Someone To Run To

9

Gina spent the majority of the rest of the day, in the bedroom Alan had so graciously given her. It was huge and comfortable, and the more time she spent there, the more she loved it.

The housekeepers stopped by to make sure she didn't need anything. Eva and Kate came together once and tried again to convince her to stay at the mansion just a little longer. They tried to claim Alan would be lost without her and if she left he would never smile again, but she didn't believe it was true. He had seemed perfectly happy when he and George returned. She had no idea where they had been. She never knew he left. She watched them walk into the house from the comfort of her window. Alan was smiling when he got out of the car. His staff was mistaken. He seemed perfectly happy then, and she wasn't with him. He would be fine without her.

More importantly, he would be safe without her.

She was sitting on the bed now, staring at the room around her. She sighed loudly. She was bored out of her mind, but she didn't want to risk going downstairs and getting bombarded with pleas for her to stay again. They had no idea how badly she wanted to, but it just was not an option. Abruptly, another knock came on her door. It was beginning to get a little annoying. She was not staying and that was that! Why couldn't they get it through their heads? Maybe if she screamed at them, they would finally get the picture. She flung the door open, prepared to do so if she had to, but it was not a housekeeper at her door this time. It was Alan.

He had changed from the light blue shirt and jeans he'd been wearing earlier in the morning into a suit and tie. She noticed him wearing something different when he got out of the car, but she hadn't been able to make out what it was. She found herself wondering suddenly why he couldn't have worn his other outfit to his destination. There were a lot of puzzling things about Alan. He had tons of money from what she could see, yet he never went to work. He said he was rich, but did he even have a job? If he did, what was it? He had briefly discussed having an occupation earlier in his life. What about now?

"Are you going to let me in, Gina?" Alan asked her with a smile. He felt like he'd been standing in the doorway forever. She seemed to be a little distracted, in a different place inside her head.

"Oh sure," she said heat rising to her cheeks. "I just didn't expect to see you at my door."

He raised an eyebrow. "Who were you expecting?"

"No one. Well, the girls have been to visit me today. Frequently. I thought it might have been one of them returning."

Alan walked inside and Gina closed the door behind him. She felt a sudden calmness come over her. He seemed to have a soothing effect on her. She knew he would not hurt her, so she felt secure in his presence.

"Oh really?" he said. "They have not been bothering you in any way, have they?"

"No. They're just sad I'm leaving. I told them."

He cast his eyes to the floor. "I know they're sad. We all are." He looked up at her to see her reaction. Her expression was unreadable. "They've been trying to convince me to come up here and beg you to stay myself. For some strange reason, they seem to think you will listen to me." He smiled.

"Sounds like them," Gina smirked. It amazed her she was saying something like this after such a short time. She felt like she had known all of them forever. "Please tell me that is not what you came up here for."

"No. I'm afraid not."

"Maggie even came up here."

"She did?" he asked. She could tell that he was surprised by the revelation.