Chapter 8
An hour later, Lauren had still not returned. Vaughn hadn't seemed to notice as he and Syd were having too much fun reminiscing about the past. They had talked about previous missions, that they had been part of, things they had done as a couple, and other random events. They both felt like they could openly talk to each other, just like they could over two years ago before Syd went missing.
"What was it like growing up in France?" Sydney asked, wanting to know details of his childhood.
"It was great. We had a nice house, which was surrounded by beautiful trees and animals. But I spent most of the time travelling around Europe because of my father's work." He stopped as memories of his father came to mind. He didn't blame Sydney for what happened to him, it wasn't her fault that he was killed. It was her mother's. But each time his name came into a conversation, Sydney couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt, as if she had caused his father to lose his life. Sydney regretted asking the question, when she saw the saddened look on Vaughn's face, but he put on a brave face and continued with the conversation. "So what about you? I bet you were on of those girls who always dated the football captain or something."
Sydney laughed, feeling relieved that he could manage to put all his pain aside to stop her from felling guilty. "No I wasn't. I only dated one football player and the rest were just ordinary guys." She smiled as she answered him. "You were probably the one who had the girls queuing around the block for a date with you. Am I right?" She asked.
"No, what makes you say that?" He cheeks reddened, contrasting with his white T-shirt. "So your saying you had no girlfriends when you were going through high school?" She raised her eyebrow questioningly at him, not believing his story.
"I didn't say that. Sure I had girlfriends but they weren't exactly queuing around the block. First kiss?" He knew that they shouldn't be going down this road, but he tried to block out the reality that he had a wife. For now it was just him and Sydney sharing secrets.
She took a deep breath before answering him. "I was thirteen, and his name was Bobby Watson. He was in my English class and I was so happy when he asked me to go out on a date with him... Why are you laughing?" She was cut off by the sound of Vaughn's distinct laugh.
"I'm sorry, I just think it's funny that you kissed someone called Bobby. It doesn't seem like something you'd do." His eyes glistened with tears of laughter.
"Hey!" She playfully hit him on the arm. "Don't tease me ok? I was thirteen. I doubt you could do any better?"
"Actually, I was twelve and her name was Catherine Emmett. See I told you I could do better."
"Ok, you win. So...who was she?" Sydney was enjoying finding out about Vaughn's childhood, she felt like they were now truly friends again.
"She lived a couple of houses down from me, and we had been friends for about a year. But then her parents moved her away to England, and I haven't seen her since." Vaughn shrugged, it had never really bothered him that he and Catherine had lost contact. He had more important people in his life now. Sydney laughed at him again, he was so cute when he was telling stories.
"Hey I forgot to mention Eric's birthday to you. It's next Friday, and I've organised a surprise party for him, considering we're not sick. He thinks that its only going to be a couple of friends coming over for a drink, so he'll get a bit of a surprise when he sees the amount of people I've invited. You should come, he'll want you to be there."
"Thanks, I'll be there. What about Lauren, would it be a problem if she came?" He had finally thought about her, and knew that if he were going to this party, then she would want to be there too.
"Sure, she's your wife Vaughn. I can't stop her from doing anything." Sydney looked down at her knees, she really wanted Vaughn to be at the party, but she didn't know if she could handle Lauren coming with him. She realised that she would just have to put up with her, despite how she felt.
"Sydney can I ask you a question?" He asked quietly. She nodded so he continued.
"Do you think that it is wrong to be married to somebody even though you dream that it was somebody else?" It was time to be honest with her. He had doubts in his mind, and he was hoping that she would be able to help him with them.
"Vaughn, if this is about you and me...I don't know what to say. You chose to marry another woman, nothing can change that." It hurt her to say that, even though all she wanted to do was to have him hold her and tell her that everything would be ok. "I know how you SAY you feel about me, but the question is how do you feel about your wife?" Their eyes met as they each thought of something else to say.
"What do you mean how I say I feel about you? Sydney you KNOW how I feel about you, it's you that I love." He felt hurt at the thought that she didn't believe him.
She couldn't believe what she was about to say, but somehow she couldn't manage to stop the words from rolling off of her tongue. "Then prove it."
An hour later, Lauren had still not returned. Vaughn hadn't seemed to notice as he and Syd were having too much fun reminiscing about the past. They had talked about previous missions, that they had been part of, things they had done as a couple, and other random events. They both felt like they could openly talk to each other, just like they could over two years ago before Syd went missing.
"What was it like growing up in France?" Sydney asked, wanting to know details of his childhood.
"It was great. We had a nice house, which was surrounded by beautiful trees and animals. But I spent most of the time travelling around Europe because of my father's work." He stopped as memories of his father came to mind. He didn't blame Sydney for what happened to him, it wasn't her fault that he was killed. It was her mother's. But each time his name came into a conversation, Sydney couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt, as if she had caused his father to lose his life. Sydney regretted asking the question, when she saw the saddened look on Vaughn's face, but he put on a brave face and continued with the conversation. "So what about you? I bet you were on of those girls who always dated the football captain or something."
Sydney laughed, feeling relieved that he could manage to put all his pain aside to stop her from felling guilty. "No I wasn't. I only dated one football player and the rest were just ordinary guys." She smiled as she answered him. "You were probably the one who had the girls queuing around the block for a date with you. Am I right?" She asked.
"No, what makes you say that?" He cheeks reddened, contrasting with his white T-shirt. "So your saying you had no girlfriends when you were going through high school?" She raised her eyebrow questioningly at him, not believing his story.
"I didn't say that. Sure I had girlfriends but they weren't exactly queuing around the block. First kiss?" He knew that they shouldn't be going down this road, but he tried to block out the reality that he had a wife. For now it was just him and Sydney sharing secrets.
She took a deep breath before answering him. "I was thirteen, and his name was Bobby Watson. He was in my English class and I was so happy when he asked me to go out on a date with him... Why are you laughing?" She was cut off by the sound of Vaughn's distinct laugh.
"I'm sorry, I just think it's funny that you kissed someone called Bobby. It doesn't seem like something you'd do." His eyes glistened with tears of laughter.
"Hey!" She playfully hit him on the arm. "Don't tease me ok? I was thirteen. I doubt you could do any better?"
"Actually, I was twelve and her name was Catherine Emmett. See I told you I could do better."
"Ok, you win. So...who was she?" Sydney was enjoying finding out about Vaughn's childhood, she felt like they were now truly friends again.
"She lived a couple of houses down from me, and we had been friends for about a year. But then her parents moved her away to England, and I haven't seen her since." Vaughn shrugged, it had never really bothered him that he and Catherine had lost contact. He had more important people in his life now. Sydney laughed at him again, he was so cute when he was telling stories.
"Hey I forgot to mention Eric's birthday to you. It's next Friday, and I've organised a surprise party for him, considering we're not sick. He thinks that its only going to be a couple of friends coming over for a drink, so he'll get a bit of a surprise when he sees the amount of people I've invited. You should come, he'll want you to be there."
"Thanks, I'll be there. What about Lauren, would it be a problem if she came?" He had finally thought about her, and knew that if he were going to this party, then she would want to be there too.
"Sure, she's your wife Vaughn. I can't stop her from doing anything." Sydney looked down at her knees, she really wanted Vaughn to be at the party, but she didn't know if she could handle Lauren coming with him. She realised that she would just have to put up with her, despite how she felt.
"Sydney can I ask you a question?" He asked quietly. She nodded so he continued.
"Do you think that it is wrong to be married to somebody even though you dream that it was somebody else?" It was time to be honest with her. He had doubts in his mind, and he was hoping that she would be able to help him with them.
"Vaughn, if this is about you and me...I don't know what to say. You chose to marry another woman, nothing can change that." It hurt her to say that, even though all she wanted to do was to have him hold her and tell her that everything would be ok. "I know how you SAY you feel about me, but the question is how do you feel about your wife?" Their eyes met as they each thought of something else to say.
"What do you mean how I say I feel about you? Sydney you KNOW how I feel about you, it's you that I love." He felt hurt at the thought that she didn't believe him.
She couldn't believe what she was about to say, but somehow she couldn't manage to stop the words from rolling off of her tongue. "Then prove it."