Ch. 2: Finding Our Solid Ground. [nick pov]
"Well gentlemen it was nice doing business with you." I say singing a silent victory song in my head. It was the second game I had won.
Sara folded each time the cards were dealt, which seemed to draw Grissom's attention every time. Maybe that is what she is attempting to do. Normally they would ignore each other's presence almost automatically, so maybe any attention is better than none at all.
Although as I watch them now, I could be tricked into saying Grissom is finally enjoying her company again and Sara may have changed her mind to stay longer. It is often hard to say since they can shift so easily from good to bad and bad to worse. Of course, I really don't blame Sara for any of it. She's has a lot to deal with and Grissom doesn't seem to care. However, it isn't my place to have such an opinion. Grissom could be having a hard time and hide it well. Whatever their problems may be, the wounds obviously run deep. I can only hope for the some contact before it gets any worse.
Back to the game, Catherine's bark was worst than her bite so she dropped out from three of the games and lost the other two. It was just me, Warrick, and Grissom. Grissom won the largest pot, but Warrick beat his bluff on the second smaller loot. Then I had a winning streak of two great hands. In the end my full house beat them into the ground making me almost four dollars richer.
"I need a drink." Catherine got up from the table. "Anyone else want anything?"
I lay my cards down. "I'm running the bar tonight, Catherine. It is my house, remember?"
"Then I'll have vodka with lemon twists."
"Okay. Sara? Warrick? Gris, do you want something to drink? I have red wine, Crown Royal, Vodka, and I think there may be some beer in the fridge."
"You're not a secret drinker are you?" Warrick asks dryly.
"No. Do you remember the Halloween party the office had? The one we all chipped in to rent a dinning hall? The one no one went to but me?" A series of nods went around the table. "We split up the excess and took it home."
"Ah. Well, a Crown Royal and coke would be nice but..." he glances at Grissom. "I'll wait until later when I get off shift."
I chuckle because I too have the night on call. At the sudden thought, I hope that no one dies tonight, but for other reasons other than ruining my party. "Sara?"
"I haven't had anything to eat all day so alcohol isn't the best idea. I'll pass, Nick."
Grissom, Catherine, and Warrick look at her with troubled expressions. To tell you the truth, I'm a little worried too. "You are welcome to eat something from the kitchen." I suggest lightheartedly.
She hesitates but I'm pleased when she takes the offer.
"You know the way to the kitchen --right around the corner." I say.
She nods and leaves the table while I get the rest of the orders.
"Grissom, name your poison."
"Just a beer. Thanks Nick."
I set off to my modest liquor cabinet where the drinks are. I can't help but notice when I get there that everyone has become quiet again. What the hell was I thinking when I thought of having them all over at the same time on New Year's Eve to play a game of cards? I suppose things were running smoothly during the first hand but after that we all lost our interest. It was like we didn't have anything else to say. It's kind of a shame. I was really enjoying our light banter.
Usually I could rely on Warrick for a good ribbing to get things started. I mean I do have all these tonics in big value sizes; he could have given me a hard time. But lately even Warrick has not been himself.
For instance, his cool attitude that everything can and will go smoothly has taken a beating. He has had a rough start, and he hasn't been the same since. His change may not be noticeable to the others, but Warrick and I go back. I still remember the time we would play video games in the lounge. Now I'm lucky if I see him before he goes home.
God, we really need this time together. How is it possible for five people who work for twelve hours together grow apart?
"How are those drinks coming, Nick?" Catherine calls to me.
"They're comin'. You can deal the next hand." I say walking to the kitchen for the lemons.
I meet Sara bent over in front of my refrigerator. "You have nothing."
"I have plenty, just nothing for a rabbit."
I escape her venomous stare with my life. As I start to add the lemon to Catherine's drink, I realize I forgot Grissom's beer while I was in the kitchen. I glance up. Grissom is fiddling with the cards again, and Catherine sends him a warning stare he doesn't even know is upon him. He is probably just nervous or tense about being here with us --being here with Sara. Then like someone smacked me from behind, a wonderful awful idea comes to mind.
"Hey Grissom? I kind of got my hands full. Let Warrick or Catherine deal, and run into the kitchen to get your beer. Bottom shelf in the back."
He seems confused. Yes I know Sara is in the kitchen, and soon you will be too. At least some words will be exchanged. I can only hope for a good response.
Without a word he rises gingerly from his chair and goes to the kitchen.
"How long do you give them?" Catherine asks Warrick taking the cards in her hands.
He looks toward the kitchen then directly at Catherine. "Um...seven minutes."
"I give it ten and when they come back they won't talk to each other the rest of the day."
"The rest of the week." He says noting the time to start the clock.
Catherine smirks into her hand. "Hell, make it a month. It's Grissom and Sara."
Warrick finally breaks into a chuckle. "You want to hear something funny?"
I come back to the table brimming with hope that this could turn out to be a good tradition after all; a chance to get caught up and revitalize friendships. I hand Catherine her drink and sit down.
"As I told you before, I was the ultimate bookworm-wanna-be-cool in school. Anyway there was this girl, Gloria her name was, and I thought she was really out of my league. I mean she was totally gorgeous. I watched her everywhere she went. I just seemed to glaze over when she was close by. It was pathetic. Well to make a long story short, she noticed me staring at her during lunch before school let out for summer vacation. She comes up to me. I'm afraid she would be upset that I wouldn't quit staring at her, but as she got closer, it was like I wasn't myself anymore."
He pauses.
"Come on, what happened?" Catherine asks sipping her drink. "What did Rico Suave do next?"
"I told her how beautiful she was and...she kissed me. It was that simple." He glances over his shoulder.
Catherine smiles into the distance. "Yeah, now if someone would clue in those two."
I shake my head. "I don't know if it can be so simple with them anymore."
She snorts at me. "Who are you the love doctor? Grissom just needs to make up his mind and kiss her. She'll cave because she feels the same way."
"I'm not so sure." I repeat, but the decide to bring attention back to a safer subject. "Hey didn't you tell me this story before Warrick? Isn't this the one where some bigger kid came up behind you and gave you an enormous wedgie?"
He smiles. "Oh man, it is the one. I should have never told you."
"Well you did so tell Catherine the rest before I take it upon myself." I laugh.
"There is more?" She asks.
"Let's just say he found out Spider-man underwear in the junior high is not very cool, and never cool when you are romancing a girl."
Warrick and I burst out laughing. Catherine sends a confused look at Warrick before adding her giggles to the ranks.
"She wouldn't talk to me again after that day." Warrick says between the laughter. "I would hope Grissom doesn't have that problem though."
"The painful wedgie or the underwear?"
"For Sara's sake," he begins. "Both."
We all laugh ourselves into another spell of giggles and chuckles. We aren't really laughing at the complications they are having, but falling slowly back into our old selves again. Besides I think they would have enjoyed the joke and definitely enjoyed Warrick's story.
As the laughter tapers off Catherine says, "Well that's a sweet story, Warrick. First loves and crushes are always good stories."
"I'm sure you have a couple. I'll call it even if you tell us one."
"That is a long and dusty road."
"That hasn't been treaded on for many moons." I tease in an Indian voice.
Just then Grissom and Sara walk in with eyes down. Warrick glances at his watch mouthing to Catherine it has been eight minutes.
"Find anything good to eat?" I introduce a cheery voice to get us back on track. If we can just relax around each other and forget about the happenings of the passed few months, maybe we can get back on track. I mean that for all of us, not just Grissom and Sara.
"Barely." Sara answers pushing her food around with her fork. "What was so funny?"
Catherine and Warrick smile at me.
"Nothing." I say.
She shrugs and the conversation dies.
I turn to Grissom. "Find your beer, Gris?"
"Yes."
I look from Sara to Grissom, who are equally full of apprehension due to the other. The truth is they might dismiss each other, but they only fool themselves. They know exactly where the other half is at all times.
_tbc_