Chapter 11

The war ravaged us all. It was like a monster that took hold of us by our throats and ripped till it felt no more. It hurt… so badly. I needed to express that hurt, I needed to act upon it. Was that so wrong?

"Don't laugh at me!" Max snapped angrily, "You're married to my sister! I can… I can…"

"What can you do, Max?" Jude snickered.

"I…"

Jude laughed some more. Then he calmed down. "Fine, fine. I'm sorry. I'm very sorry for laughing at you Max, it's just… Ok. I'll stop!"

"Good."

"Well, if she doesn't like you, just don't talk to her."

"But I like her."

"Max, you can't sleep with every wom—"

"I didn't mean it that way! I like her like I like Lucy."

"As a sister? And you're angry that she won't be your sister?"

"No, I'm just angry that she flat out refuses to get to know me."

"Liar. Your ego is wounded."

"Yes! It is! And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!"

"Fine then. Be nice to her, and apologize—"

"For what?"

"Your behavior."

"Jude."

"What?"

"You're a terrible councilor."

"I try man, I try."

"Where's Lucy, anyways?"

"In Sadie's room, with her and Prudence."

"Damn… Do you always know where she is?"

"Yes… she always knows where I am, too."

"What are you, each other's stalkers?"

Jude rolled his eyes and got up for the kitchen. Max was annoying when he was bothered about something. He wanted to meet this Valerie McKenzie. She must be a very intelligent woman.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As it so happens, the next day at work, Lucy met her.

"Hi there." She said with a wave. "I heard you were new. Valerie, am I right?"

Valerie nodded, smiling slightly.

"I'm Lucy Carrigan." She paused, as though something were wrong.
"Feeney. I meant Feeney. Sorry, just got it changed three months ago."

Carrigan… that sounded familiar. Actually, it sounded really familiar… she wouldn't ask questions. Besides, she liked this Lucy. "Marriage?"

"Yup."

"Congratulations."

"Come on," she told her. It was lunch, and Valerie had been prepared to go out and eat by herself as usual. "Eat with me. You must be bored, all by your lonesome."

Valerie snorted. "A little. Where do you work?"

"Recording."

"Ah… that must be interesting."

"Sometimes… sometimes the musicians are just ass—butt-holes, though."

When was the last time she'd heard the word butt-hole? A long, long time.

"I'm trying to watch my tongue." The other woman explained sheepishly. "I've spent way too much time with my brother lately."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. My sister's awful." They had reached the art studios. Lucy pushed the door open to one of them, where several people were assembled. There was a woman with long curly hair, and a short Asian one, and three men…

And one of them was the one who'd shown her to her office… the one who'd tried to ask her out their first five minutes of acquaintance… what was his name? He kind of looked like Lucy, too, now that she thought about it.

Carrigan.

"Everyone, this is Valerie." Lucy said grandly. Valerie blushed under the scrutiny.

"This is Sadie," Lucy went on, and looked at the curly haired lady. Valerie stiffened lightly at seeing her boss. "Hi, Ms. Edison…" she murmured softly.

"Psh. I'm Sadie here, kid. Besides, I never was one for formality."

"And this is Prudence." Lucy continued, pointing to the Asian woman. Prudence smiled and waved; Valerie returned the gesture.

"Jo-Jo," Lucy nodded towards a tall, African American man with a guitar in his hands. He looked up. "Hello, Valerie."

"Jude," Lucy pulled the man towards her slightly and made him and Valerie shake hands. By the way he looked at her, Valerie figured he was Lucy's husband.

"And my brother, Max. The one with the potty-mouth."

"Ah… we've already met." Max said a little timidly. She hadn't thought it was possible for him to be timid.

"Oh. Well, you'll get to know each other a little better, then."

They sat down cross-legged on the ground for lunch. Valerie didn't talk much; Lucy bantered with her husband and brother back and forth, laughing occasionally, but always with a smile on her face. Prudence joined in occasionally, as did Sadie and Jo-Jo.

Max turned to look at her suddenly, and Valerie stiffened.

"So, how's work so far?" he asked her politely.

"Fine." She said awkwardly. "It's… really great. That's why I took the job." She added.

"Oh… Err… did you find everything alright?"

"Yup."

"Neat."

"Yeah."

Awkward silence between them.

"Listen, sorry about the other day…" he began worriedly.

Valerie crimsoned and shook her head. "No, its fine. I'm a little paranoid, that's all. Not your fault."

"No, I was really…"

"Forward?"

"Yeah. Sorry about that."

"No, its fine, really. I overreacted."

"So we're good?"

"Yeah. We're good."

"So how long've you been in the business?"

"Four years, almost." She reflected on this with a little amazement. "You?"

"Two."

"Oh. I'd have thought a little longer."

"Well, I helped Sadie start the company… she was my landlady. Wait. She still is."

"Does she still rent out apartments?" She was getting a little tired of her sister's place, and she'd been meaning to move out…

"Actually, she rents a room, in a penthouse."

"Oh."

"But if you don't mind sharing a house, I think there's one room still left. Prudence doesn't live there anymore, neither do Lucy and Jude."

"Why'd they move out?"

"No mirror in the bathroom, parents coming to visit...And, you know, in the throws of young love…"

Valerie snorted, briefly glancing at the couple, who were now talking in hushed voices in the corner of the room.

"They've been like that all month now." Max shook his head, "No idea why."

"Maybe she's pregnant." Valerie threw in mindlessly.

A look of shock passed over Max's feature, then a look of awe. "How… I haven't been able to figure it out for a month now, and you…"

"I was just putting it out there!" she said hastily. "I didn't mean it. Maybe you should just ask her."

"Are you kidding? You don't ask Lucy questions like that. She either tells you, or she doesn't. If she doesn't, and you ask, she shoots you alive."

"Oh." Valerie grinned. "Then ask Jude."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Jude?" Max muttered, taking a puff of his cigarette.

"Yes…" Jude didn't even look at his brother-in-law. He was in the midst of sketching yet another apple.

"Are you having a baby?"

"What…"

"I mean, you and Lucy. Is Lucy… you know..." He looked wearily towards the couple's bedroom. His sister was sound asleep.

"Pregnant?" He whispered.

Jude's eyes widened. "How did you find out?"

"I guessed." He lied. "She's been eating a lot of ice cream lately."

"Wow."

"So she is?"

"Yes."

"Holy… you didn't."

"Max, stop being obscene."

Max rolled his eyes. "You're too well brought up, little British boy."

Jude smacked him upside the head, just as his mother came in with a few grocery bags.

"Hi, Mrs. Feeney." Max said nicely.

"Hello, Maxwell… Jude, have you seen Lucy?"

"Asleep."

"It's nearly twelve... She's been sleeping a lot. And I hate to say it, dear, but your wife's been putting on some weight. She was so slim…"

"Well," Max said defensively, "She's preg—"

"Pragmatic!" Jude said quickly over his friend, giving him dirty looks.

Max, ever so slightly dense, "A little, but she's also pre—"

"Pretty!"

"Jude," Mrs. Feeney said firmly, "I didn't mean anything when I mentioned her weight. She looks a little healthier now, that's all. She's still very pretty and pragmatic."

"No," Max said a little irritably, "she's pregnant, damn it."

"Maxwell, you know I don't like it when you swear in this house." Mrs. Feeney scolded.

"Sorry, Mrs. Feeney."

"And—what did you say, exactly, Love?" her eyes widened a little. Jude's head slipped onto his charcoal drawing. Lucy would kill him.

XXXXXXXX

"Lucy!" Lucy's eyelids fluttered open, and then closed again. Good Lord, she did not want to wake up. That child was making her feel once more, and if she got up, she was almost positive she'd start throwing up.

"Lucy, Love!" Mrs. Feeney squealed excitedly. "Oh, congratulations! Why didn't you tell me? I'm so glad! I must extend my visit!"

She would kill him. She would take Jude by the throat and shove his face in the toilet and make sure he drowned in her own vomit before she let him out again…

No, of course she wouldn't. She would make him sleep on the couch though.

"Mrs. Feeney, that's very kind of you, but—"

"It's nothing at all dear, nothing at all."

"Mrs. Feeney, please—"

"Mum," Jude said mercifully from the doorway, "I need help in the kitchen."

Lucy shot him a sleepy glare and turned her face away from both Feeneys.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Her fourth week at Strawberry Jamz, Max offered to drive her home, since she usually walked—and as it was pouring, and she had forgotten her umbrella, she couldn't really say no. Lucy was sick that day, so she and Jude had stayed home, or else it would have been a tight fit in the small blue vehicle.

"Thanks again for the ride." She mumbled awkwardly.

"No problem."

They sat in silence for a while, till Max got to a red light.

"So… did you ask?" she inquired sheepishly.

He grinned. "Yup."

"Well?"

He pressed the gas pedal, that grin still plastered on his face, "Hold your horses, Miss McKenzie. I never said I'd tell you."

"That's not fair!" she said indignantly. "I'm the one who suggested you ask Jude. I'm the one who suggested pregnancy to begin with!"

"Which is why I'm going to tell you anyways."

Mollified, Valerie leaned back against her chair once again. "You'd better."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Come on!"

"Fine!" he laughed at her obvious suspense. "She's pregnant."

"I knew it!" she exclaimed triumphantly. "Ha!"

"Yeah, fine. Be that way."

"I will."

"You are."

"So what?"

"Nothing at all, Miss McKenzie."

"Mr. Carrigan."

"This your street?" he gestured to a turn in the corner.

"Yes, that's it."

"Very well, Miss McKenzie." He said in a faked-up version of Jude's Liverpool accent.

"Mr. Carrigan, please stop at the stop-signs."

"There was no one there, McKenzie."

"There could've been." She retorted

"In which case I would've stopped. Which I'm going to do now, because I believe this is where you get off?"

"Yeah…" she said, all awkwardness again.

"See you then."

"See you, Carrigan."

"McKenzie."

"Maxwell."

"Valerie."

"Won't your sister wonder what's going on?"

"Oh, duh, of course… Bye then." She opened the door and got out slowly. When she was out, she was instantly plummeted by the water bullets of New York's grey sky. She ran to the apartment door, and as she did, she heard Max call out "Can I drive you back tomorrow?"

"I won't be raining!" she shouted back, having stopped halfway there.

"It doesn't matter!"

"Ok!" she smiled and ran to the building, hurrying to unlock it. She shut the door and leaned against it panting and wet. Then she began the climb up the stairs to her sister's apartment.

Anna was sitting in a rocking chair in the nursery, feeding her baby, Heath.

"You didn't walk home, did you?" Anna murmured, swaying the child a little.

"No, a friend drove me home."

"Who?"

"A friend."

"That answers loads of questions, Ria."

"Well, that's how it is."

"Was it a guy? Is that why you won't tell me? Do you like him?"

Valerie turned a bright shade of red. Not because it was true, but because of her sister's too-quick assumptions.

"It was a guy. But that's why I won't tell you. It's because I know you'll pick and bother me about him till I don't want to see him anymore. 'Night, Ann." She said abruptly, exited from the door and headed towards her room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lucy stood over the toilet once again, this time with Valerie holding a wet towel at the ready.

"You'd think it would have stopped by now…" Lucy muttered.

"It'll happen occasionally. That's what happened to my sister, Anna."

"I'm really sorry about this…"

"It's fine."

"I will show you the place down stairs though, just as soon as this passes."

"I know you will. Here," Valerie gave her the towel, and Lucy wiped her mouth delicately. She looked down her belly was getting bigger every day, and the nurses and doctors had said her baby was healthy.

"Right. Let's go then." Lucy said firmly, "Before I start up again."

They traveled the short distance to the next floor down, and Lucy showed her friend the empty apartment.

"It's not to big, I know…"

"It's perfect," Valerie said a little breathlessly, from the excitement. "Besides, I don't think I could live in Sadie's flat. It's a little crowded."

"I know. That's another reason why we moved out."

"And the rent's not too bad, either…"

Lucy nodded happily.

"When can I see the landlord."

Lucy took a post-it out of her purse and scribble something on it. "Here's his phone number." She told the other woman, handing her the paper.

"Thanks, Lucy."

"No problem. So how's Max been?"

"Max? What do you mean? What about Max?" Lucy could tell the woman was panicking. She inwardly smirked.

"He's not being his usual pain-in-the-behind self, is he?" Always trying to watch her tongue. She knew it wouldn't do too much good for children if she was always swearing around hers.

"No, not at all!"

"Oh?"

"I mean… no. Really. He's been very nice."

"Oh. Ok. Well… that's… very… different, for Max, if you know what I mean." Lucy had also noticed that Lily had been his last girl before Valerie, and he hadn't had one since. And how long had it been? Nearly Four months now? Jude had to be right. Max had lost his mind.

"Is it?"

"It is."

"Ah."

"But don't let it bother you. I'm sure it's for the better." Just as long as he doesn't sing under her balcony.

"Ok."

They went upstairs again, and Valerie smiled and hugged her new friend. "Thanks for your help, Lu. I should probably go—Anna will wonder where I went to…"

"We could call her, if you like…"

"No! No, it's fine. I have to pick up a few groceries for her too."

"Oh, alright then. Come by any time."

Valerie smiled and nodded. "Bye then."

She left without further ado. She ran down the satirs excitedly, and ran full blast into Max.

"Ah!" he stopped her by the shoulders. "Whoa there, crazy lady."

She grinned. "Yeah yeah."

"So, d'you like the apartment?"

"I do, very much!" she said ecstatically. "Thank you for telling me about it, by the way."

"Yeah, I figured you wouldn't be all that comfortable at Sadie's."

She blushed a little. "Its not that, its just—"

"No, really, I've been thinking of getting out myself… I love Sadie and Jo and Pru, but I need to find my place sometime, you know?"

"Yes, I do." She murmured again, her cheeks reddening even more. "I should go. Anna…"

"I'll drive you." He told her, not bothering to ask and starting down the stairs.

"Um… Ok." She said a little dazedly, following him down. "But weren't you going to go see Lucy?"

"Its ok. She can wait."

"If you say so, Carrigan."

"I do, McKenzie."

"Thank you."

"Any time. You know," he said casually, opening the door for her, "if your sister says its fine, I can take you out for lunch…"

Valerie stopped halfway out the door. "I don't think so."

"Oh." His face fell a little. "Well, ok then."

"Listen, Max…"

"No, if you don't want to, it's really ok."

"It's not that I don't like you, honestly."

"Right."

"I just… haven't been out in a while."

"That's fine."

They walked to the car in silence, Valerie with her head down and her cheeks aflame.

"Max." she said quietly. "I really do appreciate everything you've done for me."

He was still quiet, driving absently, she thought. She didn't know what he would say, and she was really worried when she got out and he still wouldn't say anything.

He was about to drive away, but she opened the door again and briefly went in to peck him on his clean-shaven cheek. "Bye, Carrigan."

"Bye, McKenzie." He smiled slightly, which reassured her the slightest bit, she supposed. But his expression still bothered her.

She left anyways, walking slowly to her apartment door. He didn't drive away till she was safely inside, and even then he did it slowly.

"Valerie, I think the baby's sick. I'm going to take him to the doctor's, ok?"

"Yeah, go ahead. D'you need me to do anything?"

"No. Did you find an apartment?"

"Yeah. It's not too far from here, actually. About seven blocks."

"Oh, that's good." They stood awkwardly for a while. Then Anna took off with her baby for the doctor's.

Valerie stood there for a long time. She knew what she wanted—a friend, a certain friend she'd hurt today—she just didn't know if she should go get it.

Finally, she went to the phone and dialed Max's number, which she had gotten a while ago.

"Hello?" a raspy singer's voice said. It was Sadie, of course.

"Hi Sadie. It's Valerie." She sounded superficial even to herself.

"Hey there, Valerie. Hang on, I'll go get Max for you." There was a sharp call for the guy, and in a minute, he was taking the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi Max." she said softly.

"Valerie? What is it? Are you alright?" Why did he worry so much anyways? The only person he fretted like this about was Lucy, and the other woman was pregnant.

"I'm fine. I'm just very… I got hungry, just now. And there's no food."

She could hear the smile on his end of the line. "Gimme a minute, I'll be there."

"Thank you."