Stock Ch. 01-18

"You're kidding right?" the two women asked.

Sean slid around the question. "Man, I haven't been to the opera in ages. Thank you, ladies, for giving me a proper escort. Shall we?" He offered his arm to Elizabeth. She took it like a virgin schoolgirl. Vanessa marveled. Somehow he tapped into the sweet and innocent side of her friend. Maybe he was the right man for her. He definitely treated her with respect. Sean surprised Vanessa when he offered his other arm to her. "You're without a date. And I definitely will not leave so a beautiful woman unescorted if I can help it."

"Just remember he's my man," Elizabeth called out across his shoulder. Again Vanessa checked for the slightest hint of secondary intentions and met only warm, friendly eyes. Feeling foolish, Vanessa accepted his proffered arm and let him lead them up the steps.

Madame Butterfly was well performed although Vanessa would have done a thing or two different. But that's just personal taste. She thought the opera was Elizabeth's idea; she loved it, but turned out it was Sean's. He listened avidly to the music and always touched the back of Elizabeth's hand at particularly dramatic scenes. Vanessa had to admit, they made a good couple and he really was a good guy. She decided to put away her interrogative cynicism and just enjoy their company. Guys like Sean gave her hope that maybe she could find a man of her own. So far her luck hadn't been the greatest. She sighed inaudibly and found Sean's hand patting hers. She looked up and found Sean looking at her almost understandably and then he shifted his attention back to the performance.

After the opera the three of them exited the theatre and stepped into a cool autumn night. Sean took off his coat and draped it over Vanessa's shoulders then stepped over to Elizabeth and wrapped his arms around her as they waited for their cars. Their cars were brought to them and Sean tipped the valets as Vanessa got into her own car after she handed back Sean's coat. She got directions from him earlier but still let Sean take the lead as they headed for the restaurant. Vanessa had heard of Allesio's but had never gotten around to dining there. From what she heard it was very classy and hard to get into. She let the valet take her car and then joined Sean and Elizabeth at the door.

"Looks nice from the outside," Vanessa commented. "I heard it's pretty hard to get into. How long did you have to book that reservation?"

"Three months," Sean answered. Both girls looked at him. "I planned on bringing ‘Liz here when I heard it was one of the premiere restaurants in town so I booked a reservation three months ago. Truth be told, the fact you're here with us is just coincidence but a nice bonus. Besides, I get to make a grand entrance into a fancy restaurant with two beautiful women draped on my arms. I doubt there are many men that wouldn't envy me right now. Come on, let's eat."

"No pizza," Elizabeth said.

Sean stepped dead in his tracks. "What?"

"You heard me, no pizza. We had it last week. You eat too much pizza."

"But that's part of a perfectly unbalanced diet of every college student."

"No."

"But…"

"No."

He sighed, "Yes, dear." Sean kissed her on the temple then addressed Vanessa. "The things I do for love. Sigh."

The three of them laughed and were showed to their table. "I doubt they have it on their menu anyways," Vanessa heard him grumble.

When their waiter gave them their menus it turned out they did have pizza. Sean spoke to the waiter in Italian and the man bowed and left in hurry. "Wine," was all Sean said while he looked over the menu.

"I didn't know you spoke Italian," Elizabeth said.

"Umm, surprise!" Sean said. "Took a few language courses for fun. German, Spanish, Italian, French, and Latin amongst a few others just for kicks."

"You never cease to amaze me." Sean smiled at her and held her hand. But then his smile wavered as his eyes shifted focus to the reflection in the window.

"Uh-oh, incoming." Sean stood up and greeted Charles as he made his way over. Elizabeth's ex put on a smile thick with sarcasm and malice. If he tried any harder, his face might have shattered. Although the large man was confident nothing could happen in such a public place he was nonetheless slowed by Sean's stone hard glare. "Oh Charles," Sean barked out and slapped a hand on the other man's shoulder in friendliness. The shift in attitude was so quick Vanessa was amazed. "So nice of you to join us. You left so hastily last time we met I didn't have a chance to properly speak with you." Vanessa saw Sean squeeze deliberately with the hand on Charles' shoulder and steered the man towards his seat. By the time Charles sat his face was pasty and in pain. "Tell me, how are Albert and his friends. I hope that other fellow, forgot his name, can walk all right after they remove the cast. He really should watch where he's going in dark parking lots. Never know what you can trip on in the dark." Sean's grip tightened. "Is that Rebecca over there?" Sean turned around and waved to the pretty girl sitting at Charles' table with his other hand. She waved back happily. "Was there something you wanted to talk to us about? No? Well, then I really shouldn't keep you from your lovely date. Have a nice night." Sean released him and Charles got up shakily.

"You'll get yours," Charles muttered hastily as he turned to leave.

"Oh, Charles," Sean called to him. Sean's back was facing the women so they didn't see what he did. Whatever it was, Charles' face paled further and nearly ran back to his table, picked up his girlfriend, and left in a hurry.

Sean sat down with a tired expression on his face. "Sorry I didn't let you take care of him this time. But he is really starting to get on my nerves."

"How'd you steer him so easily," the girls asked.

"Pressure point on the shoulder, hurts like hell if someone squeezes it right. Kept him nice and docile, don't you think?"

"And his quick retreat," Elizabeth questioned. Sean looked at the two of them and sighed.

"Well, I guess you too won't let it go until you're satisfied." Sean looked around then picked up his cane. He gave it a slight twist and exposed an inch of steel. The two women gasped. Sean quickly clicked the blade back in place and rested it against him. "That's how I scared him off."

"You and I are going to have a long talk, Sean. Soon."

Seam winced at that and sighed disconsolately. Elizabeth placed her hand on his and held it. "Sean, things like that are going to take getting used to is all. I'm not going to ask you to get rid of all of your…toys. But we do need to discuss it. I love you. Now, what's good on the menu."

The rest of the evening went smoothly without any more surprises. The food, as could be expected, was excellent. Sean was the perfect gentleman, funny, intelligent, he was attractively plain to look at but he seemed to exude an aura that just drew your attention. By the end of the night Vanessa was jealous.

"So are you done interrogating me?" Sean asked.

The question took Vanessa by surprise. "I suppose so." She smiled sheepishly. "Am I that obvious?"

"Not really but I was expecting it," Sean said. "You care for Elizabeth and I respect that. I'm on your side. All I care about is her happiness, too. She's all I got."

Elizabeth blushed furiously as the two people she cared about most in the world looked at her. "Now that I can stop feeling like a bug in an observation box, how about some dessert."

The three of them chatted like old friends catching up and Vanessa spilled some very interesting, and funny, stories about Elizabeth's college years. When the evening was done Vanessa succeeded in mortifying her best friend and Sean had gotten a better understanding of his girlfriend's past before Charles. Dessert was over and the three of them got up to leave. Sean paid the tab and left a large tip for the waiter. As they made their way out the door their waiter called after them, carrying a large flat box. He caught up to them and Sean and the waiter began talking rapidly in Italian. The waiter handed him the box while Sean tried handing him some bills from his wallet. The waiter wouldn't accept the money and left, leaving Sean with a cardboard box and a big smile.

Vanessa could smell what was in the box already and could barely suppress her laughter. Elizabeth was simply exasperated. "Sean, I said no pizza."

"I know," he defended. "I swear I didn't order it. Apparently Charles is as much a pain in the ass as a customer as he is as a person. They were grateful for getting him out of here so fast and had heard our little one-sided argument as we came in. I swear I had nothing to do with it." He smiled like a big kid with a giant cookie. "Awfully nice of them though, don't you think."

Elizabeth screamed in mock frustration and planted a big kiss on Sean's lips, nearly knocking the pizza out of his hands.

Chapter 10

"Sean wanted me to tell you that the pizza was the best he has ever had."

Vanessa laughed out loud as she shared her lunch hour with Elizabeth. Elizabeth was only more than happy to meet up with her old friend after their last get together almost a month ago. She knew that Vanessa was a busy woman but she thought it strange that her best friend had gone so long without even calling her and she said as much.

"Yeah, well I've been busy lately," Vanessa said. Elizabeth wasn't buying it for one second.

"Vanessa…"

"Alright," her friend capitulated. "After seeing you with Sean I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous. You two are the perfect couple. Sean treats you so well and I'm real happy for you."

"But…"

"But look at me," Vanessa complained. "I'm an attractive woman like you and I've got no one. Sure, I've had boyfriends but they were just flings, nothing serious. I want something so much more but I scare all the men away with my brains; they're intimidated by me. I can't find a man that can care for me in the ways I want to be cared for. Thirty-four just like you and as single as they come, you've already been married once and looks like you're on your way to getting hitched again although this time I agree with you on Sean, he's a keeper."

So that's what has been going on. Elizabeth never thought Vanessa would have man problems, she was hardly ever without a date. "But if a guy isn't going to accept you for who you are then he's not worth seeing. You deserve better than that."

"I know that," Vanessa replied testily. "That's why I've never been able to keep a man, they can't deal with my way of life or something. I don't know. What I do know is that I want to settle down but can't find anyone to settle down with. All the guys I've met so far can't understand me. It's so frustrating."

Elizabeth reached her hand across the table. "You'll find someone. There's someone for everyone."

"Yeah, well, I wish he would hurry his ass up," Vanessa smirked.

* * *

The rest of Elizabeth's day was uneventful. Work was work and she decided to head over to Sean's and maybe have dinner there. He had a strange class schedule and sometimes would come home late so he gave her a key to his place if she wanted to see him on a weekday. Elizabeth turned the lock on the door and entered. She did not expect to see what she saw, her heart breaking at the sight.

There stood Sean and Cheryl kissing.

Sean's eyes snapped open in surprise. He hastily pushed Cheryl off of him and called after Elizabeth but it was too late, she was already down the stairs. The bastard. She knew it. She knew it from the start. He had a thing for Cheryl from the start and had admitted it. She knew it was too good to be true, she was too old for him. Elizabeth got into her car. Sean was right there as she pulled out as he tried calling out to her but she couldn't hear him through all of her tears.

* * *

Sean ran up the stairs frantically and flipped on his cell phone. He speed-dialed Elizabeth's number but she wasn't answering. When he got to his apartment he found Cheryl standing there, fidgeting with nervousness. "Get out," he said.

"But Sean…"

"I said get out."

"What do you need her for anyways? You can do without her money if that's what you're dating her for. I'm your age. I understand you. I've been there for you just like you've always been there for me. Just let her go. We can be happy together. You've always made me happy. Sean, I do love you. You don't need her."

Sean almost slapped her right then but he had more important things on his mind. Instead he grabbed his keys and threw Cheryl out the door. He locked it and flew down the stairs. "I don't ever want to talk to you again," he yelled over his back as he ran for his car. Sean probably broke several traffic rules as he sped towards her house. The drive did, however, give him time to think. Cheryl had just broken up with Derrick and Sean did what he could to console. Somehow his friend came to the conclusion that she loved him and had always loved him but didn't know it. It wasn't until lately that he had begun to fade out of socializing with his friends and spend more time with Elizabeth that Cheryl realized how much he comforted her. She said Derrick didn't make her happy like Sean did but she just didn't realize it until now. That was when she kissed him. Perhaps three years ago Sean would have been thrilled to hear such news but that just wasn't the case. He had moved on with his life. He had Elizabeth. He hoped he still did.

Frantic with fright, Sean unlocked the door to Elizabeth's house and poured through it, looking for her. He didn't find her. Where could she be? Where would she go? He thought about it as he furiously paced back and forth in their bedroom. Not where. Who. Vanessa. Sean looked for Elizabeth's Rolodex and found it. S…T…U…V. There, Vanessa, Sean scribbled down the address and number and ran down to his car. Again, he peeled down the highway and was surprised that he didn't get pulled over. Vanessa lived in a classy upscale apartment complex downtown. The street in front of her building was wet from a broken water main but Sean didn't slow. His car slipped and skid as Sean frantically tried to regain control but he was just going too fast. His car slammed into a streetlamp, putting him in a dead stop. Luckily, Sean's car came equipped with an air bag and he had his seatbelt on. The door was stuck so he kicked the window open and crawled out. Sean himself was uninjured but his car was a different story. He barely noticed.

Sean ran into Vanessa's building and quickly asked the doorman what floor Vanessa's room was on. Sean didn't bother with the elevator and took the stairs. Five flights and several wrong turns saw Sean at Vanessa's door. He thumbed the bell. A moment later he saw a shadow cross the peephole.

"Vanessa," he called. "It's Sean. I need to speak with Elizabeth. Is she there?"

"Sean, what are you doing here? I'm kind of busy right now. Can you come back later?"

Sean noticed she didn't open the door. He looked at his watch. It was six in the evening; too early for her to be with a date. Elizabeth was in there.

"Vanessa," Sean said through the door. "I know Elizabeth is in there. I'll give you three seconds to open that door or I'll open it myself. One…two…three." He gave her another second to reconsider but didn't hear any attempt at opening the door. Sean took a few steps back and then charged. His flying double sidekick blew the door clean off its hinges, sending woodchips flying. Sean's eyes swept the room. Vanessa sat on the floor by the blown in door, stunned from the impact. He heard muffled crying from the bedroom. Sean ran towards the sound and saw Elizabeth lying on the bed sobbing. She turned her tear-streaked face in his direction with all the pain and anguish of a world lost. Sean watched in horror as her face changed from grief to fear at the sight of him.

Whimpering, Elizabeth crawled off the bed and into the corner furthest from him. Sean walked slowly towards her but she only huddled closer to the wall. Sean heard footsteps behind him and he turned around to find a stranger standing in Elizabeth's doorway. He was a tall man with jet hair, steely gray eyes and a broad, wiry frame. The look on his face was a picture of calm. "Is there a problem?"

Sean took a careful look at the man. The man was balanced on the balls of his feet, his stance looked relaxed but was ready to spring into violence if need be. But his eyes said something else; he was playing it by nose. "No," Sean replied. "No problems. I just need to speak with my girlfriend here. There's been a misunderstanding that I have to clear up with her. If you could just excuse us for a couple of minutes please."

"Eric," Vanessa came into the room. She placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. I need some help with the door, please."

Eric left the room. Sean turned around and sat down by Elizabeth in silence for a few minutes. He didn't bother trying to touch her; she'd only flinch away. He sighed. "Let me tell you a story," he began. "There was this boy, a very lonely kid. He never made many friends; never let anyone close. He went to school like a normal kid, imagined kid things. But his family moved constantly and he was never able to build up any longtime friends. All he had was his mother, father, and sister. He never related with his father or sister, father was always at work and his older sister had her own friends to play with. So he only had his mother to talk to. She was enough for his little heart. She was a wonderful woman. But one day she got sick. The little boy didn't think it was all that bad, people got sick all the time and then they got better. That was just how it was. His mother didn't get better though. She died from a fever in the hospital. The boy was alone in the world for the first time. He had no one to talk to, not family or friends, nobody. His father kept him at home because he wanted to keep a close eye on his son because his sister…Well, let's just say his sister is another story. So he lived his life alone even though there were always people around him.

"Time went on and the little boy grew up. He knew a bit more about the world and his loneliness had simply become his best friend. The loneliness wouldn't yell at him, wouldn't mock him, wouldn't stare at him as if he were a freak, wouldn't ignore him. It gave him the things people couldn't because it didn't give him the things people did. But one day at school he met a girl and she said she wanted to be his friend. They hung out together, they talked, and she didn't hurt him as others did without even a second thought. The boy thought he was in love and said so. He sealed his soul to hers. Things were wonderful in his world and everything seemed fine. But the loneliness was still there; he was just ignoring it. Perhaps he was desperate to feel something besides the emptiness, perhaps. Well, one day the boy just wanted to be alone for a day and the girl yelled at him. He broke up with her. He realized later what his mistake was. He had fooled himself with an illusion. He had tried to tell the girl about his world but she didn't understand it, couldn't. He had experienced a lot of pain in his life, secret. The girl had never felt that kind of pain before and couldn't relate. But he ignored the fact that she wasn't a thing of his world. His realization was that he could not afford to live a life of dreams and illusions as he did when he was with the girl. That realization was what turned him into a man.

"And as a man he came to a second realization. He had given the girl the same pain he felt. He never could wish that on anyone but he gave it to her nonetheless. As his first decision as a man he would take responsibility for his actions. He promised to himself that he would never do that to another person again, give that kind of pain. So he did the only thing that made sense to him at the time. He went back to his loneliness."