Chapter 25: The Road to Recovery
******Where we left off with Mac and Dick******
Dick's kiss left Mac reeling. Dick was looking at her so hopefully. Her heart ached. It'd be so easy to just say yes and throw herself back into his arms. She missed him so much. She put her hand on top of his that still cradled her cheek.
"Dick, I miss you, too. You're wrong when you say I don't need you. I do." She pulled back and his hand dropped from her face, but he wasted no time and grabbed her hand with it. "Being away from you hasn't been easy. It's been awful, and it's been hard," Mac confessed.
"Do you still love me?" Dick asked wistfully.
"Yes, I do," Mac admitted.
"Then why can't we be together? We belong together," Dick insisted.
Mac sighed. This wasn't easy for her. "I hope so, Dick. I really do because you are the one I want to be with. But not now. I'm not ready," Mac said sadly. She pulled her hand out of his, attempting to put some distance between them. "I'm sorry.
Dick looked crushed. Mac continued. "This isn't easy for me to even say, Dick. I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm just being honest. If things could break apart with just a little bit of pressure, things weren't as solid between us as we thought."
"I guess," Dick said, unsure.
"The way you reacted with Max showed a complete lack of faith in me, in our relationship. To turn to another girl after we broke up showed the same thing. You wouldn't have done that if a part of you hadn't given up on us," Mac said.
"I thought you didn't want me anymore," Dick said mournfully.
"That's what I mean, Dick. I gave up on you and pushed you away, and then you gave up on me and turned back to familiar patterns. I need to be able to trust you, to know you're always going to be there for me no matter what. And you need to believe in yourself more and have faith in us as a couple," Mac explained.
"How are we supposed to do that?" Dick asked.
"By not rushing into anything. By taking our time," Mac said.
"I want to make it up to you if you'll let me," Dick vowed.
Mac smiled. "I'd like that," she said.
"So what happens next?" Dick questioned.
"How about you walk me to the cafeteria, and we have lunch together?" Mac suggested. "We should spend some time together. Talk."
"Really?" Dick asked, smiling.
"Yes, really," Mac told him.
Dick grinned and pulled her close for a hug. She didn't resist but rested her head against his chest, taking comfort in his embrace.
******Wednesday Afternoon at The Sinclairs******
Lauren was very happy to be home. She felt better; she still had all her hair, and Mac was coming over.
"When is Mac supposed to arrive?" her mom asked.
"She said she'd be here after her last class around three," Lauren said.
"I called her mom and asked if they wanted to come over this weekend for a dinner party. Mac has plans Saturday, so we decided on Sunday," her mom shared.
"Can Veronica come?" Lauren asked.
"Yes, I'll tell Mac to invite any friends she wants. I'd like to meet her friends," her mom said.
"Madison hates Veronica," Lauren said.
"I'll talk to her. Don't worry. It'll be fine," her mom said. The doorbell rang.
"That's her!" Lauren said, excitedly.
"I'll get it. You stay put. You need to rest up this week, so you can have energy for the party," her mom said.
She went to the door and confirmed that it was Mac. She welcomed her in and shut the door behind her.
Mac smiled shyly at her. "How are you, Mrs. Sinclair?"
"I'm fine, Mac. I wish you'd at least call me Marilyn. Mrs. Sinclair seems too formal," she said to Mac.
"Okay. You should probably call me Cindy. My mom hates hearing people call me Mac. That's a nickname from school," Mac said.
Marilyn smiled. "Cindy's a lovely name. It suits you. Lauren is very happy you made time to come over. I know you're busy," she said.
"Not too busy. Since I broke up with my boyfriend, I have more time," Mac admitted.
"You were dating Dick Casablancas, right?" Marilyn asked.
"Yes. We dated about four months. We broke up a few weeks ago," Mac told her.
"I'm sorry," Marilyn said sympathetically. "Dick doesn't really seem your type.
Mac smiled. "Yeah, we were an unlikely couple. We became friends first. We took things slow. He made me laugh. Things really clicked with us."
"If you don't mind me asking, why did you break up?" Marilyn asked.
"I'm sure you noticed I'm pretty serious, and Dick is not. That seemed to make us perfect for each other. We seemed to balance each other out. But he got really upset when he found out about the switch. He didn't handle it well. I didn't handle his reaction well. I needed his support through all this, and I didn't feel like I was getting it. I broke up with him," Mac confessed. She didn't know why she was telling all this to her, but it felt nice talking to someone that wasn't really a part of their lives. With all that was going on with Lauren, she never seemed to find the time or energy to discuss the break-up with her mom. The fact that her parents loved Dick so much made it even harder to talk about him with her.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Marilyn said.
"We're talking now, trying to see if we can find a way to work things out," Mac shared.
"That's good. It sounds like you two were pretty happy until recently. You know the divorce rate amongst couples with sick children is higher than those with healthy children, and couples that lose a child split up more than they stay together. Couples don't always know how to handle tragedies or painful upheaval," Marilyn said.
"You and Mr. Sinclair seem close," Mac observed.
"Well, we are very different, so we react differently to bad news. Stephen immediately starts making a plan while I fall apart. He's my rock. Not once has he panicked," Marilyn said fondly. "You know when we found out about the hospital switch, I was a basket case. Stephen almost had me hospitalized. I felt sick that I hadn't known my own daughter; I blamed myself."
Mac was shocked at the direction that their conversation had taken. She didn't know if she was ready to hear this. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me. We should see Lauren. She's going to wonder what happened," Mac said, trying to get away from the revelation Lauren's mom wanted her to hear. Mac still didn't know what to call her or label her, even inside her own thoughts.
"She'll be okay for a minute. She's feeling a lot better. I think the bone marrow you gave her is going to work," Marilyn said. "But I want to tell you this. Please let me. Every time I look at you I can see the hurt, the questions," Marilyn said, her regret obvious. "I know you have a mother that loves you. I know you probably don't need another mother. But maybe we can be friends."
Mac smiled. "That'd be nice," she said.
"I'm sorry, Cindy, that we didn't fight for you. I want you to know that I never forgot you, not for one day. I love Madison, but the older she got, the more apparent it was to me that she wasn't my biological daughter. There was a definite disconnect between us. But Stephen loved her so much. From the moment we brought her home from the hospital, she was daddy's little girl. He couldn't conceive of giving Madison up. We almost split up over it. I loved Madison and felt guilty for wanting you. It wasn't an easy thing. Please don't think I didn't want you because I did," Marilyn said tearfully.
Her words and tearful assurance healed a tear inside of Mac that she didn't even realize was there. "Really?" Mac asked. She couldn't hide the note of hopefulness in her voice. She'd been so angry and hurt thinking her parents didn't want her, and they lavished such attention on an undeserving Madison.
"I know words and an apology can't make up for it, but I want you to know how sorry I am. I want you to know that we didn't reject you. We just never let ourselves think about what we left behind, what we gave up," Marilyn explained.
Mac wiped at her own eyes that were suddenly filled with tears. She suddenly felt very emotional. She had convinced herself that she didn't care. However, knowing that she had been wanted by the mother she had been convinced rejected her made her really happy. But she found that she didn't know what to say now to this woman that was her mother but wasn't. Finally, she said, "Thanks. I'm glad you told me that. It helps."
Marilyn smiled in relief. "Would it be okay if I gave you a hug?" she asked hopefully.
Mac felt uncomfortable, but she didn't have it in her to reject the woman who gave birth to her and was looking at her both desperately and hopefully. "Sure," Mac said, giving her a shy smile.
Marilyn stepped forward and held her daughter in her arms for only the second time in her life.
******Hearst Library******
Jason smiled in pleasure as he spotted Daisy sitting at a table taking notes from a book. He sat down in the chair next to her. She was so focused on what she was doing that she didn't even notice his presence. She had all that long, curly hair of hers pulled back into a ponytail. He had never seen her so serious or so focused. He watched her in a silence for a few minutes. Finally, he said, "Hello, Daisy."
Daisy turned and saw him sitting next to her. She knew instinctively that ignoring him would not make him go away. "Hello," she said simply.
"I was an ass," Jason said with a hint of a smile.
The smile pissed her off. "You were and you still are," she said dismissively. "Go away. I'm working here." She looked back down, determined to ignore him now that she said what she wanted to say.
"Will you please look at me," Jason insisted.
She sighed dramatically and threw down her pen. She sat back in the chair and crossed her arms. "Fine. You have my attention. What do you want?" she asked impatiently.
"I want to apologize. Really. I am sorry. I was teasing you and miscalculated. I didn't mean to make assumptions or to offend you," he said.
He looked sincere, but Daisy figured it was another ploy of his to catch her off guard. "Good to know. Now go away," she ordered crossly.
"Not until you forgive me," Jason said.
"Okay, you're forgiven. Now leave," she said annoyed.
Jason dropped both the smile and the attempt at charm. He leaned closer and looked at her. "I'm serious, Daisy. I am sorry. I'm sorry for being insensitive, and I'm sorry about your dad. I didn't know."
Daisy didn't know what to think. He seemed sincere, but guys like him know how to play women. But he was really hot, and it seemed important to him that she let it go. Call her shallow, but she hadn't much experience holding on to anger at guys that good-looking "Alright. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Don't make assumptions about me. You don't know me, and making clumsy moves will guarantee that you never will," Daisy warned.
"You're right. I don't. And you don't know me. I'm not just a pretty face, you know," he said with a grin.
She finally laughed, deciding to let go of her annoyance. "Okay, you've said your piece. I've got work to do. Go find someone else to sweet talk," she told him.
He flashed that charming smile at her and got up from the chair. "Fine. I'll go. But I really am sorry." He thought about asking her out to dinner but knew she'd say no. He was wrong about her last week, but for the most part, he knew women. And she was definitely not in the mood for flirting. "Maybe some other time you'll let me make it up to you."
She finally relented and gave him her own flirty smile. "Maybe sometime I will," she said. They exchanged looks without speaking.
Finally, Jason said, "Don't work too hard. I'll see you around."
She spared him a glance and then pushed him out of her mind. Guys like him were too intelligent and good looking, and they knew it. He wasn't manageable. She allowed herself a small smile. But she maybe could have some fun with him.
*****The Beach House*****
"Hey, Ronnie!" Dick said happily. He picked her up in a bear hug.
"What's got into you? Put me down!" Veronica ordered.
Dick put her down on her feet and grinned down at her. "I love you, Ronnie!"
"Logan! Get in here! Dick's lost his mind!" Veronica yelled.
Logan came into the room to see Dick grinning down at Veronica, and she looked exasperated. It had been a long time since he'd seen them like that. Dick had been in a very good mood the past few days. "What's up?" he asked.
"Dick is touching me, and he just told me that he loved me!" she complained.
"Are you putting the moves on my woman?" Logan asked in mock anger.
Dick came over and hugged Logan. "It's okay; I love you, too, dude!"
Logan looked at a laughing Veronica and patted Dick awkwardly on the back. "Good to know. Why are we being so affectionate today? What's going on?"
"Mac told me that she still loves me, and she wants to forgive me. She had lunch with me Monday after class and today, too," Dick shared happily. He had a huge grin on his face.
His happiness was contagious. Veronica and Logan both smiled. "That's great, Dick! She didn't tell me. I'm so happy for you both," Veronica said.
"Does this mean you're back together?" Logan asked.
"No, not yet. But she's talking to me, and she wants us to work things out," Dick shared.
"That's a good sign," Logan said.
"Don't get carried away, Dick. Lauren seems to be doing better, and Mac is in a better place. Don't push but keeping stepping up like you have been," Veronica advised.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to screw this up," Dick vowed.
"Good," Logan said.
"I will definitely be having some serious girl time this weekend. Mac's been holding out on me," Veronica said smiling. She was looking forward even more to the shopping trip this weekend.
******Thursday at Piz and Wallace's Room*******
Jazmin knocked on Wallace's door. He opened it and smiled to see her. "Hey, you!" he said happily. He grabbed her hand and pulled her inside. He gave her a soft kiss. "Hello," she said smiling in pleasure when he pulled away. "I miss you and wanted to see if you wanted to go out for dinner."
Wallace was pleased at her request. "I'd love to have dinner with you. I know we haven't got to spend much time together lately," he said.
"You can't leave yet. I need some help!" Piz complained.
Jazmin finally noticed Piz sitting on the bed with his guitar. "What do you need help with?" she asked.
"I'm trying to write a song, and Wallace promised he'd help," Piz said.
"That's not true. What do I know about song writing? I told you I'd listen and give you my unexpert opinion. I did," Wallace said.
"What are you writing? I'd love to hear it," Jazmin said.
"It's a song for Parker. Her birthday is next weekend. We haven't really been dating long enough for me to buy her something besides flowers or a CD or something equally lame. I thought she might like a song written for her," Piz admitted somewhat bashfully.
"Oh my God, that's the sweetest thing!" Jazmin exclaimed. "She'll love it. I would love to hear your song."
Wallace could see spending time alone with her quickly fading, so he suggested, "Why don't we leave for dinner and come back to see what he's got done? I can listen better on a full stomach."
Jazmin opened her mouth to protest, but Piz said, "It's alright guys. Go to dinner. When you get back, I'll play you what I got."
Wallace smiled in thanks and maneuvered Jazmin out the door. "So where do you want to eat?" he asked.
"It's a nice evening. I was thinking we could take a stroll to the Greek House that's on the edge of campus. It's been awhile since I've had Greek food," Jazmin said.
"Sounds good to me," Wallace said. He took her hand, and they walked out of the dorm.
"So are you feeling back to 100%?" Wallace asked.
"Yes, much better, and I finally caught up on my homework," Jazmin shared.
"I'm glad you're feeling better. I missed you," Wallace said.
She smiled. "I missed you, too," she replied. "Did Jay tell you that while you guys were away at your game, he gave Eli a key to our house to come check on me?"
"Yep. We stopped by his place before we went to the hospital to see Mac," Wallace said. "You know I love Veronica and will be glad when we become sisters. But your brother is a bit on the insane side when it comes to you and your wellbeing. I'll admit it's a little intimidating."
"Yeah. I know. I had something medical related that happened my senior year. It really freaked Jason out. He blamed himself and has been insanely protective ever since. That's why he had Duncan investigated," Jazmin shared.
"Why would he blame himself for you being sick?" Wallace asked puzzled.
Jazmin debated on how much she should tell Wallace. She did trust him. She stopped and faced him. "I'm not sure we've been dating long enough for you to know about my sordid past," she said lightly.
Wallace laughed, thinking she was joking. "Yes, I'm sure it's very tantalizing," he joked.
Jazmin decided she didn't want to rehash that particular memory on such a nice evening and instead said, "Did you know that Eli not only checked up on me, but he brought me soup that he made himself?" She correctly guessed that bit of information would distract him.
"What? He made you soup?" Wallace asked in disbelief. Then he laughed. "You're kidding, right? First, it was desserts and now it's soup. That's hilarious! He really is turning into Mr. Betty Crocker!"
"So you don't mind that another man came to see me when I was sick and brought me dinner that he prepared himself?" she asked. She didn't know why his lack of jealousy bothered her.
"Well, he's probably a slave to your beauty," Wallace said with a grin.
"What?" she asked, not sure how to take his comment.
Wallace let go of her hand and put his arm around her waist, tugging her close to him. He smiled at her. "You are a beautiful woman, Jazmin. Weevil's not blind. One smile is all it takes to render mortal men your slaves."
Jazmin laughed. "Okay, you insane flatter! That's enough. It's not true, but thanks for the compliment."
"If you want me to beat up every guy who becomes infatuated with you, I might have to borrow V's Taser. Besides, Weevil's a bit on the scary side," Wallace admitted with a grin.
Jazmin's annoyance at his complete lack of jealousy faded as she realized how ridiculous they both were. She got the giggles when she pictured Wallace attacking Eli with Veronica's Taser.
He laughed with her. "I do like you a lot Jazmin, and I just hope you like me enough to resist whatever offerings other guys throw your way," Wallace said. He couldn't resist adding, "No matter how good they or their grandma cooks!"
She shook her head at his silliness and grabbed his hand. "All this talk of food had made me hungry. Let's go before I decide to call Eli for directions to his grandma's house," she teased.
He flashed her a happy smile, and they walked toward the restaurant. Both of them were just relishing in spending time together.
******Saturday Morning at The Kane's Residences******
Veronica drove by to pick up Alicia early Saturday morning. "I'm so glad you invited me to go shopping with you and your friends," Alicia said warmly.
"Believe me, I'm the one happy you agreed to join us. An all day shopping trip isn't really my idea of a good time. I like shopping in small doses. But I'll love shopping for your wedding dress and Lily's flower girl dress," Veronica said.
"I'm so glad Duncan agreed to come and let her be a part of the wedding. I was afraid his parents wouldn't like him bringing her to Vegas. I can't wait to get her and Darrell's pictures together," Alicia said.
"Duncan has, fortunately, outgrown his desire to let his parents dictate to him. His probation with family services is up in a few months, which means he and Lily could move out if he wanted. I'm sure his parents don't want to rock the boat," Veronica speculated.
When they pulled up to the Kane's, Veronica saw that they were the first to arrive. Duncan greeted them at the door. "Ladies, come on in. Good morning," Duncan said.
"Good morning," Veronica said smiling.
"Thanks for letting us take Lily," Alicia added.
"Thanks for inviting her. She was so excited yesterday that it was all she talked about. Her and my mom looked at wedding magazines after dinner," Duncan shared.
"Really?" Veronica asked in surprise.
"Yes, I think mom's feeling competitive with you and wants to have something to share with Lily," Duncan admitted with a rueful smile.
"That's sweet of her," Alicia said graciously. "I'm sure it means a lot to your mom to have Lily so close and teach her about fashion."
Veronica tried not to laugh and was saved from being impolite by the appearance of Lily. "Wonnie is here!" she exclaimed happily and came running toward them. Although Lily was speaking better all the time, she still had some trouble pronouncing her r's. Veronica bent down and scooped her up in her arms.
"Lily, you need to thank Alicia for asking you to be her flower girl," Duncan reminded her.
Lily smiled shyly at Alicia from the perch of Veronica's arms. "Thank you, Aweesha for letting me be your flower girl. I's will be very pwetty," she said confidently.
They laughed at her declaration. "Yes, you will be," Alicia agreed.
"I'm glad you have her in a dress, Duncan. It will be much easier getting clothes on and off of her," Veronica said as she examined Lily in her blue sun dress.
"Have you eaten? Our cook laid out a breakfast for everyone. I figured at least one of you would be dragging and running behind," Duncan said.
"That's very thoughtful of you," Alicia said.
"Mac is definitely a night owl, so I know she'll be grateful. And Parker is very excited about you letting us borrow your limo and driver," Veronica stated.
"You said the limo. You never mentioned needing a driver," Duncan said pointedly.
"What?" Veronica asked in shock. Her heart stopped for a second. Then she saw Duncan's grin. "Oh, you!" She shoved him.
The doorbell rang. "Saved by the bell!" he exclaimed and grinned at her as he ran off to answer it.
It was Jazmin. Even though he knew she was coming, he still found himself surprised to see her at his house. They hadn't really had a moment alone together since they broke up. "Good morning," he said and opened the door wide for her to enter.
"Hi, Duncan. How have you been?" she asked, giving him a warm smile.
"Good, thanks. I'm glad you're feeling better," Duncan said sincerely.
"Thanks. I'm glad I'm feeling better, too," she said happily.
"Veronica is in the dining room with Lily," Duncan said. He started to walk with her there when the bell rang again.
"I remember where it's at," she told him with a small smile.
He gave her a regretful look as she walked away. The bell rang again. He turned and opened it. Parker's smiling face and Mac's annoyed face greeted him.
"Good morning!" Parker said cheerfully. She was definitely a morning person. Mac was definitely not. Duncan smiled at them. "Are you awake, Mac?" he asked her with a hint of laughter in his voice.
"No!" she said with a glare. "I don't know why we had to get up at the crack of dawn just to go shopping."
"Because Rodeo Drive is a few hours away as you very well know!" Parker said with a laugh.
"Everyone's in the dining room. Follow me and I'll take you there," Duncan said. Neither of them had ever been to his family home.
Parker and Mac found everyone sitting at the dining room table. Parker said hello while Mac headed straight for the coffee.
"Someone does not look happy to be here," Alicia remarked.
" 'Mornin', Mac!" Lily said, waving happily as she ate a bowl of cereal.
Mac mustered up a small smile and waved at her.
"Good morning, Sunshine!" Veronica said cheerfully. She knew from her semester rooming with Mac that it took her at least a full hour to function in the morning. More than likely she had waited until the last possible second to get out of bed this morning.
"Very funny," Mac replied sourly. She sat at the table across from Lily who was sitting between Alicia and Veronica. "Does someone want to explain to me the necessity of leaving so early?"
"Because L. A. is a bit of a drive, and we want to take our time. Neither Parker or Jazmin have never been, so we want to visit Hollywood Boulevard, too," Veronica explained.
"We could hit Rodeo Drive first. There are a lot of upscale dress shops. We can have a late lunch afterward and then go to Hollywood after we eat," Jazmin suggested.
"That sounds perfect!" Parker said excitedly. "Can we eat lunch at the Hard Rock Café? I've always wanted to go."
Her enthusiasm made everyone smile. "Fuel up, ladies. Hollywood awaits!" Alicia said.
Duncan caught Veronica's eye and signaled. She got up discreetly from the table. She followed him into the hall.
"I wanted to give you this," Duncan said, handing her a black American Express card. "Lily's in a 2T in most styles. Her shoe size is 5. Please don't let her get whatever she wants. Only what she needs for the wedding. My parents rarely say no to her, so I have to be the bad guy. As godmother you can help me with that." He smiled widely as she took the card.
"Fine. I can do that. I've had lots of practice saying no to Logan's spending tendencies," Veronica said.
"Can you also sneak and put whatever Alicia's gets for the wedding on the card, too?" Duncan asked. "I'd like it to be my wedding gift to her and to an extent your dad. My family still has a lot to make up for. You know my parents pay the bill anyway."
Veronica grinned knowingly. "You don't have anything to make up, but your parents…" her voice trailed off. "I'll be happy to charge Alicia's wedding dress. And lunch."
Duncan laughed. "Absolutely," he said, grinning.
*******The Limo Ride*******
Parker couldn't stop smiling. Riding in a limo was no big deal to Jazmin and Veronica. Jazmin came from money, and Veronica had dated Duncan and had been best friends with her sister. Mac was indifferent to wealth, but Parker thought it was exciting. She felt like a princess. Her home town was too small to have a limo service. Occasionally, someone went to nearby Denver for special occasions like prom. However, none of her prom dates could ever afford it. She hadn't minded; wealth had never been a big deal to her. It was a good thing she didn't know what she'd been missing.
"So what kind of dress are you looking for?" Parker asked Alicia.
"Something elegant but classy. Off white would be nice," Alicia said.
"What are your colors?" Jazmin asked.
"I don't really know since we're going to use a pre-decorated Vegas chapel," Alicia admitted. "Veronica, whatever dress you find that you like will be fine."
"We can look for Lily and I some matching dresses. That'll be really cute. Maybe in spring colors like pink or light blue," Veronica suggested.
"That sounds great to me," Alicia said.
"I's like pink!" Lily interjected from her car seat.
"You will be very pretty in pink," Mac said from the seat next to her.
"I look good in pink, too," Veronica said from her other side.
"I like you in blue," Mac said.
"Me, too," Jazmin said.
"I vote for pink," Parker said. That was one of her favorite colors.
"Yeah! Pink!" Lily cheered happily.
"We will look for both colors and take a vote," Veronica said. "So Mac, I hear from a big bird named Dick that you and he are getting along quite well these days. Why haven't I heard this from you?" She gave Mac a mischievous smile.
Mac was not one to share private details with a group even if the group consisted of her three closest girlfriends. She gave Veronica an annoyed look. Veronica grinned back unapologetically.
"What? You've been hanging out with Dick and you didn't tell me?" Parker asked in surprise.
Mac squirmed as all eyes looked at Mac.
Lily's ears naturally caught the reference to Dick, one of her favorite people. "We's go see Dick! Dick! Dick! Dick! I wanna go see Dick!" she cheered.
"Not now, sweetie. We're going shopping with just us girls. You can see Dick some other time," Veronica said.
Lily got a mutinous expression on her face. "I love Dick! I wants to play with Dick now!" she demanded as only a two year old can do.
Veronica was battling her desire to laugh at Lily's willfulness with her desire to be a good godmother and role model.
Fortunately, Alicia stepped in the familiar parental role. "Lily, Veronica already told you that we are not going to see Dick today. We are going shopping for dresses for my wedding. Ask your daddy to take you to see Dick tomorrow," Alicia said firmly.
"I get pretty, pink dress! I's flower girl!" Lily proclaimed happily—Dick was quickly forgotten.
The ladies laughed at her precociousness.
Parker gave Mac a determined look. "Don't think I forgot the conversation. What's been going on between you and you-know-who?" she asked. "Are you back together?"
"No, we're not," Mac replied. "But he came to the hospital and held my hand through the procedure. He was really great. He didn't push; he just supported me. Then after class Monday, we talked. He keeps apologizing and telling me how much he loves me. It's hard to stay mad."
"Sometimes time brings about clarity and forgiveness," Alicia said, thinking about the year she and Keith spent a part. "I don't know if you ladies are aware of the fact that Keith and I broke up for a year because I kept some important information from Keith about my past and Wallace's father."
Veronica listened aptly. She knew their break up had occurred around the time Wallace left for Chicago and found out about his real dad. However, her dad didn't volunteer any info and Veronica didn't ask. She kept so much from her dad that it didn't feel right to pry into his life. She knew he'd been hurting.
"I let him go," Alicia continued. "I was ashamed. And I had been unhappy with his own Mars way of finding out the information instead of talking things out and apologizing. I was defensive, and Keith just walked away. The fact that Dick is so relentless in winning back your approval and repairing the damage to your relationship is good thing."
Mac was touched that Alicia cared enough to share something painful and private about herself. "He is definitely determined," Mac admitted fondly.
"He's definitely been in a great mood all week," Veronica mentioned.
"He kissed me on Monday after class," she finally shared.
"I knew it! He was looking way too happy!" Veronica exclaimed with a grin.
"I can't believe you didn't tell us that!" Parker complained.
"I can't believe Dick didn't tell us that!" Veronica stated. "He didn't even tell Logan. I wondered what came over him a few days ago when he was hugging us and telling us he loved us."
The girls laughed at the image. Mac had a pleased expression on her face. If Dick wasn't bragging and boasting to Logan, then he was really taking what they talked about to heart. It really gave her hope for their future together.
"So why aren't you back together?" Jazmin asked.
"I told him we could spend time together. We had lunch every day this week after our anatomy class," Mac said.
"That's a good start. Lunch doesn't bring too much pressure or expectation," Veronica commented.
"It's going to take some time for me to forget him kissing Tonya," Mac said. "Not to mention, things fell apart before that too easily. We both need some time to learn to trust. I'm so private, and he's not. He has a hard time understanding that my being that way isn't a rejection of him. It's just the way I am."
"Relationships acquire a lot of adjustment and compromise," Alicia advised. "If you love each other enough and are willing to do the work, things will work out the way they're supposed to."
Veronica knew first-hand how true that was. It took a few years for her and Logan to get it right. "Just don't take as long as Logan and I," she said grinning.
"No danger of that. Dick is not nearly as patient as Logan. Neither am I for that matter," Mac said with a smile.
"No one is as patient as Logan," Veronica said with a dreaming look on her face. Just last night he showed her once again how patient he could be in the best possible way.
"No need to rub in your happy-couple-bliss," Mac replied. Then she looked at the other girls in the car who all had similar smiles that indicated they were thinking of their own men. "Or any of yours either!" she said to the others. They all laughed.
******Hard Rock Café ******
They all went into the restaurant happy but exhausted. Even Mac had to admit the shopping had been fun. Watching Jazmin and Parker bond over a pair of Louis Vuittons was entertaining. Mac never understood why women felt the need for so many shoes. But Jazmin and Parker reacted like it was Christmas all over a shoe sale. It was hilarious. It proved once again that even intelligent women fell victim to clever exclusive marketing.
Because it was 2 o'clock, they didn't have to wait long for a table. "I never thought I'd be so glad to sit down!" Alicia remarked.
"Me, too! I thought I was in better shape!" Jazmin said warily.
Alicia smiled at her. She had enjoyed spending time with her son's new girlfriend. Jazmin was friendly and down to earth. Alicia had been concerned that their different backgrounds and worried that the differences in their socio-economic status would be a problem. Now, however, she wasn't worried. Not only had she found her without pretense, but Jazmin had been the one to locate a perfect dress for the wedding. It was sleeveless, with a V neck that showed off her cleavage. The tightly fitted waist accented her still youthful figure. She had thought the slight train was too much for a woman her age getting married for the third time. However, the girls had convinced her that she looked too stunning in it to pass it up. She was glad she hadn't found it on her own because she would've convinced herself it was too young looking and inappropriate. "I can't believe Duncan bought me that dress or that you were so sneaky!" Alicia said to her soon to be stepdaughter.
"Now you can concentrate on saving for the honeymoon. My dad is going to pass out when he gets a load of you in that dress!" Veronica exclaimed.
"And I'm sure Logan will react the same way when sees you in your dress," Alicia said smiling.
"Me, too! I's bootiful!" Lily interjected.
Lily had managed to get her wish for a pink dress because Veronica had found a shop that catered specifically to the bridal party and not the bride. Lily campaigned hard for a dress with ruffles. However, Veronica had managed to steer her in a different direction. Since they found Alicia's dress first, it was easier for Veronica to decide on a style. She thought it would look nice if her dress was a similar style. At first she thought the hot pink dress she spotted would be too much even though the color looked great on her. It was made up of a shimmering satin so light reflected off of it. It was perfect for a Vegas wedding. Veronica liked it because it was simple with simple straight lines. It was sleeveless and V necked like Alicia's dress. It was a bit longer than most dresses Veronica wore. However, it really hugged her figure. When she tried it on, she knew it was the one. The fact that they found a matching flower girl dress in Lily's size sealed the deal. Lily's dress tied in the back, while Veronica's did not.
"The dresses are perfect," Veronica admitted.
The server came up to the table and took their drink orders. Veronica looked up in surprise when she heard someone call her name. "Veronica Mars! What a nice surprise!"
Veronica smiled when she saw Casey Grant at their table. She got up to give him a hug. Casey was one of the few 09ers who grew up quite nice. It's amazing what a little time in an occult can do for a fella.
"Casey, it's great to see you, too! I never figured the head of a multi-millionaire conglomerate would be frequenting the Hard Rock Café," Veronica said smiling as she sat back down. "Don't tell me you wine and dine your prospective clients here?"
"You'd be surprised. Many of my clients are tourists, and they request to eat at whatever place they've seen the most on TV," Casey replied. He looked around the table. "Hey, Mac. Good to see you."
"Hi, Casey. How have you been?" Mac asked.
"Really great. Sorry to interrupt you ladies," he said with a charming smile at everyone.
"We've been out shopping. This is Alicia Fennel, Wallace's mom. She and my dad are finally tying the knot next month," Veronica shared.
"Congratulations," Casey said, flashing a charming smile.
"It's nice to meet you," Alicia said with a smile.
"This is Parker Lee, my roommate at Hearst," Mac said, introducing the two.
"And this is our friend from school Jazmin Jaleno," Veronica introduced.
Casey shook the ladies' hand and looked questioningly at Lily. "Oh, this is Duncan's daughter Lily. Lily, this is Casey. He went to school with me and your daddy and your mommy."
Lily looked interested. "You knew my mommy?" she asked Casey.
Casey gave Veronica a puzzled look. "This is Meg's daughter," she said quietly.
"Oh," Casey replied as understanding came to him. "You're mommy was the nicest girl in our high school. Everyone loved her," he said to Lily.
Lily smiled widely to hear that. Since coming back to California and connecting with the Mannings, she knew exactly who her mother was. Duncan kept a picture of Meg in Lily's room, and the Mannings kept lots of photos of their daughter. But then Lily squirmed and turned to Veronica. "I need to go potty."
"I'll take her," Alicia volunteered. "You can visit with your friend."
"Do you have time to sit for a few minutes?" Veronica asked Casey.
"Sure," he replied. "So are you and Duncan dating again?"
"No, I'm still with Logan. We're living together actually," Veronica shared.
"Really? That's great," Casey remarked. "You were always very good for Logan."
"Dick lives there, too," Mac sneakily interjected.
"You're living with Dick Casablancas?" Casey asked in disbelief.
"No!" Veronica exclaimed. "Dick and Logan bought a beach house together last summer. I moved in with Logan in December when Mac began dating Dick. We decided to not kick Dick out just yet." She threw that in just to annoy Mac. She grinned when Mac grave her a disgusted look.
"You and Dick? No way!" Casey insisted.
"Well, you know college. Not as many cliques. People change. Old grudges and high school differences aren't as important," Veronica explained. Then she had an amusing idea. "As a matter of fact, Mac and I are going to a dinner part tomorrow night at Madison Sinclair's house."
Mac gave Veronica a sharp look. Then Veronica's intention became clear when Veronica said, "You should come. Madison would love to see you."
"Okay, have I entered the Twilight Zone?" Casey asked with a chuckle. "Mac and Dick is hard enough to fathom. But you and Madison as friends, I can't believe!"
Mac smiled as she grasped Veronica's intention. "Yes, Casey, you should come. About 8 o'clock. It will be a nice surprise for Madison. Not to mention the guys will love to see you. They'll all be there, too," Mac said.
"You two hanging out with Madison Sinclair I've got to see," Casey said with a grin. "I'll be there."
"That'll be great," Veronica said as Casey got up.
"It was nice to meet you both," Casey said to Parker and Jazmin. "I'll see you all tomorrow."
After he left, Jazmin asked, "I'm confused. Why did you let your friend think you all were friends with Madison?"
Veronica had a very satisfied look on her face. "Why to humiliate and embarrass her, of course!" Veronica said happily. "We'll all be there around 7. The place will be full of friends and family by the time Casey arrives. It'll be perfect."
"Come again?" Jazmin asked still confused.
"Casey doesn't know about the baby switch," Mac explained for Veronica. "Having to explain to Casey that I'm a Sinclair and she's not will cause her lots of embarrassment. She took a lot of pride in her status as a Sinclair in high school."
Veronica was laughing as she pictured Madison's face when she saw Casey show up at her house.
"Suddenly, I can't wait to party at Madison Sinclair's!" Veronica remarked with a smirk.
Mac laughed. "Me, too!" The dinner party Mac had been dreading suddenly seemed full of interesting possibilities.
*****MORE TO COME*******
I made up the Sinclairs first names since they didn't tell what they were on the show. Some of you mentioned you were excited about the shopping trip. I hope it didn't disappoint. I personally HATE shopping for clothes, so I didn't go into too much detail about shops and clothes.