Andie stood, her gaze transfixed on the man before her, her feet
stuck to the ground as if being held there. She didn't move, she barely
breathed as she took in the person before. He hadn't changed. Of course
he'd aged but he was still the same person. She wondered if that was just
externally as she gazed into those soulful blue eyes she finally managed to
mutter the word she'd been searching for. "Pacey" she said, it was barely
above a whisper but it hung in the air full of significance. Pacey stepped
towards Andie and wrapped his arms around her. Pulling her petite form
against his. "Welcome home" he whispered in her ear before pulling himself
away. Clayton looked from his mother to the stranger and back again. When
the man had hugged his mother he felt a bit angry. "Mommy?" he asked
questioning Andie.
"Mommy?!" Pacey echoed his voice filled with shock and confusion.
"Pacey," Andie began, "I'd like you to meet my son, Clayton. Clay this is
Mommy's friend Pacey."
"Hey there little guy" Pacey said as he bent down to Clayton's level. "I
told you we'd find your Mommy didn't I? And her she is, as beautiful as
ever" Pacey said glancing up and Andie who began to blush at his comment.
"Do you want some candy?" Pacey asked pulling a chocolate bar out of his
pocket and handing it over to Clayton.
"Uh uh." Andie said snatching the bar. "Not before lunch mister!"
"But Mooooooooooooom" Clayton whined and pouted at his mother.
"No" Andie said firmly "and you" she said turning to Pacey "should know
better" Pacey stood with a huge grin on his face. He couldn't help it as he
looked at Andie, every bit the mother. She seemed happy in the role.
Smiling at Clayton afterwards and promising him a candy bar after lunch.
His mind drifted to the times when they were younger and had talked about
their future. He knew even then she'd be a great mother, and now he got to
see it in front of him. A suprise he'd admit it was. Andie with, what he
assumed was a 3/4year old child.
"I didn't know you had a kid Andie?" Pacey said to Andie as he followed her
to the check out.
"It's a long story Pace" Andie answered, her voice changed and her eyes
lowered to the floor the smile erased from her face as she remember all the
changes in her life no one knew about, and she'd have to tell them about.
Noticing the change in her voice Pacey decided not to push it.
"I'm sorry about Jack Andie. I visited him a few times. I didn't realise he
was so close."
"Neither did I" Andie said as she placed a few more groceries onto the
side. Wiping a tear from her eye she turned to Pacey
"Jen and Henry are coming to stay with me and I was going to make them a
dinner, would you like to come? I could invite Joey as well." She asked.
"Sounds great" Pacey said as he play fought with Clayton. "What time?"
"Eightish? That way I can get Clay fed and settled before hand."
"That's earrrrly" Clayton said as he playfully hit Pacey in the stomach
"Not for you Mister" Andie said as she passed over her credit card to the
cashier.
"Eight sounds great." Pacey said picking up Clayton and placing him next to
his mother.
"Do you know where the house is?" Andie asked before realising it was
probably a stupid question.
"I think I remember" Pacey joked. "I'll see you both at eight then." He
said rustling Clayton's hair.
"Goodbye Pace, See you tonight" Andie said as she placed the last bag of
groceries in the cart to push to the car. "Say goodbye" Andie instructed
Clayton.
"Byeeeeeeeeeee" Clayton said to Pacey and took hold of his mothers
outstretched hand.
"See ya later alligator" Pacey called after Clayton and sighed as he went
to pay for his own groceries.
Andie placed the last of the groceries away and looked in on Clayton. He was sat on the living room floor his toys spread around him watching cartoons. Smiling Andie picked up the phone and started to make herself a coffee. Pulling out Joey's number from her pocket she dialled and waited for an answer. "Hello?" Rang a voice at the other end of the line. It was a male voice Andie didn't recognise. "Could I speak to Joey please?" Andie asked wondering who it was. "Sure, hold on a minute please." Andie faintly heard a call of "Jo!!!" in the background before some footsteps. "Hello?" "Hi Joey, It's me, um I mean Andie." Andie said feeling stupid as nerves built themselves up into a knot in her stomach. "Hi!" Joey said happily. "How are you?" "Fine" Andie answered, the knot of nerves beginning to dissolve. "I was wondering if you wanted to come to dinner tonight?" "I'd love to" Joey answered "Well, Jen and Henry will be here, and Pacey as well." Andie continued "Can I bring someone along?" Joey asked "Sure" Andie answered her nerves going away as the conversation continued. "Come by about eightish. Okay?" Andie asked "Sounds Great." "Okay, Well I'll see you then, then" "Andie, before you" "Yeah?" "You have a son!!" Joey screamed down the phone. "Oh yea, that" Andie said with a slight giggle. "After you left it sorta hit me. I didn't know. Why didn't I know?" Joey asked Andie her voice calming "I'll explain later. I promise" Andie said hoping it would stop Joey asking more questions, she didn't want to have to say the story over and over. "Okay Andie," Joey answered "See you AND your son! At eight" they both laughed and said good bye and hung up.
Andie sat back and sipped her coffee. The day was going by so fast, and had been so eventful, and it wasn't over yet. A feeling of dread knotted in her stomach making her feeling nauseous as she thought of the evening a head. How could she tell her friends what had happened in her life. How she'd soled out on all her dreams. She knew she couldn't avoid it, they'd all met, or knew of, Clayton. She sighed and made her way towards the living room. She leant against the wall and starred at her son. Just looking at him playing brought over the most awesome feeling. She would never change him for the world. Just wished things were different. It wasn't him she was ashamed of. With that thought she impulsively walked over to her son and hugged him tightly placing a light kiss on his head. "I love you Clay. You do know that don't you?" "I love you too Mommy." Clayton said looking up at his mom curiously. "Can I watch TV again now" he said gesturing to the cartoon playing on the screen. Andie laughed lightly "Sure" She said letting him free from her embrace. Picking up a book from the previous night that was set on the side table she sat down on the couch and tried to relax before her Henry and Jen arrived and she'd have to start making dinner. Yawning she turnt the page and began to read.
Andie placed the last of the groceries away and looked in on Clayton. He was sat on the living room floor his toys spread around him watching cartoons. Smiling Andie picked up the phone and started to make herself a coffee. Pulling out Joey's number from her pocket she dialled and waited for an answer. "Hello?" Rang a voice at the other end of the line. It was a male voice Andie didn't recognise. "Could I speak to Joey please?" Andie asked wondering who it was. "Sure, hold on a minute please." Andie faintly heard a call of "Jo!!!" in the background before some footsteps. "Hello?" "Hi Joey, It's me, um I mean Andie." Andie said feeling stupid as nerves built themselves up into a knot in her stomach. "Hi!" Joey said happily. "How are you?" "Fine" Andie answered, the knot of nerves beginning to dissolve. "I was wondering if you wanted to come to dinner tonight?" "I'd love to" Joey answered "Well, Jen and Henry will be here, and Pacey as well." Andie continued "Can I bring someone along?" Joey asked "Sure" Andie answered her nerves going away as the conversation continued. "Come by about eightish. Okay?" Andie asked "Sounds Great." "Okay, Well I'll see you then, then" "Andie, before you" "Yeah?" "You have a son!!" Joey screamed down the phone. "Oh yea, that" Andie said with a slight giggle. "After you left it sorta hit me. I didn't know. Why didn't I know?" Joey asked Andie her voice calming "I'll explain later. I promise" Andie said hoping it would stop Joey asking more questions, she didn't want to have to say the story over and over. "Okay Andie," Joey answered "See you AND your son! At eight" they both laughed and said good bye and hung up.
Andie sat back and sipped her coffee. The day was going by so fast, and had been so eventful, and it wasn't over yet. A feeling of dread knotted in her stomach making her feeling nauseous as she thought of the evening a head. How could she tell her friends what had happened in her life. How she'd soled out on all her dreams. She knew she couldn't avoid it, they'd all met, or knew of, Clayton. She sighed and made her way towards the living room. She leant against the wall and starred at her son. Just looking at him playing brought over the most awesome feeling. She would never change him for the world. Just wished things were different. It wasn't him she was ashamed of. With that thought she impulsively walked over to her son and hugged him tightly placing a light kiss on his head. "I love you Clay. You do know that don't you?" "I love you too Mommy." Clayton said looking up at his mom curiously. "Can I watch TV again now" he said gesturing to the cartoon playing on the screen. Andie laughed lightly "Sure" She said letting him free from her embrace. Picking up a book from the previous night that was set on the side table she sat down on the couch and tried to relax before her Henry and Jen arrived and she'd have to start making dinner. Yawning she turnt the page and began to read.