omg, you have no idea how happy i was when i saw this email. thank you so much
for finishing it. it sounds asif you have been through a lot and i hope writing
makes you feel better. you have a great talent and i cant wait to read the next
installment.

jewels_gold2002 <anjschneider@...> wrote: ENCORE/SOULMATES
THE FINALE~ PART 28

Disclaimer: I know they were never mine but I think I made them a
little mine. LOL
NO profit ect¡K.

This is dedicated to all of you, bless you for still wanting to read
it after all this time.

Well it¡¦s been a long time and I know I should be shot at sunrise
for not finishing this long ago. I have to confess I lost what
I had written of the finale part about the first 2/3 which dampened
by desire
to try and rewrite it awhile back, and so I¡¦m not sure if it will
be in continuity as well as I originally planned. That and
I also have to confess its been over two years since I¡¦ve
written anything besides a grocery list! So I am trying to
get back into writing. I can¡¦t believe I left it undone for so
long and I really don¡¦t know what made me stop. But since I saw a
thread on here
in Dec where the desire to still read Encore/Soulmates was mentioned
I decided
to ask whoever is left of you, to be my guinea pigs once
again. I know I am lucky anyone still wants to read it. I hope I
still have
what it takes to do the writing and the characters justice. I have no
excuse other than that life sometimes gets in the way no matter how
much you wish it wouldn¡¦t.

I think in some weird way it had to do with my Mom¡¦s passing because
I really
started writing a lot when I began to take care of her full time.
Maybe I somehow associated it with that, and had to be away from it
to let go of all of it. Who knows¡K.anyway here¡¦s my feeble attempt to
make up to you any frustration or disappointment you felt.

I haven¡¦t answered your requests in the past because I didn¡¦t want to
tell you I couldn¡¦t.
I hate to disappoint anyone ever.

I have reread all of Encore but
In my head there was a scene I haven¡¦t found yet. So I am wondering
if it was in a part I wrote and lost. It¡¦s aggravating not to be able
to
Go back to the beginning of what I wrote for 28 but maybe it will
Turn out okay anyway. The whole story is still here on the message
board
if anyone wants to review any of it.

Thanks for reading as always and for remaining supportive even
through my lack of contact. I promise this will get finished¡Kit is
almost
completely done but because as usual it has gotten so long I¡¦m going
to post it in two or three parts. I hope there are still a few who
will enjoy it.
ļ And I hope its not too little way too late!

Synopsis

Saturday where we left off Lindsay has just gone from Sam and
Claire¡¦s to Laharve for a last goodbye before running away so
that Bobby will take Judge Hiller¡¦s seat if the committee does
approve him. Best advice is go back and read some or
all of it if you don¡¦t remember. There is no easy way to recap this!
Lol I¡¦m trying!
Oh and Bobby, Judge Hiller, Bec and I think Judge Kittleson are the
only ones
Who even know that Bobby is up for the judge¡¦s seat according to what
Bobby knows.
Of course Lindsay found out from Judge Kittleson, who informed
her that there is no way Bobby will get the seat on the bench
as long as Lindsay is his wife, because of her time in jail¡Kect¡K
Lindsay went to confirm if it was true with Judge Hiller. Judge
Hiller promised not to say anything to Bobby which she hasn¡¦t.
And wow if this isn¡¦t complicated! Lol

Uhm ¡K.Bobby has been adamant that he will ONLY accept the judge¡¦s
seat if Lindsay is by his side. He has had ongoing committee meetings
where he has been questioned and interrogated repeatedly. He is
now awaiting their final decision. He doesn¡¦t know Lindsay even knows
about the judicial seat or the committee¡¦s reluctance to approve him
because of her. Now he has been called by Judge Hiller to get to the
courthouse. He is more intent on finding Lindsay and confronting her
about her feelings for Ross the parrot owning lying author who has
confessed to Lindsay that he wrote a book about her without her
permission, and is in love with her. They were engaged for about an
hour in Lindsay¡¦s attempt to
throw Bobby off as to why she no longer wished to be with him.
Lindsay broke
the engagement when she found out about Ross¡¦s duplicity in wanting
to publish
an unauthorized book about her entire life.

Ok uhm Ross feeling bad about his deception has joined Helen in
trying to
Find out why Lindsay is running away from Bobby when they know it¡¦s
him she loves. Helen has enlisted Lucy¡¦s help. Helen is worried
because through gossip she has heard that Bobby has had many
clandestine meetings at the courthouse and no one has the whole
story on what he has been doing. Helen jumps to the conclusion
after she hears there is a sting operation going to catch another
corrupt judge that maybe Bobby is on the take from that judges he was
suspected of being when Judge Fleming left a file incriminating him,
which Helen destroyed. All Helen knows for sure is that Bobby has
been meeting with judges secretly at the courthouse, and that either
he is in on a sting operation to expose another corrupt judge or he
could be corrupt himself, (which of course Helen doesn¡¦t really want
to believe.)

Mike and Helen are engaged.

The rest of the gang is still at the office except for Lucy who is a
rape councilor.

Sam and Claire know Lindsay is at Laharve but are sworn to secrecy
regarding divulging her whereabouts being revealed to Bobby. Really
you need to read Encore 27 to have any of this Make sense. Lol

The story resumes here. I know don¡¦t faint I can¡¦t believe it¡¦s
getting finished either!

ENCORE 28 WITH A TOUCH OF SOUL PART 1 OF FINALE.

Bobby is hopping on one foot trying to tie his tie and get his pants
on at the same time.
Judge Hiller has mandated he get to the courthouse immediately. Why
now, he
barely, even cares anymore. It¡¦s just a job, when all is said and
done. Yes it holds social
prestige and the possibility for a political future. But he¡¦s not
even sure he¡¦s interested
in that anymore. He¡¦s never really been the pretentious type anyway,
and without
Lindsay, nothing mattered to him. God! If only he could blow this
meeting off and go
search for her! That¡¦s all he wants to do! Where the HELL is she? And
where
is Bobby Jr.? He tries to shake off the sinking feeling in his gut
that something isn¡¦t
right, that is above and beyond all the other things that are already
NOT right in his life.

He¡¦s finally got the pants on now its just putting on the damn shoes!
His hands
are clammy and trembling slightly as he ties them. And he wonders
why? What is this weird feeling of urgency he has that goes further
than the need to get to the courthouse? And why on a Saturday! Hell,
you can¡¦t even get a judge to set foot at the courthouse on a Friday
afternoon let alone a weekend day. Maybe Hiller found out about the
committee¡¦s rejection of him the night before and didn¡¦t have the
heart to let him down over the phone. His mind races from one
scenario to the other of course nothing
he imagines has a positive outcome. But he¡¦s okay, so what if he
loses the chance to become a judge? He won¡¦t kid himself there will
ever be another opportunity because this he knows is a-once-in-a-
lifetime shot. He wanted to make Lindsay proud of him. He realizes
that is the reason he¡¦s even allowed the process to go this far. He
wanted to see the look on her face as she stood by him as he was
sworn in. He wanted to see the sparkling glimmer of pride in her eyes
validating that he is her hero, her Knight in a Shinning Silky Black
Robe. That¡¦s why he doesn¡¦t really expect it to happen, because as
things are, she isn¡¦t going to be there to see any of it. He grabs
his jacket, and heads to his car knowing that the emptiness he feels
isn¡¦t going to evaporate, not now, not ever.

His fingers jam the key into the ignition as his heart drowns in the
pain he has
been trying so hard to ignore. His foot hits the gas belligerently
causing his fuel injected car to protest to the inevitable ache that
consumes him at every thought of her. Damn it! He realizes in his
overwrought state he¡¦s flooded the engine! GREAT!
He tries again time after time impatiently trying to get the damn
thing to start.

NO. Why would this go smoothly nothing else has! He decides it¡¦s a
good thing
his apartment is on a busy street, so there are plenty of cabs to
flag down. He departs
the car nearly leaving the keys in his haste, not that anyone could
take off with it
after the number he¡¦s done on the carburetor.

Of course the plentiful cabs are a figment of his imagination today
too
as it takes four before he finally gets an empty one. As he falls back
into the seat of the cab his mind goes back to another day and
another taxi when he remembers feeling overwhelmed and depressed. The
cab driver had asked
him where he wanted to go. How weird that a simple question became
a metaphor for his life. And now that he feels he has finally turned
that damned corner, what does he find but a deserted street. He feels
he¡¦s
lost all direction and purpose just as he had that day. So much for
progress, just when you thought you were pointed due North, you
find out you¡¦ve headed straight south.

Lindsay was always there to give him that direction, or at least
let him know on no uncertain terms that he lacked it sorely. His eyes
see the blur of the familiar buildings passing by, but he isn¡¦t
focusing
on the here and now. His heart is melting into the past again. He
feels so lost, so alone, more than even when Lindsay first left him
because now he had had a taste of her in his life again. Life was
cruel sometimes, you get this glimmer of what could be, what
should be, and then poof it disappears. He sees her as he has in the
last months, little snippets of the smiles and the laughter, and the
the most intimate beautiful moments together, more powerful,
more tangible, than it had ever been and he had hoped so much
for a future like that. A reason to get up every day, to see her
smiling face looking up hazily into his eyes as the last remnants of
sleep
slowly lift and she yawns and stretches so invitingly. Those
treasured hurried moments at the breakfast table taking turns
feeding Bobby Jr. and sharing each other¡¦s toast, those were
the days he longs for again. And those nights! Ahhhh those
exquisite nights! He pictures them in a little
fantasy of the future her sitting on the bed brushing her glistening
hair, reaching out her free hand to caress his arm as they
prepare to retire for the night, sweet words whispered in the dark
their children¡¦s dreams. And from that thought comes the tantalizing
fantasy of the intense lovemaking that would fulfill that later
vision.

¡§Hey man, we¡¦re here. You did say the courthouse right?¡¨

The taxi driver¡¦s word¡¦s snap Bobby back to the present.
He mumbles his thanks as he pays the driver and heads up
the marble steps of the austere building. He remembers the
times he and Lindsay had done so together chattering on
about the case they were about to try. One of them coming
up with some instantaneous strategy while the other was, (usually
Lindsay)
brought up thousands of reasons why it would never work. Those
were the days! Those first moments of incredulous awe he felt every
time
she opened her mouth, or smiled or spoke about anything. He couldn¡¦t
quite believe she was real at first, because he¡¦d never met anyone
like her.
And all the while he was falling madly in love, another part of him
fought it like a lion! He hated feeling so weak in the knees, every
time he so much as sensed her presence in the room. He was so filled
with fear then, fear of letting the love show, fear of letting her see
what a helpless wimp he became whenever it came to her. The
overwhelming
need for her was too much and he hid his love as though it was a
weapon she
could use against him if he ever showed her any indication of how he
really
felt. And the irony of the whole ridiculous mess was Lindsay was and
is
about the least intimidating or threatening person you¡¦d ever meet.

The freckles sprinkled across her nose made her look like she could
be a teenager, and there was always a sweetness, an innocence about
her
that befuddled and dazzled him all at the same time. And if that
wasn¡¦t
enough her mind that brilliant, intelligent legal mind left him
speechless
so many times. In court she astounded him with her dazzling knowledge
of the constitution and her closings¡K he smiles as he pictures her
immersed in the rush of delivering those. He never admit it to her
of course.

Her closing surpassed anyone¡¦s he¡¦d ever seen, and he loved debating
cases and arguing about who had the better closing arguments. She
invigorated his mind, she captured his heart, energized his body, and
refreshed his soul. He felt jaded and cynical until he met her. He
didn¡¦t
even believe he¡¦d ever have a family, because who would ever
understand him enough to put up with his work ethic. Everything
changed that moment outside the office on the sidewalk. Hope and
ideals and faith were renewed for him in that enchanting moment.

She was his perfect match, his dream manifested. And having
her appear out of nowhere the way she did, he often had to remind
himself
she was not some angel that would suddenly disappear. At least he
thought
she wouldn¡¦t but apparently he was wrong because he sure as hell can¡¦t
find her anywhere now!

As he walks down the courthouse corridor he tries to force his
mind to concentrate on the task at hand, but it¡¦s useless because
lately he has
nothing but tunnel vision directing his sight only on Lindsay.
He smiles fondly as he remembers all the bantering and arguing
they¡¦ve done here. He wishes those gorgeous blue eyes were sparking
anger
at him right now, even filled with recriminations, or sharp reminders
of when he¡¦d made a horrible manly blunder he loved looking into them.
And when they sparkled with passion and love he melted and became
softer than a toasted marshmallow. Oh those eyes!

As he approaches Judge Hiller¡¦s office he wrestles with
his mind battling to focus on her because he knows she will expect him
to be attentive respectful and humble. It was a prerequisite to
appearing before
her anywhere, and he knew better than to bend the rules. He opens the
door
slowly taking a deep breath. Judge Hiller looks up from her desk
folding
her hands in front of her as her gaze bores through him.

¡§Hello Bobby, take a seat.¡¨ She points at the chair her grim
expression
does little to brighten this already bleak day.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Helen has been trying repeatedly to get Bobby on the phone, but
She hasn¡¦t had any luck. She is desperate to corner him and demand
the truth about what in the heck is going on with him and Lindsay. And
above all what kind of trouble he is in at the courthouse, it must be
something bad because NO one is divulging anything, and that¡¦s
never a good thing. It smells funny like there is some kind of
gag order on anyone speaking about it or giving up any information.
This happened before with Judge Fleming, and that was very
nearly a disaster for Bobby. She dreads that something bad may happen
and that maybe this once she will be powerless to help anyone. She
hates being powerless.

¡§Damn it Bobby where are you?¡¨

She furiously pounds another number into the phone. As she
impatiently waits
for the other end to pick up her free hand shoves the disheveled
stacks of papers
and files on the kitchen table she has commandeered for her makeshift
home office.

Mike comes out of the living room to find his lovely Helen talking to
herself
once again. ¡§Ah how¡¦s the operation going sergeant?¡¨ He asked barely
able to keep from bursting into laughter. You¡¦d think from the latest
command post Helen has created that she was solving the world hunger
crisis.

¡§Well if you can¡¦t see DON¡¦T ask!¡¨ Helen barks back in frustration.

Mike watches with eyebrows raised as Helen growls her orders to the
poor unsuspecting victim who has answered her call.

¡§Lucy for God¡¦s sake why haven¡¦t you called me? You were supposed
to have a lookout scheduled for the courthouse did you do it?¡¨


¡§Helen,¡¨ Lucy answers ¡§Like I told you if Bobby Donnell so much
as sets foot in that place I will hear about it!¡¨

¡§Are you sure Lucy? We can¡¦t afford to miss anything!¡¨

¡§Security is on it! I have friends in spy places!¡¨ Lucy responds
jovially.
Oh how she missed the days of nosy intrigue, she realizes this may
be her last hurrah so she plans to make the most of it.

¡§GOOD!¡¨ Helen praises stingily. ¡§Because you have bigger things to do
today and you have to do it exactly as I say do you understand?¡¨

Mike shakes his head preferring to return to his football game.
Watching
the players mercilessly attack each other will be child¡¦s play
compared
to observing Helen at her best. He smiles fondly as he takes one last
peek at his beloved threatening poor Lucy with bodily harm.

¡§You need to find Dr. Ash!¡¨ Helen instructs her speaking slowly,
loudly and deliberately.

¡§Helen isn¡¦t that Lindsay¡¦s therapist?¡¨ Lucy asks pretending
innocence,
there is no way in hell she will let on to Helen Dr. Ash is her
therapist too.

¡§Yes Lucy she is, now stop interrupting and do exactly as I say!¡¨
Helen
rolls her eyes in frustration.

Silence at last from the opposite end of the phone.

¡§Go see Dr. Ash ask her if she knows anything about Lindsay¡¦s latest
change of heart for Bobby, of course she will claim patient
confidentiality but this is a matter of life and death, YOURS Lucy if
you don¡¦t somehow worm it out of her if anyone can you can!¡¨

¡§Oh this is good a lawyer who sees clients and promises
confidentiality all the time
and then expects me to ignore it with a doctor!¡¨ Lucy grumbles
wishing she could be in charge of this operation instead of Helen.

¡§What did you say Lucy?¡¨ Helen asks her tone rising slightly with
each word.

¡§Nothing¡K.but uh it¡¦s Saturday, Dr. Ash won¡¦t be in her office on
Saturday.¡¨

¡§And that will stop you why?¡¨ Helen asks impatiently.

¡§You want me to go to her house?¡¨

¡§DING, DING, DING Lucy you win the prize!¡¨ Helen drones.

¡§Why can¡¦t I just call her Helen and ask her this over the phone?¡¨
Lucy whines.

¡§Body Language Lucy! Can you see Body language over the phone?¡¨

¡§Helen I really think that I could¡K.¡¨ Lucy tries to reason with her
which
she should know by now is useless. Helen on a mission is like a
penguin
in the artic, nothing is going to stop her.

¡§Lucy you better find out something or I¡¦d advise you to get
a restraining order against ME if you don¡¦t! Where¡¦s the OLD Lucy
you know in the old days you, you could get a Benediction monk with a
hundred
years vow of silence to talk just to get you to shut up! NOW GO!¡¨

Helen slams the phone intent on returning to her search for the
incredibly disappearing Donnell family.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Meanwhile back at Laharve.

Lindsay has taken a walk before going into the cottage. She looks
at her favorite place wishing she could manifest Bobby in the flesh.
If only there was a way to have one more magical time with him
in their secret haven without Bobby ever remembering he was here. Yes
she could just
use her imagination, but it wouldn¡¦t be the same as having the real
thing, because at last Bobby is the real Bobby the man she envisioned
from the moment she met him. Letting go of that man is what is making
this
so terribly difficult. She knows that they would have made it this
time,
they would have been able to sustain a relationship because they were
both ready. They¡¦d been through hell and back and had survived alone
and together, and they had matured and grown up enough to know that
love itself isn¡¦t what holds a relationship together, they both
understand how much you have to be there in the moment, communicating,
laughing, fighting, and participating. You can¡¦t let just one person
hold it together. You
can¡¦t take turns leaving it up to the other person to carry their
end, you
have to carry it as one. She was so looking forward to experiencing
it with him
and now to have lost that opportunity to ever be that couple again is
heartbreakingly
sad.

Funny, how they were just here weeks ago smiling, laughing and
and yes bickering¡K.but more than anything looking forward to their
future. She hadn¡¦t been alone, or felt at all alone then. Now she
feels as though she is the last person left on the earth. Thinking
about facing life alone from this point on,
is too bleak to fathom. They had so many beautiful times,
mouthwatering
moments to be savored forever. And she would cherish them forever.
She doesn¡¦t
kid herself into thinking that someday she¡¦d meet someone new,
because she knows
she wouldn¡¦t be wanting to look forward, a part of her will always be
looking back, no matter how unhealthy or stagnating it is to do that
as Dr. Ash has warned her time
and again. Sorry, Dr. Ash she would be doing just that. Why look for
someone to share her life with when she had already found the perfect
man? She laughs when
she realizes she really believes it now, before when she thought of
Bobby as
the perfect man she always knew that it was in her eyes, it was in
her vision that
she saw the possibility. Of course ¡§perfect man¡¨ was too high an
expectation.
Maybe there needed to be a new word invented to cover what kind of a
man Bobby had become. She smiles as her melancholy eyes see him all
over
again for the first time. His lopsided grin, his unruly hair first
thing in the
morning, his gentle touch, his cranky moods when he is too tired or
not
caffeinated enough. All the little things she has relearned about him
after there separation, the endearing aggravating, life affirming
things
that made him who he is. And of course the NEW old Bobby that has
returned to her heart, the man who listens, and shows compassion,
understanding, and who communicates wholeheartedly withholding
nothing,
and offering everything.

She walks to the tree where they¡¦d played
hide and seek from each other and there own special form of tag. The
one they
invented when every time he caught her or she caught him another
article of clothing
had to be shed. She touches the wizened old tree bark her fingers
dancing over it as if it were some magical wizard that could bring
her those moments again, now.

She sits down quietly memorizing each little place where they¡¦d had
a unique or passionate interlude with each other. She realizes that
trying to do that would keep her here all day, there isn¡¦t one corner
of this oasis that hasn¡¦t been touched in some way with the passionate
energy of their spirits. That was what was always so unique with them
it went way beyond the physical level
of their connection. It was more the union of their souls, the way
they
knew one another on a higher plain a deeper level than either
of them could ever describe. She knows that he always felt it too,
they were like irrevocably tied to each other through some cosmic
force. It was as if they¡¦d known each other from the beginning of time
and were just getting reacquainted on a physical level. Maybe some
day they would meet again, somewhere in this universe she
and Bobby would be together again. Tears fall down her cheek
as she wishes it to be so.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Lucy pounds on Dr. Ashe¡¦s front door hoping to God she isn¡¦t home.
Weighing the wrath of Dr. Ash when she finds out that Lucy has fallen
back into her surrogate parent obsession or facing Helen with no new
information. She shakes her head as she imagines one very wild Helen
like Kangaroo chasing her all over Boston and decides to choose
the lesser of two evils as she whole heartedly hits Dr. Ash¡¦s doorbell
with one long forceful push. Fear is a great motivator

Uh oh, she hears noises from inside. She braces herself as the door
swings
open and just her luck Dr. Ash is home. Why doesn¡¦t Helen ever do her
own dirty work!

¡§Hi Lucy¡K..¡¨ Dr. Ash looks a little surprised to find one of her more
eccentric
patients standing at her door.

¡§Hi ya, Dr. Ash.¡¨ Lucy tries not to show how terribly uncomfortable
she is.
¡§Uh I missed my appointment this week.¡¨ She explains feebly.

¡§Yes I know that, are you having an emergency, because you know Lucy
it¡¦s Saturday
that¡¦s why I¡¦m not in my office¡K¡¨ Dr. Ash tries to explain patiently.
She wonders
if she¡¦s going to have to move, she knows how tenacious Lucy can be,
and she has
always dreaded patients spilling into her personal life, of course
Lindsay and Bobby
being the only exception she has ever welcomed.

¡§Look Dr. Ash¡K. I have to talk to you, I ¡K. Oh what¡¦s the use!¡¨ Lucy
throws her
hands up in the air. ¡§The obsession you¡¦ve been helping me with for
the last
few months¡K.. well they¡¦re your patients too!¡¨ Lucy confesses
sadly. ¡§I
guess being a little nuts runs in the family!¡¨

¡§I don¡¦t understand¡K..¡¨ Dr. Ash begins then somehow a lightning bolt
light bulb
hits her over the head and she does understand all too well. ¡§Oh my
God, you
used to work in a law office?¡¨ She questions wanting to make sure she
is
putting two and two together correctly.

¡§Yeah¡K.¡¨ Lucy admits meekly.

¡§Don¡¦t tell me¡K..let me guess¡K..Bobby Donnell and Lindsay Dole?¡¨ She
asks
knowing the answer already. Lucy had always referred to them as proxy
or cardboard Mom and Dad so Dr. Ash had never realized their true
identity.

¡§Yeah¡K.¡¨ Lucy mumbles embarrassed.

¡§Oh no!¡¨ Dr. Ash moans realizing she¡¦d been way to hard on Lucy
because in truth
she should be going to therapy about her involvement with them as
much if
not MORE than Lucy.

Lucy takes Dr. Ash¡¦s momentary shock as an opportunity to plead her
case.
¡§Dr. Ash just hear me out please! It¡¦s NOT my fault Helen Gamble is
ordering
me to do this¡K. I¡¦m innocent! I¡¦m¡K..guilty as hell¡K..¡¨ she relents
all in one
breath. She looks up into Dr. Ash¡¦s eyes hoping for mercy.

¡§Lucy¡K¡K Dr. Ash hesitates but she sees the tortured eyes and decides
just
this once to invite her in.

¡§Come in¡K.. let me get you some tea¡K.. let¡¦s talk about it¡K¡¨ Dr. Ash
placates
her as she realizes she has walked a mile in Lucy¡¦s shoes.

After she gives Lucy her tea and pours one for herself she invites
Lucy to take
a chair in her living room.

¡§So tell me what is it now that has you tied up in knots over this
couple¡K again!¡¨ Dr. Ash is mindful this could turn into a mutual
confession time, but she is determined to keep professional and
objective at all costs.

¡§It¡¦s just they were about to reconcile¡K. I had given up all hope¡K.
you know
I had¡K. I was fine¡K..¡¨ Lucy edges forward in her chair unable to keep
still. ¡§I swear I was! I mean I¡¦d heard that they were dating a
little from Lindsay
but I¡¦d even put that out of my mind¡K. I mean with those too you just
never¡K.
well anyway¡K then Helen comes ¡K I should tell you Helen is Lindsay¡¦s
best
friend and Bobby¡¦s worst nightmare¡K¡¨

¡§Lucy I know¡K¡¨ Dr. Ash stops herself in the nick of time she was
just about to divulge patient information! She straightens her back
trying to still her emotions so she can remain professional.
¡§Lindsay¡¦s my patient, remember?¡¨ Dr. Ash reminds her
gently in an effort to stop the sarcastic comments.

¡§Ok, so anyway she comes into my office. See, I was minding my own
business
just trying to get my work done, and in blows in this force beyond
nature¡K because
believe me Helen is anything but natural!¡¨ Lucy rambles. ¡§She¡¦s like
a cat
with claw¡K¡¨

¡§Lucy¡K I get the picture¡K Helen paid you a visit¡Kwhat did she want?¡¨

¡§Well I swear¡KI all but held a cross and garlic up to her to get her
to stop
but there was no stopping her, you don¡¦t know her! When she¡¦s out
for blood you just tilt your head and let her bite you! She¡¦s got some
kind of weird power that just sucks you in¡K.¡¨

¡§Really and I suppose you have no idea what that feels like to be
that tenacious?¡¨ Dr. Ash
can¡¦t resist a bringing a little truth to Lucy¡¦s awareness. Of course
it sails right over Lucy¡¦s head as usual.

¡§So she tells me all about how Bobby and Lindsay were so close to
reconciling
and how Lindsay is having an affair with some two bit author who
has written all about her and¡K. I don¡¦t know exactly what happened
but I bet Bobby found out about it and kicked Lindsay to the curb
again
and of course Lindsay doesn¡¦t love the writer she loves Bobby and for
some insane reason she turned her back on him and now we think she¡¦s
run off somewhere and Bobby is probably on the take with some
corrupt judge again and they are on to him at the courthouse and he¡¦s
probably going to be arrested and put in jail at any moment¡K and if he
goes to jail and Lindsay is never found what will happen to that
precious
little boy, he could end up in foster care and get lost in the system¡K
the grandparents are all getting archaic and so what will become of
him!¡¨
Lucy¡¦s eyes tear up and she wrings her hands hopelessly, gulping for
air after the no-breath-taking-explanation.

Dr. Ash¡¦s eyes practically pop out of her head as she listens to the
tale
Lucy is spinning. Bobby kicking Lindsay to the curb that¡¦s a good one!
Thank God she knows most of it is a figment of Lucy¡¦s
over active imagination. It has to be¡K Dr. Ash¡¦s mind begins the spin
cycle. What if the last part is true about Bobby going to jail? Of
course its NOT!

¡§Lucy¡K.can we just¡K.slow down.¡¨ Dr. Ash asked knowing slowing Lucy
was tantamount stopping a steroid popping athlete.

¡§Ok, I know this isn¡¦t making any sense¡K.and I know you can¡¦t tell
me anything about Lindsay or Bobby and their private sessions¡Kbut Dr.
Ash
you have to give me something here¡Kbecause we have to protect
Bobby, and maybe¡K if he¡¦s in some kind of trouble we need to help
him now!¡¨

¡§I understand ¡K.Lucy are you sure Bobby¡¦s in trouble?¡¨ Dr. Ash
has never detected any sign that Bobby is doing something
underhanded.
The man she has come to know and seen accomplish such substantial
personal growth
would never do anything to put his little family in jeopardy again.

¡§I don¡¦t know!¡¨ Lucy slams the arm of her chair with the force of
emotion
she is feeling. ¡§That¡¦s why you have to tell us! Is there anything
that Lindsay has said to you to indicate she is angry with Bobby or
suspects him of criminal behavior other than his usual side stepping
of the rules¡Kand an occasional black mail
threat¡K.to a client here and there and of course¡K. that one little
time
he enlisted a hit man¡¦s help¡K.¡¨ Lucy asks scrunching her face a
little as she divulges
a few more painful secrets to Dr. Ash about her surrogate father.

¡§Lucy! You know I can¡¦t speak¡K.¡¨

Suddenly Lucy¡¦s cell phones rings¡K interrupting Dr. Ash and
nearly ejecting Lucy from her chair.

¡§What are you sure¡K? When? He¡¦s there now?¡¨ Where is he?
What room?¡¨ Lucy hides her face from Dr. Ash as she growls into the
phone.

¡§What do you mean you don¡¦t know! What did I say? YOU were supposed
to have someone follow him and why did you wait so long to call me?¡¨
It doesn¡¦t matter if you had a long line of possible gun toting
criminals behind him, and don¡¦t give me that excuse Clyde it¡¦s
SATURDAY!
There aren¡¦t that many people there on SATURDAY!¡¨
¡§You were supposed to be on top of this¡K. I KNEW I should have
watched for him myself! Yes¡KYes¡K.well you call me the minute he
leaves¡K.or if you see any unusual action going on¡K.like a bunch of
reporters or police cars¡K. YES I know there are always lots of police
cars at the court house Clyde¡K.but JUST DO IT! And call
me as soon as you find out where HE IS!¡¨

Lucy slams the phone shut¡K..then with crazed expression and without
explanation
reopens it as quickly poking in a number on her speed dial. Dr. Ash
sits there
quietly, and curiously observing every word she hears trying to
fathom that Bobby could be arrested at any moment. She feels
like she is in the middle of an I Am Crazy Lucy movie as a poor
innocent bystander,
or a one-day extra that is being swooped into the vortex of something
she can¡¦t even describe in words. She never signed up to join this
film yet
she can¡¦t seem to find the stage¡¦s exit door.

¡§HELEN! It¡¦s me! Lucy voice is agitated. ¡§RED ALERT! RED ALERT!!!!¡¨
she screams into the phone.

Helen eyes open wide as she hears the urgency in Lucy¡¦s voice.
¡§He¡¦s at the courthouse¡K..ON A SATURDAY! OH God it¡¦s
worse than I thought!¡¨ Helen is searching under the table for her
shoes with her
nylon clad feet poking, prodding and finally accomplishing their task
her shaking free hand swoops up her purse as she continues
interrogating
Lucy.

¡§How long has he been there Lucy?¡¨ Where is he?¡¨ Helen
expects an answer.

¡§I don¡¦t know I don¡¦t know somehow things got fowled up¡K.and
I¡¦ll meet you there Helen!¡¨ Lucy promises.

¡§OH NO YOU WON¡¦T!¡¨ Helen snaps back. ¡§Listen Lucy
the last thing we need is an army marching in to the rescue¡K.
I want to do this quietly¡K.do you understand¡K.Lucy you need
to get Eugene NOW! Go to the offices¡K you know he always
works on Saturday and Sunday! If anyone else is there
go take him aside QUIETLY!¡¨ Helen screams out the quietly to
emphasize
the importance of her instructions.

¡§DO YOU HEAR ME LUCY!¡¨

¡§I think they heard that in Antarctica!¡¨ Lucy exclaims disappointed
she has to be the errand girl once again and may miss all the action.

¡§Listen to me! Helen scolds. ¡§We need discretion here! We don¡¦t know
what Bobby has
done now, or even if he has¡K and we don¡¦t want to alert the media or
tip our hand
to anyone ¡Kdo you understand Lucy¡Kwalk in casually, talk to Eugene and
get him to go to the courthouse¡K JUST Eugene¡K NO ONE ELSE!
Bobby is going to need him, Bobby trusts him! YOU have to come
through for Bobby
Lucy¡K do you copy!¡¨ Helen stomps a heeled foot to the floor as she
asks.

¡§Yes but why can¡¦t I come with Eugene¡K Bobby I¡¦m¡Khis¡K¡¨

¡§NO! Stay away¡K that¡¦s all! NOW GO! We have no time to lose!¡¨
Helen informs her as she runs out of the house, she yells to Mike
some unintelligible information as her front door slams shut behind
her.
&&&&&&&
Dr. Ash sees Lucy gathering her things she caught just enough
conversation
to know that Bobby is at the courthouse and something is going down
there.
Lucy looks at her apologetically yelling as she runs out¡K¡¨Sorry Dr.
Ash
I¡¦ll see you on Wednesday¡K uh maybe sooner if this day goes the way
I think it will!¡¨ Lucy is gone in a flash.

Dr. Ash makes a snap decision while talking to herself she grabs
her car keys.

¡§I know you should be home taking care of your personal life. I know
you should be staying out of this and behaving like the wonderful
psychiatrist you used to be¡K.but you know that if Bobby is in trouble
he may need to talk and who is better than his therapist.¡¨ She reasons
to herself as she peels out of her driveway.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Lucy enters what used to be Donnell, Young, Dole and Frutt¡K.
she ignores the new names and order on the door because for
her it will always be what it was. Bobby¡¦s. Always his and only
his. Damn! Why did life have to get so complicated?

Now Bobby would be going down the river for who knows how long! The
tears again form in the corner of her eyes¡K.but she can¡¦t be
distracted by emotions
now she is on a mission she must do her duty. As she walks into
the main bull pin of desks she is surprised to find everyone but
Jamie and Bec are hard at work. Eugene is handing some papers
to Ellenor, while Jimmy is furiously typing something into a
computer. And suddenly
it¡¦s as though she has gone back in time, where all of them knew
everything
about the other. It was like a family then and Family sticks by one
another.
That¡¦s the way it had always been and the way it should be NOW!
All thoughts or any intentions of trying to follow Helen¡¦s orders of
discretion or secrecy has left the building of Lucy¡¦s mind.

They¡¦ve all been in this together from the beginning it¡¦s fitting
and just that they are included now! What did Helen know anyway!
It takes an army sometimes, or a village or an ant farm or some
dammed thing.

¡§BOBBY¡¦S in terrible trouble and we have to get to the courthouse
NOW!¡¨ Lucy bellows without a hello how ya doing.

The three old friends stand shell shocked. Where in the hell
did Lucy come from and what is she talking about goes simultaneously
through their brains.

Then as the norm they all start talking at once¡Kso no one has a clue
as to what anyone is saying.

¡§What are you doing here?¡¨ Eugene asks curiously.

¡§What about Bobby?¡¨ Jimmy eyes squint.

¡§Have you been drinking Lucy?¡¨ Ellenor is ready to dismiss her
dramatic entrance
instantly.

¡§So what else is new?¡¨ Eugene decides it¡¦s gotta be a joke. There¡¦s
NO way Bobby can be in trouble again, it just doesn¡¦t happen to the
same person that many times. Does it?

¡§There she goes again exaggerating everything!¡¨ Ellenor clucks.

Lucy puts a couple of finger to her mouth blowing a loud shrill
whistle¡K.¡¨Look
I¡¦ll explain on the way¡K.we have to get there NOW! REALLY I¡¦m not
kidding I promise!¡¨ Lucy¡¦s eyes implore them to hear her and know she
isn¡¦t lying or being overly dramatic for once.

The questions and hesitations come to a halt when they realize
it¡¦s once again all for one and one all and that requires immediate
action.

¡§I¡¦ll drive!¡¨ Ellenor offers. ¡§We can take one car that way!¡¨

¡§You always get to drive!¡¨ Jimmy grumbles as he straightens his tie.
¡§And like a bat out of hell!¡¨ Jimmy mumbles under his breath.

¡§It¡¦s a minivan Jimmy we¡¦ll all fit!¡¨ Ellenor snipes back.

¡§Come on you two knock it off¡K.someone needs to call Bec.¡¨
Eugene instructs, remaining level-headed. Lucy follows them out
actually feeling a bit of a rush experiencing being in their company
again
and filled with a united purpose. She¡¦d missed them all so much!

As they are speeding towards the courthouse Jimmy dials Bec¡¦s cell
phone.

¡§Bec when you get this message you need to head immediately to the
court house Bobby¡¦s in trouble and it¡¦s a matter of life and death!¡¨
Jimmy says unsure of how urgent things really are, with Lucy you can
never tell for sure, but better
to be safe than sorry.

¡§Good Jimmy give the woman a heart attack!¡¨ Ellenor grumbles
chastising him
as she delights in doing on a daily basis.

¡§Well for all we know it could be!¡¨ Jimmy defends himself.

Ellenor is breaking her speeding record and Jimmy hangs onto the dash
¡§Slow down before you get us all killed!¡¨

¡§Jimmy if you¡¦re going to be a back seat driver SIT in the BACK SEAT
NEXT TIME!¡¨ Ellenor growls totally ignoring his advice.

¡§You¡¦re just RUDE ELLENOR!¡¨ Jimmy snarls as he holds tighter to the
dash.

¡§Lucy why don¡¦t you explain what this is all about NOW!¡¨ Eugene
orders as
he settles uncomfortably next to Zoey¡¦s car seat.
&&&&&&&
Lindsay is back at the cottage. She knows she is going to need a lot
of strength to get through this last night here. So she figures what
better way to
do it than to fortify herself with some wine. She takes a sip from
the
plentifully filled glass as she looks around the familiar kitchen.
She takes another big gulp as she realizes how many memories are in
this one room. Okay, so she knows the memories are in her heart¡K.but
seeing the rooms, standing in them makes it feels as though it¡¦s all
happening
again. All the meals they prepared in companionable silence, or the
teasing, harassing
bantering fun they had challenging one another¡¦s cooking skills which
of course
had always led to challenging more intimate expertise to come later,
upstairs.

She can¡¦t stay here. They¡¦d made love in here too. There isn¡¦t any
place
that doesn¡¦t hold their unified vibration. She gives up maybe it will
get easier,
take the bottle and head to the living room. It can¡¦t be this bad
everywhere in the house?
Can it? Of course it can. She knows she should have eaten because she
feels the effects
of the wine a little in her head. But she knows she can¡¦t eat
anything because it would
turn to pure acid the minute it hit her stomach. The wine was for her
nerves. Truth
be told she is one sorry coward when it comes to saying farewell to
Bobby Donnell.
No. She¡¦d been a sorry coward when it came to anything about Bobby.
Even
in admitting she loved him in the first place she was an utterly
spineless chicken.

She settles into the overstuffed chair in the living room gazing into
the
crackling fire, lost in remembering all the times she had backed away
from divulging those feelings. She was so afraid to tell him she had
them and once she did she was deathly afraid he would never return
them. What a fool! So much wasted time. If she had known how fast
the time would go and how short an interlude they would have, would
she have made all the same mistakes?

Probably.

She is still a coward. Really! I mean why hadn¡¦t she just taken the
high road and confronted Bobby about not telling her that he was
being considered to be a judge. Why didn¡¦t he tell her? Did he feel a
little like the committee did, that maybe she would
deter his career? It hurt. It hurt because he left her out once
again. She doesn¡¦t understand why he never even mentioned it. At
least he could have told her that he was being considered even if he
didn¡¦t want to divulge she was the reason he would never get it.
She gets why he wouldn¡¦t tell her that part, but the whole idea
of him being offered something so monumental, something
he¡¦s always dreamed of; to have that happen and NOT breathe
a word of it? That didn¡¦t mesh with her new Bobby at all. He should
have said something.

She remembers the vow they made before leaving Laharve that last
day. They promised that NOTHING would interfere with them
keeping open lines of communication. They swore they would
not clam up again. Keeping quiet was the deal breaker last time.
They¡¦d had new a deal, a deal he¡¦d already broken They were
supposed to tell one another everything and when he didn¡¦t, she took
it as the opportunity to get out. Was her motivation not completely
altruistic
after all? Was it the fear that the lines of communication were
already
blocked that had her rationalizing that she was sacrificing it all
for him?
Or was there a small part of truth that she was on the run as Bobby
and
Dr. Ash had accused? Was she scared to death to try again? She made
the decision too fast once again. Just like getting the divorce,
recklessly on the heels of a barely ink-
-dried-on- the-papers separation. She back pedaled then, and here
she is, mentally back-pedaling again now. She can¡¦t go back!
What¡¦s done is done.

Did she do it gracefully and without subterfuge?
NO. Maybe she hasn¡¦t grown up at all! What if she had told him? She
knows
what he would say he didn¡¦t care about the job¡K. he would have down
played
it and lost it, being humiliated in the process and she would have
blamed herself forever And at some point he would too. NO. She did
the ONLY thing she could do. She hated having to hurt him, she¡¦d
never wanted to do that again, she felt cruel shoving Ross in his
face she knew it was wrong but she knew Bobby and he would never back
off he thought there was the slightest chance. This way is better for
everyone. She knows she doesn¡¦t
really have much time and one night is all that is left¡K..going up to
the bedroom
had to be done¡K now in the daylight¡K. she couldn¡¦t stand to be there
at night.
She grabs the bottle taking a deep breath refills the empty glass.
Taking one
last look into the fire she sees them again, Bobby embracing her as
they
slip down into the downy blankets spread in front of the fireplace
the warm glow of the flames only igniting the passions inside, his
soft
moist kisses on her neck the soft tender intimate words they¡¦d shared
punctuated by sweet laughter, and then at last echoing ah¡¦s of
rapture and
fulfillment. She forces herself to ascend the stairs leaving the
images to
flicker out with the fire.

As she enters the room she stops as more images intertwine, seeing
all the beautiful nights meld together, candlelight interspersed with
music and silken gowns falling off her body as his fingers caressed
her flesh, and his kisses christened her his. She loved being his.
She loved calling him hers.

Her fingers go up to the delicate chain around her neck she pulls
the wedding rings out dangling them as the sunrays glowing through
the window
capture their sparkle. She sips some more of the second glass of wine
as she steps closer to the window letting the rings fall back to her
chest, jingling slightly as they brush each other. She opens the
window raising it to the maximum height. This is the
place she loves to hang out, she could sit here for hours watching
nature,
looking at the majestic trees and the iridescent water, drinking in
the
ambiance of this beautiful healing vista. They had planned to add a
balcony right here so they could have their morning coffee while
drinking in the peaceful serenity that surrounded Laharve. But that
plan like all the others was over.

She grasps the maroon filled glass planting
herself on the wide ledge gingerly inching her body out so she is
almost completely on the outside of the house. She absently plays
with the rings again trying to look down at them but the chain isn¡¦t
quite long enough and in her effort to do so she spills a substantial
amount of the permanent red staining liquid. ¡§Damn!¡¨ She exclaims as
she sets the glass down on the ledge. ¡§Oh well saying goodbye to a
piece of clothing is nothing¡K.¡¨ She dismisses the stain as more of
the blot that has encompassed her life. She remembers her intention
of looking at the rings. There is only one way to do that
effectively. She unclasps the chain and releases the rings pouring
them into her palm¡K. Looking at them again brings back more
undeniably sweet remembrances.

¡¥Marry ME¡¦ She smiles as she relives the shocked surprise Bobby¡¦s
words
invoked. She was laying flat on her back in that hospital bed, so
happy
to be alive and euphoric over having him by her side. They hadn¡¦t been
together as a couple for long, and she never expected him to say those
words, at least not that soon.

She knows there was no other answer than the one she gave. She wanted
to
marry him the day she met him. She wanted to be married to him
forever.
Tears hit the single perfect diamond causing the facets to sparkle
even
more brilliantly. Their clarity mocks her confusion yet she can¡¦t
stop looking at
them because the rings and memories is all she has left of her
dreams. How
does she make new ones now? How can you take a dream and change it
when you don¡¦t even want to? She reminds herself she has their son but
someday he won¡¦t be with her all the time¡K then what? She can¡¦t allow
her thinking to go that far ahead because it brings on a whole new
lonely
feeling she isn¡¦t about to experience yet even in her imagination.

She¡¦s glad she has a few hours to sit here and just be¡K she decides to
stop trying to think so much and just let things flow. ¡§That¡¦s it
Lindsay stop the spinning everything is out of your control. You¡¦ve
put
all of this into motion and now its done. Let it be. Let Bobby be.
You will always be married in your heart.¡¨ She tries to get her
heart to accept its fate as she holds the rings lovingly between her
fingers. She can¡¦t resist the urge to put them on one more time. She
wants
to bask for just an infinitesimal moment in what it felt like to be
his wife.
ONE LAST TIME she promises herself.

But as her habitual luck would have it fate has other ideas. As she
tries to slide
the plain band on to her finger she feels a little dizzy, never drink
on
an empty stomach she admonishes silently. Another wave of light
headedness
hits and she looses her balance slightly on the ledge and
with the unsettling motion her rings fall rolling quickly down her
leg and onto
the sloping roof. Lindsay spastically tries to catch them but in
vain. She watches in horror as she sees them slipping away powerless
to stop them and paralyzed by the symbolic truth that her life with
Bobby has slipped away too.

She holds her breath watching their wayward decent. She knows if they
fall to the ground she may never get them back. But to her relief the
two rings somehow miraculously stop their freefall. The diamond one
getting stuck
on a small jagged edge of a roof tile the wedding band lodging into a
little
crevice where a corner of tile is missing. Funny, how they both
managed to keep from crashing to the ground.

Lindsay only hopes she can do the same while trying to retrieve them.
She has to, she can¡¦t leave them there. She doesn¡¦t think twice about
it,
because sub-consciously she is rescuing her marriage, her life with
Bobby.
She can¡¦t let it go so easily. A part of her is determined to salvage
it
as much now as before, so she moves without hesitation making her way
slowly
onto the roof, standing on the inclined tiles wishing she had thought
to discard her heeled
shoes before embarking on this incredibly stupid mission. As she
tries to come
up with the safest plan possible to rescue her lost rings her body is
suddenly jarred
by the thundering sound of the window crashing down. She watches
in shock as the wine glass splinters into hundreds of pieces, the
shattering, shards of
fragile crystal fly in all directions wine spraying on the thankfully
in tact window
and all over the bedroom carpet.

Lindsay stares at the window in disbelief. How in the hell¡K. she
could have been
sitting under it! And then she sees that some fragments of glass have
fallen around her feet. Good thing she didn¡¦t take off those heels
after all. ¡§Ok, NOW what?¡¨ She decides
getting the window open will be more important for the moment than
rescuing her rings. She spied some suspicious clouds off in the
distance earlier
and knows she has no intention of spending much more time out on the
roof.
She inches towards the window planting her feet firmly and securely
before
bending down. She places her hands on either side she gives
it a mighty push. Adrenaline mixed with frazzled nerves should help
to accomplish it in no time. But NO! This is the joys of an old
house. The windows become quite stubborn with age, and it, like
everything else was on the list to
be replaced. Never put off today¡K. she thinks sarcastically as she
tries
again and again to lift it with no luck.

¡§Ok, stay calm. You¡¦re fine. So you¡¦re on a roof¡K you lost your
rings¡K.
on a roof¡K a storm could come at any time. You hate storms but
hey compared to everything else it¡¦s no big deal¡K I mean who hasn¡¦t
this happened to?¡¨

Lindsay is still keeping herself company with the sound of her
own voice. ¡§I¡¦m here, I¡¦m not going anywhere¡K. I might as well
try to get the rings¡K. the word rings brings her mind renewed hope
as she thinks of another kind of ring¡K she searches her pocket for
the cell phone but as she looks longingly into the bedroom she sees
it sitting ever so safely on her dresser. ¡§Good thinking Lindsay!¡¨
And of course you told Claire you turned it off so Bobby couldn¡¦t
find you, so now, the chances of her thinking anything is wrong
if she should try to call just went down the tubes.¡¨

¡§Okay Plan B¡Kyeah. that¡¦s never gotten you in any trouble!¡¨ She
grumbles unhappily.

Deciding when you are on the roof there are not enough options to
even get to a plan B,
Lindsay¡¦s thought go on another hopeful direction ¡§OK think Lindsay¡K.
maybe Claire or Sam will come by, they know she¡¦s here¡K.but no they
will respect her privacy. They know why she is here and that she
wanted this time all alone! Smart! Oh brother¡K what
in the HELL made her come here anyway! This is the worst
thing she could have done! She is determined not to let this get her
down
she is strong she can handle this! What¡¦s a little time on a roof
with nothing to keep
you company but your memories and a couple of runaway rings! She
knows just
how to handle this! She does what any red blooded, frustrated,
slightly inebriated woman would do she sits down on a glassless patch
of roof and calmly and methodically cries her eyes out.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Bobby has entered Judge Hiller¡¦s courtroom. He¡¦d just left her office
a few minutes
ago, and he needs some time to think quietly. He knew this could
happen but he needs
a few moments to let it sink in. The peaceful pin-dropping silence of
the empty room does nothing to calm him inside. He¡¦s still only half
focused on what transpired in Judge Hiller¡¦s office. He can¡¦t¡¦ stop
thinking about Lindsay. He wants to see her so badly. He wants to
talk to her, he needs her. He sinks into the chair deciding that his
legs feel
too wobbly to stand for much longer.

Okay Bobby, this is it, you have to figure out why she left you and
if there is anything
you¡¦ve missed in those way to revealing tapes or the book. Ross is
sure there is something, and somehow Bobby knows he is right. But
what is it? There¡¦s got to be at least ONE clue! He can barely still
his thoughts enough to focus on one anything. So he sits there just
trying to still his reeling head. He doesn¡¦t hear the distant sirens
whirling outside or the running stampede of feet parading down the
corridor. He doesn¡¦t notice anything. He has his eyes are closed in
deep contemplation and any outside noise just blends into the roar in
his head.

That is until the courtroom door crashes open and Helen comes rushing
through it.

That and the fact when she sees him she begins screaming his name and
gesturing wildly
with her hands. ¡§BOBBY! BOBBY! BOBBY! YOUR NOT ALONE YOU CAN TELL
ME EVERYTHING!¡¨

¡§What in the hell!¡¨ Bobby stands up quickly to find Helen shaking his
shoulders
as if she is trying to get him to come too consciousness from a deep
coma induced state. ¡§Bobby for GOD¡¨S SAKES TELL ME WHAT YOU
DID¡K.BEFORE THEY COME! I KNOW WE CAN GET YOU OUT OF THIS¡KBUT THEY¡¦RE
COMING BOBBY THEY¡¦RE COMING¡K.!!!!!¡¨ Helen warns him emphatically.

¡§Who¡¦s coming? The men in their little white coats to take you away?¡¨
Bobby steps
out of her grasp dusting himself off distastefully, finding it hard
to believe he ever enjoyed Helens¡¦ frantic embraces.

¡§Bobby I¡¦m trying to help YOU here the least you can do is
cooperate!¡¨ Helen
snaps not finding his reaction very appreciate at all!

¡§Help me with what?¡¨ Suddenly Bobby thinks maybe Helen has something
he
does want. ¡§Do you know where Lindsay is? Are YOU not telling
me because she told you not too?¡¨ He asked desperate for any light
she can shed on that subject.

¡§NO!¡¨ Helen shakes her head emphatically.

¡§HELEN if you do I swear!¡¨ Bobby threatens.

¡§I SWEAR BOBBY I DON¡¦T KNOW!¡¨ Helen practically growls back.

Bobby goes silent for a moment giving Helen the chance to get back to
the more serious matter at hand.

¡§Bobby YOU need to FOCUS on YOU!¡¨
She is determined to let her help him, and she will! God knows
she¡¦s done it a thousand times and somehow she will once again if
it¡¦s the last
thing she does.

Bobby is used to Helen¡¦s drama so he¡¦s choosing to ignore it as
usual.
¡§Well have you looked for her, who have you called?¡¨ Bobby asks
insisting on getting his answers and if anyone knows how to
interrogate better
than Helen, it¡¦s Bobby.

¡§What?¡¨ Helen had met her match. She could tell by the set of Bobby¡¦s
jaw he would be giving her NOTHING until he obtained his information.

¡§WHO have you called to find Lindsay?¡¨

¡§How do you even know I know she¡¦s missing?¡¨ Helen asks forgetting
that
she¡¦s admitting it now, herself.

¡§Ah HA! You admit it?¡¨ Bobby¡¦s really upset now, if Helen doesn¡¦t
know where
she is who the hell does? How long has she been gone? Who have you
called?
Did you check with her brother? I haven¡¦t been able to get him?¡¨ Bobby
asked more anxious than ever to find Lindsay and his son.

¡§Bobby this isn¡¦t the issue!¡¨ YOU ARE! Now¡K¡¨ Helen feels Bobby¡¦ hands
grip her shoulders hard and his eyes roar into hers sending a chill
of intimidation
through her.

¡§Who HAVE YOU CALLED? WHAT DO YOU KNOW?¡¨ Bobby¡¦s a force
to be reckoned with, of course most desperate criminals are. Helen
decides
it¡¦s best to humor him although humor is the farthest thing from his
face
she¡¦s ever seen.

¡§I called her mom, her sister Grace, I called her aunt in Cleveland,
I couldn¡¦t get
Ben either and oh yeah I called Claire and Sam¡¦s.¡¨ Helen confesses in
one breath
afraid to keep him waiting too long.

¡§What did they say?¡¨ Bobby keeps his cross examination short but
stern. His ears
are pealed for any slight discrepancy in Helen¡¦s testimony.

¡§Her mom confirmed she left town with Bobby Jr. but didn¡¦t know where
she was going.
Her sister Grace said she hadn¡¦t heard anything, and Aunt Mable, in
Cleveland hadn¡¦t heard from her either but she has been having
trouble with her arthritis and needs some cat food¡K¡¨ Helen¡¦s voice
trails.

¡§What did Claire say?¡¨ Bobby asks his voice rising as he hears he is
no closer to finding her.

¡§Uh¡KIt was Sam, Claire was busy and he was weird as usual¡K I think he
said there was no one here but us chickens!¡¨ Helen eyes bulge as she
relives her first reaction to that very strange comment.

Bobby shakes his head in disappointed disgust. Damn no one knows
anything? And
what is it with Sam and those damn chickens! Anyone else?¡¨ Bobby ask
less
forcefully. Obviously Lindsay has no intention of being found.

¡§NO! Helen does a vulture like circle around Bobby. ¡§How can you be
thinking about her at a time like this! FOCUS Bobby you¡¦re life is
about to change forever! They are coming I tell you! NOW!¡¨ Helen
warns him in hushed more aggravated tones realizing her instructions
to Lucy about being discreet might be good for her to follow too.

¡§I have no idea what you¡¦re talking about Helen¡K¡¨ Bobby tries to be
patient
because God knows Helen has done him more than a few favors over the
years and he
figures there must be reason she is so worked up. But damn why
doesn¡¦t anyone
seem to know where Lindsay is?

¡§But YOU know YOU do Bobby confess it¡¦s okay we all do things¡K YOU
and Lindsay
more than anyone I¡¦ve ever known but¡K¡¨ Helen tries her softest
sweetest approach hoping he will finally see the light!

Ross can¡¦t wait outside any longer Helen called him to meet her
there, but she has
ordered him to stay outside. He¡¦s been eavesdropping and he can tell
that
this situation needs a clear headed objective voice to get Bobby to
see reason.
He comes out of his hiding spot just behind the courtroom door.

¡§Look Bobby Lindsay will forgive you for anything!¡¨ Ross steps
in determined to get Bobby to fess up. His finger points at
Bobby and his eyes spark accusingly.

Bobby turns on a dime at the sound of Ross¡¦s voice seeing scarlet.

¡§I DIDN¡¦T DO ANYTHING SHE HAS TO FORGIVE!¡¨ He¡¦s not about
to let Ross make him the bad guy anymore! ¡§What the HELL have you
TOLD HER?¡¨
Bobby can just imagine the story Ross must have spun to make Lindsay
think Bobby needed forgiving!

¡§If that¡¦s the truth then why are you in trouble?¡¨ Ross asks
doubtfully, totally unaware
he¡¦s actually allowed himself to be swept up in Hurricane Helen and he
has in truth forgotten to base his conclusions on cold hard facts.

¡§I told you I¡¦m NOT!¡¨

¡§Look Bobby listen! Lindsay¡K You¡¦re THE MAN OF HER DREAMS¡K GOD knows
why¡K. But she¡¦d do anything for you! Never doubt it!¡¨ Ross informs
him on no uncertain terms.

¡§You don¡¦t need to tell me about my wife¡¦s dreams!¡¨ Bobby can¡¦t help
it
he knows Ross is a good guy, but this good guy slept with HIS wife!
And
from the revelations on those tapes he¡¦s been privy to those dreams
just
a little too much for Bobby¡¦s liking. Damn when is this feeling of
wanting
to crush him into pulp going to go away? Bobby takes a long deep
determined breath to compose himself.

Helen and Ross wait expectantly eager to hear his lurid confession.

His eyes ping pong from Helen¡¦s to Ross¡¦s trying to make sense
of whatever it is they are insinuating.
¡§You¡¦re both out of YOUR minds!¡¨ Bobby decides stating his conclusion
loudly.

What happened to his moment of peace and quiet? Why are these too
lunatics even here?

¡§Bobby throwing the attention off YOURSELF on us isn¡¦t going to
work!¡¨ Helen
insists folding her arms determinedly.

¡§Your NOT helping Lindsay or Bobby Jr. by refusing to cooperate!¡¨ Ross
instructs him appearing as though he¡¦s actually empathetic.

THAT¡¦S! IT! Hearing his sons name uttered by that marriage-
wrecking
second rate author! Okay so he¡¦s an absolutely talented writer Bobby
dismisses
that fact in favor of hating this southern drawling nemesis whose
brought so much pain and chaos to their lives.

He¡¦s been as nice as he can, for as long as he can. Yes, he believes
in calm compassion and understanding these days¡K Dr. Ash told him he
has to. And he can count
to ten with the best of the mad beasts, but this? Ross telling him
about Lindsay and his SON? And exactly where does he get off talking
about Lindsay dreams! Bobby knows her dreams Bobby knows her
completely only HE knows her that way! No matter what the tapes
exposed his soul knows her better than anyone else. Same goes for
him, only Lindsay knows him that deeply. He wants Ross to go away!
What the hell is he doing here preaching to him about HIS OWN
WIFE! ¡§Why don¡¦t you go teach that damn bird of YOURS some manners
and stay the HELL away from me and MY FAMILY!¡¨ Bobby growls about
ready to hit something again. So much for anger
management.

He sees Helen and Ross have NO intention of going anywhere. They both
look like they¡¦ve come upon some poor homeless beggar and they
are JUST waiting for him to beg so they can clobber him with
kindness.

Bobby throws his hands out in frustration.
¡§Look I don¡¦t know what you think, or what you two are even doing
here¡K together?¡¨
Bobby questions this alliance. Ross and Helen! Talk about a lethal
combination!
¡§You better tell me fast what this is all about before I call
Harvey¡¦s Happy Home to
come and take YOU BOTH away Helen!¡¨ Bobby orders angrily.

¡§BOBBY YOU¡¦RE the one who is about to be carted away¡K¡¨ Helen¡¦s tirade
is interrupted by the intrusion of four more very agitated people
running into the room, all
huffing and puffing as if they have run the Boston marathon and just
crossed
the finish line in a pack coming in first, all at the same time.
There¡¦s a kind of combative air about them trying to shove their way
in and get close to Bobby as they can. Bobby¡¦s
eyebrows furrow as he tries to comprehend this entirely bizarre turn
of events.

Bobby looks at them all like aliens who have landed from another
planet. What
the hell is everyone doing here? ¡§WHAT¡¦S GOIN¡¦ ON!¡¨ He yells in an old
all too familiar voice. Aged habits die hard and it was always
effective before.
¡§DON¡¦T YOU PEOPLE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO!¡¨ His eyes roll in confusion.

For a split second the former office pals all go back in time to that
endearingly familiar daily routine, where their beloved boss comes
out to tell them to stop chattering
and gossiping and get back to work!

Then as always they start yelling. Insults fly along with sarcasm and
everyone tries to
get a word in edgewise simultaneously.

¡§ I thought you were in trouble¡K?¡¨ Eugene says loudly but calmly.

¡§No¡K¡¨ Bobby denies still having no clue

¡§You were supposed to be practically dead!¡¨ Jimmy informs him. As he
looks around for a swat team or at least some blood.

¡§Yeah Lucy has one screw loose as usual thinking you were on the take
from some corrupted judge!¡¨ Ellenor shouts over the others.

¡§I did NOT say he was on the take I said he could be.¡¨ Lucy says
correctively and
more loudly drowning out the end of Ellenor¡¦s tirade.

¡§He¡¦s in denial!¡¨ Helen growls emphatically

¡§Bobby if you¡¦re in denial we need to talk!¡¨ Dr. Ash¡¦s voice joins
into the
clamoring herd.

¡§Do you really think he¡¦s going to admit he¡¦s on the TAKE?¡¨ Jimmy asks
no one in particular.

When did Dr. Ash come in? Bobby does a double take and a triple take
as he
absorbs that all of his friends think they have come to rescue him
from apparently
some dreaded fate he has brought upon himself.

¡§Bobby we¡¦re all here to help you. I¡¦m sure we can make a plea
bargain and get a reduced sentence.¡¨ Mikes calming voice soothes the
maddening
crowd. Helen turns in adoring affection because she knows he followed
her here.
He walks up to Helen putting his arm protectively around her
shoulders.

¡§On the take!¡¨ Bobby shakes head his blue eyes confused and his mind
reeling
with the fact that everyone is here and totally convinced he has
committed some
reprehensible crime. Great¡K with friends like these¡K¡¨I¡¦m NOT
ON THE TAKE!¡¨ His voice emphasizes each word as his eyes do an
accusing
dance at all of them, they become the steel blue they turn when he is
MOST
determined to have things seen his way! He shakes his head enjoying
the
silence his booming voice created.

Then to his horror the I-gotta-out-yell-everyone-else din begins all
over again.

¡§YES you are, you have to be! Lucy says almost disappointed.

¡§Now Bobby if you¡¦re in over your head as usual¡K¡¨ Eugene tries to
placate him loudly
enough to be heard.

¡§Yes Bobby I mean look at what we did for Lindsay¡K if we can get her
out of
jail¡Kafter what she did!...¡¨ Ellenor assures him. ¡§You know we¡¦re
your best chance¡K Why in God¡¦s name didn¡¦t you come to us in the
first place!¡¨ Ellenor groans
like a disheartened mother.

¡§We¡¦ll get you off!¡¨
They say in unison but the garbled loud assurance is more like
a bunch of hyenas screaming and Bobby can¡¦t stand it anymore. In the
midst of it
all he sees someone else entering the courtroom and he decides to get
everyone
to shut up just so he can find out from her what is really going on.

¡§ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡¨ His loud voice thunders
silencing them effectively
as it always had at least for a few seconds.

¡§Bec, thank GOD! What the hell is going on with them?¡¨
Bobby asks shaking his head.

Bec approaches the eclectic sea of faces her eyes focused on Bobby¡¦s
only.
Good he¡¦s in one piece and he¡¦s yelling as usual, not TOO much can be
wrong.
Of course the relief she feels after the high speed rush to the
courthouse is
followed by white hot anger. Why in the hell is she even here?
¡§You¡¦re asking me? I have no idea¡K I got a call you were in dire
trouble¡K. what
have u gotten yourself into now?¡¨ Bec asks folding her arms like a
scolding parent
and joining in the accusations.

¡§E tu Bec?¡¨ Bobby asks¡K. running his hands through his hair in
remembered
frustration that this was one of the reasons he needed a break from
the office.
They all meant well but what was that about a road to hell? He laughs
suddenly because he finds it humorous for some strange reason. He¡¦s
felt
like he was on the road to hell today more than a couple of times¡K.
maybe that¡¦s
why.

¡§He¡¦s laughing¡K¡¨ Helen feels incensed by his callous reaction to all
their
good-intentioned warnings.

¡§Why are you laughing?¡¨ Helen snarls.

¡§Yeah what¡¦s wrong with you!¡¨ Bec slaps him on the shoulder
unsure why she¡¦s even doing it, but enjoying it none the less.
She misses slapping him on an almost daily basis. Her eyes
moistens as she revels in getting to finally do it again.

¡§He¡¦s obviously in denial!¡¨ Jimmy offers again running out
of any other explanation.

¡§Bobby it¡¦s okay to admit a mistake¡K. we can¡¦t help you until
you tell us the truth¡K¡¨ Dr. Ash tries to remain objective.

¡§He¡¦s in denial!¡¨ Jimmy says again, inciting Helen and
Ellenor to glare at him.

Jimmy shakes his head at them flapping his arms.
¡§What he¡¦s chicken maybe¡K I mean who would want to face jail time.¡¨

¡§You¡¦re the rooster here Jimmy all you do is cluck, cluck cluck!¡¨
Ellenor harasses him as only she can and loves too.

¡§Fine Ellenor you wanna call me names¡K. what about you
if I¡¦m a rooster you¡¦re a hen always acting like you have
an egg up your¡K.¡¨

¡§WHAT in the Hell is going on in my courtroom?¡¨ Comes the
fuming voice of the last but not least spectator to this strange
debacle.

Bobby smiles a little in relief. Good now someone has come
who they WILL finally listen too!

As he hears Judge Hiller questioning them his mind strangely recalls
the words Sam spoke to him on the phone. The same words Sam
used when talking to Helen. CHICKENS, ROOSTERS, HENS,
Hearing them shouted by Jimmy and Ellenor seem to bring
the conversation with Sam to the forefront of his mind.
But why the heck did he have chickens? That was as strange as Sam had
ever gotten and yet he couldn¡¦t help but feel Sam was trying to
use the chickens¡K in some weird way trying to relay some kind
of life lesson and Sam¡¦s voice had seemed so desperate
to have Bobby understand¡K. and suddenly he does! Oh my God
Sam was trying to tell him! Lindsay is the HEN!! He hits
his head with his hand as if to wake himself up! What an
idiot! Sam must have promised Lindsay NOT to tell him where she
was so he did the next best thing and Bobby missed it! He
knows Sam and Sam keeps his word if he promised not to tell HE
wouldn¡¦t. But
he did the only thing he could think to do without going back
on his word. He smiles like some giddy teenager who just
won his first baseball game, his grin becoming wider
and wider as the truth hits him squarely between the eyes he
laughs out loud as he sees Lindsay walking around with a chicken¡¦s
body
and himself as the always too stupid for words
Rooster! His laughter only serves to incense his highly unappreciated
and unwanted audience.

¡§Bobby explain to me why you think this is funny!¡¨ Judge Hiller
orders.
¡§What in God¡¦s name are you doing holding a party in MY courtroom! IT
IS MINE!¡¨ She reminds him mercilessly as always. ¡§Bobby this is NO
time for DAY DREAMING!¡¨ Hiller¡¦s voice is filled with ire.

¡§Uh¡K I didn¡¦t¡K.¡¨ Bobby¡¦s much too happy to worry about Judge Hiller¡¦s
displeasure for once.

Bec¡¦s expression is one of enlightenment.
¡§Oh my God! Bobby?¡¨ Bec has finally come to her senses.
Suddenly she knows exactly why Bobby is here in this courtroom
on a weekend day, and she knows why Judge Hiller is there too.
Why everyone else is, she can¡¦t even begin to want to imagine.

¡§Bobby?¡¨
She asks hopefully. But Bobby¡¦s mind has taken another private
turn. Lindsay would do anything for him. Dreams two dreams, one was
marrying her, the other was baseball, but there had been a third¡K. he
remembers now. Oh my God
her words on the tape come back to haunt him now. He¡¦d told her there
at Laharve
in their secret paradise about how someday if he ever could salvage
his questionable
reputation, he would love to become a judge. He remembers being
afraid she
might laugh hysterically, but she didn¡¦t. She¡¦d always made all his
dreams seem
attainable. She¡¦d whisper with him and add to the dream, envisioning
it with him.
He hears her voice again as it played on the tape.

¡¥he said he had only two¡K¡K but I remember another one¡K. he told me
about after¡K¡¦

¡¥There was one other dream¡K.. he deserves to have ALL his dreams¡K..
Bobby¡¦s had it hard, and now¡K I have too, I know¡Kbut when you love
someone you make sure they have everything they need most¡K you know¡K¡¦

Bobby¡¦s mouth drops open and the smile leaves his mouth as he hears
another
part of the tape he had memorized in his head.

¡¥Sometimes you have to let go of a dream to have another one.¡¦

¡¥I liked being his dream¡K¡K I think I stopped being that and turned
into somewhat of a nightmare for him¡K though and I never wanted to¡K¡¦

All of it comes back to him with such clarity. He remembers the third
dream the one
he told to her and only her, and how fitting that she is there now,
where he told her.
He can¡¦t believe he didn¡¦t see it before! Someone had to have tattled
to her about the
judge¡¦s committee, and Hiller retiring? He¡¦d hardly told a soul but
now he knows she has to have figured it out. Lindsay is no dummy!
Well on second thought maybe she is because if she thought she was
going to get away from him that easily! What was she thinking? She is
ready once again to sacrifice herself
for something she thought he wanted MORE THAN HER! If that is what
this is then she IS crazy! He knows now she has to KNOW! She is doing
this, has DONE all of this because she¡¦s known all along! Oh my God!
It all fits! The mixed signals, the returned kisses, and the passion
they shared. Then the tears the denials¡Ksaying she hadn¡¦t
forgiven him for his infidelity¡K lies ALL lies! She has purposely
done all of this to give him that damn dream! Doesn¡¦t she know who he
is? Doesn¡¦t she know what she means to him? God he has to be sure.
This has to be it! What if he¡¦s wrong, then he¡¦s back to ground zero.
His eyes shadow as he thinks of what it would mean to
be wrong about his conclusions.

The strangely never this silent audience seems to sense that Bobby is
having some
sort of epiphany. They wait expecting him to tell them what he¡¦s
thinking.

He comes to his senses suddenly happy he has a captive audience. Let
them
figure out what the HELL they are all doing here he
could care less! He¡¦s on his own crusade. ¡§Which one of you told
Lindsay?¡¨ He knows he¡¦s on the right track now. He has to be! His
shoulders straighten and he buttons
his suit jacket just as he does when preparing for a crucial cross
examination.

His eyes peruse each one of their faces trying to see some guilt or
some conspiracy-type
exchange of looks. ¡§I Know Lindsay KNOWS so tell me who told her!¡¨
Bobby paces in
front of them doing his best Perry Mason intimidation walk.

¡§We don¡¦t know what she knows Bobby? We are trying to find that out
from YOU!¡¨
Helen says totally clueless as to what Bobby is jabbering about?

¡§Yes ONE Of YOU had to have told her! SHE knows I was up for Judge
Hiller¡¦s seat on the bench, I never told her because they didn¡¦t¡K but
she knows! ¡§SHE KNOWS!¡¨ He finishes unable to entertain uttering a
word that might indicate someone didn¡¦t approve or totally adore
Lindsay.

¡§SEAT ON THE BENCH!¡¨ The choir is singing a different tune. They all
sound and appear to be completely shell-shocked. The only two in the
room who are not are Bec and Judge Hiller.

Bobby watches as Helen¡¦s mouth drops into a long dumbfounded OH
shape.

He sees Lucy¡¦s eyes bulging with surprise.

Jimmy and Eugene cock their heads as if they have too much wax build
up
in their ears to have heard right.

Ellenor folds her arms and sniffles a bit shifting her body from one
foot to the other.

Dr. Ash is speechless a baffled look gracing her normally unruffled
face.

Ross eyebrows seem permanently glued to his forehead.

Mike is giving Helen an ¡¥I told you so¡¦ meaningful gaze.

As Bobby takes it all in he realizes he is wrong. No one looks
guilty! NOT
one damn indication that he has found perpetrator to this crime. NO
answer to Lindsay¡¦s erratic behavior. The euphoria he¡¦d felt moments
ago vanishes just as quickly.
He takes lets out a deep deflated breath. Judge Hiller slides her way
through the
collective group to make eye contact with Bobby.

¡§Are you saying you¡¦ve never discussed this possible court
appointment with YOUR wife?¡¨ Bobby feels the familiar scolding voice
tingling up his back.

All ears are peeled for the answers the communal brains are suddenly
realizing all the
wrong conclusions that have been jumped too and many of them are
blushing
hotly over their false accusations and mislead good intentions but
none of them
are confessing.

¡§Did you tell her Bec?¡¨ He asked almost hopefully. He knows from past
experience the most sacred secrets are NOT safe in the ears of his
dearest
friends.

¡§NO! Bobby I never said a word. I wouldn¡¦t you know that!¡¨ Bec¡¦s
wounded voice shrinks the little bit of hope Bobby has left.

¡§Did you Lucy?¡¨ Bobby decides maybe he¡¦s not as good at reading a
guilty
face as he used to be. So he asks imploring her to confess it was her
usual
snooping that did him in.

¡§NO!

¡§You can ask Dr. Ash she¡¦ll tell you she knows I¡¦ve been working
really
hard on minding my own business¡K until Helen came along!¡¨ Lucy gives
Helen
a derisive look placing the blame where it belonged. Her eyes desert
Helen
to give Bobby a beaming, approving smile.

Bobby a seat on the Bench that¡¦s awesome!¡¨ Lucy adds so proud of
him.
¡§You¡¦re going to be adorable in that black silk!¡¨ Lucy gushes
determined
to turn his cheeks crimson. She loves to make him blush.

But Bobby¡¦s far too engrossed in exposing the guilty party to notice
Lucy¡¦s
teasing remarks. His eyes go to the dumbfounded ones of Jimmy and
Eugene and they
respond shaking their heads wordlessly.

He even sets a gaze on Ross who mouth¡¦s a silent no.

¡§Bobby why in the hell didn¡¦t you tell us?¡¨ Helen asks feeling very
much smaller than
her already diminutive size.

¡§I couldn¡¦t ¡K I mean¡K¡¨

¡§Bobby.¡¨ Judge Hiller pokes him in the chest. ¡§Why in the world
wouldn¡¦t you talk to your wife about something as important as this!¡¨

¡§It wasn¡¦t important¡K if she doesn¡¦t know¡K¡¨

¡§OH SHE KNOWS!¡¨ Judge Hiller assures him.

¡§She does?¡¨ A gigantic smile spreads across his face. ¡§Did YOU tell
her?¡¨
Bobby can¡¦t imagine Judge Hiller getting involved personally in any
way but
maybe in her eagerness to get Bobby appointed she saw Lindsay
and talked about it innocently.

¡§NO! Of course I would NEVER tell her. I knew there were sensitive
issues¡Kbut she came to see me and I found out that Judge Kittleson
let it slip out somehow.¡¨

¡§I BET!¡¨ Bobby growls now realizing the full measure of his
folly. ¡§OH God, what did she say?¡¨ All the while he is silently
berating himself
for NOT telling her. He¡¦d dismissed it as unimportant in the great
scheme of
his life and now what he withheld has almost destroyed him. When is he
going to learn? ¡§Was she upset?¡¨ Bobby asks eagerly hoping against
hope.

¡§Nothing really, other than I should NOT mention to you under
any circumstances that she knew about this. She gave me the
impression she intended to discuss it with you. I thought she just
wanted to make sure I didn¡¦t tip you off. I mean you really
had it coming and I wasn¡¦t about to interfere in YOUR wife¡¦s
priviledge of
letting you have it! She left quickly as she came in. I guess I am
the culprit you¡¦re looking for Bobby?¡¨ Judge Hillers expression is
unusually soft and
apologetic.

Bobby does something completely forbidden in any courtroom
on the earth. He picks up the tiny woman spins her around
in happy relief.

¡§FOR GOD¡¦S SAKE BOBBY DONNELL PUT ME DOWN AT ONCE!¡¨
Judge Hiller can¡¦t help allowing a little chuckle as Bobby kisses her
on the cheek
in triumphant joy.

¡§SHE KNOWS! THANK GOD SHE KNOWS!¡¨ Bobby takes a look
at the small crowd surrounding him and his heart swells with
affection, even if they were misguided they loved him enough
to still care even after he abandoned them the way he did, and that
meant everything.
He wishes he could take the time to tell them. But he can¡¦t, not now.

¡§I GOTTA GO! I know where she is, I have to stop her!¡¨ If she takes
off it could take
weeks to catch up to her. He¡¦s doesn¡¦t care about anything else!
Let them figure out whatever they came here to discover.
He realizes one wasted minute could spell
disaster, because he doesn¡¦t know if she is still at Laharve, she
could
have left by now with no one knowing her destination. He can¡¦t
let that happen.

He starts to push his way past all of them but half way out the
door he remembers he has no car. ¡§I don¡¦t have a car!¡¨ He
says it out loud realizing what a deterrent he faces trying to get
to Lindsay as fast as he can.

¡§Here take mine!¡¨ Ellenor is smiling from ear to ear. ¡§It¡¦s in
row nine new blue mini van with license plate. BAR A CUDA

Bobby doesn¡¦t even notice that Bec, Ross, Mike and Dr. Ash all
have their car keys dangling from there fingers also ready to share.

¡§Thanks Elle!¡¨ Bobby uses the nickname with such sweet appreciation
it brings
tears to her eyes. Whatever is happening with Bobby he¡¦s changed she
can see
it and it makes her incredibly happy for him. ¡§By the way I¡¦ve always
loved
your hundred and twenty earrings!¡¨ Bobby calls back over his
shoulder.

The spectators have been mesmerized by Bobby¡¦s atomic energy but
they suddenly spark into action shouting orders at him as he walks
quickly towards the door.

¡§DON¡¦T screw this UP!¡¨ Bec calls to him sternly always and forever
the best man.

¡§Don¡¦t scare her off Bobby remember to watch that temper!¡¨ Dr. Ash
yells after him.

¡§THERE he goes again back OFF THE MARKET!¡¨ Lucy cries out happily.

¡§GO GET HER BOBBY!¡¨ Eugene orders satisfied Bobby doesn¡¦t need
him at all.

¡§IF YOU TWO DON¡¦T GET IT RIGHT SOON I¡¦M GOING TO HAVE
AN ULCER!¡¨ Helen calls unable to resist chipping her two cents in.

¡§IT¡¦S ABOUT DAMN TIME, IF YOU TWO HAD LISTENED TO ME IN THE FIRST
PLACE NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!¡¨ Ellenor smiles from earrings
to earrings.

¡§GIVE MY GODSON A KISS!¡¨ Jimmy calls out because everyone else
has covered what he wanted to say.
&&&&&&&
As they all follow Bobby to the door and watch him break into a run
half way down
the courthouse hallway they return to the room and each other to try
to figure out
the puzzle Bobby has left behind him.

¡§So is he a judge or isn¡¦t he?¡¨ Lucy asked pointedly staring at Judge
Hiller.

¡§Why didn¡¦t Lindsay know what? Jimmy asks clueless.

¡§Where in the heck is Bobby going?¡¨ Ellenor realizes she may not get
her
car back for days or even weeks a little too late.

¡§It¡¦s about damn time!¡¨ Eugene exclaims a big teddy bear grin
beaming.

¡§I thought I¡¦d never see this day!¡¨ Dr. Ash shakes her head happily
making
mental plans for that vacation.

¡§Is Bobby really a judge? Will someone tell me what¡¦s going on!¡¨
Jimmy yells out
pacing in circles.

¡§Why didn¡¦t he tell us?¡¨ Ellenor says shaking her head in perplexed
annoyance.
¡§Why does he always tell you everything Bec!¡¨

¡§Why would he tell any of you? Bobby on the take! IMAGINIE!¡¨ Bec
clucks at all
of them knowing how perfectly reasonable it is for Bobby to confide
in her. Look
what happens with them and a little bit of too much of the wrong
information.

¡§How the heck are we all going to get back to work? Smart! Ellenor!¡¨
Jimmy
bellows as his stomach growls and he realizes suddenly he¡¦s missed
lunch.

Again as the pandemonium rises and Judge Hiller takes a seat behind
the bench rapping the gavel to get some order in her courtroom!
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Lindsay eyes are red from crying. Her throat feels parched and dry
and the wind
is picking up blowing her hair all askew. She knows there is maybe
three hours of daylight left and the clouds she saw in the distance
earlier are drawing darker and closer.
What can she do? She can¡¦t build a fire to signal anyone. She has no
matches
no sticks, NOTHING! And even if she did with her luck today, the whole
cottage would probably burn down!

This is the most frustrating feeling. And on top of that
she¡¦s had a nonstop view of the backyard and that damn gazebo.
She remembers how Bobby surprised her that first weekend. He had
it all set up, for them to sleep outside on that
beautiful, late spring night. There had been so much tension and
many misunderstandings before they¡¦d finally let go of all the fears
enough
to make love. Of course neither of them dared admit that is was love.
But she smiles as she sweetly recalls the enchantment of spending
the evening in his arms. She felt as though she¡¦d been lifted out of
the darkness forever the moment she became his. Her dream of finding
this Knight in Slightly Tarnished but Noble Armor came true. In Bobby
Donnell¡¦s embrace she felt like a fairytale princess. She found the
happiness
that had thus far eluded her. It was as though they were under a
magical
spell and nothing could break them apart. Each moment was to be
cherished and savored like a perfectly aged wine. They¡¦d fished
and played together like a couple of teenagers, they teased and
taunted
and bantered and challenged each other, laughing in a lighthearted
happiness she¡¦d never known before. And then those nights, those few
precious nights she believed would be all she ever had of him, were
like
priceless jewels, shimmering moments she would treasure forever. And
he
made each one more heavenly.

It was so blissful to lay in his arms and watch
the stars, so romantic and so unlike the Bobby she¡¦d known up
to that point in Boston. He¡¦d made it a perfect weekend, and she
didn¡¦t ever want to leave. It had become tradition for them after
their
marriage to spend at least one night in the backyard basking in the
moonlit
glow, making love, leisurely and cuddling closer through the evening
to ward off the
morning chill. Cuddling and spooning together in the sweetest of
dreams. He would kiss her awake at dawn passionately requesting a
breakfast that had nothing to do with food.
She¡¦d pretend to be asleep savoring each of his little ticklish
butterfly like bribes parading down her neck into the crevice between
her breasts that beckoned her to
open her eyes. At last after a few extra moments of torture she would
happily give
in to those smoldering blue eyes.

They¡¦d felt more alive those mornings, more in tune with one another
and nature. And those soft sweet rose-scented kisses that reawakened
the
passion of the night before, the most wonderful way to embrace the
new day.

He¡¦d made her breakfast and brought it to the gazebo that first time.
She loved he brought her here, where he¡¦d never brought another soul.
He shared so much of himself with her then. And she had fallen so
deeply in love over that exquisite holiday weekend. They were
supposed to live happily ever after. But fairy tales are for
children. Someone should
tell them while they are young NOT to base your life believing in
them. You get
your heart broken and the end of the story is never what you dream it
will be.

Yes, you have fun, and memories and if you¡¦re lucky a little boy or a
baby girl to hold
the love you once shared forever in your heart. But by then your
heart feels like its
a crystal goblet that got smashed by a ten ton window and before your
through, you¡¦ve let yourself become so fragile and weak because
you¡¦ve pinned all your hopes and dreams on being with someone
forever, but forever never comes. Lindsay knows
its not like that for everyone but it is for her. Why? Why? She¡¦s
asked herself
that thousand of times. Why couldn¡¦t it be different and when at last
it does
become what it could be, you lose it. Or if you¡¦re crazy you give it
up.

She can¡¦t quite believe it herself sometimes, she¡¦s thrown in the
towel, she
never gave up on anything! But now doing this so irrevocably made her
feel like she wouldn¡¦t be able to fight for anything ever again.
Giving
up is NOT what she has ever been about. At least until now.

She¡¦d given up on getting her rings back too. She tried every way she
could but the
damn things were too far down the and even without her heels on she
couldn¡¦t
negotiate the slant of the roof and keep her balance while trying to
liberate
them. There were places on the tiles that looked suspiciously fragile
and she
could not risk falling.

She prayed that they would stay where they were so Sam or a repairman
or someone could get them down for her. A gust of wind barreled over
the roof and the
the ring that seemingly was lodged on the tile shook a little,
Lindsay watched it
willing it to stay put. And it seemed to sense her desires because it
only moved
a bit.

She decides this is NO time to be a chicken, she needs to get herself
inside
the house, she¡¦s going to risk life and limb and make her way around
to the
other side, maybe the window in the spare bedroom will open and this
ordeal will be over! And what if it doesn¡¦t? Well then she¡¦ll just
come back
this way, she can be versatile, she can waltz around this roof
without a problem,
its all in her head that its high and steep. She is a bright
independent woman
who can take care of herself just fine! As she turns to start her
journey around
the roof, she realizes she¡¦d be leaving her precious rings
unattended.

¡§FINE! I guess I¡¦ll risk breaking my neck because I¡¦m NOT going to
lose those
rings too!¡¨

She decides the roof is too rough and jagged to try again without the
heeled shoes. So
she places one on each foot and rises carefully to her feet. She
edges across cautiously
taking baby steps deciding which way shortest to accomplish her goal.
The old tiles
make a crackling sound under her feet and she marvels at how loud
they sound
even over the din of the wind. She¡¦s made good progress the diamond
ring on the tile
is only about five feet away, she won¡¦t look down. She can¡¦t afford
too, this is NOT
a fun thing to do while whiling away time on a roof. Her humor takes
over
as it often has in a crisis and she thinks she could write a book
called ¡§Forty
Things NOT to do When you GET STUCK ON A ROOF¡¨ She laughs out
loud as she sarcastically grumbles. ¡§Yeah Lindsay maybe Ross will
help
you get it published!¡¨

She has momentarily forgotten to pay close attention to her footing
which turns
out to be a very costly mistake. Her foot takes one more step out and
the ring
is plainly in sight but as she bends to grab it her heel spears
through the rotted tile
and her ankle follows busting a nice foot size hole through the roof.
She
tries jiggling her foot out but her pant leg is caught on some unseen
obstruction and in the process she manages to lodge her
whole foot between a rafter or something wood like she isn¡¦t sure
what. She
tries to wrench it free but screams out in pain and hopelessness.
t
¡§GREAT!¡¨ Lindsay looks up at the sky with a threatening look that
would normally scare the thunder away. That is any other day. Today
the menacing look only serves to incite the sky as
the first clap of it crashes off in the distance. Did she just imagine
that a drop of rain just hit her cheek? It¡¦s hard to tell because her
waterfall of tears has begun again. She is stuck. How appropriate.
She feels stuck all right. She is here standing on her own roof, one
foot in, one foot out!
Her rings are the least of her worries now, and YES to make it much
more fun a lovely, late summer thunder storm is about to descend upon
her! ¡§Yup Lindsay this could happen
to anyone!¡¨ She tries to stop the tears because if she starts again
she might create a flood of her own. ¡§DAMN IT WHERE ARE YOU WHEN I
NEED YOU BOBBY DONNELL!¡¨ Not that she wants it to be him. She doesn¡¦t
want him to rescue her because if he did she would NEVER let him take
off
and fly away again. Superman. She remembers that client with the
husband
who thought he was Superman. She could sure use HER Superman about
now.
&&&&&&&&&&









Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it means being able to see beyond
the imperfections"








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