Disclaimer: Disney owns the "Lizzie McGuire" television show and all its
details. They are not mine.
Author's Note: Thank you all for such great reviews! I hope this next chapter meets your liking!
Another Way - Chapter Six By: Taygeta
Miranda sat with Michelle on the swing porch. Lizzie sat beside her. It was a lazy afternoon and they had spent the day at the McGuire home. Hannah had stopped by earlier to give them an update on Matt, and Lizzie got Miranda to tell Hannah about the time in junior high when Matt was "in love" with her. Matt's wife had tears in her eyes from laughing so hard by the time she drove home.
"It's been so long, Lizzie," she said.
Lizzie nodded as she absently played with Michelle's little hand, "Sometimes I wish we could just go back to those days, you know? Go back to the days when having a crush on Ethan Craft was the biggest deal in the history of the world..."
Miranda laughed, "Ethan Craft. He's marketing his own hair gel and other hair products now."
She paused, "Craft's Sculptinator?"
"That's the one."
"Interesting."
"Kate's running the business. Ethan's the face."
"I'll never forgive Kate for not inviting me to her wedding," said Lizzie.
"Well, that's why she's running Ethan's business...her husband left her."
Lizzie's eyes widened, "When was this?"
"A few months ago," said Miranda. "She felt so bad, she called me. I was like 'I'm sorry about all that Kate...why aren't you talking to Lizzie about this?'"
"What did she say?"
"She didn't remember your phone number."
"Oh. In any case, I'm sorry to hear about Kate's marriage. Do you know what happened?"
"Younger woman or something like that," shrugged Miranda. "We're only 27...I don't know how young she must have been to make Kate look old."
"At least she has Ethan's business as a distraction."
"Yea..." said Miranda.
"How's Ethan's wife liking the whole 'Kate's running my husband's business' thing?"
"As long as she has her closet full of DKNY, she doesn't really care. Poor Ethan. I mean, Kate steps all over him, but at least she's sort of doing it for him."
"Right," said Lizzie. "Well I was feeling kind of sorry for my own lack of a love life, but I guess Ethan and Kate aren't fairing well either."
Miranda glanced at her best friend, "Lizzie...don't feel sorry for your lack of a love life. We'll find you someone and we'll all go to your wedding...and I'll be your Matron of Honor..."
She laughed, "I think you have more of my wedding planned out than me!"
"Probably...though I had always imagined it would be Gordo's wedding I'd be planning at the same time," said Miranda looking carefully at Lizzie.
She gave her Miranda a weak smile, "Well, don't count on that. I think we'll be seeing wedding invitations from David Gordon and Gretchen Reese in a few months time."
"Gordo's moved on, Lizzie. Maybe you should too."
"You mean the number one fan of Lizzie and Gordo has given up the pursuit?"
She sighed, "I just want you both to be happy. If it's not with each other than as long as you two are happy...I'm happy."
"I know, Miranda. I haven't been waiting for him or anything. I mean, I grant you there's a part of me that wondered if, when meeting him again, if there was even a chance. But the moment I saw Gretchen...the moment I saw Gordo with her. I knew that there wasn't a chance. At least, it seems like he's forgiven me for what happened...for not letting go of Gary at the time."
"Does he even know that you guys aren't together anymore?"
Lizzie shrugged, "At the party, Gretchen asked me if I was seeing anyone and I told her I wasn't. Gordo seemed interested to hear about that, but he didn't ask me anything about it. Gretchen said something about introducing me to an actor friend in New York who she promises isn't gay."
"That's Gretchen," said Miranda with a sigh. "I think she's worried."
"Worried?"
"She knows how much Gordo loved you."
The words stung Lizzie more than she had expected. Not "loves," but "loved" - past tense.
"Then she'd also know that was a long time ago...and that's where it is."
~ * ~ * ~
The night air was warm as they walked along the beach.
Miranda, Gordo, Lizzie, and Larry had finished dinner at a restaurant by the beach and decided to take stroll down. Larry, holding a sleeping Michelle in his arms, walked beside his wife, holding her hand. They were a few yards ahead of Lizzie and Gordo.
"I'm sorry that Gretchen couldn't make it," said Lizzie.
"She's sorry too, but she has a big case in Texas so she had to fly out a couple of days ago. She's out of town a lot, but then so am I."
"That must be difficult."
"It can be, but we make sure to see each other as much as possible. We work in the same area, so we can always see each other for lunch or for dinner when we're both in town," explained Gordo. After a moment he asked, "So what about you? Any man in your life?"
She smiled softly, "No. Hasn't been for awhile."
He took a deep breath. It had to come up sometime: "Whatever happened to Gary?"
"We broke up after college. He and I weren't right for each other. We were going to be in two different locations. He got married a few years ago. His wife is one of my best friends. She's often in New York for work, so we see each other a lot. Gary currently is working with development of media on the web. He's doing movies on the side, but you know how difficult that can be."
"Yea, I know. Tell him to send me something. I'd be happy to look at it. Help him out a bit," said Gordo.
Lizzie smiled, "He'd really like that. Thank you." She added in trying nonchalance, "You and Gretchen planning on getting married?"
"We've only been seeing each other for almost four months. It's a possibility, but it's still 'wait and see'."
"I think she's wonderful. I'm glad for you."
He smiled, "Thanks. She is. You know, about her giving you her card...why don't you pursue it?"
"That was a random switch of topic," said Lizzie. She shrugged, "I've got a very comfortable living, Gordo. Trying to become some American Idol's not that secure."
"That job is wearing you down Lizzie. You don't have to quit...you can just see if it can be an option. You really are very good. You do work for a record company after all. I'm sure you know someone."
"It's not that easy, Gordo. I know people, sure, but it's not very professional for me to say, 'hey, can you set me up for an audition?'"
"True," said Gordo. "In any case, if you can...I think you should. I've always loved it when you sang."
Lizzie glanced at Gordo and wondered at that compliment. She gave him an appreciative smile, "Thank you. I've always loved it when you didn't sing."
"I had a cold that day," he argued.
She was referring to a day in sixth grade when they had a chorus class. Gordo had to sing one solo-line and it wasn't pretty.
"Let me show you," he said. She looked at him skeptically as he cleared his throat. In a smooth baritone voice, he sang, "How did we get here? You and I...weren't we just dreamers flying in some imaginary sky..."
Lizzie applauded, "Very nice."
"That should be your first single," he decided.
She laughed, "We'll see."
Their laughter faded and they looked at each other in silence for a moment.
They heard Larry call out to them, "Guys, ready to go?"
Gordo smiled, "Ready to leave?"
"No, not quite yet," she said not moving her gaze.
And for a second, Gordo wondered...
But then she turned away and then looked at the ocean, "But I guess we really do have to go."
Author's Note: Thank you all for such great reviews! I hope this next chapter meets your liking!
Another Way - Chapter Six By: Taygeta
Miranda sat with Michelle on the swing porch. Lizzie sat beside her. It was a lazy afternoon and they had spent the day at the McGuire home. Hannah had stopped by earlier to give them an update on Matt, and Lizzie got Miranda to tell Hannah about the time in junior high when Matt was "in love" with her. Matt's wife had tears in her eyes from laughing so hard by the time she drove home.
"It's been so long, Lizzie," she said.
Lizzie nodded as she absently played with Michelle's little hand, "Sometimes I wish we could just go back to those days, you know? Go back to the days when having a crush on Ethan Craft was the biggest deal in the history of the world..."
Miranda laughed, "Ethan Craft. He's marketing his own hair gel and other hair products now."
She paused, "Craft's Sculptinator?"
"That's the one."
"Interesting."
"Kate's running the business. Ethan's the face."
"I'll never forgive Kate for not inviting me to her wedding," said Lizzie.
"Well, that's why she's running Ethan's business...her husband left her."
Lizzie's eyes widened, "When was this?"
"A few months ago," said Miranda. "She felt so bad, she called me. I was like 'I'm sorry about all that Kate...why aren't you talking to Lizzie about this?'"
"What did she say?"
"She didn't remember your phone number."
"Oh. In any case, I'm sorry to hear about Kate's marriage. Do you know what happened?"
"Younger woman or something like that," shrugged Miranda. "We're only 27...I don't know how young she must have been to make Kate look old."
"At least she has Ethan's business as a distraction."
"Yea..." said Miranda.
"How's Ethan's wife liking the whole 'Kate's running my husband's business' thing?"
"As long as she has her closet full of DKNY, she doesn't really care. Poor Ethan. I mean, Kate steps all over him, but at least she's sort of doing it for him."
"Right," said Lizzie. "Well I was feeling kind of sorry for my own lack of a love life, but I guess Ethan and Kate aren't fairing well either."
Miranda glanced at her best friend, "Lizzie...don't feel sorry for your lack of a love life. We'll find you someone and we'll all go to your wedding...and I'll be your Matron of Honor..."
She laughed, "I think you have more of my wedding planned out than me!"
"Probably...though I had always imagined it would be Gordo's wedding I'd be planning at the same time," said Miranda looking carefully at Lizzie.
She gave her Miranda a weak smile, "Well, don't count on that. I think we'll be seeing wedding invitations from David Gordon and Gretchen Reese in a few months time."
"Gordo's moved on, Lizzie. Maybe you should too."
"You mean the number one fan of Lizzie and Gordo has given up the pursuit?"
She sighed, "I just want you both to be happy. If it's not with each other than as long as you two are happy...I'm happy."
"I know, Miranda. I haven't been waiting for him or anything. I mean, I grant you there's a part of me that wondered if, when meeting him again, if there was even a chance. But the moment I saw Gretchen...the moment I saw Gordo with her. I knew that there wasn't a chance. At least, it seems like he's forgiven me for what happened...for not letting go of Gary at the time."
"Does he even know that you guys aren't together anymore?"
Lizzie shrugged, "At the party, Gretchen asked me if I was seeing anyone and I told her I wasn't. Gordo seemed interested to hear about that, but he didn't ask me anything about it. Gretchen said something about introducing me to an actor friend in New York who she promises isn't gay."
"That's Gretchen," said Miranda with a sigh. "I think she's worried."
"Worried?"
"She knows how much Gordo loved you."
The words stung Lizzie more than she had expected. Not "loves," but "loved" - past tense.
"Then she'd also know that was a long time ago...and that's where it is."
~ * ~ * ~
The night air was warm as they walked along the beach.
Miranda, Gordo, Lizzie, and Larry had finished dinner at a restaurant by the beach and decided to take stroll down. Larry, holding a sleeping Michelle in his arms, walked beside his wife, holding her hand. They were a few yards ahead of Lizzie and Gordo.
"I'm sorry that Gretchen couldn't make it," said Lizzie.
"She's sorry too, but she has a big case in Texas so she had to fly out a couple of days ago. She's out of town a lot, but then so am I."
"That must be difficult."
"It can be, but we make sure to see each other as much as possible. We work in the same area, so we can always see each other for lunch or for dinner when we're both in town," explained Gordo. After a moment he asked, "So what about you? Any man in your life?"
She smiled softly, "No. Hasn't been for awhile."
He took a deep breath. It had to come up sometime: "Whatever happened to Gary?"
"We broke up after college. He and I weren't right for each other. We were going to be in two different locations. He got married a few years ago. His wife is one of my best friends. She's often in New York for work, so we see each other a lot. Gary currently is working with development of media on the web. He's doing movies on the side, but you know how difficult that can be."
"Yea, I know. Tell him to send me something. I'd be happy to look at it. Help him out a bit," said Gordo.
Lizzie smiled, "He'd really like that. Thank you." She added in trying nonchalance, "You and Gretchen planning on getting married?"
"We've only been seeing each other for almost four months. It's a possibility, but it's still 'wait and see'."
"I think she's wonderful. I'm glad for you."
He smiled, "Thanks. She is. You know, about her giving you her card...why don't you pursue it?"
"That was a random switch of topic," said Lizzie. She shrugged, "I've got a very comfortable living, Gordo. Trying to become some American Idol's not that secure."
"That job is wearing you down Lizzie. You don't have to quit...you can just see if it can be an option. You really are very good. You do work for a record company after all. I'm sure you know someone."
"It's not that easy, Gordo. I know people, sure, but it's not very professional for me to say, 'hey, can you set me up for an audition?'"
"True," said Gordo. "In any case, if you can...I think you should. I've always loved it when you sang."
Lizzie glanced at Gordo and wondered at that compliment. She gave him an appreciative smile, "Thank you. I've always loved it when you didn't sing."
"I had a cold that day," he argued.
She was referring to a day in sixth grade when they had a chorus class. Gordo had to sing one solo-line and it wasn't pretty.
"Let me show you," he said. She looked at him skeptically as he cleared his throat. In a smooth baritone voice, he sang, "How did we get here? You and I...weren't we just dreamers flying in some imaginary sky..."
Lizzie applauded, "Very nice."
"That should be your first single," he decided.
She laughed, "We'll see."
Their laughter faded and they looked at each other in silence for a moment.
They heard Larry call out to them, "Guys, ready to go?"
Gordo smiled, "Ready to leave?"
"No, not quite yet," she said not moving her gaze.
And for a second, Gordo wondered...
But then she turned away and then looked at the ocean, "But I guess we really do have to go."