Chapter 25

Haley fidgeted uncomfortably in her chair. Her choice, huh? Then why…why…were they currently sticking out like sore thumbs at the Seascape? THE SEASCAPE! She'd really knock Aunt Theresa's socks off with this admission, but jeez, was she ever so thankful her dim, but mostly well-meaning twit of an aunt had annoyed her (to the point of considering strangulation tactics) and convinced her to wear this dress. Jeans were her first choice. Actually…shorts were always her first choice. It was summer! Duh. When else could she traipse around in her favorite gear in Harmony? It wasn't everyday that was sure. Even her dad, who just looked plain amazing and handsome and… what in the whole wide world was he trying to do? Flash a neon sign that said Come and get me…I'm available. Riiiiigghht. He was as available as…well, Haley couldn't think of anyone. He was Sheridan's, darnit. Although…blockhead that she was taking him for this evening…she wasn't entirely sure he realized it yet. Even he was just a teeny weeny bit too casual for this place. Who were they expecting? The Queen of England? Haley choked on her soda (man, was she ever shocked to see it on the menu!) when she saw Ivy walk through the front entrance, looking as regal as she pleased, on the arm of…that was Sheridan's brother? No wonder Ivy looked like she was going to hurl.

"Haley," she looked around as she said her name.

To make sure no one had been witness to such an embarrassment, Haley theorized.

"Are you okay?" her dad asked with genuine concern.

"I'm…s'okay, Dad. I think it just went down the wrong way," Haley managed a small smile for him, tears still stinging her brown eyes. Her throat was still burning. Thankfully, the waiter arrived in that moment, carrying their food high above his head on a tray (and why was that? He was just begging for somebody's foot to sneak out from under their table and trip him, if you asked her). A ghost of a smile flitted across Haley's lips as he very nearly dumped her plate in her lap.

Her dad arched a black brow at her in warning, but even he had to laugh at the wide-eyed, panicked expression on her face.

It was funny. Who wouldn't laugh? Oh yeah, she wouldn't. 'Cause those stains wouldn't come out too easily, would they? And then she couldn't return that horrid, ugly pukey-green (fitting, wasn't it?) dress that cost more than her dad's paycheck tomorrow. It didn't take X-ray vision to see the tag hanging out of the back of the gown. Really, Haley thought, rolling her eyes. Even Aunt Theresa was better at hiding her tags. She had it perfected to an art form. If she wanted to impress Dad, this wasn't the way to do it, Haley thought as a grin stretched across her face. That grin disappeared, though, the moment she actually got a good look at her plate. What was that? Eeeewwww! Did it move? Did it actually just inch across her plate? "Oh my goodness!" Haley shrieked, shoving the plate away violently as she leapt out of her seat. "There's a…there's a…"

"Haley!" her dad was by her side in an instant. "Haley, what is it?"

The plate fell from her face (where it had conveniently landed…who said the Big Guy didn't have a sense of humor?), and pasta noodles slithered down her tomato sauce covered face.

Her dad looked appropriately repulsed as Haley pointed at the offending thing.

"Dad! Dad!" Haley screamed in a frenzy of panic. "There's a…there's a…yuck! There's a maggot in my spaghetti!" She whirled around to see people throughout the whole restaurant gag as one. Plates crashed against the floor, expensive wine spewed from several mouths, and one lady (let it be said…she'd looked to be looney tunes from second one Haley had seen her) started screeching about a mouse being on the loose, hiked her skirt up, and jumped on top of her table. Haley caught Ivy's twinkling eye across the restaurant, and she would have laughed until her stomach ached at the sight of Julian Crane fainted dead away on the floor while disgusted people stampeded toward the nearest exits (over his prone body) had she not been otherwise occupied, and uh…she was still sick to her stomach.

"Haley," her dad groaned as he picked up the offending thing and dangled it in front of her. "It's a caterpillar. Not a maggot."

"So," Haley shuddered. "It's still a creepy-crawly in my food, Dad," she whined.

The pale-faced waiter returned, holding out his hand to receive the caterpillar, stammering, "I'm so…sorry. If you'll just hand it over, I'll destroy it. I'll take care of the check."

"No!" Haley shouted, glaring at the poor guy (well…she did feel sorry for him, looking like he was going to pass out and join Julian on the floor any moment…but he couldn't murder an innocent caterpillar). "Don't kill it," she said in a softer voice. "Don't worry about the check, either," she reassured him. "She'll take care of it," she nodded over her shoulder at her. "There you go," Haley breathed with a smile, once she was outside on the veranda, watching the caterpillar disappear into the shrubbery. Well…it was either that or the beach. She just hoped the little guy wouldn't decide to catch anymore excitement (ha! In The Seascape?) anytime soon. She wouldn't be around to save his…did caterpillars even…. She shook the silly thoughts free from her head, loosening Aunt Theresa's painstakingly placed hair clippies (Who in the free world beside her aunt spent hours—hours—fixing their hair? Or anyone else's for that matter?), and making long brown strands flutter in the ocean breeze. "You want to live to become a butterfly, don't you?" Haley whispered.

"Haley…" Ivy's voice had Haley turning around and presenting her with a sheepish smile. "Are you sure you and that…thing…aren't in cahoots?" she teased.

"Yeah, right," Haley laughed, looking over Ivy's shoulder for… "Where's Mr. Crane? Did you just leave him lying there?"

Ivy shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sending the limo back for him. Which is more than he deserves I might add."

Haley's giggles were infectious, and that's how her dad and she found the pair…laughing and carefree. "Where's she going?" Haley asked her dad as they watched her stomp off in a poorly-thrown fit (Haley knew fits…no question…you didn't live your whole life with…okay, Dad was speaking…).

"She thinks you set out to humiliate her on purpose because you hate her. So, Haley…does she think right? You haven't even pretended to care about her, or for her feelings, did you…"

"Dad!" Haley yelled, hurt at the very insinuation coming from her dad in her brown eyes. "How could you even think that? I don't like her, but I'd…I didn't know there was going to be a bug in my food, okay? Wouldn't you scream, too? I mean, you wouldn't," she hastily said (how ridiculous…her dad wasn't afraid of anything). "But wouldn't you?" she asked Ivy.

"I can't say I would not," Ivy admitted, a visible shudder passing through her body.

"See, Dad?" Haley's dark eyes flashed and her chin jutted out stubbornly. "This whole thing is just…tell her to stop trying so hard. It's not working."

"Haley," her dad sighed. "Haley, I'm sorry. I never should have…I know you didn't mean to…I don't know what's happening to me," he finally said.

"She's happening to you," Haley spat. "And I don't like it. We were fine without her, Dad. Perfect. She's ruining things. I'm not going anywhere with her. Ivy, will you…"

"Haley," her dad shook his head.

"It's okay, Luis," Ivy smiled at him, placing a hand upon his arm. "I'll make sure she gets home in one piece."

"Thank you…hey," he said softly, grasping Haley's chin and making her look at him. "I really am sorry."

"It's okay, Dad," Haley whispered as she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. "Things are just…weird right now."

"They'll get better soon, Haley. I promise," her dad told her with a smile.

"It's a good thing you keep your promises, or I'd have to…"

Her dad chuckled and ruffled her hair affectionately. "Get this one home," he smiled at Ivy. "I have something very important I have to do. Tell Grandma not to wait up for me."

Haley's brown eyes widened at that statement. "What? Ivy, what do you think he meant? Dad! Oh no," Haley cried as she watched her dad's jeep drive away—with her inside. "Ivy, he can't leave with her…don't wait up!"

Ivy clasped Haley's hand in hers and spoke comforting nonsense as she led her to the limo.

"Ivy, we have to go after them. Dad can't…"

"Watch out for your head, Haley," Ivy smiled.

"I can't go home, Ivy…"

"Don't worry, Darling. I said I'd get you home in one piece. I didn't say when I'd get you home," Ivy revealed with a smirk.

"Oh, Ivy!" Haley exclaimed, flinging her arms about Ivy's neck. "I love you!"

LOL!

I mentioned already I loved writing Ivy in this fic, didn't I?

Just had to say it again.

As bad as these first fics of mine were (some of them were pretty bad), I can still find moments to entertain myself. Now, whether you guys are entertained or not...

Hehe.

Just saying.