Jo sat on the edge of her bed, her head in her hands. The Bronx native had experienced more than her fair share of adversity and hard knocks in her young life, but she was certain that tonight's events earned a place near the top of the list. Blair, Natalie and Tootie had come within a hair's breadth of getting killed in a car accident when Tootie's older brother Marshall decided to drive them home from a party while he was drunk. On the way, he hit a tree and ran a red light. If Blair hadn't seen the oncoming car and screamed…
Blair. The beautiful, Park Avenue debutante who had been both a thorn in her side and the love of her life since the day they met almost three years ago. Jo had been head over heels in love with the blonde heiress since the moment Mrs. Garrett made them shake hands that fateful first day. She never flattered herself to think that rich-boy-crazy Blair would even give her a second glance or thought. Their fights were the stuff of Eastland legends. Although she would never admit it to anyone but herself, those very heated arguments had always aroused her to the point of distraction. Jo had lost count of the times she wanted to bend Blair over one of those cafeteria tables during one of their battle royales and show her exactly how she felt. But it wasn't just physical. Blair had also proven herself to be an incredibly kind, generous and loyal friend to Jo who always had her back. Jo owed her so much, even though Blair dismissed that notion. You owe Bloomingdale's. You owe the gas company. You don't owe your friends.
And to think it all could have been snuffed out by a selfish, drunk jerk. The thought of coming so close to losing her friends, to losing Blair, made Jo want to scream in rage. She didn't want to go downstairs, because Marshall was still there with Tootie, and at this point, Jo knew she couldn't be held responsible for what she might do to him. Heaving a deep sigh, she decided to check on Blair. The heiress had said she wanted to take a hot bath to soothe her frayed nerves. As soon as Jo walked out into the hall, she could hear Blair's sobs. Approaching the bathroom door, Jo started to knock, but reconsidered. Blair rarely shed tears, so this was proof of how distraught she was. Damn you, Marshall Ramsey. Jo leaned against the heavy wooden door in anguished silence, Blair's cries and sobs stabbing her heart like needles. Her own tears threatened to fall. And with that, Jo decided to have a little chat with Marshall after all. No one, NO ONE, made Blair cry.
Stomping down the stairs that led into the kitchen, Jo flung open the swinging door with such force it slammed into the wall. Marshall and Tootie were sitting at one of the tables and jumped, startled by the sudden, loud noise. "Jo, you nearly scared us to death! What's wrong?" Tootie exclaimed.
"I need to talk to your brother. In private." Jo's angry tone left no room for argument, but Tootie ventured there anyway.
Tootie stood up so fast, she nearly knocked over her chair. "Don't even THINK about yelling at Marshall, Jo! And anything you say to him, you can say to me." Tootie put her hands on her hips and lifted her chin defiantly.
Jo approached her younger friend slowly and deliberately. In a calm, quiet voice with a deadly edge to it, she told Tootie, "When I said 'in private', I meant 'in private'. Don't make me tell you again."
Realizing her friend meant business, Tootie's eyes widened and she scurried from the room. Jo faintly heard their bedroom door slam, so she knew there would be no eavesdropping.
Marshall asked, "What's going on?" and Jo whirled on him. "You actually have the balls to ask that?! How selfish and clueless ARE you?! I'll tell ya 'what's going on'! You almost killed my three best friends, one of whom happens to be YOUR LITTLE SISTER! Blair is up there in the bathroom right now cryin' her eyes out because a car almost PLOWED INTO HER! And she never, EVER cries! What in the hell is WRONG with you, Marshall?! No one who cares about their friends and family even a little bit would be so damned irresponsible and deliberately put them in danger like that!"
Marshall had endured Jo's tirade in annoyed silence, but now spoke up. "You know something? I already got this lecture from Mrs. Garrett, only she didn't make my ears bleed. I'm sorry. Really sorry. I KNOW it was a stupid thing to do, but nobody got hurt, that's the main thing. It's over."
Jo appraised him, her arms folded across her chest. "You're damned right it's over, because you're NEVER gonna get Blair, Tootie or Nat in a car with you at the wheel again. I'm gonna SEE to that!"
Growing tired of Jo's belligerent attitude, Marshall shot back, "YOU'RE going to see to it. Who are you, their keeper?"
"I'm their FRIEND. Listen, if you wanna screw up your own life, that's your right and your business. But when ya start involving innocent bystanders who also happen to be my friends, THAT'S where you and I have a problem." The glare Jo fixed him with could have put him six feet under. "And I'm done talkin' to you." She turned on her heel and headed toward the kitchen.
"You have a thing for her, don't you?" Marshall called after her.
Jo froze in her tracks, her blood running cold. Without turning around, she replied in an aggravated tone, "A thing for who? What are you talkin' about?"
Marshall walked over and leaned on the counter outside the kitchen door. "Blair. I saw the look that came over your face, that haunted look in your eyes, when you mentioned her. You know, at the thought of losing her. It wasn't there when you talked about Tootie or Natalie. Besides, Tootie has told me for over two years that you and Blair have a thing for each other."
A thing for each other. That implied Blair had feelings for Jo as well. Oh, God, if only…but if Tootie knew, so did Natalie. And so did Mrs. Garrett. And, more than likely, so did the entire Eastland campus. Not good...
Jo had to cover - fast. "Marshall, I have no clue what you're talkin' about. Blair and I are just friends. And some would say more like enemies from the way we've always argued. And this has absolutely NOTHIN' to do with the subject at hand." Marshall noticed the brunette was fidgeting, rocking from foot to foot, and pulling at her hands. He had struck a nerve. And now Jo knew there was no turning back. Because of Marshall's revelation, she had to face her feelings for Blair.
"If you say so. Hey, just so you know, I think it's fine. There's nothing wrong with it." Heading for the cafeteria exit, Marshall turned around, gave Jo a parting half-smile and told her, "Tell Tootie I'll call her tomorrow. And one more thing: be happy, Jo."
Jo mutely watched Marshall leave, her mind still reeling from that bombshell he dropped about Blair. She decided to head back upstairs to once again check on the heiress. When she got to the top of the stairs and rounded the corner, Tootie was coming out of their room. And she was in a huff. Jo attempted to greet her, but the younger girl brushed by her without a word or making eye contact. Apparently, messing with Marshall was the same as messing with Tootie. Jo reminded herself to make amends later, because right at this moment, there was a much more pressing matter to deal with.
Jo found Blair in their room, ensconced under the covers in her heavy chenille bathrobe and sipping a cup of cocoa. She greeted Jo with a flat, "Hi." Sitting gingerly on the edge of Blair's bed, Jo asked her rapid-fire questions. "So...how are ya feelin'? Are you warm enough? Do ya need more blankets? Can I get ya some more cocoa?" Blair, touched by her friend's concern, patted her hand and told her, "I'm fine, Jo. Really. I just need some sleep." The blonde's chestnut eyes were puffy and red-rimmed from crying, and Jo experienced a pang, a heartbreaking ache like never before. Smiling at the most gorgeous girl she'd ever seen, Jo reminded her, "Well, if you DO need anything, just let me know." Returning the smile, Blair looked at the most gorgeous girl she'd ever seen and replied, "Thank you, Jo. I'll certainly do that. You're a good friend. Thanks for being so sweet to me."
Feeling her cheeks flush, Jo shrugged and responded, "Hey, you're...you're...uh...you're really easy to be nice to, Blair." A pause and a mock-frown. "But don't tell anybody I said that. I got a reputation to uphold, ya know." Blair laughed, the sweetest, most welcome sound Jo had heard all night. Taking Jo's hand, the blonde assured her, "Don't worry, Jo. Your secret's safe with me. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, you're still the insufferable barbarian and I'm still the spoiled, shallow debutante." Jo's smile faded as she ran her thumb over Blair's knuckles. "We're both so much more than that, ya know. So much more." Looking into Jo's luminous jade eyes, Blair squeezed her hand and replied, "Yes, we are."
*****
Later that night, Natalie and Tootie were fast asleep in their bunk beds, but Blair wasn't as fortunate. She tossed and turned restlessly, exhausted but still tightly wound from the near-accident earlier in the evening. Frustrated, she decided to get up and go downstairs, deciding what was left of Mrs. Garrett's chocolate mousse just might be the antidote. She softly closed the door behind her on her way out, but a certain Bronx girl was also wide awake, her mind abuzz with all things 'Blair'. Jo assumed Blair went to the bathroom, but when almost ten minutes passed and the heiress still hadn't returned, Jo became concerned. Also getting up, she made her way downstairs to check on her friend. She found Blair sitting in the dark on the couch in the lounge, her legs curled under her and her arms drawn tightly around her middle. Not for the first time this night, Jo felt sadness stab her like a knife. Always confident, always self-assured Blair Warner looked like a fragile, frightened child right now, and Jo wanted nothing more than to comfort her. She was unsure if she should disturb Blair, but she truly wanted to help her beautiful friend. Blair had certainly done the same for her time and time again. Flipping on the light switch, Jo greeted her with a quiet, "Hey."
Squinting and shielding her eyes, Blair replied, "Jo, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"
Jo shook her head dismissively. "Nah, I can't sleep. And you could set off firecrackers under their bed and Nat and Tootie wouldn't wake up."
Blair eyed Jo with concern. "Why can't you sleep? Is something wrong?"
Well, for starters, the woman I love almost got killed tonight. Other than that, everything's great.
Joining Blair on the couch, Jo responded, "I think I should be askin' you that. Blair, I know what happened tonight was traumatic for you, for all of you. But you seem to be the one who's takin' it the hardest. If you wanna talk, ya know, I'm right here."
Blair sat staring at her folded hands in her lap. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply, shoring up the ability to speak. Looking directly at Jo, she told her, "Jo, I can't get the image out of my head of that car barreling toward us. I was sitting in the rear passenger side, and that's the direction the car was coming from. Very, very fast. It would have crushed me." Closing her eyes at the hideously possible scenario Blair just described, Jo took Blair's trembling hand and squeezed it, telling her, "We can all thank God things turned out very differently."
Blair showed Jo her watch, still on her wrist. "My watch stopped at 8:34pm. Jo, that was the exact time the car came at us. I don't know why it stopped at that precise moment, especially since I just had a new battery put in." A stricken look came over her face. "But I do know it means something. I guess it's to serve as a reminder of how blessed and fortunate I am, how all of us are, to still be here."
And like a dam breaking, Blair's tears fell, and that was the official butcher knife through Jo's heart. She embraced the heiress tightly, and Blair reciprocated, clinging to her steady friend for dear life. Jo finally let loose with her own tears, and rocked her sweet, beautiful, distraught friend back and forth like a small child, kissing the top of her head in a gesture of comfort. She would stay with Blair like this forever if that's what it took to make her feel better.
After a solid five minutes of intensely cathartic crying, Blair and Jo collected themselves and sat on the couch together in lingering silence, each eternally grateful for the other's presence. Jo was the first to break the silence with a very unexpected and very blunt admission. Jade eyes tracking to chestnut ones, the brunette confessed, "Blair, if...if...uh...if anything had happened to you tonight, I...oh God...I wouldn't've been able to deal with it, ya know? Because...I'm in love with you. I always have been." The brunette had to blink back another onslaught of tears. "And the thought of not havin' you here in my life, as a friend or otherwise...I can't even stand to think about it." Her heart pounding so loudly she was sure Blair could hear it, Jo waited for the blonde's reaction. And hoped she wouldn't live to regret every word she just uttered.
Blair was silent for a few heartbeats and then managed to whisper hoarsely, "Oh, Jo. Oh, God, Jo." She gradually found her voice and continued. "I thought it was just me. I thought I'd been spending these last three years drowning in hopelessly unrequited love. Jo, I fell in love with you the day we met, and I used to think it would fade over time and eventually disappear. But it didn't. It only got stronger. And I knew I didn't WANT it to disappear." She smiled radiantly at the stunningly beautiful young woman from the Bronx. And Jo returned it, her trademark mega-watt grin, so sexy it had always reduced Blair to a quivering pile of jello.
Knowing it was MORE than overdue, Jo and Blair kissed for the first time. It was hesitant and tentative at first, their lips barely brushing. Then three years of raging hormones and pent-up lust took over, and their tongues touched. Deeply and rapidly. And for at least five minutes. Blair's hands wandered under Jo's pajama shirt and nails scratched that smooth, bare back. Jo untied Blair's robe and began rubbing her left breast through the deliciously soft silk of her pajama top - moaning as she felt the nipple harden under her touch. Slowly and gently, Jo lowered Blair down on the couch, where the two made out for the next half hour. They knew they had to get back to their room before they were caught, a prospect that secretly thrilled the pair. Reluctantly, they returned to their beds, with Natalie and Tootie still fast asleep in theirs. Sneaking a goodnight kiss, Blair and Jo then slept soundly for the remainder of the night.
And late one Saturday night a few weeks later, while Natalie and Tootie were away in Manhattan visiting Natalie's parents, and while Mrs. Garrett was away visiting her son Raymond, Blair and Jo consummated their long-simmering relationship under Blair's frilly white comforter. And Jo didn't mind those girly, perfumed sheets one bit. An "Aviance kind of night" indeed.