***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?"