August 24, 1994

**The Artist POV**

I've been on the phone for the last 15 minutes trying to explain to Levi where I've been all day. Seems the poor guy had been trying to reach me any time he had a free moment all day.

He mentioned getting through to someone only once...a woman. It must've been my Lani...

By the time I finally reached him, the man was all kinds of flustered. I guess I really can't blame him there...

"Yeah man, I'm glad she was home too." I reply softly as I spin around in my chair, taking a moment to glance out the office window as I twirl the phone cord around my index finger. "I'd already tried both you and Duane. Where were you at anyway?" I asked with annoyance, and just a touch of concern.

"I got caught in a damn meeting with the record company execs. They've been chomping at the bit over your disappearance and were trying to pump me for information...not that I had anything to tell them." Levi continues frustrated.

"I'm sure they'll figure out I'm back soon enough...not that I'm in any hurry to talk to them," I reply with a sigh.

"I can't exactly blame you there, man. Those people are like a dog with a bone. Once they figure out you're back, they'll never leave you the hell alone," he starts, eventually leaving me with a suggestion. "Maybe you should just call them and get it over with."

"I'll think about it," I reply with a sigh. Just not today...

"Okay...just promise me you won't leave it for too long," he replies with finality. "You know how much I hate dealing with those clowns."

He leaves that part of our conversation there, changing the subject with, "I know you may not want to talk about this, but I have to ask...who was the woman who picked up when I called?" he continues, concern lacing his voice. "She sounded pretty upset when I asked to speak with you, and then she just stopped answering..."

While I understand Levi's concern this is a topic I just can't seem to bring myself to talk to him about, so when the perfect distraction presents itself in the form of a click signaling someone's entry into my office, followed by the slight clacking of a woman's heels across the parquet floor I can't help but to feel relieved.

I turn around in my chair to face my unexpected visitor and find myself eye to eye with the one woman I'd hoped to avoid running into...at least for today...Mayte. Who the fuck told her I was back?

I offer her a slight nod of acknowledgement before gesturing toward the phone. Her eyes light up in understanding as she quietly pulls up a chair waiting for me to finish my call.

"I'm sorry Levi, but I need to cut this short, Mayte just walked in." Talk about out of the frying pan, and into the fire.

Mayte's gaze locks with mine as she mindlessly pulls out a nail file and starts working on her cuticles as she settles in to wait.

"Yeah, yeah... I'll talk to the record company tomorrow, I promise." I continue, preparing to end this call. "Give them a call and set it up for 1 p.m. I'll drop by later to confirm."

"Okay, I'll talk to you soon." I say in conclusion, reaching over to hang up, my eyes taking in the woman seated before me. Yeah...I can't see this going well...

"Hi," she replies simply, looking slightly bashful.

"Hey," I reply softly. "How'd you figure out I was home?"

"Clint told me," she offers, reluctantly meeting my eyes.

"It's good to see you. I've missed you, baby," she continues, reaching over and cupping my cheek as she moves in for a kiss.

Realizing her intent I quickly roll the chair away and break eye contact, clearly no longer interested. I need to end this...I can't do this to Lani...

Confused by my response to her tender greeting, she meets my gaze questioningly. And here we go...

"Mayte..." I begin hesitantly, nervous of her reaction.

She nods nervously in response, catching the look in my eyes. You've got to know where this is going...we'd already started drifting apart even before...

Finally I manage to push the words past my lips with a note of finality tingeing them. "I'm sorry, but I think we should start seeing other people."

And with that I witness the rapid change of expressions as they cross her face...first surprise...then confusion...and before I knew it, anger. Oh boy...

"What the hell?!" she begins, frustration clearly evident.

"I've spent the last month worrying myself sick about you! Wondering where you'd gone...if you were okay!" I meet her gaze reluctantly, apologies dancing across my golden eyes.

Her voice suddenly turns softly confused, chocolate eyes laced with sorrow. "Before you left everything seemed perfect. We seemed so happy..."

"It may have looked that way on the surface, but I was starting to have second thoughts...about where the relationship was going...about us..." I reply quietly, eyes locked on my desk.

"Well why didn't you say anything?" she cries as her eyes start to glisten with tears. Great...the last thing I wanted was to make her cry. I'm such an ass...

"I didn't know how...you seemed so happy, so I thought maybe if I kept trying that we could make it work." I offer, sadness clouding my voice.

"And..." she replies with an indecipherable look on her face, looking for answers only I can provide.

"Even though I was trying my best, it was becoming very clear that it wasn't going to work," I continue with chagrin.

"I'm so sorry...I was planning to tell you, but then I woke up without my memory." I finish, meeting her eyes with sorrowful resignation. I know this isn't going to go over with her...

"You lost your memory?!" she asks, anger and shock registering on her face.

"You didn't know?" I reply quietly. What a stupid question, man...

"Of course I didn't know! Who the hell would've told me?!" she snaps back before getting into full on rant mode, "Now let me guess...while you were walking around mindless and leaving me here to worry about your sorry ass for the last month..." Now this is exactly what I was afraid of...

I tune back in to hear her continue spitting nails at me, slamming her hand on the desk enraged. "...some other woman swept in and took my place! Sounds like something you would do..." she sneers as she meets my gaze, accusations dancing in her dark depths.

Her accusations managed to hit me in a very tender place...my thoughts returning sorrowfully to Lani as I do my best to avoid meeting her eyes as I'm rendered temporarily mute.

Still my feelings must've been written all over my face as the next thing I knew, she seemed to have finally snapped.

"I can't believe you! How could you do this to me! You bastard!" she shrieks, brown eyes blazing fire. Catching me completely off guard she reaches across the desk, doubling up and slapping me clear across the face as my neck snaps to the left.

With that, my gaze gradually turns cold as my hand moves to cover my cheek. Somehow I manage to remain calm, breaking our gaze only to slowly pick up the phone and dial security. "Hello Steve." I begin, seething with controlled anger.

"Would you kindly come and escort Ms. Garcia off the premises?" I begin as my eyes move back toward Mayte only to find she's frozen with shock. Seems someone never expected this...

"Thank you, Steve." I finish coolly, hanging up. Frosty amber eyes make their way back to Mayte, as I see her slowly start shifting in her seat, giving the appearance that she's thinking of running for it. Oh no you don't!

But rather than running for it as I'd suspected, she jumps up and gets right back in my face. "You won't get rid of me that easily! What the hell do you expect me to do?! Just shut up and leave quietly?!" she continues hysterically as she reaches over to slap the other side of my face.

This time though, I catch her hand in mine just before it connects with my cheek. "You might want to rethink that..." I reply in quiet fury, my expression stony, and with that she breaks out in tears.

"What the hell do you expect me to do now?!" she counters, angry tears in her eyes. "Are you just planning to leave me unemployed and homeless?! I don't think so..." she threatens.

At that moment, the door opens to reveal Steve. "Are you sure about this, boss?" he asks with a cautious look.

"Never been more sure of anything in my life," I reply stonily. "Set her up in a hotel for now...at least until she's able to figure out somewhere to go." I never expected things to end like this...

"You heard the man, Ms. Garcia." Steve says, turning his attention to Mayte. "Come on, I'll help you gather your things," he continues, pulling her up by the arm, and preparing to escort her out.

"This isn't over!" she screams hysterically as Steve pulls her out of the office...and out of my life. The last I see of her is her face turning a deep shade of crimson, eyes flashing with fury as she's slowly led away.

I have to say I'm glad it's finally over. It's been coming for a while...and I know it's for the best...for myself, for Mayte...and for Lani...

And even though things ended badly, I'll still make sure she's taken care of...

__

**Author's Note:  The only thing I've got to say is to offer you all a dare...I dare you to find an angry 90s photo of Mayte anywhere online.  From what I can tell...they don't exist.  Woman has a damn grin almost all the time.  Like seriously...who the hell is always that happy?  #look  **