Truth’s Beckoning

Prologue

Laughing as Gia searched through her over stuffed closet for what to take and what to leave Ayanna slowly shook her head as Gia displayed her latest find.

Ayanna- [laughing] No!
Gia- But…
Ayanna- You are not wearing that… that thing with me…
Gia- [laughing ]That thing? Yanna it’s a thong…
Ayanna- First of all, I know what it is… two your ass is too big to be wearing that…
Gia- [laughing as she threw the thong at her] It is not!
Ayanna- [ducking the flying underwear] And three I don’t have a stick big enough to beat all the fools off that will following you around…
Gia-Then what if…
Ayanna- [throwing the thong back at her] No! Don’t even go there…
Gia- [laughing as she put her hands on her hips] Yanna…
Ayanna- [shaking her head] Gia…

Laughing Gia fell across her bed staring up at the ceiling as thoughts and plans for their island getaway came to her. Ayanna and Gia… Gia and Ayanna… where you saw one you were sure to see the other. Having known and grown together since birth they were inseparable. Having survived their first year at Columbia and wanting to treat each other to an unforgettable summer they hooked up with a couple of friends and rented a beach house in sunny Jamaica. A whole summer of not having to worry about meeting their mother’s expectations, the dean’s list, being at the top of their class, was exactly what they needed. They would descend on the island and it would never be the same. Laughing at something Ayanna said Gia sighed realizing how lucky she was to have found a friend she could truly say that would be with for a lifetime… now if only she could find someone to love her… Shaking her thoughts from her head Gia turned her attention back to Ayanna as she now stood going through her closet. Agreeing and disagreeing with half of her selections Gia rose pushing her out of the way as she dove back into the multitude of clothes before her.

After an hour of rifling through her clothes they had three sacks of clothes on the end of her bed. A definite pile, a maybe pile, and a hell-no-no-way-in-hell pile. Flopping into a nearby chair Gia sighed as she loudly announced she needed more clothes. Shaking her head Ayanna quickly reached for the hell-no-no-way-in-hell pile of clothes and threw them at Gia. Collapsing in a fit of giggles they again sat back discussing their plans for the summer. Not only a treat for a job well done in college the last semester their jaunt to Jamaica was a way for Ayanna to help Gia get over her mother leaving her alone in Brooklyn. Having decided to follow Gia’s long gone brother to Port Charles Gia suddenly found herself alone in the place she long called home. Shielding her pain and disappointment to all around Ayanna knew Gia was hurting and wanted to do something to not only take her mind off of the situation but to make her feel good as well. And hearing a few of their other friends discussing it Ayanna readily jumped at the idea sharing it with Gia. Working nonstop as well as going to school they had somehow come up with their portion of the beach house and all they had to do now was to wait for the day they were to leave. Standing and quickly hugging Ayanna knowing the thoughts going through her head Gia again went to her closet going through her clothes once more.

Looking over at her as she slept Nikolas sighed realizing what a huge mistake he had just made. Loneliness mixed with alcohol was a deadly combination and he may have made the ultimate mistake. Who was he kidding… this was the worse decision be could have made and now he would have to suffer the consequences. It wasn’t that he did not care for Lynn but to sleep with her because he was lonely and she was there. Maybe this could be the start of something new for him… maybe this was the beginning of a new phase of life for him. Reaching out to softly caress her shoulder Nikolas quickly withdrew his hand not feeling anything. Shaking his head Nikolas slowly eased from bed careful not to wake her. Quickly putting on his discarded pants Nikolas stood by the window looking out into the darkness hoping for clarity to come to him.

Why had he succumb to Lynn tonight? For as long as he could remember she had been sending him signals that she wanted more than friendship from him but he always resisted. And yet for whatever reason tonight he gave in to her. To put the blame all on Lynn was wrong too. He was a grown man capable of making his own decisions and he could have easily said no and gone home once again alone. Sighing Nikolas knew his reasoning yet he did not want to say it. Looking back at Lynn as she lay sleeping in his bed Nikolas knew that his loneliness had finally gotten the better of him. He was tired of watching Lucky and Elizabeth, as well as Juan and Emily so loving and so happy while he sat to the side alone. He wanted what they had and when Lynn offered the possibility of a relationship he jumped at the chance. But now looking back at her sleeping form Nikolas slowly shook his heading knowing that what Lynn would give him was the furthest from what he truly wanted. Turning back to the window as she slowly began to stir Nikolas forced a smile on his face as she softly called his name.

Lynn- [softly] Nikolas…
Nikolas- [staring still out of the window] Yes…
Lynn- How long have you been up?
Nikolas- A while…
Lynn- Why didn’t you wake me?
Nikolas- [forcing a smile as he turned to her] You looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you…
Lynn- [extending her hand] Come back to bed…
Nikolas- [slowly shaking his head] Lynn…
Lynn- [standing going quickly to him] Come on…
Nikolas- [softly] What are we doing here Lynn?
Lynn- [softly smiling] Having a good time…
Nikolas- And?
Lynn- What do you mean and?
Nikolas- Having a good time and what?
Lynn- Seeing where this takes us…
Nikolas- Lynn…
Lynn- Nikolas we don’t have to rush anything… we can take it day by day and see what grows from there…
Nikolas- [softly] I want something more than just sex…
Lynn- [gently touching his cheek] So do I…

Slowly nodding his head Nikolas followed Lynn back to his bed knowing in his heart of hearts that their relationship would not work. All that he wanted was still out there for him to find. The love that he longed for would come for and to him eventually and he need only be ready to receive it when finally it came.