INSTALLMENT 39
Nico Rawlin’s Apartment:
Nico finishes uploading his photos onto his PC and leans back in his chair.
He stares intently at his PC taking in the beautiful images of women appearing
on his screen. It’s a dream come true, he thinks as he clicks on one of the images
to get a clearer look. Pure gold in his pocket and visual pleasure all in one. He
smiles and searches for his latest victim among the photos.
He clicks on Katie's image. Staring intently at her image, he flips open his phone,
he presses *67 before dialing Katie’s number. As he waits for her to pick up, he
formulates a convincing story to get her to come over for another session.
“Hello.” Katie answers on the third ring.
“Katie, this is Nico, how are you doing?” Nico asks, noting the silence on the other
end of the line. “Don’t tell me you've forgotten me already? Katie, Katie don't break
my heart.”
“Of course, I remember you. You just caught me in the middle of a study session.
What can I do for you?” Katie asks, her voice trembling.
“I was hoping you would come over to retake some of your photos. As I was going
through some of the shots, I noticed the quality was not up to my usual standards.
If we’re going to break you into modeling, we need to take fantastic shots of you.” Nico
explains, trying to gauge her reaction on the other end of the line.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to be doing this. I can’t even recall the shots you took
of me.” Katie responds, still having trouble recalling details of the photo shoot, “What
happened that night in your apartment? One minute I’m trying to relax on your couch
and the next I’m waking up in my bed. I’d assumed it was a dream but you’re asking
for a second session so now I know it wasn’t a dream.”
“I was quite surprised at how much of a lightweight you were. You seem so mature and
grownup. I didn’t think one little Corona would cause you to black out.” Nico responds,
pausing before continuing, “That’s why I’m asking you to retake your pictures. You were
out of it and it shows in the shots. What do you say, Katie, let me
set up another photo shoot so you have the best chance of making it as a model?”
Katie sighs, “I don’t feel right about pursuing modeling. Besides, I’ve just started back in
school. I need to put my whole focus on my studies. Do you understand?”
Nico thinks for a second, “I understand but it's your loss. Katie, if you ever change
your mind, you know how to reach me. I guess this is good-bye for now.” He cryptically
replies, “Would you like to see the pictures taken of you?”
“No, just destroy them.” Katie responds and disconnects the call.
Nico sits back again in his chair and thinks about his next course of action. Looking through
all of Katie’s pictures, he feels bad about the lost opportunity. If he had known she would pull
this, he would have gone further with her then he did. Suddenly an idea flashes in his mind and
he looks through his phone before dialing another number.
“Mitch, this is Nico! How are you doing?” Nico asks.
“I’m doing great. It's been a long time between calls. What have you been up to Nico? We
haven’t spoken since you left for Illinois to take some job in the corporate world. How is that
going?” Mitch asks, intrigued to hear from his old photographer.
“I know we haven’t spoken since I came to Illinois. The job is going nowhere though I’m taking
advantage of the downtime.” Nico responds, thinking about the hold he has over Elizabeth, his
boss. “I called because I have some photos you might be interested in putting on your adult
website.” Nico waits for his friend’s response.
“I know you would come through. I had a feeling there was some fresh blood out in the midwest
just waiting to be discovered. Just e-mail me some of your pictures. I assume you have the
releases signed that you can fax over to me?” Mitch asks.
“Mitch, you know I never promise anything unless the participants sign the release. I’ll send you
over some pictures that will gather the biggest response right now. Then I’ll overnight the rest of
them to you.” Nico replies.
“Good, I look forward to seeing your latest work. I’ll talk to you later. If I like these pictures,
expect your payment to be wired to your account within 24 hours.” Mitch promises.
Nico thanks Mitch before hanging up the phone. He sets up an e-mail then attaches Katie’s
pictures and hits send.
Oleary’s
Melinda finishes wiping down the bar area. Looking around the empty bar, she’s thankful her
boss is allowing her to take the rest of the night off. Just as she finishes wiping down the bar,
she notices Dale coming into the restaurant and smiles.
She doesn’t like him in that way, she thinks to herself, but she's glad to see he’s in better
spirits since bailing him out of jail. As he sits down, she steps from behind the bar walking
towards his table. He motions for her to join him and she obliges.
“How have you been doing?” Melinda asks admiring his bravery for stepping foot into the
restaurant. She looks around the restaurant, “My boss has left for the time being so I guess
it’s safe for you to be here.”
“I won’t stay long. I just wanted to say goodbye.” Dale replies.
“Where are you going? Are you going away on a business trip?” Melinda asks.
“Actually, I’m moving to Boston and I leave tonight. I would have called you sooner but I’ve
been busy packing and looking for a new place in Boston.” Dale responds, trying to gauge
his new friend’s reaction.
“I wish you luck in Boston.” Melinda responds, putting her hand over his, “Just promise
you’ll keep in contact. Ok?”
Dale laughs, “I have your e-mail and cell number saved on my blackberry. I just feel bad
about the timing of this move. Granted, I won’t miss rush hour traffic on I-90 but I’ll miss
all the people I’ve met.”
“Including little old me?” Melinda jokingly asks and they both laugh.
“Especially you, I also wanted to thank you for helping me with that whole drama with Gillian.
Plus, having the charges against me dropped. Not many people would do that for me.”
“It’s what friend’s do for each other. I know we haven’t had much contact since then but you’ve
been in my thoughts. I’m glad to see things are looking up for you.”
Dale looks at his watch and shakes his head, “I do have to get going. I just wanted to say
good-bye before I left.”
Dale and Melinda get up at the same time and hug one another. As she sees him walkout
the door, she realizes she’s lost a great opportunity.
Shaking her head, she then prepares to finish cleaning the bar before punching out for the night.
Before she can start, she feels someone behind her and turns around. She sees Stephen
staring at her with an angry look on his face.
Everytime she looks at her old friend, she is filled with regret over turning him down. At the
time, she had valid reasons but each time she sees him with Alicia, she realizes that she
passed up something special.
“Stephen, I didn’t hear you come in. I was just about ready to punch out for the night. Are
you here to meet Alicia ?” Melinda asks, trying to compose herself.
“Yes, I am but that isn't the point. What did I just witness between you and Dale?” Stephen
demands, “Before you deny it, I saw you with him. How can you waste time with the man who
broke my sister’s heart?”
Luigi’s Italian Restaurante:
Chase scans the menu, realizing nothing has changed on the menu from the last time he dined
there. Looking around for his wife, he wonders to himself if he misheard the time. Just then, his
cell phone starts to vibrate and notices her number on the caller ID. Picking up the phone, he
can already guess what she’s going to say.
“Let me guess, you’re unable to make it for dinner.” Chase mutters, listening to his wife before
continuing “Another breaking story at the paper. Yes, I’ll stay and enjoy my meal. Love you, too.”
Chase hangs up the phone and sits back in his chair. He waves down the server and orders
himself a glass of white zinfandel before focusing back on his menu.
“Hello stranger, fancy seeing you here. Mind if I join you?” A female voice whispers into Chase’s ear.
Chase looks to his right and sees Bianca looking right into his eyes with a smile on her face.
He allows her to join him figuring a dinner out can’t go to waste on just him.
Bianca sits down across from him. Her fragrance drifts across the table and pulls him into her spell.
“So what brings you here alone tonight? Or are you waiting for your wife to join you?”
Bianca asks, afraid she’s interrupting something.
“No, you’re right. I’m going solo tonight. My wife just called to cancel our dinner date because
something came up at the office.” Chase replies with a tinge of disappointment in his voice.
Bianca smiles, starting to skim the menu intended for Lillian , “Her loss. If it were me, I’d do anything
to meet my husband for dinner.” She leans across the table and covers his hand with hers.
Chase removes his hand slowly, “I’ve done the same thing to her before so no harm done. What brings
you here, if you don’t mind me asking?”
Bianca laughs, “To see you of course.” She stops laughing when she notices his worried reaction,
“Don’t worry, I was supposed to meet someone for dinner but he cancelled on me, too. What are
the odds of that happening?” She muses in a philosophical way.
Chase breathes a sigh of relief and relaxes. He takes a sip of the wine dropped off by the server.
He scans the menu once more before deciding on Chicken Marsala. Putting the menu
down, he stares at Bianca realizing in that moment how striking she looks in the candle light.
Chastising himself for even looking at her in that way, he takes another gulp of wine.
“So were you were meeting for business or for pleasure?” Chase asks.
“To tell you the truth, it was a silly blind date set up by a former co-worker of mine from years ago.
I guess she thinks because I’m divorced and not dating every night of the week that there’s something
wrong with me.” Bianca responds, waving for the server to come over to take her order. “I’d like a house
salad to start and then Penne pasta with Marinara sauce.” She hands the menu to the server.
“I’d like the house salad and Chicken Marsala please.” Chase orders, handing his menu to the server.
He focuses back on his dinner companion. “I didn’t know you were divorced.”
“I’m surprised Gillian never mentioned it. She tried once or twice to fix me up on blind dates.” Bianca
responds, deep in thought before smiling, “Of course, she stopped doing that once I threatened to keep
potential sales from her. I never meant to do that but I figured it was the only way for her to stop playing
matchmaker.”
“My daughter never mentioned the people she worked with at her job. She’s doing very well at Falmont,
in case you're interested.” Chase replies, studying her intently.
“I’m not surprised by that. I knew she had potential in real estate but she wasn’t happy working at my
real estate agency.” Bianca pauses, “I received a decent offer on the agency from Prudential so I’m
not complaining. I just have to find another career before the funds run out. Trying
to pay for a mortgage and for my son’s schooling isn’t cheap.” Bianca wistfully says.
“You have a son? How old is he?”
“He’s starting his junior year in high school this year. If it weren’t for my son then I would assume time
stands still.” Bianca replies.
“I can agree with that. It seems like only yesterday my son Stephen was playing his first game of little
league. The time really does fly, doesn’t it?”
Chase muses aloud.
“Yes, it does. Life is too short to dwell on the past. Let’s change the subject and talk about something
more fun.” Bianca suggests.
Chase nods then sits back to enjoy his dinner with a friend.
Oleary’s
Melinda stares at Stephen in confusion. She takes a deep breath and tries to formulate an answer
clearly in her head.
“I don’t know what you thought you saw but nothing is going on between Dale and me.” Melinda
answers at last, making her way to the bar to punch out for the night.
“I saw you guys in a pretty close hug. Are you actually dating that guy?” Stephen demands.
Melinda shakes her head, “No, I’m not dating Dale. We’re just friends with one another. He
needed a friend after the breakup.”
“You mean when he broke Gillian's heart?” Stephen asks, “I heard about his fight awhile back
right here at O'learys. Thank god, my sister had the good sense to move on from him. My only
question is why you’re friends with him?”
“I don’t see how that is any of your business, Stephen.” Melinda spits back, before gathering
her purse and keys. “Why do you care who I’m friends with anyway?”
“Because you’re my best friend and I don’t want to see you get hurt. Just give me a good reason
why you’re friends with him and I’ll back off.” Stephen challenges.
Melinda shakes her head and walks outside the restaurant with Stephen following close behind.
He can’t believe she’s avoiding his questions, which only fuels his determination to find out what
she sees in Dale. As she walks toward her car, he puts his hand on her shoulder and she turns
around.
“Why are you following me? You have no business knowing who I’m friends with.” She yells at
him, “However, if it’ll get you off my back, he needed a friend and I reached out for him.
I understood how lost he felt after things with Gillian went south and I admit I wanted to help him.
So I convinced my boss to drop the charges against him so he could start over.”
Stephen just stands there, furious over what he’s just heard.
“I can’t believe it!” Stephen shouts, “Dale gets himself drunk over Gillian, gets into a fistfight that
results in him spending a night in jail and you have no qualms over reaching out to him. I admit I’m
in love with you and you push me away! Maybe, If I’d gotten into a fistfight, you would have given me
a second look. Tell me I’m wrong.”
Melinda stands there silently trying to respond to his challenge but unable to find the words to
convey her confused feelings.
“You see, I’m not wrong. You’re only drawn to people who need you. Your siblings, Dale, and
all the people you counsel at O’leary’s. When are you going to be drawn to me?” Stephen asks,
with urgency in his voice.
“Stephen, I told you I wasn’t interested in you at that time.” Melinda replies, not realizing her slip
of the tongue. “Besides, you wouldn’t have met Alicia and you two seem happy together.”
Stephen steps back with a smile on his face, “Are you saying you’re interested in me now?”
He notices the confusion in her face, “You said you weren’t interested in me at the time, which leads
me to believe that your feelings have changed. Am I right?”
“What does it matter, Stephen? You’re dating Alicia now and from what I’ve heard, she isn’t one
to be messed with.” Melinda replies, “Besides, I have to get going. For your information, Dale was
saying good-bye because he’s moving to Boston tonight. Have a good evening, Stephen.”
Melinda starts to walk away leaving Stephen to absorb that last piece of information. Realizing she
still has feelings for him, he grabs her arm and spins her around. Then he pulls her close to him, their
breath mingling as their lips move closer together. Before either one of them is aware of it, they kiss
with passion and abandon. The kiss deepens and the two embrace as the heat builds between them.
Neither is aware that Alicia is quietly watching them from the inside of her car. Her right hand grips the
steering wheel tightly and she rolls down the window to make sure she's not seeing things. She
resists the urge to rev up the engine and run them over with her car. She calmly rolls up the
window and drives off sight unseen.
