Miranda and Gary were walking happily, hand in hand, about the high street on a sunny afternoon. Gary spotted a lady selling roses and intended to get one for Miranda, when she stopped suddenly. Her heels were stuck in a gap. 'You're ok?'. 'Yeah'. She signalled she would catch up with him, so he took the chance. 'Ok one minute, just going to get something.' He got the roses, trying to make their date more romantic, when he turned around and she her being attacked by the street fountains. She walked towards him making funny faces and he burst out laughing. They then walked back to her flat to change, but after laughing of the incident earlier, Miranda remained silent.
He waited for her to take a shower, not knowing what to do. Another date went disastrously. He found the whole situation funny, but he did notice her expressions. She looked defeated. He sighed. This was worse than seeing her angry. One of the things he liked about Miranda was that she would always bounce back after something went wrong. Her life was full of adventures after all. This time, however, it seemed she had given up on them. Perhaps she had found trying to date him too exhausting. She came out of the shower, giving Gary a long, sad look, and he knew they were over. Before we even started. He gave her the rose he bought earlier, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Struggling with emotions, he pulled her to a tight hug. He took some time to accept the only right thing to do. 'Friends?'. 'Friends.'
The next day he received a call from his mum, telling him about an acquaintance's daughter who had just moved to the area, Rose. He had told her before that he was not interested, but she persisted, especially after he got back from Hong Kong. 'Garrison, you need to settle down. I won't let you off like last time'. Still feeling down from the break with Miranda, this time he told her he would consider it. A nice escape from reality is needed - just like the days in Malaysia.
Miranda's shop unfortunately went under, but she managed to get a job as an admin assistant so the gang would celebrate - cake and sherry night. He was at her flat, baking a cake and they were singing to Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. He then asked her if she would like to put marzipan on it. She hopped to the kitchen still singing and distractedly plopped the marzipan - 'No no, you have to be a bit more gentle, like this' he put his arms around her trying to help with the cake. They were dangerously close - he looked at her and down at her lips. On the brink. They were interrupted by Stevie and Tilly coming in, teasing them. 'We're friends, we're hanging out, we're sorting it'. When the girls went to change, he noticed some marzipan on Miranda's face and stroke her cheek.
- Are you feeling on the brink?
- A bit brinky yes... We must be brinkless, Gary!
- Sorry, I just thought you were cutely vulnerable.
- And your teaching was manly and dominant.
Hmm.. - they were interrupted again by the girls, and let the matter drop. Later in the evening they discovered Miranda was at the end of an obesity report on TV, covered by a reporter named Michael Jackford. Tilly was teasing that Miranda was part of it, to which he protested, saying the camera was just panning. She's not obese. It was panning!
The next day, he ran into her wearing a business suit about her shop. Hamilton Lodge. He chuckled, appreciating how good she looked in a business suit as she had a tall figure. The day clearly didn't go well, she got fired and her trousers were partly torn by the leg - apparently it was a rough lift. Feeling sorry for her, he told her to come over the restaurant after changing and there would be free log cake. She told him that she's determined to get the shop back, which was great news, so he suggested celebrating, as friends, of course. She suggested pizza and movie to avoid the brink.
He was bringing pizza and popcorn to her flat in the evening, to find her dancing vigorously. She noticed him and stopped, complaining about the shop accounts. They went on to watch a horror film, and some minutes later the lights went out, horrifying them both. They jumped to a hug.
- Oh no, the electricity bill - she wailed. Then they noticed how close they were - on the brink - he had a flashing memory of her in the business suit earlier, and found himself looking at her lips.
- You have that look on your face - she said uncertainly.
- Hm? - he was pulled back to reality. Make up something, Gary, she can't know you just thought about kissing her - oh I was just thinking about the girl in the movie, she's quite cute.
- Oh really? - Miranda suddenly freed herself from his arms - well if you like that sort of button-nose, splindly leg girl that you could use with a toothpick, you can track her down. She might be in Hong Kong and you can marry her!
- I knew it! I knew you hadn't forgiven me. I married Tamara for a green card.
- Yeah yeah - they eyed each other angrily, before being terrified again by Penny coming in trying to stop Miranda from eating the pizza.
A few days later, Miranda came in to apologise about not having forgiven Gary about the marriage and they called truce. I'm already divorced, but what is the point? She doesn't seem to trust me, so it's not going to work anyway. I am too exhausted - perhaps I should really move on from her. With that thought, he called his mum and told her that he would be up for seeing Rose.