Chapter Ten

The rest of the week flew by as Joey immersed herself in her art. She'd never produced so many pictures in one week, even when she was taking those art classes in college. It was probably because she began drawing when she woke up, forgot to eat and go to the bathroom, and then crashed into bed late at night once she remembered to sleep. Page after page, canvas after canvas was covered with images. Drawings of L.J., of Pacey, sometimes they were together, sometimes they were pictured along with Casey and Aliya. As soon as she was done, she would tear off and pin-up another blank sheet or canvas and begin again.

Towards the end of the week, she had begun experimenting with the color pencils and the sidewalk chalk along with the usual oils and paints. The result of which were five canvases with art that perfectly depicted her ordeal over the past three months.

When she finished early in the morning on the eleventh day they were there, Joey felt such a strong sense of exhausted relief that she took a nap.

Casey sat in Seven's room, playing with blocks. Aliya was napping, Elliott wasn't there, and she was left with stupid Seven. She didn't hate him anymore though, and he reminded her of L.J. sometimes. They really didn't look alike, but he had yellow hair like him, and they were both five-years-old. Idly balancing a rectangle block on top of a square Casey realized that she hadn't made pretend that L.J. was with her in a long time.

"What's wrong?" Seven asked.

Casey looked up and stared at him. He had dark blue eyes and they were studying her closely. She wondered if she should say something nasty that she didn't mean, but changed her mind. She wasn't in the mood to fight with him.

"I want my brother." She said honestly.

"You have a brother?" He asked. Casey nodded. "He's a kid like us?" Casey nodded again.

"He's five," she answered, rolling a cylinder block around in her hands. "His name's Joseph. We call him L.J. and that means Little Joey."

"Like Aunt Joey?"

"Uh huh."

"But he's a boy and Aunt Joey's a girl."

"So what? Mines is like my daddy's. You wanna make somethin' of it?" Casey glared, but her heart wasn't fully in it.

Seven knew better than to challenge her when she said that phrase, so he shook his head and silently absorbed this new information. He didn't know that. He remembered his father said something about being nice to Casey because someone in her family died, but he didn't say anything about her having a brother.

"He's still at home with your daddy?" Seven guessed. "He shoulda came with you. Then I wouldn't be stuck with a stupid girl." Casey didn't answer, and Seven frowned. It was no fun teasing Casey if she didn't tease him back. It made him feel mean.

"I'm sorry. You're not stupid." He said. When Casey didn't answer, he scratched his head and studied her. "I'm really sorry, Case. I don't think you're stupid. I think you're great."

Casey raised her eyes to his. "Yeah?" She asked warily.

Seven nodded sincerely. "I like your eyes. They're really pretty," he said shyly, embarrassed to say it aloud. "And I like your hair when it's not in any ponytails and it blows around. And I like the way that you fight with me, and race me places and play with me. You'd make a good boy."

Casey smiled. "Thank you, Seven. My brother said that to me all the time." She said sadly.

"Why didn't he come?"

"He's in Heaven with God. He died."

Seven's eyes widened. He had a dog and some goldfish that died and went to Heaven. "Kids can go to Heaven?"

"Everybody goes to Heaven, stupid. Except bad people."

Seven paused to absorb this too. "I'm sorry your brother went to Heaven, Casey." He said quietly.

Casey shook her head. "My mommy and daddy says that Heaven is a good place. But I'm sorry he had to go this soon. I want him with me." Tears filled her eyes, and Seven saw it. Not knowing what to do as she began crying, Seven thought frantically of what his parents did when he cried.

Afraid that she would fight him if he hugged her like his mother hugged him, Seven reached forward and held Casey's hand. She held it tightly as she cried.

Pacey couldn't take it anymore. Joey had been gone for almost two weeks, and he couldn't even sleep in the house anymore, it was so lonely. He wasn't even in the house for most of his day; when he wasn't working, he was walking around with Melanie, and if they weren't walking, they were at the bowling alley and pool hall with her roommate. He slept in the house a little as possible, but that was still too long. But he had nowhere to go. A hotel room would be even more lonely simply because it was a hotel room.

When he told Melanie of his unrest, she suggested he stay at her place.

"That wouldn't be such a good idea." He said.

"Why not?"

They were seated outside of the Yaffa Café, smoking cigarettes and sipping coffee. Pacey rarely smoked, but he had taken up the habit after being around Melanie, who smoked like a goddamn chimney. It was nice outside, a little chillier than usual; it was definitely becoming autumn. Pacey and Melanie enjoyed taking walks around The Village, but the Yaffa Café was one of their favorite spots to sit and smoke and drink coffee.

"Because . . ." Pacey tried to think of a polite way to tell her that he was afraid she would jump on him in a moment of weakness.

"I'm not gonna rape you, Pacey," Melanie said with a grin, reading his mind. "I just want to help you out. We're friends, right? Think about it."

"Joey would throw a fit if she found out I was having a sleepover with two twenty-year-old refugees from Florida seeking fame on the Great White Way." Pacey told her. Melanie shared an apartment with her best friend Tara, and they both wanted to be actresses on Broadway. Tara looked like a little doll with wavy blond hair and liquid brown eyes and a sweet face that matched her personality. She adored Pacey like an older brother, and Pacey was quite fond of her too.

"Tara's a lesbian, and if Joey finds out, you can tell her that I'm one too. No big deal." Melanie shrugged. Pacey grinned; Melanie would get along great with Jen. Jen lived in Seattle though, and Pacey and Joey didn't see as much of her as they would've liked to.

"Not only do I hate lying to her, she wouldn't believe me."

"Look," Melanie said, taking a pull from her cigarette and then pointing it at him. "Joey ran off to spend time with a guy that not only she, but you also call 'her soulmate'. She was in love with him for what, fifteen years or something? And to top it all off, she told you she wanted a divorce not two days before she dropped everything and split. Now she's been at this guy's house, with your daughters, for two weeks. Am I right so far?"

"Not two weeks yet. But you're right. I don't see your point."

Melanie made a face. "If you don't then you're either stupid, or you're lying to yourself. And we both know you're not stupid, Pacey Witter. Joey has no right to be mad anymore, she ran away, not you. Now, I'm not trying to break up your marriage or anything, I don't mess with that," she said, neglecting to point out the fact that she wanted him even when she saw he had a ring on his finger. "But I am looking out for a friend. If a friend needs to get away from painful memories, then it's my duty to get you away from all that."

"How do you know I'm not a rapist or a serial killer?" Pacey challenged. The idea of moving in with a girl he'd known for a week and a half was ridiculous, but he was close to giving in. The idea of spending one more night in that house was killing him.

"Because I'm a stupid ass who's going to trust you. Don't torture yourself, Pacey Witter," Melanie said, shaking her cigarette at him. "You're doing enough by not talking to her."

"What do you mean?"

"Talk to your wife, Pacey. She's probably dying to see you by now. Shit, if I was your wife I would." Melanie said unashamedly, tucking back a strand of copper red hair that had freed itself from her ponytail.

"Well, you're not," Pacey said softly, pensively. "And she wouldn't. She's probably thinking of whether or not she should divorce me, or kill me. I was treating her really bad. I screwed up."

Melanie sighed and shook her head. "Spend a few days with us, Pacey," she coaxed, her turquoise eyes beseeching. "We won't even be there much. The rents due soon and Tara and I are working overtime all next week. And don't feel like you'd be a burden, either. You know Tara won't mind. Just come on."

Pacey shrugged and took a drag from his Marlboro Menthol Light. "Sure. It won't be the first or the last time Pacey Witter's every done something incredibly stupid. At least your house is closer to my job. I could call you for protection if my boss keeps hitting on me." He joked.

Rolling her eyes, Melanie snorted. "I really wish you would just tell her to go screw herself up, down and sideways."

Pacey laughed and toasted her with his coffee cup. "You're turning out to be quite the character, missy. What happened to the shy little girl in the diner?"

Melanie shrugged. "She thought she had a tiny crush on this tall, hot guy with blue eyes and a really odd name that rhymes with 'racy' or something like that."

"What happened?" He asked, humoring her.

"He turned out to be an unmotivated loser, a complete idiot, and she figured it would be best to just give up on him. Especially since he didn't even like her, he was head over heels in love with his wife," Melanie shrugged. "So she left and here I am. Crazy, cynical, but most of all, a friend."

Pacey nodded. "Good. I'm glad."

"So you're coming right?" She asked, just making sure.

"For a little while, yeah."

Exactly two weeks to the day Joey arrived, she packed up the last of her things and closed the trunk. She zipped her light jacket up to the middle, tucked her long brown hair behind her ears and shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "That's it." She said, smiling at Dawson and Andrea. Andrea, who was holding Aliya, hugged the little girl and put her down.

"Bye, cutie," Andrea said to her. "Stay sweet."

"Okay." Aliya chirped happily, skipping over to Joey and throwing her arms around her legs. Joey smiled at her little girl and tugged gently on one of her pigtails.

She is a little cutie, Joey thought proudly. Her huge hazel eyes sparkled in her chubby little tanned face, and her little pink windbreaker matched the white and pink sneakers she wore, as well as the pink striped white t-shirt she had on under her denim overalls.

Joey looked around for Casey and saw her conferring quietly with Seven and Elliott several yards away. "Ready, Case?" Joey called. Her daughter looked up, nodded, and continued talking to the boys.

"I'll give her a few more seconds." Joey thought aloud.

"I gotta go home now." Casey said reluctantly. Elliott grinned at her, making her heart beat faster. She didn't know why that always happened, and she was a little glad they were leaving so it would stop.

"Good-bye, Casey." Elliott said, hugging her.

"Bye, Elliott."

Seven watched them closely with his sapphire eyes, knowing why he was feeling angry. After Casey had cried in front of him, they went back to the way they were, teasing each other and fighting like always, but there was a little something else there. He felt like he shared a special secret with her, and while Elliott was hugging her, it felt like that secret wasn't special to her.

"Bye, Case." He said, his hand in his pocket, wondering if he should still give her the present he'd gotten for her. When she looked at him with her pretty eyes and grinned, he knew he had to give it to her. "Here. For you." Seven pulled it out of his pocket and thrust it at her.

Surprised, Casey took the gift that was wrapped up in tissue paper. She unwrapped it carefully to reveal a ring. It was one of the rings that you get from the twenty-five cents machine, and it had a gold jewel in the middle. Casey looked up at him in wonderment.

"It reminded me of your eyes." He said, blushing furiously to the roots of his blond curls, crossing his arms over his chest as if protect himself from the warmth of the smile spreading across her face. "You like it?" He mumbled.

"I like it a lots. Thanks, Seven." She said, grinning shyly at him. She didn't know what to do because another kid never gave her a gift before—except her brother. Her mommy always used to kiss her daddy when he brought her flowers and little presents. Not knowing what else to do, she glanced around to make sure the adults weren't looking, quickly leaned forward and lightly kissed Seven's cheek. Before he had a chance to react, Casey pushed him to the floor and, giggling, she ran to her mother, holding tight to her gift, the green and blue flecks in her golden yellow eyes glittering mischievously.

"Yuck," Elliott grimaced. "She kissed you."

"Shut up." Seven said dazedly from his spot on the ground. He stared after Casey thoughtfully, his head feeling dizzy.

Joey saw Casey running up to her and looked at Andrea and Dawson. "I guess it's time to go."

"Good-bye, Joey." Andrea said, embracing her warmly. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Me too. Thanks for having us." Joey replied.

"Anytime." Andrea said generously.

Joey looked over at Dawson and kissed his cheek before accepting the unyielding hug he enfolded her in to. "Good-bye, Dawson."

"Take care of yourself, sweetheart." He whispered. He pulled away first, reluctantly, and looked into her eyes. Joey wanted to tell him how thankful she was for him, how much she loved him, how much everything he did meant to her, but she couldn't. Dawson understood, though. And Joey knew he did.

"Well, I guess I'd better go if I want to avoid rush hour." Joey said, rolling her eyes. She still couldn't believe that Capeside even had a goddamn rush hour.

She picked Aliya up and buckled her into her car seat. Casey climbed up into the seat beside her and Joey helped her buckle up before sliding into the drivers seat. With a honk and a wave, Joey pulled out of the driveway with a new resolve, ready to face Pacey, ready to patch things up.