The Best Way Around a Disappointment
[Hiya, OR fans! I know that ABC did a pretty darn awesome job of this situation in the show but I like putting my own spin on things so ready or not, here it comes!]
After an entire afternoon of attending to a strange mammoth crowd that took over Sully's that afternoon, Janet finally had time to breath. Usually when there was a lull she cleaned the menus or swabbed at a tumbler ring on the counter. Today she just sat at one of the stools at the bar and stared at her fingernails.
It had been nearly two days since Sam was discharged from the hospital and the events that took place during that time just kept replaying in Janet's head. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't realise someone pull up a barstool and sit next to her.
"Hey Janet, how's it goin'?"
She snapped out of it and looked up to find Eddie sheepishly looking at her. Why is he here? He can't possibly think I'd have anything to say to him after what he did, she thought to herself as she made her way around the counter and poured him a beer and dumped it on the counter and walked off down the bar. He left his drink lying there and made haste to follow her.
"Janet are you ever going to give me a chance to explain? I screwed up I know that. But you can't stay mad at me forever." he tried to work his sexy grin in hoping she'd bite. No such luck.
She looked up at him, her greyish blue eyes the colour of a stormy bay. "Not now, I'm working."
"Then when? Janet I just need to talk to you for a couple of minutes. When can I meet you? Can I pick you up after work?"
"See I don't know if that's doable, 'cause I'd actually like to make it home tonight and if I had to rely on you to pick me up –"
"Okay I get it! I'm sorry I'm not as figured out as you are. I'm sorry that I'm such a dinkus."
She looked at him and hesitated, "Okay, we'll get to the 'dinkus' bit in just a second, you think I have everything figured out? Dude you are way off. Way ,way off. The difference between you and me is that my figuring things out would never hurt my friends." Her voice broke for that last part and she continued, "And if you don't know what you want when you date someone...then maybe you shouldn't date them at all. Go for one of your kewpie dolls. They'll never fail you."
Eddie got up and set his beer on the counter. Finally, he gets the message, she thought with a mixture of satisfaction and disappointment. But he walked around the bar to where she was and took her hand. When she tried to walk away he pulled her back and she slammed into his chest. He put his hands on her shoulders and gently massaged them, peering down to make her look at him.
"Janet I'm an idiot. I'm a guy! Therefore, I'm an idiot by default. Since when do we get things right the first time around anyway?" he noticed that she was trying to stifle a giggle so he smiled and looked at her glassy grey eyes.
"I want to pick up where we left off that night when we looked for that stupid one-eyed walrus because the truth is that I really want to go out with you." He bent down and kissed her forehead.
"I hate it when you do that." She muttered.
"You do?", he asked, surprised.
She nodded."I feel like your sister....or this little high school girl who has a crush on the sexiest quarterback and he's just pacifying her." She regretted saying that the second it escaped her lips and she cringed noticeably.
"Uh...the sexiest quarterback?" now he had a full-blown grin on his face as he lifted her chin so she'd look at him. He lowered his lips to hers...
"I can't leave you two alone for one minute can I?" came Rooster's booming voice. Janet cringed as Eddie pulled away and looked at her longingly.
"Can I see you tonight? And just to make sure we get it right this time, do you think you could come pick me up at 6ish?" He said sweetly smiling at her.
"Fine." she smiled at him, "Now, go!" she said pushing him towards the door.
He'd better be ready when I get there, she thought silently, polishing a tumbler and tried to fight the smile that slowly began to play on her lips.
She grabbed a shot glass and though she wasn't a lush she picked up the vodka bottle and did a quick shot to celebrate. Beats the heck out of twirling in public, she laughed silently, toasting herself to new beginnings.
