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                         Swans Crossing: the Reunion	
		          Chapter 5: Lonely Hearts
		           By Michelle Rutherfurd

	Jimmy walked into the soda shop five minutes later. He looked 
around; the place was practically empty, what with it being pretty early 
still. As he walked up to the counter to order some coffee, he stopped 
short, staring at the back of a young women. A young women with long, curly 
red hair. A young women who looked surprisingly like Callie. 
	"Callie? Is that you?"
	Just as the girl started to turn around, the doors of the shop 
burst open and a large group of loud teenagers rushed in and surrounded 
him enough for him to momentarily lose sight of the girl. When he had 
pushed through the crowd, the girl was gone. 
	"What is going on?" he wondered. "Could Callie be back?"
			*	*	*	*	*
	As Owen left the club, Saja sat down at a nearby table, troubled. 
Could Sandy possibly have revived her old feelings for Owen? And worse, 
could he be starting to feel more than just platonic feelings for her? He 
thought back to the way Owen had looked when he mentioned how great Sandy 
was. And how the other day Sandy had been so queit and withdrawn on their 
date, and then acted all nervous and guilty when he mentioned Owen's name. 
Well, maybe it was time he have all his questions answered. He got up and 
walked out of the club and towards Sandy and Owen's recording studio, with
the intent to find out what was going on between them.
			*	*	*	*	*
	"Sandy, there you are! You ready to go over that new song?"
	"Oh, sure, Owen."
	"You know, you sing that song with so much energy and passion; it 
really makes the listener feel it!"
	"Well, it's something I can sort of relate to," she said, looking 
up at him, with a look in her eyes that showed how much she longed to 
reveal that lately she'd been having second thoughts about her relationship 
with Saja, and considering a relationship with Owen.
	Returning the look, it was obvious that Owen suspected what was 
going on, and he couldn't help but feel the same longing. They had spent 
so much time together over the years; he knew Sandy better than he knew 
himself. And lately, though he still had feelings for Mila, he had been 
thinking about how great things could be if he and Sandy hooked up. It has 
gotten to a point with Mila that, with her being gone so much, he merely 
felt obligated to still be infatuated with Mila. But with Sandy, he forgot 
all about Mila. Looking into Sandy's blue eyes, all he cared about was 
being with her. He was so different with her. He felt like he could do 
anything. Like nothing else mattered. He'd never felt that way before.
	Now, sensing that she felt the same way, he suddenly found himself 
leaning in to kiss her.
	As the two began to kiss passionatly, Saja stood at the open door 
of the studio, obviously unoticed by the two. He then turned away from the 
scene before him. His own girlfriend, the person he loved more than anyone 
else in the entire world, was kissing one of his own friends. He walked 
away, literally feeling his heart break.
			*	*	*	*	*
	J.T. was walking down the road towards the Boothe home from Neil's 
when he spotted Mila.
	"Hey Mila! Did you guys have fun last night?" he asked her as the 
two approached one another.
	"Well, yeah, but something this morning sort of spoiled things," 
she replied hesitantly.
	"What do you mean? What happened?"
	"Oh, nothing. I better just shut my mouth now. So anyways, how are 
you? Are you nervous about the wedding?"
	He looked down at his feet as he replied, "You know, I haven't told 
anyone this, but, well..."
	"What is it, J.T.? You can tell me. Here," she said, leading him 
to a nearby bench. "Now tell me what's wrong."
	"It's just that I really am nervous. I mean REALLY nervous. The 
truth of the matter is, I've had second thoughts a lot lately. I just feel 
so trapped! I mean, I have always loved Glory, ya know? So after all we've 
been through, this is naturally the next step. But I'm almost, well, bored 
of our relationship. I need something new and exciting! I feel like I'm 
marrying her for them, not me. I don't know what to do," he said, looking 
at her with frustration in his eyes.
	Mila gave him a sincere look of sympathy, but inside she felt pure 
joy at the situation. She hasn't told a soul that since sophmore year in 
high school she'd had a crush on J.T., that he's the reason she left for 
Hollywood after he and Glory got engaged. And nobody else knew that the 
always sweet, innocent Mila Rosnosvky had a whole other side to her, one 
with the determination and cruelness to steal her long time crush from one 
of her supposed best friends. She fully planned to take advantage of this 
situation.
			*	*	*	*	*
	Neil walked into Swans Soda Shop, thinking back to his conversation 
with J.T. "Feelings for Nancy?" he thought to himself. "That is so off!" 
He didn't like Nancy. I mean, come on; how could he have feelings for Nancy 
Robbins, with her reputation? First she's a rude snob, then a pyschotic 
alcoholic. It didn't make any sense at all. 
	Suddenly he flashed back to when J.T. had said, "Love's a crazy 
thing!"
Could it be true, then? As he walked towards the counter, he spotted Nancy. 
There she sat, looking stunning in a long, flowing blue dress delicately 
spotted with flowers. Her golden red curls were pulled up into a loose knot 
on top of her head. Mesmorized by her gorgeous appearance, he found himself 
walking up to her.
	"Hey, Nancy. What's up?"
	"Hi, Neil. How are you?" she asked as she smiled at him so sweetly, 
he almost couldn't believe who he was talking to.
			*	*	*	*	*
	Glory paced worriedly in the foyer of the Rutledge mansion. Her and 
Sydney had been about to go leave in search of Callie when Garret had asked 
to talk to Sydney. He seemed extrememyl upset. But before she had more time 
to think about, her cellular phone rung from her purse. 
	"Hello?" she answered.
	"Miss Boothe?" a male voice asked.
	"Yes?"
	"This is Bob Samson from 'Missing Person.' We have a lead on 
Callie. We have reason to believe that she is right there in Swans 
Crossing."
			*	*	*	*	*
	"What are you talking about?" Sydney asked, pretending to be 
shocked. 
	"You heard me. Are you engaged?"
	Sydney worriedly looked down at her ring finger. She wasn't wearing 
her ring now and if he had seen it yesterday he would have said something 
then. How could he possibly know?
	"Garret, I, um..."
	"Come on, Sydney. I thought we'd both grown up since we lived on 
those stupid lies to one another. All I'm asking for is the truth. I think 
after how honest I've been with you, I deserve that much."
	She paused for a second. Then she looked up at him.
	"You're right, Garrett, you do deserve the truth." She paused again 
before continuing. "I am engaged to James Worthington, a count in France. 
We met a month after I moved to Paris, and we dated all through my college 
years. In all honesty, Garrett, because of you I couldn't let myself get 
close to him. He scared me to death when he asked me to marry him. But I 
have to. I want to."
	He looked at her for a minute, hurt in his eyes. Finally he managed 
a choked, "Do you love him?"
	"Well, you're being awfully rude!"
	"Just answer the question, Syd."
	"Of course. I love him very much."
	There was no way that she could tell Garrett Booth that after her 
mother's death, the Rutledge fortune quikly vanished. She couldn't tell 
him that it was James that had payed her way through college and because 
of his financial backround, she was obligated to marry him rather than give 
up her high class lifestyle. James was good-looking, and a wonderful man, 
and if it weren't for Garrett Booth, she would truly be in love with him. 
But her feelings for Garrett were much deeper. But how could she explain 
all that to him? 
	"Well, then, if you are in love with him I guess there's nothing 
more between you and me."	
	And with that, he walked away from her, possibly for the last time.

		      Copyright: Michelle Rutherfurd, 1999

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