Chapter Two

Dressed in shorts and a t-shrt Richie headed back downstairs in the hope of finding something to eat. As he passed through the living room his attention w once again drawn to the envelope on the table. "Shit." He really didn't want to look at it yet. Instead of heading into the kitchen, he went out the sliding glass door and onto the deck. He stared out at the water, not really seeing it.

He replayed the events of the day in his head. The argument with Heather about his spending time with Ava, the time spent in the studio with the guys, the argument with Jon. The one that bothered him most was the argument with Heather. It was the same thing all the time. He was doing the best he could but there were just times when he couldn't be there and she just didn't understand, never had. It was all weighing on him and now, that damned envelope. Forgetting about food, he walked down the steps to the beach.

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Leana was out on her deck arranging th furniture, lighting some candles and getting her grill ready. She had decided to celebrate her fresh start with a nice dinner and grilled steak was one of her favorites. She went back inside to pour a glass of wine and turn the stereo on. She checked the potatoes, they were almost done, made a salad and got the steaks ready for the grill. She had to laugh at herself, "still cooking for two." She had gotten so used to doing for her and her once husband, it was just habit. "Oh well, leftovers would be all right."

She picked up her wine and went back outside. The sunset was gorgeous, all pinks, reds and purples. I could get used to this she thought to herself. As she turned her attention to her grill, she caught site of someone walking along the water.

Richie was walking slowly, meandering really. He was just trying to clear his head. He glanced up to see a woman standing on the deck of a house he knew had been empty for a long while. Now there were lights on in the house, the deck had furniture and there were candles lit. "Hmmm, someone finally moved in" he thought. He watched as the woman sipped from her glass and turned away from him. He couldn't tell what she looked like, but could make out a nice figure. He could also hear strains of the music she was listening to.

Hey mister can you tell me
What this world's about
It might just help me out
I used to be a dreamer
But my dreams have burned

Sometimes it's hard to find a friendly face
Feel like a stranger to the human race
It's such a lonely, lonely place

He shook his head and smiled, it was one of his own. Well, at least she has good taste he thought and he began to wonder what this woman might be like.