Genevieve O’Hare


INSTALLMENT #5

Early the next morning after a night of blissful sleep, the phone rang. It was right next to the night stand by her bed and although she had no clue who it could be, she answered the phone. “Hello” she said in a low and raspy tone. “Good morning” said Addie, “I have breakfast here if you’d like to join me.” “I thought part of the rules were that I had to provide my own food?” asked Genevieve. “Yes, I did say that and it still stands, but if you’d like I just want you to know that there are fresh biscuits down here in the kitchen, I made some extra and just thought I’d offer you the rest. No need in wasting food.” said Addie “Okay” said Genevieve laughing to herself, “I’ll be right down.”
It was obvious to her that the old woman wanted some company. It must be lonely living in such a big house all by herself thought Genevieve. She lingered in bed for just a few moments longer, trying to hang on to her last bit of peace before getting out of bed. After freshening up, Genevieve went downstairs to the huge kitchen. It had large bay windows in the breakfast nook and piled high on a large plate placed in the middle of the table were freshly baked biscuits. “Have a seat.” said Addie, “I have strawberry jam to go with the biscuits and there’s a pot of coffee brewing. I just put it on.” “You didn’t have to go through all of this trouble.” said Genevieve. “Who says I went through any trouble?” asked Addie. Genevieve simply smiled and took a seat. “So how long have you been living up here?” asked Genevieve. “My husband and I came here about 30 years ago on vacation. We lived in Texas all of our lives, I was a school teacher and my husband was an attorney for several large business and corporations back home. After years and years of giving all of his attention to corrupt businessmen, he decided to retire. He wanted to be someplace peaceful and this part of the California coast was always so peaceful to John, so we decided to come back here. But enough about me, what’s your story, you from around these parts?” asked Addie. “No I’m actually from L.A.” said Genevieve. “Hmmm, is that right?” asked Addie. “Yes.” responded Genevieve, staring out of the windows, in a deep gaze, almost hypnotized by the view from the kitchen window. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that little situation that was mentioned on the evening news last night, would you?” asked the old woman. Suddenly the question knocked Genevieve out of her daydreaming stupor, caught off guard, stuttering, she had no idea how to answer the question, “What do you mean?” asked Genevieve. “You’re the one those folks are looking for aren’t you?” asked Addie. “Look I appreciate you allowing me to stay here, and I know you don’t want any trouble. If you want me to leave, I’ll leave.” said Genevieve. “Now just hold your horses, I won’t lie to you there is a measure of concern, but no one’s putting you out. The real question is, ‘What are you running from?’” asked the woman. “A broken heart and a lingering trail of ashes.” said Genevieve hopelessly. “You know facing the truth can be a difficult thing. It takes a strong person to look into the mirror at themselves and face what’s right in front of them. But if you spend your life running away from the hard stuff you can get so consumed with not looking that you miss seeing the good. You miss all those things that you should be grateful for. Those things you take for granted.” said Addie. “Thank you.” said Genevieve, “All of that sounds very noble, but some situations are harder to face than others.” “I didn’t say it was easy.” said Addie, “But you owe it to yourself to face up to whatever it is you’re running from. You deserve to be able to move on with your life. You’re young! You shouldn’t be out here in the middle of nowhere, secluding yourself from the rest of the world. Don’t let the jackass that broke your heart think he’s got the better of you. The best thing you can do for yourself and the worst thing you can do to him is to face up to what happened, own up to your part in the tizzy, and move on. That’s it.”
“Thanks. You’re right. Thanks for the biscuits Addie, I really do appreciate it.” said Genevieve. “Oh anytime honey, besides you’re doing the dishes anyway.” said Addie patting Genevieve’s arm as she got up to leave. Genevieve simply laughed and continued to enjoy her hearty breakfast before taking on her chores. After cleaning the kitchen, she soon began to feel sick and ran upstairs to the bathroom throwing up part of her breakfast. This queasiness had started last week and deep down she knew what was going on. She sat on the bed thinking about her life and everything that had transpired over the past few weeks. She knew Addie was right. It was time to confront her giant. But she wouldn’t do it there. She would go somewhere else so that the number couldn’t be traced back to her new residence. Genevieve grabbed her things and headed out of the door. Driving into town, she passed a phone booth about a block down from the local coffee shop. She parked and walked to the booth. Once she picked up the phone, she paused at the thought of finally speaking with him again. She dialed the number and listened as the phone rang. “Hello.” said Gavin. “Gavin, this is Genevieve. I’m going to make this quick. It’s over between us and if you try contacting me again, that heap of ashes you called home will be just the tip of the ice berg!” she threatened. “You are out of your damn mind!” he yelled. “Well I guess that means I have been out of my mind for 10 years! You know what you promised me and you didn’t follow through on that promise. We were finally supposed to start our life together and I go there to find out your still sleeping with her! On the day we were supposed to go New York to start a new life! You knew how much this meant to me!” she said fighting back tears. “Look Genevieve, I admit you and I were both a bit delusional okay. But you knew I couldn’t just up and leave her! You know damn well what the circumstances behind this marriage are. Your father basically had me by the balls working in his company and to ensure my promotion I had to take Julianne on, it was the only way I could be sure I’d still have a job!” said Gavin. “Bullshit!” said Genevieve “You knew damn well what you were doing and you stabbed me in the back! But I was the one who was stupid enough to think it wouldn’t last. Hoping that you and I would magically have the life you said we would after all of the time, love, and energy I put into this sham of a relationship. Having to stand there and watch you marry her! But you didn’t have the balls to stand up for us! You sold us out Gavin, you son of a bitch! Everything we had, you sold it out! And correction, he isn’t MY father! Why the hell do think you he wanted you so badly to marry Julianne! There was no way on earth he was going to have his successor be married to anyone else but his own daughter! Remember Gavin, blood is thicker than water and you fell right into the trap!” argued Genevieve. “Genevieve, the police are after you, Julianne has them out like bloodhounds looking for you for burning the house down. You didn’t have to go that far! Did you think you would get away with this?” asked Gavin “I didn’t care! You both deserved it!” she said. “Well Julianne is talking about getting you put away on charges of arson Genevieve!” “Well if you’re smart, then you will calm her down and have her call off her dogs. I mean it Gavin, you do not want to push me on this one. I have dealt with the hurt and pain of seeing you two together for too long now knowing that I was cheated and manipulated. But not anymore, if you keep this up, then I promise you will be sorry!”
“What is that supposed to mean?” asked Gavin. “It means…” said Genevieve, “Convince Julianne to call off the cops and just count her losses.” “Why?” he asked “Why would you think Julianne would simply be cooperative enough just to sit back and let this go?” “Because” said Genevieve, “I know how she feels about her perfect image. And right about now, I doubt she’d want the impending birth of our ‘love child’ to taint that image…” “What do you mean ‘Love Child’? Genevieve what are you saying to me?” asked Gavin. “I’m saying congratulations Daddy… We’re expecting!”

Tune in next Sunday for your Dose of Drama and find out what happens on the next installment of “Genevieve O’Hare! Log on and get your read on!