by Unknown
“Ouch!” Collin winced as he quickly rubbed his head.
“You deserved more than just a hit in the back of the head. I’m surprised she didn’t slap you herself because you deserved that. How long have you been doing this party thing?”
“For about six years.” And with that answer, another slap was brought upon the back of his head. “Jesus Christ, Momma that hurt!”
“It should hurt, just like you hurt her. I raised you to respect women, all of my boys were told to respect women and what do you do? You end up using them because of what your friends at that office wanted to do for a stupid bet. You could have and should have told her the truth in the beginning Collin and now you’ve probably lost the most wonderful girl you’ve ever met.”
“I have to tell you something Momma, something I’ve never discussed with you. For the longest time in my life, I always thought of women as just a challenge. I tried many times before to do the dating scene but with work, I put that before anything else. Back then I was a playboy who would go around picking up women from work to have one night stands with and think nothing of it the next day. That’s how it was with that Carol. But all of that changed when I started getting to know Gina. She is totally different than any woman I’ve ever met. She was sweet and kind and funny, things I wasn’t used to in some of the women I’ve been with in the past. Gina is different and pure and loving, the smallest things I take for granted, she enjoys. She used to run her fingers through my hair you know and I always wondered why she loved doing that, she told me she just did. I never let her stop though, I let her do whatever she wanted with me or to me,” Collin said with a chuckle in his voice.
“Have you talked with her any?”
“I left a message for her but I haven’t actually talked with her or seen her since that day. I told her that I wanted us to talk in a week but I don’t know if that will happen. I honestly don’t blame her if she doesn’t. I did her so wrong but I know that once I talk with her, I want to set things straight and hopefully she’ll forgive me in time.”
After Alannah grabbed her son’s hand, he lifted hers and kissed the back. “All you can do is pray my son.”
“How about I get you another cup of tea Momma?”
“I’ve got to go in anyways, I’ve got to get started on lunch.” As she got up, Collin held out his arm for her to take and Alannah took it. As they made their way back inside as the other men returned.
“So did you guys get things squared away?” asked Randy as he brought in some groceries along with Bobby and Mackenzie.
“Yeah we did, now bring those in the kitchen Collin, you’re going to help me with fixing lunch today as well as dinner tonight too,” Alannah told him as his father handed him a bag. His brothers snickered and he rolled his eyes at them.
“I guess he’s being punished huh?” Mackenzie said with a chuckle.
“Keep it up and you’ll be in here next helping us cook!” shouted Alannah as Randy Sr. was the one who was chuckling this time around.
“And you know she will do it too boys,” Randy said while opening up the newspaper.
Chapter Nine
It was two days later when Regina decided to call up Maxine to let her know how she was.
“Are you all right?”
It’s so good to hear her voice, Regina thought smiling.
“Yeah, I’m doing all right. I found this little B&B by a lake, it’s so peaceful here and quaint. The people who own this place are very nice and they just let me keep to myself though. This is fine with me because all I’ve been doing since I got here is sleeping, taking long baths and crying a little here and there.” Regina looked out from the porch onto the lake. It had been a pretty cloudy morning. The air smelled like rain would be coming soon.
“Isn’t there anybody else staying there with you?”
“An elderly couple came yesterday. They came over and introduced themselves to me, Fred and Martha Rosenthal from Spokane. Too adorable for words they are, I’m supposed to be having lunch with them today in their room. They have the biggest room in the house here and from what Martha told me, they’ve been coming here for the past twenty years and they always get the same room.”
“How adorable, that’s so sweet.”
“Oh it is.” With a weary sigh, the other reason for this call flashed through her mind. “So, have you seen or heard anything about Collin lately?”
“Nancy told me he had gone to his parent’s house for a while to get away, she says hello by the way, but he’s been pretty busy working lately. Linda came back to work and asked about you as well.” Her friend hesitated before asking, “Would you like for me to tell him something for you?”
Regina thought for a moment. “Can you just tell him I hope he’s all right and that I’ll call him on Sunday? I’m honestly thinking about staying here for another day or two, I really like it here,” Regina told her as she found her shoes and put them on. “I’ve got to go Max. I’ll call you in a day or two all right?”
“All right then, you take care and enjoy your time there. Love you girl.”
* * * *
“When do you want me to be there? On Friday till Monday huh, I will have to check my schedule. I know I won’t have anything planned during that time. But let me get back to you in about ten minutes, goodbye,” Collin said to Mr. Taylor, one of his clients. Mr. Taylor wanted him to come to his Tampa home, to deal with paperwork that needed to be signed and notarized. Even though Collin knew it would take no more than a day to deal with, Mr. Taylor wanted him to stay over for a get-together he was having with friends. He honestly didn’t want to deal with parties at that moment. The only thing that was on his mind was Regina.
After he clicked on the button for Nancy, she quickly came into the office. “Yes Collin?”
“I want you to get someone to go to Mr. Taylor’s in Florida for me. He wants me to stay there for the weekend, I’m not in the right frame of mind to mingle, see if someone else will go in my place. If he asks why I didn’t show, tell him something equally important came up.”
Nancy nodded and walked away but before the door closed, the woman who cared for Regina came in.
“Hello there…Maxine? How are you today?” Collin asked as he stood up to greet her.
“I’m doing just fine, thanks. I wanted to let you know I got a call from Regina just a while ago,” Maxine said with a smile.
His heart raced a bit hearing her say Regina called. “How is she? Did she ask about me?” Collin asked quickly.
“She told me that she’s doing fine, she went to some B&B for the week, said she’d probably end up staying a couple of days more because she likes it so much there. She also wanted me to tell you that she hopes you’re all right and that she’ll get in contact with you on Sunday.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, Collin was just happy to know that he was still in her thoughts. After all that had happened, he didn’t’ think he would be. “Well at least she’s doing all right. Did she say what B&B she was at?”
“All she said was that it was a B&B by a lake, very quaint and peaceful. Don’t tell me you’re going to try and find her, let her enjoy herself for a while Collin, remember you told her a week. I know you want to see her and all but give her that week to recover, she told me that she had basically been sleeping and eating and crying the whole time she’s been there. She needs this and if you go right now, it will screw everything up.”
She’s right, Collin thought, and patted her hand while nodding in agreement. “Thank you for letting me know how she was, if she asks about me again, let me know.”
Maxine nodded and soon left Collin alone with his thoughts. He only had a couple of more days to wait and wonder and pray she would forgive him.
* * * *
“I love their sandwiches here and Bertha knows how to make a wonderful soup,” Fred Rosenthal told Regina as they all sat at the table in their room that afternoon.
“She told me that she grows everything herself. We n
eed to try to grow a garden Fred, would be so nice to have good vegetables right from our backyard,” Martha told him before taking a sip of her soup.
Regina was enjoying Fred and Martha’s company. She thought they were too cute for words.
“So where do you live Gina my dear?” asked Martha.
“I live in Henderson, which is not too far from here, a good three hour drive.”
“Oh Henderson, I think we passed by that place on our way over here. Very nice town from what I saw,” Fred said, and Regina smiled.
They finished their lunch and retreated out onto the porch. Regina watched as Fred lovingly put a blanket across Martha’s legs as she sat in the rocker. “Thank you dear, he knows that if my legs catch cold, my arthritis will act up big time,” Martha said with a wink as he sat down in the rocker next to her. Looking over at her husband, Martha moved over toward Regina and told her, “Now that he’s had his fill of that good lunch, I give him about a minute to fall asleep right in that rocker there. Do you mind going inside the room and grabbing him a blanket as well?”
Regina smiled as she went back into their room and found another blanket on the foot of a bed. When she came out, she was trying her best not to giggle as she saw a snoring Fred asleep in his rocker. Gently, she opened the blanket and laid it across him. He snorted a little and continued snoring. Walking back toward her rocker, she sat down as Martha started giggling a bit.
“Didn’t I tell you he would be asleep?”
“That’s amazing you knew that and very cute. I think it’s going to rain today, I can smell it in the air.”
“It’s always lovely here during this time of the year. Can I ask you another question my dear?”
“Sure, what is it?”
“Why are you here? Honestly, I would have thought a pretty girl like you would have been working or something like that. Yet you’re here, even without her boyfriend?”
The word boyfriend stung her heart as she immediately thought about Collin. “Well, to answer your question Martha, I came here to get away from a man. Someone who I thought was the right one for me, but in the end did me so wrong. I needed to collect my thoughts and figure what route I want to go now. I’ve already decided that when I go back I’m going to quit my job because he works at the same place I do.”
“He must have done something bad to make you want to quit your job. What is his name?”
“Collin and yeah, he betrayed my trust in him. I thought he loved me because he shared things with me that I never thought a man would, things I haven’t had for a very long time. Later I found out it was all a big fat lie and all for some stupid bet he had going on at his office. I had never been so mad at a person before in my life until that day, my anger shocked him along with my best friend. So that’s why I’m here, I need to regroup, figure out how I want my life to be, whether it’s with or without him.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry that happened to you dear. But even though all of this has happened to you, it’s what you want deep down that matters. Do you know what you want?” Martha asked and Regina could only shake her head no. “Just give it time. Despite you wanting to be alone, me and Fred will keep you entertained this week, you need the company.”
Regina smiled looking out onto the fields and nearby lake as the rain slowly but surely started to come down. After she made sure Martha was comfortable, Regina went back into her room, got up under the comforter and let the rain’s soothing sounds lull her to an afternoon nap.
* * * *
Collin was looking out the window at the rain coming down. He kept wondering where Regina was but all he knew was a bed and breakfast by a lake. The phone buzzed and he hit the speaker button. “Yes Nancy, what is it now?”
“I know you may not care to hear this Collin, but Carol would like to see you.”
She was the last person he wanted to see, but she must have a good reason for coming. “Send her in. If she doesn’t leave in five minutes make sure to buzz with an excuse.” Turning his chair fully around, he watched the door open gradually.
At first she didn’t come in right away, but slowly peered around the door, looking at him with a somber expression. He was really not in the mood for her crap and for her to come here after all the shit she pulled, Collin had to admit she had spunk for even showing her face on this floor much less his office. Liking her spunk didn't mean he enjoyed the way she cringed when her gaze met his any less.
“Collin, I wanted to apologize to you as well as Regina about my actions.”
“Speaking for myself, I don’t accept your apology. I don’t know what Regina would say, I haven’t seen her since that day. And now that you’ve said your halfhearted apology, goodbye,” Collin said with a look that told her he wasn’t over what she had done and watched her leave his office. He pressed the speaker button on the phone.
Nancy picked up and said, “Yeah I know, don’t let her ass back in here again.”
He smiled as he turned back to his computer, trying to puzzle the mystery as to where Regina was. Collin knew he was being hardheaded as hell, ignoring what everybody had told him about waiting but for true love, there is no such thing as waiting. He had to talk with Regina sooner rather than later.
* * * *
“Oh dearie, it’s so wonderful to hear your voice. We’ve been worried sick about where you’ve been and what you’ve been up to. How are you, are you all right?” asked Alannah two days later, “Randy, its Regina, darling, it’s Regina.”
Regina laughed a bit when she heard the excitement in Alannah’s voice. It was a refreshing moment for her as she heard Randy Sr. in the background saying, “We miss you darling girl, hoping you would have come visit us.”
“Can you please let him know that I will come by and see everybody when I can? I just had to hear your voice and see how you were doing and to see if maybe, well, if you’ve heard anything from Collin?”
“He came home. Randall brought him the day after it had happened, what a sight to see he was. I was very angry with him for what had happened and he knew it when I looked at him. I honestly have never seen Collin cry like that darling, not since he was a baby. He was so heartbroken, darling, for what he did. But we had a long talk after he sobered up a bit and honestly darling, he was so upset for making you so angry with him. I’m telling you this because I know that he loves you so very much from all the wonderful things he said about you.”
Regina’s mind raced as to what he could have said that was so wonderful. “What did he say?”
“Well, I won’t go into great detail but I know he did talk fondly about how much he loved it when you would run your fingers through his hair.”
Regina giggled as she said that, it was one of the things she treasured doing the most with Collin. “Yeah, I loved doing that to him too. I miss a lot of things really about your son Alannah, just didn’t like what he did.”
“I know dearie, I know and you have every right to feel that way. But you can’t be angry with him all of your life, he loves you so very much and is remorseful. I think we all saw a side of Collin while he was here that none of us had seen before. So where are you at darling, you haven’t said a word about that?”
“Over at a B&B for some R&R, it’s been really nice. I’ve met a really cute older couple. They’ve kept me company while I’ve been here. I go out to the garden they have here and I pick out vegetables and get eggs from the chicken coop. I haven’t felt this good about myself in a very long time. I thought about staying an extra day and the owners like me so much that they told me they won’t charge me at all, which is nice,” Regina said, playing with one of the tassels of the rope that tied the curtain back.
“So when are you going to have that talk with Collin?”
“I’ve decided to call him up after lunch today to see if we can talk.” She smiled thinking about how long and hard she considered seeing him.
“Oh darling that is wonderful news, I know he will be so happy to hear your voice and you’ll feel so much
better once you both talked,” Alannah said as she started to cry.
Regina smiled a bit and almost started to tear up as well. “Please don’t cry, you’re going to get me started crying too.”
“No more tears of sadness darling, only tears of utter joy will you have when you meet him again.” They continued talking until a knock came to her door.
“I’ve got to go Alannah, they are calling me for lunch right now. I’ll let you know how everything goes, love you all.”
She saw Martha at her door with a smile on her face as she walked out and closed the door behind her. “Bertha is making her famous salmon with dill sauce today for lunch, it’s simply exquisite. We have to hurry before Fred decides to eat the whole platter up.” Martha giggled.
Regina smiled while holding her arm as they slowly walked around the porch and toward the dining room door.
“You ladies better hurry, she’s bringing out the salmon right now,” Fred said sitting at the table looking like a little boy waiting for a slice of cake.
“Now sweetheart, you better calm yourself down, I know how you are about Bertha’s salmon,” Martha said while Regina helped her into her chair. “Thank you my dear for that.”
Regina sat down as Bertha and Jeff came into the room with the food. Even though her stomach wanted food, her mind was racing with anticipation of hearing Collin’s voice.
“So are you going to call Collin today?” asked Bertha with a smile as she munched on her salmon.
Regina looked at her and blushed a bit, she realized that she had gotten way too friendly during her stay here and now basically everybody knew. “Yeah, I’m going to call him after lunch to talk.”
“Well that’s good, you both need to talk and get things out in the open. We hate seeing you here alone and sad,” Jeff told her and continued eating.
Regina didn’t know what she would have done without them this week. If they weren’t around to help her through everything more than likely she would have stayed in her room the entire week wallowing in self-pity.
