This chapter is rated M for a short scene near the beginning. Enjoy!
Chapter 26: Party Time
******Sunday Afternoon at the Mackenzies'******
"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Natalie Mackenzie asked her husband.
"Well, how can we not go?" Sam pointed out. "Not only is Madison our daughter, too, but Cindy has already become attached to Lauren. I doubt Ryan will have the same reaction to Madison. From what Cindy says, she's not very nice."
"Don't you even want to meet Madison? She is our daughter," Natalie said.
"She's not. Cindy is. She's the best daughter any parent could ask for. She's thoughtful and kind, brilliant, and selfless. Even though she's always been very different from us with different interests, she's always joined in with whatever family plans we had very good naturedly," Sam said.
"I don't need you to remind me of how great our daughter is. I know that. I'd like to think we had a hand in making her that way. But Madison is a part of us, too. We should at least make an overture toward her. If she isn't receptive then that's fine. But we at least owe her that," Natalie said.
"Fine. We'll reach out. But be prepared to be rejected," Sam warned.
"I just don't know how I'm going to feel seeing Cindy build a bond with Marilyn. They can offer her a lot more than we can," Natalie remarked.
"Our daughter cannot be bought, and you know that," her husband assured her. He put his arm around her in comfort.
Natalie sighed and put her head on his shoulder. "I know. I just don't want to lose her," Natalie said.
"We won't. And who knows? Before all this is over, we could gain another daughter," Sam said optimistically.
******The Beach House******
"So let me get this straight. You invited Casey to the Sinclairs's without telling him about the baby switch?" Logan asked Veronica.
"Yep," she replied grinning.
"You're a naughty girl," Logan told her with a smirk. It didn't take him long to understand Veronica's nefarious intention.
"Can you picture the look on Madison's face when she has to tell Casey about the switch?" Veronica asked with a giggle.
"She's going to kill you," Logan said.
"I'm not afraid of her or her screeching. Although I may take some Tylenol with me to ward off the headache I'm sure she's going to give me," Veronica said.
"So did Mac say who all was coming to this so called party?" Logan asked.
"Pretty much everyone but Weevil. She even invited Daisy. Madison will love that!" Veronica remarked smiling.
"What isn't Weevil coming?" Logan asked.
"He said he'd have to be really drunk to step foot in and I quote 'that skinny bitches house'," Veronica shared with a snicker. "Mac did get him to agree to celebrate Parker's birthday next weekend with us. Piz's band is performing at some club in San Diego next Friday. So we're all going."
"You want me to spend a Friday night listening to Piz's boy band? When did we fall out of love?" Logan asked with an uncharacteristic pout.
"We are going for Parker. Although I did promise Piz I'd come watch him perform sometime," Veronica said. "Besides, it was just a year ago when you were throwing your own birthday party for Parker."
Logan looked uncomfortable at the reminder then pinned Veronica with a look. "How could I forget? That's when you first kissed Piz, remember?" he reminded her.
"Of course not!" Veronica said as she sat down in his lap and put her arm around his neck. "You know I don't remember kissing any guy but you."
Logan smiled. "Good answer," he said. "I should refresh your memory just to be safe." He kissed her very thoroughly then grinned when he pulled back and observed her bemused expression.
Veronica opened her eyes and challenged, "You can do better than that!"
"What?" he asked incredulously. "Better? I'll show you better!" He began kissing her neck and then bit down until she moaned and titled her head back to give him room to maneuver. Then he covered her mouth once again with his own and kissed her passionately. When he lifted his head Veronica's chest was heaving. "Now that's more like it!" she declared with a satisfied smile.
Before she could say another word, Logan pulled her shirt off over her head. He pushed up her bra and filled his hands with her breasts. Veronica bit back a moan, trying to form a thought. "We should go to our room. Dick may come in," she bit out. Then she gasped out his name when his lips closed around her breast. Soon all thought of Dick flew out of her mind.
"Don't worry, Sugarlips. I'll be quick," Logan said as he rose up and pulled off his shirt. He pulled her down onto the sofa, covering her body with his and kissing her hotly.
Veronica loved the fact that Logan still had times when he was frantic for her. He made her feel so desirable. Logan rose up far enough to slide off her shorts and panties. He released himself from his shorts. She gasped when he plunged into her. "I love you!" she moaned out in pleasure.
"I know and that's why Piz gets to live!" he declared with a satisfied grin then kissed her once again.
******That Evening at the Sinclairs******
Both sets of parents agreed to get together before anyone else arrived. The Sinclairs had invited a few close relatives and Mac her friends. They had decided to meet an hour earlier than the invited guests. This would be the first time Mac's parents would be meeting Madison. Mac was anxious for their sake. She knew how heartless Madison could be.
Lauren answered the door. She smiled shyly at Mac's parents and brother. "Hi," Lauren said. "Come in." Mac gave her a hug. That seemed to relax Lauren.
"Lauren, this is my mom and dad and brother Ryan. You and he are the same age," Mac said.
"Please call me Natalie," Mac's mom said. "And this is Sam, my husband."
"It's nice to finally meet you," Lauren said.
"We're glad you are feeling better," Sam said.
"Mom and Dad are in the den," Lauren informed them.
As they headed toward the den, Ryan asked Lauren, "So you go to Neptune High?"
"I did for a little bit before I got sick. I'm a freshman. How about you?" Lauren asked.
"Yeah, me, too," Ryan said.
Their conversation came to an end when they entered the room where Lauren's family was waiting.
The Sinclairs stood up when they came into the room. Ryan was introduced, and then they all took a seat.
"Madison will be here in a minute," Marilyn said. "Will you go tell her our guests are here, Lauren?" Lauren left to obey her request.
"So how are classes going?" Stephen Sinclair asked Mac.
"Fine. Midterms are coming up," Mac said. She had been wrestling with whether or not to bring up something that had been bothering her. With Lauren out of the room, now was as good a time as any. "Can I ask you two something that has really been bothering me?" Mac asked the Sinclairs.
"Sure you can," Marilyn replied with an encouraging smile.
"I'm still having trouble understanding why you let Lauren get so sick without even contacting me. You knew I could be a match, and you knew why Madison wasn't. How come you didn't reach out to me?" Mac asked. When the Sinclairs looked uncomfortable, Mac pressed further. She said to Marilyn, "I know thatyou at least knew I knew about the switch."
"What?" Stephen asked in surprise. He looked questioningly at his wife.
"I was here the day after Madison's sixteenth birthday to pick up my purse I left," Mac told them. "I met my biological mother, Marilyn, for the first time, and later she drove by our house before we left our camping trip." She looked pointedly at Marilyn. "Remember? You stopped and looked at me through your car window. But you left without speaking to me."
Marilyn looked upset and ashamed at the memory. When she had realized who Mac was, it had taken every bit of her self-control not to hug her and tell her about their connection. She had been unable to stop herself from driving by the Mackenzies'. When Mac had walked toward her car, Marilyn had realized that she knew about the switch. It had been pure cowardice that had caused her to drive away and fear that kept her from telling Stephen.
"You did?" Stephen asked with a frown.
"Yes, she did," Mac said. "But that's not important. Before Lauren gets back, I want to know why neither of you called my parents when Lauren was first diagnosed."
Stephen sighed. "That's my fault. Marilyn wanted to. She begged me more than once. I just wasn't ready to cause such upheaval in my family until there were no other options. Lauren being sick was bad enough. I didn't know how she'd handle it, and especially didn't want to make things worse for her. I also knew how devastating the news would be for Madison. She took such pride in our family. Lauren getting sick was hard on her. I knew I was going to have to reach out to you when she fell out of remission, but I just kept hoping she'd improve," he explained.
"You basically put Madison's hurt feelings ahead of Lauren's life. That's what you're saying," Mac said angrily. She did not understand this man. "I can forgive you for not wanting to switch back when you found out the truth about the switch because my parents were great. I'm happy to be a Mackenzie. However, I will never forgive you for risking Lauren that way!"
"Cindy," Natalie admonished.
"No, it's okay. I understand," Stephen said sadly.
They were all staring wordlessly at one another when Madison finally came into the room. Lauren was right behind her. Both girls were oblivious to the tension in the room. Ryan very much wanted to escape. Unlike his sister Mac, he wasn't shy. He said to Madison, "Hi, I'm Ryan, your brother. Nice to meet you!" Then he said to Lauren, "Why don't you give me the tour of your place?" He grabbed her arm before she could reply and led her out of the room and away from all the drama.
"Don't you think that was a little rude?" Lauren asked.
"No. Believe me. You did not want to be in there. I was saving you," Ryan replied as they walked down the hall.
The rest of the family had watched Lauren and Ryan leave without comment. Then everyone looked at Madison. "Madison, this is Sam and Natalie Mackenzie, your biological parents," Stephen introduced.
Natalie held out her hand to Madison. "It's nice to finally meet you," she said.
Madison seemed taken back. She glanced at her parents and did the expected thing. She shook Natalie's hand. "Hello," she simply said.
"You grew into a beautiful lady. Hasn't she, Sam?" Natalie asked her husband.
"Yes, she has," Stephen said with a friendly smile.
"Madison is taking classes at Hearst, too," Stephen Sinclair offered.
"Really? Have you decided on a major?" Natalie asked.
"Interior design," Madison replied.
"Oh, I just love watching those home makeover shows on TLC!" Natalie exclaimed. "I can never get Cindy to watch them with me."
"Who's Cindy?" Madison asked. She knew but this was her way of finding out why Mac went by a ridiculous masculine nickname.
"That's my name. Mac's short for Mackenzie," Mac explained.
Madison contemplated the fact that she could've been named Cindy. She wasn't sure how she felt about it. She shuddered at the thought of being called Mac, but she supposed Cindy was a nice enough name. Her birth parents seemed like nice enough people, but they were so ordinary. However, looking at everyone in the room critically, it was obvious that Mac looked like Madison's mom and Lauren, while Madison looked like Natalie. Ryan had left too quickly for Madison to notice any resemblance. This whole situation was weird and uncomfortable. She had no use for a younger brother. Nor did she need another set of parents. What did they expect from her?
Mac couldn't stand the torture. She got out her cell and texted Veronica. "Are you on your way?" "Not yet." Come save me from the torture!" Mac begged. "LOL. Okay,"came Veronica's quick reply.
Mac put her phone away in relief. She looked up in horror when Marilyn suggested they look at Madison's baby pictures. When Marilyn went out to grab the photo album, Sam gamely attempted to engage Madison in small talk. Mac decided it was a perfect time to sneak out. "I'm going to go find Lauren," Mac said to Stephen and slipped out before anyone could say anything.
She found Lauren and her brother hanging out in Lauren's room. Ryan was flipping through the channels on Lauren's LCD, wall mounted TV. Ryan looked up when she came in. "Finally escaped the torture?" he asked with a grin.
"Yes. They were bringing out Madison's baby pictures!" she remarked with a roll of her eyes.
Ryan snickered. "Close one," he said with a grin.
"No amount of family obligation will induce me to look at Madison's baby pictures," Mac declared.
"She was a cute baby," Lauren commented. "But I was cuter!"
Mac laughed at her boast. "I'm sure you were."
They heard a door ring a few minutes later. "Thank God!" Mac exclaimed in relief and slipped out of the room.
Downstairs Madison was opening the door. Dick's smiling face greeted her with Veronica and Logan right behind her.
"What are you doing here?" Madison asked Veronica.
Veronica answered for him. "We were invited, of course. Don't act surprised to see me. We areMac's best friends."
When Madison glanced in surprise at Logan, Veronica smiled arrogantly and said, "He's mine, so my best friends are his."
Mac made it to the bottom of the stairs. "I invited them—as you very well know," Mac said to Madison as she reached her side.
"Whatever," Madison said sourly. Madison's mom came to the door to see who had arrived.
"Welcome," she said with a warm smile.
"Marilyn, these are my friends, Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls," Mac introduced.
"It's good to meet you, Veronica. Logan, it's been a long time," Marilyn said.
"Yes, ma'am," Logan replied. "How have you been?"
"Good. How's school?" she asked.
"Good," he said.
"You can find food and drinks laid out in the dining room. Help yourselves," Marilyn told them.
When she left, Veronica turned to Logan. "You know her?" Veronica asked in surprise.
"Well, one of my best friends dated her daughter through most of high school. Does your dad know who Dick is?" Logan pointed out. Veronica stuck her tongue out at his condensing tone. He just grinned.
"Why don't you escort me to the food?" Veronica said to Mac.
******A Half Hour Later******
Madison watched her mom introduce her aunt and ancle to Mac and her parents. "Would this horrible night ever end?" she wondered. One of her cousins came up to her. "The real you seems nice," her cousin Brian said as they watched his parents to talk to Mac.
"She's a freak!" Madison declared sourly.
Brian smiled at her annoyance. Madison was always so unpleasant. He couldn't help but relish in her discomfort. "Well, I guess I'll go find out for myself. Later," he said as he walked toward Mac.
The doorbell rang again, and Madison went to answer it.
Veronica appeared to see who had arrived. She smiled when she saw and her friends at the door.
"Hello," Wallace said to Madison. "We're friends of Mac."
Veronica stepped in to make introductions. "Madison, you remember Wallace Fennel from school? He played on the basketball team."
"Vaguely," Madison said. Veronica's friendship with this black boy was just one of many reasons why Veronica was such a freak—her and her purple striped sidekick. She looked with interest at the very good-looking man next to him.
"These are other friends of ours. Jazmin Jaleno is Wallace's girlfriend, and this is her twin brother Jason," Veronica introduced.
Madison dismissed Jazmin but gave Jason a friendly smile. "It's nice to meet you. Can I get you something to drink, Jason?"
Jason gave her an amused smile. "Of course," he replied.
Veronica watched Madison escort Jason out of sight. "Unbelievable!" she remarked in annoyance.
"Don't worry, Veronica, Jason knows better," Jazmin said.
"At least he'll keep her out of our hair!" Wallace said with a grin.
The doorbell rang again, and since he was still standing by the door, Wallace opened it. He smiled at Duncan and Parker who were standing there.
"Where's Piz?" he asked Parker pointedly.
"Don't worry, Wallace. We did not come together," Duncan said smiling at the look Wallace was giving him. "We just pulled up at the same time and walked up the drive together.
Parker smiled at the two men. "Piz and I spent the afternoon together, but he had to work on a paper he put off all weekend. It's due tomorrow."
"That's my boy! King of procrastination," Wallace said with a grin.
Mac appeared to greet them. They followed her into the main room where both set of parents were. She introduced the new arrivals. Like Dick, Duncan already knew the Sinclairs. However, the Mackenzies had never met any of Mac's friends but Veronica and Dick.
A few minutes later Daisy arrived and sashayed into the room. She found the different reactions to her appearance amusing. Jazmin instantly tensed up and looked annoyed to see her. Wallace smiled but tried not to look too happy to see her lest he attract Jazmin's ire. Duncan and Logan gave her a friendly smile. However, both men were careful to not smile too warmly at her—Logan because he was a good boyfriend and Duncan because she was definitely too much for him. Veronica gave her a nod of acknowledgement. Mac motioned her over and introduced her to her parents. Momma Sinclair showed her where to go for drinks.
Daisy looked with interest when she saw Jason chatting with that horrid Madison girl. Daisy could always spot a girl on the prowl. She didn't walk toward them. Instead, she made sure Jason saw her and then she turned her back on him, knowing he would come to her.
Madison had been relishing in gaining the attention of the sexy Italian who was somehow friends with Mac. However, when he suddenly seemed distracted, Madison looked to see what had captured his attention. She wanted to scream in rage when she saw Veronica Mar's skanky J-Lo looking friend helping herself to the drinks and food her family provided. Forgetting how her rudeness may appear to Jason, she marched over to Daisy. "I'm not sure who invited you, but you are not welcome here!" Madison screeched. "You can leave."
Daisy finished eating the appetizer she had picked up without outwardly reacting to Madison's very rude demand. She took a drink of the glass of soda she had obtained. Finally, she smiled at Jason who had come up behind Madison. Jason returned her smile. Madison hadn't realized Jason had followed her. Instead, she was angry that Daisy seemed indifferent to her demand and barely acknowledged her presence. "Did you hear me? You're not wanted!" Madison said angrily.
"I'm not sure that's necessarily true," Jason interjected, smiling as he gave Daisy a very interested look.
Madison got even more upset at seeing Jason give Daisy an admiring look. "You can't possibly think you belong here," Madison insisted, indifferent to how crass she was being.
Daisy finally put down her drink, gave Madison a dismissive look and said to Jason, "It seems our little hostess here finds my presence upsetting. Shall we go?"
"Sure." Jason replied with a pleased grin. "Your place or mine?"
Daisy laughed. "Your sister would kill you and the mood. Let's go to my place. I have a dorm room all to myself."
Without acknowledging Madison at all, Jason held out his hand to Daisy. She took it, and they walked out of the room together, leaving Madison with her mouth opened in shock.
She followed them out of the room and saw them go out the front door together. Before she could do much more than stomp her foot in frustration, she heard laughter coming from the other room. She went in to the room and paused in surprise. Casey Grant was standing and chatting with Duncan, Logan, Veronica, Dick, and Mac. Wallace was across the room, cozied up with his girlfriend and talking to some other girl.
The group finally noticed Madison's appearance. "Hey, Madison," Veronica said in the annoyingly fake cheerful voice Madison especially detested. "Look who was able to drop by. We ran into Casey yesterday when we were shopping in L.A."
"I hope it's okay that we invited him," Mac said politely.
Madison somehow managed to greet Casey. Her mind was racing. What had they told him?
Casey wasn't sure what exactly was going on. Veronica looked too pleased with herself and Madison didn't look at all pleased. "Hey, Madison. It's good to see you. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Veronica and Mac were hanging out with you," Casey remarked.
Dick started laughing. "Veronica and Mac do not hang out. Who told you that? We're only here because of the whole switched at birth thing," Dick said.
Casey looked puzzled. He looked at Madison for an explanation. She opened her mouth to explain. But since she had yet to explain the insanity that had become her life to anyone, she didn't know how.
Mac suddenly felt uncomfortable. Embarrassing Madison not only didn't seem amusing anymore, but she realized it made her feel very extremely guilty and awkward. "Madison and I were born a day apart at the same hospital. We were switched at birth," Mac explained.
"What?" Casey asked in surprise.
"Mac should've been Madison and Madison should've been Mac," Dick explained further. "And Mac recently donated her bone marrow to save their little sister's life. She has leukemia." Dick gave her a proud, fond look.
"Wow. That's great of you, Mac," Casey said, admiringly.
Disgusted and upset, Madison walked away without saying anything. Casey watched her leave. He turned to Veronica with a disapproving look. "I see you haven't changed that much after all, Veronica. That wasn't cool. Using me once again for another purpose," Casey said a bit annoyed. "So guys, you want to go somewhere and catch up?" He directed the question to the men, clearly not wanting to spend further time with Veronica and Mac.
Wanting to defuse the situation, Duncan quickly responded, "Let's go outside to the pool area." He led Casey away. After throwing Veronica an I-told-you so look, Logan followed them. Dick, of course, didn't want to leave Mac's side but sighed and followed, too.
Veronica and Mac exchanged glances. "So, okay, that wasn't our finest moment," Veronica admitted.
"You think?" Mac replied sarcastically. She shook her head. Veronica tried hard to look and feel repentant then gave up and started laughing. Mac tried to look stern but failed miserably. She, too, started laughing. "You are horrible!" Mac said with a grin.
Veronica smiled knowingly. "I know, but you love me anyway!"
"It's a good thing you're cute!" Mac joked.
"That's what Logan says!" Veronica replied with a saucy grin.
******The Following Friday at the Static Lounge in San Diego******
Mac, Parker, Wallace, and Jazmin drove up to San Diego together. Piz had to be there early to set up with his band. Mac had insisted on treating Parker to dinner, so the four of them went out to a nice dinner. Mac made sure that the wait-staff did all the embarrassing things that they normally do for birthdays. She knew that Parker would love the attention, and she did. Parker was in a great mood. Her parents had sent her a very nice birthday check. She was trying to talk Mac and Jazmin into another shopping trip. Jazmin, of course, was game. Mac, though, convinced her to save it for the Vegas trip. Even if Parker only stayed for the weekend, the extra cash would come in handy.
"So what do you know about the club Piz is playing in?" Mac asked as they reached the San Diego city limits.
"It's called The Static Lounge. It's a club for 18-21 year olds, so no fake I.D. is needed. They don't serve alcohol," Parker said.
"What? No alcohol? It's a good thing you didn't tell everyone that ahead of time!" Wallace remarked with a look of disbelief.
Parker smiled. "Why do you think I didn't mention it until now?" she quipped. "But I think it's great. I won't have to ignore the lame pick-up attempts by drunken guys on the prowl," Parker said. "Since Piz is in the band, he can't be there to scare off the unwanted suitors."
"So what about the sober ones that'll be sure to hit on you?" Jazmin asked. "You do look pretty amazing tonight."
Parker smiled at the compliment. She was wearing one of her new outfits she had purchased on their shopping trip. The skirt was a bit shorter than she'd normally wear as well as the neckline a bit lower. She figured since it was her birthday she owed it to herself to look her best. Not to mention, she had some plans for Piz later. "Thank you," she said to Jazmin. "I have some big plans tonight."
Wallace snickered. Jazmin decided to nudge Wallace. "It must be nice to be with a man who has big plansfor you," she said dramatically as she looked at Wallace for his reaction.
"She said she had big plans," Wallace corrected. "I admire these new liberated women that don't mind taking some initiative. Takes the pressure off of us guys."
Mac and Parker laughed while Jazmin gave him a coy smile. "Maybe I just need to be inspired," she said to Wallace.
"That sounds like a challenge to me, Wallace," Mac said smiling as she looked at them in the back seat through the rear view mirror.
"Yeah, I thought so, too," Wallace replied with a grin. "I got this. You want inspiration. I'll give you inspiration!"
"I can't wait!" Jazmin told him eagerly.
Mac's GPS led them to the club in no time. Mac texted Veronica to see if she was there yet. Her phone beeped with a reply. "It looks like we timed things perfectly. Veronica said they just made it inside."
"Is Dick and Duncan with them?" Jazmin asked.
"Yes. The four of them drove up together," Mac said.
"Is your brother going to be here?" Parker asked.
"He's supposed to drive here with Eli," Jazmin replied.
When they went in, they spotted their friends easily enough. They had been waiting for them near the entrance.
"Dude, what was your man thinking? This place doesn't even sell beer!" Dick complained to Parker as soon as he saw them come in.
"It's not like it's legal for us to drink anyway," Parker defended.
"Speak for yourself. I'm 21 or will be in like a month. Same dif," Dick declared.
"Actually, it's not," Mac told him, smiling.
"Well, if I can't drink, you gotta come dance with me!" Dick demanded and dragged Mac onto the dance floor.
"Dick's got the right idea for once. Come on, hot stuff. Show me what you've got," Veronica said flirtatiously to Logan.
"The things I must do to keep my woman happy," Logan said dramatically. Veronica gave him an impish grin while he let himself be pulled onto the dance floor. They had not been dancing in a few months, and he relished any pastime that allowed him to get his hands on her or watch her shake her delectable body.
"Do you want to get a table close to the stage, so you can see Piz?" Duncan suggested to Parker.
"That'd be great. Thanks," she replied.
"I'll go with them if you want to go get us some drinks," Jazmin said to Wallace.
"Gladly," Wallace said with a smile. He asked Duncan and Parker what they'd like and then went to get drinks.
******An Hour Later******
When Jason and Eli arrived, they spotted most of their friends sitting at two tables. Eli made a point of sitting at the table that Duncan was not sitting at. Veronica and Logan were sitting at the table next to them. They looked up when they spotted Jason and Eli. "It's about time you two got here. What took you so long?" Veronica asked.
"Some of us still work for a living, in case you've forgotten," Weevil remarked as he sat down in one of the open chairs. Jason paused to wish Parker a happy birthday at the neighboring table. "Today was payday, so I wanted to wait and leave after my shift."
"Well, you're just in time. Piz's band just finished their break and are about to play again. Piz told me he had a song just for Parker," Veronica shared.
"I'm all a twitter in anticipation," Weevil said dryly.
Jason sat down with a smile, having overheard Eli's remark. "Where's everyone else?" he asked.
"Dick is exhausting Mac on the dance floor, and Jazmin and Wallace have been there for the past twenty minutes or so," Veronica said.
"Piz's band is pretty good. They kind of put me in mind of All American Rejects," Logan admitted. "I haven't wanted to kill myself once."
"I heard that!" Parker exclaimed. Her chair was directly behind Logan's. Logan turned and grinned at her.
Their conversation was interrupted when Piz began talking on the microphone. "I wanted to take a minute and wish my girlfriend a happy birthday. She's 20 today. Parker, stand up!" he ordered. Parker's friends encouraged her to stand and wave. "Isn't she pretty?" The audience clapped and whistled while a few yelled out happy birthday. Parker was a bit embarrassed at all the attention, but she also felt flattered that Piz was making such a big deal about her. She bowed graciously and sat back down. "I have this song that I wrote just for her. It's kind of cheesy, but I'm kind of cheesy so bear with me." Then Piz strummed his guitar and began to play. He wasn't the lead vocal for his band, but they led him take the lead on his song. Fortunately, he had a nice voice.
You're The One I want
Sometimes a person doesn't know
When love and passion will take hold
I met you but didn't see
All that you and I could be
We started out just as friends
It's funny how some things in life begin
I didn't know you were my type
Now I can't imagine you in my life
Chorus: Now I know you're the one I want
You're the one I want to know
All the things I have to show
You're the one I want to hold
The one I want to warm me when it's cold
You're the one I want take for a ride
You're the one I want, baby, always by my side
Your smile lights up your face
Being near you makes my heart race
Your laughter gives me so much joy
I know that I'm one lucky boy
Dick and Mac had come back to the table when Piz started talking. Veronica took note of the fact that they were holding hands and Mac seemed happy. They sat down at Parker and Duncan's table, so Veronica couldn't quiz her like she was dying to. Veronica smiled when Piz started talking about Parker. She was relieved and happy to see him be happy again. She had regretted so much the way things had ended with them. Veronica knew she should have broken up with him before she left for Virginia last summer instead of drawing him closer to her and hurting him. She watched Parker's reaction to the song and saw her wipe a tear from her cheek. Duncan leaned over and said something to her that made her smile. It looks like Piz's song was a hit with the only one whose opinion mattered.
Parker was extremely touched by the song. No one had ever written her a song or even a poem. In that moment, she felt herself finally fall in love with Piz. She had been cautious and holding back because things never seemed to go the way she wanted when it came to guys. But Piz was sweet, and he was gentle. He would never hurt her or disappoint her.
"After that, I need a drink," Weevil said. He got up and headed to the bar. He was very surprised to discover that the place did not serve alcohol. In annoyance, he bought a coke and watched the dance floor from the bar. He spotted Jazmin right away. She was wrapped around Wallace like a snake around a tree. Weevil's eyes narrowed at the sight. He was so focused on seeing the two of them obviously so close that he did not see Jason approach.
Jason noticed that something had caught his friend's attention. He followed his gaze and saw his sister slow dancing with Wallace. He looked back at Eli and finally realized something that was blatantly obvious. "You're in love with my sister," he said to Eli.
Eli looked at Jason in surprise. "What?" he asked in surprise.
Jason turned to the bartender and ordered a Coke. Then he looked once again at Eli. "I said you're in love with my sister."
Eli was trying to decide if Jason was angry or not. He was also trying to decide on whether or not he should deny the claim. Jason was no dummy. Finally, he decided to be upfront. "I'm attracted to your sister. Don't hit me, but yeah, I want her," he admitted to Jason.
"That's not what I said. I'm not surprised that you'd be attracted to her. Most of my friends are," Jason replied. "But it's more than that, isn't it?"
Eli shrugged. "Does it matter? I know you wouldn't approve, nor would it work out with us. We're too different."
Jason took a moment before he replied. He liked Eli a lot and had grown to value both who he was and his friendship. However, he didn't think Eli was wrong. Not completely. "I have always wanted for Jazmin a good man that I can trust and that my sister can trust to love her. If you were both of those things, I wouldn't disapprove. And I think you are both of those things. But you're instincts aren't wrong. My family is not like any other family you've ever known. We are wealthy, but all of that wealth hasn't always come honestly, at least from my dad. Don't think for a moment you're not good enough. One day, I will be the head of the family. I would value someone like you on my side whether you were with my sister or not," Jason explained.
Jason's words caught Eli off guard. He hadn't expected that from Jason. "I'm not sure what to say," he said to Jason.
Jason watched his sister with Wallace for a moment. Then he said, "However, Wallace is who my sister has chosen to be with. I don't want you to mess with that. I like Wallace. He's my friend, and I trust him. I don't believe that their relationship will last forever. My dad wouldn't like Wallace any more than he'd like you. Only an Italian would ever get Dad's complete approval. However, Jazmin's first serious boyfriend was an Italian and my best friend. He was also a close family friend, and he nearly destroyed Jazmin. Dad gives her a little more leeway because of that. I'm not sure how he'd respond if Jazmin brought home someone that was non-Catholic and not an Italian. So don't think Wallace is an automatic preferred choice with the family."
Again, Eli found Jason's revelations startling. The reference to someone having really hurt her had come up before. It made him tense with anger, especially since Jason had yet to tell him the full story. Also he never pictured that he and Wallace would be viewed so equally by Jazmin's family. Or the fact that he might even have an advantage since he was Catholic. He finally admitted, "I do have strong feelings for your sister. I'm not sure that I'm in love with her. I know she's important to me, and I hate seeing her with another guy, even if it is Fennel. It depresses the hell out of me. But I have plans for my future. I've got a lot to do still before I could even begin thinking seriously about a woman, and I know Jazmin isn't someone who'd settle for less than a man can give."
"You'd be surprised what Jazzie would settle for if she felt loved and safe. Being able to trust that the man she's with wouldn't hurt her is the most important thing to her and to me. But this is all a moot point. She's with Wallace, so you do need to stay away. Don't confuse her. She'd hate herself if she felt disloyal to him. It wouldn't help your relationship with her," Jason advised. "How about you and I find another place to go tonight? You look like you could use a real drink. We made an appearance. I don't think anyone would care all that much if we jet."
Eli grinned. "That sounds great to me. I have a cousin who lives here in San Diego. We can go find some trouble with him. He'll know all the best spots."
"You call him, and I'll go say our goodbyes to our friends," Jason said.
******Some Time Later at the Club*****
Mac looked around at all her friends that were content to listen to the band that came on after Piz's. Parker was really happy. She finally convinced Piz to dance with her. Mac watched them get up from the table. She noted that Duncan gave the couple a wistful glance, and then looked at the other couple dancing still nearby. Duncan's expression turned a bit morose. Jazmin and Wallace had obviously been in sync all night. It is never easy being alone and having to watch other couples be so happy, especially when one of the couples consisted of your ex. Mac thought of Dick who had gone to the bathroom. They had been having a good time together. However, the night was almost over, and she didn't want things to get weird. She didn't want him to have expectations she wasn't ready for.
Mac leaned over and asked Duncan, "Would you like to dance with me? Dick's in the bathroom, and I think I've danced enough with him tonight."
Duncan was surprised at Mac's confession. She had seemed content to be with Dick most of the night. However, he knew things were still complicated and unsettled between them. "Sure. I'd love to dance with you," he replied.
When Dick returned to the table, he looked for Mac at their table. Logan leaned over and said, "She's dancing with Duncan."
Dick looked out and easily spotted the couple. He found himself content to just watch Mac. Tonight had been the best night between them since they broke up. At times, Dick had allowed himself to forget they were broken up. But then when he found his desire to pull her close in his arms build, he'd remember and back off a bit. He didn't want her to push him away.
"That's cool," he said to Logan.
"You two seem to be having a good time," Logan remarked to his friend.
Dick flashed him a grin. "It's been awesome, dude! A few more times like this, and she'll be back in my bed in no time!"
Veronica gave him a look of warning. "Careful, Dick. Don't count your chickens before they hatch," she advised.
Dick looked confused. "Chickens? Who said anything about chickens?" he asked.
Veronica smiled in amusement. "It's an expression. It means don't bet on something that hasn't yet happened. Too much confidence in a specific outcome could rock the boat. Mac's allowing herself to have a good time with you in a group because it's fun and easy. It's how she acts when it's just the two of you that's important. Don't pressure her. Let her make the decision. Take it from me, the second time around can be even better if you take the time to lay the groundwork."
"Don't you mean the third time?" Logan reminded her with a smirk.
"Our second time was definitely better than the first, remember?" Veronica reminded him with her own smirk. The first time they dated things had never gotten so intimate between them.
Logan was ready to go home and have his alone time with Veronica. All this foreplay was killing him. Dancing, if done right, was really just foreplay. He gave her a lecherous glance. "I think we should head back home, so we can work more on making some more memories, don't you?"
Veronica gave him a slow smile. She leaned over and kissed him just as slowly. Before she pulled away, she whispered something in his ear. Dick figured it was pretty naughty based on Logan's reaction to her comment. "Okay, we should definitely head back home!" Logan exclaimed.
Veronica laughed. "I'll go tell our dancing fools. We came separately. I'll go get Duncan. I'm sure he'll be ready to leave. He hasn't been away from Lily at night since New Year's," she said.
******Wallace and Jazmin*******
Wallace was so glad that Piz made special plans for Parker. They were staying in San Diego for the night. That left him with a great opportunity to have some alone time with Jazmin. Things between them had definitely heated up, and he was dying to get her alone. It was after midnight when they made it to his dorm room. He was kissing her as he fumbled with the key and opened his door. Without pulling away from her, he brought her into the room. He shut the door and leaned her up against it still kissing her. Both of them were oblivious to the presence in the room.
"Excuse me," a voice said.
Startled they broke apart. Wallace turned to see who was in their room. When he realized who was there, he took a step forward in stunned amazement. "Dad? What are you doing here?" he asked.
Detective Nathan Woods got up from the chair he'd been sitting in. "Your R.A. let me in. Sorry to just show up like this, but we've got to talk."
Wallace looked at Jazmin who had finally recovered from the interruption and was trying not to die of embarrassment when she realized she was meeting Wallace's dad for the first time. "Dad, this is my girlfriend Jazmin Jaleno. She's from Chicago, too. Jazmin, this is my dad, Nathan Woods."
He gave her a piercing look before acknowledging the introduction. "Detective. Chicago PD," Nathan replied as he offered her his hand.
Wallace looked at his dad in puzzlement. Why was his dad trying to intimidate Jazmin? "What's going on, Dad? You could've called and told me you were coming and I'd have stayed home to meet you."
"It couldn't be helped," Nathan replied. "I needed to talk with you without anyone knowing." He gave Jazmin a look.
Jazmin wasn't sure what was happening, but she knew when someone was judging her. Not only was she being judged by Wallace's dad, she was being found lacking. "Well, I won't tell anyone you're here," she offered. "And I think I'll go and give you some time to talk. It was nice meeting you," she said politely to Wallace's detective dad. His silence was disconcerting. She gave Wallace a confused look. Wallace looked torn. "It's okay, Wallace. Call me tomorrow." She left without kissing him goodbye. In her experience, fathers were never easy to deal with, especially this late at night.
"You weren't very nice, Dad," Wallace rebuked. "What's going on? You show up unannounced and are barely civil to my girlfriend."
"Well, son, I've been here waiting for several hours. I have something very serious to tell you. I need some answers," Nathan said. "But first, I want to know why you are dating the daughter of an Italian mobster."
Wallace's mouth opened in shock.
~To Be Continued…~
Okay, so if there are any song writers reading this or lovers of music, please forgive the Piz song! I am not a song writer. I could've not put in the song. But I really think it added more to the scene to have the words of the song. I tried to imagine the kind of song Piz might write. Or rather what his song might say about their relationship, and that's what I came up with. I figured he's kind of a cheeseball and not a writer so his song would NOT be a great song. However, Parker would like it, and it'd be kind of sweet. It's okay if you laughed when you read it! I won't be offended! And yes, The Static Lounge is a real club in San Diego for 18-21 year olds, and it does NOT serve alcohol. However, I do not know if it was around during the year this story would've taken place.