Chapter 15: Contemplations

Angel thought she was going to make it through Tuesday without any drama, but late that afternoon her brother Frank decided to show up at Jordan's office. He approached her with purpose as she sat behind the reception desk working. "Can you take a break?" Frank asked.

Angel reluctantly turned and looked at Connie and she laughed in response, "Make it quick." She was beginning to think Angel's life was more interesting than her favorite soap opera.

Angel followed Frank outside and they went to grab a cup of coffee at a nearby café. Angel smoked as they walked. She was glad to be out of the office because even though Jordan had intended to take her out for lunch that day, they had ordered sandwiches to be delivered because Jordan had to work through his lunch, and she didn't want to leave the office without him.

"Can't you go a block without smoking," Frank said with disgust.

"Sorry, it's a habit," Angel said, but she wasn't sorry about smoking or anything else at the moment. She was tired of apologizing and feeling guilty for everything she did or said.

They entered the café and sat down in a booth, ordering two cups of coffee and a slice of pie for Frank. "I can't be gone long," Angel said, hoping Frank would get to the point of his visit.

"I heard Rori came to see you at the office," Frank said with raised eyebrows.

"Oh God," Angel rolled her eyes, "I forgot what a small town this is. I bet you even know what color panties I'm wearing today," she added sarcastically.

Frank almost choked on his pie, "Pink, right?"

Angel snickered, "I knew it."

"That's what you get when you live in a friendly town of right around fifteen thousand," Frank grinned.

"Rori can go fuck herself," Angel frowned, getting back to the subject of her sister's visit.

Frank laughed because he understood just how Angel felt. On the other hand he also understood how Rori felt. He had been caught in the middle between his two sisters his whole life. It wasn't easy having a sister as notorious as Angel or a sister as strong-willed, determined, and self-righteous as Rori.

"I heard you also got to see Mia," Frank smiled warmly.

"Yes, she's so beautiful," Angel said in a dreamy voice, "I couldn't believe it Frank. It was unreal to see her all grown up."

Frank enjoyed his sister's smile for awhile; then he couldn't help saying what was on his mind, "I just hope Pop didn't kill her." He and Angel both knew how their father could behave and they cringed.

Angel closed her eyes and suddenly felt like bawling, but she managed to stop herself.

"Listen Anj," Frank said after a few minutes, "I've been thinking. I want to fix up that old Mustang of yours. It's a classic. A '67 Mustang was what I used to drive in high school."

"I know," Angel grinned, "I remember. You bought it just before I took off."

"How did you manage to find one that was still running?" Frank asked, dead serious.

"I think I just got lucky," Angel smiled as she sipped her coffee, "I found it for sale near Chicago and I realized when I saw that car that fate was on my side and I was going to make it back here."

Frank grinned, "I want to paint it black."

"I can't pay for it to be fixed up," Angel sighed, "I'm broke. If not for Parker I would be in the gutter right about now."

Frank looked down, "I would never let that happen to you Anj, I hope you realize that," Frank said in all seriousness. "I'll pay to fix up the car."

"Oh Frank," Angel said with a pretend smile, "I feel like a fish out of water. I'm such a mess. I haven't lived in the real world since I was fourteen, and I was so young then."

Frank was always uncomfortable when they approached the topic of her life as a prostitute. He quickly began eating his pie.

"If not for Parker, I'd be a wreck," Angel said, "I know you can't stand him, but it's true."

Frank chose to ignore her words about Parker and stared down at the table, "I've been thinking Angel, and I understand why you did it. I know why you became a..." he still couldn't bring himself to say it.

Angel looked down, "I don't know if you could possibly understand Frank," and she reached out and put her hand on his, "But thank you for trying. I never meant for it to happen."

Frank nodded, "I know."

Angel knew there were a great many things about her life that Frank could never understand. She realized how much she still loved him as she watched him eat his pie. She was glad he was still a lot like he had been at sixteen. "I better get back to work or Jordan will kill me," Angel said.

Frank nodded, and then as an afterthought he asked her one last question, "Hey do you remember my old coach?"

Angel froze and attempted not to show any reaction, "Yeah I think so."

"Coach Bills," Frank said, "I had lunch with him yesterday and he was asking all sorts of questions about you. He seemed surprised you were back. He still remembers you fondly."

Angel stared at her brother for awhile without saying a word, and then she finally managed to respond, "I'm surprised he remembers me, I wasn't a cheerleader for that long before I got knocked up."

"Well he still remembers you. I figured you would remember him, because I was thinking he was the coach when you were a freshman cheerleader." Frank mused.

Angel realized Frank had no idea just how much she remembered Coach Bills. Suddenly her curiosity got the better of her, "Tell me about him, what's he up to, is he still coaching?" All those years of learning to mask her emotions were coming in handy.

"He's the high school coach at Cedar Springs High," Frank said with enthusiasm, "And his son is the star quarterback now."

Angel nodded, "How about that, I forgot he had a son a year or two older than Mia," she said absently.

"His name is Riley and apparently he's quite the quarterback," Frank said with a smile, "He might wind up going all the way to the pros."

Suddenly Angel didn't think she could stand to hear anymore, "Listen I really do need to get back," Angel stood up and kissed Frank on the cheek, "If you want a key to my car I can have one made."

"No," Frank assured her, "I already made one when you let me fix it for you, just in case."

Angel chuckled, "I should have guessed, and I would love it if you restored that old car for me or for yourself for that matter, there is something special about that car."

Frank hugged her before she left, "I love you little sis."

"I love you too Frank," and she quickly headed for the door so she could light up a smoke and get back to her job and forget all about Coach Bills. She never thought she would be happy to retreat to Jordan's office and her receptionist job, life was always unpredictable, no doubt about it.

Ethan Parks paced back and forth waiting for Rico. Angel had been missing for well over a month now. Ethan always pretended to be interested in his wife and children, but he was basically devoid of any real feelings or emotions. He had lost the ability to care about anything a very long time ago. So his frustration about Angel's departure wasn't because he cared about her, it was because she had taken the initiative to run away. How dare she?

Rico stood outside Ethan's office shaking and running his hands through his slicked back hair before knocking. "Come in," Ethan called. Rico turned the fancy knob to Ethan's office and stepped inside.

"Have a seat," Ethan motioned.

"I can't seem to find her," Rico said as he entered his boss's office, putting on an attitude of nonchalance, even though he was in turmoil and consumed with fear and dread being this close to Ethan.

Ethan had a way of squinting and looking straight through people and he used that to his advantage as he glared at Rico. "What do you mean you can't find her? That fucking bitch can't just vanish into thin air."

Rico hated meeting with Ethan more than anything in the world. He had shot up some heroin mixed with cocaine prior to entering Ethan's office and he was grateful the drugs were working.

Angel had plotted her escape for a very long time, carefully researching the best methods and routes to take so that she wouldn't leave a trail. She had trusted no one with the knowledge that she intended to leave.

"I have the men looking everywhere," Rico said, "We'll find her, it will just take time."

"I want that bitch brought back here," Ethan sneered, "You better not stop until you find her," his voice was cold and calculating.

"I won't," Rico said with determination, but in truth he had no idea where to look anymore, the trail had grown cold from the beginning and his heart wasn't in it as much as it probably should have been. He no longer cared that much about finding a prostitute he wasn't even allowed to look at, let alone touch. He still resented bringing Angel to Ethan because he hadn't gotten his fill of her before turning her over to Ethan, but that had been a long time ago now.

After Rico left his office Ethan leaned back in his chair and lit a cigar. His son James opened the door to his office, "Want me to bring Betty in now?"

Ethan needed sex the same as he needed air, "Yes, bring Betty in," Ethan said.

Betty was Ethan's second favorite girl, after Angel, and when she entered he could see that she was wearing an expensive evening gown with a neck that plunged way down the front and he enjoyed the way it looked on her. Her breasts and body were perfect. As she walked over and stood before him he couldn't help but notice her blank expression. Every time he looked at her it was almost as if Betty wasn't inside her own body. She showed no feelings or emotions whatsoever most of the time and she never displeased him.