A Slice Of Life

Chapter 36

Sitting alone in his apartment Gerald empties his small carry on, throwing his dirty clothes into the laundry basket. He sits on his bed and picks up a framed photo of him and Phoebe. It was taken on the day of Arnold and Helga's wedding. The pair had stood up as witnesses for their two friends, him as Arnold's best man, and Phoebe as Helga's maid of honor. He looks at their faces. What stares back at him are two people, young and full of love. Blissfully ignorant of the pressures that await them just a few years down the road.

Everyone scoffed at Arnold and Helga when they made the decision to marry so young but now, now he can't help but wonder if they had it right all along. Determined not to put time and distance between them, so positive that their love would survive their youth. Could he and Phoebe have survived getting married at such a young age?

He hates it when he second guesses himself. When all the "What If's" come out. What if he and Phoebe had gotten married at 18 too? What if, instead of deciding to stay in Hillwood, he took a teaching job closer to Phoebe? The problem with "What If's" though, is that they bring up a lot of questions, but never any of the answers.

Putting the picture down, he picks up his phone, thinking of an excuse to call her. Would she hold it against him if he broke his no calling promise to make sure that she made it home safely from the airport? No. Knowing Phoebe, she'd see right through that lame excuse.

He's startled from his thoughts as his phone starts to ring. He can tell by the ringtone that it's Amanda and he winces. He's been avoiding her all weekend and he's still not ready to face her yet so he lets the call go to voice mail. Once he gets the notification that he has a message he picks it up. At first her messages were light and pleasant. "Hey, Babe, just calling to see how you're surviving Thanksgiving with your family." Now, though, the messages are not quite so friendly. Bracing himself, he clicks into the message.

"Okay, Gerald, what's up? Why are you avoiding me? I've been calling you all weekend. I'm about ready to look up your parent's number in the phone book and call their house. I swear, Gerald, call me back, or else!"

"Oh, God." He thinks to himself. He knows he's avoided her as long as he can. Work starts back up tomorrow and there will be no getting away from her there. He figures he'd better at least call her so she doesn't bombard him in the teacher's lounge in the morning. Steeling himself, he gives her a call. She answers on the first ring.

"It's about time you got back to me! Where have you been?"

"Well, hello to you too." He says, a bit perturbed at being verbally assaulted. "I'm sorry I didn't get back to you, I was, uh, busy with family. You know how it goes."

"Too busy to even shoot me a quick text?"

"Yeah, well I'm sorry about that."

"Well, did you at least miss me at all?"

"Yeah, sure, sure I did. How was your holiday? Did you go visit your parents like you were thinking of doing?"

"Yes, and it took all of one day. So, just how did you spend YOUR weekend?"

"Yeah, my weekend. You know, Amanda, about that. We need to talk. How about we meet after work, we can go to O'Shay's for drinks."

"Well, I guess I can do that. Do you want to meet there, or drive together?"

"I'll meet you there, how's 4:00?"

"Okay, 4:00 at O'Shay's. Oh, and Gerald."

"Yeah?"

"Don't stand me up."

Through a gulp Gerald gives a quiet, "Don't worry, I won't."

xxxxx

Gerald arrives at school the next morning before Arnold. Letting himself into friend's office, he sits and waits for him, hoping he gets there before classes start. He nervously looks out the window, watching for Amanda's car.

Arriving at school, Arnold is intercepted by a couple of members of his fan club before he can make it into the teacher's lounge for his morning coffee.

"Good morning Mr. Shortman." Giggles a doe eyed sophomore. "How was your break?"

He recognizes the girl and gives her a smile. "Well, good morning Brianne, my break was great, thanks. How about you? Do anything fun?"

The girl practically swoons as she answers. "Yeah, my whole family went skiing over the holiday. It was a lot of fun. Do you ski?"

"Well, I can, but I prefer snowboarding." He decides to really make her day and gives her a little wink.

Totally enamored now the second girl, who's' name escapes Arnold, speaks up through a sigh. "Oh, I bet you're an excellent snowboarder, Mr. Shortman."

"Eh, I do alright. You girls have a good day now, okay."

They wave and smile at Arnold as he walks away and speak in unison. "Okay, Mr. Shortman, you too." Turning to each other they give a little fangirl squeal as they head to tell their soon to be jealous friends of their conversation.

Once inside the small teacher's lounge Arnold is once again intercepted in his quest for coffee. This time by none other than Ms Pearson herself.

"Arnold!" She says, her smile a little too friendly. "Good morning!"

She makes her way over to him, standing a little too close for his comfort.

"Uh, hey there, Amanda. How are you this morning?" He says as he takes a step backwards.

Closing the gap Amanda moves in a little closer, "I'm just fine. How's that adorable baby of yours, and your wife, um, what's her name again?"

It didn't take long for Arnold to become annoyed with the woman. "Helga, her name is Helga."

"Oh, right, Helga. An unusual name don't you think?"

"Well, she's not like most people, which is one of the bigger reasons why I love her." Arnold hopes he's getting his message across to the obnoxious teacher. Grabbing his coffee, he excuses himself and heads out the door.

"It was nice seeing you, Amanda. You have a good day."

"You too, Arnold. Perhaps I'll see you at lunch."

With his back to Amanda he rolls his eyes as he leaves the room. Happy to be free of her he makes his way to his office. As he walks in he's surprised to see Gerald waiting for him.

"Hey, Gerald, what brings you around?"

"Hey, Arnold. I'm just laying low until classes start. You didn't happen to see Amanda have you?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact I did. She cornered me in the teacher's lounge."

"How was she? Did she seem mad or agitated?"

"No, on the contrary, she was her normal, annoying self. You know, you can't avoid her all day."

"I know, I know. Hey, you've got to do me a solid and have lunch with me today. I'm seeing her after school to talk to her and I'm hoping to avoid her until then."

"Oh yeah, where are you meeting her?"

"I told her to meet me at O'Shay's."

"A bar! You're meeting her at a bar! Are you sure that's such a good idea?"

"Well, that's where we'd usually meet up and I didn't want to seem suspicious. She already thinks something's up."

"But a bar? Do NOT start drinking before you see her."

The bell finally rings, signaling the start of first period.

"Don't worry, Arnold, I won't. So, meet me in the parking lot at first lunch?"

"Sure, Gerald, whatever you say."

"Thanks, Arnold, you're a true friend."

Looking both ways before entering the hallway, Gerald hurries off to class.

xxxxx

The day goes by rather uneventfully. With Arnold's help, Gerald is able to avoid running into Amanda. He waits for her now in a back booth at the local bar. It's crowded and he's hoping that will hinder Amanda from making any sort of a scene. He sips on a beer as he nervously watches the door, running what he's going to say over and over in his head. After twenty minutes he sees Amanda as she walks through the door. He gives her a little wave, signaling her over.

She's taken off the blazer she wore during school hours to reveal a hot pink, low cut blouse. Combined with the tight skirt she's wearing she elicits a few drunken stares as she saunters through the bar. Ever the gentleman, Gerald stands as she approaches and motions for her to sit across from him in their booth. Purposely leaning forward as she sits, her blouse hangs away from her chest, revealing a lace covered bra in the same pink as her blouse. Gerald gives a strangled gulp as he quickly looks away. She notices this and gives a little smirk.

Clearing his throat Gerald tries his best to speak. "So, can I order you a drink?"

She locks her eyes on to his. "Sure, a white wine is fine. For now."

Calling over the waitress, Gerald orders a glass of wine and another beer for himself. When the drinks come he finally brings up the reason for the meeting.

"So, um, Amanda. I kinda have something I need to tell you." He watches as her expression hardens.

"Oh, and what might that be?" Her eyes become steely as she watches his face.

"Well, it seems that I haven't really been completely honest with you."

"Go on."

"Yeah, well, I, uh, I didn't spend Thanksgiving with my family like I said I was."

She sits back in her seat now, her arms crossed in front of her.

"No? So tell me, just where were you then?"

"I was in California. Visiting my – uh – girlfriend. Well, she's more than a girlfriend, we're, uh, practically engaged."

"So she's your fiancée then?"

"Well, not officially, but we are, uh or were, uh. We're in a serious relationship.

He can see the anger build on Amanda's face as he tries to come up with any excuse that would explain his situation.

"So all this time you were with me, you had a fiancée?"

Gerald searches for something to say. "Well…I, uh."

"Well, you, uh what? What, Gerald? Why would you just lead me on like that?"

"I don't know, I was going through a rough time. I was feeling lonely. Then I met you, and you were so friendly, and you gave me the attention I was craving. I'm so sorry, Amanda."

"So what happened to make you all of a sudden come to your senses and go running to your little fiancée? Did the guilt become too much for you?"

"No, well, yeah, I was feeling guilty. I was going to tell you, to break it off, but I didn't want the attention you were giving me to stop. Then, well, a friend of mine saw us."

"That day in the restaurant." Amanda starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Yeah, that day. After she saw us I knew I had no choice but to tell Phoebe what's been going on. In an effort to somehow save what we have." He hangs his head, unable to meet her eyes.

"Who was that woman, Gerald? The one from the restaurant?"

Not wanting to bring Helga and Arnold into this he tries to avoid answering the question.

"It doesn't matter who she is, she's just a friend."

"A friend, huh? Or perhaps a third member of your little haram?"

"What? No! No, of course not. Me and Helga? No, she's one of my best friends!"

The name, Helga, rings a bell with Amanda.

"Did you say, Helga?"

Gerald worries that he's said too much.

"Um, maybe."

"Helga, as in Arnold's wife, Helga?"

"I didn't know you knew Helga."

"I don't. So, did she put you up to flying out to California?"

"No. I already had plans to fly out for Thanksgiving, long before I met you."

"I see. So let me get this straight. You have an almost fiancée in California. You get lonely and start to miss her so you turn to me, hoping to be shown a good time, with no thoughts at all to making any sort of relationship out of it. I was just, what, filler until you were with your girlfriend again? For a good time call Amanda? Is that what I was to you?"

"No, of course not, you were my friend. I just let things get out of hand. I let it go too far. I know I should have said something from the beginning and I'm sorry."

"So then, where does that leave us now? You certainly don't think I'd want to still be friends with you, do you?"

"I – I didn't expect you to still want to be friends, and I don't think that's even a good idea, but I thought we could at least be cordial to each other."

"I don't think that will be happening. What about your fiancée? She kick you out on your ass?"

"No, not totally. I'm hoping to work things out with her. But the ball's in her court now. It all depends on if she can forgive me or not."

"Tell me, Gerald, did you at any point think there could be something more between us than just a good time?"

Ashamed, Gerald hangs his head. "No, I didn't."

"I see."

Furious, Amanda stands up. Before leaving she stands over Gerald, glaring down at him. There's venom in her voice as she speaks.

"No one makes a fool of me. If I were you, I'd watch my back."

Turning on her heel she storms off without looking back. Downing his beer, Gerald motions to the waitress to bring him another. He sits alone drinking his beer hoping that the threat he heard in Amanda's voice was just imagined.

A/N So, what do you think of Amanda now? Is her anger justified or was she just playing with Gerald too? Do you believe her threat or is she just blowing hot air? Also, how do you like the story so far? Is it good, is it meh? I hope it's good. Well, I'm off to start my week-end. Leave a comment and let me know what you think is going to happen next.