Chapter 15
"I can't believe you hired a waitress while I was gone." Sidney said
as she
stood up from the couch. Kian sat at the desk looking over the day's menu.
"We are so busy, Kian. She better know how to wait on tables." Sidney
stood
staring at Kian.
"She can do the job, Sid. We needed help and you were in London." Kian
signed
the checks for the day and put them in the basket to file.
"That's fine. But she better not be just a pretty face, firm body and perky
breasts!" Sidney said as she felt a presence behind her.
"I am pretty, the firm body is due to years of dancing and the perky breast
are natural." Said the brown hair, green-eyed beauty. �She grabbed her
breasts to demonstrate just how natural. �"See?" �She was
tall, slim and had
the brightest smile. "And I can wait tables better then anyone this side of
the Atlantic."
"Sidney, meet Alex Reddmen, our new waitress. Alex, this is Sidney
Kavanaugh,
the other co-owner." Kian said smiling. Sidney's face turned red as she
stood
before Alex, but even in her rude comment, Sidney melted in Alex's smile.
"Nice to meet you. I have heard so much about you." Alex said as she
stretched out her hand.
"Nice to meet you." Sidney said smiling. "Sorry about the
comment."
"It's ok, I understand." Alex gave her one last smile and walked over
to
Kian. "I just need my schedule for tonight."
Sidney instantly liked Alex, she was straightforward, something Sidney wasn't
but Alex still had a sweet demeanor.
"I need to go, Kian." Sidney said as she smiled at Alex. "I'll
see you
around. Don't let Shane or Kian boss you around too much."
"Where are you going?" Kian asked as he stepped away from Alex.
"I am picking up Bailey and then we are going over to help Nicky
pack."
Sidney continued walked down the hallway as Kian followed.
"Sid, wait!" Kian said grabbing her arm.
"Kian I need to go." Sidney pulled away from him as Kian kept a firm
hold.
"Sid, tell me how you feel about Nicky leaving." Kian turned her to
face him
as he stared into her eyes. "I am here for you. Shane is here and Mark. I
know that this must be hard..."
"I am fine, Kian." Sidney turned away from him before he had the
chance to
make her cry.
"Sidney Kavanaugh, why are you so closed off?" Kian asked as Sidney
still had
her back to him.
"It doesn't matter how I feel." Sidney said turning around to face
Kian.
"Everyone I love just ends up leaving me. Why do I bother?" Sidney
wiped the
tear that was beginning to fall down her cheek, turned around and pushed the
down button of the elevator.
"I'm here for you, Sid." Kian said as he stood watching the elevator
door
open.
"Sidney!" Mark said stepping out of the elevator. He grabbed her and
held her
in a hug. "How was your weekend?"
"Like I said, everyone I love just leaves me." Sidney pulled away from
Mark
and stepped in the elevator. The doors shut as Mark tried to say good-bye to
Sidney.
"What was that all about?" Mark asked as he followed Kian to the
office.
"Kian what was.... well, hello there." Mark stopped as he stood
looking at
Alex who was still waiting for her schedule.
"Hi." Alex said smiling as Mark returned the smile.
"This is Alex Reddmen our new waitress." Kian sat down at the desk and
didn't
even look at the two.
"I'm Mark Feehily." Mark stretched out his hand as Alex took the
warmth of
it. "I take it that you aren't from around her." Mark said taking in
her
beauty.
"I'm from Boston. Can I please have my schedule?" Alex said getting
bored
with the men who were obviously in a mood.
"Boston, I haven't been to Boston before. Always wanted to though. Maybe
someday..."
"I'll call later for my schedule, Kian. You are busy." Alex smiled at
Mark
and walked out of the office. Mark watched her leave as he enjoyed the
aftermath of her walk.
"Nice fresh of breath air." Mark said laughing.
"She's an employee, keep your hands off." Kian said sitting down at
the desk.
"What is your problem?" Mark sat down on the couch as he stretched out
his
legs on the end table.
"Sidney is not doing good with Nicky leaving." Kian said quickly.
Shane made
his grand entrance whistling as he entered.
"Hey mates." Shane said with a big smile.
"Hey, Shane. I know what put that smile on your face." Mark said
putting his
hands behind his head.
"Yup, and the smile is named Andrea." Shane gave Mark a high five as
he sat
down next to him. Shane shared the night's events as Mark sat in awe of the
events. Shane was a lucky guy, at least he knew the girl he woke up next to
this morning. A rush of chills ran down Mark's back as he thought about
Candy. He started the weekend wanting to forget about Sidney and ending it by
making the worst mistake.
"Do you two not realize that Sidney is hurting!" Kian yelled as he
slammed
down the schedule book he was holding.
"What are you talking about?" Shane asked.
"Nicky is leaving the end of the week. He got a position at Manchester
United." Kian stared at his mates as he spoke. He was hurting inside about
Emily and wanted to share it with him but something was keeping him from
sharing.
"Damn, they were getting along so well. How is she doing?" Shane stood
up and
walked over to Kian.
"Not well, but you know Sid, she doesn't talk." Kian answered.
"I can't believe that Nicky is taking the job. I thought he loved
her?" Mark
interjected.
"This is a great opportunity for him. How could he...."
"I wouldn't leave, no matter what." Mark said interrupting Shane.
"But you did." Kian said quickly not looking at Mark.
"What?" Mark said standing up from the couch.
"You left Sidney. You left London and you left Sidney." Kian couldn't
believe
what he was saying. He held his feelings on the whole matter inside so deep
but for some reason, it was surfacing and he could no longer hold back.
"She went back home." Mark stared at Kian. How could he say that,
doesn't he
know how hard it was for him not to run to America and be with Sidney.
"You should have followed her!" Kian finally yelled.
"What the hell are you two talking about? Michael loved Sidney!" Shane
yelled
back into Kian's face.
"Mark should have been with Sidney. Plain and simple." Kian walked
away from
Shane as he felt someone grabbed his arm.
"I couldn't, Michael..."
"Michael told you to take care of Sidney and you have failed!" Kian
yelled as
he jerked away from Mark. "You gave your promise, you told Michael that you
would take care of Sidney. Sidney needs you right now and all you do is gawk
at the new girl." Kian spouted as Shane stood with his mouth open.
"Wait, hold up. Back up. Michael told Mark what?" Shane asked as he
looked at
Mark.
"Michael knew he was dying. He told Mark to take care of Sidney, to marry
her. He knew that Mark had feelings for Sidney." Kian continued staring at
Mark who could do nothing but look away. The knife was now in his heart as
Kian continued twisting it. The promise that Mark tried to ignore, the
promise of taking care of Sidney, the promise that he shook hands to seal.
"Michael knew he was dying? What the hell?" Shane said getting angry.
"Michael had leukemia." Kian said as Mark grabbed him and threw him
against
the wall.
"That was a secret!" Mark yelled holding Kian flat against the wall.
He was
putting pressure on Kian as he stared right at him.
"Michael told me!" Kian yelled back. "And he told me to make sure
that Sidney
was taken care of. He told me about the promise. You have failed Michael!"
Kian pushed Mark away as he stumbled back from the push. Shane tried to catch
him but Mark crashed to the floor.
"Kian, wait! How come..." Shane stopped as Kian left the office and
walked
down to the elevator.
"I am getting out of here." Mark said standing up. "Kian was way
out of line.
He has no idea how I feel about Sidney. I never stopped loving her. I never
stopped..." Mark stopped as he made his way to the door.
"Wait!" Shane yelled. Mark walked past Shane looking down at the
ground. He
couldn't face his friend, he knew that he failed Michael and now the words of
Kian just stung more. "Mark, talk to me." Shane grabbed Mark's arm to
stop
him. Mark pulled away and continued walking. Shane stood alone and
dumbfounded. Hurt in not knowing about Michael.