4×08 “Miss The Moment”
Written by: Chris Coleman and Kelly Zollo
Warning: Episode may contain graphic violence, language and sexual content
Theme Song: Drake ft Jhene Aiko ‘From Time’

Aspen arrived home after her interview and she was absolutely excited. For a lot and right now she knew that she had to love herself more than she loved the security blanket that was Rory. When she saw him still in bed she didn’t want to wake him up. Instead she walked to her spare closet and pulled out a Jeremy Scott sweatsuit. After changing in the living room she walked back out and decided to do something she had put off for a long time. She had taken this drive many times. She just never imagined she’d be doing this so soon. Only children often thought about things like this. As she pulled up to Randall’s house she saw the for sale sign outside and exhaled. Her mother was working fast but she informed her not to show the house until she was ready to clean it out. Taking the most treasured belongings of her daddy with her. The stuff would be in storage no doubt but when she needed her daddy. She would have a way to connect to him. Unlocking the door it still smelled like him. The house that she grew up in was going to be someone else’s. Walking past the markers for how tall she was getting she laughed. Her dad was much more the mother than Blythe. It was ironic she grew up in a house where roles were reversed. Her father was more maternal and her mother was like a man in many ways because she was the breadwinner. By the time she was five her father’s fame off the books had waned and her mother provided an amazing life for them all. 

Tapping her Converse’s on the mahogany floor. She ran upstairs to the spiral staircase and went into his room. She went to his closet and started to immediately make two different piles. One she would keep and the other was donations. Grabbing his favorite Celine sweater she took a deep sniff and before she knew it tears began to fall. For the first time she didn’t want to call Rory in fact she was over keeping someone who didn’t love her. He didn’t have to say it but Rory was a man who loved deeply. Yasmine had implanted on him and nothing would change that. She knew exactly who to call. She didn’t call though, she sent a text message. 

*Hey, are you free to come meet me at my dad’s house. I’m cleaning out his belongings and could use some company.*

*Send the lo*

*114 Cherry Lane by my old condo*  

*I’m otw*

Aspen smiled as she continued to separate his things until she heard a knock at the door about ten minutes later. Running down the stairs she opened the door and saw Khalil standing before her. “Hey come in.” 

Khalil had gone for a run from his condo to clear his head as he looked at the text on his phone from Connor. His friend was back on the team though he had a million questions and nearly burst into a fit of laughter when news broke about the trade back, a secret marriage and a kid? He had turned on his favorite beats as he ran, deciding this was what he wanted and needed to be carefree and running and it kept his thoughts off Aspen. He had shown up for Randall’s funeral for support and stayed in the back giving her space but an idiot could look at her and Rory and see they were done. He had no idea what Aspen was holding onto when it came to Rory Devonshire, the last name at this point? Regardless he had grown a lot over the last few years and if anything he knew that supporting his friends was more important than fucking them. But when another text came in he swiped up thinking it was Connor and then stared at the invite from Aspen to meet.

He debated about what to do for what felt like forever before he had sent his reply and then jogged over to the location. He then came to the house and stared at it. He had never come from all this; he knew her mother worked for DGI and was paid really well. He had humble beginnings and he had been smart so far with his NBA money investing, getting his own condo. Making sure his mom and siblings were out of the hell hole that consumed his older brother and took him from them. He stepped on the steps and gently knocked on the door smiling when she answered and he peeked past her seeing Rory nowhere in sight and then he stepped inside watching her close the door behind her.

“I’m really sorry about your dad Aspen. I know he meant a lot to you. Thanks for calling me. Did you get the flowers I sent? I came to the service but didn’t know how you’d or Devonshire felt about me being there but I wanted to be there to support you.” Khalil said looking at her and looking at the half packed house where she grew up. He could tell that packing up had affected her; she was near tears and he decided for now to change the subject. “He’s not like here is he? I mean I know you’re going through a lot with everything but why call me and not like your fiance?” When she didn’t answer he took a breath. This was so awkward he cared about the woman in front of him, had for a while and the last thing he should do is butt his nose into her relationship with Rory. “How did your job interview go?”

4×07 “Give Me Dysfunction”
Written by: Chris Coleman and Kelly Zollo
Warning: Episode may contain graphic violence, language and sexual content
Theme Song: SZA- Snooze

Aspen removed her Burberry trench coat revealing a plaid two piece Miu Miu set, with a crisp Carolina Herrera white shirt, white stockings and a pair of chunky Rick Owens ankle boots. Today would begin the next chapter. Since she was kicked out of Harvard she didn’t know which way to go. It took a while and her father died but she knew what her future now lied. Going forward she would honor him for the rest of her life. Secretly she had returned to AFU and she would finish her English degree by the end of the year. Gripping her Goyard briefcase bag she wondered how this was going to go. Greer was notoriously a bitch. Looking at LeClerq Media conglomerate awards made her feel like she’d do something more with her life and time. Since her father’s untimely death she figured that it was time to grow up. Harvey LeClerq was a prolific journalist and Greer had even won a few. Maybe she would be exactly who she was looking for. Max was a crashout and the Devonshire’s weren’t exactly what she thought they’d be. They weren’t supportive of her or Rory in her opinion. Was that what she wanted her life to be? Looking up, a stunning young woman told her Greer was ready. 

Walking down the hall she could hear spirited debates, people moving, and she felt a thrill of excitement. Someone bumped into her and kept going and she turned around to say something. Then she heard the girl say she broke the story and a jolt of electricity tore through her. 

“Ms. Sinclair, follow me. My name is Myra and I’m Mr. LeClerq’s assistant. I’m helping Greer right now. If you get the job you’ll be an assistant to Ms. Fraiser.” Myra opened the door. “Good luck.” 

Aspen walked into the office and looked around as Greer spun around in her chair. She was stunning but she also had that no nonsense look on her face. Her entire expression showed she meant business and this was about to be her moment. “Hello, Greer or would you prefer me call you Ms. Fraiser?”

Greer looked at the young woman and she put it together perfectly. She looked like a doll and all that red hair made her striking. She’d seen Aspen gallivanting around Atlas Falls with Rory but here she was polished and prim. Actually her style reminded her of a younger version of herself. Tapping her manicured nails on the desk she stood up and extended her hand. “Welcome to LeClerq Media Conglomerate. Please sit down and let me tell you something about our company. My uncle and father began this company in 1987 and they bought four newspapers and one television station. Now we have over fifty newspapers, over twenty television stations, and we run multiple publishing companies. We have offices in California, Paris, New York, and Tokyo. Our publishing company has over forty New York Times bestsellers. We are a huge company and the media is our focus. Revealing the truth, finding truth in fiction, and not spreading fake news. People believe I use the media as a weapon but doesn’t everyone who is in a position of power?” 

Aspen smiled nodding her head, impressed at the fact Greer was much more than a beauty. She had the brains to match. “My goal is to end up as a reporter and I heard your company is the place to do that. Researching lots of journalists have said your family is in the business of the truth. Your family wants to tell the stories and my father was a man who spent his entire life chasing stories. I want to honor him and I want to do this. So I’m going to do the family business in my own way. If you give me this opportunity to be your assistant well, I’ll do anything to walk through these doors. Have me fetch coffee, dry cleaning, set up your schedules and anything else I’ll do. I’m not too good. In fact, I have no ego because this will get me to where I want to go. I want to work for a company of your legacy and pedigree.” She said determined for Greer to feel her. “Plus my relationship has taken over my life. I want to be my own woman and not just a Devonshire girlfriend. If anyone understands that it’s you right?” 

4×06 “The Taste of Your Lips”
Written by: Chris Coleman and Kelly Zollo
Warning: Episode may contain graphic violence, language and sexual content
Theme Song: kwn – worst behaviour (Official Video) ft. Kehlani

Braden sat at the Pub. It wasn’t open yet but it seemed like a neutral place to meet but he was able to maneuver around the kitchen enough to make some eggs, toast and fresh coffee while he waited for his cousin and sister. He and Tamara had agreed to the move for a fresh start after everything, to follow Tamara’s dreams of helping women at the crisis center. He had put out a few fillers about joining a few other firms but they had started to pack the house, he wasn’t sure if they were going to keep it to rent out or sell it yet. The downside was that he didn’t want to leave but for Tamara it was the right thing, she had supported his career for years so it was time he did the same for her. Everything with his dad was so fucked up that he couldn’t even look at him or talk to him, learning he was trying to shelter that awful fucking woman.

Dru may have been his sister by blood but she would never be that in his mind or heart not after what she had done to his career, what she had done to his sister. He had no desire to stick around and try to make peace with her either like his grandmother thought they should and no one was going to make him or his sister do that. Not even their grandmother, who he was beginning to question if she was actually taking her medication or not. It wasn’t like he was abandoning Dani to deal with it; he was a phone call and a plane ride away, she had their mom, Kelsey, Brock and Lucy still here, plus she had Jackson. He heard the back door open and saw Brock come through the kitchen and he got up hugging his cousin.

“Glad you are here, you look like you haven’t slept in like a week.” Braden said looking at his clearly tired cousin and he remembered those days when both Dylan and now Delilah would cry and keep him or Tamara up. Not to mention the other baby that was going to be on the way and he saw Brock sigh in reply and he placed his hand on his shoulder. “Try some white noise. Dylan liked guitar songs, Delilah prefers mozart, it really does help. Also, spend some time alone with Greer too.” He finished trying to be supportive over Greer joining the family the best he could without starting another war.

Brock was sleep deprived as hell he loved his son but he needed to start sleeping through the night, when Braden had texted him to meet he had asked Greer. Who had mentioned that she was meeting with her father anyway so it was fine, he didn’t dislike Pierre but he also couldn’t stand his father in law. The man had sold out his wife like a prostitute when she came to town and for him it was wild that she just seemed to want to forget that, but he was trying to be patient. His own family was a damn mess at the moment, he’d heard what happened at his grandmother’s from Lucy and he was beginning to wonder if the woman had really lost it. Pierre may of been a piece of work but his uncle at the moment was way fucking worse.

“I’ll pass the advice on to Greer though I think we could both use it. Dani here yet?” Brock asked, looking around the Pub and then sitting at the table bringing the cup of coffee to his lips while he took a sip. He had so many memories of the Pub, family parties and celebrations. Birthdays and graduations and his finger traced the table the dings in the top, likely from either his siblings or cousins or some patron. Most importantly there were so many memories of his brother here it was hard to not think about it. “I miss him.” Brock finally said, meeting his cousin’s eyes who seemed to embrace that same sentiment.