Generation 3- Chapter 9: L'arbre cache souvent la forêt

The next  few days I spent completely wrapped up in Lemon Drop. My father reluctantly let him stay with us, despite his semi-awareness that this was the fellow who had broken my heart once when we returned from Chambrie. I can't say I was in love but I when I was around him I was completely consumed by his presence. Everything else seemed to fade away besides his handsome face.

I should've known better than to play with fire...

The day he arrived we spent all afternoon at the pier. Everything that had happened previously between us was completely forgotten. He was here with me now and I was on cloud nine.

 

 We spent hours giggling, snuggling, talking the hopes and dreams talks of new couples and somehow the whole wine, dine and ditch he had done to me and the answering machine message never came up and I never brought it up. 

The evening at the pier ended in much the same way as the one in Chambrie had....I leave it at that.

 Days and then weeks passed in that lusty bliss that new couples have and then it was time for Lemon Drop to return to Chambrie due to his visa expiring. I could not bear the thought of him leaving and he comforted me telling me he would return as soon as possible. My dad was happy to have him leave, he and Lemon Drop never became very friendly towards each other. On what was to be our last day together we decided to return pier we had visited on our first day back together.

 

 "I will miss you so much my Margie. I do not want to return, their is nothing in Chambrie for me without you"  I swear when he said  things like that I just melted like butter. 

Suddenly the thought of him leaving was unbearable, I ran outside to the beach and he followed behind me. I made a rash decision. I was tired of being alone and look what had happened to my dad. My mother had left him alone very early, too early...she had been so young and they were so in love. I wanted a chance at a happy marriage like they had. So I did what seemed like the only thing to do. I proposed.

And he said yes.

"But mon cher, I have to leave today. My visa." he purred coyly.

"Well why wait? Lets go get married today. At city hall." I said nonchalantly. This was so unlike me, but I didn't care. I needed a change in my life and I wanted Lemon Drop to be that change.

When I arrived home I sent Lemon Drop in to make some calls to his family and arrange for his belongings to be shipped here. My father was seated in one of his favorite spots, grinning at me and daring me to join him to a game. I sat down but I guess the serious look on my face must have startled him. 

"I have something to tell you Dad."

"What's that sweetheart?" 

"Lemon Drop is staying here in Sugar Valley with me."

"How is that sweetie? I thought he had to return because his visa expired today..." his voice faded off and he pulled his chair back a little, looking curiously at me.

"We got married Dad."

"Congratulations" his voice was anything but thrilled. He sounded cold and angry which shook me up a bit. I had never heard my Dad talk that way. He was one of the most sweet and soft spoken men I had ever met.

"Dad, could you a least sound a little happy for me?"

"Happy for you?! Happy that you are going back to school now in Briocheport? Happy that you married a man you barely know? Or happy you married a man that broke your heart once already? I don't like him Margarita. I'm not even sure I want him in the house."

I was almost too taken aback to speak but my voice finally caught up with me.

"Are you telling me we aren't welcome to stay?" 

He looked a little defeated at this "Of course you can stay Margarita. And it looks like I don't have much of a choice about the...other one." 

Dad left and went into the house to find Lemon Drop where he basically told him that old stand-by "If you break my daughter's heart, I'll break your neck" sort of thing. Lemon Drop looked rather unphased by the threat.

Things went swimmingly well for another month. I was on cloud nine and Lemon Drop wanted me to stay home and study for my medical examinations that were coming up while he was looking for a job. 

"Don't worry mon cher, I'll take care of you."

All was well and good until I woke up feeling nauseated for the third morning in a row. 

"Uh-oh" I said to no one in particular when the realization came to me that I was late and I was never late. A short trip to the grocery store and a visit to the library bathroom where I had been studying concluded my initial thought. I was pregnant.

I waited patiently that evening for Lemon Drop to return home, he was late and I was anxious. I  couldn't keep my hands off my belly. I was going to be a mom. I didn't think I was close to ready and my brain was starting to wake up from the lust-induced fog I had been in. What about school? Boards? Did I plan to stay here? What about Briocheport? Diana? Draegan....

Oh little belly, what are we going to do?

And where was my husband?

Generation 3-Chapter 8: Il faut réfléchir avant d'agir

Note from Flutter: I realize this chapter is a little short but with good reason...all of these pictures are old and I have to get caught back up on the game. However, I'm hoping I'll get to do that a little later today.

Overnight turned into a week, turned into nearly two. I was so happy to see my family and I knew from the little time I had been back home that I had been missed...a lot. Thyme and Dew Drop had changed without me, that's probably why I hadn't heard from either of them much.

Thyme had become more and more withdraw into what dad liked to call her "artistic world" and would only wear dark colors and hang out with kids my father said had a tendency towards being both shady and manipulative. Especially her best friend, Lumina Bitters.
  
Dew Drop had started letting her grades dropped and was working at the grocery store which is where Dad insisted she was going to have to continue to work at unless she got her grades up.

While I was there we had a belated birthday party which she ditched early and came home with a new outfit and haircut.

 

I don't think I had ever realized how much she looked like Dad until she got all of that hair out of her face. Hopefully she'll pull herself together so that she can get through college.

I fit back into life in Sugar Valley so quickly and seamlessly that Briocheport and the chaotic world I'd left there were the furthest thing from my mind. I had been exchanging email from Diana and had told her and Dr. Draegan that I was thinking of staying. I received an email from Diana saying she understood but hoped I'd hurry back but I'd received a disappointing and curt "Do what you must" from Draegan. I guess I had been expecting (or hoping) that he'd fight back a little more.Visiting family and old friends was taking up quite a bit of my time and I soon let the disappointment push itself to the back of my brain.

Three weeks after I'd left, I was thinking about what to cook for my family for dinner and wondering what time they'd all get home as I walked out to the post box when my thoughts were interrupted.

"Margarita, mon coeur"

I froze. My heart began to beat at a frightening speed and my mind was racing. It can't be. I turned to face the person I least suspected I'd ever see again. 

"Lemon Drop?"

 "Mon cher! You have not forgotten me! I can not believe zat I am here and you are here!" 

As Lemon Drop came running toward me, I opened my mouth to speak but no words would come. I was frozen in place. My brain was flashing back to Chambrie and images of Lemon Drop and I were flooding my mind, along with the feeling of heartbreak and humiliation that I'd felt when I'd realized I'd been used all came back in that instant.

I had yet to regain control of myself when Lemon Drop reached me and yanked me into his arms.

" 'Ello" he grinned and tried to pull me closer as if to kiss me. At that moment my brain once again began to communicate with my limbs and I pushed him backwards.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

He looked hurt and shocked and that just fueled all the rage that had had plenty of time to build. I unloaded on him about ditching me, leading me on...you get the picture.

He tried to defend his actions saying he cared about me but something had come up.

"And what? You broke both of your arms and lost your phone too? I find that hard to believe!"
I could scarcely believe how much resentment I had towards him. It made me even more mad that he was here acting like he'd done nothing wrong. However, I never expected what came next. He became angry with me and his French accent got even thicker.

"I made a mistake then Margarita! How come you say these things to me and get so mad with me when I came all the way here to Sugar Valley to find you? It took me very long time to make enough money to come here. I care for you very much or I would not be here."

I lost my resolve a little and felt the anger begin to seep out. He had a point.
He must have noticed me relax a little because his face softened and he again reached out for me, this time I didn't jerk away.

"Margie" he purred, "Please let us be friends again." He was getting closer and closer with that handsome face of his. I was no longer able to muster the anger I needed to pull away and before I knew it his lips were on mine. I kissed him back.

Oh boy. What have I gotten myself into again? Why do I keep diving head first into heartbreak?

Generation 3- Chapter 7: Aussitôt dit, aussitôt fait

The electricity generated by the kiss felt like it was heating the air around us. The moment I pulled away from his embrace I regretted it because reality flowed in, the drunk buzz that had lead to this awkward moment was wearing away quickly but the mind-numbing electric current generated by the kiss was trying to silencing my conscious that was lecturing me: I had just kissed the attending who had been making my life a nightmare. What about Lemon Drop? What was I doing?

"Dr. D'Asti, I don't think..."

"Margarita, let's not think tonight. Unless I'm far off base, and I'm usually not, you felt what I just felt and you kissed me back."

"Dr...Draegan, I can't talk about this while I'm not entirely sober...why don't I call you a cab or you can crash on the sofa if you want....I think I should go to bed..." he opened his mouth as if the protest but then seemed to think better of it and said, "I'll be downstairs in the morning." He gave a little smirk.

As soon as I heard footsteps fade down the stairs I felt myself relax a little but I found myself extremely tired. With my mind racing, it took more effort than usual to get into my PJs and then the bed. I couldn't help but let the scene in the bathroom replay in my head...it was like a video on loop. What did it all mean, did I have feelings for him? Even though he was a jerk? I drifted off into that peaceful sleep that nectar can create on occasion with the image of Dr. Draegan's face in my head.

******

I opened my eyes to face the wickedly bright sun seeping through the shades in my room. *Groan* My head was throbbing. I knew it was not the worse thing I'd have to face today. Might as well get it over with. I slid over to the desk and pulled out my organizer. Today was Sunday and I had absolutely nothing written on the page, went meant I had absolutely no excuse to run out of the house. Crap.

I made my way downstairs and I didn't see Dr. D'Asti on the sofa. I relaxed a little and headed into the kitchen to make myself some coffee to see if I could perk up. I was headed into the living room to search for the TV remote when I heard the dreadful noise that was someone clearing their throat. A male someone. I froze.

"Oh, Dr. D'Asti. I had forgotten you were hear....more like hoping it was all a dream (I muttered under my breath"

"Oh no you didn't Margarita, you remember exactly what happened last night and so do I, unlike you however, I'm not one to beat around the bush."  I shot him a look that should have startled him if he had been anyone else...anyone capable of being startled. That old sense of irritation he caused me had made it's way back to me.

"Margarita, I realize we've made things a bit difficult between us and beings I'm your supervisor, I would understand if you wanted to pretend this never happened...but personally, I'd like to see this become something more. I'm very attracted to you and your unwillingness to cower around me like so many of the other students. I'd like to take you out on a real date beings we seem to be doing things backwards. However, if that did become the case we'd have to change the work situation..." He sounded hopeful, a vulnerability I never thought someone like him capable. This stalled my immediate reaction to deny the whole situation and refuse him....Did he....care about me? My mind was reeling...was I attracted to this man? Hmmm... I gave him the once over, he was tall, handsome in a regal kind of way, very intelligent but at also arrogant, bossy, obstinate...

I plopped down on the sofa. He sat beside me and I looked up to see him with that insidious smirk across hiss face...I guess he could see my gears turning in my brain. I'm surprised steam was coming out. I sighed. I didn't know how I felt. Didn't know what to say or do. 

"Margarita...you don't have to figure out everything in one day. Take the weekend, see how you feel after a couple of days...but as you know I'm not a very patient man." He said all of this quietly but some how I detected a hint of uncertainty in his voice. I looked up at him, my emotions were playing a rough game of tug-o-war. "Dr. D'Asti...I mean Draegan....you are always so mean to me though. You treat me like dirt in school then one time I tell you off and you follow me home and....and... kiss me like you did?" I was a little exasperated.

"Margarita, you ARE funny. I've been watching you through the residency program. I've realized that you are very driven to become an excellent physician, you care tremendously about your patience but even with that drive you don't let it take you over, you're kind to your colleagues and very bright. I've come to care about you as a student a great deal so of course I've been hard on you. I want you to be a successful student and doctor, more so than anyone else I've come across."  I looked at him skeptically but I could tell by the tone of his voice he was serious. "Just think about it..." He stood up to go with that o-so-serious face he always wears and said "Good-bye" with a gentleness very unfamiliar to his voice. One that caught me in my gut, making me almost want to jump up and kiss him good-bye. But I stayed firmly sitting on the sofa until the door had closed behind him then I flopped back on the sofa and closed my eyes. My head, I can't think. 

I stood up and headed to the kitchen where I took an aspirin literally almost the size of my head. Yuck!

Before I had time to puzzle the situation any further, I heard the cellphone ring upstairs.

The screen flashed "Home"

I answered it, "Well its about...."

"Marg!" It was Dad, "Hi sweetheart! I hope everything's going well. Listen my favorite oldest daughter, I am sorry we have been getting to talk to you much lately but, well I have some news."

"Dad! I've missed you guys so much, just hearing your voice has made me homesick. What's been going on? Tell me everything!"

"Well, Margie, I would like if you could come home for a little while, maybe see if you could talk some sense into your little sister. She's been given me some problems and well, I haven't been so well myself. Without your mom around....I've just been kind of depressed lately and I guess you  could say not having you around doesn't help much."

"I'll be home today, give me a few hours. I'll stay as long as you need."

I hung up the phone, got dressed, packed a few things and settled at the computer long enough to type up a general e-mail to Diana and Dr. D'Asti letting them know I was needed back home in Sugar Valley for awhile and that I would be taking a leave of absence.

I sighed. So much for getting to deal with my own problem, maybe I could figure out my emotions on the very long drive back to Sugar Valley.

The cab I called arrived and as I settled in for the long haul, I noticed how dreary the city appeared. It seemed to match my mood. I had no idea when I'd be back, if I came back.