Claire jumped when Brian shouted. She already regretted slapping John. She hadn't even realized what she was doing when she felt the sting of his cheek against her hand. Her mind was reeling as she heard John's voice. She could feel the panic sinking in. She tried to breath but couldn't. She reached for John as he strode by her but he jerked his arm away. She tried to take breath as John pushed through Andy, Brian and Allison, nearly knocking Allison down. She could feel herself chocking, the adrenaline running through her veins while her brain was screaming for her to calm down. Everything was being sucked into a vacuum and she couldn't understand what was going on. The only thing she knew was that she had slapped John and he had left. Through the din in her head, she heard Allison order Andy after John. She heard Allison send Brian after a wet compress while pushing him in the direction of the living room. She felt Allison take a hold of both of her arms and gently pull her to the floor, both sitting on their heels. Allison was trying to tell her something, but Claire just couldn't understand. She watched as Allison took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She did it again and again and again.
She wants me to breath. That's it! Breathe! Breathe deeply and slowly. Deep breath in, slowly let it out. In and out. In and out. In and out.
"….in and out. That's it Claire, slowly. In and out. Good, good, good. Come on, once more. In and out. Good job." Allison coached and let out a breath herself as Claire's eyes came back into focus. "Claire? Honey? Claire?"
"I'm….I'm fine. I'm good. I'm good." Claire stared at Allison, taking in her best friend's chocolate eyes. She took in a ragged breath and grasped Allison's arms. "I'm good."
She felt some cold and wet on her neck. She jerked and looked up. Brian. Brian was here. The concern was permanently etched onto his face. Brian, sweet, sweet Brian. She gave him a shaky smile and took his hand.
"That was John." She stated falling to her ass, glancing back and forth between her friends, her eyes widening and filling with tears as she spoke. "That was John and he left. He just showed up and now he is gone. Oh, Allison! John left! Oh my God! Omigod, omigod, omigod…."
"Hey! Hey! HEY! Claire!" Allison yelled giving Claire a gentle shake.
"Allison…I'm not good." Claire whispered as she buried her head into her friends shoulder.
Allison looked at Brian while smoothing Claire's hair down her back. As huge sobs racked Clair's body, Allison also let herself fall to her butt. With a heavy sigh she glanced back at Brian.
"Fuck."
Andy was out the door almost as soon as Allison had finished speaking. He didn't know what the hell was going on but his wife had just told him to bring Bender back and that was what he was going to do.
"Bender! Bender! Man, stop!" Andy yelled as he caught up with his old school buddy. "What the fuck man?"
"That seems to be a popular expression today."
"Man, don't be an ass." John stopped and glared at Andy. "I'm just saying. Stop for a second and tell me what the hell is going on."
"What the hell is going on? Let's see…..I came to see Cherry. Cherry was not very welcoming. I take it you saw the slap? You guys showed up. I realized that I wasn't wanted, yet again, so I left. End of story." John hissed through his teeth.
"Come on man, it's not as easy as that. We could hear you guys yelling as soon as we got out of the car. Some things never change." Andy got a smirk from John for that last remark. "You were yelling about being left alone and Claire said something about you not knowing what had happened, you called her petty and then we saw the slap. What the hell were you two talking about?"
"Christmas, Sporto, Christmas." John stated turning away from Andy.
"Christmas? Awe, fuck, man. Christmas! Why, man, why?" Andy pleaded.
"I wanted to know what happened. Six years man! Six! For a year and a half everyone is happy go lucky and then when the shit hits the fan, I'm dropped quicker than a two dollar whore!"
Andy sighed deeply and rubbed his face. John watched as Andy ran though all kind of options as to what to say but he knew Andy was going to come up blank. There was nothing to say. He had been fucked and they knew it. Once it had happened, they cut their losses.
"OK, look, I don't know what and how much I should tell you. I can tell you that you do not want to walk away from this. Man, you DO NOT want to walk away." Andy stated putting his hand on John's shoulder.
"Walk away? I don't want to fucking walk away? Are you fucking kidding me? What the fuck did you four do? Skip?" John spit out, throwing Andy's hand off his shoulder. "Man, are you rich! Me, walk away? You were already at the state line before the cops even threw the cuffs on me! I didn't walk away from shit! The four of you left!"
"Yeah? Well, we learned from the master!" Andy yelled, shoving his hand in his pockets. Andy stepped away ready to just leave when he thought of Allison. Goddamn-it! She would give him hell. "Look, Allison sent me out here to get you."
"I bet she did. Bowing down to the little woman now?"
"Yeah, you jackass; like Claire didn't have you whipped before the end of detention. Besides, you have no idea how much Allison has changed, she…" Andy stopped as he realized what he had said. He looked at John, who was staring at him with a raised eyebrow. "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't know."
Andy dropped his eyes under John's glare. He was at a complete loss. With a deep sigh, he returned his gaze to John. "Look, man, why don't you come back inside. Come inside, we will get a drink and then you two can hash this all out. I have a feeling that Claire is going to be a bit….flustered and she is going to need a minute or two." John's entire face showed his shock at what Andy was saying. "Ok, Ok….I'm sure you are a bit….flustered too and could also do with a minute or two. Come on man, let's go back and get a drink. Once everyone has calmed down, we can talk about this like the rational adults…..well like the adults we are."
John, unable to stop himself, smiled. He had nothing to loose. "What the fuck. Why not?"
Andy entered the kitchen and found his wife on the floor; alone. He crouched down next to her and took her beautiful face into his hands. With his blue eyes searching hers, he felt her sigh heavily. Her hands came to rest on his as he placed his lips on her forehead. How in God's name he had managed to keep her, he would never understand. But he had and he would never let her go. He didn't understand John and Claire; never had. Compared to them, he and Allison had an easy go of things. After detention, things had only gotten better. She had become his best friend. She was so easy to talk to and she always gave him the straight shit. She always stood behind him and if he was wrong, she always waited until they were alone to tell him so. They were a unified front and had been almost since that Saturday. When his knee had given out and he had to return home, she was the one that helped him through it all. Sure, Brian, Claire and Bender had been supportive, but it was Allison who showed him that he was still important. He didn't have to be the best at anything because he was already the best to her.
Sure they had had their problems, but they always seemed to muddle through despite Andy's own idiotic thinking. When Allison had the chance to spend the summer in Paris on an art internship, he had hemmed and hawed until he was sure this was going to be the thing that split them up. It was actually John who saved them. John had told Andy what a dick he was being and that Allison had not harassed Andy about anything that he had wanted to do. Andy had never been so glad that he had listened. He had Allison. He had a wonderful set of twin 5 year old boys, he had an amazingly beautiful 3 year old daughter and now he had one more on the way. But even without the children and the years of laughter, he still had Allison.
"You know I love you." He whispered against her forehead. "I love you and I will do anything for you. I'll give my life for you and our kids, Ally."
"I know and I love you too." Allison stated as she pulled away so she could gaze into his loving blue eyes. She kissed him softly and then smiled against his lips. "While I appreciate the sentiment, I don't think dying is what I need now. Right now, how about you help your 8 month pregnant wife off the floor so that we can both go take care of our psychotic friends?"
"You got it." He replied, kissing her quickly and then pulling her up.
"Thanks." Allison wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. "God, Andy, this is so not what I was expecting. I thought I was supposed to be the basket case. What the fuck!"
Brian was pacing the living room when John and Andy entered. They spoke at the same time.
"Where's Claire?"
"Where's Allison?"
Brian looked at both of them, amazed at their calm. He pointed to John first then Andy.
"Bedroom, kitchen." Brian stated then hurriedly finished to Andy "Man, she wouldn't let me help her up. I tried and she just gave me that look. You know the look right man?"
Brian watched as Andy waved him off and disappeared around the corner to the kitchen. Sighing heavily, Brian fell onto the couch wondering what the hell was going to happen next. After taking Claire to the bedroom and trying to get Allison to let him help her off the floor, he had retreated to the living room. He was starting to think of it as Switzerland. In fact he had taken to calling it The Neutral Zone. Through the window he watched Andy and John argue on the front lawn of Claire's bungalow. He only heard bits and pieces but he definitely heard Christmas and he was very glad that he had planted himself in The Neutral Zone. Brian sighed again causing John to glance at him. So much of this could be avoided if they would just talk.
"What?"
"Huh?"
"What did you just say, Bri?" John asked as he stopped pacing.
"Did I say that out loud?' Brian asked, more to himself than anyone else. "Please keep in mind that….the uh living room is the…. umm…Neutral Zone. Umm… I…. I just think….you know… that all of this….umm….fighting….could have been avoided if you two would….you know…..just…..talk."
"What the hell do you think we have been doing?"
"Umm…..yelling." Brian stated and inwardly flinched at the look on John's face. Well it looked like he was going to have to throw off his high school habits and step up to John. "Look, man, you two have been yelling at each other and not listening. I understand; it's what you and Claire do, but you two have got to dial down the tempers and open up your ears."
"What the fuck do you know?" John asked as the door bell rang.
"More than you think I do." Brian glanced at the clock and then door. Giving John a sign to hold on, he went to the door.
John watched as Brian opened the door to a petite brunette. He watched as Brian pulled the woman into his arms and kissed her soundly on the mouth.
What the hell? I have been away, way too long.
As the couple came into the living room, John gave the girl a once over. It would appear that the dweeb had snagged his self a hottie. Long mahogany hair framed the heart shaped face of the green eyed beauty holding Brian's hand. She had curves in all the right places and she came up to Brian's shoulder.
Damn, she is short! Hot but short and apparently she is into geeks.
"John, I would like you to meet my wife, Augusta. Augusta, this is John Bender." Brian introduced giving his wife a knowing look. Augusta took Brian's hint and quickly closed her mouth which had been hanging open since she had heard "John I would like you to meet my wife." This was the famous John Bender.
Augusta stepped forward, taking John's hand, pulling him down so she could kiss him on the cheek.
"John Bender! What a pleasure to finally meet you. Brian and the gang have told me so much about you. It truly is wonderful to finally meet the man behind all the stories. And let me just say that your picture does not do you justice." Augusta spewed out, still holding John's hand. He watched as she drew in a breath and let it out slowly.
"Yeah…..nice to meet you too." John responded slowly as he eyed the brunette warily while trying to retrieve his hand. "You married Big Bri?"
"Yep, just last summer. Well I guess it was this summer. You know the one that just passed."
"Honey, honey, calm down." Brian whispered in her ear. "You are going to be just fine." Turning to John, "She gets nervous meeting new people."
"I do not!" Augusta snapped, hitting Brian in the stomach. "I just didn't know we were going to having a family reunion with all of the mayhem and foolishness of a Jerry Springer show."
John eyed her cautiously. She knew something. "You just got here. How do you know what has been going on?"
"Woman's intuition." She replied giving John a dazzling smile.
"Augusta, honey, maybe you sh….."
"Hang on, Bri. Augusta, is it?" John asked. She nodded, her green eyes wide. "Ok, Gus, what do you mean by mayhem and foolishness?"
"Well, I mean you have been gone six years. Claire has never gotten over you. She doesn't understand why you cut off all contact. Plus the whole baby thing….."
Brian sucked in his breath sharply, his eyes glued to his wife. Augusta's eyes popped open and her hand flew to her mouth.
"What! What the fuck are you talking about?" John bellowed causing Augusta to jump and move behind Brian. "What the fuck is she talking about Brian? Claire! Claire, get out here!"
"John, you should really talk to Claire." Brian replied as Andy and Allison joined them.
"Brian! What baby, Brian? You tell me what the fuck is going on before I….."
"John, you need to calm down." Allison stated stepping in between John and Brian. "Calm down and I'll tell you what I can."
"No, Claire needs to tell me what the fuck is going on. Claire!"
"John, please! Claire is no state of mind to handle this right now!" Allison screamed.
"What? What the fuck? What the hell is going on?" John demanded his eyes jumping back and forth between Andy, Allison, Augusta and Brian. All four looked as though they had gotten caught stealing money from the church coffers. John turned his brown eyes onto his old friend. "Allison?"
"Let's sit." Allison offered as she eased herself onto the couch.
"I don't want to fucking sit!"
"John Bender, I am eight months pregnant. All day, I played referee to my 5 year old boys over a single red ball, because the blue ball wasn't good enough and then fought with my 3 year old daughter about whether or not she should go poop in the potty. I came here expecting a nice relaxing kid free night but you just had to take a walk down memory lane. I barely stopped Claire from having a full blown break down, just spent the better part of 20 minutes on a kitchen floor, and am now about 2 minutes from going into labor, now sit the fuck down! Everybody!"