Insinuation

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 115736

Rick had been settling in as best he could, and had gotten an innocuous job at the gas station closest to Francine's house. He'd been keeping an eye out for her and going on frequent walks in her neighborhood, and had seen her several times, but it seemed her husband was always with her, and though he never looked directly at Rick or did anything explicitly suspicious, something about his manner seemed very controlling and he continually blocked Rick from talking to her.

He was the only one in the gas station when she walked in alone one day, and Rick gaped at her as she looked around the shelves. She looked very comfortable in a huge grey hoodie, leggings, and flip flops, with her brown hair piled haphazardly on her head, and was humming idly as she looked around. But most striking was her pregnant belly. Rick hadn't been sure before but he was now. She looked at least six months along, maybe more.

This was his friend Sir Fred? There was no way.

Rick waited nervously as she picked up a few things, trying to decide what to say to her. Finally, when she approached the counter and he was ringing up her purchases, he said, "You're Francine, aren't you?"

She looked surprised. "Do I know you?"

He swallowed. "I was at your wedding a couple months back. I, uh, was there with one of Richard's... cousins."

"Oh really?" She smiled. "What's your name?"

"Rick."

"So many Richards in my life! How long have you worked here?"

"Just a couple months. I moved here recently. Um, after breaking up with my girlfriend."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Do you have any friends in the area?"

"No. It's funny seeing you here though. Do you live nearby?"

"Yeah, just around the bend."

"Really? Well, maybe we could do lunch sometime, if you wouldn't mind."