The very next day; very early Friday morning
Linnie-
I'm a freakin' zombie right now; I barely slept a wink. At the first sign of daylight I rushed out the door. Donny, bless him, was still sleeping peacefully on the couch. I gave him a light peck on the cheek before I left.
I'm walking with a purpose towards my old apartment above the Art Bistro because I know that's where Derrick is staying; with his mom Ashley. I know it's real early but I'm calling Larry now; besides he lives in New York City so he's used to getting woken up real early. I call; straight to voicemail. So I text him to say to call ASAP.
I'm here in front of the building now. I use my key that I, of course, still have. I match up the stairs. I open the door and I'm surprised to see Ashley is already up in her nightgown, sipping coffee.
"Where is he?" I say emphatically, "I'm such an idiot, Ash. I should've listened to you! Donny and I had a big fight last night and he nearly broke up with me and I don't blame him. He still wants a break but I can't allow that. I have to tear up that contract I don't care what happens to me."
"It's alright, girl," she says calmly, "I already did that for ya last night." She gets up and gets her trash can from under her sink and then pours the tore up contract.
"I knew you'd come to your senses and get here the first chance you got, that's why I'm up now. After you left yesterday," she says, "I cussed that boy out. He was outta line puttin' all that on ya all the sudden. I knew he was gonna talk to you about a movie deal, I didn't know he'd be all forceful and opinionated like that. Also, he lied, I spoke to Larry about it and he never talked to Derrick about this; he didn't even know about it. He did some askin' around and turns out they did send that boy out here to talk to you because he know you, but he was supposed to tell you that the movie won't happen without you and you can take all the time you want to decide. Also that was a bullshit contract. He typed that up himself. I think they gon' fire his ass but then he'll have to stay here. He told you all that stuff because he wanted t'get with you. He admitted that to me himself last. Larry said he'll call you later but right now, you go on back home and get some sleep, you look a mess, honey. Go get your man."
This is a huge relief; I quickly took the torn up contract and run back home.
I want so much to show Donny how sorry I am that I (or rather Ashley saved me the trouble and did all that for me) ripped up the contract and refused to fly to LA and I just want to be with him. But when I get inside I see left already. I get out my phone and I get ready to call him but then I see 3 missed calls and 3 texts from all three of them; one from Donny; one from Janine and one from Larry. From Larry it says he has more information about the movie; from Janine it says 'please meet us for lunch at the Bistro at around 1, Gina and Brook will also be there, we have something urgent we need to warn you about and cancel any interviews you may have it's THAT important. Finally, from Donny he says, 'thanks for not waking me up when you left. I'm at law school now and then I'm going to hang out with Chester. Look, I'm really sorry we left things with so much tension but I think this time apart could be just what we need. Have fun making your movie in Hollywood I hope it turns out great; you really deserve this and I'm not being sarcastic or passive aggressive, I really mean it. I love you and you mean the world to me. I hope to see you back here with me when it's over, Gorgeous. You're still the love of my life and nothing will change that.'
After reading that last line I broke down in tears again. He still thinks I went, I have to speak with him right away. I try running toward the door but I trip and fall. I guess I can talk to him later; I need to sleep.
A couple hours later; moon
I don't know how long I've been asleep when my phone's ringtone wakes me up with a start. I check my phone; it's Janine. I guess this is about the lunch they want to have with me since it is around noon.
"Hey, Janine," I say answering the phone, "you woke me up; I had a stressful night and I was up real early this morning. I'll come meet you but I have to go speak with Donny first."
"Um, you're going to want to come and see us first," Janine advises, "what we have to tell you could really put your relationship in jeopardy."
"I think I may have done that all by myself, Janine," I say, "I really need to speak with him, we had a big fight last night?"
"Which makes it even more imperative you come to see us first." Warns Janine
Then a question popped into my head
"You said Gina and Brook are there, too, right," I say, "what possible reason could there be for Donny's three ex-girlfriends to speak with his current girlfriend?"
"Because we have to warn you about the 4th ex-girlfriend," she says cryptically, "just head over here now before you go speak with Donny; we'll explain when you get here." That was a strange conversation. So Donny had another girlfriend; so what; I assume it was in middle school or something before Gina. I don't think middle school girlfriends really count.
When I arrive at the Boutique I see the three of them, along with Janine's nurse Krystal, sitting at one of the round table outside with the shade umbrella. They don't have any food with them or even drinks; what kind of a lunch is this?
"Ok, I'm here," I say sitting down and taking off my shades, "what's this about. Who's this other girlfriend and what does that have to do with me?"
Janine is on the phone with Chad, but when she sees me she hangs up
"You don't understand," Janine says, "she's not just another ex-girlfriends, she's the original YOU and if you're not careful she could replace YOU. She's coming here."
I don't know how to respond. I already feel like I'm losing him.
"Ok, so who is this person," I ask, "what do you mean she's the original ME?
"Ok, girls, I'll start because I know how it started." Gina begins, How what started is what I'm thinking, "do you remember about six months ago; the day you stormed into your dad's office and then got with Donny; remember me, you, Kenny and Russ were talking?"
"Yes," I say "of course I remember it; it's that conversation that made me realize how badly I wanted him and how he never looked anyone, including the the three of you, the way he looked at me."
Gina breath's out a small chuckle and gives knowing looks to the other two
"It's funny you mention that last one," Gina says reluctantly, "that wasn't entirely true. While it's certainly true about the three of us, but as Janine mentioned there was another girlfriend, who he looked at about the same way he looks at you now. Maybe even more."
"I assume you're talking about whoever came before you, Gina," I say, I'm not sure if I should take this seriously, "it's his middle school girlfriend, right? What could be so threatening about a middle school girlfriend? I don't think that even counts as a girlfriend." There's clearly a lot I'm missing so hopefully they'll explain it. This better be worth not going to see Donny right now.
"Ooh, Linny, if you only knew the half of it." says Janine. I'm a little curious as to why Brook is so quiet; she was his last girlfriend before me and his ex-fiance before that after all.
"Linny, Kenny has a twin sister." Gina says slowly and she can clearly see the look of surprise on my face, "I know. Shocking; I think even Kenny forgets he has a sister sometimes, too. Her name is Candace but Donny and Chester grew up calling her Candy because Chester can't say 'Candace'. She lives in Milan, Italy and she only contacts Kenny every couple of years. The last time she was here was for Donny's mom's funeral which was five years ago, now. She even has a five year old son, Naldo I think he's called, that Kenny's never met; his nephew. Kenny and Candace grew up together with Donny; they've all known each other since they were little kids. They were next door neighbors. I only met Kenny and Donny in high school. Donny always had a crush on Candace and then finally, in middle school, they went out. But then she went off to Italy for boarding school and he never got over it."
"Let me take over from here, Gina, because this ended up affecting all three of us." Janine explains. Brook lets out a small groan. "Brook, do you have something to say?"
"No, no. Go ahead, Janine," says Brook, she looks a little annoyed, I'm sure she drove all the way here (I hope Spencer's not around), "I'll save my comments until the end."
"Alright," Janine says, "so yeah, he never got over her, so much so that when he started dating Gina and again with me and I assume with Brook, too, he wouldn't shut up about her. It was always 'Candy says this' and 'Candy says that'. Like we were competing with his childhood fantasy."
"But it wasn't always a fantasy," Gina says, "we told you before that when Donny and I broke up it was for college, well, he did in part and he did encourage Kenny to ask me out. But that summer and every summer during high school before that, he would break up with me when the year ended so he could pursue Candace. She would be back here every summer. She always flirted with him and he always took it to mean more until she revealed she had a boyfriend back in Italy. It's like she always liked to string him along and after every summer she would go back to Italy and he'd be heartbroken and I always took him back."
"Why would you do that?" I ask, "Sounds like he was always pining after someone who never felt the same way, so why'd you take him back?"
"You don't understand, Linnie," Janine interjects, "before his mother's accident he was exactly like he is now since you came into his life and brought him out of his slump. But when he's around her he changes into this drooling pathetic wimp. She's his romantic Kryptonite. Actually, now that I recall, Candace came back during that time, too, for his mom's funeral and that cheered him up for awhile. Since their mom walked out on them when they were real small, Kenny and Candace viewed Donny's mom, Lisa, as they're own mother. I'm not even sure if he remembers that fully because, as we all know, his memory isn't so clear from that time period. I'm pretty sure he remembers her being there; we're talking about the girl of his dreams here/ But we're jumping ahead here, aren't we, Gina? Sorry. I haven't thought about these things in years."
"Yeah, Janine," says Gina, "you are jumping ahead a little. Linnie you asked why I always took Donny back? Well, the answer's simple. You should know better than anyone here since you're the one with him now. It's because it's Donny. I was in love with him; he's the first man I ever said 'i love you' to. Minus those summers we were together for four years and he never tried to take my virginity despite having every opportunity. Kenny was my first and only. I think Donny, in his deluded mind, was saving himself for Candace. But despite all that, I loved that he never pressured me to do what I didn't want to do and after awhile I kind of accepted his Candace thing as one of his quirks."
"Wait, you weren't his first?" Janine inquires. Gina shakes her head. "That means I was his first. I always thought he was only my first." She looks like she's pondering that memory with great affection; I'm not sure how I feel about this. She then regains composure a little, "But just like with Gina, he was constantly mentioning her. Do you know that he'd video chat with her right in front of me while we were still together? It's like his self-awareness and self-respect would go on vacation when it came to that girl. I've said before we broke up amicably but the truth is, I never wanted to break up with him. It's just it felt like he was cheating on me emotionally. I wasn't as strong or as forgiving as you were, Gina.
"But I still kind of regret it to this day because I was in love with him, too, and honestly, apart of me always will be. Of course, I love Chad; I'm carrying his baby after all and I also realize that out of the three of us, I dated Donny the shortest; all the way back in freshman year but then when I got with Chad we stayed friends. It was real difficult staying friends with the man who broke my virginity; he and Chad just hit it off so well.
Afew months ago when you, Donny and Spencer were having your little love triangle, Donny told me and Chad that he didn't think you would choose him over Spencer because he's never been good at love triangles. And he used the one he had with me and Chad as evidence of that. In sophomore year, after spending yet another summer chasing Candace, he tried to get me back from Chad. They did not like each other at the start because they were fighting over me. It didn't end until," she pauses and looks at Brook, "well, until he met you, Brook. But what I never told Chad is that if it wasn't for Brook, I probably would have dumped Chad gotten back with Donny. He had that much of an affect on me."
"So, wait," Gina interjects, "does this mean that if Donny decided he liked you nowadays, you'd leave Chad for him?" This question startled me. What happened here? I thought we're supposed to be talking about Candace? I still don't know why they're bringing it up now or what's even more perplexing is why hasn't Brook chimed in this entire time
"Of course not," Janine defends, "it's just that every now and then, even today, I look at Donny and think, what if? I know that sounds horrible but, Gina don't sit there and tell me that you haven't thought about it. You've been friends with Donny for even longer than me even after you got with Kenny, don't tell me you've never thought about it."
Gina looks up at the sky with a guilty look on her face, "Ok, now that you mention it..." she trails off
"So, let me make sure if I'm hearing this right," I interrupt, "both of you were in love with him even after something or someone else came along and if either of you had the opportunity you'd do it with my boyfriend? Even though you're having a baby with Chad (Janine) and you're engaged to Kenny (Gina)." Their silence speaks volumes. Then I turn to Brook, "what about you, Brook? You've been awfully silent this entire time."
"Okay, I guess this is as good a time as any to say my comments," Brook looks at me, "you don't have to worry about me, he made that clear when he chose you over me. I don't blame him for choosing you, you're an amazing woman, Linnie. I'd choose you if I were him but I can't help it, it really hurt and still does. Yes, we were engaged to be married five years ago and then we get back together five years later. And even though I knew in the back of my that he'd go to you, when you came around; there was a moment there when we were headed toward something more serious and so the pain is still raw.
"I have no one to blame but myself for doing what I did to him all those years ago." then she turns to Gina and Janine and says angrily, "not like these two who're so wrapped up in their fantasies about Donny, they forgot why we're here. You guys always assumed that the reason I cheated on him was because he kept mentioning Candace, it's not I was scared because I didn't know how to handle being there for him when his mom died. I never heard him mention Candace's name once. I only ever heard it from you two. But the most important thing that they failed to bring up, the reason Candace is being brought up NOW is because Candace is coming here now. She may already be here, Kenny went to go get her from Kennedy. Now I don't know why she's really here but if this woman is truly a threat to you and Donny then I'd go over there and take him the hell away from here now!" OMG I know! I'll take him with me to California
"Are we done here?" I ask starting to get up
"I guess so." Janine says but as she picks up her phone she says, "Uh oh, I never hung up the phone when I was speaking with Chad earlier! I don't know how much of that he heard."
and then we all here an angry Chad scream loud enough that all hear it even though it's not on speaker, "I heard all of it!!!"
Please vote, comment, share.