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CHAPTER 2

Nadine entered her uncle's store in town feeling murderous because of her encounter with Will. No one had the right to talk about her baby the way Will did. He even called her an abominable name right in front of her.

She wished she could just slit his throat. Will was becoming really mouthful lately.

At that moment, she noticed Caroline Parker, used to be Caroline Williams, daughter of Old Will whom she was just considering slitting his throat.

She also happens to be one of the people she hated running into in. Now, her day was totally ruined.

"This is just freaking awesome," she muttered under her breath.

"I know right. My sense of style steals my own breath away every minute," Sheila said as she twirled around for Nadine to admire her regular outfit of jeans and sweater.

"Yeah. The best stylist in this part of town", Nadine replied sarcastically "Just get over your delusion already".

"That hurts young lady" Sheila replied mockingly with her palm pressed to her chest.

"It was meant to hurt you". They both laughed suddenly.

Sheila Sullivan was Nadine's cousin and one of the true, kind people on Nadine's side that helped her through her ordeal.

Her mom and Nadine's father were the closest of siblings before her mom passed away when she was eight. The memories she had of her mother were faded and mostly forgotten. She never knew her father. He passed away before she was even born. But her mother had loved and cherished his memories.

She practically grew up with her uncle and aunt, Sheila's parents. She loved them like her parents and Sheila was the sister she never had.

Sheila was a blond blue eyed beauty. She had curves in the right proportions and she was most guys' dream come true. Sheila was down to earth and really sensitive to people's feelings and kind of quiet, although she hadn't always been that way. Going through a really life changing experience made the usually cheerful and chatty Sheila more introverted. Although she never had the full details of what really happened to her when she left home for a while and came back home crying on her shoulder, she hoped to get it out of her someday. Sheila was tough and she fought for whatever she felt right about.

To Nadine, Sheila was an angel with a halo hanging over her head. But she was not going to admit that to anybody, most especially Sheila herself.

" Let me guess...bad day?, "Sheila asked with her usual perceptiveness.

"Yeah. And seeing Carol just made it worse. Why do you allow her come into your store anyway?"

Sheila's parents owned and used to run the store until they left all responsibilities to her to handle. She runs the store and sometimes, Nadine worked the counter as a part time job.

"I wish. But we both know I can't do that. This is a small town, no use pissing one another off. Moreover, the bad blood is between you two. I'm not going to involve myself, just fight it out," she stuck out her tongue at Nadine and moved back behind the counter to attend to a customer.

Sheila really needed to grow up. She shook her head and went about getting the things she needed on her shopping list.

"Hi Nadine Marie Waters," Nadine heard the snobbish voice behind her ten minutes later. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

Caroline was the only person that insistently called her name in full in a very snobbish manner that says 'you are beneath me because you are a loose single mother that the father of her baby does not want anything to do with her....'

She could just go on and on about what Caroline seemed to always imply but never says to her face.

"My best and luckiest day ever...sure I'm yet to see the worst of it....," she muttered under her breath as she turned to face Caroline.

"Hi Caroline Williams. Oops! Sorry about that. You know, I still forget so easily you're married to Parker now, feels just like yesterday," Nadine said with tongue in her cheek.

It was common knowledge that Caroline detested Old Will for reasons unknown. She hated the man like she was born to do so. It wasn't surprising she worked at every opportunity she could, as long as Nadine could remember, to drop the man and his last name like a hot potato. And soft spoken Parker was gullible enough to fall for the snobbish bitch. Not that it was any of her business, she wasn't one to judge another about being gullible.

Nadine never let a chance slide that she didn't remind her about her parentage which always pissed Caroline off. It felt good being the one to aim and deliver the first shot.

"Yesterday my foot. I've been married to my darling Parker for seven years. You should remember the year vividly considering all the notable events that took place alongside my wedding that year"

"Oh.."

"Or do you need me to jog your memories? You can't claim amnesia at this point you know. That's practically impossible. You've something..or should I say someone, to do that for you everyday of your life," she delivered her parting shot and turned, marched off angrily.

Nadine knew Caroline intentionally didn't say 'lonely' before she mentioned her life but she was damn sure she implied it.

The evil, vile tempered bitch. The apple really didn't fall far from the tree.

" How was that round? Please tell me you won this time around," Sheila said, blinked her eyes comically at Nadine as she approached the counter with her stuffs.

"Stop doing that. You know I never win against her"

"Hmm..," Sheila slumped her shoulders and acted disappointed. " I'm not giving up on you just yet. You just might win against her someday".

"I sure can't wait for that day"

"It's going to be a long wait tho..."

"Hey! I thought you were on my side," Nadine said indignantly

"I am. Trust me, but I don't see you winning against Caroline's acerbic tongue anytime soon. You just don't have it in you"

Nadine remained silent as Sheila added up all her stuffs and she paid the bill.

"Dad and mom will be out of town for a few days. They'll love it if Nichole tags along with them. And I personally think you need a break. Single parenting and having part-time jobs along with running the inn is a lot. Besides, school would be vacating this week, so there's no reason to refuse the offer."

Nadine loved and adored her daughter but keeping up with her energy sometimes was a lot of work she wouldn't mind passing up for a few days.

"Sure, why not? She'll be over the moon when I tell her. You know how she adores them".

"Good. That's settled then. Get her all packed and ready by the weekend."

……...............

Nicholas felt safe leaving his business in the city for a while. Philip was capable of handling all that needed to be done in the city. Emma wouldn't hesitate to update him about all he needed to know in his absence.

His phone rang in his suit pocket and he brought it out to see the caller ID. It was Philip.

"Hey buddy," he said into the phone.

"Hi. How're you doing?"

"Great. Just tying up some loose ends around here. I'll be taking my long needed vacation tomorrow."

"We both know you aren't taking any vacation. You just slept with every woman in the city already so you need a new place to start your whoring."

They both laughed.

"I can't believe my own friend just called me a whore," Nicholas said.

"I implied it but I didn't."

"Same thing man"

"Are you sure you'll be alright?"

Nicholas knew what Philip was really asking him about. He was asking about Nadine. Philip knew some parts of what went down between him and Nadine because he just couldn't help sharing his woes with his friend after he returned to the city to take over his father's businesses. He was a different man back then, moping over a woman that didn't deserve his time. Right at that point, he felt a lot more than alright.

"Sure. You know it's all water under the bridge now."

"If you say so. Have a nice whoring vacation," Philip hung up before Nicholas could give a cutting reply.

With all set and done, he flew back to Folks in his private plane four days after he made his decision to return.

Yes, the Victorian house in the countryside in all it's old glory was the closest thing he ever had to a home. Even tho he considered selling the house after his grandparents' death, he could not bring himself to go through with the process. He almost did out of all the hurt that plagued him back then but he didn't.

He got off the plane and got into a rental car Emma had arranged and had waiting for him at the airport. He had to drive himself for the first time in a very long time. He didn't come to the town with his driver and security details. Folks was a place were all that wasn't needed.

The people there lived simple lives. He didn't want to stick out walking around town with security following him all about. He didn't need the unnecessary attention. In fact, he needed as little as possible attention.

The fifteen minutes drive home was a reflective one for him. He didn't really pay attention to the passing scenery as he thought about the two years of his thirty one years that he spent in Folks. He had his best memories there and he also had his worst ones there too. He smiled bitterly as he finally allowed himself to think about Nadine.

Nadine was like his own personal miracle when he met her. He was barely twenty two and his parents had just passed. Despite the fact that he was of no importance to them when they were alive, he was still shaken by their death. He was more than happy to escape his life in the city back then to go to his grandparents. He wasn't ready to take over his father's businesses and all the legal issues involved.

He was all lost and out of his element when he got to their place but as it had always been his luck in life, the ladies in the town were more than ready to make him feel welcome. Back then he obliged a few until he finally met Nadine a few month after his stay.

He still didn't understand why he never got to meet her until that late, considering the town's population size.

He did meet her back then and he was no longer lost afterwards. He couldn't get enough of being around her after that. She was all shy around him for a while but they got over that. His Nadine that he knew was all sweet, shy and innocent.

Until the day he started questioning what he actually knew about her.

He got to his home still deep in thought. He paid little attention to the perfectly mowed lawn and the well polished floorboards as he opened the door. Emma told him she already got people to clean up the place. They sure did a good job, he admitted to himself as he stepped into the house. A sense of déjà vu assailed him as he looked around the well furnished living room with it's huge fireplace. Looking around made him miss his grandma like hell.

A clattering sound towards the kitchen drew his attention. Maybe the person there to clean was still around.

He walked into the kitchen to see a woman with her back turned to him

He went really still and he felt his blood run cold. He knew who the woman was even before she turned to face him.

"What the hell are you doing in my house?," Nicholas lashed out in a deadly tone.

Nadine whipped around suddenly. Her eyes went round as she saw who it was. She simultaneously dropped the dishes she was holding in hands that suddenly felt numb.

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