo and we could call you my assistant and you could go everywhere with me. We would have access to everything, houses, cars, money, everything we would ever want.”<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Kevin frowned, “Let me make sure I understand. You will enter a marriage of convenience and I would join you and your pseudo husband and his lover in some sort of arrangement of deception. I can not be seen romantically with you in public and you could never acknowledge us. Correct?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Egh… it’s not quite like that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Sounds like it to me.” Kevin said standing up. “Listen, I want you and all of you. I don’t want to pretend to be or not be something. So if you change your mind about this whole marriage of convenience thing, call me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">With that, he stalked out the diner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“O, great.” Erika sighed.</span></div>
Apple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4076777437397933742.post-74098644590145773382015-09-02T18:13:00.001-07:002015-09-02T18:13:45.311-07:00Episode 35<div style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Episode 35</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Carli sat down between her parents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Am I in trouble?” She asked, noting their serious expressions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“No,” Randy reassured her. “We just wanted to discuss some things with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Carli nodded, “ok.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“We decided that you’re going to boarding school.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What?!?” Carli screamed and turned to her stepmother. “He’s not serious is he?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Well…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I get in one accident and you send me away! Daddy how could you!?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“We’re not sending you away, honey. We think that your education would be better at this school and you’ll be prepared for college.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yea right! Gosh, this is a shock! My own daddy sending me away-like I was some step-child!” she screamed before stomping out of the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Randy looked over at Missy and shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Missy rolled her eyes and sighed. “You’re a counselor, couldn’t you have eased her into the idea?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Erg…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Meka stood near the entrance of the diner, waiting as Lani finished up inventory in the back. Things were not going well, she should have succumbed to him by now and gotten rid of that model boy toy of hers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">He needed a fool-proof plan, no more subtle hints and late nights pouring over imaginary crisises in the books. He needed Lani back in his life and in his bed, well… at least out of Russel’s life and in his bed. He still wasn’t sure about the relationship thing, but it bugged him that she preferred Russel to him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Russel, that idiot model boy-toy. He was determined that once again, Russel would be on the short end of the stick, just like in high school. Right now that meant tearing Lani away from him… but how. He was taking care of all her needs with his big paychecks and rumor had it that he had returned to the modeling world, which meant even bigger paychecks coming in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Meka grinned as a plan shaped in his mind. He watched the pieces tumble into place and knew that he had to act tonight. Thankfully there were a few minutes before Lani would finish inventory, leaving him enough time to act.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Roxy entered the hotel. She hated spying but she couldn’t help it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Thankfully, the tracking device she slipped inside Jamal’s bracelet gave her more than enough information, but she never expected him in a hotel on the mainland. Her blood boiled as she thought of the woman that he was possibly meeting here. But first she had to get around the large line of people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Excuse me?” she asked a passing maid. “Have you seen this man?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Roxy flipped a photo to the maid, just like Erika suggested since hotel administration was usually very protective of their guests whereabouts whereas the cleaning staff didn’t care.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Get in line like the rest of the fans.” She said flipping the photo back and pushing her cart along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial;">Get in line?</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Roxy thought, just as a piercing scream filled the lobby.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Omigoodness!!! I love you music!!! You’re sooo hottt and the songs are sooo hottt!!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Roxy peered near the head of the line and her heart stopped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Jamal!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Missy calmly rubbed the last of the seasoning over the fish as Randy mumbled in the corner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Carli was giving him the silent treatment and Missy had to admit that if she was in the teen’s shoes she would probably do the same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As Missy started grilling the fish, Randy attacked the dirty counter next to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What did the counter ever do to you?” Missy asked as he threw the sponge onto the surface.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Why won’t she listen to me? I’m not sending her away, but she’s too smart for that school she’s at now. She’ll do much better on the mainland in boarding school.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Perhaps if you put it that way instead of ‘we’re sending you to boarding school’ she may have listened a bit more.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I did screw up, didn’t I?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Missy nodded. “Yea, but you have a chance to fix it. Go talk to her for a few moments while I set the table. She might listen a bit now… and take the brochure with you so she can look over it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Randy nodded and kissed his wife, “you’re so smart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“That’s why you married me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Missy started setting the table and dropped the forks as she heard a crash in the hallway followed by running footsteps. Her breathing strained as she tried not to jump to conclusions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“She’s gone!” Randy said running into the kitchen with a small note. “She ran away!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lani sat at the table massaging her neck, these late night accounting appointments were draining her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">She wished she had an office manager to handle those things for her. Finally Meka came in with the books, hopefully they would end early tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Why didn’t you just tell me Lani?” Meka asked as he sat down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Tell you what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Tell my that I was wasting my time doing these books. Did you want to get caught?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What? What are you talking about?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“The numbers are off. Look at this.” He said shoving a report towards her. “The revenues are off and the income and expenses are not adding up. I can only think of one thing to explain it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What? Just tell me what’s going on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“You’re stealing from the diner.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“That’s insane.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“That’s what I think as well, but no one has access to your accounts, so it’s either you… or Russel.”</span></div>
Apple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4076777437397933742.post-43742864411554007682015-09-02T18:12:00.003-07:002015-09-02T18:12:52.867-07:00Episode 34<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Episode 34 </span></strong> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna looked at the screen in despair. The results were not very encouraging for the little girl. Donna sighed, she hated that this was happening. She didn’t want anyone to experience this, especially not Justice whom she considered like a niece, especially given how close the little girl had came to actually becoming her niece.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">She stared at the blue screen again, willing the waves to tell a different story, but she should know better by now. The machines never lie, especially when you wanted them to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Nailah looked up as Donna walked into the tiny room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“How are you today, Nailah?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Nailah smiled. “I’m doing well. How’s Justice? Is she getting better. She hasn’t woken up yet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna bit her lip, an action that failed to go unnoticed by Nailah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What is it? What’s going on?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna swallowed. “Justice’s condition is deteriorating. Her brain function is lower and her body isn’t responding to the treatment.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What does that mean?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I… I’m not sure at the moment. There’s only one more treatment that we can try. If she doesn’t improve…” she trailed off looking at the little girl laying motionless in the crib.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“She’ll get better. She has to.” Nailah affirmed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sierra walked in the large room and quietly took a seat in the back, well what could be regarded as the back considering the chairs were arranged in a circle. The room hummed with quiet tones of participants greeting each other. A few of them sent smiles and waves her way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Let’s begin,” a quiet woman spoke to the diverse crowd. “We have some new faces, welcome to the group. Believe me when I say that this group will be an important part of your recovery.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sierra groaned. She did not want to be here. A few pills and now everyone thought she was an addict. Worse, an addict in need of recovery!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">She continued to fume as participants went around the circle sharing their stories and their triumphs. She didn’t belong here. She wasn’t an addict, she didn’t have a problem. Yea so Taco Stan sitting next to her overdosed three times before he detoxed and was drug free for six months now, but she wasn’t like that. She could quit anytime she wanted. A simple fainting spell and now she was labeled an addict.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Are you alright?” the facilitator asked in her direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sierra growled, “I don’t belong here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Are you in the wrong group? This is-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I know what this is!” She screamed standing up. “I don’t belong here! I’m not a druggie! I took a few pills so what! I don’t need to be here!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">With those words she darted out the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Sierra, would you care to explain why you didn’t attend the group meetings I signed you up for?” Donna asked glaring at the woman on the other side of the desk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I don’t belong there. I don’t need to be there. It’s stupid.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Stupid?” Donna allowed the word to roll over her tongue. “The group is a lot of things, but stupid isn’t one of them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I am not an addict.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“You were popping pills for the entire semester. You overdosed and fainted. You were close to death. What do you call that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sierra glared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Listen, there is no such thing as recreational drug use. Once the drug controls you, you are an addict. Didn’t you try to stop taking the pills?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sierra nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“But you couldn’t. You didn’t think you’d survive without the pills, without the feeling it gave you, the strength you thought you gained.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sierra nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Go back to the group. That’s not a request. If you fail to attend the group regularly the board will expel you from the school. The only thing between the angry board members and your dismissal letter are these groups. The board didn’t want to give you that chance, but once I convinced them of your potential and past success as a medical student, they saw things my way. Now, I didn’t put my butt on the line just for you to throw it away.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Sierra gulped.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Are we clear?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Yes… I’ll go to the groups.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Erika anxiously chewed her fingernails, a habit she had dropped ages ago. <i>Wow, I must be really nervous</i>. She watched the office window hoping to catch a glance of Willis before he walked through the door, she didn’t want to be caught off guard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">After days-no weeks-of debate she was ready. She was taking the plunge and diving in. She had decided to dump Mr. Moneybags and follow *gasp* love. Something she hadn’t done in years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Willis walked in and handed her a small wrapped package.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Open it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span>She smiled as she unwrapped the box, she would miss the gifts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“They’re beautiful,” she said admiring the diamond studs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I am glad that you approve. I told my secretary to tell the saleswoman to pick out her finest pair of earrings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Erika’s smile weakened slightly, he didn’t pick them out himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“You wished to see me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Yes, I did. It’s about our relationship.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Great! I want to discuss that as well.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“You do?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Yes,” Willis said nodding. “I have something very important to discuss with you, but not here. I’m going to my beach house soon. Come with me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Go with you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Yes, come with me. We can discuss it there.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a set of keys. “I will be unable to pick you up, but here are the keys to my vintage Porsche. Please drive it to the airport, then take my private jet to the island. This key is to the house. I’ll make all the arrangements, so everything should be ready for you. You won’t need any clothing, I’ll have my staff buy you a new wardrobe for the trip, shoes and accessories and whatever else you desire. Of course, you’ll want to get a massage before the trip, so just go the E’lan Spa and give them this credit card and my name. They’ll take care of you. Would you desire to be picked up instead? I can have my driver pick you up. “<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Erika stared in awe at the keys and gleaming credit card resting in her hand. “No driving is fine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Great. Now what did you wish to discuss.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Erika swallowed and smiled. “It’s not important.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Opal took a deep breath as the countdown began.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">At the appointed time she effortlessly bounced off the board and into the pool. She could still hear the screams and cheers of the crowd from underwater. Quickly she rose to the surface and started the breaststroke.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">She could see glimpse of her teammates and coach cheering from the stands as she pulled out ahead of the competition. She was in her element, her prime, this was where she belonged. The buzzer chimed indicated the end of the race and she climbed out the pool giddy with the elation of winning yet another race. With any luck she would be able to qualify for the nationals this year. The goal she had been working towards for much of her swimming career.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">After the competition, Opal wearily dried her legs in the empty locker room. Her team had been the clear winners of the meet and she had placed first in all her events. She nearly jumped off the seat when the team and her coach rounded the corner with sounds of applause and cheers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Way to go, Opal!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Without you, we wouldn’t have won this!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Yea, Opal!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Her coach leaned into her. “There’s a man outside the locker room that you need to speak with. Immediately.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Opal jumped to her feet and hurried out the warm room into the coolness of the empty pool area. She recognized him immediately, but didn’t believe it until he greeted her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Opal?:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">She nodded, too awestruck to speak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I’m Peter Jenns, from the National Association of Swimmers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">She nodded again, only an idiot would not know the man standing in front of her. He launched so many swim careers and he was also in charge of handpicking the team for the nationals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I saw your performance today. Outstanding. In fact, if you keep that up, you may very well be getting a call from me in the spring.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Opal nearly fainted. A call from Peter in the spring meant that she would be invited to join the team for the Nationals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Keep it up. All I can say is keep it up!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Opal watched him walk away in awe, acutely aware that she never spoke during the entire meeting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna stared at Nailah. The woman looked drained, Donna had heard from university officials that she was having a hard time finishing up her last year of study and she knew that it was attributed to her child spending weeks in the hospital.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Well? Aren’t you going to say something?” Nailah pleaded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna wished she didn’t have to. She wished that her hands could heal every patient that walked in her doors, make every ailment disappear, but she wasn’t God. She didn’t have that power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span>“The treatment isn’t working.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Nailah sobbed into her hands. Donna watched quietly as the women cried all her tears into her hands. She swallowed hoping not to break down herself, not to have the tears that she cried when the results came back return. She needed to be strong for her patient’s family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Wh… what happens now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Nothing. We wait.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“For what?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“To see what Justice will do.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Meaning?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Meaning, that either Justice’s body will continue to break down. She will lose the ability to move, her limbs will stop moving. Eventually her lungs will stop breathing or her heart will stop beating or both. Right now she’s only at 45% capability. That means the machines she’s hooked up too are doing 55% of the work for her. Breathing for her. Making her heart beat. Her brain is non-responsive. Right now she’s at the fork in the road, she’ll either improve on her own. Getting better and eventually the machines will be needless, or… “<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Nailah didn’t need to hear the rest. She knew and she wept for her little girl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna quietly left the room allowing the young mother to mourn and giving herself the privacy to shed her own tears.</span></div>
Apple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4076777437397933742.post-27468397357061929842015-09-02T18:12:00.001-07:002015-09-02T18:12:09.505-07:00Episode 33<div style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Episode 33</span></strong></div>
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Missy peered into the dark attic following the slivers of light. Carli was still in the hospital and Missy was doing what she did best under pressure and stress-clean.</div>
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“Ouch!” she said stubbing her toe and knocking over a box filled with papers.</div>
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“What’s this?” she said noticing a handwriting sprawled across the pages of a thick bound book.</div>
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Hours later she found herself on the floor reading over the very personal words of Randy’s first wife.</div>
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I am pregnant-I should be happy-but I can’t bring myself to feel the joy of a new child. Especially under these circumstances. I don’t know which one to tell first. Randy or…<o:p></o:p></div>
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Missy flipped a few more pages</div>
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I haven’t been able to write-trying to avoid the guilt-besides, the baby demands so much of my attention. He has been transferred-something about starting over with his family. What about us? What about Carli and I?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally she reached the last page</div>
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I can no longer do this. Carli is looking more and more like him and Randy will notice eventually. I can only say that she looks like a distant ancestor for so long. I hate lying-I hate this life-it’s been over ten years but my heart still yearns for him. I’m not sure if it even yearns for him or the illusion of him. I can’t stand Randy touching me, everything irritates me, I find no joy in anything-not painting, not motherhood, nothing. I confess, I am honored and pleased that Randy cares so much for Carli even in spite of his doubts (rightfully so). I can’t do this anymore-I must go.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Wow,” Missy breathed, “I wonder if Randy read this?”</div>
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“Wow,” Meka breathed looking over the books. “How do you do it, Lani.”</div>
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“What?”</div>
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“All the work with your diner. Your partner never shows up for these meetings.”</div>
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“O, Russel is busy-he has other things to do.”</div>
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“Like what?!” Meka said laughing. “He doesn’t have another job!”</div>
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Lani chewed her lip, “He has things to do.”</div>
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“Hey, no offense, but I think you’re carrying the weight of the diner alone.”</div>
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“Hey baby, how was work?” Russel asked</div>
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“Fine,” Lani mumbled crashing to the table.</div>
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“Are you sure? You seem tense?” Russel asked handing her a plate</div>
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“When you work hard you’re tense-except you wouldn’t know that.”</div>
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“What does that mean?”</div>
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“What I said. What do you do during the day? Why don’t you help out with the diner?”</div>
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“Whoa, whoa! Did Meka put that into your head? I swear-“</div>
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“Don’t bring Meka into this! Why don’t you have a job! Why don’t you help me?”</div>
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“I’m retired. When you’re retired, you relax. As for the diner, who supplies the cash that makes it run?”</div>
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“It takes more than a little cash to have a successful diner!”</div>
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“I’m not having this conversation with you, especially when Meka has put these lies into your head.”</div>
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“At least Meka is a real man with a real job!”</div>
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Russel grew silent and stared at Lani hotly. “I lost my appetite-just leave your plate on the table when you’re done. I’ll clean up.” He said before exiting the room.</div>
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“Do you have a minute?” Roxy asked.</div>
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“Is it the Loxly project?” Erika asked.</div>
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“Ah…no, it’s…uh…a man problem.”</div>
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Erika turned to her employee-“Spit it out.”</div>
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Before she could help herself Roxy found herself spilling the whole story about the Jamal’s strange behavior with the ticket.</div>
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“Wow-you only have one choice.”</div>
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“What?”</div>
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“Spy on him.”</div>
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“How?”</div>
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Erika laughed and spent the next hour sharing her secrets with Roxy. At the end of the day, Roxy found herself in front of the computer putting in various details and navigating through various pages.</div>
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She frowned as the results popped up. None of it was making sense. It didn’t match what Jamal had told her and now she was even more convinced that there was one explanation.</div>
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<o:p><img border="0" src="http://www.freewebs.com/pahalashore/SeasonFive/Episode33/e33s12.jpg" /></o:p></div>
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“That cheating bastard!”</div>
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Lani unlocked the door ever so carefully, it was late. Later than she ever spent going over the books with Meka and she didn’t want any arguments from Russel.</div>
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“Good evening.” Russel said as she opened the door.</div>
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“Hey.” She muttered and watched him clean the remains of the dinner that he had prepared.</div>
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“Where were you?” he asked filling the sink with water and soap.</div>
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“I should ask you the same thing, I called you all day today and you didn’t answer.”</div>
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“Why did you call? You never call me during the day.”</div>
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“Uh…” …to apologize… “no reason.” She answered.</div>
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“So I guess it wasn’t a big deal that you couldn’t reach me.”</div>
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“What’s your problem?” Lani growled</div>
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Russel smirked, “There isn’t a problem, at least not on my end. I, after all, did get to the house before midnight.”</div>
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“I was working!”</div>
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“So was I.”</div>
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Lani’s jaw dropped. “Ha! Doing what! Watching your latest soap opera?”</div>
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Russel smirked again, “No.”</div>
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“Then what?”</div>
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“After your, how do you say, fit… the other day I decided to get a ‘real’ job, so I signed with my modeling agency again.”</div>
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“You’re modeling again?”</div>
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“You said you wanted me to be a ‘real’ man and get a ‘real’ job, so I did. Now if you excuse me, I need to get to bed, I have an early morning tomorrow.”</div>
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Randy stretched his back as the doctor left the room, his baby girl would be coming home today.</div>
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“Are you feeling much better?” Missy asked.</div>
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“I feel fine, I don’t know why I have to be wheeled out of here.”</div>
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“It’s hospital policy, sweetie.” Randy echoed the words of the doctor to the exact question he asked earlier.</div>
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“Whatever, I’m hungry. Hospital food sucks.”</div>
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“Where would you like to eat?” Missy asked</div>
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“Hmm, a nice juicy fish burger.”</div>
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Missy accepted the cup of tea and sat down across her husband.</div>
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“What should we do?” he asked</div>
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“About what?”</div>
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“Carli and how she’s not mine.”</div>
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Missy sipped the hot liquid. “Honestly?”</div>
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“Of course.”</div>
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“I think you should say nothing. When she turns 18, give her the diary of her mother. It explains it all-except who her biologically father is. Until then, unless she asks, say nothing. For the past 17 years you have been her father.</div>
Apple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4076777437397933742.post-15284895084226516092015-09-02T18:11:00.001-07:002015-09-02T18:11:26.425-07:00Episode 32<div style="border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-style: none none solid; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: medium;">Episode 32</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><img border="0" src="http://www.freewebs.com/pahalashore/SeasonFive/Episode32/e32s1.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nailah watched as Sierra stirred in the bed, it was getting late, or rather getting early.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“You’re still here?” Donna asked as she came in to check the patient’s vital signs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yea, I need to get home. Justice will be up soon and I still have some studying to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Donna nodded, “Go home. We’ll call you if anything changes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nailah nodded and waved goodbye, “Thanks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Donna nodded and turned back to Sierra, checking the vital signs. She was about to leave when she heard the sheets rustle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What happened?” Sierra moaned climbing out of the bed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I would stay in bed if I were you, most patients feel a bit woozy after having their stomachs pumped.” Donna spit out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sierra shirked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What were you thinking!” Donna continued, “those pills could have killed you!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“They were harmless-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Donna laughed. “Harmless, your heart rhythm was off, you experienced cardiac arrest and we almost lost you twice on the way to the hospital. Harmless!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sierra stared at the floor. “Sorry.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Sorry…” Donna shook her head, “Sorry doesn’t cut it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Nailah rushed into the clinic where Donna met her. She had received the page from the nurses station and told them to send the child to her. Donna took Justice from her mother and commanded a nurse to begin taking vital signs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What happened?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“She had a fever when I got home, so I gave her some toddler medicine, then she starting shaking and turning blue. I -“ Nailah stopped choking back a sob.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Donna nodded, the nurses had filled her in about the child losing consciousness twice. Donna pushed Nailah out the room as she saw the grim looks of the nurses and the entrance of the life support machine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“How is she?” Nailah asked as Donna entered the waiting area hours later. Her eyes were swollen from crying and her nails were raw from biting them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Donna tried not to think about the past couple of hours. The toddler had stopped breathing and her heart rate had lowered to dangerous levels. The nurses and team of doctors had to bring her back from the other side numerous times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Not as well as she could be.” Donna hedged. “She’s still in critical condition and right now we have her on life support.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Donna tried to close her ears against the sobs that echoed across the room as Nailah sobbed her sorrows into her hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Can I see her?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“For a little while,” Donna agreed leading the mother into the brightly colored room littered with machines and the tiny helpless body of her child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“O, Justice…” Nailah moaned as she leaned over the crib.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What’s on your mind, Erika? You’ve been…quiet.” Lani asked handing her friend a drink from the fountain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika played with her soda, thinking. “I have a lot on my mind.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“You want to share?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Well…you know Willis?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yes…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“And Kevin?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yes…what’s wrong? Having second doubts about double lovers?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika laughed, “Hardly! I don’t feel guilty or anything…they both know that we’re not serious…it’s just…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Well…if they were one man, I’d marry him in a heartbeat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Even after-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Yea, even after…you know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Wow…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“It’s just…Willis showers me with so many gifts and dinners and anything I want that his bank account can buy, it’s mine. But he doesn’t have the time for me-not that I’m complaining, he’s a bore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Ok…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Then Kevin showers me with…I guess… love. He always cooks for me, anything he gives me I know that he spent the time looking and finding the perfect thing instead of grabbing the most expensive thing in the store.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I’m failing to see the problem if you’re ok dating both. Are you ok dating both?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I don’t know… part of me wants more. I don’t know what this feeling is… I… I haven’t felt this way since… well, you know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lani nodded. “Well, I always say, take the chance on love. The payoff is better.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika nodded, rolling the words over in her mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Opal flopped onto the bench, today’s practice was brutal, but her body felt good after the summer spent slacking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Her teammates chatted away until the coach stepped in the locker room, commanding a respectful huss.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Well done with practice today ladies.” She started, “I know you all are ready to get dressed and head back to the dorms, but with the start of a new season new changes occur.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The team nodded, anxious to hear the announcement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Ok, the team captian this season is Opal.” The coach said without fanfare, but the team politely applauded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Opal grinned and jumped up. “Thanks and this year, we’re going to nationals and taking that trophy from the smug <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Laloha</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The team cheered and Opal happily tossed her towel over her shoulder as she headed to the showers. She was captain and determined to make her senior year the best one ever!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I think it looks more like a rabbit jamming on the keyboard,” Kevin said as he laid on his back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Erika chuckled, “Why can’t you see a simple car instead of rabbits forming a band.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“That’s just how I am babe.” He said grinning at her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">She smiled and snuggled closer, enjoying a rare moment away from the office, away from the fickle clients and using the sun as a clock instead of her PDA.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Happy?” Kevin asked<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“Very much, this was a great idea, just what I needed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I love you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Those words…Erika had hoped that she wouldn’t hear them, but there they were… and they didn’t give her the anticipated sense of dread. That only meant one thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“I love you too.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Apple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4076777437397933742.post-64382166074958299512015-09-02T18:10:00.002-07:002015-09-02T18:10:52.671-07:00Episode 31<span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Episode 31</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Missy looked as Carli breathed slowly on the hospital bed and blinked back the tears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“This is all my fault,” she moaned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Randy shook his head, “don’t blame yourself. You couldn’t have stopped this from happening.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><img border="0" src="http://www.freewebs.com/pahalashore/SeasonFive/Episode31/e31s2.jpg" /> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“But I let her drive without supervision one time. I shouldn’t have done that, maybe she wouldn’t be here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Randy caressed Missy’s shoulder’s. “We both know that Carli would have driven anyway, don’t blame yourself it isn’t healthy.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Before he could continue the doctor walked in and they both swung their heads to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Is she ok? What’s going on?” Randy asked desperately.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna sighed, “Carli needs blood. She lost a lot of it in the accident. But her blood type is rare, so we’ll have to run some tests before we transplant the blood, is that ok?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Randy nodded. “Yes, of course, you’ll need my blood right?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“That’s possible. Since you’re her father, your blood will be the best match, let me get a sample now and start the tests.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I can’t find it!” Roxy yelled as she rummaged through the cabinet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“It’s under the blue box in the back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Roxy saw the box and pulled it out, along with a ticket stub.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What’s this?” she looked at the plane ticket in Jamal’s name. “This was last weekend…he said he was busy with work…why did he go to the mainland?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Jamal?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Yea”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What’s this?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“This plane ticket for the mainland. You said you were working this weekend, why did you go to the mainland.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Uh…I didn’t.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“But the ticket-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I never…uh…used the ticket. I got busy with work.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“This is a return ticket slip, Jamal! It’s for you coming from the mainland to Pahala! Why are you lying!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I’m…I’m not!!! I was busy with…with work!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Save it Jamal! I’m out of here. Call me when you decide to stop lying!” She shouted running out the door and ignoring his cries. <i>Why would he lie? </i>She wondered.<i>Why not just say the truth…unless…</i>Roxy gulped back tears. <i>He’s having an affair!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Lani leaned over to see the item Meka was referring to in the accountating book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“You mean, by switching to lower wattage lights, we could save on the electricity bill?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Meka nodded enjoying the smell of Lani’s perfume as it tickled his nose. He enjoyed these late night meetings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The diner door opened and Meka frowned. Russel walked in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Hey baby.” Lani cooed as she hopped up and embraced him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“How’s it going?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Fine, we’re almost done for the night.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Great, I wanted to make sure you got home safely, it’s after midnight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Lani nodded. “Understand, let me grab my things from the back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Russel watched as she disappeared before turning his attention to the scowling Meka,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What? You don’t trust your girlfriend?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><img border="0" src="http://www.freewebs.com/pahalashore/SeasonFive/Episode31/e31s11.jpg" /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I don’t trust you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I’m the least of your worries. Lani still loves me, your time is ticking.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What is that supposed to mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Just watch out, I will prove that she still loves me and once again you will be in second place-getting my leftovers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“You watch out, Lani and I have the real thing and you can’t mess with that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Meka laughed, “The real thing? If that’s so, why does she willing stay away from you every night until you have to run to the diner to get her away from me? Ha! The real thing!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna stared at the microscope, the cells were clearly sickled. She sighed and called down an order to the nurse’s station to put the teen on the appropriate medicines to help with her condition. She then placed a call to her parents and left a message that they needed to meet with her to go over some test results. She knew from the file that Carli’s mother tested negative for carrying the sickle cell trait, so she slid Randy’s blood sample underneath the microscope. No tell-tale sickles. She placed some of the sample in a vial and ran the tests-negative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What? How is that possible? He should be positive…unless.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna quickly put Carli’s and Randy’s blood samples in vials and ran some quick DNA tests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Oh, F-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Randy nervously held Missy’s hand. What on earth could the doctor want to speak with them about. He watched as she approached grimly and took a seat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I have a lot of news for you two, so let’s start slowly.” Donna announced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Randy and Missy nodded numbly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“First, Carli has sickle-cell anemia. It’s a genetic disease that causes her blood cells to sickle. She’s on the appropriate medicines now and I’ve set up a referral appointment for you and your family to talk to a specialist about the disease.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Randy nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><img border="0" src="http://www.freewebs.com/pahalashore/SeasonFive/Episode31/e31s15.jpg" /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Next, from Carli’s file it was noted that her mother tested negative for the trait. I’m not sure why they ran those tests on her and didn’t inform you of Carli’s disease, but they did. I then ran your blood sample to test for the trait. The sample came back negative.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Randy nodded-then stopped. “Wow, what’s the possibility that two parents that test negative for the trait would have a child with the disease.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna sighed, “It’s impossible.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“But-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“That’s why I ran a DNA test on your samples.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“You are not Carli’s biological father.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What!?!? That’s…that’s…” Randy started before grasping his head in his hands and sobbing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Donna quietly left the room so the couple could digest the news.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Randy,” Missy said caressing his shoulders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“She-She’s not mine!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“She is yours. Blood isn’t important, that means nothing. Carli is your daughter-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“But how-how could-how could she do that to me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I don’t know sweetie, we won’t ever know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Gosh today was a long day,” Lani said tumbling on the sofa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Well, you could come home after closing the diner. You don’t have to stay every night and go over the books with Meka,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Oh no,” Lani said shaking her head. “I don’t mind. He’s showing me all sorts of interesting things-“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I bet he is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What is that supposed to mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Can’t you see that he’s manipulating you? He doesn’t need all that time with you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Here we go again. Can we not talk about this? I’m tired of this argument.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Fire him and we won’t discuss it anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“What!?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Fire him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Never! Meka is great at what he does and the diner benefits from him. You need to deal with your jealously issues!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“I’m trying to, but you don’t make it easy when you see more of him then you do me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><img border="0" src="http://www.freewebs.com/pahalashore/SeasonFive/Episode31/e31s20.jpg" /></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">“Listen, I’m not listening to this anymore-you need to deal with your insecurity! I’m with you, not Meka, but I’m not firing good help!”</span></div>
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Apple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4076777437397933742.post-24647042775489723192009-07-22T11:44:00.001-07:002009-07-22T11:56:08.462-07:00Episode 56<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Smdef-lL90I/AAAAAAAAE0A/GXtnCRS_w00/s1600-h/e56s1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357784875792194" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Smdef-lL90I/AAAAAAAAE0A/GXtnCRS_w00/s400/e56s1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><br />“Here are the notes from Dr. Jiu’s class.” Sierra said, passing the stack of papers to her friend, Roxy.<br /><br />“Thanks.”<br /><br />“Do you know when you’ll return to classes?” Nailah asked twirling with her curls, then fidgeting with the silver ring on her thumb. It was a gift from Stephan and she found herself mindlessly touching it.<br /><br />Roxy shrugged. “Soon, maybe next week. I’m still a little shaken.”<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357779603725522" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Smdefq8OnNI/AAAAAAAAEz4/-ES09lpUMX0/s400/e56s2.jpg" />“You should be!” Missy blurted. “That sim could have killed you!”<br /><br />“Thank goodness Richard was there, otherwise…”<br /><br />“Yes,” Roxy said with a faint smile. “He saved my life.”<br /><br />“Where is he?”<br /><br />“In the corner by the door.”<br /><br />The women turned and gave the bodyguard a wave before continuing their conversation.<br /><br />“How long is he going to be protecting you?”<br /><br />“Until they are completely sure that all threats have been eliminated.”<br /><br />“When will that be?”<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357773466322274" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdefUE9RWI/AAAAAAAAEzw/v1mvYHOnMZI/s400/e56s3.jpg" />“Who knows.” Roxy shrugged. “I like what you’re doing with your hair, Nailah.”<br /><br />“Thanks. I enjoy the short cut right now, it’s so hot. I notice that you’re growing your hair out.”<br /><br />“Yea, it’s been a while since I’ve had it longer. How’s the business plan going, Sierra?”<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357771856355314" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdefOFHH_I/AAAAAAAAEzo/OmDCcegV5n0/s400/e56s4.jpg" />“It’s going fine.” The woman said picking at her shirt. “Donna and I went to get the coin appraised and it’s worth a lot of simoleans, about fifteen thousand. With the no interest loan that Nailah is giving me and the money that I have, not to mention the money that Donna was able to find to invest in business, I hope I have enough for the down payment on the load. I have another meeting with the loan officer, which I need to leave for now, so wish me luck.”<br /><br />“I need to go as well, I have an interview with a law school admission panel and then Stephen’s taking me out for dinner.”<br /><br />“Stay safe, Roxy.”<br /><br />“I will, I have Richard.” She said smiling at the approaching man.<br /><br />--------------------------------------------<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br />Kimora silently watched as her coworker drooled over the client. Jamal had been to them before for work and she was used to the singer, but it was still funny to see others fall over themselves trying to please him.<br /><br />“I really like how you packaged this.” Jamal said going through the proofs for the new ad campaign.<br /><br />Kimora smiled, that’s one thing she liked about the singer, he went through his own campaigns, not some agent of his.<br /><br />“Yes,” Kimora’s boss spoke up. “Simon has been hard at work on the campaign.”<br /><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357764575919378" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Smdeey9UfRI/AAAAAAAAEzg/7KdFqMMc1-E/s400/e56s5.jpg" />“Simon?” Kimora and Jamal asked.<br /><br />“Uh…”<br /><br />“Simon didn’t-“ Kimora started.<br /><br />“Yes, Simon and Kimora worked nights on the campaign. I’m glad it’s to your approval.”<br /><br />Kimora could feel her blood boiling. Simon did absolutely nothing. She worked on that campaign. She spent hours working until the sun went down, forgoing happy hours and dinners to get the campaign done. She narrowed her eyes, but saw Jamal slightly shake his head.<br /><br />He knew the truth as they spent hours on the phone discussing the campaign and making changes to it. </div><br /><div><br />“So, Simon, tell me, why didn’t you use lyrics from my hit single for the campaign?” Jamal asked.<br />“Well…uh, Kimora and I thought, well, Kimora, perhaps you should explain.”<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357649380828322" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeYF0q5KI/AAAAAAAAEzY/H0bQR0JP_XI/s400/e56s6.jpg" /><br />No way, no deal. “Go ahead Simon, you explain it much better than I do.”<br /><br />Kimora could see her boss get annoyed, but she was over it. If he wanted to give the credit for this campaign at the most to this bumbling idiot and at the least make it appear that she shared duties with him, then let his beloved Simon talk about the campaign.<br /><br />“Kimora, perhaps you should explain.” Her boss tensely said.<br /><br />Kimora pursed her lips in defiance, how dare he want her to help that idiot make his way out of the hole that he dug. Take that back, that her boss had dug for him.<br /><br />Before she could speak up, Jamal’s phone beeped. “Excuse me,” he said leaving the room to check the message.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357649218904050" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeYFOEH_I/AAAAAAAAEzQ/T5rRZxkKyhw/s400/e56s7.jpg" /><br />“Kimora,” her boss turned to her. “Why are you sabotaging this campaign?”<br /><br />“What?”<br /><br />“Our client asked a question and you better answer it.”<br /><br />“Our client asked Simon a question. A very simple question that if Simon had done any work on the campaign he could answer, but since he didn’t he can’t!”<br /><br />“Kimora, this isn’t about little u’s and big i’s , this is about the health of the company.”<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357647710680930" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeX_med2I/AAAAAAAAEzI/HH-IIdxjocQ/s400/e56s8.jpg" /><br />“Why is it healthy to lie and say that we worked together on the campaign when we didn’t?”<br /><br />“Kimora-“<br /><br />“Sorry folks,” Jamal said sticking his head into the room. “I have to run. I’ll keep looking over the campaign and we can meet about it later, ok?”<br /><br />“Of, course.”<br /><br />Kimora narrowed her eyes at her boss. She thought that he always looked out for her, but now it seemed like things were different and he was only interested in promoting his little Simon. “I’m taking lunch now.” She said, leaving the room.<br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div>---------------<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeXQ9MpdI/AAAAAAAAEzA/rYFlALJmLAE/s1600-h/e56s9.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357635189515730" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeXQ9MpdI/AAAAAAAAEzA/rYFlALJmLAE/s400/e56s9.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Sierra sat in front of the loan officer again. She had did everything he asked, found a partner and garnered a sizable down payment.<br /><br />“Hmmm…”<br /><br />Sierra gritted her teeth, she hated that sound. Why couldn’t he just give her a straight answer. To distract herself she thought about teaching her first class in her studio. Watching the students morph their bodies into the various yoga positions, discussing the importance of mind-body connections and how to successfully lead a healthy life.<br /><br />“Well, there’s been some changes since I last saw you.”<br /><br />“Yes,” Sierra nodded. “I found a business partner and got the down payment like you asked.”<br /><br />“Yes, well, very well done on those issues.”<br /><br />Sierra bit her lip, she hated being talked down to as if she were a child. “So, when can I sign the papers on the loan?”<br /><br />“That’s one of the things that changed. “<br /><br />“Excuse me?”<br /><br />“With the various issues coming up in the loan industry, the banks are forced to change a lot of their practices. These changes have been difficult for our customers to accept and sometimes make favorable loans appear unfavorable.”<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357631151218578" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeXB6ZH5I/AAAAAAAAEy4/79f_lW7cCJ0/s400/e56s10.jpg" /><br />“What are you trying to say?”<br /><br />“Your loan application has been denied.”<br /><br />“How? I got the down payment! I have the business partner! What is it? Do they want more money? A bigger down payment?”<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357543279300178" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeR6kGDlI/AAAAAAAAEyw/Zvj-cvye8WA/s400/e56s11.jpg" /><br />“I’m afraid not. Your application was deemed too high risk for the loan.”<br /><br />“What in the world does that mean?!?”<br /><br />“It means they won’t loan you the money.”<br /><br />“I know that, but why? Why was my application deemed high risk?”<br /><br />“Your history. You have very little credit history and that spells danger.”<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357535077393602" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeRcAm5MI/AAAAAAAAEyo/fmOpTedaMtM/s400/e56s12.jpg" /><br />“So because I like to spend cash and not use credit cards, I can’t get a loan?”<br /><br />“That’s about right.”<br /><br />“That makes so little sense! It’s idiotic!”<br /><br />“I’m sorry.”<br /><br />“Yea, well, thanks anyway.” She said leaving the bank.<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div>------<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeRIMrq7I/AAAAAAAAEyg/Uxm5BONzxG8/s1600-h/e56s13.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357529759329202" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeRIMrq7I/AAAAAAAAEyg/Uxm5BONzxG8/s400/e56s13.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Donna walked slowly along the boardwalk enjoying the warm breeze and smell of the ocean and…dog fur?<br /><br />“Would you consider donating to the Society for Pets?” a friendly face asked.<br /><br />Donna smiled. “What does the society do?”<br /><br />“We minimize the number of stray pets by maximizing the number of happy pet owners. Right now we’re trying to find homes for a few of our cute little puppies, such as the ones you see here.”<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357524278964002" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeQzyD7yI/AAAAAAAAEyY/P3DFjFQVCkE/s400/e56s14.jpg" /><br />Donna glanced down at the tiny pups, one in particular caught her eye and she bent down for a closer look. She regarded the animal with open eyes and it did likewise, cocking it’s head to the side before placing its paws on the glass. Donna placed her fingers on the glass as well and they shared a friendly glass to glass moment.<br /><br />“He’s a cutie, isn’t he?”<br /><br />“He is.”<br /><br />“He’s available for adoption today. He’s just waiting for the perfect pet owner to come along and adopt him.”<br /><br />“What’s his name?”<br /><br />“What do you think his name is?”<br /><br />“Huh?”<br /><br />“If you can guess his name, I’ll give you a lollipop.”<br /><br />“A lollipop, huh?”<br /><br />“No sim has been able to guess his name.”<br /><br />Donna regarded the pup. “Can I take him out of the glass cage?”<br /><br />“Of course.”<br /><br />She squatted down to meet the puppy face-to-face and he licked her hand before circling her and sniffing her clothing.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357523513585522" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeQw7lL3I/AAAAAAAAEyQ/QmcTEPWR5LY/s400/e56s15.jpg" /><br />“Lucky.”<br /><br />“What?”<br /><br />“His name is Lucky.”<br /><br />“Whoa! Did he tell you that?”<br /><br />“No, why?”<br /><br />“That’s his name. Congratulations, let me get your lollipop.”<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357386000821986" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeIwp-7uI/AAAAAAAAEyI/flyhUdZFykk/s400/e56s16.jpg" /><br />“Forget about the lollipop, how can I take Lucky home?”<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div>-----<br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeIgbGJ-I/AAAAAAAAEyA/EFNMOmpF5hc/s1600-h/e56s17.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357381643413474" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeIgbGJ-I/AAAAAAAAEyA/EFNMOmpF5hc/s400/e56s17.jpg" /></a> </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /><br /><br />“Hey, beautiful.”<br /><br />“Hi, Stephan.” Nailah said smiling.<br /><br />“How was the interview?”<br /><br />“I think it went well.”<br /><br />“Here, Sierra said this was waiting for you.” He said handing her a thin envelope.<br /><br />Nailah’s heart went in her throat, it was from the University of Supreme Law, her first choice school. She nervously opened the envelope.<br /><br />We regret to inform you that your application has been denied. We would-<br /><br />Nailah wiped away a tear.<br /><br />“You ok?”<br /><br />“Yea, my first rejection letter.” She said waving the letter at him.<br /><br />He took the letter and read it, his face hardened and he slowly folded the paper and replaced it in the envelope.<br /><br />“It’s not that bad, Stephan. I appreciate you trying to sympathize with me.” Nailah joked.<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357379970518146" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeIaMPzII/AAAAAAAAEx4/eTgOo1IMCd8/s400/e56s18.jpg" /><br />“Why didn’t you tell me that you were applying to schools outside of Pahala?”<br /><br />“What? Why should that matter?”<br /><br />“How are we going to have a relationship if you’re eighteen hours away!”<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357374900197010" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeIHTY1pI/AAAAAAAAExw/a98AdavnKXU/s400/e56s19.jpg" /><br />“What relationship! We’re supposed to be friends!”<br /><br />“Nailah, how can you continue to deny this?” He painfully asked, his voice cracking. “We’re good together.” He continued taking her hand.<br /><br />“I know, but…it’s still too much.”<br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361357372709034130" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/SmdeH_I-WJI/AAAAAAAAExo/uyR3ZVmnLVQ/s400/e56s20.jpg" /><br />“Don’t push me away…please…” He said grabbing her other hand.<br /><br />“I can’t promise anything.” </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Apple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4076777437397933742.post-72370814001794531412009-05-17T17:36:00.000-07:002009-06-09T08:32:49.338-07:00Episode 55<div align="left">Missy stuffed another cookie in her mouth and stared grimly at the screen. The research for the article was going well, she needed to contact her source and arrange for an interview with some of the soldiers. She peeked out the glass windows in front of her office and hurriedly stuffed the last four cookies in her mouth.<br /><br />“Missy?”<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-IRqVr8I/AAAAAAAAEdw/7RvjU0m0Wdk/s1600-h/e55s1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348488380395458" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-IRqVr8I/AAAAAAAAEdw/7RvjU0m0Wdk/s400/e55s1.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The woman quickly swallowed and stood up before her boss. “Yes?”<br /><br />“Do you have a minute?”<br /><br />“Of course.” She said, trying to brush the crumbs off her sweater.<br /><br />“You know that’s your fifth bag of cookies in the last hour.”<br /><br />Missy shamefully bit her lip, then anger swelled. “What are you doing monitoring my diet?”<br /><br />“I’m not monitoring your diet, but when you sneak food and binge out on snacks, then that’s my clue that something is wrong. You’re exhibiting the classic signs of a binge eater, I should know, I was one.”<br /><br />“Really?”<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-Ik9DzMI/AAAAAAAAEd4/nKj9E2MBG5Y/s1600-h/e55s2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348493559188674" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-Ik9DzMI/AAAAAAAAEd4/nKj9E2MBG5Y/s400/e55s2.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Laleh nodded. “For three years. Finally I found help with a counselor and learned some other outlets for my emotions besides chewing.”<br /><br />“Did it help?”<br /><br />“You want the truth?”<br /><br />“Yes.”<br /><br />“No, it didn’t. What finally clicked was that this is the body God gave me, I would never ever be a size 2, no matter what I did. Instead I started eating as healthy as possible, exercising and building confidence in the figure I was blessed with.”<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-IxwuUHI/AAAAAAAAEeA/YJ3LsEqgqpI/s1600-h/e55s3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348496997109874" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-IxwuUHI/AAAAAAAAEeA/YJ3LsEqgqpI/s400/e55s3.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“That’s it?”<br /><br />“That’s it. To be honest, it provided a great excuse to go shopping for new figure flattering clothing.”<br /><br />“Well, thanks for the advice. You should consider having your own talk show or something-that was a very uplifting speech.”<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-I-1F2II/AAAAAAAAEeI/ERH1uVbEBzs/s1600-h/e55s4.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348500505090178" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-I-1F2II/AAAAAAAAEeI/ERH1uVbEBzs/s400/e55s4.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Laleh laughed. “Well, I didn’t mean to preach. Honestly, I know what you’re going through, I’ve been there. If you want to stop, I’m here to help.”<br /><br />“Thanks.”<br /><br />****<br /><br />Roxy tossed her purse on her drafting table and angrily picked up her pencils. She watched as her bodyguard took a seat in the lobby. He had been to the office before and knew that there were only two exits, both of them within his eyesight.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-JOYP1mI/AAAAAAAAEeQ/fOK4YQoO4OQ/s1600-h/e55s5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348504679077474" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-JOYP1mI/AAAAAAAAEeQ/fOK4YQoO4OQ/s400/e55s5.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“What’s your problem?” Erika asked coming over.<br /><br />Roxy nodded towards Richard sitting patiently, pretending to read a magazine.<br /><br />“I’m tired of being followed everywhere.” She whispered. “It’s getting on my nerves.”<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-Xv-m6xI/AAAAAAAAEeY/2OmedWaQK3g/s1600-h/e55s6.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348754216512274" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-Xv-m6xI/AAAAAAAAEeY/2OmedWaQK3g/s400/e55s6.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“It’s for your safety, right?” Erika whispered back.<br /><br />“Yes, but…ugh, I want some freedom. I would love to go to one class without Rambo here over my shoulder.”<br /><br />“You could ditch him, you know.”<br /><br />“How?”<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-XuZ3nlI/AAAAAAAAEeg/AHGiJ7jkyuU/s1600-h/e55s7.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348753793982034" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-XuZ3nlI/AAAAAAAAEeg/AHGiJ7jkyuU/s400/e55s7.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“On the way to class, you could easily lose him in the crowd of students.”<br /><br />“That’s too easy, he would still find me. He memorizes everything about me, from the hairstyle to the details in my jacket, everything.”<br /><br />“Then you need a double,” Erika whispered. “You could go to the restroom and switch clothes and hairstyles with your double. Then have them run out the bathroom. He would give chase, leaving you enough time to dash to class.”<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-X7dba3I/AAAAAAAAEeo/8bl-J_0uhNE/s1600-h/e55s8.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348757298572146" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-X7dba3I/AAAAAAAAEeo/8bl-J_0uhNE/s400/e55s8.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Roxy smiled. “I like it.”<br /><br />****<br /><br />Erika watched as Roxy left the office. She still had a few changes to make on one of her designs, so tonight would be a late night…but not too late, she had Meka waiting with a promised bubble bath.<br /><br />“Erika?!”<br /><br />She lifted her head to see her mother come into the office. “Hello, mom, how are you?”<br /><br />“I’m doing great! Marriage is a wonderful thing, you should try it.”<br /><br />“I did and the results were not that great.”<br /><br />“Ah, speaking of, I saw Alan today.”<br /><br />Erika’s ears perked up at the news. Why would Alan be near her mother.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-X5aPmfI/AAAAAAAAEew/s2P5j7Ol5lQ/s1600-h/e55s9.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348756748343794" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-X5aPmfI/AAAAAAAAEew/s2P5j7Ol5lQ/s400/e55s9.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“He said that you two are getting back together.”<br /><br />“We’re not getting back together, we’re-”<br /><br />“I think it’s wonderful! I knew that you still loved him. Chasing after all those men when your heart really belonged to Alan.”<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-YC5yWII/AAAAAAAAEe4/A2PNEE3TdRA/s1600-h/e55s10.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348759296563330" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-YC5yWII/AAAAAAAAEe4/A2PNEE3TdRA/s400/e55s10.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“Mom, we’re not getting back together.”<br /><br />“Oh, but he said-”<br /><br />“It doesn’t matter what he said. We’re just dating.”<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-eGeu53I/AAAAAAAAEfA/abRHuhd8KWI/s1600-h/e55s11.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348863336048498" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-eGeu53I/AAAAAAAAEfA/abRHuhd8KWI/s400/e55s11.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“You’re dating…but you’re not getting back together with him? Hmm…sounds like you’re getting back together, why would you date otherwise?”<br /><br />Erika sighed. Her mother wouldn’t understand her need to have various men at her beck and call. One man couldn’t satisfy her, besides look what happened when she tried that whole traditional love voodoo. She lost Alan and she lost Kevin…though technically, Alan was back in her life.<br /><br />“There are lots of reasons to date, you don’t have to marry every guy you date.”<br /><br />“But you should look at marrying again, if not Alan, what about that nice young man, Meka. He’s a sweetie.”<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-eVbb4_I/AAAAAAAAEfI/e3yOc6FjeIw/s1600-h/e55s12.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348867348751346" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-eVbb4_I/AAAAAAAAEfI/e3yOc6FjeIw/s400/e55s12.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“Mom,” Erika sighed and grabbed her mother’s hands. “I have work to do, can we discuss this later?”<br /><br />“Fine, your father said hello, we’re going to the mainland this weekend. I’m so excited!”<br /><br />“That’s great, but I need to finish this.”<br /><br />“Alright, dear. Don’t work too hard.”<br /><br />“I won’t.”<br /><br />“I love you.”<br /><br />“I love you too.”<br /><br />****<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-euc4OfI/AAAAAAAAEfQ/tI2eFaXlNXs/s1600-h/e55s13.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348874065689074" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-euc4OfI/AAAAAAAAEfQ/tI2eFaXlNXs/s400/e55s13.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Emily plucked a few keys from the piano, allowing her mind to float away. Thoughts of research, difficult cases and aching feet left her mind as the melody filled it. She tried not to think about the credit card bill laying on the table, the one with the strange transactions. The transactions for the hotel she didn’t stay at, the dinner at Miko’s that she didn’t have and the jewelry from Goldstin’s that she never received.<br /><br />The ringing phone broke into her thoughts. “Hello?”<br /><br />“Emily, love.”<br /><br />“Keith, where are you?”<br /><br />“I’m at work, love. Edison and I have to finish this report. I don’t know what time I’ll be home. I hope to be home, but thankfully the office has plenty of recliners and I have a change of clothes.”<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-ep8GL9I/AAAAAAAAEfY/h5hy2UnXj3w/s1600-h/e55s14.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348872854450130" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-ep8GL9I/AAAAAAAAEfY/h5hy2UnXj3w/s400/e55s14.jpg" /></a><br /><br />“I want you home.”<br /><br />“I know, love. Why don’t you have a cuppa or maybe a toddy. You’ll feel better.”<br /><br />Emily sighed. “Don’t work too hard.”<br /><br />“I’ll try not to, love.”<br /><br />“Goodbye.”<br /><br />“Good night.”<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-e-OUT2I/AAAAAAAAEfg/dWjqXsMmsho/s1600-h/e55s15.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348878299582306" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-e-OUT2I/AAAAAAAAEfg/dWjqXsMmsho/s400/e55s15.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Emily angrily took out her diary and started jotting her thoughts, but abruptly stopped. She picked up the cellphone and dialed her good friend and work associate.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5_Ob8_IZI/AAAAAAAAEgQ/PgPA_xd1H0M/s1600-h/e55s16.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345349693733806482" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5_Ob8_IZI/AAAAAAAAEgQ/PgPA_xd1H0M/s400/e55s16.jpg" /></a><br /><div><br /><br />“Hi…I need a favor…well, I can pay you…no, it’s not for a client. It’s for me…I need you to follow Keith, I think he’s cheating.”<br /><br />****<br /><br />Roxy smiled as she arrived to the empty classroom. Thanks to Erika’s idea, she had successfully lost him. Her smile quickly faded when she felt the cold metal on her back.<br /><br />“Turn around and put your hands on your head.” The cold voice said.<br /><br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-laGpUyI/AAAAAAAAEfw/gQe7y9wQnuk/s1600-h/e55s17.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348988862812962" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-laGpUyI/AAAAAAAAEfw/gQe7y9wQnuk/s400/e55s17.jpg" /></a><br /><br />She slowly turned around, fear gripping her heart and placed her hands on her head.<br /><br />“We’re going for a nice ride.” The voice commanded.<br /><br />She thought of her friend, who barely made it out alive of a kidnapping attempt. She knew that she couldn’t go with the masked man. The statistics of being alive when, if they found her were null to none. Before she could do much more thinking she heard his voice.<br /><br />“Roxy, drop!”<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-liPt8AI/AAAAAAAAEf4/1oWsqO3aAls/s1600-h/e55s18.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348991048347650" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-liPt8AI/AAAAAAAAEf4/1oWsqO3aAls/s400/e55s18.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Roxy dived to the floor. She heard the gun hit the wall and a grunt. She looked up to see Richard delivering a swift kick to the man’s groin and then a few more punches to his face. It was over as quickly as it started. Richard was on top of the man, tying his hands behind his back and speaking urgently into his earpiece.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-loVR4jI/AAAAAAAAEgA/6LzXvWiRWgs/s1600-h/e55s19.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348992682287666" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-loVR4jI/AAAAAAAAEgA/6LzXvWiRWgs/s400/e55s19.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Roxy sat trembling in the corner, watching as a team of men in black suits came and not so gently escorted the masked man away.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-lx8ddkI/AAAAAAAAEgI/CehZf0KOnbU/s1600-h/e55s20.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345348995262543426" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fKO-nYs_Zs0/Si5-lx8ddkI/AAAAAAAAEgI/CehZf0KOnbU/s400/e55s20.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Once the room was clear, Richard held his arms open and Roxy flew into them. Once she was surrounded by his protective embrace did Roxy allow the frightened tears to fall.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Apple Valleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15211791410107503046noreply@blogger.com0