Her addiction (closed)

[zydrate]

Name: Nicole Thomas
Age: 28
Black hair/Blue eyes

.........................
Tuesday, May 18

The butterflies in her stomach wouldn't calm down..but Nicole knew nothing would help... but this was the first time she would be seeing her husband...wait, no, her ex-husband. If there was a way to avoid it, then she would've done it in a heartbeat, but there wasn't...she was in a bind and only he could help her.

Drumming her fingers on the table, Nicole could see he was more than 20 minutes late. Oh, he was probably watching her from a far...watching her sweat knowing that she still needed him after all this time.

You see, Nicole had an addiction...gambling... That was one of the reasons she was single now. Her gambling and he would want something in return...she was sure of it...

 

[BeachBum25]

Name: Nicole Thomas
Age: 28
Black hair/Blues eyes

.........................
Tuesday, May 18

The butterflies in her stomach wouldn't calm down..but Nicole knew nothing would help, she that, but this was the first time she would be seeing her husband...wait, no, her ex-husband. If there was a way to avoid it, then she would've done it in a heartbeat, but there wasn't...she was in a bind and only he could help her.

Drumming her fingers on the table, Nicole could see he was more than 20 minutes late. Oh, he was probably watching her from a far...watching her sweat knowing that she still needed him after all this time.

You see, Nicole had an addiction...gambling... That was one of the reasons she was single now. Her gambling and he would want something in return...she was sure of it...

Zachary Thomas
Age: 28
blonde hair/ blue eyes

This was the call that he always knew would come. Even though he knew it would come, he wasn't truly prepared for it. He was, however, going to meet Nicole.

He pulled over and wondered exactly what she wanted..... how much? He sat behind the wheel of his car reliving all of the bad times... all of the jams she got into because of the gambling Nicole did. He remembered saving her from being beaten... or worse. He also remembered taking beatings for her... just to save her from the beatings.

Finally, he decided to go on with the meeting. He was late, but... better late than never. He got out of the table and headed in... locating her sitting at the table.

 

[zydrate]

With sunglasses on, which wasn't needed in the small diner, it did the trick of hiding the ending tell-tale signs of a fading black eye, Nicole stirred the spoon in her iced tea as she waited for Zachary... it seemed the butterflies were fluttering at full speed now in seeing he probably wasn't going to show...

Just when she thought that, she felt his presence looming over her. Looking up, she offered him a small smile, albeit nervous, a smile none the less, "Hi Zach...won't you have a seat?" She said, gesturing over to the seat across from her.

She watched him hesitate before taking a seat...it seemed best that she keep talking, "So, wow, you look good...did you want something to eat? Drink perhaps?"

 

[BeachBum25]

Zachary walked up to the table and looked at Nicole. She was wearing sunglasses indoors... that meant she had been roughed up. He knew it was an addiction like any other, but he was tired of it.... despite the fact that they were divorced and he had not seen her in quite a long time.

Zachary sat down across from Nicole. He shook his head when she asked if he wanted anything. He simply looked at her. She was so beautiful, yet she allowed the addiction to ruin her.

"What is it now Nic? How much do you owe? Who do you owe? Who is watching us as we meet?" He knew the drill. It is what led to their separation, and, ultimately, to their divorce.

 

[zydrate]

Trying to lighten the mood, Nicole gave him a fake smile, "Why does it always have to be about money? I mean.." she shrugged, "Why can't it be about just wanting to see you?"

Seeing that he wasn't buying it, Nicole sighed, "OK, OK... first off, no one's watching us, if anything I'm coming to you of my own accord..." She knew that he wouldn't fall for her lies, he never did and never would.

"Listen, Zachary," she said, using his whole name instead of just calling him Zach or by the pet name she had for him...they weren't married anymore, right? No need to get too personal. Might as well just ask and see what he says, "I need some money..." now here was the tricky part, "It's not much, just a few thousand--"

 

[BeachBum25]

Zachary looked straight at her. He didn't smile when she tried to lighten the mood.... he didn't get angry when she lied to him... several times. He knew that someone... probably more than one... was watching them.

Zachary didn't even react when she said she needed a few thousand dollars. "How many thousand Nicole? 2? 5? 10? 20? More?" He watched her face for reaction. He also tried to watch her eyes through the sunglasses. It was difficult because the room was so dark, but he wanted to see where she was looking, so he could see where whoever was watching them was sitting.

 

[zydrate]

"Damnit Zachary, why the hell do you have to make this so hard?!" She yanked her glasses off and sat back, huffing in resignation, "Look, I only came to you because it'll be nothing for you! Your family, they have the money...it's pocket change!"

She was hoping that he wouldn't be so cautious...hoping that he would just give her the money and be on his way but the longer he stalled, the more danger he was in, "Please Zach...it's only 100K..."

Her eyes shifted to 2 men sitting in a booth about 20 feet away...they were your typical thugs. Mafia men, one was ex-secret service, the other...well, who really knew...no one wanted to ask.

 

[BeachBum25]

He sat there. Still, there was no expression on his face. He knew that if she was coming to him that the amount was higher than what he said. He saw her look, and he knew what she was looking at. Now he knew where they were.

"That is all I ever was to you Nicole. I was just your bank. You were happy as long as I was giving you money, and now you come back to me for more. $100, 000 and you act like most people act about a 20. You are un-fucking believable."

He used his peripheral vision to check out the people Nicole had looked at. He was trying to figure out if she was setting him up..... using him, or did she really need the money to pay off more debts.

 

[zydrate]

With a shocked expression, Nicole slumped back, defeated, "That is not true Zachary... I--"

What could she say? What he spoke was perhaps half true...at least at first, yes she married him for his money but later, fell in love with him. And when they did divorce, it really did hurt her to lose him and she knew it was all her fault but...

But what? She figured if she didn't sound hurt that he would just give her the money and be on his way, that's all.

Yeah, not exactly how it worked out...it looked like the two goons were tired of waiting as they both got up and started to approach their table.

 

[BeachBum25]

"You can protest all you want Nicole. You know it is true." He continued to sit there with a straight face and blank expression. He ran this through his mind. "What is the full amount that you owe Nicole? If you are asking me for 100 that means that is what you need right now to get them off your back."

Zachary called the waitress over. He whispered something to her. She nodded and walked away. Zachary looked back at Nicole, "tell me the whole story Nicole. I want the whole truth or I get up and walk out and you never see me again."

Zachary looked over his shoulder as the waitress refilled the drinks of the two men that Nicole had made eye contact with. The waitress pointed toward Zachary. Zachary waived at them and turned his attention back to Nicole.

 

[zydrate]

With a huff, Nicole crossed her arms in front of her, under her breasts which pushed them out more. She didn't want to say anything, in fact, she refused but when she saw Zach and what he did with the drinks, she just shook her head, "Damnit, you don't have to irk them like that...that's the last thing I'm going to need..."

She turned her head to the window and looked out. There wasn't much to see in this city. It was all the same as it had been growing up. She knew the mess she was in was deeper than she expected, but then again, she always got herself in over her head.

"Tell you everything?" She echoed, "How can I tell you everything when I don't even know that much myself. I just need the money, please Zachary...I'm begging you. I swear I won't ever ask you again after this. I can take care of myself!" She told him in a harsh tone that she hadn't meant to convey.

"I'm sorry... it's just...Please Zachary, don't do this, just give me the money and it'll all be over for both of us..."

 

[BeachBum25]

"It is never over for you Nicole. Who do you think you are kidding? You said that to my hundreds of times. Right up to the time we walked into court for the final divorce hearing, and obviously it wasn't over. I don't care about them. Tell me what you need to end it and make them go away, and you won't have to worry about them anymore... or until you lose another couple hundred thousand."

Zachary sat there and stared at Nicole and waited... she was silent. "Either tell me what you owe, or let me take you away from here and hide you from them."

 

[zydrate]

"Hide me from them?" She said in a voice filled with empty humor. "You can't hide me from them Zachary, it's the mob!"

So, the games were finally over. She saw the look in his eyes that he wasn't finding any of this amusing. "OK..." Nicole took a deep breath, "I hadn't realized it accumulated to so much but they want it back. Every cent I borrowed...which turns out to add up to a total of 3 million..."

"Now wait, before you blow a top, I need the one hundred thousand to get out of town. I can take care of myself and just needed something to help me hide...please Zachary...it's only 100 thousand.."

 

[BeachBum25]

"You could never hide yourself. You don't have the skill and you don't have the willpower to stay away from the gambling. There is only one way to do this.. and it is my way."

He watched her. He could see in her eyes that she knew what he would say. He also could see in her eyes that she wanted to put up a fight. "It is your choice Nicole. I will give you the full 3, but you will be in to them again real soon, or you can let me get you away from here. I am going to the bank to get money. Am I getting the 3 mil or am I getting enough to get you out of here?"

 

[zydrate]

"I don't have the skill? " Nicole repeated, as she huffed...how dare he?!

He was right about one thing though, she didn't..no she couldn't stay away from gambling... Not when the stakes we so high and fmthe odds in her favor. The last time she tried to get help it didn't last too long...she spent the entire time in rehab giving the counselors a hard time to the point they told Zachary she need to be on pills, on drugs... Of course she fought tooth and nail against that idea.

So did that help things? Of course not. Zachary...he put up with so much from Nicole that she was surprised he even came today...

"What did you have in mind if you try to hide me? You know that they'll find me no matter where I'm at in the city... "

 

[BeachBum25]

"Obviously I can't hide you in the city. You would have to leave.... even leave the country perhaps.... for a while. Relocation would be a must."

He watched for her reaction. He knew what was going through her mind, and it had nothing to do with her safety. "You will be able to find a new bookie to make donations to. It won't be the end of the world. They gamble in other places too Nicole." He knew it was harsh, but he had to say it. "Or, you can stay here and I will pay the 3 million. You choose, but either way, I am done. I can't keep bailing you out of your addiction."

He sat there emotionless. He waited for her response. All the time he knew that she was weighing her gambling options.... and it pained him that it was all she was concerned with.

 

[zydrate]

What else could she say or do? With the words he spoke were like a slap to the face to Nicole, if any thing she tried her best not to think about gambling but to think about Zach's safety.. What would his family think when word got back that he was helping Nicole..of course they would be furious as they've never liked Nicole...

"Ok...any thing to get away from these guys, Zachary... "

 

[BeachBum25]

Zachary had always been good about thinking on the fly. He was cool in stressful situations, which is why he had been chosen to take over the running of the family business. Several members of his family questioned his judgment when it came to Nicole. Everyone in his family was happy when they parted ways.

Zachary spoke to her in a calm voice. His expression unchanged. "Here is what we will do. I am going to go to the bank and get enough cash to get you out of here. You are not going alone, though. I am going to take you. I am not going to tell you where you are going. You will find out when you get there. You will tell them that I am going to get the money for them and that you are going to meet me to get it. When you leave, walk down the street and wait for me at the intersection. When I pull up, jump in the car. Do not look around... just get in. I have the black Porsche Cayenne... the SUV."

He looked straight at her. "Am I clear?" He didn't wait for an answer. He got up and walked out of the diner.