When it was just the three of them left, Maisie called for their attention. "I have something for us. I spoke to the funeral home directly, and they offer a few different memorializing gifts to families like ours that have lost someone so dear to them. I wanted us to have something, a keepsake, something of Mom that we can keep with us. Dad," she paced a few feet away and came back with a large canvas. "I wish I'd had time to paint this myself, but I'm not ready for something like that yet. However, this I think came out beautiful." She turned the frame to show him. It was a snapshot of him and her mom, dancing together at a wedding. They were both looking straight at the camera, full of smiles as they held each other. The moment had been captured beautifully, a perfect depiction of the love they held for each other.
"Thank you," was all he said, the emotion thick in his voice, as he stared at the painting. He moved a few feet away, taking a moment to himself.
"Blake, I had these made for us," she said, holding out two small, black jewelry boxes. They each opened them and inside was a sterling silver necklace. The pendant was heart shaped and engraved was a tiny fingerprint. Caroline had been cremated, and the option to save her fingerprints in such a beautiful way was one that Maisie hadn't been able to let pass them by. Now as well as their rings, they would each have a piece of their mom to wear around their necks and carry with them through every aspect of their lives. It was Maisie's hope that it would serve as her experiencing each small act, whether good or bad, as it happened right by their sides.
"This is...I don't even have words. You really are the little sneak, aren't you!" Blake teased, embracing her. They held each other tightly, needing the extra comfort in that moment. Stepping back, they fastened their necklaces and then turned to show their dad, who teared up at the sight of them. The funeral director came in with a large box, and the tone in the room turned somber. They all knew what it was; the urn.
Leaving the funeral home was hard. It all seemed so final, the last place they'd said goodbye to her. Blake was going home with her dad, and would be staying there for awhile, neither of them wanted to be alone. Maisie kissed and hugged both of them and then watched them drive away, a piece of her heart going with them.
Just as she was about to get in her own car and head for home, she was startled when someone called her name from behind. Spinning around, gripping her keys like a weapon, she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was Ridge standing there, holding a bouquet of flowers.
"I'm sorry I missed the visitation, I was hoping I might catch you still here. Ramsey filled me in on what's been going on. I'm so sorry about your mom," he told her, handing the flowers to her.
"Thank you. You didn't have to come, but this is very kind of you," she replied, looking up at him. The fact that he'd gone out of his way to come and see her, when they really didn't know each other all that well, struck something inside her. He was dressed in a suit, and looked so damn handsome, it was hard to take her eyes off him.
He stepped forward and pulled her in for a hug, fitting her small body to his. They molded together like glue and everything just felt so damn right. She leaned back and tilted her head up, their gazes locking together. In that moment, she could no longer deny her attraction, and needing to feel something other than grief and sadness, she raised up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. The chemistry exploded like a current, the taste of him filled her as she licked her lips and then found his again. He groaned and pulled her even closer if that was possible, walking them backwards until her back hit her car. His tongue traced her lips and demanded entrance and she obediently complied. Swooping inside, he claimed every inch of her mouth as he taught her tongue how to dance with his.
His hands roamed up and down her sides and she found herself arching, pressing her hardened nipples into his chest as her hands dove into his hair to tug his mouth closer. In seconds they were both breathing heavy and she felt his thumbs brush over her sensitive nipples once and then twice before he gained some sense and broke away, stumbling a few steps back.
Panting, trying to catch her breath, Maisie stared at him. His hair was sticking up, thanks to her hands and the predatory look in his eyes had her so turned on, she needed a fresh pair of panties. Never in her life had she been kissed like that. Never in her life had she kissed anyone back like that. The sheer passion was like a lightning bolt, searching and until it found the right spot and ignited everything around them into flames.
As fast as the haze of desire had taken her over, it started to recede and she realized what she'd done. She scooped up the forgotten flowers from the pavement and then opened her car door. "I—I'm sorry, I have to go." Slamming the door, she tore out of the parking lot as fast as she could, leaving Ridge standing there, staring after her.
Maisie didn't sleep that whole night and when morning finally came and Brant left for work, she began packing her things. If she could do what she did the night prior with Ridge, she had no business being in a relationship with another man. Before her mom had passed, she'd been ready to leave Brant and get away from the toxic energy he brought into her life. Now, with the added guilt of her betrayal, she had no choice but to leave. She texted her sister to say she was going to head to her apartment and crash there for awhile, who immediately texted back, Thank fuck, its about time.
When she had everything she was ready to take loaded in her car, she went back in the house and sat down to write Brant a letter. He was going to fly off the deep end, but she could only hope that once he knew she'd run to her family, that he'd keep his distance.
Dear Brant,
I'm sorry that I didn't have the courage to have this conversation with you in person, but to be honest I'm just too scared of your reaction. You see, I'm leaving you. I tried, I really tried like hell to make this work, but no matter what, I just don't seem to make you very happy. And the last thing I want is for either of us to live miserable lives. So, I've decided to leave and move in with my sister and my dad.
This isn't about blame, its about what's right. And for me, the right thing to do is to find out who I am away from you. I need to follow my dreams and see where that takes me, even if it means leaving you behind
I wish you nothing but happiness, always.
Take care,
Maisie
She left the letter on the kitchen table and after checking that there was enough food in the fridge to last him for awhile, she took one last look at her house, and then closed and locked the door. The resounding click of the lock freed something inside her, as though she was finally saying goodbye to a time in her life that had caused her nothing but pain and suffering.
Arriving at her sister's apartment building, she turned off the engine and took a deep breath. They say that after a major trauma, its best not to make major decisions, but she knew in her heart she was doing the right thing. Brant and her didn't work as a couple, and if she stayed any longer and allowed him to treat her the way he did, she just might end up dead. "Don't chicken out now, girl," she told herself as she climbed out of the car and started making the trips up to her sister's apartment on the 10th floor.
It took a couple hours, but she had all of her things unpacked and put away in Blake's spare bedroom. It was a spacious apartment with a nice view of downtown Seattle. Three bedrooms and one bathroom, it would be just like old times with the two of them living together again. Maisie moved to the kitchen and opened the fridge, shaking her head at the bare contents. Making a list of what they'd need, she set it on the counter with the intent of stopping at the store after she went to see her dad.
Sitting down on the couch, she tried to calm her nerves, which had been going haywire ever since she left her house. Guilt crept in at how Brant would feel when he came home from work and she was gone. Maybe she should have stayed and talked to him, but she was ever a coward and took the easy way out, not wanting to have an altercation with him.
She must have dozed off, as when she next opened her eyes, her phone was blinking rapidly on t
he the coffee table in front of her. Stretching, she checked the time and saw that it was after 6 p.m., she'd been asleep the entire afternoon. Grabbing her phone, she scrolled through the messages. There were a few from her sister, a couple from Greer, and then one from a number she didn't recognize. Opening it, she saw it was from Ridge.
Ridge: Hey Maisie. Just wanted to offer an apology for last night. Hope you're doing okay today.
She smiled, he'd been thinking about her. She quickly typed back.
Maisie: No apology necessary. How did you get my phone number?
Ridge: I'm a P.I., remember?
Maisie: LOL true.
Ridge: Listen, not to overstep here, but I heard from Ramsey who heard from your sister that you moved out of your house today. If you need anything, let me know. Even if its just to talk over coffee.
Damn Blake and her big mouth. Thank you. Coffee sometime sounds great
Ridge: Great, how about tomorrow? Say around 1pm?
Well that escalated quickly. She sat and thought for a few minutes on what to do. Should she go? Was it too soon? How would it be seeing him again so soon after that insanely hot kiss? The thought of the kiss had her fingers answering for her, instead of her head.
Maisie: 1pm works for me
Ridge: Perfect. You know the place LOL
Maisie: I do haha. See you then.
Ridge: It's a date.
Maisie didn't reply after his last message, not knowing how to respond. Was it really a date? How could she move out of a house with one man, and go on a date with another man the very next day? Granted, things with Brant had been over for a long time if she was being honest with herself, but that still didn't mean that jumping right into dating another man was a smart move.
Confused, she dialed her sister, needing to talk things out. Blake picked up on the first ring. "There you are! I was about to come down there and see what was going on. Why didn't you respond to my messages?"
"Sorry. I dozed off on your couch for longer than I meant to. How's dad?" Maisie asked.
"He's alright. Skipper has been on three walks today, and the laundry room downstairs has been rearranged twice. We're about to order in some dinner if you want to come up."
"That sounds great since someone doesn't have any food in the house."
"Hey, I have the necessities. Coffee and water."
"So I got a message from Ridge, seems he somehow tracked down my number."
"Oh, hmmm, wonder how that happened? What did he have to say?" Blake quickly asked, dejecting the spotlight off of her, they both knew she was the guilty party.
Maisie filled her in on the hot and heavy kiss and how now he wanted to go on a coffee date the next day.
"Holy shit, Maisie. You kissed him! And I know what you're saying about it being too soon, but coffee isn't really a date. Its just a chance to talk and see if the possibility of wanting there to be a date is there. Plus, think of it as you're just seeing him at work if that makes you feel better, since that's basically what you'll be doing," Blake said.
What she said made perfect sense and alleviated the worry that she was acting like Brant said she always did; a whore.
"Do you think I did the right thing, Blake? Leaving him? Maybe I should have gave it more time. Maybe I should go back before he gets home from work"
"No. Don't you fucking dare. Do you think Mom would want to see you like that? Beaten almost half to death? No. She would want to you to do exactly what you did, which is get as far away from that bastard as you can. If I wouldn't miss you so much, I'd be convincing you to move to a different city to ensure you're safe from him. You're brave, Maisie. Don't let him get in your head. Mom wouldn't want that life for you."
"You're right. I know you're right. I'm just scared of how he's going to react and I was thinking it might be better to go back." Maisie admitted.
"Well, get your ass up here so I can kick some sense into it. You go back there and I'm bringing Dad, Ramsey, Ridge and the whole damn world to drag you out of there. I told you my silence had a time limit and time's up. Now that you're out, you're staying out."
Maisie knew she was right and hanging up the phone, she stood and stretched once more, intent on freshening up and then heading to have dinner with her dad and sister. In the bathroom, she stared at the necklace around her neck, and felt an enormous wave of sadness wash over her. This was the first major step she'd taken in her life since her mom had passed. She couldn't share her feelings about the kiss with Ridge, her guilt over leaving Brant, the sense of freedom she felt from being out of the house where she'd seen such torment. She could only hope that she'd be proud of the choice she'd made to move forward into the light, instead of staying sucked into the darkness.
Her phone chimed once and then again, and again, and again, signaling incoming text messages. Heart pounding, she picked it up and swiped to unlock the screen.
Brant: You fucking whore.
Brant: You think you can just leave me like this? That I'll allow you to be such a selfish bitch?
Brant: After I held your fucking hand while you whined and cried about your mom, this is how you repay me.
Brant: If you think this is over, think again.
Maisie didn't reply to any of the messages, but she had a feeling that he was absolutely right. She may have left him, but she was far from free of his grasp.
Maisie arrived at Coffee Time an hour before her "date" with Ridge. She missed Greer, Jerry and all her regular customers. She'd barely set foot behind the counter when Greer came running at her, launching herself into her arms. Laughing, she hugged her back.
"Hey, Greer. Missed you too," she giggled.
"I feel like I haven't seen you in ages. How are you doing?" Greer asked, stepping back to look in her eyes.
"I'm hanging in there. It still doesn't quite feel real; you know?"
"I get it. When I lost my dad when I was eight, I remember feeling like that. I kept waiting for him to walk through the door," Greer confessed. Maisie grabbed her hand and squeezed, offering comfort without words.
"Well, things haven't been the same around here without you, that's forsure. I've been stuck working with Manny, the slowest server on the face of the planet. I swear, I could be serving customers into tomorrow and he'd still be on his first from today," she complained.
Maisie laughed. "I plan to come back next week. Just want to make sure things with Dad are settled before I jump back in."
"Thank fuck for that. I understand you need the time away, but I'll sure be glad to have you back and I know Jerry will too. He's missed you."
"Is he in the back? I'd like to say hi," she said, peeking through the swinging door.
"Yeah, he's doing payroll though, so enter at your own risk," Greer warned.
"Oh, boy. Well, I'll risk it and hope that his missing me will earn me a reprieve from his wrath of hating that part of the job." It was a well-known fact around the store that Jerry could be a mean bastard when doing the payroll. He hated numbers and complained every week when the day rolled around that he had to complete that task.
Walking into the back, she indeed found Jerry in his office, mumbling to himself as he stabbed an over-sized calculator with the end of a pencil. She tapped gently on the door, jumping in fright when he barked out, "What?!"
"Um, hi, Jerry," she said in a low voice, apprehension filling her. He wouldn't lash out at her, right?
Jerry turned his head and seeing her hovering in the doorway, quickly apologized for his outburst. "Oh, sorry, Maisie. Don't mind me, its these damn numbers doing my head in that I'm pissed off at, not you. How are you doing, sweets?"
"I'm doing okay. Hanging in there," she replied, relaxing a little. "I wanted to thank you for the beautiful flower arrangement, that was so nice of you."
"Of course, its the least I could do. How's your dad and sister holding up? About the same I imagine."
She nodded and leaned on the door frame. "Yeah, its really just not real to us yet I don't think
. Blake and I are going to take turns staying with Dad for the next little while so that he's not alone. My mom would be happy about that," her voice caught, but she managed to keep the tears back.
"Well listen, I wanted to let you know, don't worry about work. You come back when you're ready. We've got Manny filling in for you and he and Greer are making a great team. And, I'm going to be paying you for the time off. No arguments," he said when she started to do just that. "You're a very caring person, Maisie. I think you've had a lot of tough breaks in life and could use a little kindness. This isn't much, but its something that I can do to hopefully alleviate some worry for you. Think of it as a thank you for being such a stellar employee all these years."
His words had the dam breaking and the tears she'd been holding back freely fell. "Thank you, Jerry. You really are the best boss. I want to come back next week; I miss this place."
"Just take your time and you let me know when you want back on the schedule. We're your family too, and we aren't going anywhere." He rose from his chair and embraced her in a warm hug.
"Thanks, Jerry." She let him get back to his numbers, giggling when the mumbling and cursing commenced again almost immediately. Making a quick stop in the bathroom, she washed her face free from the last of the tears and stared at herself. Shame started to rise, that same dirty feeling that she couldn't wash free of no matter how hard she tried. Was having this meetup with Ridge a mistake? If she went through with it, didn't that make everything Brant ever said about her, true? Closing her eyes, she evened out her breathing and tried hard to find her courage. She could do this. She wasn't a whore, she wasn't worthless. Having coffee with a man didn't make her a bad person.
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