You'll need to read the first part to follow along with this part. Chapter three will be following soon.
Chapter Two
Craig pulled away from her soft lips when her father coughed, "Ahem."
Craig was in a daze from finally kissing Izzy. He reveled her the taste of her sweet and salty lips. Bacon, with a hint of maple syrup. He almost laughed as her father continued.
"Kids, would you mind going out to lunch. The wife and I need some time to talk privately."
"Sure, Daddy," she said as he handed her a fifty dollar bill.
"Will you be alright? I can stay close by..."
"Craig, you've done more than enough already, son, thank you. We're only gonna talk. There's nothing left for me to break anyway."
"Okay, sir. Take care."
"It's Rick now, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate you coming over last night. Who knows what I would've done in that state."
Craig nodded and Izzy said, "I'm gonna change shirts and we'll be out of your hair, Daddy."
She scaled the stairs quickly and saw her mother sitting on her bed, crying quietly. Izzy walked over, knelt in front of her, and took her hands.
"Mom, are you okay?"
She sniffed and said, "I messed up badly, baby. Please don't cut me out like you did Mia."
Izzy hugged her and said, "I won't, Mom. I'm mad at you, but I can't cut you out of my life. I still need you."
She squeezed her mother tighter as she sobbed into her shoulder.
"I can't live without him, Izzy. I need him so badly. I love him so much, and he hates me now."
"He doesn't hate you, Mom. He hates what you did."
"I guess he hated my figurines, too."
They both laughed.
"Don't be too hard on him for that. It will be a non-starter in any conversation you have."
"I know. They're just stuff and can be replaced. I can't replace him, though. I have to get him back."
"I'm still here."
They both looked up at the door and saw Rick standing there.
He said, "Let Izzy get going. We have to talk."
She nodded and kissed Izzy on the cheek.
"No matter what happens, I love you very much."
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Craig and Izzy were sitting in Frank's Chicago Shrimp House, having some fried shrimp and potato pancakes. Izzy was afraid to leave her parents alone together, but her father promised the rage was gone.
"I thought you didn't want me to take revenge on Bentley," Craig asked as he thought about Izzy covering for them.
"It's Bryyyssson," she said. "I didn't, but after I found out that he took advantage of my mother, I came around on it."
"What did happen there?" He asked.
"I guess they were out for a business dinner and he plied her with several Martinis. He kept her out late by lavishing her with compliments and flirting. She ate it up, got drunk and he took her in the backseat of his BMW, right there in the parking lot."
"Jesus," Craig said shaking his head.
"Yeah. Well, it turns out he gave her Gonorrhea, and then she passed it to my Dad."
He looked at her and before he could ask the question, she answered it.
"I don't know if Mia has it. I haven't spoken to her since that night."
"Damn it," he thought. He didn't trust what Mia said about the timing of her fling with Bryson. For all he knew, she could've given it to Bryson. He knew he needed to get tested.
"Craig, you didn't hurt him too badly did you?"
"Not too badly. He'll remember it though. I just wish I could've told him why he was getting what he got."
"I think he'll know," she said. "Craig, are we okay?"
He took her hand and smiled.
"Yeah, we're okay. Better than okay. I'll be honest, I didn't want to stop kissing you before."
"Me either. Um, Craig, I'm not like Mia."
"What do you mean? I trust that you won't cheat on me."
"No, I mean that I'm a virgin. I know you guys did it all of the time, but I'm sort of saving myself."
"Don't worry, Izzy. I won't pressure you for sex. I'm good with you saving yourself."
Izzy smiled in relief.
"Besides, I have to get myself tested for STDs now anyway."
"I believed her, Craig. She hadn't seen him prior to your leaving to go back to school."
"You see, that's the problem with trust and losing it. I don't believe her. I never could again."
"Do you miss her?"
"Sometimes, but it looks like I just upgraded and won't have that hole in my life anymore."
She beamed and lit up his heart with her smile. Then she turned serious.
"Craig, I'm going to talk to her."
He didn't respond, but she saw his frown.
"I'm sorry, but I have to tell her about Bryson's STD. She needs to know."
He nodded and understood. He would also understand if she stayed friends with her. He wasn't sure that he could handle them being as close as they were before, but he wouldn't tell Izzy that. He decided to let it play out.
"I thought a lot about it this morning. If I can forgive my mother for hurting my dad, I should be able to do the same for Mia. I'm not saying I'll ever be as close with her as I was before, but I'd like to think that I can be the type of person that doesn't hold grudges. Life is too short for negativity."
"I understand," he said. "Don't worry about my feelings. You just be you."
She smiled and said, "You're a good person, I love you."
"I love you too, Izz. Do you want to go out tonight? Not that this isn't a good enough first date or anything."
"Absolutely. I'd love it."
"Good. Let's get you to your car so you can go and see Mia and I'll pick you up tonight at 6."
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