I want to thank all of my lovely reviewers! Thank you Kimmers! And
Prongs! And aliasgurl!! It's very nice to know that people actually
enjoy my work.
[Enter: Sydney's Apartment. Sydney is sitting on the couch with a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. She has her phone in her hand; she finally dials a number]
Vaughn: Hello?
Sydney: Hey Vaughn.
Vaughn: Oh, hey, is something wrong?
Sydney: No, nothing's wrong, is Lauren around?
Vaughn: Uhhh, I think she's taking a nap; do you need to talk to her?
Sydney: No, I needed to ask you a question about the baby shower.
Vaughn: Oh, you decided to come?
Sydney: Yeah, do you know what sex the baby is yet?
Vaughn: Actually, we just found out recently...we're having twins.
Sydney: Oh...that's great Vaughn.
Vaughn: Yeah, we're really...we're really happy.
Sydney: Yeah, I know you are. So what should I buy for the shower?
Vaughn: I don't know, we've got a lot...I think maybe just a couple of outfits would be good.
Sydney: Should I buy a certain colour?
Vaughn: No...just something that could go either way...green or yellow, maybe white.
Sydney: Okay, thanks Vaughn...I guess I'll see you at the office.
Vaughn: Yeah...see you there...Bye.
Sydney: Bye.
[Sydney hangs up the phone, tears welling up in her eyes]
[Enter: Lauren and Vaughn's house. Sydney is standing in front of the door listening to the activity inside; she finally gathers the courage to ring the doorbell. And very suddenly she's face to face with a woman she can only assume is Lauren's mother]
Olivia: Come in, Come in! You're Sydney, right?
[Olivia puts a hand on Sydney's back, guiding her through the door]
Sydney: Yes, I'm Sydney. You must be Lauren's mother.
Olivia: Oh, how rude of me! Yes, I'm Olivia Reed.
[Olivia leads her through a couple of rooms before reaching the living room. It's decorated wildly with baby blue and light pink streamers, balloons, confetti and little pacifiers and bottles.]
Olivia: Lauren! Sydney's here!
[Lauren looks up, her eyes widening with surprise]
Sydney: Hey Lauren, where should I put the gift?
[Lauren's wide eyes glance down to the big box, wrapped carefully in paper dotted with baby booties and finished off with a big white bow]
Lauren: Oh, um, just set it on the coffee table.
[Sydney walks forward into the living room, a bit uncomfortably, and sets the present next to the others]
Lauren: Oh, I guess I should introduce you to the others.
[Sydney finally takes notice of the other women in the room]
Lauren: You know Carrie of course, and you just met my mum.
[Sydney nods]
Lauren: {gesturing to the tall, pale, blue-eyed, blonde woman on her left} This is Tia Lenkin, Tia this is Sydney Bristow, we work together. Ti, would you mind taking Sydney around to meet everyone?
Tia: Of course not, Renny. Come along, Sydney, I'm sure everyone will absolutely adore you!
[Sydney begins to walk into the throng of women with Tia when she feels a hand on her arm]
Lauren: Sydney, I just wanted to say thank you for coming. And thanks so much for the present.
[Sydney feels a wash of guilt run through her as she looks at Lauren's grinning face]
Sydney: It was no problem. I just hope you like it.
[Tia again begins to escort Sydney around the room]
Tia: Okay, Syd, is it okay if I call you Syd?
Sydney: Yeah, sure, that's fine.
Tia: {smiling} Good! Okay, first round of introductions, this is Anastasia Blumberge, but we all call her Stasi.
[Sydney, putting on her "work" smile, reaches out to shake the thin, platinum blonde, grey-eyed woman's hand]
Sydney: Hi, it's very nice to meet you, Anastasia.
Anastasia: Likewise. How do you know our Laurie?
Sydney: Oh, we've worked together for the past year or so.
Tia: And this is Rochelle Dempsy and her sister Marleen Ceronily.
[Sydney again reaches out to shake hands with the short, slightly plump redheads]
Rochelle: Hi, it's nice to meet someone Lauren works with.
Marleen: {nodding} She's so secretive about work sometimes we began wondering if she was a spy or something crazy like that.
[The three women begin laughing as Sydney quickly recovers from her shock and joins in]
Tia: Well, I need to finish introducing Syd to everyone.
[Tia leads Sydney over to two very thin, tall blondes]
Tia: Syd, this is Mary Elisabeth Winchester and her daughter Katherine White, old friends of the Reeds.
Sydney: Hi, it's very nice to meet you two.
[Mary Elisabeth and Katherine look at Sydney somewhat in contempt]
Mary Elisabeth: It's very nice to meet you as well. I'm sure you and Katie would get along quite well.
Tia: Well, as much as I'm sure they would I still have a few more introductions to make.
Sydney: {looking apologetically} Maybe later we can talk.
[Tia begins looking around the room mumbling to herself]
Tia: Now, where did those three go...where did they go. Oh! There they are, talking to Renny, I should have known.
[Sydney followed Tia's gaze over to where Lauren was propped up on the couch chatting animatedly with three women. One, tall, auburn-haired and pale, and next to her a brunette, tan woman of medium height, and on the other side of Lauren a petite, thin, dark-haired woman. Sydney couldn't help noting the variations between the girls compared to the rest of the women...they didn't fit. She didn't know how, but they just didn't. Sydney followed Tia back to the couch]
Lauren: Oh, Ti, did you show Syd around?
Tia: Of course. However, I thought you should introduce these three, I don't really know them.
Lauren: Oh, right. {motioning to the auburn-haired woman} This is Tess Neuwing, but we all call her Tessie.
Tess: Hello, Sydney, it's very nice to meet you.
[Sydney thought she detected a hint of an accent that was most definitely Californian]
Sydney: Same here. Where are you from originally? I thought I detected an accent.
Tess: Canada. More specifically, Toronto.
[Sydney nods]
Lauren: And this is Sunshine Guettierez, or Sunny as we call her.
[Lauren motions towards the blonde]
Sunshine: Hi! It's very, very nice to meet you, Sydney.
Sydney: {smiling} Well, it's very nice to meet you too.
Lauren: And finally, this is Moneekah Osterkowitz-Hart, or Neeka for short.
Moneekah: Hey, nice to meet you.
[Sydney detected a slight Southern drawl in Moneekahs's voice]
Sydney: Likewise. It's nice to meet someone that knows Lauren outside of work.
Sunny: We were just reminiscing about when we all first met.
[Tess, Sunny, Neeka and Lauren all giggle]
Tess: Laurie was SO drunk.
Neeka: No, no start at the beginning!
Lauren: You know, I really think it's time to open the presents—
Sunny: Aw, come on, Renny, let us tell the story!
Lauren: You aren't going to let this go until you get to tell it, are you?
Neeka, Tess & Sunny: NO!
Lauren: Fine, fine, but keep in mind this was years ago.
Neeka: Okay, me and Tess and Sunny were all in this pub—
Tess, Sunny and Neeka: Snooky's!
[Another chorus of giggles]
Neeka: Anyway, we were in there playing pool—
Tess: No, it was darts.
Neeka: Does it really matter?
Sunny: Yes, it does.
Neeka: Fine! We were playing DARTS, when people start chanting 'Fight! Fight!'
Lauren: {blushing} Don't you think that's enough?
Neeka: No! So anyway, we all look over and there is this blonde girl pulling this other woman's hair. And who would that blonde be?
Sunny: Our little Renny.
Tess: And then this BIG, muscled up guy walks over and jerks Laurie off of this other woman and he's all 'DON'T PULL HER HAIR!'
Sunny: And Renny gets this petrified look on her face.
Neeka: And then calls the man the foulest thing I've ever heard.
Tess: And so the bouncer comes over to throw her out of the bar before she caused more trouble.
Sunny: And we went out to check on her and she's been out little Renny ever since.
Lauren: Well, as fun as that was I think it's time to get things rolling now that everyone is here. It's time to open presents ladies!
[Sydney watches as the women practically flock around the coffee table]
Olivia: Okay, we'll start from the left and work our way right. This one is from...Katherine.
[Lauren takes the gift bag from her mother]
Lauren: {opening the present} Oooh, a Louis Vuitton diaper bag. Thank you, Katherine.
Olivia: This one is from Mary Elisabeth.
Lauren: Gold plated rattles. Thank you, Mary Elisabeth.
[Lauren continues opening ridiculously expensive gifts, finally getting to the last one on the table...Sydney's]
Olivia: And this last one is from Sydney!
[Lauren exhaustedly rips open the paper, revealing to soft, plushie ducks and two tiny sage coloured rompers]
Lauren: {tears welling up in her eyes} Oh my gosh, Sydney, how did you know?
Sydney: {confused} Know what?
Lauren: When I was a baby until I was well into my teenage years I had a little stuffed duck, just like these, named...well it doesn't matter what he was named, but we moved when I was 17 and I lost him.
Sydney: I called Vaughn a few nights ago because I had no idea what to buy...he, uh, he told me about your duck and that you were having twins and then I saw these in the baby store.
Lauren: {accepting a tissue from her mother} I can't believe Michael remembered...I don't even remember telling him.
Olivia: Now, now, enough of the crying, this is supposed to be a happy day.
[Things settle down and people go back to milling around, some staying to cheer Lauren up, some just chattering amongst themselves. Sydney decides to go find the bathroom, she walks past the kitchen hearing some kind of argument inside]
Olivia: And then you go and get pregnant, this has messed up everything, Lauren.
Lauren: You think I meant to get pregnant? I know what this did to us!
[Sydney loses are balance and thumps her hand against the wall. Olivia and Lauren immediately hush up. Sydney opens the door to the kitchen]
Sydney: I'm sorry to disturb you, but where is the bathroom?
Lauren: End of the hall, the door on your right.
[Enter: Sydney's Apartment. Sydney is sitting on the couch with a pint of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. She has her phone in her hand; she finally dials a number]
Vaughn: Hello?
Sydney: Hey Vaughn.
Vaughn: Oh, hey, is something wrong?
Sydney: No, nothing's wrong, is Lauren around?
Vaughn: Uhhh, I think she's taking a nap; do you need to talk to her?
Sydney: No, I needed to ask you a question about the baby shower.
Vaughn: Oh, you decided to come?
Sydney: Yeah, do you know what sex the baby is yet?
Vaughn: Actually, we just found out recently...we're having twins.
Sydney: Oh...that's great Vaughn.
Vaughn: Yeah, we're really...we're really happy.
Sydney: Yeah, I know you are. So what should I buy for the shower?
Vaughn: I don't know, we've got a lot...I think maybe just a couple of outfits would be good.
Sydney: Should I buy a certain colour?
Vaughn: No...just something that could go either way...green or yellow, maybe white.
Sydney: Okay, thanks Vaughn...I guess I'll see you at the office.
Vaughn: Yeah...see you there...Bye.
Sydney: Bye.
[Sydney hangs up the phone, tears welling up in her eyes]
[Enter: Lauren and Vaughn's house. Sydney is standing in front of the door listening to the activity inside; she finally gathers the courage to ring the doorbell. And very suddenly she's face to face with a woman she can only assume is Lauren's mother]
Olivia: Come in, Come in! You're Sydney, right?
[Olivia puts a hand on Sydney's back, guiding her through the door]
Sydney: Yes, I'm Sydney. You must be Lauren's mother.
Olivia: Oh, how rude of me! Yes, I'm Olivia Reed.
[Olivia leads her through a couple of rooms before reaching the living room. It's decorated wildly with baby blue and light pink streamers, balloons, confetti and little pacifiers and bottles.]
Olivia: Lauren! Sydney's here!
[Lauren looks up, her eyes widening with surprise]
Sydney: Hey Lauren, where should I put the gift?
[Lauren's wide eyes glance down to the big box, wrapped carefully in paper dotted with baby booties and finished off with a big white bow]
Lauren: Oh, um, just set it on the coffee table.
[Sydney walks forward into the living room, a bit uncomfortably, and sets the present next to the others]
Lauren: Oh, I guess I should introduce you to the others.
[Sydney finally takes notice of the other women in the room]
Lauren: You know Carrie of course, and you just met my mum.
[Sydney nods]
Lauren: {gesturing to the tall, pale, blue-eyed, blonde woman on her left} This is Tia Lenkin, Tia this is Sydney Bristow, we work together. Ti, would you mind taking Sydney around to meet everyone?
Tia: Of course not, Renny. Come along, Sydney, I'm sure everyone will absolutely adore you!
[Sydney begins to walk into the throng of women with Tia when she feels a hand on her arm]
Lauren: Sydney, I just wanted to say thank you for coming. And thanks so much for the present.
[Sydney feels a wash of guilt run through her as she looks at Lauren's grinning face]
Sydney: It was no problem. I just hope you like it.
[Tia again begins to escort Sydney around the room]
Tia: Okay, Syd, is it okay if I call you Syd?
Sydney: Yeah, sure, that's fine.
Tia: {smiling} Good! Okay, first round of introductions, this is Anastasia Blumberge, but we all call her Stasi.
[Sydney, putting on her "work" smile, reaches out to shake the thin, platinum blonde, grey-eyed woman's hand]
Sydney: Hi, it's very nice to meet you, Anastasia.
Anastasia: Likewise. How do you know our Laurie?
Sydney: Oh, we've worked together for the past year or so.
Tia: And this is Rochelle Dempsy and her sister Marleen Ceronily.
[Sydney again reaches out to shake hands with the short, slightly plump redheads]
Rochelle: Hi, it's nice to meet someone Lauren works with.
Marleen: {nodding} She's so secretive about work sometimes we began wondering if she was a spy or something crazy like that.
[The three women begin laughing as Sydney quickly recovers from her shock and joins in]
Tia: Well, I need to finish introducing Syd to everyone.
[Tia leads Sydney over to two very thin, tall blondes]
Tia: Syd, this is Mary Elisabeth Winchester and her daughter Katherine White, old friends of the Reeds.
Sydney: Hi, it's very nice to meet you two.
[Mary Elisabeth and Katherine look at Sydney somewhat in contempt]
Mary Elisabeth: It's very nice to meet you as well. I'm sure you and Katie would get along quite well.
Tia: Well, as much as I'm sure they would I still have a few more introductions to make.
Sydney: {looking apologetically} Maybe later we can talk.
[Tia begins looking around the room mumbling to herself]
Tia: Now, where did those three go...where did they go. Oh! There they are, talking to Renny, I should have known.
[Sydney followed Tia's gaze over to where Lauren was propped up on the couch chatting animatedly with three women. One, tall, auburn-haired and pale, and next to her a brunette, tan woman of medium height, and on the other side of Lauren a petite, thin, dark-haired woman. Sydney couldn't help noting the variations between the girls compared to the rest of the women...they didn't fit. She didn't know how, but they just didn't. Sydney followed Tia back to the couch]
Lauren: Oh, Ti, did you show Syd around?
Tia: Of course. However, I thought you should introduce these three, I don't really know them.
Lauren: Oh, right. {motioning to the auburn-haired woman} This is Tess Neuwing, but we all call her Tessie.
Tess: Hello, Sydney, it's very nice to meet you.
[Sydney thought she detected a hint of an accent that was most definitely Californian]
Sydney: Same here. Where are you from originally? I thought I detected an accent.
Tess: Canada. More specifically, Toronto.
[Sydney nods]
Lauren: And this is Sunshine Guettierez, or Sunny as we call her.
[Lauren motions towards the blonde]
Sunshine: Hi! It's very, very nice to meet you, Sydney.
Sydney: {smiling} Well, it's very nice to meet you too.
Lauren: And finally, this is Moneekah Osterkowitz-Hart, or Neeka for short.
Moneekah: Hey, nice to meet you.
[Sydney detected a slight Southern drawl in Moneekahs's voice]
Sydney: Likewise. It's nice to meet someone that knows Lauren outside of work.
Sunny: We were just reminiscing about when we all first met.
[Tess, Sunny, Neeka and Lauren all giggle]
Tess: Laurie was SO drunk.
Neeka: No, no start at the beginning!
Lauren: You know, I really think it's time to open the presents—
Sunny: Aw, come on, Renny, let us tell the story!
Lauren: You aren't going to let this go until you get to tell it, are you?
Neeka, Tess & Sunny: NO!
Lauren: Fine, fine, but keep in mind this was years ago.
Neeka: Okay, me and Tess and Sunny were all in this pub—
Tess, Sunny and Neeka: Snooky's!
[Another chorus of giggles]
Neeka: Anyway, we were in there playing pool—
Tess: No, it was darts.
Neeka: Does it really matter?
Sunny: Yes, it does.
Neeka: Fine! We were playing DARTS, when people start chanting 'Fight! Fight!'
Lauren: {blushing} Don't you think that's enough?
Neeka: No! So anyway, we all look over and there is this blonde girl pulling this other woman's hair. And who would that blonde be?
Sunny: Our little Renny.
Tess: And then this BIG, muscled up guy walks over and jerks Laurie off of this other woman and he's all 'DON'T PULL HER HAIR!'
Sunny: And Renny gets this petrified look on her face.
Neeka: And then calls the man the foulest thing I've ever heard.
Tess: And so the bouncer comes over to throw her out of the bar before she caused more trouble.
Sunny: And we went out to check on her and she's been out little Renny ever since.
Lauren: Well, as fun as that was I think it's time to get things rolling now that everyone is here. It's time to open presents ladies!
[Sydney watches as the women practically flock around the coffee table]
Olivia: Okay, we'll start from the left and work our way right. This one is from...Katherine.
[Lauren takes the gift bag from her mother]
Lauren: {opening the present} Oooh, a Louis Vuitton diaper bag. Thank you, Katherine.
Olivia: This one is from Mary Elisabeth.
Lauren: Gold plated rattles. Thank you, Mary Elisabeth.
[Lauren continues opening ridiculously expensive gifts, finally getting to the last one on the table...Sydney's]
Olivia: And this last one is from Sydney!
[Lauren exhaustedly rips open the paper, revealing to soft, plushie ducks and two tiny sage coloured rompers]
Lauren: {tears welling up in her eyes} Oh my gosh, Sydney, how did you know?
Sydney: {confused} Know what?
Lauren: When I was a baby until I was well into my teenage years I had a little stuffed duck, just like these, named...well it doesn't matter what he was named, but we moved when I was 17 and I lost him.
Sydney: I called Vaughn a few nights ago because I had no idea what to buy...he, uh, he told me about your duck and that you were having twins and then I saw these in the baby store.
Lauren: {accepting a tissue from her mother} I can't believe Michael remembered...I don't even remember telling him.
Olivia: Now, now, enough of the crying, this is supposed to be a happy day.
[Things settle down and people go back to milling around, some staying to cheer Lauren up, some just chattering amongst themselves. Sydney decides to go find the bathroom, she walks past the kitchen hearing some kind of argument inside]
Olivia: And then you go and get pregnant, this has messed up everything, Lauren.
Lauren: You think I meant to get pregnant? I know what this did to us!
[Sydney loses are balance and thumps her hand against the wall. Olivia and Lauren immediately hush up. Sydney opens the door to the kitchen]
Sydney: I'm sorry to disturb you, but where is the bathroom?
Lauren: End of the hall, the door on your right.