This is our first story together and we are very excited! We have been on the same wavelegth this whole chapter and hope to have many more to come! Please as always read and review! It means a lot to us! Criticism and encouraging reviews welcomed! Thanks so much and enjoy the ride! ~Liphuggers and Speedleschic
On a plane heading south, she thought about the last 24 hours and sniffled and blotted her eyes. The older gentleman sitting in the seat next to her leaned over and said "Are you going to Miami for business or pleasure?"
She sniffled and said in return "Umm if it's sorted down to those two categories, pleasure I guess. I'm very sorry for crying, I've just received bad news and I am going to see my cousin."
"You don't have family back in New York?"
"No, my parents died a couple of years ago and I was never close to my half brothers and sister. I am the youngest of six. My aunt and uncle were very close to my parents so naturally I formed a very deep bond with my cousin, he's more like a brother to me then my own brothers. But after my parents died, my aunt and uncle just don't come to visit me."
"I'm very sorry to hear that." After some time had passed the older gentleman kept looking at her and said "Haven't I seen you before, somewhere?"
"Do you watch the 11 o'clock news every night?" She said still sniffling but trying pull herself together. If people were going to start recognizing her she didn't want to be a total mess. The man nodded and something must have clicked because the next thing he said was "Oh, my, you are Margaret Corderra, the weather girl!"
"Yes, that's me. Ugh you must think I'm a mess! I'm very sorry." She said as the pilot came over the PA and said they were making their descent into Miami International.
A number of people got wind of Margaret being on the plane, she was a local celebrity, and she tried to get off the plane as fast as she could and looked around the airport terminal. She found the exit and hailed a cab. When she got her small luggage out of the trunk she paid the driver and stood there. She looked up at her cousin's house and smiled a crooked smile. She looked up and down the road took a deep breath and walked toward the house. She saw her cousin's bike and her cousin's girlfriend's 2009 burnt orange Pontiac G6 Convertible there. Margaret was grateful that he had a real nice girl in his life, he deserved it. She was a real nice girl, a couple of years younger than Margaret and Tim themselves, but still closer in age then Margaret's half sister. They have known each other for many, many years. She raised her hand to ring the door bell and saw her hand shaking, she quickly pulled her hand close to her body and started wringing her hands and tears started to well up in her eyes. She rang the doorbell and waited with her head up holding in her tears.
Laughter came from inside the house followed by the front door opening. Looking up Margaret saw Tim's long time girlfriend Lauren Caine, she was the daughter of Lt. Horatio Caine. She was covered in a light blue paint from her old white t-shirt to her well worn dark blue sweatpants. "Margaret! What a surprise, we weren't expecting you." All of a sudden a tear fell from Margaret's eye and Lauren asked what was wrong and helped her with her luggage. She closed the door and noticed Margaret had more tears streaming down her face. They hugged and Lauren felt Margaret collapse in her arms. Lauren screamed for her boyfriend, "Tim, Tim, help me!" Tim Speedle came running from the bedroom they were supposed to be painting since they had moved into the house a little less than a week ago. Tim picked her up and carried her over to the only piece of furniture in the living room; she was crying and shaking so much he just held her next to him. "Shh, Maggie, it's ok, it's all going to be ok. Clam down and tell me what's wrong. Laurie can you get some water?" Lauren nods and heads to the kitchen to get a glass of water.
"Timmy." Margaret says still shaking and wiping her eyes, "Oh, Timmy, my marriage is… (sniffles) is in shambles."
"Maggie, what do you mean you're marriage is in shambles?" Just then Lauren walked back into the room with water. "Here Maggie, here's some water," Lauren said holding out the glass of water to her boyfriends cousin and one of her best friends.
"I came home from work early to surprise Steve and…" She takes a big gulp of the water. "I found Steve and Britney…" Margaret took another sip and finished the sentence with tears pouring down her face. "I found them in bed together, having sex in my bed. In MY fucking bed!" Lauren and Tim just stood there shocked at what Margaret had just told them. Blank stares shared between the couple, no one knew what to say. "Oh Maggie, I just… I'm so sorry; I just honestly don't know what to say. Your husband and one of your best friends. Wow." Lauren said sitting down next to her. Tim sat there, didn't know what to say, his cousin's life was falling apart, he felt so sad for her.
"Maggs, why'd you come here instead of going to your sisters?" Lauren shot him the Caine look, Tim continued trying to make up for sounding like he didn't care. "I mean, I'm honored, we are honored that you came here, but we were just umm…" He looked over at Lauren and raised an eyebrow and smiled. "We were just painting our bedroom."
Getting the hint, "Oh my God guys, I'm so sorry. I know you just moved in and everything…" Margaret said wiping her eyes and standing up. "I just didn't have anywhere else to turn, my sister is having troubles of her own and my brothers were never that close to me. Timmy and Laurie you are more of a brother and sister to me than they ever will be. I just don't have any friends that understand me the way you two do. I'm sorry I should've called, I should have called." She said as she was getting up and gathering her stuff. Lauren elbowed Tim in the side and mouthed 'do something' to him.
"Where do you think you are going? You're right we know all your secrets and your whole past. You and I are best friends who happen to be cousins. Stay here, we'll find the air mattress and you can be our first house guest."
Margaret tried to resist and said she would get a hotel room. Lauren wouldn't hear of it and said she could throw on some of her clothes and help paint, after all painting is said to be very relaxing.
By the time the three of them had finished painting Tim and Lauren's bedroom they were all covered in the light blue paint. Tim had a few hand prints on the back of his shirt from Lauren painting her hand and then pressing it on his back. Margaret was able to forget about what had happened the past several hours and have fun with her cousin and Lauren. Painting with Tim and his girlfriend definitely helped ease the pain for the time being.
They looked at the time and started to get hungry, "Hey, let's go out to eat." Lauren said. All three got cleaned up and went to the Outback Steakhouse for dinner. They sat down and ordered appetizers and talked about different things like how each room is being designed and that Tim and Lauren need to go through all their stuff in storage. The conversation then got switched to Margaret, how long was she staying and what was she going to about her situation in NY. "Ugh, I really don't know, I just appreciate you opening your home to me. I think I really need to speak to Steve before I make any plans though. I have nothing up in NY anymore, no real friends, hardly any family that gives two shits about me. I think my real goal before I do anything else is talk to Steve. Ask him, why her, why one of my best friends? How long this has been going on, and where do we go from here." She looked at them and gave a half smile, tears started to form in her eyes again but didn't fall, and she would never cry in a public place. The server came over and took their dinner order. Lauren changed the subject seeing the hurt it brought her best friend. They knew each other so well because the three went to grade school together, although Lauren was two grades below them, they were three friends who used to hang out in the city together do homework and study for tests together, go on adventures in the woods Upstate, have sleepovers and tell each other everything from their crushes, first kisses to first loves. Lauren and Tim had been going out for about 11 years all due to Margaret's match-making, she had a conversation with Lauren one night and she admitted to being in love with her cousin. Margaret had just laughed knowing her cousin had pulled her aside at the weekly Sunday family dinner that was held at his house and said the same thing about Lauren. Margaret set them up on a blind date because they would have freaked out if they knew they were going out with one another. From that first date on, Margaret knew they were the perfect couple. After having water and a cocktail of Pineapple and Malibu Coconut Rum, Lauren had to go to the bathroom. She excused herself and walked to the bathroom, Tim looked at Margaret leaned forward and smiled, "Hey, I have a secret." Margaret smiled and said "I'm listening, but after you tell me I'm not spitting in my hand and shaking yours, we are a bit too old for that and in a restaurant."
"But that's what we do. I don't think I could tell you now." He leaned back against the booth and looked away from her.
"Fine, I'll do it Timmy, but after we get outside." Tim smiled widely as he leaned back in. "You going to tell me or am I going to have to guess." He gives her a look as if saying yes. "Alright… You're gonna ask her to marry you." Tim looks at his cousin dumbfounded. "How did you know Maggs?" She started to laugh because the fact that she guessed what his secret right away. Then looking him she knew he was serious. "I would say it's about damn time and congratulations Timmy. You guys are perfect together," she said taking a sip of her Pina Colada.
Tim just flashes his infamous Speedle grin and said, "You know I went to ask Horatio a couple days ago for his blessing, and I was so nervous every time he asked me if I had the results from something I was testing… It was just so nerve wracking."
"You? Nervous around Horatio? Now I would have loved to see that!" They both looked over to the right to see Lauren coming out of the bathroom. She was stopped by someone and talked to them for a little bit. Then they saw her pull out her business card holder and give the women she was talking to each a card before heading back over to their table.
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