A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews for the last chapter, I was a little nervous about that one! Sorry it took so long to upload, slight case of writers block, plus a very busy schedule. I've started the next part, so hopefully this weekend it will be up.
Chapter 6- Going Home (and facing the music)-Part 1
It's funny how plans change. David Gordon had planned to sleep until noon and then maybe catch a movie. He still had a few days to relax before his personal judgment day, also known as the reunion. He had fallen asleep on the couch, again, with the television on, again. And what is to be expected, the 2 o'clock rainbow flashed on the TV screen, accompanied by that high frequency hum. He had been too sleepy to do more than grab the remote and flip the power off. Before the screen went blank and the room went dark, he saw their picture again.
As he lay on the couch, thoughts began to creep into his head. Thirty minutes later he was still awake and becoming more awake with every passing minute. She had snuck into his head and now she was all he could think about.
This had happened to him before; all throughout Jr high. There had been many sleepless nights when he could not stop thinking about her. He would lay in bed thinking about a test or something of that nature, when she would somehow get into his thoughts. He would begin thinking about something that she had done or said during the day. He would think about how she would react if she ever found out the truth about how he felt about her. Before long, it would be time to get up for school.
As nice as thinking about her had made him feel, it was a horrible feeling as well. He felt so close to her, but at the same time he felt so alone. Alone was how he felt tonight.
By 3am, he began to really question why he had ever left her in the first place. Something didn't seem right.
I left her to make a movie?
When they first started to date, those sleepless nights stopped. He no longer felt alone. So why would he leave the one person capable of making him feel so complete? She had been there for him always and he had still left her. A growing ache began to fill his heart and there it was, just like in Jr high, he knew that he was still in love with her.
He had spent the last six years in denial and now, all of a sudden, all he could think about was how badly he needed to see her again. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her and how much he needed to be by her side, now and forever.
By 4am the room had begun to shrink and the tell tale picture began to haunt him more; he made his escape to beach. The dull roar of the waves hitting the beach was comforting.
These emotions, he thought while digging his toes in the sand, were like a volcano. He had hid them away for so many years that they had built up and were ready for something to trigger them. A late night glimpse of their picture had become that something and he felt like they might be to much to handle if he didn't do something soon. He realized that he needed to leave; today. Although he did not know for sure that she would be in Hillridge, he had a strong feeling that he needed to be there as soon as possible. He knew where her parents lived and he would camp out on the front lawn, if he had to, until she showed up.
A few early morning seagulls made their way over head.
Just a few days ago, his main concern had been just appologizing to her. Now he knew that could never be enough; he knew he could never be happy until they were together again. The whole world could fade away and it would be just the two of them; forever.
Five o'clock passed by unnoticed as Gordo built up the courage; the whole situation was a risk. In the back of his mind he knew that it was not a perfect senario. Afterall, maybe she could never forgive him or maybe she could be married or maybe... Of course there was always the possibility that she wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with her; even if she missed him only a fraction of how much he was missing her now, he knew they would be together. As long as there was a chance.
*
"So, he called you mommy? Ew." Miranda winced slightly as she pulled yet another suitcase out of the trunk of Larry's BMW and set it on the curb in front of the Delta Terminal at Houston's Bush Intercontinental. "That sounds like a pretty bad nightmare."
"It was so horrible" Lizzie shuddered at the thought. "I just kept saying 'I'm sorry' and 'I lied'."
"Well how did you wake up?"
Lizzie motioned to the other side of the car where Larry was helping Emily finally get her backpack on right. "Emily woke me up, she was saying mommy, the thunder woke her up, and then I was crying in my sleep and it scared her…I felt so bad."
Miranda smiled at her friend sympathetically, "Well she seems okay this morning, you on the other hand look terrible."
"I couldn't go back to sleep, I just laid there wondering what I had gotten myself into. I even considered canceling the trip and just going back to Austin."
"No Lizzie, it's time and you know it is, this…"
"Okay mom, I'm ready." Emily bounced over and Miranda gave Lizzie a 'we'll finish this later look'. Miranda nodded.
"Alright sweetie, go stand on the curb, while I finish getting my things." Emily did her best imitation of a plane, making a whirring sound, and glided gracefully towards the curb. Lizzie smiled her first real smile of the day. Emily had a soothing effect on her in that way. It was nice to know that even though Gordo had left her, a part of him had been with her through the tough times; especially last night.
Having a clear head would be important for the next few days. Lizzie had to keep her mind on all the little details; luggage, checking their bags, and most importantly not loosing the little five-year-old. She and Emily had flown on more than one occasion and as unlikely as loosing her seemed, she always had scenes from Home Alone 2 haunting her as they walked through airport terminals. Of course she also wondered what chance two criminals would have against the little girl.
"Well that's the last of mine and Emily's things," Lizzie announced closing the trunk.
"You'd think you were moving instead of visiting for two weeks," Larry observed noting the rather large pile of suitcases assembled by the car.
"Two and a HALF weeks," Lizzie protested, "Larry there are many variables at work when packing. It could rain, or be cold, or you could spill something, or just not be in the mood for what you packed."
"Lizzie, you'll be at your parents house, there is a washing machine, right? You'll be in a town with stores, right? So the problem is…?" Larry had had this argument on many occasions with Miranda and he was determined to win it, at least once.
"Look Larry, not all of us like wearing the same shirt EVERY day!"
"First of all, that was a LONG time ago and secondly, it was not a shirt, it was a polo; I had several…besides, last night you said that you thought the polo's had so much character and…"
"Break it up you two," Miranda barked coming up behind them, "we have a plane to catch!" Lizzie rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.
"She's right, thanks for the ride Larry."
She reached up to give him a quick hug and when she pulled away he stopped her for a moment and said quietly. "Lizzie, I just wanted to tell you that I'm one hundred percent behind whatever you decide to do." Lizzie smiled. With little family near her for so many years, Larry had become like a sweet, overprotective, big brother.
"Thanks Tudgeman, that means a lot."
He smiled and nodded before calling out to Emily.
"Come and give me a hug Miss Em!"
She ran to him and threw her arms around his waist.
"When are you coming to California Uncle Tudge?"
"In a couple days, I have some work to finish up."
Emily's smile dropped to a frown. "I don't like grown up work; mommy always has to work and I have to stay in the daycare. You have to work, and I don't get to see you."
"Work isn't always fun, but that's how I get money to buy food, pay for the house and most importantly, it's how I can buy you presents during the year!"
That got a giggle from the little girl. "I do like presents!"
"I like presents too," Miranda announced, tapping the hood of the BMW.
Larry shook his head and looked back at Emily. "Keep an eye on your mom and Aunt Randa, they can get a little crazy."
Emily nodded her head solemnly. "Specially after a few margaritas"
"Hey" Lizzie and Miranda cried out in unison.
"That was one time," Miranda insisted.
"And all we did was sit up and giggle for a couple hours," Lizzie added defensively.
Larry smiled tolerantly at Lizzie and Miranda and whispered to Emily. "Yup, they're a handful."
As Emily skipped back to Lizzie, Miranda came up behind Larry and put her arms around him. "So we're a… handful was it?"
He smiled as he turned around to face her. "Only on your good days!"
"I'll miss you."
He pulled her close to him and held her tight. "I'll miss you too, it's only for a few days. Anyways, you'll get out there and forget all about me and…" His voice trailed of as she brought her lips to his. For a moment they forgot everything, they were alone, they were..
"Ewwww mommy," the little girl squealed, "they're kissing!"
"I know it's gross," Lizzie played along, "they're going to get cooties!"
They both blushed but Miranda defended them to their attackers.
"Lizzie, have you ever heard of 'a moment'?"
"Miranda, have you ever heard of 'a hotel room'?"
Ahem, Larry cleared his throat and motioned to Emily who was hanging on to every word.
Lizzie glanced down as well and cringed slightly. "Come on Em, lets go get in line to check our bags and let them have their 'moment'."
As the two made their way inside dragging their bags Larry and Miranda heard Emily ask, "Mommy, why do they need a hotel room? I thought we were all staying at Grandma and Grandpas?"
Miranda turned to Larry laughing, "She should have fun explaining that one!"
"Yeah, that little girl is so observant," Larry paused before adding, "reminds me of her father." The two stood there lost in thought for a moment, staring at each other. Larry finally spoke again, "Make sure that you keep Lizzie's courage up."
"Yes sir," Miranda replied, "but what about us.... how is your courage… I mean are we still on?"
Larry winked at her, "You'd better get inside before they leave without you."
Miranda turned to go inside but was stopped as she heard Larry call out from behind, "Make sure you tell Lizzie that my cootie vaccination shots are current!" Miranda laughed as she saw people, at the curbside drop-off, stop what they were doing to give Larry one collective strange look.
"Yes, that's right people, my name is Larry and I am cootie free! Lets all have a look!"
*
His bags were already packed and sitting by the front door. He took a couple of deep breaths and sat motionless with his face between his hands. To someone watching him, they might say he looked like a praying statue. A silence echoed through the house. Finally his eyes opened and in a trance he picked up his keys and set out to make things right.
Chapter 6- Going Home (and facing the music)-Part 1
It's funny how plans change. David Gordon had planned to sleep until noon and then maybe catch a movie. He still had a few days to relax before his personal judgment day, also known as the reunion. He had fallen asleep on the couch, again, with the television on, again. And what is to be expected, the 2 o'clock rainbow flashed on the TV screen, accompanied by that high frequency hum. He had been too sleepy to do more than grab the remote and flip the power off. Before the screen went blank and the room went dark, he saw their picture again.
As he lay on the couch, thoughts began to creep into his head. Thirty minutes later he was still awake and becoming more awake with every passing minute. She had snuck into his head and now she was all he could think about.
This had happened to him before; all throughout Jr high. There had been many sleepless nights when he could not stop thinking about her. He would lay in bed thinking about a test or something of that nature, when she would somehow get into his thoughts. He would begin thinking about something that she had done or said during the day. He would think about how she would react if she ever found out the truth about how he felt about her. Before long, it would be time to get up for school.
As nice as thinking about her had made him feel, it was a horrible feeling as well. He felt so close to her, but at the same time he felt so alone. Alone was how he felt tonight.
By 3am, he began to really question why he had ever left her in the first place. Something didn't seem right.
I left her to make a movie?
When they first started to date, those sleepless nights stopped. He no longer felt alone. So why would he leave the one person capable of making him feel so complete? She had been there for him always and he had still left her. A growing ache began to fill his heart and there it was, just like in Jr high, he knew that he was still in love with her.
He had spent the last six years in denial and now, all of a sudden, all he could think about was how badly he needed to see her again. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her and how much he needed to be by her side, now and forever.
By 4am the room had begun to shrink and the tell tale picture began to haunt him more; he made his escape to beach. The dull roar of the waves hitting the beach was comforting.
These emotions, he thought while digging his toes in the sand, were like a volcano. He had hid them away for so many years that they had built up and were ready for something to trigger them. A late night glimpse of their picture had become that something and he felt like they might be to much to handle if he didn't do something soon. He realized that he needed to leave; today. Although he did not know for sure that she would be in Hillridge, he had a strong feeling that he needed to be there as soon as possible. He knew where her parents lived and he would camp out on the front lawn, if he had to, until she showed up.
A few early morning seagulls made their way over head.
Just a few days ago, his main concern had been just appologizing to her. Now he knew that could never be enough; he knew he could never be happy until they were together again. The whole world could fade away and it would be just the two of them; forever.
Five o'clock passed by unnoticed as Gordo built up the courage; the whole situation was a risk. In the back of his mind he knew that it was not a perfect senario. Afterall, maybe she could never forgive him or maybe she could be married or maybe... Of course there was always the possibility that she wanted to be with him just as much as he wanted to be with her; even if she missed him only a fraction of how much he was missing her now, he knew they would be together. As long as there was a chance.
*
"So, he called you mommy? Ew." Miranda winced slightly as she pulled yet another suitcase out of the trunk of Larry's BMW and set it on the curb in front of the Delta Terminal at Houston's Bush Intercontinental. "That sounds like a pretty bad nightmare."
"It was so horrible" Lizzie shuddered at the thought. "I just kept saying 'I'm sorry' and 'I lied'."
"Well how did you wake up?"
Lizzie motioned to the other side of the car where Larry was helping Emily finally get her backpack on right. "Emily woke me up, she was saying mommy, the thunder woke her up, and then I was crying in my sleep and it scared her…I felt so bad."
Miranda smiled at her friend sympathetically, "Well she seems okay this morning, you on the other hand look terrible."
"I couldn't go back to sleep, I just laid there wondering what I had gotten myself into. I even considered canceling the trip and just going back to Austin."
"No Lizzie, it's time and you know it is, this…"
"Okay mom, I'm ready." Emily bounced over and Miranda gave Lizzie a 'we'll finish this later look'. Miranda nodded.
"Alright sweetie, go stand on the curb, while I finish getting my things." Emily did her best imitation of a plane, making a whirring sound, and glided gracefully towards the curb. Lizzie smiled her first real smile of the day. Emily had a soothing effect on her in that way. It was nice to know that even though Gordo had left her, a part of him had been with her through the tough times; especially last night.
Having a clear head would be important for the next few days. Lizzie had to keep her mind on all the little details; luggage, checking their bags, and most importantly not loosing the little five-year-old. She and Emily had flown on more than one occasion and as unlikely as loosing her seemed, she always had scenes from Home Alone 2 haunting her as they walked through airport terminals. Of course she also wondered what chance two criminals would have against the little girl.
"Well that's the last of mine and Emily's things," Lizzie announced closing the trunk.
"You'd think you were moving instead of visiting for two weeks," Larry observed noting the rather large pile of suitcases assembled by the car.
"Two and a HALF weeks," Lizzie protested, "Larry there are many variables at work when packing. It could rain, or be cold, or you could spill something, or just not be in the mood for what you packed."
"Lizzie, you'll be at your parents house, there is a washing machine, right? You'll be in a town with stores, right? So the problem is…?" Larry had had this argument on many occasions with Miranda and he was determined to win it, at least once.
"Look Larry, not all of us like wearing the same shirt EVERY day!"
"First of all, that was a LONG time ago and secondly, it was not a shirt, it was a polo; I had several…besides, last night you said that you thought the polo's had so much character and…"
"Break it up you two," Miranda barked coming up behind them, "we have a plane to catch!" Lizzie rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.
"She's right, thanks for the ride Larry."
She reached up to give him a quick hug and when she pulled away he stopped her for a moment and said quietly. "Lizzie, I just wanted to tell you that I'm one hundred percent behind whatever you decide to do." Lizzie smiled. With little family near her for so many years, Larry had become like a sweet, overprotective, big brother.
"Thanks Tudgeman, that means a lot."
He smiled and nodded before calling out to Emily.
"Come and give me a hug Miss Em!"
She ran to him and threw her arms around his waist.
"When are you coming to California Uncle Tudge?"
"In a couple days, I have some work to finish up."
Emily's smile dropped to a frown. "I don't like grown up work; mommy always has to work and I have to stay in the daycare. You have to work, and I don't get to see you."
"Work isn't always fun, but that's how I get money to buy food, pay for the house and most importantly, it's how I can buy you presents during the year!"
That got a giggle from the little girl. "I do like presents!"
"I like presents too," Miranda announced, tapping the hood of the BMW.
Larry shook his head and looked back at Emily. "Keep an eye on your mom and Aunt Randa, they can get a little crazy."
Emily nodded her head solemnly. "Specially after a few margaritas"
"Hey" Lizzie and Miranda cried out in unison.
"That was one time," Miranda insisted.
"And all we did was sit up and giggle for a couple hours," Lizzie added defensively.
Larry smiled tolerantly at Lizzie and Miranda and whispered to Emily. "Yup, they're a handful."
As Emily skipped back to Lizzie, Miranda came up behind Larry and put her arms around him. "So we're a… handful was it?"
He smiled as he turned around to face her. "Only on your good days!"
"I'll miss you."
He pulled her close to him and held her tight. "I'll miss you too, it's only for a few days. Anyways, you'll get out there and forget all about me and…" His voice trailed of as she brought her lips to his. For a moment they forgot everything, they were alone, they were..
"Ewwww mommy," the little girl squealed, "they're kissing!"
"I know it's gross," Lizzie played along, "they're going to get cooties!"
They both blushed but Miranda defended them to their attackers.
"Lizzie, have you ever heard of 'a moment'?"
"Miranda, have you ever heard of 'a hotel room'?"
Ahem, Larry cleared his throat and motioned to Emily who was hanging on to every word.
Lizzie glanced down as well and cringed slightly. "Come on Em, lets go get in line to check our bags and let them have their 'moment'."
As the two made their way inside dragging their bags Larry and Miranda heard Emily ask, "Mommy, why do they need a hotel room? I thought we were all staying at Grandma and Grandpas?"
Miranda turned to Larry laughing, "She should have fun explaining that one!"
"Yeah, that little girl is so observant," Larry paused before adding, "reminds me of her father." The two stood there lost in thought for a moment, staring at each other. Larry finally spoke again, "Make sure that you keep Lizzie's courage up."
"Yes sir," Miranda replied, "but what about us.... how is your courage… I mean are we still on?"
Larry winked at her, "You'd better get inside before they leave without you."
Miranda turned to go inside but was stopped as she heard Larry call out from behind, "Make sure you tell Lizzie that my cootie vaccination shots are current!" Miranda laughed as she saw people, at the curbside drop-off, stop what they were doing to give Larry one collective strange look.
"Yes, that's right people, my name is Larry and I am cootie free! Lets all have a look!"
*
His bags were already packed and sitting by the front door. He took a couple of deep breaths and sat motionless with his face between his hands. To someone watching him, they might say he looked like a praying statue. A silence echoed through the house. Finally his eyes opened and in a trance he picked up his keys and set out to make things right.