No Good Nick

Web of Cons

Time froze. The cars stopped moving. The people stopped walking. The noises stopped. Everything, in that second, where I said my name, just stopped. I froze, she froze. We just looked at each other. She was beautiful. She had long dark hair, dark eyes, just like me. I wanted to say something, but every time I tried, a frog got in my throat. What do you say to someone who gave birth to you and then left? "Hi, thanks for giving birth to me but I'm sorry I wasn't enough for you to  stay"?

Everything around me may have been quiet, but inside my head, everything was on fire. I could hear myself screaming. My heart kept pounding harder and harder with every dead second. The silence was killing me. Neither of us were saying anything. Was she disappointed? Was she embarrassed? I just need her to say something before I die right in front of her. 

Felicia: Franzelli. I haven't heard that in a while. How, how did you find me?

Nick: I have no idea. It just happened.

Felicia: I heard about your dad. How's he doing?

Nick: I don't want to talk about it. 

Felicia: I can tell. 

Nick: Is there somewhere more...private, we can talk?

Felicia: Yeah, no worries. I live nearby. 

The walk to her place was silent. My mind was jumping from one thing to another. My anxiety was on steroids. We didn't know what to say to each other. I'm the girl who conned an entire family and many more and I can barely talk to my own mother. What does that say about me?

Felicia: Make yourself at home.

Nick: Thanks. Um, I have some questions, if that's ok...

Felicia: Shoot. 

Nick: How do you know the Harbaughs?

Felicia: I just hung out with those idiots in case anything happened to me. 

Nick: You mean...

Felicia: If I got caught. They were my fall guys. They did everything. And they didn't know anything or even how to do anything. I taught them some stuff. Enough stuff to get by.

Nick: You were in town before I left. Why?

Felicia: If I'm being honest, I was on business. I pop by every now and then and visit some people I knew. 

Nick: Phil?

Felicia: Oh, that. I ran into him when I was there. 

Nick: Do you visit dad?

Felicia: No. That chapter of my life is over.

Nick: You mean, the chapter with me in it?

Felicia: Look, I was never meant to be a mom. It wasn't a joy being stuck with your dad. 

Nick: What do you mean stuck?

Felicia: I mean, being in a marriage that wasn't working. I tried talking to him about but he always wanted to keep going. So I cheated on him. 

Nick: Just to leave him? To leave us? To leave...me?

Felicia: Yes, but hey, that was before. This is a brand new chapter now. We can get to know each other now. I've been through shit, you've been through shit. We're more mature. We can hang.

Nick: I...I don't know. 

Felicia: Oh, I know! You wanted something when you didn't know who I was. You want it?

I stare at the ground not knowing what to do. I wanted it. But how badly do I want it?

Felicia: You can have it, if you stay with me. Where else do you have to go? Any other family?