A/N: My apologies for not adding to this since I began it - it's hard to part with cut scenes since I always want to hoard them to use in future chapters. Anyway, this is a scene cut from an unspecified chapter. It was supposed to lead into an arc, but - well, it's complicated. Let's go ahead and say it was because the actors were unavailable, since I definitely have them perform all the scenes in front of a small audience in my living room (which is also my bedroom and my office because that's life).
"Viral"
I'm sitting in traffic, going absolutely nowhere, when my phone rings. There's a brief flicker of optimism that it's Luka, but no such luck. I'm not too disappointed to see the name on the caller ID, though.
"Hey." I smile. "I was starting to think you'd become too big a star to remember us little people."
"I'm not sure eight minutes a week on the local morning show qualifies me as a star."
"I don't know, I think once you've gotten your own viral video, you've pretty much hit the big time."
I hear a sigh. "I asked that guy three times if he was afraid of needles, and he promised me he'd be fine."
"Men don't like to admit their weaknesses. At least until they pass out on live television."
"Well, I've told them I'm not giving flu shots on the air anymore."
"Probably a good idea. How are things, besides being an Internet sensation?"
"Henry's figured out that Disney World exists."
"Uh-oh."
"I'm living a nightmare."
"I can imagine. A four-year-old at Disney World? I'd kill myself."
"Five-year-old."
"No. He can't be five. I delivered him, like…last week."
"Last week, five years ago."
"You're kidding me. I can't even…god. I'm so old. Not to mention a jerk for forgetting. What didn't he already get for his birthday?"
"Don't you dare buy him a present. Sandy would kill me if she knew how spoiled he is."
"Joe could give him a run for his money."
"Speaking of babies born yesterday, I got the Christmas card. He's huge."
"I know. It's terrifying. He can talk. And he has opinions. I don't know how that's even possible."
"Well, he's your son. I'd be surprised if he didn't have opinions."
Traffic starts to move incrementally, and I realize my knuckles have eased up on the steering wheel a little. I don't think I realized how much I needed a friendly voice right now. "I know, but…I have no idea when he went from being this tiny little thing to a person."
"I know what you mean."
"How's Courtney?"
There's a pause. "We're not together anymore."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. We're still friends. It's better that way. It was good to feel something again after Sandy, but I'm not sure I'm ready to let go of her. I think I'm okay with it just being me and Henry for now. And she still spends time with Henry. He doesn't have any aunts or uncles, so it's nice for him."
"Yeah. Well, I'm glad, then, I guess. And who knows. Luka and I were better off as friends for a while. Or at least, learning to be friends."
"How is that big Croat?"
"Bad time to ask. We're definitely not friends right now."
"That's the nice thing about being a lesbian. No men to deal with."
"Yeah, after Richard, I contemplated it. If it were a choice, I'd have made it back then." Of course, I stopped feeling that way when Luka came along.
She laughs. "Well, I was actually calling to let you know I'd be in town next month, and ask if you wanted to get a cup of coffee. We can spend the whole time complaining about men."
"Really? That's great. Some kind of news story?"
"There's a choral competition that my biological mother is singing in. She invited me to come see it."
"Oh. Wow, that's…I didn't even know you were in touch with her."
"Yeah. She contacted me out of the blue about six months ago. She's still having some trouble with the idea of me being gay, but she's getting there. It's…we're working on it. She asked if she could meet Henry."
"That's really great. And if you need a place to stay, or you want to bring Henry – "
"Thanks. I'm still not sure if I'm ready for that. Or if he is."
"Well, either way. Our room filled with boxes we still haven't unpacked is…su casa."
We chat a little more, about nothing in particular, for a few more minutes, and then traffic starts to move, and I tell her I have to go. It's been a couple of months, though, since I've talked to her, and I get to work feeling a hell of a lot better than when I left the house this morning.
