Chapter 8 Marina's Evening
Disclaimer: Same thing. I don't own 'em.Around lunchtime, Marina called Jimmy. "Hey," she said."Hi!" he smiled."Listen, I'm sorry about last night. I took too much for granted, and I didn't belong in your bed with you.""Did you think I was offended?" he asked, aware of all the listening ears in the room. Strange how they paid no attention to him until he didn't want them to."No, " she answered. " But I don't want to blur the boundaries, and I did. And I'm sorry.""Marina," he said. "We're friends. Its ok. I enjoyed it, actually." Was that an understatement!"Well, ok. If you're sure," she said. He was so sweet! She couldn't believe he hadn't tried anything. That was her usual experience with men. All hands.He remembered. "Oh, listen, Bobby and Lindsey want to come over for dinner. What do you think?""That sounds fine. Whenever you want, just let me know," she answered, but for some inexplicable reason, she was disappointed. She loved her brother and Lindsey, but she felt possessive of her time with Jimmy and she didn't want to share him with anyone just yet."How about Friday?" he asked. He lowered his voice. "Just dinner, ok? It doesn't have to be late."She smiled. This wasn't the first time he had read her mind. "Ok," she said, casually. They finished chatting and hung up. She felt comfortable, warm and happy. Increasingly, as she spent time with Jimmy, she looked forward more and more to seeing him and spending time with him. She couldn't remember ever enjoying someone's company so much, yet she knew they were just friends. She decided to cook a special dinner for him, and went into the kitchen to evaluate what she would need. She assembled her ingredients and began to prepare an extremely complex dish. It was late in the afternoon when she heard the front door open and close. She smiled, knowing soon she would smell his cologne and he would be coming around the corner. She was surprised when and older, blonde woman came around instead."Hello?" she said."Oh!" said the woman. "I'm sorry! I didn't know Jimmy had.....company.""No, wait!" Marina knew who she was and didn't want her to get the wrong impression. "Judge Kittleson, right?"The woman looked at her. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage."Marina smiled. "Marina Donnell. I'm just staying with Jimmy for a while. We're just FRIENDS! Really! The last thing I want to do is interfere in his personal life, so just go ahead. I'll stay out of your way.""Well, ok. But I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't mention I was here. I'll just wait for him," and she disappeared into Jimmy's room.Yikes! This is awkward, thought Marina. Now what? She finished preparing the dinner and put it in the oven. She knew he would be home any minute and sure enough, it was only a few seconds later that he came through the door."Hi!" he greeted her. He looked tired and stressed."Tough day?" she asked."Killer." He answered. "But something smells good in here." He took his jacket off and slung it over the couch.She wondered how she was going to get him to go in his room. Knowing him, he would just take off his tie and sit at the table, telling her about his day. But she didn't want the judge to sit alone in his room all night. She said, " Go hang your jacket up! I just picked up in there." She hated sounding like a nag, after all it was his house, but she didn't know what else to do.He gave her a funny look and disappeared into his room. The door closed and all was quiet. She tried not to think about what might be going on. But he was only in there for a few minutes before he came out again. His tie was off and his shirt unbuttoned around his neck. "You knew she was here?" he asked.She nodded. "Listen, dinner is in the oven. I put in on warm, so you can eat when you get done...." she paused. "well, when you get hungry.""Where are you going?" he asked in surprise.She busied herself, cleaning up and didn't look at him."Well, I thought I'd give the two of you some privacy. I don't want you to feel self-conscious...you know." Why did she feel so strange? They were friends, for heaven's sake. She couldn't remember ever feeling so uncomfortable. What was going on with her, anyway?"But where are you going?" he asked again. "You're not going to work.""I'll go over to Elinor and Helen's for a bit. I can hang out there."He nodded but seemed unsure. He wasn't sure what to feel either. He felt like he should apologize to her, but didn't know why. After all, they were just friends, right? They had never felt so awkward together before. "Well, OK...I guess." He wanted to say Call if you need me, but he didn't."OK, then" she said. He returned to his room and she grabbed her coat and purse and headed out.-------------------------------------------------------Elinor, Helen, and Marina munched on pizza and watched the remake of "Miracle on 34th Street" for the hundredth time. Elinor pointed at the TV. "Helen thinks that guy looks like Bobby, " she said."Which one?" asked Marina."The dark haired lawyer." Answered Helen. "Dylan McDermott.""No way!" said Marina. "Bobby is way better looking than that! That guy is too skinny!"Helen laughed. "You are both blind! They could be twins."Marina shook her head. "I just don't see it." They finished watching the movie, amid Helen's assurances that the guy did indeed look just like Bobby, and Elinor and Marina's giggled refusals to see it, maintaining that Helen just needed to get out more. Helen got up and switched off the TV as the movie ended."So Jimmy and the judge are getting down tonight, huh?" said Elinor.Marina grimaced. "Yes, The bloodsucking, wrinkled old HAG!" She looked up and caught their shocked expressions. "But I mean that in the best possible way," she covered lamely.Helen laughed. "Could there be more to your 'friendship' with Jimmy?"Marina laughed, but it didn't sound quite real. "Don't be silly. He's not even remotely my type." So why did she feel like she was betraying him?"Why not?" said Elinor. "He's a good guy. He needs someone nice.""Nicer than Kittleson?" Helen asked."Is it just me, or is she repulsive?'" Marina asked."She's not that bad. I think you might feel more for Jimmy than just friendship.""Thank you, Dr. Helen." Said Marina. "I don't know. Maybe I do.""So why not tell him?" asked Elinor."Because I don't know what I feel. Is what I feel really....love? Or am I just grateful for all his support? I don't want to start something with him and then find out later that it wasn't love at all. I don't want to hurt him, and I think I could very easily. I think he's probably been hurt enough.""But you like him" wondered Elinor."Yeah, I like him." Marina smiled, thinking about Jimmy. "I have never been so compatible with a man before. And I think about him all the time. I look forward to when he comes home, and I love just being with him. And I don't care what you think, I think he's beautiful, and he gets more so every day."Helen shook her head. "Sounds like love to me. What about chemistry?"Marina shook her head. "I don't know yet. But..." she paused."What?" they asked together."Well, after...what happened....you know.....I never thought I'd ever even think about sex again. But I do! All the time! I picture us together and when he hugs me, I want him to kiss me....and...well anyway, you get the idea." She was actually embarrassed!They resisted the urge to tease. They both knew her well enough to know that Marina didn't get embarrassed unless there were emotions running deep. "Just give it some time." Helen encouraged. "It's still too soon after the attack to jump into anything.""I agree! Can we change the subject now?" Marina asked. They began to discuss a case Elinor was working on, but Marina was still thinking about Jimmy and without meaning to, she found herself feeling very sad that he was with Judge Kittleson. She tried to shake it off, but couldn't rid herself of the images of Jimmy and the judge in bed together. She flushed and stood up. "I better go. Its getting late." She felt the need to escape, but didn't know how or to where. She just needed to get away and be alone for a bit. She bid her friends goodnight and walked out into the chilly night air. It felt wonderful on her hat face. She walked a few blocks and fought back hot tears of frustration. She wanted to collapse and sob all the tears she never shed after the attack, but she kept walking. Her phone started to ring. She took a deep breath and as cheerfully as she could, she said, "Hello?""Where the Hell are you?" It was Bobby. Big surprise."What a huge surprise that my big brother would be checking up on me. Its so nice to be greeted in such a pleasant way." She couldn't handle this tonight. She was at the end of her rope emotionally and she didn't want to justify her whereabouts to him."Were are you?" he repeated."I'm on my way home," she answered wearily. "Bobby, please." She pleaded, her voice cracking," I can't handle the overprotective brother thing tonight. Please."He heard the emotion in her voice and backed off. "Hey, what happened? Do you want me to pick you up? Do you need to talk?"She knew she wouldn't be able to stop the tears much longer if he continued to talk. "No, thanks, I just want to go home. Maybe we can talk tomorrow. Goodnight, Bobby." She hung up before he could argue. He hated when she had the last word. 3---2---1---the phone rang again. He was so dependable. She turned the ringer off and hailed a cab. Her jaw hurt and her head was throbbing from keeping her emotions so tightly bound. She reached Jimmy's apartment and quietly let herself in. She prayed that the judge was gone, but as she passed Jimmy's bedroom, she heard them laughing. It was as if someone had kicked her in the stomach. She choked back a sob that threatened to escape, and went into her room, closing the door behind her. She removed her coat and laid down on her bed, feeling like she was 200 years old. She laid there long into the night, listening to the muffled sounds coming from the other room, her eyes glistening with the tears she refused to allow to fall.
Disclaimer: Same thing. I don't own 'em.Around lunchtime, Marina called Jimmy. "Hey," she said."Hi!" he smiled."Listen, I'm sorry about last night. I took too much for granted, and I didn't belong in your bed with you.""Did you think I was offended?" he asked, aware of all the listening ears in the room. Strange how they paid no attention to him until he didn't want them to."No, " she answered. " But I don't want to blur the boundaries, and I did. And I'm sorry.""Marina," he said. "We're friends. Its ok. I enjoyed it, actually." Was that an understatement!"Well, ok. If you're sure," she said. He was so sweet! She couldn't believe he hadn't tried anything. That was her usual experience with men. All hands.He remembered. "Oh, listen, Bobby and Lindsey want to come over for dinner. What do you think?""That sounds fine. Whenever you want, just let me know," she answered, but for some inexplicable reason, she was disappointed. She loved her brother and Lindsey, but she felt possessive of her time with Jimmy and she didn't want to share him with anyone just yet."How about Friday?" he asked. He lowered his voice. "Just dinner, ok? It doesn't have to be late."She smiled. This wasn't the first time he had read her mind. "Ok," she said, casually. They finished chatting and hung up. She felt comfortable, warm and happy. Increasingly, as she spent time with Jimmy, she looked forward more and more to seeing him and spending time with him. She couldn't remember ever enjoying someone's company so much, yet she knew they were just friends. She decided to cook a special dinner for him, and went into the kitchen to evaluate what she would need. She assembled her ingredients and began to prepare an extremely complex dish. It was late in the afternoon when she heard the front door open and close. She smiled, knowing soon she would smell his cologne and he would be coming around the corner. She was surprised when and older, blonde woman came around instead."Hello?" she said."Oh!" said the woman. "I'm sorry! I didn't know Jimmy had.....company.""No, wait!" Marina knew who she was and didn't want her to get the wrong impression. "Judge Kittleson, right?"The woman looked at her. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage."Marina smiled. "Marina Donnell. I'm just staying with Jimmy for a while. We're just FRIENDS! Really! The last thing I want to do is interfere in his personal life, so just go ahead. I'll stay out of your way.""Well, ok. But I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't mention I was here. I'll just wait for him," and she disappeared into Jimmy's room.Yikes! This is awkward, thought Marina. Now what? She finished preparing the dinner and put it in the oven. She knew he would be home any minute and sure enough, it was only a few seconds later that he came through the door."Hi!" he greeted her. He looked tired and stressed."Tough day?" she asked."Killer." He answered. "But something smells good in here." He took his jacket off and slung it over the couch.She wondered how she was going to get him to go in his room. Knowing him, he would just take off his tie and sit at the table, telling her about his day. But she didn't want the judge to sit alone in his room all night. She said, " Go hang your jacket up! I just picked up in there." She hated sounding like a nag, after all it was his house, but she didn't know what else to do.He gave her a funny look and disappeared into his room. The door closed and all was quiet. She tried not to think about what might be going on. But he was only in there for a few minutes before he came out again. His tie was off and his shirt unbuttoned around his neck. "You knew she was here?" he asked.She nodded. "Listen, dinner is in the oven. I put in on warm, so you can eat when you get done...." she paused. "well, when you get hungry.""Where are you going?" he asked in surprise.She busied herself, cleaning up and didn't look at him."Well, I thought I'd give the two of you some privacy. I don't want you to feel self-conscious...you know." Why did she feel so strange? They were friends, for heaven's sake. She couldn't remember ever feeling so uncomfortable. What was going on with her, anyway?"But where are you going?" he asked again. "You're not going to work.""I'll go over to Elinor and Helen's for a bit. I can hang out there."He nodded but seemed unsure. He wasn't sure what to feel either. He felt like he should apologize to her, but didn't know why. After all, they were just friends, right? They had never felt so awkward together before. "Well, OK...I guess." He wanted to say Call if you need me, but he didn't."OK, then" she said. He returned to his room and she grabbed her coat and purse and headed out.-------------------------------------------------------Elinor, Helen, and Marina munched on pizza and watched the remake of "Miracle on 34th Street" for the hundredth time. Elinor pointed at the TV. "Helen thinks that guy looks like Bobby, " she said."Which one?" asked Marina."The dark haired lawyer." Answered Helen. "Dylan McDermott.""No way!" said Marina. "Bobby is way better looking than that! That guy is too skinny!"Helen laughed. "You are both blind! They could be twins."Marina shook her head. "I just don't see it." They finished watching the movie, amid Helen's assurances that the guy did indeed look just like Bobby, and Elinor and Marina's giggled refusals to see it, maintaining that Helen just needed to get out more. Helen got up and switched off the TV as the movie ended."So Jimmy and the judge are getting down tonight, huh?" said Elinor.Marina grimaced. "Yes, The bloodsucking, wrinkled old HAG!" She looked up and caught their shocked expressions. "But I mean that in the best possible way," she covered lamely.Helen laughed. "Could there be more to your 'friendship' with Jimmy?"Marina laughed, but it didn't sound quite real. "Don't be silly. He's not even remotely my type." So why did she feel like she was betraying him?"Why not?" said Elinor. "He's a good guy. He needs someone nice.""Nicer than Kittleson?" Helen asked."Is it just me, or is she repulsive?'" Marina asked."She's not that bad. I think you might feel more for Jimmy than just friendship.""Thank you, Dr. Helen." Said Marina. "I don't know. Maybe I do.""So why not tell him?" asked Elinor."Because I don't know what I feel. Is what I feel really....love? Or am I just grateful for all his support? I don't want to start something with him and then find out later that it wasn't love at all. I don't want to hurt him, and I think I could very easily. I think he's probably been hurt enough.""But you like him" wondered Elinor."Yeah, I like him." Marina smiled, thinking about Jimmy. "I have never been so compatible with a man before. And I think about him all the time. I look forward to when he comes home, and I love just being with him. And I don't care what you think, I think he's beautiful, and he gets more so every day."Helen shook her head. "Sounds like love to me. What about chemistry?"Marina shook her head. "I don't know yet. But..." she paused."What?" they asked together."Well, after...what happened....you know.....I never thought I'd ever even think about sex again. But I do! All the time! I picture us together and when he hugs me, I want him to kiss me....and...well anyway, you get the idea." She was actually embarrassed!They resisted the urge to tease. They both knew her well enough to know that Marina didn't get embarrassed unless there were emotions running deep. "Just give it some time." Helen encouraged. "It's still too soon after the attack to jump into anything.""I agree! Can we change the subject now?" Marina asked. They began to discuss a case Elinor was working on, but Marina was still thinking about Jimmy and without meaning to, she found herself feeling very sad that he was with Judge Kittleson. She tried to shake it off, but couldn't rid herself of the images of Jimmy and the judge in bed together. She flushed and stood up. "I better go. Its getting late." She felt the need to escape, but didn't know how or to where. She just needed to get away and be alone for a bit. She bid her friends goodnight and walked out into the chilly night air. It felt wonderful on her hat face. She walked a few blocks and fought back hot tears of frustration. She wanted to collapse and sob all the tears she never shed after the attack, but she kept walking. Her phone started to ring. She took a deep breath and as cheerfully as she could, she said, "Hello?""Where the Hell are you?" It was Bobby. Big surprise."What a huge surprise that my big brother would be checking up on me. Its so nice to be greeted in such a pleasant way." She couldn't handle this tonight. She was at the end of her rope emotionally and she didn't want to justify her whereabouts to him."Were are you?" he repeated."I'm on my way home," she answered wearily. "Bobby, please." She pleaded, her voice cracking," I can't handle the overprotective brother thing tonight. Please."He heard the emotion in her voice and backed off. "Hey, what happened? Do you want me to pick you up? Do you need to talk?"She knew she wouldn't be able to stop the tears much longer if he continued to talk. "No, thanks, I just want to go home. Maybe we can talk tomorrow. Goodnight, Bobby." She hung up before he could argue. He hated when she had the last word. 3---2---1---the phone rang again. He was so dependable. She turned the ringer off and hailed a cab. Her jaw hurt and her head was throbbing from keeping her emotions so tightly bound. She reached Jimmy's apartment and quietly let herself in. She prayed that the judge was gone, but as she passed Jimmy's bedroom, she heard them laughing. It was as if someone had kicked her in the stomach. She choked back a sob that threatened to escape, and went into her room, closing the door behind her. She removed her coat and laid down on her bed, feeling like she was 200 years old. She laid there long into the night, listening to the muffled sounds coming from the other room, her eyes glistening with the tears she refused to allow to fall.
