Binding Friendships Chapter One
* SEVEN YEARS LATER*
"Hey, Tyler." Valerie Lanier said to her boyfriend, walking in the apartment they shared.
"Hey hun," he said, walking over to his girlfriend and kissing her.
"We have to clean up, Jamie and Caitie will be here any minute."
"Whose turn to cook, yours or mine?" Jamie and Caitie came over every Saturday night and the four friends caught up on what
was new in each other's lives. Usually Hank and Jasmine would join them, but tonight was their anniversary and of course, the
engaged couple wanted to celebrate it alone.
"Yours, I'm going to go clean up."
" Okay."
Val went to take a shower, while Tyler tried to figure out what he wanted to make. Finally, he just decided to make homemade
pizza. And since it wouldn't take long to make, he would wait until Jamie and Caitie got there. So he started to clean the
apartment a little.
Just as Tyler was done, Val came out, "So what are you going to cook?"
"Oh pizza, but I'm going to wait till Jamie and Caitie get here to start it. "How was work?" Tyler asked as Val went to the
refrigerator to get a soda.
" Yeah, it was actually very eventful. Between taking phone calls and telling Jamie when his clients were there, I can't decide
which was more exciting," Val said sarcastically. She was a secretary for Jamie at the law firm they worked at. She never
imagined Jamie as a lawyer. But then again, she never really though of herself as a secretary.
" How was your day?"
"A kid came in. It was pretty bad, she is only 4, and was in a bad accident."
"Is she going to be ok?"
"Yeah, luckily. I was really worried that she wouldn't make it. That's why they say never get emotional over the job. But I
can't help it."
" You're only human, no matter how much you wish you were superhuman. You're still just Tyler Connell, the man I love."
" Not all of us can be like SuperVal."
Just than the doorbell rang. Val got up, "I'll get it. You can start to cook."
Tyler walked into the kitchen while Val got the door, "Hey guys, come on in.
"Hey Val." Caitie said as they walked into the living room. "How's it going?"
"The same, so how's your engagement going?" Val was happy for Caitie and Jamie getting married, but she wished her and
Tyler had the same thing.
"Oh good, just like when you asked me today at work," Jamie said.
"Val, I wish you and Tyler were engaged, and we could have a double wedding or something," Caitie told her.
"Yeah, you're not the only one." Val said a little sad.
" When's Connell gonna ask you to marry him? You guys have been together forever.
The only time I remember you guys breaking up for a long time is the last year of college."
Val and Jamie exchanged discreet glances. Both of them remembered that incident. But Tyler and Caitie never found out they
slept together. Val couldn't believe she had slept with him but luckily things worked out for the best. She told Tyler she has
gotten drunk and slept with some guy and Tyler was pissed off. He broke up with Val but they got back together three months
later. Val was glad things worked out. Jamie was with Caitie and she was with Tyler; and that was the way it was supposed to
be, Val thought to herself.
"Hey guys," Tyler said coming into the living room, "Dinner's in the oven."
They all walked to the couch and sat down. They talked until dinner was ready and then they walked into the kitchen and ate.
After they finished Tyler got up.
"Hold on, I got something to say."
He walked over to Val and knelt before her, "Val, we've known each other for a long time. And I loved you since the first day
I saw you, I can't even begin to tell you how much I love you," Tyler reached into his pocket and took out a small, velvet box,
"What I'm trying to say is, Will you marry me?"
Val smiled. " Yes, Tyler, I'll marry you. I love you so much." And with that they kissed and were congratulated by Jamie and
Caitie. Caitie and Val talked about the double wedding they decided to have.
" When did we decide on a double wedding?" Jamie asked.
" Val and I have wanted a double wedding forever. It'll be great."
" Right, since when do I have to be included in these discussions, I'm only your future husband," Jamie snapped.
" Why are you being like this? You told me you don't give a shit about the wedding we have. You said the most important thing
was that we were married. And this is my day."
Jamie didn't know why he was acting like this. He was happy with Caitie…he loved Caitie. But then why did he hate to see
Val so happy with Tyler? Jamie couldn't shrug off the feeling of jealousy he felt when he saw them together. ' What the hell am
I thinking?! I'm getting married to Caitie. I love her and she means the world to me.' Jamie thought, mentally scolding himself.
" You're right, I'm sorry. I just had a pretty rough day at work," Jamie lied. " I'm going for a walk," Jamie said, walking out
the door.
Val and Tyler exchanged glances. Val walked over to Caitie. " What's going on with you two?"
Caitie combed her fingers through her long, black hair. A tear rolled down her cheek. " I don't know what's going on with him,
Val. He…He's been so damn distant lately. Something's on his mind and he won't fucking talk to me. Why is he shutting me
out?"
Val hugged her best friend. " Maybe…maybe something is going on at work that I don't know about. He's probably stressed
about a case and doesn't think you'd understand."
" I'm a journalist; not an idiot. Why wouldn't I understand?"
" I don't know. Do you want me to talk to him for you?"
Caitie nodded. Val grabbed her coat and walked out the door. She didn't know where Jamie went but she looked around for
him anyway. She saw him standing by his car.
He looked up.
" Hey," Val said, walking up to him.
" Hey."
" Wanna talk about it?"
" Talk about what?"
" Jamie, I've known you for thirteen years. I know you and I know something's wrong. So spill."
" Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want to talk?" Jamie asked, starting to walk away. Val followed him.
" Well, yeah but we both know that you'll eventually tell me. So let's skip the denying bullshit and you tell me why you're
pissed off."
" It's nothing."
" That means it's something."
" What?"
" When you say the word nothing in response to a question that means something."
" So it's like when yes means no and no means yes. Mature. Real mature."
" Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment."
" It wasn't a compliment. I don't see how you can take that as a compliment."
" Well, see, it means that no matter how old I get, I'll still be young at heart while you'll grow up old and all alone because you
keep alienating your friends."
They walked in silence for a little while when Val said, " Jamie, what's wrong?
" You wouldn't get it."
" Try me."
" No, you wouldn't get it. And why the hell would I tell you when you'd just report back
to Caitie. Don't think I don't know that she sent you."
" Jamie, Caitie's my best friend but you're my friend, too. If you tell me something in confidence, I wouldn't tell her."
Jamie nodded, believing her. After a few moments he said, " Have you ever thought back on your life and wondered how you
got there?"
" All the time. Do you think I ever envisioned myself being a secretary? I mean, Caitie, Tyler, and Hank are working in careers
that they've always wanted and that they love. But me…I don't love being a secretary."
" Then why are you still a secretary?"
" I don't know…I honestly don't."
" At least one thing in your life is how you expected it. You've always thought you would end up with Tyler and you did."
" And you always thought you'd end up with Caitie. Life worked out the way we expected in some ways."
" Yeah."
Both were silent. " We should be getting back. They'll be wondering where we are," Val said.
" Yeah."
" Um…you know if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me," Val said.
They both walked back to the apartment in an uncomfortable silence for some reason. When they got back to the apartment
they smiled and talked with Val and Caitie. A little later Caitie asked Val what Jamie had said.
" He's just stressed out and worried about a case he has."
* SEVEN YEARS LATER*
"Hey, Tyler." Valerie Lanier said to her boyfriend, walking in the apartment they shared.
"Hey hun," he said, walking over to his girlfriend and kissing her.
"We have to clean up, Jamie and Caitie will be here any minute."
"Whose turn to cook, yours or mine?" Jamie and Caitie came over every Saturday night and the four friends caught up on what
was new in each other's lives. Usually Hank and Jasmine would join them, but tonight was their anniversary and of course, the
engaged couple wanted to celebrate it alone.
"Yours, I'm going to go clean up."
" Okay."
Val went to take a shower, while Tyler tried to figure out what he wanted to make. Finally, he just decided to make homemade
pizza. And since it wouldn't take long to make, he would wait until Jamie and Caitie got there. So he started to clean the
apartment a little.
Just as Tyler was done, Val came out, "So what are you going to cook?"
"Oh pizza, but I'm going to wait till Jamie and Caitie get here to start it. "How was work?" Tyler asked as Val went to the
refrigerator to get a soda.
" Yeah, it was actually very eventful. Between taking phone calls and telling Jamie when his clients were there, I can't decide
which was more exciting," Val said sarcastically. She was a secretary for Jamie at the law firm they worked at. She never
imagined Jamie as a lawyer. But then again, she never really though of herself as a secretary.
" How was your day?"
"A kid came in. It was pretty bad, she is only 4, and was in a bad accident."
"Is she going to be ok?"
"Yeah, luckily. I was really worried that she wouldn't make it. That's why they say never get emotional over the job. But I
can't help it."
" You're only human, no matter how much you wish you were superhuman. You're still just Tyler Connell, the man I love."
" Not all of us can be like SuperVal."
Just than the doorbell rang. Val got up, "I'll get it. You can start to cook."
Tyler walked into the kitchen while Val got the door, "Hey guys, come on in.
"Hey Val." Caitie said as they walked into the living room. "How's it going?"
"The same, so how's your engagement going?" Val was happy for Caitie and Jamie getting married, but she wished her and
Tyler had the same thing.
"Oh good, just like when you asked me today at work," Jamie said.
"Val, I wish you and Tyler were engaged, and we could have a double wedding or something," Caitie told her.
"Yeah, you're not the only one." Val said a little sad.
" When's Connell gonna ask you to marry him? You guys have been together forever.
The only time I remember you guys breaking up for a long time is the last year of college."
Val and Jamie exchanged discreet glances. Both of them remembered that incident. But Tyler and Caitie never found out they
slept together. Val couldn't believe she had slept with him but luckily things worked out for the best. She told Tyler she has
gotten drunk and slept with some guy and Tyler was pissed off. He broke up with Val but they got back together three months
later. Val was glad things worked out. Jamie was with Caitie and she was with Tyler; and that was the way it was supposed to
be, Val thought to herself.
"Hey guys," Tyler said coming into the living room, "Dinner's in the oven."
They all walked to the couch and sat down. They talked until dinner was ready and then they walked into the kitchen and ate.
After they finished Tyler got up.
"Hold on, I got something to say."
He walked over to Val and knelt before her, "Val, we've known each other for a long time. And I loved you since the first day
I saw you, I can't even begin to tell you how much I love you," Tyler reached into his pocket and took out a small, velvet box,
"What I'm trying to say is, Will you marry me?"
Val smiled. " Yes, Tyler, I'll marry you. I love you so much." And with that they kissed and were congratulated by Jamie and
Caitie. Caitie and Val talked about the double wedding they decided to have.
" When did we decide on a double wedding?" Jamie asked.
" Val and I have wanted a double wedding forever. It'll be great."
" Right, since when do I have to be included in these discussions, I'm only your future husband," Jamie snapped.
" Why are you being like this? You told me you don't give a shit about the wedding we have. You said the most important thing
was that we were married. And this is my day."
Jamie didn't know why he was acting like this. He was happy with Caitie…he loved Caitie. But then why did he hate to see
Val so happy with Tyler? Jamie couldn't shrug off the feeling of jealousy he felt when he saw them together. ' What the hell am
I thinking?! I'm getting married to Caitie. I love her and she means the world to me.' Jamie thought, mentally scolding himself.
" You're right, I'm sorry. I just had a pretty rough day at work," Jamie lied. " I'm going for a walk," Jamie said, walking out
the door.
Val and Tyler exchanged glances. Val walked over to Caitie. " What's going on with you two?"
Caitie combed her fingers through her long, black hair. A tear rolled down her cheek. " I don't know what's going on with him,
Val. He…He's been so damn distant lately. Something's on his mind and he won't fucking talk to me. Why is he shutting me
out?"
Val hugged her best friend. " Maybe…maybe something is going on at work that I don't know about. He's probably stressed
about a case and doesn't think you'd understand."
" I'm a journalist; not an idiot. Why wouldn't I understand?"
" I don't know. Do you want me to talk to him for you?"
Caitie nodded. Val grabbed her coat and walked out the door. She didn't know where Jamie went but she looked around for
him anyway. She saw him standing by his car.
He looked up.
" Hey," Val said, walking up to him.
" Hey."
" Wanna talk about it?"
" Talk about what?"
" Jamie, I've known you for thirteen years. I know you and I know something's wrong. So spill."
" Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want to talk?" Jamie asked, starting to walk away. Val followed him.
" Well, yeah but we both know that you'll eventually tell me. So let's skip the denying bullshit and you tell me why you're
pissed off."
" It's nothing."
" That means it's something."
" What?"
" When you say the word nothing in response to a question that means something."
" So it's like when yes means no and no means yes. Mature. Real mature."
" Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment."
" It wasn't a compliment. I don't see how you can take that as a compliment."
" Well, see, it means that no matter how old I get, I'll still be young at heart while you'll grow up old and all alone because you
keep alienating your friends."
They walked in silence for a little while when Val said, " Jamie, what's wrong?
" You wouldn't get it."
" Try me."
" No, you wouldn't get it. And why the hell would I tell you when you'd just report back
to Caitie. Don't think I don't know that she sent you."
" Jamie, Caitie's my best friend but you're my friend, too. If you tell me something in confidence, I wouldn't tell her."
Jamie nodded, believing her. After a few moments he said, " Have you ever thought back on your life and wondered how you
got there?"
" All the time. Do you think I ever envisioned myself being a secretary? I mean, Caitie, Tyler, and Hank are working in careers
that they've always wanted and that they love. But me…I don't love being a secretary."
" Then why are you still a secretary?"
" I don't know…I honestly don't."
" At least one thing in your life is how you expected it. You've always thought you would end up with Tyler and you did."
" And you always thought you'd end up with Caitie. Life worked out the way we expected in some ways."
" Yeah."
Both were silent. " We should be getting back. They'll be wondering where we are," Val said.
" Yeah."
" Um…you know if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me," Val said.
They both walked back to the apartment in an uncomfortable silence for some reason. When they got back to the apartment
they smiled and talked with Val and Caitie. A little later Caitie asked Val what Jamie had said.
" He's just stressed out and worried about a case he has."