When Hate Turns to Love

Ch. 2

She was awakened by the pounding on her front door the next morning.

"Mommy, it's Auntie Kourt!" Connor yelled.

"Let her in!" Nini shouted back, grabbing her robe.

She yawned as she entered the living room. Her best friend Kourtney was sitting on the loveseat holding a newspaper and some magazines.

"What is it, Kourt?" Nini asked irritably.

Saturday was her sleep-in day. She had a deal with Charlotte and Connor. She didn't allow them to watch tv during the week so if they wanted to watch cartoons, they let her sleep in.

"Check it out, Nins." Was all her friend said, handing her the paper and magazines.

With a sigh she read the newspaper headline and soon enough, color drained from her face.

Local Woman Slaps Worldwide Sensation Ricky Bowen

"Oh no." Nini moaned.

"It gets worse," Kourt said in the tone that said she was barely holding back laughter.

Nini looked at the first magazine.

Scorned Lover Gets Revenge on Ricky Bowen

"What?!"

"The next one's a doozy." Kourtney said.

The cover of the next magazine had a picture of her and her kids leaving out the back.

Scorned Lover Flees Dramatic Domestic Scene with Ricky Bowen's Love Children

Nini went completely white. Kourtney stood and pushed her onto the couch.

"P-people won't believe this, right?" Nini asked pleadingly. "Oh my GOD!"

Kourtney let out a small giggle, stifling it at Nini's death glare. Suddenly Nini's cell rang. She groaned when she saw that it was her ex-husband. She sighed and answered.

"What do you want, EJ?" She asked sharply, trying not to laugh at the faces Kourt was making at the mention of him.

"Why the hell are my kids on the cover of a magazine?"

"You read OK magazine?" She deflected.

"Wha- of course not. Ellie brought it over."

"Of course, she did." Nini said bitterly. "It was all a misunderstanding."

"You didn't slap Ricky Bowen?" EJ asked.

"I-well- just a little." Nini painfully admitted.

"The entire world thinks that Ricky Bowen is the father of my children." EJ responded angrily. "I think Charlotte and Connor should stay with me for a while."

"Are you saying I can't take care of my family?" Nini seethed.

"You are going around slapping people!" He shouted.

"One person, EJ. It was one arrogant asshole. He insulted me and the kids didn't even see it happen!"

"I'll be contacting my lawyer." EJ said, hanging up quickly.

"EJ!" She shouted, and then sagged further into the couch, tossing her phone onto the coffee table. "Oh, this is wonderful."

Kourtney sat down beside her and hugged her.

"Don't worry, Nins. This'll blow over." She said.

"How am I not supposed to worry, Kourt? I'm gonna lose my kids! I don't have the money to find a lawyer good enough to fight this!" Nini said, panicking.

Nini knew the chances of this blowing over were slim to none. She slapped a well-known musician, was now considered a whore, and in danger of losing her children. Great.

While Nini was lost deep in her thoughts, her phone rang again.

"What EJ?" She answered, not even bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Uh... this isn't EJ." A male voice said.

Nini pulled the phone away to look at the number. She didn't recognize it.

"Who's this?" She asked.

"Ricky Bowen. We need to talk Nina Roberts."

Nini dropped the phone.
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