***All characters depicted herein are of age, 18 years old at least, and all sexual activities portrayed are consensual. Enjoy!***
At the Cummings' castle, George, 47, and Lucy, 43, visit to spend a day in the summer breeze with Domhnall, 64, and Gracie, 55. Sitting out in the inner courtyard on elegantly crafted chairs surrounding a circular table, the couples discuss the goings-on in their lives.
Domhnall changes the topic of their conversation as they sit sipping tea, "I want to talk about Tiffany. She is on a leave of absence pending recovery from therapy?"
Lucy confirms, "Yes, she has... Since the trial, she... She hasn't been herself... She has... episodes... of being really aggressive. She is in no fit state to return to work."
Gracie says, "I have reviewed her work since she started with us. She does excellent work. She will have a position with us waiting for her when she is ready; if she decides she wants it, of course."
Domhnall concurs, "For her age, she does work beyond our expectations. We really think working with us is the best move for her, but her health comes first. Out of this, Craig has shown further dedication, and improvement in his work, but the quality of it isn't on Tiffany's level at all. Still, if Craig continues to work as he has, he and Tiffany could be an exemplary team when she returns to work."
George promises, "When she is feeling better, we will let her know how valued she is. Right now, she can't have that weighing on her mind. She has enough to deal with. She is very fragile. This last year has been so hard on her. Linford, and the stresses of trying to impress you, and then Irvine, it's all built up and broken her. It's like she is two people: one is the sweet girl we know, the other is a sadistic, twisted woman who is very angry. Whoever she is, we still love her."
Domhnall enquires, "Tiffany is like a daughter to you, but she is not yours. What are her parents like? We know nothing about them."
George explains, "Jovan and Claire? They keep saying they want to do their best with her, but they were always absent, like, in their minds. Drug abusers. They always need a fix, and, Tiffany was always neglected by them growing up. But, she was always friends with Frankie, and, we were always happy to look after her. We still love having her around. I think she always felt alone with her parents. They want to care, and be there, so they say, but Tiffany ended up looking after them for a long time.
"When she started going out with Craig, she told them she was moving in with us, and forced them into rehab. Now, they are in the care of the state, but they are still reforming. I don't see them ever doing it. They have no will of their own. It is a rather pitiful existence.
"With us, we always went out of our way to strive to make the best life we could for Frankie and Craig, and Tiffany was always welcome. We always wanted her to feel at home with us, regularly sleeping over with Frankie, and then living with us while with Craig. She is very much a part of our family. Even if things fall apart with her and Craig, she should know she is always welcome with us. It will never change."
Domhnall supposes, "It sounds like Tiffany has had problems she has had to deal with all her life. I can't imagine what she is going through in her mind."
Gracie says, "She is so sweet and adorable, and also incredibly hard working, so it's hard to think there is such a darkness weighing on her. What a horrible life it must have been watching her parents go through that, and having to look after them," and she tells George and Lucy, "What you have given her all through her life is a home she must have always dreamed of. A place where she can feel safe, and know true love. I'm sure her love for you will win out in the end, and I hope she recovers from whatever ails her."
Lucy responds to Gracie with, "Thank you. We do our best for her, and, I'm sure she would say she does the same for us too."
Domhnall asks the couple, "You worked at a warehouse that supplies a supermarket chain?"
George answers, "Yes, well, I worked in the warehouse for many years, and worked up to a supervisory level, maintaining the workflow across the shifts. Lucy worked in the office handling the admin side of it."
Lucy adds, "With the work we did, it wasn't too difficult to transition into Cummings Enterprises. It came easy enough to grasp what we were doing, just learning the specifics of what is needed of us."
Gracie tells the couple, "You both do good work with us. How are you feeling working for us?"
Lucy says, "The big thing is we are earning more, so our quality of life is improved, and we are finding more time to enjoy by ourselves. We are so much happier now. Thank you."
Domhnall comments, "You look like you are enjoying yourselves more. Especially you, George. When you first came here, you looked stern, serious, and tired. Now look at you. Full of energy, and looking great."
George smiles, and says, "Thanks. I really do feel so much better. I don't even know how I used to cope living how we did. It's nice to be able to afford to relax more."
Gracie informs the couple, "There are plenty more opportunities coming through that may interest you both. We can discuss over dinner?"
Domhnall shifts the topic of conversation once again, asking the Reid's, "Tell us about Frankie when she was younger. What was she like? What were her ambitions? What were her dreams?"
Lucy jumps at the opportunity to talk about her daughter, telling the Cummings', "Frankie was a very curious child, always looking to learn what is around her, and putting herself out there to foster friendships with others. She was very popular at school, with the girls, and the boys. She loved to play with the other children in all the games they would play; running around and chasing each other, or joining in for a sports game at the local park. Just friendly stuff. Picking teams for each game, and playing until everyone went home.
"At some point, the playing with each other turned to... a different type of attention, let's say. She was very outgoing and popular still, with a clique that formed around her. I don't think there was a particular leader of the group, but she made herself known around school, then college, and the neighbourhood in general. Her curiosities were becoming more and more adult in nature, but she was always clever about it all, always considering her wellbeing, and those of others. Those curiosities would have led her to meeting Pleasant.
"Frankie was never focused on a single thing that I can think of as an ambition or a dream though," and Lucy turns to her husband to ask, "George?"
George thinks about this for a moment, and says, "This is tough. She was sort of into everything that was around. Always showing an interest, but I struggle to recall anything she was particularly passionate about that could drive her towards a career. I think she would be drifting towards whatever opportunities would present themselves. A shame because she is intelligent, and got good grades, but that doesn't always mean much. She is making money now from something that makes her happy, with someone who makes her happy, so there is nothing wrong with that."
Lucy asks the Cummings', "Tell us more about Pleasant."
Domhnall remembers, "We used to play together every chance I would get. Every second of free time, I would dedicate that to playing with her as a young child. Before long though, I was needed more and more in the business, so I spent less and less time with her. She would spend most of her time in her room. All I hoped was she was at least happy, entertaining herself."
Gracie tells her experience of Pleasant as a young child, "Pleasant was a happy little girl. She was always smiling, laughing, and happy. The joy of life was felt in her presence. I never spent as much time with her as Domhnall did, but that was because I was balancing the fragile ecosystem of business we were managing, creating an empire of fortunes for all of us. The more I worked though, the more I noticed her laughter grew quieter until there was none at all, and her smile was gone. It was like all the colour from the castle faded into the greys of the stones.
"I think she used that time to learn that she needs to make her own way in the world, and that drove her ambition. At an all-girls school, she learned how harsh her peers could be, as well as her elders, much as I too had learned many years before. I had hoped that lessons instilled in me would wash off on her, and make her a formidable businesswomen.
"What happened was she finished school, and came home with the determination to set herself apart and forge her own path in the world. I was scared. I was shocked. I was also proud that she knew what she wanted and how to get it. It would be selfish of me to rein her in, so I let her go. It was hard for me, wishing so much for her here, but I think it turned out rather well."
Domhnall concurs with his wife's account, "Pleasant didn't have the childhood I wished for her. I rather wished we could have spoiled her a lot more, and made it so she never had to fend for herself, that she would live like royalty, afforded everything without being asked in return for anything other than what she herself wants to offer. It would be nice, but I am happy she did learn to be independent; so she can look after herself and make her own way in life. She is utterly remarkable. I am so proud of her."
Lucy comments, "Pleasant is a wonderful woman. She may have made it this far in life on her own, but I hope Frankie can shoulder her burdens and share them."
George adds to Lucy's sentiment, "That's what a good marriage is: compromise, and support. You help each other through your burdens to make it through better off, for both of you, and both of you need to put in the work. Pleasant seems set on doing everything for Frankie, but Frankie wants to be included and share in those responsibilities. Pleasant is no longer alone."
Domhnall smiles, almost with a laugh, and says, "You know, that is very true. Pleasant has the best of intentions with Frankie, wanting to fend for them both, and do the work and planning that goes into their lives, but Frankie is her own person. She is strong, and independent herself in a lot of ways, and Pleasant should learn to let her in. I think our greatest failing as parents with Pleasant has been that she feels like she can only rely on herself, and school didn't help with that mindset."
Lucy remarks, "It takes two to tango."
Domhnall asks, "Do you dance?"
Lucy coyly replies, "Sort of. I can shake my hips, but I have never learned."