CHAPTER 3 – PICKING UP THE PIECES

“So a nanny huh?” Alicia questioned as her and Tara strolled back talking
“Yeah, Sammy’s a real great kid” Tara replied smiling
“Ha! The question is will you be saying that in 2 weeks time” Alicia laughed
“I hope so, if not, I’ll still stick at it, I don’t believe in giving up” “Why?”
“Because there always has to be something worth living for”
“How can you be so optimistic?”
“Because it beats drowning in tears, doesn’t it?”
Tara stopped at the gates of the house, and turned to Alicia.
“Well this is my stop” she smiled
Alicia looked up at the house – it was big, a typical Orlando flashy house.
“This is strange, it usually takes me forever to even considering befriending someone, but I was thinking we should keep in contact” Alicia muttered, unsure of herself
“I’d love that idea” Tara replied, beaming.
They exchanged phone numbers, Alicia handing on her cell number and Tara giving her the number to her line.
“Did you want to call a cab or something?” Tara inquired
“The family wouldn’t mind?”
“No, not at all” Tara smiled punching in the number on the keypad of the gate that Kevin had given her last night.
The gates opened and the two walked casually up to the front door. Tara took the key from her pocket and unlocked the door, opening it up into the vast house. Voices could be heard from the kitchen, Tara looked down at her watch – she was a little late, and her watch said 7:55.

Alicia followed Tara closely as she walked into the kitchen, where Kevin, Kristen, and some blond guy Tara didn’t recognize sitting at the breakfast bar talking.
“I'm so sorry, I'm late, I ah, got a little sidetracked” Tara apologized as Kristen looked over at her
“No problem, you’re not the made, you don’t need to make us breakfast or anything” Kristen smiled walking up to Tara and Alicia, who was semi-hidden behind her.
“This is my friend Alicia, I hope you don’t mind if she uses the phone” Tara introduced
“Not at all, Tara’s only been here one day and she’s already got friends” Kristen replied chuckling a little
“I guess there’s just something about her” Alicia replied

Nick stopped talking abruptly, that voice, it was so familiar, but why? He spun around to see two girls, a brunette who he assumed was the nanny Kevin had been talking about earlier, and another brunette hidden slightly behind her.

“You can use the phone right there” Kristen said pointing over to the desk in the corner Alicia smiled thankfully as she walked over to the desk.

“Alicia?” Nick practically screamed, his mouth gaping in shock
Alicia spun around to see Nick staring back at her.
“Nick?” she stuttered
“God what are you doing here?” he inquired running up to her
“You two know each other?” Kristen piped in
“Once upon a time” Alicia muttered
“Um, so how have you been?”
“Um, ok”
“Could we, um, go somewhere and talk?” Nick questioned, unable to forget the feeling he felt the instant he saw her – everything he’d tried to burry had come flooding back
Alicia looked around there were 3 intent sets of eyes staring at her.
“I think that would be a good idea” she replied softly
“Kev, do you mind if we use the office?”
Kevin shock his head quickly, and in an instant Alicia and Nick disappeared down the hall.

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~
“Evie?” Howie whispered as he leaned over her sleeping body
She stirred a little then opened her blue eyes.
“Hummm?” she questioned
“I love you” he gushed kissing her soft flawless cheek
She smiled thankfully, and nuzzled into his chest, her eyes slowly closing again.

They’d been together for a while now, almost 2 years to the day – Howie had concluded. Yet he didn’t really seem to know that much about her. He’d never met her family, she rarely ever – if at all – spoke of them, she had only a hand full of friends, which for such a beautiful girl seemed a little strange. As he delved deeper he realized there was very little he did actually know about her. it was also common knowledge that Kevin didn’t like her and he would affirmatively tell Howie that practically everyday. She worked as a waitress in a café down in the main city center, and on Monday’s, Wednesdays and Sunday’s she’d go to some dance classes – though Howie had, come to think of it, never really seen her dance that much. Eve Young was a mystery to him, but all the same – he loved her deeply.

“I should go” he remarked, though not really wanting to
She rolled over, releasing him from her grip. He kissed her lightly on the neck before slipping out of the comfort of the bed. Eve’s eyes blinked hurriedly trying to focus on the clock the lay beside her. She would sleep in for a little while longer than get up and go to work. Tonight was Monday night, a day she both longed for – and loathed.

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~
“What are you doing?” Brian inquired rubbing his eyes as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen
Leigh Anne sculled down the drink in her hands and slammed the empty glass onto the bench.
“What’s it to you?” she muttered walking around to other side of the bench
Brian’s eyes ventured around the room – and not surprisingly the liquor cabinet was open, and an open bottle of Gin stood half empty on the large glass table.
“It’s 8 in the morning and you’ve already started” Brian muttered stuffing the top of the bottle back on
“Who said you could put that away?” she hissed as he shoved the bottle back into the cabinet and slammed the door.
“I think you’ve had enough” Brian chastised
“I’ll stop when I want to stop” she announced storming past him and flinging open the cabinet door
“Leigh Anne, it’s 8 in the morning, you don’t need that” Brian pleading standing between her and the cabinet
“Get out of my way” she screamed pushing him sideways against the wall
“No” Brian declared grabbing her wrist
Her other hand came hurtling towards him, letting go of the glass she had in her hands. It shattered against the wall directly behind Brian spraying slithers of glass around the room
“YOU drive me to this point Brian, YOU’RE the one that makes me need to drink, you asshole” she spat in his face as she stormed out of the room.
Brian looked down at the shattered remains on the glass, none had gotten him yet looking down all he felt was pain as he realized the shattered glass was like his life.

~ AT THE SAME TIME ~
“So um, what are you doing here?” Nick inquired as he starred across the room at Alicia
“Not allot, just wandering” she replied quietly – it was so strange to see him again even if she’d dreamt of this moment
“It’s been a while hasn’t it?”
“Two years”
“You haven’t really changed”
“Neither have you”
Silence.
“Nick can I ask you something?”
He nodded.
“Why did you leave?”
That was a question he was one day expecting to be asked – but in reality he had no answer to it.
“I honestly don’t know” he replied softly
Alicia turned her head away from his stare – maybe this whole coming back was a mistake.
“But I do know I shouldn’t have, I'm sorry Alicia, for doing what I did, for just leaving like that”
“I'm sorry for making you leave”
“No it wasn’t you, it was me, I got scared”
“Why?”
“Because I think I was falling in love with you”
“You were?”
“Maybe I still am”
Without thinking Alicia did what her heart told her to. She leaned in and placed her lips softly onto his. With mesmerizing passion both sets of lips melded together, and Nick’s hand traced the back of her neck, longing for the kiss to delve deeper. Alicia’s hands held around Nick’s neck, scared to let him go, for she may loose him again – but he was going nowhere this time. Finally something had gone right, and maybe now she could put the pieces of her life back together.

Chapter 4
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