A week had gone by since Adam and Lita's little- or maybe not so little- argument. Nothing had gotten better between the two, but at least it hadn't gotten worse either. The redheaded woman had been avoiding the blonde man as much as she could and he just let her be and let her have her time. He didn't understand why she was so angry at him, but he wasn't going to say or do anything to add fuel to that fire. Lita had to admit to herself that she was acting like an immature brat, but that didn't mean she was going to admit it aloud.
Lita was alone in her apartment because it was the first time Ethan was going to stay with Adam. He went to stay with Adam the night before because she actually had to work the night shift at the hospital Friday night. She was off until Monday morning. Well, she was alone until Dawn decided to show up. The brunette hadn't said anything to Lita about her little episode last week... until now.
"So, can we talk about how much of a bitch you were to Adam last week? Specifically Sunday morning." Dawn asked which made Lita glare at her.
"I'm surprised it took you as long as it did to bring that up."
Dawn ignored her as she shifted a bit on the couch. "Why so bitchy lately? Are you PMSing or something?"
"Why so nosy lately?"
"Lately? I'm always nosy."
Lita rolled her eyes. "At least you admit that."
"See, I'm able to admit I'm nosy. It's not hard. Can you admit you were a bitch?"
"Shut up," Lita huffed. She was really annoyed with everything, more so at herself than anyone or anything else. She didn't know why she was letting anything Adam did get to her. That just made her even more irritated with herself.
"Li..."
Lita sighed. "Fine," she conceded, "I was a bitch." She left it at that.
"Why did you have to bring up Whorrie?" That was actually the nickname Dawn had given Torrie. She didn't like the blonde woman at all when she met her. It was obvious to her right away that Adam was just trying to get over Lita. There was no way he could have seen himself have a future with her. If he did, then he was really stupid.
Lita shrugged. "He was getting on my nerves. He was acting like he controls me, which he doesn't. And it kind of just slipped."
It took Dawn a while to say what she wanted to say next because she didn't want to say the wrong thing knowing how angry Lita could get at her. "Okay. I don't think he acted like that, but-"
"I think he did," Lita interrupted before Dawn could continue any further. "I know your nosy self heard the whole conversation."
"No I didn't," Dawn lied even though Lita knew better.
"He had no right to tell Chris I was busy when I sure as hell wasn't," Lita continued after Dawn's little interruption. "Why the hell did he even pick up my phone?"
"Because he thought it was his phone." Dawn rolled her eyes at the 'I knew it' look Lita was sending her way. "Fine, I was listening because, like we already established, I'm nosy. Actually, I was kind of afraid to get in the middle of you two. You two fighting, arguing, whatever, is scary." Lita said nothing, instead opting to find interest in her taking the nail polish off of her nails, so Dawn took this as an opportunity to continue. "Seriously, why are you so pissy towards him?"
"It's fun," Lita said still taking the nail polish off. "You should try it."
Dawn sighed. "Li, can you try being serious?"
"Fine," she finally looked back up at Dawn. "I don't know. It's not something I can control."
"So you are PMSing. Either that or you're jealous."
Lita sighed and rolled her eyes opting to ignore the first statement. "No. Yes. I don't know. It's just... I don't know. If it weren't for Ethan, I wouldn't even talk to him."
"Li-"
"What Dawn? I just... nothing. Whatever."
Dawn took that as a hint to change the topic... sort of. "So, did you call Chris back?"
"And once again, I'm surprised it took you as long as it did to bring that up."
"We already established that. I want an answer. Yes or no?"
"Of course you do," Lita muttered under her breath and continued the next part aloud. "No, I didn't call him, but he did call me again the other day."
"And?" Dawn asked a little too excited if you asked Lita.
"I was getting there before you interrupted me." Dawn arched a brow as to tell Lita to continue. "Um, he asked me out and I said 'no.'"
"What?! Why?!" Dawn interrupted her once again. "He was nice and it seemed like you two could hit it off."
"Calm down. I already told you that I wasn't looking for a relationship. And... and I almost did say 'yes.'"
"Why didn't you then?"
"Because I was acting like a teenager when I almost said 'yes'. I would have only agreed because I wanted to make Adam jealous and I'm not going to use someone for that."
"Like how you felt when you heard about Torrie?" Dawn suggested.
Lita just looked at her friend but said nothing. She really didn't know how she felt. She just knew she wasn't ready for a relationship and wasn't going to jump into something out of spite.
"So how are your headaches?" Dawn decided to change the subject because she knew Lita was not interested in it anymore and didn't look like she was going to continue talking about Adam. "Are you feeling better?" She knew that her headaches were back and she wasn't feeling well again lately.
Lita frowned at the thought of that. "Still here. All the damn time. It's been like two months, I think it's just stress headaches or something. No big deal. At least I don't feel like puking all the time. I think that's stress stuff too."
"Hm, if you say so." And then she added something else with a smirk. "If I didn't know you were single and didn't sleep around, I'd think you were pregnant." Lita rolled her eyes at that. "You and Adam didn't-"
"Shut up!" Lita interrupted glaring at her friend. Dawn got a little laugh out of that.
"You're going to the doctors," That was more of a demand than anything.
"For headaches?"
"Yes. You need to get them checked out just in case."
Lita rolled her eyes. "It's probably just sinuses like it was last time. Nothing to worry about."
"Then, go to the doctor and find out. I'm not taking no for an answer. If you don't go yourself, I will drag you."
"Will you leave me alone about it then?" Dawn nodded. "Fine. I'll make an appointment on Monday."
"Great! So what are your plans? First night without Ethan and you're not at work."
"I know. I rather be at work."
"Why?" Dawn asked. "It's a good thing you don't have the night shit tonight. Enjoy you're alone time. Speaking of," Dawn smiled as she picked up the bag off from the floor that she brought with her when she came to visit Lita, "here."
"What is that?" Lita asked as she eyed the bag.
"Open it and you can find out," Dawn said as she held out the bag to Lita who still didn't accept it. "Fine," Dawn rolled her eyes and sat the bag down on the couch beside her. "This," she said pulling out a set of books, "is for you to read since you're alone and actually have time."
Lita immediately rolled her eyes when she saw the trio of books in Dawn's hands. "I told you I wasn't interested in reading these books. Don't want it to be a repeat of Twilight all over again. And then you dragged me to all of the movies."
Dawn rolled her eyes in return. "Well, I promise you'll like these! This is for later," she said as she handed the trilogy of the Fifty Shades of Grey books to a reluctant Lita who took them from her and sat them down on the table in front of them. "And I'm so dragging you to the movies when they come out."
"Great," Lita started to mutter sarcastically. "I can't wait."
Dawn ignored her. "If you don't want to read books, then you can watch Scandal on Netflix. I'm telling you, it's so good. I'll give you my long-in stuff if you need it." She then turned her attention back to the bag. "This" she said after she pulled out the item out of the bag, "is for when I leave." She handed her a bath gift basket for which she could use for, well, a bath. "Take a relaxing bath and then you can read the books or watch Scandal. I know you want to read the books though." Lita simply rolled her eyes at that, but said nothing. "This is for later, or you can have a glass while you're relaxing in the bathtub," Dawn said after she pulled out a bottle of wine from the bag.
"Thanks, you didn't have to, but thanks. I appreciate it." Lita smiled at her friend and the nice gestures she planned for her.
"The bag isn't empty," Dawn continued pulling out something else. "Chocolate! Chocolate and wine, perfect combo."
"Reminds me of college."
"Midterms and finals week," Dawn finished for her. "Both chocolate and wine are the same exact kind we used to eat and drink during midterms and finals and when we used to bitch and whine and complain about boys and everything else."
"Aw," Lita pouted. "Now I'm supposed to do this alone? Join me. Just for a bit before you have to go."
"Deal. It's five thirty, I'll leave at six. But the wine really was for you after you got out the bath."
Lita shrugged as she got up from the couch and walked over to the kitchen area. "A little change of plans." Lita got out two glasses and walked over to the living room area again and poured some wine for herself as well as for Dawn who opened up the box of chocolate. The two women then spending the next half hour reminiscing about the past.
Adam was glad that Lita let him keep Ethan with him over the weekend while she worked, she usually left Ethan with Dawn and Christian when she had to work overnight. She could have taken him back that morning when she came back from her shift, but she actually agreed to let him keep Ethan for the rest of the weekend without him having to fight for it. He was glad she easily agreed because he was sick and tired of arguing with her all the time. He sighed as he thought about that because he wanted to talk to her about keeping Ethan for a bit longer than just the weekends since Ethan seemed to be coping well with that. Maybe not right away, but soon enough. He had a feeling their couple of days free of arguing was probably going to end soon.
He took Ethan to a baseball game earlier that day which Ethan seemed to enjoy. It wasn't the little boy's first baseball game though since Christian told him he took Ethan to a couple of baseball games that summer. Ethan seemed to like the home team, the Tampa Bay Rays. Adam wanted to take Ethan to a baseball game and it just so happened it was the last weekend that the Rays would be playing since they didn't make to the post season. It also just so happened that the Toronto Blue Jays, his favorite team, were in town that weekend and he took Ethan to one of the games of the series. He saw how joyful Ethan looked and how much fun it looked like he was having and that in itself, made him happy.
Adam and Ethan decided to visit Christian after the game. Christian was looking after Brooke since Dawn wasn't there for the moment. He told Ethan who asked about her that she actually went to visit Lita. That's when Adam saw a frown on Ethan's face and he told him that he missed her and asked when he was going to see her again. Adam told him he was going to go home tomorrow, but if he wanted, he could take him there right then. But Ethan said he would wait until the next day and he went off to color with Brooke. Well, he colored while Brooke tried to eat the crayons.
He couldn't help but think about the conversation he had with Christian while the two children were coloring.
Christian noticed how Adam's mood had changed a little bit to an upset state when Lita's name was mentioned. "Why so glum? You were pretty happy until Lita's name was brought up."
Adam sighed. "Everything is so messed up between us. I told you about that argument, she's still pretty pissed off at me. I really don't know why. I mean, she hasn't said anything else, but I know her, I know she's still upset."
"Well, Dawn kind of heard your conversation with one another and just her own talks with Li, she thinks she's jealous of Torrie."
Adam shook his head. "I don't think so. I don't know. Maybe. But, she's not really the jealous type."
"Yea, but you left her without telling her anything, so maybe she thinks that you left her for Torrie."
"You know that's not true. Not even close."
"But she doesn't. When are you going to tell her the truth? That you actually did it to protect her?"
"She doesn't want to hear it. Every time I try to bring it up, she says she doesn't care and gets angry."
It was quiet for a moment with the two looking at the two children. Christian had to go over to Brooke a couple of times and take some crayons from her because she was still eating them every now and then. He came back and sat down next to Adam and asked him something that was bugging him for a while. "I'm about to ask you something and you have to answer honestly." Adam nodded. "Do you... do you still have feelings for her.
"I will always care about her no matter what," Adam didn't hesitate in answering.
Christian nodded and decided to ask him another question. "Do you still love her?"
This one was a bit tricky. "Honestly, I don't know. Like I said, I will always care for her, but... I do love her. I will always. Am I in love with her? I don't know. Possibly." Christian looked like he was about to say something else, but Adam interrupted him before he could say anything. "Can we just change the topic. This isn't something I really want to talk about."
"Okay." The duo started to talk about other things until Adam decided it was time for him and Ethan to leave about half an hour later. Dawn came back before they left and he really wanted to ask her how Lita was doing, but he didn't. Christian could tell he wanted to know, so he asked Dawn who said she was good and just missing Ethan. That's when Adam knew it would be a bit hard to convince her to have them figure something out where Ethan would be able to stay with Adam more than just the times when she had to work overnight.
"Did you have fun today buddy?" Adam asked as he got rid of those thoughts out of his head and got Ethan ready for bed after his bath.
"Yes!" Ethan replied with a wide smile with memory of the game. They were actually sitting in an area of the ballpark where Adam's favorite player from the Blue Jays hit a home run. Even though Ethan liked the Rays, Adam let him keep the ball. They even successfully managed to get the players autograph on the ball.
Adam smiled back at him. "I'm glad."
"Mommy says to say 'thank you' when someone does something nice. Thank you." Adam simply smiled in return as he tucked Ethan into bed. Ethan started giggling when he started to think about something else.
"What's so funny?" Adam questioned. "I want to laugh too."
"Mommy took me to baseball games sometimes. She is funny when she watches."
Adam knew that was the truth. Lita got so into it whenever she watched her own favorite team, the Atlanta Braves. They probably went to a Rays and Braves game when she was 'funny'. Adam always told her she was really crazy when she watched them. They actually went to two of the three games in a Braves and Blue Jays series when they visited her mom in Atlanta a month before he left. The Blue Jays won both games they went to. She was in a pissy and sour mood with him for a the rest of the day after the second game just because of that. She even accused him of putting a curse on the Braves. Even she realized how crazy that sounded after a while. He wanted to go to at least one of the Braves and Rays game when they played later that season in Tampa, but that was after he left, so that was impossible.
"So what story should I read you today?"
Ethan thought about it for a moment before he thought of something he thought would be better. "How did you meet mommy? I asked her once, but she said next time, but we always forget." He asked her when he started to ask her questions about if he had a dad and who he was. She wanted to answer all of his questions, but it hurt her to answer any of them. She was waiting for when it wouldn't hurt much, but she didn't think it was fair to Ethan. She just hoped he would understand one day.
"You want that as a bedtime story?"
Ethan nodded. "Please."
"Okay," Adam agreed as he started to tell Ethan the gist of it.
*Flashback- May 2005*
Adam just got off of the phone with Christian once he arrived outside of the restaurant, The Lodge. The other man told him that him and Dawn were running late and he should just head inside and wait for them at the bar and then they would go to the table when they were all there. He also told Adam that he wasn't sure if Lita was there or not yet. Adam was about to ask what she looked like so he could introduce himself if she was already there, but he could hear Dawn from behind telling Christian to hang up and hurry and some other stuff he couldn't make out.
He shut his phone and put it in his pocket before he got out of his car and walked towards The Lodge. He walked in and went over to the bar part of the restaurant as he waited for his best-friend and his best-friend's girlfriend. Christian and Dawn had been in a relationship for five months. And for some reason, they set up this dinner as a way to for him to meet Lita, Dawn's best-friend, and vice versa. He didn't know why they had to meet one another. Christian claimed that since Adam joined him down in Tampa two months ago, he hadn't really met any new people other than those at work and this was a way for him to meet new people even though it would just be Lita since he already met Dawn.
"Ugh!" He heard someone who sat down next to him at the bar groan. He looked over and saw it was some random woman with red hair. He liked that color and it looked really good on her.
"You okay?" Adam asked her.
"Fine, perfectly fine." Lita turned her attention to him and then realized something. "Sorry, I shouldn't be taking my frustration about my lovely best-friend out on you."
"Want to talk about it?" He suggested since he had nothing better to do.
"Why?" She questioned giving him a funny look.
He shrugged. "Well, I'm waiting on my friends and I don't know about you, but you don't seem to be with anyone, so it's a way to kill time."
"Right," she nodded. "Well, I don't really think you want to hear a random person complain about her annoying and pushy yet loving best-friend."
Adam chuckled. "I asked, so go for it. Sounds interesting."
"Okay then. Well, basically I'm supposed to meet my friend and her boyfriend here for dinner and for some reason they- wait, no- she wants me to meet his friend. Like why? She says 'Oh Lita, he just came from Toronto, he should meet new people.' And why do I have to be the new person he meets? Her boyfriend has a lot of other people that he knows from work and wherever else. So like why can't he meet them?" Adam was thinking he should introduce himself now, now that he knew this is Dawn's friend, but she wasn't slowing down anytime soon. "I know Dawn. She has an ulterior motive behind this. She has an ulterior motive behind everything and I do not appreciate it. I know she's trying to set me up with him and I'm not interested. Sure, we could be friends, I guess. But I don't want nor need to be in a relationship." She paused for a second so he was about to open his mouth to introduce himself, but she started to speak once again, looking away. "And she claims that's not what she's doing, but she forgets I know her so well. She even said, 'Sweetie, make sure you look nice today.' She even told me to wear this one outfit she brought for me specifically because she thinks- her words, not mine- that I look very 'hot' in it. And obviously, I didn't wear it. So not my type. And I ask her why and she says, 'Well, you never who you'll run into.' Bullshit. I totally know her. She knows I hate setups. The last time she did that, I almost killed her. He turned out to be an annoying creep." She looked back at Adam, taking a much needed breath after she finished. "Sorry, I didn't meant to bore you and complain like that. I never really complain to people I don't know, but Dawn makes me super crazy!"
Adam couldn't help it as a smile formed on his face. "I'm Adam. Christian's friend, Adam."
Lita winced. She just told Adam how she didn't really want to meet him and she didn't know why she was being forced. "Oh. Um, sorry. I just-"
"It's okay." He waited a beat before he added the next part. "You really think she's trying to set you up with me?"
"Oh God," Lita groaned. "Pretend I didn't even say anything."
"It's okay. I've met Dawn a few times. I know how she can be a little-"
"-On the crazy side." Lita finished for him. He nodded. "So, why did you move to Tampa from Toronto?"
"Christian moved down here because he found a job down here and we always talked about moving down to the states."
"Like it so far?"
"I guess. Weather's better."
"I bet."
"Ever been?"
She shook her head. "Nope."
"So, where are you from?"
"Atlanta, Georgia. Moved down here with Dawn after high school."
"How long have you two known one another?"
"Um, since we were eight. She moved down from New Jersey when her father got relocated. How about you? How long have you known Christian."
"We went to preschool together."
"Wow."
"Good, you've met already," the duo heard a familiar voice from behind them. They turned around to see both Dawn and Christian. "We're here so we can get a table now."
"Sorry we are late," Dawn started to say trying to hide the grin on her face. She was super happy it looked like Adam and Lita were getting along well. "Got held up with traffic."
Lita rolled her eyes at Dawn as the four were being led to the table. Lita pulled Dawn a little closer to her and moved over to the side while the two males were walking ahead of them. "I know what you're doing Dawn," she whispered so Dawn could hear and not the other two, even though they were now at the table and the two females were on one side of the restaurant, "And I don't appreciate it."
"Fine," Dawn whispered back. "But you have to admit he's gorgeous and you two looked like you were getting a long very well. I can sense a good future for you two."
"Oh my God Dawn! We just met. Calm down."
"So you think he's cute?" Dawn asked ignoring Lita's statement.
Lita rolled her eyes as she started to walk again towards the table where the two males were already. "He has a pretty cute smile."
Dawn stopped Lita in her tracks and turned her around so she was facing her, a big smile on her face. "Oh my God! You totally noticed his smile!"
"You're crazy. So what? That doesn't mean anything."
"I'm just saying. That's great! Oh my God! We could go on double dates all the time! It would be so much fun!"
"You really need to calm down. They're waiting, so let's go." The two then started walking back to the table again. "Sorry," Lita said as she sat down at the round table in between Dawn and Adam. "Dawn's a little crazy, as you two probably know." The brunette stuck her tongue out at the redhead who simply rolled her eyes.
The rest of the evening went well. Lita found out that Adam worked as an accountant at some bank. He found out she was in school working on getting her Master's in nursing while she was working at Tampa General Hospital. He cracked a joke that she couldn't get into medical school and become a doctor. She told him that joke was old and that he should find a new one. All in all, they got along pretty well. Dawn was surprised she didn't have to force Lita to give her number to Adam or demand Christian to tell Adam to ask Lita for her number. Lita thought Dawn looked like a little kid at a candy shop when Adam asked Lita for her number. She almost said 'no' just to see Dawn's reaction, but she liked Adam and thought he could be a good friend so she easily wrote in down for him. Within a week, Adam called her and asked her out on a date to which she accepted. She initially wasn't going to accept because she didn't know him well, but Christian did so she was sure he wasn't an ax murderer or something. Dawn bragged to her about how she knew she would end up dating Adam and she was right when she tried setting them up. Lita had told her to shut up and that she was lucky that she was interested in at least being friends with him so she wasn't going to say 'no' just to make a point to the brunette.
*End of Flashback*
Thanks for reading. Thanks for the reviews. I have mixed feelings about this chapter, but I've been working on it on and off ever since the last update and I don't know how to make it better. Anyways, hope y'all actually enjoyed it.
Happy New Year!
P.S. I really hate Fifty Shades of Grey. I do NOT recommend it because it sucks. I read like less than half the book before I totally gave up on it. Tried to give it another shot b/c my bestie loves it and recommended it, but nope, it's horrible. At least in my opinion.
