PART 1
Joey
At nine months pregnant, I had little energy and enjoyed my time at home on the couch watching all the daytime soaps. This day was different though. It was my due date, the day on which the doctor predicted I would give birth to my first child. I couldn't enjoy the soaps, my mind kept wandering and I kept watching the clock. My husband, Pacey, was due home at any moment. He'd only had to administer one final exam to his high school English students before school was out for the summer. I kept worrying that I'd go into labor before 12:00 when he'd promised to come home.
"Joey, I'm home!" Pacey called to me from the back door. I struggled to get up from the couch to greet him but couldn't quite make it. "Don't get up. Just stay right there and let me come to you," he said in his concerned tone, the one he'd picked up the day I told him I was pregnant. It always made me smile to hear in his voice how much he loved me and cared for me.
"What's the smile for?" he said sitting beside me on the couch and placing his hand gently on my stomach.
"I'm just glad to see you. I've been worried all day that it'd happen before you got here." I opened my arms and leaned toward him for a hug.
"I told you I'd be here," he said stroking my hair.
"I know." I leaned back on the fluffy pillows; I was getting tired again.
"How'd the exam go? Everybody happy to be out for the summer?"
"The exam went well and I don't know about everyone else, but I'm certainly happy to be out for the summer."
"I miss school," I said sadly. "I miss all my students. This was my first year not judging the art fair."
"Oh yeah, that's what I was supposed to tell you," he said in an excited tone. "Daniel Ryder won first prize in the art fair."
I sat up quickly. Daniel Ryder was my best, and secretly, my favorite student. He was so talented and more importantly he had a passion for art. I'd written him a glowing recommendation for his application to the Massachusetts College of Art where he would be going to school in the fall.
"Oh, that's so great! I wish I could have seen his painting," I said in a more somber tone.
"I thought you might say that," Pacey said getting up from the couch. "And so did Daniel because he sent it home for you."
"What?"
Pacey returned to the living room with the 8x10 canvas and handed it to me. "He says you can't have it. He needs it back before he goes to Boston but he wanted you to see it." Pacey said with a grin.
"Oh, wow, this is beautiful," I said holding the painting out in front of me. It was full of color, dark colors and light colors, almost an even amount of each. There was no real shape in the painting, just lots of color and I wasn't surprised at all that it was so abstract. Daniel had once told me that he thought art was meant to be "vague and obscure. I like art that you have to figure out." I smiled at the memory.
"Have you looked at this Pacey?" I asked looking away from the painting and up at my husband.
"Yeah," he said joining me again on the couch. "It's really good. It was definitely the best one at the fair."
"What do you think it is?" I asked him turning my attention back to the painting.
"Me?" he asked with a laugh. "You're the art teacher. You interpret the art and I interpret the literature. Remember?"
"But you have an appreciation for art. You've always supported me in my love for art."
"Yeah, but that was just a ploy to win you over. It's called flirting. Telling the girl what she wants to hear," he joked.
I gave him a lopsided grin and playfully smacked him on the knee. "Stop it."
"Seriously," he said. "I think it's a self portrait."
"What?" I said in disbelief. I was staring at a painting that had tons of color but I did not see anything even remotely resembling human form.
"Where do you see that?"
"Look," Pacey said pointing to the plaque at the bottom of the painting that all entries in the fair were required to have. It read: Self Portrait by Daniel Ryder. Thanks to Mrs. Witter for the guidance, the support and the inspiration.
I smiled and felt tears welling up in my eyes. "It's moments like these that make me really glad I became a teacher." I got up from the couch to lean the painting against the wall so I could continue to stare at it.
"It's like the second best job in the world," Pacey agreed.
"What's the first?" I asked anticipating his goofy response.
"Being a parent," he said with a happy smile.
I joined him on the couch again. "Are you getting all sentimental on me, or what?" I teased.
He smiled. "It's just...I can't believe I'm going to be a father."
I felt a tingle of happiness in my stomach at knowing I could make him this happy. "I know," I said grabbing his hand. "I can't believe I'm going to be a mother." I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt tears gathering in my throat.
I felt Pacey caressing my hand and then heard his gentle voice. "Thinking about your Mom?"
I just nodded without opening my eyes. If I opened my eyes I knew the tears would spill out and I didn't want that. I'd been thinking about my mother a lot more than usual lately which I knew had everything to do with the fact that I was on the verge of becoming a mother myself. I kept seeing this image of her in an orange dress lifting me, at about age five, up into the air and then spinning me around. We were in the backyard of our house in Capeside, out by the creek and we were both laughing and smiling. My mother's dark brown hair swayed behind her in the gentle summer breeze as we spun. Her smile was so real and so bright. I had never forgotten her smile even after fifteen years.
I finally opened my eyes to see Pacey. He was smiling with concern because he knew the pain I was feeling. He knew it not from experience but because he'd helped me through it for as long as I could remember.
"If we have a daughter, I hope she looks just like my mother," I said softly. "And if we have a son, I want him to look just like you."
"I have to tell you," I went on. "I'm a little scared that I won't know how to be a good mother. She died so early, before I had a chance to learn anything real important from her. And she was a good mother, such a good mother. She paid attention to me, she made me feel like I was the center of her universe."
"I think you'll do just fine. I really do because you and I we're just gonna give this kid everything we didn't have and always wanted. And I don't mean like the material things, I mean the important stuff like love and attention and support."
"You're right. I know you're right. I just need you to keep telling me."
"I may need you to tell me too."
"Deal," I said squeezing his hand.
"So, what do we do now to pass the time?"
"I guess this is a little like 'a watched pot never boils.' I have a feeling if we sit here and wait for me to go into labor it'll never happen." I laughed at the thought.
"Okay, well how about some lunch? You must be hungry?"
"Sounds good."
While Pacey made lunch for us, I stood by the huge picture window that looked out over the creek. I still hadn't quite wrapped my mind around the fact that we were back in Capeside. Oddly enough, we had decided that there was no place we'd rather raise our family than in Capeside and had moved from our apartment in Boston just a year ago. With two teacher salaries we were able to afford a gorgeous but small three bedroom home with an amazing view not too far from the house I grew up in. My sister Bessie and her husband Bodie still lived there with their two children, Alexander, 12 and Samantha, 8. They continued to run the Bed and Breakfast Bessie and I opened eleven years ago (with a lot of Pacey's help) in honor of our mother's dream. Not much had changed in Capeside in ten years. When I left to go to Worthington College in Boston, it was the last I'd seen of the place until Pacey and I moved back together. For the most part, all of the same people were there. Pacey's parents had remained in their home, although Pacey chose not to visit with them too often. Although my and Pacey's longtime childhood friend, Dawson Leery now lived in California with his wife, Gretchen (Pacey's sister) and their three daughters, his parents, Gale and Mitch, still lived in their home where they were busy raising Dawson's ten year old sister, Lily. Evelyn Ryan, Jen Lindley's grandmother still remained next door to the Leery's. Since Jen was now living in Boston with her fiancee, Tom, I spent a lot of afternoons with Evelyn just keeping her company. Mr. Brooks had died 3 years before, living much longer than was ever expected which everyone attributed to the love he and Evelyn shared for 7 years. Mr. Brooks' funeral had been the last time I had seen Dawson. He flew in from California with Gretchen, their oldest daughter Isabella and their second daughter, Kristina who was just a few months old at the time. Pacey and I came from Boston to support Evelyn who'd always been so kind to both of us.
"Hon, lunch is ready," Pacey called to me forcing me out of my thoughts.
I made my way to the kitchen and took my seat at the kitchen table. "I was just thinking, do you realize it's been three years since we've seen Dawson and Gretchen?"
He thought for a minute. "Wow, you're right. The last time we saw them was Mr. Brooks' funeral. The kids must be getting so big."
"Do you know if they have plans to come for the summer? That'd be nice. They could meet the baby, if I ever give birth to it, that is."
Pacey laughed a little. "I think Gretchen mentioned something about it actually the last time I talked to her. Lily's birthday is coming up and so is Mitch and Gale's anniversary. Doug and Kerry are supposed to be coming in from Boston to stay with my parents for a little bit too. I think Gretchen mentioned that they wanted to see everybody."
"We should try to get everybody here for a week or so this summer. We should call Jack, Andie and Jen. It could be like one of those corny 10 year reunions."
"This pregnancy is having a very weird effect on you," he laughed.
"No, seriously, I mean we haven't all been together in one place since high school and I think it'd be nice now that we're all sort of settled down in our lives to get back together."
"You're right, it would be nice. We should give everybody a call after the baby is born and suggest it."
"Why not now?" I said getting up from the table and heading for the phone.
Pacey shook his head. "Or now."
I dialed Jen's number and waited through two rings before Jen answered. "Jen, it's me, Joey!"
"Hey, did you have the baby already?"
"No, I wish. Today's the due date and we're just kinda sitting around waiting. The suspense is too much."
"Well, you do realize that just because today is the due date doesn't mean you'll have the baby today..."
"Yes, unfortunately I realize that." I laughed. I missed Jen so much. She and I had become so close ever since we'd spent the summer before our freshman year of college together. And all through college we'd been close since Worthington and Boston Bay College were only a few T stops apart. "Pacey and I were just talking about how great it would be if we could get everybody to come back here to Capeside for a week or two this summer. It's been so long since we were all here together. What d'ya think?"
"That sounds great. I was actually planning to make a trip to good ol' Capeside real soon to see Grams and start planning the wedding. Tom and I decided to get married there so Grams wouldn't have to travel and it's beautiful there and it's where I came from, really. So just tell me when and I'm there."
"Great, well I'll call everyone else and see what their plans are, when they're available and I'll call you back. Wanna say hi to Pace? Okay hold on."
I passed the phone to Pacey and took off to our bedroom to find my address book with all of the other phone numbers in it. I was getting so excited at the prospect of seeing everyone. I felt like I was eighteen again. I went back into the living room with my address book. Pacey had hung up the phone and was sitting at the kitchen table finishing the sandwich he'd made for himself.
"So, Jen's in," I said excitedly.
"Yeah, she sounds excited. Thinks it's a little weird that you're the one planning this whole thing. Reunions are usually Andie's area of expertise."
"Andie, I'll call Andie next."
He glanced at his watch. "It's about six o'clock in Italy, so she's probably home."
I dialed the long international number and waited for it to ring.
"Ciao?" Andie's voice rang through the phone.
"Andie, this is Joey!"
"Joey?! Oh my god, how are you?"
"I'm good. How are you?"
"I'm great. I can't believe this is you. Oh, god, have you already had the baby?"
"No, no, not yet. Today's the due date. Pacey and I are just hanging around waiting for it to happen. It feels like it never will."
Andie laughed. "I know the feeling. Marco was 3 days late and those we're the 3 longest days of my life," she giggled and I smiled because Andie was the same. She had never changed and it was so comforting. She'd been living in Italy since she left half way through our senior year of high school. Instead of coming back and attending Harvard, she decided to stay and attend the University in Rome where she studied Italian and Psychology. She now worked as a high school guidance counselor at the local high school and lived with her husband Roberto and their five-year old son, Marco.
"Oh, don't tell me that. I'm so anxious to have it over with and to know whether it's a boy or a girl. It's like the surprise of a lifetime. So, how are Roberto and Marco doing?"
"Oh, they're great. School's almost over for Marco and I and we're both really looking forward to the summer."
"Any chance you guys want to make a trip to the states this summer? We were thinking about how great it'd be if we got everyone back together here in Capeside for a small reunion. I already called Jen, I just have to call Dawson and Jack. We all want to meet those Italian men in your life."
"Oh, that sounds so great, Joey. Count us in. As soon as we hang up, I'm going on the Internet to look for plane tickets."
"It's going to be so good to see you Andie," I said.
"I have to say, Joey, it's a little strange that you came up with this idea. This corny stuff is usually my turf." Andie laughed.
"Jen said the same thing," I laughed. "I guess motherhood is just turning me into a huge sap."
"It will certainly do that to you," she giggled. "So, how is Pacey?"
"He's good. Here, say hi to him and, Andie, call me back when you find tickets. We'll plan the reunion around when you're able to make it."
I handed the telephone to Pacey and took a seat on the couch again. I was tired again which, at this stage of my pregnancy, was no longer unusual. After a few minutes, Pacey joined me on the couch. He lifted my legs so that he could sit and then rested my legs in his lap. I opened my eyes slightly and smiled at him. "So, it sounds like everyone's excited. This will be really great."
"Yeah," he smiled. "It's gonna be real good to see everybody." He started rubbing my feet. "You look tired. Try to get some sleep."
*****
When I woke again later to the sound of the phone ringing, it was dark out. I heard Pacey run to catch it before it rang twice, he hadn't wanted me to wake but I had anyway. I heard him whispering into the telephone. Another sweet attempt at trying to let me sleep. I loved him so much, everyday I discovered a new reason why.
"Dawson," I heard him whisper, "we were going to call you earlier today. Joey's all into planning this whole reunion thing with everybody, Jen, Andie, Jack and Gretchen and you." I heard him chuckle a little. "I know, I know, everybody's been saying how weird it is that she thought this up. Even Andie."
I picked up the telephone on the end table by the couch. "Hey, are you guys talking about me behind my back again?" I joked.
"Us? No, never," Pacey teased as he appeared in the doorway of the living room.
"Well, honestly, Pacey was just telling me how you've gone mad and decided to plan a Capeside reunion." I could hear the laughter in Dawson's voice.
"Yeah, I really have no idea what's come over me, some kind of virus or something."
Dawson chuckled. "So, how are you doing, Jo? You feeling okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm just tired and anxious to get this all over with. How are Gretchen and the girls?"
"Gretchen is great, the girls are fabulous. You guys won't believe how big they've gotten. It's really something else. And the baby, Ashley, you haven't even met her yet. Have you?"
"No," Pacey and I said in unison.
As Pacey joined me on the couch, I continued. "We've only seen the pictures Gretchen sent us and she's beautiful. We can't wait to see all of them, Dawson." I smiled at the thought of Dawson's daughters and Dawson as a father, as a husband. "Who'd have thought the three of us would end up like this, huh?" The three of us laughed together.
"Hey, do you guys remember that time when we went sledding out at the Yacht Club golf course and we bumped into those older kids and Pacey got them so mad that they chased us all the way back to my house?" I said.
"It wasn't just my fault," Pacey defended himself. "Dawson was the one who pretended to take their money."
"That's right," Joey said. "I forgot about that part."
"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure they chased us because Pacey called the biggest one a 'smelly, fat old dork,'" Dawson laughed.
Joey smiled. "You guys always did know how to cause trouble."
"But we always had fun too," Dawson said. "Maybe this summer we'll be able to have some of that old fun all over again."
"That'd be good, really good."
"Well, Jo, I just wanted to call and say 'good luck' and to remind Pacey to call us after the baby's born."
"I will D," Pacey told him. "You guys are second on our list after Bessie and Bodie."
"Gretchen and I, we love you guys and our thoughts are with you."
"We love you guys too. Bye, Dawson."
"I'm really glad we all ended up as friends," I told Pacey once we'd hung up with Dawson.
"Me too," he agreed sliding over closer to me to put his arm around my shoulders.
"I mean, I got everything that I wanted," I said looking up at him.
"Oh really?" he said.
"Yeah, I got Dawson as my best friend and you as the person by my side for the rest of my life."
"I think it worked out pretty well for all of us," Pacey smiled.
"Especially for me, though," I said leaning in to kiss him. I kissed him as if I were seventeen again and had just fallen in love with him. Slow, soft and very passionate. When I broke away, his eyes were still closed.
"Whoa," he said after a few moments. "You shouldn't do that to me when I can't make love to you," he said reaching to pull me closer to him. I laughed.
"After this baby is born, you'll probably never want me again."
"I'd have to be crazy," he said leaning in to kiss me again.
"I'm going to take a shower," I told him when he finished kissing me. "I'm feeling tired and I want to get ready for bed."
"Okay," he said helping me up from the couch and kissing me again. "I'll be there in a little bit. I just wanna watch the news."
I stood before my bureau and stared at myself in the mirror. "You look so fat and so old," I said out loud to myself then smiled. I didn't care, really, because more than fat and old, I was happy.
I opened the top drawer of my bureau and removed a tiny box which held my engagement ring and wedding band. I'd been unable to wear them during the last 2 months of my pregnancy because my hands were so bloated. I opened the box to look at them. My diamond was so beautiful, so simple and so beautiful. I would never forget the day that Pacey gave it to me. It had been the most amazing moment in my life. Pacey had just finished school, a year after I had and we were living together in our apartment in Boston. We were getting ready to go to dinner with his parents, who had come to Boston for the graduation ceremony. I rushed out of our bedroom with my jacket and purse in hand, knowing that I was making us late and found Pacey sitting patiently on the sofa.
"Aren't we late?" I asked confused.
He glanced at his watch. "Probably, but it's okay, I want to talk to you before we go. Come here and sit down."
"Pacey, your parents are waiting. They'll flip."
Next thing I knew he was on his knee and there were tears in his eyes. I couldn't breath for a moment as I realized what he was doing.
"Now that I have my life together," he began. "I want to start to share it with you. You've put up with so much from me, you've been so patient while I did what I had to do and I don't think I can ever thank you enough for that."
"Oh, Pacey," I cried. "I can't believe..."
He smiled and put his finger to my lips. "It's my turn. Let me do this." I took a deep breath and listened while he spoke. "Josephine Potter, I love you with all my heart, I always have and I'd be so honored if you'd be my wife."
Tears were spilling down my face as he removed the ring from his pocket and placed it on my finger. I remember thinking that he knew me so well. The ring was so "me," so perfectly simple and beautiful.
"It's...it's so beautiful." I leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "Yes," I said in a shaky nervous voice as I backed out of our kiss. "I can't think of anything I'd like better than to marry you."
He smiled an excited, toothy grin as I began kissing him again. I closed the box holding my rings and thought it wouldn't be much longer before I could wear them again. I was glad of that. Very glad. I grabbed a towel from the linen closet and headed to the bathroom. I turned the shower on and began to undress. Suddenly a strange feeling came over me and as I looked towards the bathroom floor I realized my water had broken. My heart began pounding in my chest and although I tried to remain calm when I called for Pacey his name came out sounding like a scream.
Joey
At nine months pregnant, I had little energy and enjoyed my time at home on the couch watching all the daytime soaps. This day was different though. It was my due date, the day on which the doctor predicted I would give birth to my first child. I couldn't enjoy the soaps, my mind kept wandering and I kept watching the clock. My husband, Pacey, was due home at any moment. He'd only had to administer one final exam to his high school English students before school was out for the summer. I kept worrying that I'd go into labor before 12:00 when he'd promised to come home.
"Joey, I'm home!" Pacey called to me from the back door. I struggled to get up from the couch to greet him but couldn't quite make it. "Don't get up. Just stay right there and let me come to you," he said in his concerned tone, the one he'd picked up the day I told him I was pregnant. It always made me smile to hear in his voice how much he loved me and cared for me.
"What's the smile for?" he said sitting beside me on the couch and placing his hand gently on my stomach.
"I'm just glad to see you. I've been worried all day that it'd happen before you got here." I opened my arms and leaned toward him for a hug.
"I told you I'd be here," he said stroking my hair.
"I know." I leaned back on the fluffy pillows; I was getting tired again.
"How'd the exam go? Everybody happy to be out for the summer?"
"The exam went well and I don't know about everyone else, but I'm certainly happy to be out for the summer."
"I miss school," I said sadly. "I miss all my students. This was my first year not judging the art fair."
"Oh yeah, that's what I was supposed to tell you," he said in an excited tone. "Daniel Ryder won first prize in the art fair."
I sat up quickly. Daniel Ryder was my best, and secretly, my favorite student. He was so talented and more importantly he had a passion for art. I'd written him a glowing recommendation for his application to the Massachusetts College of Art where he would be going to school in the fall.
"Oh, that's so great! I wish I could have seen his painting," I said in a more somber tone.
"I thought you might say that," Pacey said getting up from the couch. "And so did Daniel because he sent it home for you."
"What?"
Pacey returned to the living room with the 8x10 canvas and handed it to me. "He says you can't have it. He needs it back before he goes to Boston but he wanted you to see it." Pacey said with a grin.
"Oh, wow, this is beautiful," I said holding the painting out in front of me. It was full of color, dark colors and light colors, almost an even amount of each. There was no real shape in the painting, just lots of color and I wasn't surprised at all that it was so abstract. Daniel had once told me that he thought art was meant to be "vague and obscure. I like art that you have to figure out." I smiled at the memory.
"Have you looked at this Pacey?" I asked looking away from the painting and up at my husband.
"Yeah," he said joining me again on the couch. "It's really good. It was definitely the best one at the fair."
"What do you think it is?" I asked him turning my attention back to the painting.
"Me?" he asked with a laugh. "You're the art teacher. You interpret the art and I interpret the literature. Remember?"
"But you have an appreciation for art. You've always supported me in my love for art."
"Yeah, but that was just a ploy to win you over. It's called flirting. Telling the girl what she wants to hear," he joked.
I gave him a lopsided grin and playfully smacked him on the knee. "Stop it."
"Seriously," he said. "I think it's a self portrait."
"What?" I said in disbelief. I was staring at a painting that had tons of color but I did not see anything even remotely resembling human form.
"Where do you see that?"
"Look," Pacey said pointing to the plaque at the bottom of the painting that all entries in the fair were required to have. It read: Self Portrait by Daniel Ryder. Thanks to Mrs. Witter for the guidance, the support and the inspiration.
I smiled and felt tears welling up in my eyes. "It's moments like these that make me really glad I became a teacher." I got up from the couch to lean the painting against the wall so I could continue to stare at it.
"It's like the second best job in the world," Pacey agreed.
"What's the first?" I asked anticipating his goofy response.
"Being a parent," he said with a happy smile.
I joined him on the couch again. "Are you getting all sentimental on me, or what?" I teased.
He smiled. "It's just...I can't believe I'm going to be a father."
I felt a tingle of happiness in my stomach at knowing I could make him this happy. "I know," I said grabbing his hand. "I can't believe I'm going to be a mother." I squeezed my eyes shut as I felt tears gathering in my throat.
I felt Pacey caressing my hand and then heard his gentle voice. "Thinking about your Mom?"
I just nodded without opening my eyes. If I opened my eyes I knew the tears would spill out and I didn't want that. I'd been thinking about my mother a lot more than usual lately which I knew had everything to do with the fact that I was on the verge of becoming a mother myself. I kept seeing this image of her in an orange dress lifting me, at about age five, up into the air and then spinning me around. We were in the backyard of our house in Capeside, out by the creek and we were both laughing and smiling. My mother's dark brown hair swayed behind her in the gentle summer breeze as we spun. Her smile was so real and so bright. I had never forgotten her smile even after fifteen years.
I finally opened my eyes to see Pacey. He was smiling with concern because he knew the pain I was feeling. He knew it not from experience but because he'd helped me through it for as long as I could remember.
"If we have a daughter, I hope she looks just like my mother," I said softly. "And if we have a son, I want him to look just like you."
"I have to tell you," I went on. "I'm a little scared that I won't know how to be a good mother. She died so early, before I had a chance to learn anything real important from her. And she was a good mother, such a good mother. She paid attention to me, she made me feel like I was the center of her universe."
"I think you'll do just fine. I really do because you and I we're just gonna give this kid everything we didn't have and always wanted. And I don't mean like the material things, I mean the important stuff like love and attention and support."
"You're right. I know you're right. I just need you to keep telling me."
"I may need you to tell me too."
"Deal," I said squeezing his hand.
"So, what do we do now to pass the time?"
"I guess this is a little like 'a watched pot never boils.' I have a feeling if we sit here and wait for me to go into labor it'll never happen." I laughed at the thought.
"Okay, well how about some lunch? You must be hungry?"
"Sounds good."
While Pacey made lunch for us, I stood by the huge picture window that looked out over the creek. I still hadn't quite wrapped my mind around the fact that we were back in Capeside. Oddly enough, we had decided that there was no place we'd rather raise our family than in Capeside and had moved from our apartment in Boston just a year ago. With two teacher salaries we were able to afford a gorgeous but small three bedroom home with an amazing view not too far from the house I grew up in. My sister Bessie and her husband Bodie still lived there with their two children, Alexander, 12 and Samantha, 8. They continued to run the Bed and Breakfast Bessie and I opened eleven years ago (with a lot of Pacey's help) in honor of our mother's dream. Not much had changed in Capeside in ten years. When I left to go to Worthington College in Boston, it was the last I'd seen of the place until Pacey and I moved back together. For the most part, all of the same people were there. Pacey's parents had remained in their home, although Pacey chose not to visit with them too often. Although my and Pacey's longtime childhood friend, Dawson Leery now lived in California with his wife, Gretchen (Pacey's sister) and their three daughters, his parents, Gale and Mitch, still lived in their home where they were busy raising Dawson's ten year old sister, Lily. Evelyn Ryan, Jen Lindley's grandmother still remained next door to the Leery's. Since Jen was now living in Boston with her fiancee, Tom, I spent a lot of afternoons with Evelyn just keeping her company. Mr. Brooks had died 3 years before, living much longer than was ever expected which everyone attributed to the love he and Evelyn shared for 7 years. Mr. Brooks' funeral had been the last time I had seen Dawson. He flew in from California with Gretchen, their oldest daughter Isabella and their second daughter, Kristina who was just a few months old at the time. Pacey and I came from Boston to support Evelyn who'd always been so kind to both of us.
"Hon, lunch is ready," Pacey called to me forcing me out of my thoughts.
I made my way to the kitchen and took my seat at the kitchen table. "I was just thinking, do you realize it's been three years since we've seen Dawson and Gretchen?"
He thought for a minute. "Wow, you're right. The last time we saw them was Mr. Brooks' funeral. The kids must be getting so big."
"Do you know if they have plans to come for the summer? That'd be nice. They could meet the baby, if I ever give birth to it, that is."
Pacey laughed a little. "I think Gretchen mentioned something about it actually the last time I talked to her. Lily's birthday is coming up and so is Mitch and Gale's anniversary. Doug and Kerry are supposed to be coming in from Boston to stay with my parents for a little bit too. I think Gretchen mentioned that they wanted to see everybody."
"We should try to get everybody here for a week or so this summer. We should call Jack, Andie and Jen. It could be like one of those corny 10 year reunions."
"This pregnancy is having a very weird effect on you," he laughed.
"No, seriously, I mean we haven't all been together in one place since high school and I think it'd be nice now that we're all sort of settled down in our lives to get back together."
"You're right, it would be nice. We should give everybody a call after the baby is born and suggest it."
"Why not now?" I said getting up from the table and heading for the phone.
Pacey shook his head. "Or now."
I dialed Jen's number and waited through two rings before Jen answered. "Jen, it's me, Joey!"
"Hey, did you have the baby already?"
"No, I wish. Today's the due date and we're just kinda sitting around waiting. The suspense is too much."
"Well, you do realize that just because today is the due date doesn't mean you'll have the baby today..."
"Yes, unfortunately I realize that." I laughed. I missed Jen so much. She and I had become so close ever since we'd spent the summer before our freshman year of college together. And all through college we'd been close since Worthington and Boston Bay College were only a few T stops apart. "Pacey and I were just talking about how great it would be if we could get everybody to come back here to Capeside for a week or two this summer. It's been so long since we were all here together. What d'ya think?"
"That sounds great. I was actually planning to make a trip to good ol' Capeside real soon to see Grams and start planning the wedding. Tom and I decided to get married there so Grams wouldn't have to travel and it's beautiful there and it's where I came from, really. So just tell me when and I'm there."
"Great, well I'll call everyone else and see what their plans are, when they're available and I'll call you back. Wanna say hi to Pace? Okay hold on."
I passed the phone to Pacey and took off to our bedroom to find my address book with all of the other phone numbers in it. I was getting so excited at the prospect of seeing everyone. I felt like I was eighteen again. I went back into the living room with my address book. Pacey had hung up the phone and was sitting at the kitchen table finishing the sandwich he'd made for himself.
"So, Jen's in," I said excitedly.
"Yeah, she sounds excited. Thinks it's a little weird that you're the one planning this whole thing. Reunions are usually Andie's area of expertise."
"Andie, I'll call Andie next."
He glanced at his watch. "It's about six o'clock in Italy, so she's probably home."
I dialed the long international number and waited for it to ring.
"Ciao?" Andie's voice rang through the phone.
"Andie, this is Joey!"
"Joey?! Oh my god, how are you?"
"I'm good. How are you?"
"I'm great. I can't believe this is you. Oh, god, have you already had the baby?"
"No, no, not yet. Today's the due date. Pacey and I are just hanging around waiting for it to happen. It feels like it never will."
Andie laughed. "I know the feeling. Marco was 3 days late and those we're the 3 longest days of my life," she giggled and I smiled because Andie was the same. She had never changed and it was so comforting. She'd been living in Italy since she left half way through our senior year of high school. Instead of coming back and attending Harvard, she decided to stay and attend the University in Rome where she studied Italian and Psychology. She now worked as a high school guidance counselor at the local high school and lived with her husband Roberto and their five-year old son, Marco.
"Oh, don't tell me that. I'm so anxious to have it over with and to know whether it's a boy or a girl. It's like the surprise of a lifetime. So, how are Roberto and Marco doing?"
"Oh, they're great. School's almost over for Marco and I and we're both really looking forward to the summer."
"Any chance you guys want to make a trip to the states this summer? We were thinking about how great it'd be if we got everyone back together here in Capeside for a small reunion. I already called Jen, I just have to call Dawson and Jack. We all want to meet those Italian men in your life."
"Oh, that sounds so great, Joey. Count us in. As soon as we hang up, I'm going on the Internet to look for plane tickets."
"It's going to be so good to see you Andie," I said.
"I have to say, Joey, it's a little strange that you came up with this idea. This corny stuff is usually my turf." Andie laughed.
"Jen said the same thing," I laughed. "I guess motherhood is just turning me into a huge sap."
"It will certainly do that to you," she giggled. "So, how is Pacey?"
"He's good. Here, say hi to him and, Andie, call me back when you find tickets. We'll plan the reunion around when you're able to make it."
I handed the telephone to Pacey and took a seat on the couch again. I was tired again which, at this stage of my pregnancy, was no longer unusual. After a few minutes, Pacey joined me on the couch. He lifted my legs so that he could sit and then rested my legs in his lap. I opened my eyes slightly and smiled at him. "So, it sounds like everyone's excited. This will be really great."
"Yeah," he smiled. "It's gonna be real good to see everybody." He started rubbing my feet. "You look tired. Try to get some sleep."
*****
When I woke again later to the sound of the phone ringing, it was dark out. I heard Pacey run to catch it before it rang twice, he hadn't wanted me to wake but I had anyway. I heard him whispering into the telephone. Another sweet attempt at trying to let me sleep. I loved him so much, everyday I discovered a new reason why.
"Dawson," I heard him whisper, "we were going to call you earlier today. Joey's all into planning this whole reunion thing with everybody, Jen, Andie, Jack and Gretchen and you." I heard him chuckle a little. "I know, I know, everybody's been saying how weird it is that she thought this up. Even Andie."
I picked up the telephone on the end table by the couch. "Hey, are you guys talking about me behind my back again?" I joked.
"Us? No, never," Pacey teased as he appeared in the doorway of the living room.
"Well, honestly, Pacey was just telling me how you've gone mad and decided to plan a Capeside reunion." I could hear the laughter in Dawson's voice.
"Yeah, I really have no idea what's come over me, some kind of virus or something."
Dawson chuckled. "So, how are you doing, Jo? You feeling okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm just tired and anxious to get this all over with. How are Gretchen and the girls?"
"Gretchen is great, the girls are fabulous. You guys won't believe how big they've gotten. It's really something else. And the baby, Ashley, you haven't even met her yet. Have you?"
"No," Pacey and I said in unison.
As Pacey joined me on the couch, I continued. "We've only seen the pictures Gretchen sent us and she's beautiful. We can't wait to see all of them, Dawson." I smiled at the thought of Dawson's daughters and Dawson as a father, as a husband. "Who'd have thought the three of us would end up like this, huh?" The three of us laughed together.
"Hey, do you guys remember that time when we went sledding out at the Yacht Club golf course and we bumped into those older kids and Pacey got them so mad that they chased us all the way back to my house?" I said.
"It wasn't just my fault," Pacey defended himself. "Dawson was the one who pretended to take their money."
"That's right," Joey said. "I forgot about that part."
"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure they chased us because Pacey called the biggest one a 'smelly, fat old dork,'" Dawson laughed.
Joey smiled. "You guys always did know how to cause trouble."
"But we always had fun too," Dawson said. "Maybe this summer we'll be able to have some of that old fun all over again."
"That'd be good, really good."
"Well, Jo, I just wanted to call and say 'good luck' and to remind Pacey to call us after the baby's born."
"I will D," Pacey told him. "You guys are second on our list after Bessie and Bodie."
"Gretchen and I, we love you guys and our thoughts are with you."
"We love you guys too. Bye, Dawson."
"I'm really glad we all ended up as friends," I told Pacey once we'd hung up with Dawson.
"Me too," he agreed sliding over closer to me to put his arm around my shoulders.
"I mean, I got everything that I wanted," I said looking up at him.
"Oh really?" he said.
"Yeah, I got Dawson as my best friend and you as the person by my side for the rest of my life."
"I think it worked out pretty well for all of us," Pacey smiled.
"Especially for me, though," I said leaning in to kiss him. I kissed him as if I were seventeen again and had just fallen in love with him. Slow, soft and very passionate. When I broke away, his eyes were still closed.
"Whoa," he said after a few moments. "You shouldn't do that to me when I can't make love to you," he said reaching to pull me closer to him. I laughed.
"After this baby is born, you'll probably never want me again."
"I'd have to be crazy," he said leaning in to kiss me again.
"I'm going to take a shower," I told him when he finished kissing me. "I'm feeling tired and I want to get ready for bed."
"Okay," he said helping me up from the couch and kissing me again. "I'll be there in a little bit. I just wanna watch the news."
I stood before my bureau and stared at myself in the mirror. "You look so fat and so old," I said out loud to myself then smiled. I didn't care, really, because more than fat and old, I was happy.
I opened the top drawer of my bureau and removed a tiny box which held my engagement ring and wedding band. I'd been unable to wear them during the last 2 months of my pregnancy because my hands were so bloated. I opened the box to look at them. My diamond was so beautiful, so simple and so beautiful. I would never forget the day that Pacey gave it to me. It had been the most amazing moment in my life. Pacey had just finished school, a year after I had and we were living together in our apartment in Boston. We were getting ready to go to dinner with his parents, who had come to Boston for the graduation ceremony. I rushed out of our bedroom with my jacket and purse in hand, knowing that I was making us late and found Pacey sitting patiently on the sofa.
"Aren't we late?" I asked confused.
He glanced at his watch. "Probably, but it's okay, I want to talk to you before we go. Come here and sit down."
"Pacey, your parents are waiting. They'll flip."
Next thing I knew he was on his knee and there were tears in his eyes. I couldn't breath for a moment as I realized what he was doing.
"Now that I have my life together," he began. "I want to start to share it with you. You've put up with so much from me, you've been so patient while I did what I had to do and I don't think I can ever thank you enough for that."
"Oh, Pacey," I cried. "I can't believe..."
He smiled and put his finger to my lips. "It's my turn. Let me do this." I took a deep breath and listened while he spoke. "Josephine Potter, I love you with all my heart, I always have and I'd be so honored if you'd be my wife."
Tears were spilling down my face as he removed the ring from his pocket and placed it on my finger. I remember thinking that he knew me so well. The ring was so "me," so perfectly simple and beautiful.
"It's...it's so beautiful." I leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. "Yes," I said in a shaky nervous voice as I backed out of our kiss. "I can't think of anything I'd like better than to marry you."
He smiled an excited, toothy grin as I began kissing him again. I closed the box holding my rings and thought it wouldn't be much longer before I could wear them again. I was glad of that. Very glad. I grabbed a towel from the linen closet and headed to the bathroom. I turned the shower on and began to undress. Suddenly a strange feeling came over me and as I looked towards the bathroom floor I realized my water had broken. My heart began pounding in my chest and although I tried to remain calm when I called for Pacey his name came out sounding like a scream.