A/N: So, we totally suck big ones for abandoning this story for..meh..four months. What can we say? Life and school got in the way. Here's the next installment from Warrick's pov again. Hopefully, we will start up Cheaper By the Dozen very soon also! Thanks for your patience and please let us know what you thought in a review!
We'll update it sooner, we promise.
-Bauerfreak and LLK
Symphony of Change
Chapter 7
I guess I'm not used to waiting around for women to get ready for an evening out, having been an only child growing up, being raised by my grandmother. Catherine asked me to come over at 6:30, and I arrived on time. It is now…6:47, and we have yet to leave, because Catherine is putting the final touches on her appearance. She'd answered the door, and I thought she looked just fine, but what do I know?
"Mom, do you have any tampons in your bathroom?" Lindsey yells across the hall to her mother, who is also in the process of getting ready for the party with Ryan. The two teenagers were planning on going to a party a couple blocks over.
I clear my throat uncomfortably and find the remote, in case any other choice phrases that may cause me embarrassment scar me for life. I hear the click of Cath's high heels on the hardwood floors of the back hall, scurrying from bathroom to bathroom.
I wonder if I could ever truly get used to living in a house with two women, even if they were the Willows women. I'm pretty damn certain, even this early on in the game, that I love both of them with all of my being. Could I ever live with them though? I'm sitting here watching the cooking channel, because I'm too embarrassed to hear them talk about tampons. Now I got used to living with tampons when I was married to Tina. I even got used to having to pick them up once in a while from the drug store. But the thought of Lindsey, little Lindsey who used to tell me knock-knock jokes when I picked her up from pre-school using tampons is just so weird to me. I mean after the episode in the bushes I'm starting to realize that she's growing up. But I don't like it any more than Catherine does.
I know that I'm getting ahead of myself though. I shouldn't even be thinking about how I'd get used to living with them or what it would be like to be married to Catherine, because that's not happening for a long time, if it even does. The last thing I would want would be to jinx it.
I lean myself back and cross my arms. I know that the television is on and it's supposed to be drowning out the sound of the women here getting ready for their evenings but I can't pay any attention to it. I'm finding myself looking at each and every photograph in this room, studying them, getting to know the faces all over again with each new picture. I could definitely get used to living in a house where I'd get to be surrounded by these beauties day and night. Not yet, I tell myself. I can't start thinking about that yet.
A few minutes later, Catherine's heels sound again in the hallway, and I hear that she's approaching. I straighten my shirt in case it's somehow gotten jumbled up, wanting to look my best for Catherine after she's gone to so much trouble. She appears, looking slightly frazzled, and goes in to the kitchen to find her cell phone which has been charging at the counter. I don't know how she does it, but she always manages to blow my mind at how sexy she looks. She's wearing this amazing number – the clichéd little black dress - but somehow Catherine makes it all her own. A diamond necklace sparkles around her neck, contrasting her dark dress, which hugs her curves in all the right places. She must've caught me staring as she looks up from fooling around with her phone.
"What?" She smiles, then turns to find the black purse she'll be carrying with her on our dinner date. Before I can answer, the doorbell rings, and we both hear Lindsey groan loudly from the bathroom.
"I'm not READY!" She complains, as if it's Ryan's fault for showing up on time.
Catherine chuckles a little as her high heels clink on the floor again as she makes her way to the door. "Take your time, Linds. Warrick and I are still here."
She answers the door, out of my sight, and greets the probably nervous teenager amicably, complimenting his outfit and how adorable he looks. He should be nervous, going out to a party with Lindsey Willows. I was a teenager once, and know how dramatic bringing another guy to a party can be when you're already going out with someone else. Lindsey has made it clear to both Catherine and I (and I'm sure she will to Ryan too) that this is NOT a date.
I give the kid a nod and a wave as he, and much to my surprise, Nick walk through the door. Nick takes one look at Catherine and then at me and raises and eyebrow far on his head. I mentioned to him at work yesterday that I was taking Catherine out to dinner this weekend. I guess he just didn't expect it to be a date.
"I uh, just wanted to walk him in and make sure you had his dad's cell number," Nick tells Catherine as he passes her his phone so she can read the number off the screen. "He's almost as neurotic as Sara. Made me promise to give it to you."
"Yeah, my dad's a little compulsive about stuff like that," Ryan nervously laughs and moves closer to me. I can tell that he's wanting me to back him up a little. I'm the only other guy at the Willows home that's getting the 'test' tonight. "I don't really blame him though. This is Sin City after all."
While Catherine's taking the number down in her phone Nick gives me a few more winks and nods, his own Stokes code for asking me if this is really what he thinks it is. I signal back that I sure hope it is and that I'll let him know. Then I tell him to quit it before he gets us both into trouble.
"Lindsey's just finishing up in the bathroom," Catherine tells Ryan after she's written down the phone number. "Would you like a drink?"
"No, thanks. I'm okay," He says, clasping his hands in front of him nervously, not sure where to stand, or what to say. I've been in his shoes before, and I know how nervous he must be right now. He barely knows any of us, so I'm sure he's not at ease.
"So, man. What do you know about this party tonight?" I ask, hoping to loosen him up a little by engaging him in conversation.
Ryan clears his throats and adjusts his stance a little. "Well, not much. Just that a lot of Lindsey's friends will be there, and it's chaperoned, of course. And don't worry. We won't be drinking," He adds, almost desperate to make everyone think he's a good kid.
Nick gives the kid a pat on the back smirking. "Well, if you end up needing a ride back here, call me up," he tells Ryan.
I watch the expression on Ryan's face change a little as though he's thinking about what Nick said. "Nah, I'll call my dad if anything happens. But thanks anyway, Nick."
The kid was obviously a little confused as to why Nick was playing the part of his parent when he had a mother, father, and future step-father all in town who could do it for him. To be honest I'm not sure I get it myself. I make a mental note to ask Nick what's going on, but later. Right now all of my focus and energy is on getting alone with Catherine. I shift closer to her as we watch Lindsey finally enter the room. I can tell by the look on her face that we both noticed the four shades redder that Ryan turned as soon as he saw her. Lindsey looks every bit as gorgeous as her mother did wearing a slightly more conservative dress. The red color makes her figure stand out in a way that gives me the desire to send her back up stairs to change into something less revealing.
Lindsey can sense all the eyes in the room on her, but instead of giggling nervously or playing with her hair like any embarrassed teenager would, she seems to flourish in the attention. She turns to her mother and opens her arms for a goodbye hug.
"You look beautiful, sweetheart," I hear Catherine whisper to her as she embraces Lindsey in a motherly hug. I can tell by the look in her eyes she can't believe Lindsey is practically an adult and looks like a grown woman. Moreover, I see her eyes sparkling with pride and excitement for her daughter. If she's anything like her mother, which I know she is, Lindsey will be having a thrilling, fun evening, and Catherine knows it. All we adults can hope is that she'll respect herself and be responsible.
As they pull apart, Nick steps forward and gently clasps a hand around Lindsey's forearm and then leans in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'm headin' out. You look great, Lindsey. Have a good time."
Lindsey smiles at him and nods. "Thanks, Uncle Nick. We will," She promises him. I get the feeling Nick's sharing the same thoughts I am about Lindsey, wanting to send her back up the stairs to put on some sweats, but it's not our place.
"You guys want a ride to the party?" I offer the kids as I hold my arm out for Catherine to take and begin to step towards the front door. I do have an ulterior motive in offering the kids a ride. If I'm in the car to drop them off I'll get to see what kind of house the party is going to take place at. I'm starting to feel a little foolish being so protective of Lindsey, but I can't help it. It seems like it was just yesterday she was bugging me for piggy back rides.
"No, thanks," Lindsey tells me with a smile. "My boyfriend's going to be here to pick us up in about ten minutes."
I watch Lindsey turn to her mother as she holds up her house key and her cell phone. "If Warrick's any kind of date he's got reservations and you're going to be late for them if you keep hanging out here. I'll lock the house on my way out and I have my phone if I need you. Get out of here."
Catherine and I both laugh at the teen before I shift so that I'm holding her hand and begin pulling her towards the front door. As much as I want to hang out at the house to size this boyfriend up again Lindsey's right. I do have reservations. I'm also feeling my stomach start to twist up a bit. I'm getting nervous.
After a few last kisses and hug, Cath and I are out the front door, leaving the two teenagers behind in the house. I hear the tiniest of sighs from Catherine as we walk towards my car, so I give her hand a gentle squeeze. She feels it, and turns to look at me with a slightly forced smile on her face.
"Quit worrying so much," I tell her lightheartedly as I stop her next to the passenger door. I can tell she has mixed feelings about leaving Lindsey here, without seeing Chad, and with all the unknowns racing through her mind. I feel protective of Lindsey and I'm not even her dad, so I know Catherine worries ten times as much as I do.
Catherine laughs a little to herself and looks down before meeting my eyes again. "I'm her mom. It's my job," she tells me as I open up her door.
"She'll be fine. She's got Ryan with her, and she knows to call if things get out of hand," I tell her, fully believing what I say. There's just something about this Ryan kid that assures me that if Lindsey's with him, she'll be just fine. If you looked up responsible in the dictionary, I'm sure a picture of Ryan would be pasted right there.
As we drive to the restaurant I keep catching myself looking at Catherine, staring at her, and I can't tell if she's noticed. I'm on my way to a date with Catherine Willows and the gravity of that is finally starting to set in. I remember just a few nights ago I was wallowing in my own self pity in a casino, drinking away my loneliness while I thought about her. Now she's sitting in the car next to me, smiling. Somehow I keep getting the feeling that she's as happy about this as I am.
We're about four blocks from Tonio's Italian Bistro when I finally work up the nerve to take my right hand off of the steering wheel and close it around hers. Much to my pleasure I don't feel her pushing me off. Instead she flips over her hand and laces her fingers with mine.
"Cath," I start to say something but all of the compliments that I have floating around in my head seem to get mixed together and the teenage version of myself comes out. All I say is a bunch of unintelligible crap. I'm a college grad, and suddenly I can't seem to form a simple sentence. I'm pleasantly surprised when Catherine doesn't try to snake her hand away, and doesn't try to make a run for it when we pull up to the restaurant and get out.
When we arrive in the restaurant, the waiter seats us promptly at a semi-private booth off in the far side of the restaurant. The table is dimly lit, and a live jazz band is playing softly on the other side of the room. The whole feeling of the restaurant is intimate and romantic. It better be for forty dollars a plate.
I just hope I don't mess up on any of the fine dining rules my grandmother tried to instill in me. Don't order for her. Let her pick the wine. But all I can focus on at the moment is the beauty of the woman sitting across from me peering down at her menu. I admire her beautiful neckline as she tilts her head to the side to look at the food choices, and the way she mindlessly toys with one of her earrings as she thinks. She glances up at me a moment later, catching me staring at her again. Just like Lindsey, she takes it in stride.
"You're staring, Warrick," Catherine points out boldly as her eyes skim over the appetizers. The way she says it so casually, like she's just ordered a drink, takes me back and makes me chuckle to myself. I hope the dim lights are hiding my embarrasment. I clear my throat a little and reach my hand across the table to link with hers again as an offering, hoping she'll forgive me.
To my pleasure she holds my hand again. I feel her thumb play absently at the back of my hand though she doesn't look up at me. I can't help but wonder what she's thinking about or if she's laughing at me on the inside. I'm just so nervous that I'm going to blow it. I've wanted to do this with her for so long.
"I'm thinking about having the Eggplant Parmesan," I tell her absently. "My grandmother used to make an eggplant parmesan that was to die for. The head chef here, Gino, is Grams' best friend's grandson so the recipes are really similar. By the way Gino's going to hook us up with appetizers and wine, so order whatever you want."
I honestly don't know if it's a faux pas to tell the woman you're on a date with that you've got connections at the restaurant or not but knowing that we were friends after all makes me feel better. I relax a bit more as I realize that she already knows me, probably better than I know myself, and she's still here with me.
"And by the way," I finally have the nerve to tell her. "I was staring. You look stunning."
Our eyes meet and she smiles warmly at my compliment. I'm sure she gets told that all the time, on every date she's ever been on, but she doesn't let it show. She looks down a little modestly just as the waiter arrives to take our orders.
Cath orders my suggestion of Eggplant Parmesan, along with a bottle of wine for both of us, and soon the waiter has left to put in our orders. Now with nothing else to focus on, no menus or wine lists, I feel my nerves hitting me again. I'm so afraid I'm going to say something stupid again and she'll realize how amazing she is and call off the date. Seriously – what have I ever done to deserve a date with this gorgeous, amazing woman?
"So," She smiles knowingly, perhaps sensing my nervousness. We talk all the time at work; we've been friends for years; but now that we're alone on our first date, I can't seem to decide on anything suitable to talk about.
"So," I beam at her, clasping one of her hands in both of mine on top of the table. I guess I feel so nervous about talking to her because this is so formal. Hanging out as friends was always casual and laid back, and now that I finally have my chance I'm freezing up. I soon learn that I have nothing to worry about, though, because Miss Catherine Willows is a master of conversation and putting people at ease. Don't get me wrong – she can put you in a really uncomfortable spot if she wants to – but she can also make you feel so unbelievably relaxed. That's just one of the things I absolutely love about her.
"So your grandmother knew the family that runs this place?" She asks me and I nod affirmatively. I think that she did it to remind me of everything my grandmother taught me and to remind me that I was still on my own territory, and that I was still with her. "You know so much of my family and my life is rooted here in Vegas sometimes I forget that I was a Montana rancher's daughter growing up."
I smile at her, wanting to tell her I know the feeling, but I don't. I've lived here my entire life. I actually only moved out of the neighborhood I grew up in maybe four years ago. "Yeah but you learned a lot doing that that I'll never know. Like how to ride horses and I'm sure it was gorgeous growing up on a ranch."
"It was," she tells me, her eyes glowing with the memory. "There's something about living on a horse ranch that can take your breath away. But... I live for the city."
"Yeah?" I ask her, and she nods affirmatively. I've only ever known Cath as a 'city girl', and truthfully, I have a hard time picturing her riding horses, living on a ranch. I'm curious to get to know this other side of Catherine – a side that probably none of her friends in Vegas know. I narrow my eyes a little, as if sizing her up. "So, you know how to ride a horse, huh?"
Catherine is in the middle of a sip of her glass of water when I ask her this in a slightly teasy voice. She chuckles a little as she swallows it down, then glares at me playfully. "What, you don't think I look like the horse-riding type?"
"No, no." I smirk and try to backtrack a little. We're actually having a really nice time, despite my sudden date fright. "I've just never seen you do it before, and I don't even know how."
"Well…" She now takes both of my hands in hers, gently rubbing the outsides as she smiles a little to herself, and then takes her voice down a bit lower. A bit more seductively, may I say, "I happen to know just the right person who could teach you how to ride a horse."
My jaw must have dropped down to the floor. I manage to compose myself a few moments later, clearing my throat and wetting my lips, willing to play along with her little game. "Oh yeah?" I ask her softly. "And who might that be?"
She lets one of her fingers run up and down the back of my hand, down to my watchband before her eyes meet mine. "Nicky."
I can't help but laugh at her comment as cruel as it was. The very prospect of Nick teaching me how to ride horses makes me a little sick in the pit of my stomach, especially considering the dirty tone of the things I was thinking.
I settle back on my chair a bit and give her a look like she'd just said the most disgusting thing in the world, but I can't even pretend to be mad at her. Giving her a wink I say, "Well I can't help but think I'd have a little more fun if you taught me the ropes." I'm almost nervous that I crossed a line by being flirtatious but that's the slant our relationship has had our entire lives.
"Well I might be able to do that for you," she says to me with a grin. "But I'm not sure where we're supposed to find horses in the city."
"I promise to find a place and take you sometime," I tell her, squeezing her hand. It would be an incredibly romantic outing and I resolve to figure out how to make it happen. "We might want to wait until the weather warms up a bit though."
The rest of our time at the restaurant seems to fly by, I'm enjoying myself so much. I can't believe how nervous I was that I wouldn't have anything to say to Catherine besides unarticulate phrases. By the time dessert comes, we're laughing and having a great time, talking about everything from work, to family, to traveling we've done. I don't know how it is, that we can always think of something to talk about. Is it that right chemistry I've always looked for but have never been able to find? I'm not sure, but as I gently place my hand at the small of her back to lead her out of the restaurant later on, I can't stop thinking about how I wish I could spend every waking minute with her.
Catherine doesn't know about the second part of the date I've planned, but I think she gets the idea when she sees we're driving close to the Strip. I decided to take her dancing in one of the clubs for the rest of the evening. She's commented to me before about how much she loves dancing, but never gets the chance anymore with work and raising Lindsey by herself. From the look in her eyes, I can tell she's more than thrilled at the prospect.
I watch her put her hand on her chest in that stereotypical lady way as we slip through the door. "Oh, Warrick. This place is amazing." I smile at her and shift smile to kiss her cheek.
I lead her towards the club I've picked for the evening, another establishment run by a man I've known for years. This time, however, it's a guy I went to high school with. Actually, if memory serves me, I think I've known him since the fourth grade. We're greeted at the front door by my old friend himself.
"Warrick when you told me you were bringing a special woman tonight you didn't tell me she was going to be this gorgeous," he takes Catherine's hand in both of his and leans forward to plant a kiss on her cheek. "Bar's open. I told Jake at the bar that your tab's on the house for the night." Leaning next to me so that Catherine can't hear what he says next he lets me know that he's also instructed the DJ to play any songs I request.
"Shall we?" I ask my stunning date as I take her hand and pull her towards the dance floor. We start dancing, her body moving so sensually I have to resort to mind tricks to keep things from happening.
The first song is upbeat, and while there are tons of twenty-somethings dancing around us, you'd never know that Catherine was about twice their age. She has the most amazing way of moving that body of hers. The way she moves her hips could possibly cause me a heart attack. Somehow, my brain manages to send my muscles the message to dance, and somehow not look like a fish out of water. I'm not one to brag about my dancing skills, but I must say I have a few stellar moves in my repertoire. Everything I do, though, she seems to have a sexy response to, and it's not long before we're dancing close enough to start making out. Which, believe me, I'm thinking about.
After a couple songs, Catherine decides she wants a drink, so I lead her to the full bar, which is swarming with customers. I can feel some of the other guys' eyes on Cath, so I put my hand on the small of her back almost possessively, and let my thumb gently stroke back and forth as we wait. I'm not sure if my mind was playing tricks on me, but I could swear she's leaning back into my touch.
The club is booming with a melting pot of sounds – the loud base of the music pounding, people chattering and laughing, glasses clinking – so I have to lean right in to Catherine's ear for her to hear anything of what I'm saying.
"You know, I think you've got about every single pair of eyes on you tonight," I tell her, looking on towards a crowd of college-aged guys on the other end of the bar, all of which I've seen glance at Catherine at least once since we reached the bar. Catherine just chuckles and turns her head so her lips are next to my ear, and she puts a hand on my upper chest.
"They can look all they want, but the only pair I care about are those green eyes of yours, 'Rick."
Feeling especially daring, and perhaps so she doesn't see me blush, I shift my head so that my lips meet hers. At first I'm feeling a little reluctant but when I remember that I'm kissing Catherine Willows, I decide to make it a kiss she'll never forget. Running my hands up both of her sides slowly when I can't go any further I slide them across her back and onto the back of her head. Twisting her hair in my fingers I deepen the kiss.
Any worry I had about her pulling away quickly vanishes when I feel one of her hands go to my neck, and the other to my bicep. Her lips are working just as fervently as mine as we continue to share our first mind-numbing kiss. I've kissed my fair share of women, but nothing in my memory can compare to the effect Catherine is having on me now. Her scent, her lips, and…woah…her tongue…the combination is just mind-blowing.
After about thirty seconds of heated kissing, Catherine finally pulls back and just studies my face for a few moments with this satisfied grin. Then she bites her lip just a little, like she's just gotten to do something she's wanted to do for a long time. If she'd been thinking about that kiss for as long as I had, it had been years.
I reach up and gently move the piece of hair that had fallen between our lips with the tip of my finger. Allowing my hand to cradle her cheek for a moment I study her blue eyes. I've never gotten the pleasure of being this close to her without feeling guilty before and I drink in every aspect of this moment.
"You're so beautiful," I say to her, donning the deepest tone in my voice I could manage. When she smiles at me, almost blushing, I realize she doesn't understand how beautiful I mean.
Taking my other hand and shifting it so I was holding both of her cheeks in my hand I pull her lips towards mine and kiss her more deeply than I've ever kissed another human being. "I mean it Catherine. You're the most amazing woman I've ever known and by far the... sexiest."
Her sea blue eyes meet my green again, just gazing into each other's orbs. There's dozens of people around us, but to me, Catherine is the only other one in the room. I can see the raw desire in her eyes, probably matching my own expression. We've hidden our feelings for years, for lots of reasons, but tonight, it just feels like everything is falling magically into place. I need to feel closer to her. Closer than being in this club will allow.
As if reading my mind, Catherine leans in to my ear. "We should get out of here." She gives my bicep a squeeze, as I feel her breath against my ear, my neck, my cheek, until finally our lips meet yet again. I kiss her lightly this time; tenderly almost, as I feel my body getting hotter and hotter with desire. Before I can respond to her, she clasps my hand and starts to lead me towards the door. It was all happening so fast, but I swear I could hear a few hoots and hollers from some of the people around us.
I tighten my grip around Catherine's fingers for a moment and I know it's because I want to show my possession over her to all of the other men in the room. I feel a little sick with myself that I want to show the other men that she belongs to me, but I've never been able to say that before. For tonight, and I hope every night after, Catherine Willows will be mine and I honestly couldn't be happier.
I step closer to her as we leave the building putting a hand on the small of her back as we walk down the road towards my car. We parked about a block up from the club because even though I got everything comped my friend doesn't like to give out free Valet parking. He only has so many spaces and they're a huge source of his revenue.
Holding the door open for Catherine I chuckle to myself as I watch her lean across the car to unlock my side after she's in. I remember watching a movie with my grandmother once, A Bronx Tale, and it had this test to see if your girl was a great one. If she leaned over to unlock the door, she's a keeper. I grin as I sit down in the driver's seat. I've always known Catherine was unlike any other woman.
Before I can even put the keys in the ignition, I feel Catherine's hand move my face towards her and capture my lips again in a fiery kiss. I quickly respond, moving my lips against hers fervently. Now that we're alone in the car, with no one else watching, and no music blaring, I feel like my senses are going haywire. Now I can hear her gentle moan as I deepen the kiss, and the barely audible smacking of our lips as we begin to make out like teenagers.
We're lost in yet another series of kisses when we both hear a ruckus of people passing by my car. We both pull away at the same time, breathing heavily, and Catherine tucks her hair back behind her ears. While we're having trouble keeping our hands to each other at the moment, the car was no place to get carried away.
"We should go back to my house. Lindsey will be out for a while, so we can be alone." She suggests. If she's ensenuating what I think she is, I'll be a very happy man tonight. I'm not sure if our hormones are getting the best of, though, and I want Catherine to be sure about all of this.
"Are you sure, Cath?" I ask her softly, looking into her eyes again. Catherine's eyes give me the only answer I need, as they practically smile back at me, and she squeezes my hand.
I turn the key and as soon as the engine revs up I hear the unmistakable ding of my fuel light coming on. Why hadn't I been smart enough to remember to fill up the tank before I picked Catherine up? "Looks like we have to stop for gas... sorry about that. Where's the best place between here and your house?"
Catherine looked like she was thinking for a moment before she spoke, "Go up Vermont and then take Free all the way to the light. The Exxon up there's always pretty cheap. Plus they have these killer smoothies there. Lindsey and I stop every day during the school week."
"The strawberry jammer smoothies," I say remembering them from my youth. They used to be sold at this convenience store about two blocks past my middle school. I loved those things. "Yeah, I remember those. I used to eat them like every day, too. I liked the strawberry kiwi myself."
"Well, I'm sold. Exxon it is," Catherine tells me. I chuckle a little and pull out of my parking spot. It's not long before I pull up to said Exxon station, though with all the anticipation that's going on, it feels like weeks have passed. Cath offers to go inside and get us the smoothies, but I insist on paying and tell her to stay in the car. After a heartbreaking total near forty bucks, I trudge inside to get the two smoothies and pay for the gas.
At this time of night, there's always an interesting variety of people in any given gas station store. There's drunk college frat boys, hippies, a few old fogies in there, scattered around. I grab two of the styrofoam cups and begin to fill one up, listening to the gentle whir of the machine as it spurts out the frozen, pinkish liquid. Just as I'm finishing the first cup, I hear a familiar giggle on the other side of the store.
"I'm NOT buying those. No WAY," I hear from about two aisles away. I quit filling my cup and turn my ear towards the direction of the girl who's speaking.
I'm about to approach the teens when I overhear more of the conversation. The older boy's low voice says, "C'mon Lindsey. You told me you loved me... I just wanna keep you safe."
Though I feel guilty for having the desire to eavesdrop on Lindsey I really can't help but wonder how she's going to handle this situation. I understand that she's only fifteen but I'm here and I can step in if the situation starts to call for it.
"We... don't have to use them right away?" I hear her voice ask shyly.
I hear the other kid sigh in annoyance. I can tell it's not Ryan's voice, though I'm fairly certain that I see the top of his head over the aisle. I'm fairly certain it must be that Chad punk I had that unfortunate meeting outside Catherine's house with. And if my hearing is correct, that Chad punk is trying to persuade Lindsey to have sex before she's ready.
"Seriously, Linds?" He questions in a tone I sure as hell don't like. "How much longer do you need?"
My jaw drops, and I'm about ready to go over there to throttle the kid, but I think Ryan may beat me to it. If Chad thought that a good guy like Ryan was just going to stand back and watch him pressure Lindsey into something she didn't want to do, he was dead wrong.
"Are you deaf, Chad?" I hear Ryan stick up for my favorite girl. "She's not ready, so just drop it." Ryan tells him firmly. Ryan's such a mellow kid, I never knew he had such a voice in him. I guess when a situation calls for it, anyone can find a voice.
"Listen up you little punk," I hear the older teen, Chad, say, followed by the unmistakable sound of ruffling clothing. "You're only out with us because Lindsey felt guilty about what she said to her mom and offered to babysit you as a favor. You actually think she wants to spend time with you?"
I hear more shuffling around before there's a thump and someone falls to the ground. "You ought to learn to keep your hands off of people who don't want you touching them. And I'm willing to bet she doesn't want to be around you much right now either you horny dick head!" I catch myself before I actually start cheering.
As they say, boys will be boys, and in the next few moments, the shoving turns into a full-on fight between them. A moment later, I hear one of their bodies bang against the display and Lindsey begins to yell.
"Both of you stop it!" She yells futiley. Once a couple guys start fighting, no amount of pleading on a girl's part will get them to stop until someone's on the ground or gives up. I know I can't just let this go on right in front of me and not do anything. If I don't, Ryan will likely get the piss beaten out of him. Though his efforts were noble, he really has no chance against this Chad guy, and Sara would kill me if I just stood by and let her son get beaten to a pulp.
I cross the gas station in a few seconds and come across the pair wrestling, and Lindsey carrying on yelling, trying to get them to stop. "Hey, hey! Knock it off!" I hear my voice boom. For a second, I lock eyes with Lindsey, and I can't tell whether she's relieved or mortified to see me.
The two boys are keeping at it, so I reach into the ball of arms and legs and grab what I think must be Ryan's arm, because I know he'll be easier to pull out. After some pulling and pushing, I manage to free the two teenagers from each other, and they stare each other down, like two angry dogs defending their territory.
Look at you two, acting like animals," I say to them as I give Lindsey a look that tells her to go out and get into the car. She obliges a little reluctantly, sensing it wouldn't be wise to argue with me at the moment. "You ought to be ashamed."
"And you," I say to Chad. "You're what eighteen? Trying to take advantage of a fifteen year old girl sure as hell is a good way to piss of her mother's boyfriend... and kicking a fourteen year old boy's ass could land you in jail. Get the hell out of here. Now." Did I just call myself her boyfriend? Chad gives Ryan one last glare and he storms out the door.
"I-I'm sorry Mr. Brown," Ryan says to me as I usher him towards the front door. "He uh... he was trying to make Lindsey... well... I just didn't think it was right."
"It's Warrick," I correct the kid. "And I'm not mad at you. You might not have been very smart but what you did for her took a lot of guts. I don't know many kids your age who'd take on someone so much older. Just don't do it again, okay? We don't have to tell your mom and dad."
"Thanks," the kid says to me as he tries to straighten his clothes, obviously relieved. Knowing what I do of Sara and Alexander's parenting style, I just saved his ass. He watches me kinda warily as he follows me towards the door after we've paid.
"You too," I mention as we start walking closer to the car. "You know... for helping Lindsey."
Ryan nods, and beams a little bit. I know how good it feels to kick someone's ass who deserves it. Well, I wouldn't exactly say that Ryan kicked Chad's ass, but at least he didn't stand by and let Lindsey be taken advantage of. As I told Ryan, that takes guts.
As we near the car, I can already hear the sound of Catherine's worried voice questioning Lindsey inside. I'm sure Cath wasn't expecting to run into her daughter at the gas station, and she's wondering what the hell is going on.
"I hope I didn't get Lindsey in more trouble," Ryan mutters as we reach the car, his hands shoved in his jeans pockets.
"Nah, man. You just saved her a lot of trouble," I point out, though Lindsey may be thinking right now that facing her mother is the most unpleasant task on Earth. Ryan sighs and opens the back door behind the driver's seat as I get in myself.
Lindsey seems to be in the middle of a slightly tearful explanation of what had occurred inside the gas station, and Catherine is holding one of her hands. If I know Catherine, what she's mostly concerned with right now is Lindsey's well-being.
"Lindsey, just calm down and breathe," Cath instructs her, running her thumb back and forth across the back of her daughter's hand. As Lindsey blubbers a little, upset about what had occurred, Catherine turns to me. "Warrick, what happened?"
"Uh," I start trying to figure out how to word what I have to say. "Well I was in there getting our smoothies when I ran into the kids. Uh... Chad wasn't exactly being a gentleman but from where I was standing it looks like Ryan had Lindsey's back."
"That's it," I hear Catherine saying. "Linds I know you like this guy, but I don't think you should see him anymore."
"Mom, that's not fair," Lindsey starts to protest but something stops her. I see her looking at Ryan for a moment, but I can't tell exactly what it was that stopped her from speaking. Finally, after a few more moments of pause she says, "whatever. Can we just go home?"
"Sure kid," I tell her as I start the car. "Ryan do you want me to drop you off before or after Lindsey and her mom?"
"Uh…whichever." He answers, not wanting to be any trouble, I can tell. "Whatever's easiest for everyone."
I nod and pull away from the pump. The car is dead silent apart from an occasional sniff from Lindsey. Obviously, I've never been a teenage girl, but I'm sure Lindsey is confused about all this and not quite sure what to think. As I drive towards Ryan's hotel, I keep stealing glances back at her, wondering what she's thinking. I know she's really into this guy, but why is she with him if he's been disrespecting her so badly? All I want is for Lindsey to be happy and healthy, and be with a guy who treats her right.
I pull up to the hotel Ryan and Alexander are staying at and I hear Ryan unbuckle his seatbelt as I come to a stop. "Um, thanks again for everything Mr…I mean, Warrick. I appreciate it." He tells me politely.
"Not a problem, man. Just make sure you stay out of trouble from now on, alright?" I turn my head to the side as he gets out.
"Yeah, I will," he promises me, then pokes his head back in to say goodbye to Lindsey. "Uh, for what it's worth…thanks for inviting me along."
Lindsey sniffs a little and nods. "Thanks for sticking up for me. I'll see you around."
The rest of the car ride goes silently. Lindsey's sobbing has subsided and the angry glares she'd been shooting at Catherine and I seems to all but die out. As I pull into the drive way I feel Catherine's hand on my leg as she looks at me. I can tell she's asking me to come inside. Once we're in the living room Catherine excuses herself to go up stairs and change into something a little less constricting. I'm grateful for the opportunity to talk to Lindsey alone.
As soon as her mother is out of sight I take a deep breath and speak to the teen. "Lindsey, look I get that you're pissed at me for getting in the middle there but... I'm never going to be able to sit by and let something like that happen to you."
"Nothing was happening to me," Lindsey told me, though it was more out of an attempt to calm me down than anger. "I'm pretty good at taking care of myself and I can handle Chad. It's not like he was going to jump me right there in the Kwik-Stop."
"Lindsey still," I tell her, trying to make her see eye to eye with me. "You're fifteen and you shouldn't have to think about that stuff if you don't want to. No matter how old you are or the guy is... he needs to respect you."
Her arms are still crossed scornfully across her chest as she closes her eyes and barely shakes her head from side to side in disapproval, as if she thinks I'm wrong about so many things she doesn't even know where to begin. It's frustrating trying to help someone who doesn't think they need to be helped. I wish there were some magic words I could say to get her to see what a prick this Chad guy really was.
"Yes, I get that Warrick," she replies a bit defensively. None of the Willows women like to have their intelligence questioned in any way, I've found. "What you and my mom don't seem to get is that maybe I wanna be with Chad, and that's my choice, not yours."
"Lindsey," I begin, "it's hard to see things that are going on when you're in a relationship. From the outside, it seems like Chad doesn't respect you, and he doesn't care what you want. I just want you to be careful, Lindsey, alright? Don't put up with him if that's what he's like."
Lindsey's tongue has been poking around the side of her cheek in thought while I speak to her, contemplating my words. She has to know deep down this guy isn't good news. I know you sometimes have to let kids make their own mistakes and learn from them, but not when it comes to this. I cannot, and will not let this Chad guy ruin her life.
"Whatever. It's not like Mom's gonna let me see him anymore anyway."
"Linds I know you're feeling a lot of things right now and you know... that's totally okay," I tell her knowing that these things were hard at any age. "Just try to see where your mom's coming from with that one. From the outside this just doesn't look good. She loves you Linds, really."
I can see that Lindsey is trying as hard as she can to help make her relationship with her mother get better. I've seen the dramatic change they've made in just a few days but I also know that the lively and violently passionate teen is lurking beneath the surface.
"You know what I want?" She questions me. "I want a mother who trusts me enough to realize that I can decide who I want to be with for myself. I don't care how it looks, Chad's a good guy. I just wish Mom would take the time to get to know him rather than trying to get between us."
I hear a door open upstairs and know Cath must be done changing, and my one-on-one time with Lindsey will soon be over, so I need to get in the last word and make it good. "Alright, Lindsey. If Chad really is a good guy, then I'm happy for you. But what I need you to do in the next few days, is think really hard about this guy. You need to think about what your relationship is really like. Honestly think about how he's treating you. If he puts you down, or pressures you into things, I think you know that's not a good sign, Linds." I raise my eyebrows at her a little, hoping I'm getting through to her. "And remember. Your mom is here to help you and protect you, not to ruin your fun. Alright?"
I'm fully prepared for her to start battling back, but I'm pleasantly surprised when she agrees. "Okay." She says without a hint of argument or attitude, as her mother reaches the bottom of the stairs.
"Alright," I give an approving nod, and step forward to bring her into a hug. She allows it, and I embrace her for a few long moments. "You take care, and think about what I said." I tell her gently. She nods into the hug as Catherine stops next to the counter and watches the end of our exchange. I release Lindsey a moment later and sigh as I look at Catherine.
"Well, I'll head out to give you two some privacy." I gather up my car keys from the counter and look at Cath. She follows me to the door and as I'm stepping over the threshold she stops me. A hand firmly on my forearm she pulls me towards her and leaves me with just one more kiss.
"I'm sorry things got cut so short... we'll have to make up for it next time." She whispers in my ear. Not a half hour ago, we had plans for a little romancing when we arrived back, but I don't feel disappointed at all, because I think I was right where I needed to be at the right time.
