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A Damaged Perfection
Chapter Forty Five
Nearly Two Months Later
December 31, 2007
Georgie stood in her bedroom, in front of the mirror, seeing if she looked alright in the dress she picked out to wear to the New Year's Eve party that Lucy Coe was throwing at the lighthouse. Knowing Lucy half the town would be invited. Georgie just hoped she didn't garner too many "Poor her" looks, the same kind of looks she had been receiving since the funeral.
(A long December
and
there's reason to believe
maybe this year will be better than the
last.
I
can't remember the last thing
that you said
as you were leaving.
Now
the days go by so fast)
It hadn't been easy to keep thoughts of her parents out of her mind. Her school work suffered, turning her straight A's into solid B's. She promised herself she would make up for it next semester.
If not for Logan, Georgie is sure she would not have smiled at all during the holidays. She found out that he is good in a crisis, naturally rising above the reckless, out of control way he acts when nothing is on the line.
He held her, night after night, when she cried and though he didn't know what to say, she didn't mind. Georgie figured there was really nothing anyone could say to make it seem okay that both Felicia and Frisco were gone from this world.
Logan could only hold her until she felt safe again, and he did that like a pro. He might not think he was good at very many things- other than wrecking his own happiness and hitting his target in a firefight- but Georgie believed he was very good at loving her. If she had to go through this trauma alone...she didn't even want to think about how lost she would feel. She would be sinking into an ocean of despair and loss, if not for her best friend- the man she loved with all her heart, the man she planned to hold on to with all she had.
Knock.
Knock.
Logan stuck his head inside her room. "Your Pops sent me up. You know," he flashed his crooked, devilish grin "I think I am growing on that guy. He only gave me two dirty looks and one lecture this time."
"That's progress."
Logan looked Georgie up and down. She blushed. She tucked her hair behind her ear and fastened a clip there.
Logan whistled, a low throaty sound of appreciation. "Damn, girl, you are working that dress."
"Shh, I am not."
He pulled her easily into his arms. "Lets go back to my place. Hell with this party."
"Your sisters are expecting you. You don't want to disappoint Tina, do you?"
He would do anything on earth for his two sisters, especially the youngest one who had big brown eyes that she used to get whatever she wanted out of her big brother.
"Aw, you know, I don't." He kissed her gently, nibbling on her bottom lip. "But I also do very much want to get you out of this dress."
Georgie brought her hand up to hold the back of his head, deepening the kiss, then she pulled away. "That will have to hold you."
She scooted around him, smiling, and headed for the door. He grabbed her around the waist, causing her to giggle, and kissed her neck. "Home by midnight," he whispered. "I want to start this new year doing my favorite thing with my favorite girl. Deal?"
Georgie's eyes connected with his. She could not resist him when he had this boyish look on his face and eyes filled with love for her. She had never seen anything more adorable. "You got yourself a deal."
XXXXXXXXX
"A limo," Maxie said as her and Cooper walked out of their house to the vehicle waiting on the curb. "I suppose that family is good for something."
Cooper said "I know this isn't the way you wanted to spend tonight and I promise I will make it up to you. Okay, baby?" He opened the limo door and she crawled inside, he followed after her.
"Sure. Don't worry about it," Maxie answered "Just don't think of making this a tradition because next year I want to spend at home with just me, you and our little one."
Spending New Year's Eve with the Quatermaine clan ranked dead last on Maxie's list of fun ideas to celebrate the holiday. She would have rather flown to Vegas and married Cooper at the stroke of midnight in some garishly decorated church on the Strip.
But Ned had guilt tripped Cooper into accepting this invitation ( it would mean so much to your great grandfather...the family is shrinking...Alan is gone and Dillon couldn't come home for the holidays...just stop by for a few minutes, son) and Maxie would never let him face that family alone. He thought they were harmless- a little needy and demanding but basically good people. She thought they were loud, overbearing, entitled elitists. And if they even thought about dictating one damn thing to Cooper about how he should live his life, then she would put each and every one of them in their place- and enjoy every second of doing it.
XXXXXXXX
During the car ride over, Cooper couldn't take his eyes off Maxie. She was absolutely gorgeous in her black gown, with her hair in an updo, and diamond dangling earrings in her ears. He leaned closer to her, stroking his hand down her cheek.
She smiled, her eyes locked on his.
"This is the way," he said "I want to start every year from now on- looking in your eyes and seeing love looking back on me. You think we can pull that off?"
"I know we can."
He raised his other hand and cupped her cheeks right before he kissed her.
The last two months had been hell. Sometimes he caught Maxie standing stiff as a board, her eyes a million miles away, and her hands shaking. She didn't like to talk about what was on her mind, but every now and then she would let something slip. It was usually her mother that brought that tormented look into her eyes. She didn't seem to be mourning Frisco as deeply, though it was hard to be sure because she hated to even say his name; it could be that she lost him in all the ways that mattered years before and there was little difference now that it was official he would never come home. All Cooper knew is he was terrified for Maxie, because whenever she kept anything from him it was never a good sign. It risked all they had and he never wanted that to be put at risk again.
When he kissed her though, all the worry and pain dissolved away, and for just a few moments they were completely perfected, undamaged.
He wished he could go on kissing her forever. He wished he could be sure they would never end.
(I guess the winter
makes
you laugh a little slower,
makes you talk a little lower,
about the things you could not show her.
And it's been a long December
and
there's reason to believe
maybe this year will be better than the
last.
I
can't remember all the times I tried to tell my myself
to hold on
to these moments
as they pass.
And
it's one more day up in the canyon
And it's one more night in
Hollywood
It's been so long since I've seen the ocean...I guess
I should)
( Counting Crows)
XXXXXXXXX
As soon as Logan and Georgie walked into Lucy's, not bothering to knock because Lucy insisted Logan was the son she was sent from the stars, Logan spotted Milo with his arm around the waist of Serena.
Logan hissed "Oh, hell naw. Hell naw. What in the hell does he think he is doing?"
He stormed across the room, narrowly avoiding bumping into other guests. Georgie hurried behind him. She said "It's really none of our-"
Logan pushed Milo's shoulder, causing Milo to leave go of Serena and stumble a few steps backwards. "I thought I told you to stay away from my sister."
"Business," Georgie said. She shot Serena an apologetic look.
Logan ranted "Didn't I tell you that, man? Months ago I thought you got it through that thick head of yours that she is off limits to you! You. Her. No go. We understand each other now, buddy?"
"Serena seems to feel different," Milo told him.
Serena grabbed Logan's hand and said "Excuse us, I have to go kill my brother. Shouldn't take but five minutes." She drug him towards the study. On the way Lucy spotted Logan and lit up, a huge smile on her face as she called out a greeting and started across the room. Serena said "Later, Mom! I need to talk to him- alone."
Once they were inside the office, Logan jerked his hand back. "Don't even start. You've been sneaking around behind my back."
"Yeah, DAD, I snuck around. What you gonna do? Ground me? I am not a little girl and you are not my father. I date whoever I want and if you don't like it then hell with you, Logan."
His mouth dropped. "Well, that's kinda harsh." He looked down, shaking his head. "So...you would just write me off, just like that?"
For all her fire, Serena was also very family orientated and immediately reacted to the hurt in her brother's voice. "I didn't say that."
"Yeah, yeah, you did." He walked around her and headed for the door. "Have your meathead boyfriend. Get shot and killed when he screws up and leaves you unprotected. Why should I care? Two sisters to visit in the cemetery instead of one! Fine. Whatever."
She said his name softly. He yanked open the door. She called out "Wait! Okay, I'm sorry. I know you are just looking out for me and, for the record, nothing could ever make me kick you out of my life. I have only one older brother and...I love him. But...I get to date who I want. And you get to be quiet about it. Or else we are gonna have problems."
Logan slowly turned around. "There is a whole town full of guys. Why that one? Why someone who is in the mob?"
"You used to be in the mob."
"And you told me to get out, which I did."
"You got kicked out."
"I'm out. That's all that matters. I can't believe you've been lying to me for months, Serena."
"How can I be honest with you when you go all Cave Man on me. I invited Milo here tonight cause I'm sick of lying. We've been together since Halloween. I care about him and that is just something you will have to learn to accept. Hey, at least I didn't fall for the son of the local mob boss, like our baby sister did."
"Don't even mention that to me. I'm pretending that doesn't exist."
"Sorry. Sorry...for everything. Am I forgiven?" Serena asked.
"I guess, liar."
"Thank you, jerk."
Logan started to leave the room but Serena stopped him and hugged him. "Happy New Years, brand new Baldwin."
"Happy New Year right back at ya, sis."
