Disclaimer: Blah blah blah.
Not a whole lot of action going on in this chapter. Mostly character interactions. You know, Josh and Laura trying to be friends again, Mindy trying not to beat the living crap out of Pete, that kind of thing. And Mindy and Josh trying to deal with the fact that someone's after her.
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Josh waited anxiously at the airport gate. Laura's flight would be arriving any minute now. Would she be happy to see him or would she avoid him at all costs? The suspense was killing him. He saw a plane pulling up to the gate. It was moving unbearably slow in his mind.
Pete smiled when he saw the plane pulling in. He had missed his friend a lot. He glanced at Josh. The poor guy was a wreck, he could see it in his eyes. His eyes shifted to Mindy. She was excited at the idea of seeing Laura, but in contrast to her cousin, was otherwise calm. And she looked really pretty today, in a pair of dark jeans and white tank top with one of Josh's button up shirts tied up over it. Casually, he put an arm around her shoulders.
Mindy felt her annoyance scale go up as she felt Pete's arm go around her. Not wanting to cause a scene right now, she simply picked up his hand and dropped it off her shoulder. She felt rather than saw Pete frown in response. She'd been trying to be nice, but with him not getting the hint, that was getting more difficult. How many ways were there to tell somone you don't like them without being a bitch about it? Not enough as far as she was concerned. So, most of the time she just tried to avoid him. If she didn't, she was afraid she might do something they'd both regret. Like kill him.
She looked at her cousin nervously fiddling with the flowers he'd bought for Laura. He hadn't even noticed what Pete had done. Boy, he must really be out of it, she thought. She looked at the flowers in Josh's hands again. "Josh?" she said looking up at him.
"Huh?" he answered distractedly.
"I *really* don't think Laura would appreciate it if you kill the flowers before you give them to her."
"Huh?" He looked down at them and realized Mindy was right. If he didn't quit fiddling with them, he was going to ruin them.
"Josh, you have *got* to calm down," she told him.
"Easier said than done, cuz."
"Well, at least pretend to be calm, then." A mischevious smile appeared. "Oh, by the way, I'm pregnant."
"What?" Josh snapped his head towards her, only to see her trying not to laugh.
"I got your mind off of being nervous for a second, didn't I?"
He gave her a look. "Morgan!" he wailed. "I swear you're going to give me a heart attack someday. And making someone almost wet their pants in shock is *not* the best way to make them stop being nervous."
"You almost wet your pants?"
He gave her the dirtiest look he could muster at the moment. That only seemed to amuze her more. Heck, even Pete thought it was funny.
"Flight 903 is now unloading at gate 12," said someone on the loudspeaker.
Josh took a deep breath before looking back at the gate he was standing near. People began filing out. It wasn't long before they spotted Laura.
Laura turned her head as someone called her name. She could see Pete waving and walked over, overjoyed to see her friend. Then she spotted Josh and a girl standing with him. Instantly, she felt nervous. She hadn't spoken to Josh much since they broke up. Well, at least he hadn't brought that Rachel woman here. She hugged Pete. "Hey, " she greeted him, "it's good to see you." She turned to Josh, both hesitated. Caustiously, they hugged. It wasn't like she hadn't missed Josh, it was just that they hadn't parted on the best of terms. "Hi Josh."
"Hi," he replied. Holding out the flowers, he said, "Welcome home."
She couldn't help but smile as she took them. Then she turned her attention to the girl, who was standing there watching everything. She was vaugely familiar. After a second, she looked at the girls eyes. Laura recognized those eyes. Those eyes that looked so much like Josh's, yet different somehow. "Mindy?" she asked surprised.
Mindy smiled. She hadn't expected to be recognized right off the bat. She nodded.
Laura hugged her friend. "How are you?"
"I'm good. Sorry about your trip."
"It's okay. It turned out to be pretty boring anyway."
The girls talked on and off as they collected her luggage and went out to the car. When they got evrything loaded and ready, Mindy hopped in the back seat next to Pete. She didn't really relish the idea of being stuck next to him, but she was hoping that, if they were sitting together, Laura and Josh would start talking. As long as Pete could keep his hands to himself she could put up with him.
Pete was extatic when Mindy chose to sit next to him for the drive home. Maybe she was warming up to him.
She didn't like that smile on Pete's face. He'd better not be thinking... *thoughts* about me, she thought. She got her answer to that one when, a minute or two later, Pete went to put his arm around her again. "Don't even dream it Costas," she growled, loud enough for the two in the front to hear.
"Pete, what are you doing now?" asked Josh, trying not to crack a smile.
"Nothing."
"Romeo here is trying to make a move on me," said Mindy. "*Again.*"
"Pete, come on. Leave her alone. 'Cause if you don't, she'll eventually bitch-slap you, I won't do a thing to stop it because quite frankly you'll deserve it, then I'll have to listen to you whine about it. And between work and school starting soon, I really don't want to have to deal with that shit."
Laura had to laugh at Josh's words. She leaned a little closer to him and asked quietly, "Pete's got a crush on Mindy now?"
"Uh-hu."
She laughed some more. "Figures." She turned to the backseat. "I told you you should've been nicer to her when we were younger, Pete."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he mumbled. He just sat there pouting for the next few minutes.
After a while of just driving in silence, Mindy kicked the back of the driver's seat. Josh sent her an annoyed look in the rear view mirror. She gave him an equally annoyed look. Her eyes darted from Josh to Laura and back again. Talk to her, she mouthed.
Pete saw this. That's what was going on. She didn't want to sit with me, he thought sourly, she just wanted to play match-maker. Figures.
When Josh failed to do what she'd told him, Mindy leaned forward at the next stoplight. "Laura, did you want to come over for dinner tonight? We're gonna have actual food."
"I thought you said everything I buy isn't real food," Josh said dryly.
"That's why I insisted on doing the shopping for you this morning."
"You don't actually expect *me* to cook right?" he asked teasingly.
"And burn down that beautiful house?" she replied just as teasingly. "No way. I can do it."
"Since when do you cook?"
"Since I think that if I eat one more frozen dinner, pizza or anything that bears the words instant or ready in 15 minutes I'll go crazy." She turned back to Laura. "So how about it?"
"Sure, why not?"
Mindy then turned to Pete. She couldn't invite Laura while he was sitting right there and then not invite him. Truth was, she kind of liked Pete. It was just that he was so freakin' annoying and so damn persistent about wanting her to date him. She just didn't like him that way. "How about you? You wanna come?"
Mindy, inviting me over? "Sure." What was with this girl? One minute she seemed like she wanted to push him out of a moving car , the next she wanted to hang out. He couldn't understand it.
Mindy knew what Pete was probably thinking. She didn't like it, but what could she do? If he was thick-headed enough to think she was giving off mixed signals that was his problem. Unfortunatly, his problem made him into one giant migraine for her. And she in turn became a headache to Josh by complaining about it. Then Pete would decide she was in denial or something, when Josh told him to back off, and be more of a pain to her. It was a viscious cycle. And now poor Laura was home and would probably get sucked into it somehow. As if Mindy didn't have enough problems right now. Then again, she was beginning to think dealing with a terrorist organization would be preferable to dealing with the raging hormones and stupidity of one Pete Costas.
They dropped off both of Josh's friends and headed back to the beach house. Josh wasn't sure what she was planning to make. She wouldn't tell him. All he knew was there was some chicken defrosting on the counter. This morning she had talked him into letting her do the grocery shopping for the week. He'd given her $100 and made her promise to be careful and to not take longer than an hour. When he'd come back from N'Tek, it was time to go pick up Laura so he had no idea what she'd bought. Hell, he'd had no idea she could cook.
When they got home, the first thing he did was check that no one was in the house. Once he was satisfied that they were alone, he let her come inside. She was slightly annoyed that he had made her wait in the car, but thought it was sweet that he worried so much.
Pete and Laura were going to be there at around 5:30. Mindy decided to start cooking at around 4:00. Dinner didn't take that long to make. It was only about 1:45 now so she had some time. Remembering what she had meant to do earlier, she went off in search of her purse.
Josh was sitting on the porch steps, staring at the ocean just across the street. He knew Mindy meant well by trying to get him and Laura to spend time together, but he was still a little annoyed at her obvious, to him at least, match-making efforts. He heard the door open and close behind him. There were footsteps and then Mindy sat down next to him. She didn't say anything. Just sat and let him stare.
"Are you mad at me?" she asked suddenly after nearly five minutes.
"Huh?" Josh snapped back to reality.
She sighed. "Look, I know I should've asked you if it was okay before I asked Laura to come over. I just want you guys to at least be friends again. I know you're still in love with her and maybe if you guys spend a little time together..."
He sighed heavily. "It's not that simple Morgan. You don't just go up to someone and say, "Hey, I know I cheated on you and everything, but do you want to go out with me again?" It just doesn't work that way."
"I know. Why do you think I want you to talk to her so much? I know she's not going to come around right away, but getting back to being friends is a good start. I mean, you two were pretty tense today. I'd have to be a complete idiot to think it wasn't going to take some time and a lot of effort. And I'm not an idiot."
Josh looked at her. He started to open his mouth.
"You open that yap of yours and I'll staple it shut," she warned. A small laugh had emerged with the words.
Josh just laughed and put his arm around her.
"Oh, before I forget again, here." She handed him a few bills and some change.
"What's this?"
"Your change from the grocery store."
"Change?" He looked at her as if that was a forigen concept.
"Yeah. You know, the money they give you back after you paid for everything."
"I know what change is. I just don't think I've ever had this much change after I go shopping."
"News flash, Einsteine. It's cheaper to buy food that hasn't been cooked yet."
He mock glared at her. "Are you implying I'm stupid?"
"I'm not implying anything," she assured him. She stood and took a step back towards the door. "I'm telling you straight to your face." Then she ran inside.
He sat there for a second longer, contemplating what he should do next. Then he stood and ran into the house after her.
Laura went through her clothes again. What should she wear? She flopped onto her bed with a sigh. What was she getting so worked up about. It was just dinner with a couple of friends. And her ex-boyfriend. The love of her life, who had broken her heart. Why had she agreed to this? She eyed the phone. She could always say she was feeling the effects of traveling, but she didn't want to pass up a chance to spend a little time with Pete and Mindy before school started. Spending time with Josh was another story entirely. She still wasn't sure how to feel about him after what had happened. Forgivness was something she still wasn't sure she should, could, or wanted to give him. Part of her said that he didn't deserve to be her friend after what he'd done. At the same time, she missed him badly. Why was life so confusing?
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I finally got this chapter done. Laura's finally in the story. Yay! The next chapter might take a while. Sorry to anyone who might be waiting for the rest. Like I said, reviews help me think. :o)
Not a whole lot of action going on in this chapter. Mostly character interactions. You know, Josh and Laura trying to be friends again, Mindy trying not to beat the living crap out of Pete, that kind of thing. And Mindy and Josh trying to deal with the fact that someone's after her.
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Josh waited anxiously at the airport gate. Laura's flight would be arriving any minute now. Would she be happy to see him or would she avoid him at all costs? The suspense was killing him. He saw a plane pulling up to the gate. It was moving unbearably slow in his mind.
Pete smiled when he saw the plane pulling in. He had missed his friend a lot. He glanced at Josh. The poor guy was a wreck, he could see it in his eyes. His eyes shifted to Mindy. She was excited at the idea of seeing Laura, but in contrast to her cousin, was otherwise calm. And she looked really pretty today, in a pair of dark jeans and white tank top with one of Josh's button up shirts tied up over it. Casually, he put an arm around her shoulders.
Mindy felt her annoyance scale go up as she felt Pete's arm go around her. Not wanting to cause a scene right now, she simply picked up his hand and dropped it off her shoulder. She felt rather than saw Pete frown in response. She'd been trying to be nice, but with him not getting the hint, that was getting more difficult. How many ways were there to tell somone you don't like them without being a bitch about it? Not enough as far as she was concerned. So, most of the time she just tried to avoid him. If she didn't, she was afraid she might do something they'd both regret. Like kill him.
She looked at her cousin nervously fiddling with the flowers he'd bought for Laura. He hadn't even noticed what Pete had done. Boy, he must really be out of it, she thought. She looked at the flowers in Josh's hands again. "Josh?" she said looking up at him.
"Huh?" he answered distractedly.
"I *really* don't think Laura would appreciate it if you kill the flowers before you give them to her."
"Huh?" He looked down at them and realized Mindy was right. If he didn't quit fiddling with them, he was going to ruin them.
"Josh, you have *got* to calm down," she told him.
"Easier said than done, cuz."
"Well, at least pretend to be calm, then." A mischevious smile appeared. "Oh, by the way, I'm pregnant."
"What?" Josh snapped his head towards her, only to see her trying not to laugh.
"I got your mind off of being nervous for a second, didn't I?"
He gave her a look. "Morgan!" he wailed. "I swear you're going to give me a heart attack someday. And making someone almost wet their pants in shock is *not* the best way to make them stop being nervous."
"You almost wet your pants?"
He gave her the dirtiest look he could muster at the moment. That only seemed to amuze her more. Heck, even Pete thought it was funny.
"Flight 903 is now unloading at gate 12," said someone on the loudspeaker.
Josh took a deep breath before looking back at the gate he was standing near. People began filing out. It wasn't long before they spotted Laura.
Laura turned her head as someone called her name. She could see Pete waving and walked over, overjoyed to see her friend. Then she spotted Josh and a girl standing with him. Instantly, she felt nervous. She hadn't spoken to Josh much since they broke up. Well, at least he hadn't brought that Rachel woman here. She hugged Pete. "Hey, " she greeted him, "it's good to see you." She turned to Josh, both hesitated. Caustiously, they hugged. It wasn't like she hadn't missed Josh, it was just that they hadn't parted on the best of terms. "Hi Josh."
"Hi," he replied. Holding out the flowers, he said, "Welcome home."
She couldn't help but smile as she took them. Then she turned her attention to the girl, who was standing there watching everything. She was vaugely familiar. After a second, she looked at the girls eyes. Laura recognized those eyes. Those eyes that looked so much like Josh's, yet different somehow. "Mindy?" she asked surprised.
Mindy smiled. She hadn't expected to be recognized right off the bat. She nodded.
Laura hugged her friend. "How are you?"
"I'm good. Sorry about your trip."
"It's okay. It turned out to be pretty boring anyway."
The girls talked on and off as they collected her luggage and went out to the car. When they got evrything loaded and ready, Mindy hopped in the back seat next to Pete. She didn't really relish the idea of being stuck next to him, but she was hoping that, if they were sitting together, Laura and Josh would start talking. As long as Pete could keep his hands to himself she could put up with him.
Pete was extatic when Mindy chose to sit next to him for the drive home. Maybe she was warming up to him.
She didn't like that smile on Pete's face. He'd better not be thinking... *thoughts* about me, she thought. She got her answer to that one when, a minute or two later, Pete went to put his arm around her again. "Don't even dream it Costas," she growled, loud enough for the two in the front to hear.
"Pete, what are you doing now?" asked Josh, trying not to crack a smile.
"Nothing."
"Romeo here is trying to make a move on me," said Mindy. "*Again.*"
"Pete, come on. Leave her alone. 'Cause if you don't, she'll eventually bitch-slap you, I won't do a thing to stop it because quite frankly you'll deserve it, then I'll have to listen to you whine about it. And between work and school starting soon, I really don't want to have to deal with that shit."
Laura had to laugh at Josh's words. She leaned a little closer to him and asked quietly, "Pete's got a crush on Mindy now?"
"Uh-hu."
She laughed some more. "Figures." She turned to the backseat. "I told you you should've been nicer to her when we were younger, Pete."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he mumbled. He just sat there pouting for the next few minutes.
After a while of just driving in silence, Mindy kicked the back of the driver's seat. Josh sent her an annoyed look in the rear view mirror. She gave him an equally annoyed look. Her eyes darted from Josh to Laura and back again. Talk to her, she mouthed.
Pete saw this. That's what was going on. She didn't want to sit with me, he thought sourly, she just wanted to play match-maker. Figures.
When Josh failed to do what she'd told him, Mindy leaned forward at the next stoplight. "Laura, did you want to come over for dinner tonight? We're gonna have actual food."
"I thought you said everything I buy isn't real food," Josh said dryly.
"That's why I insisted on doing the shopping for you this morning."
"You don't actually expect *me* to cook right?" he asked teasingly.
"And burn down that beautiful house?" she replied just as teasingly. "No way. I can do it."
"Since when do you cook?"
"Since I think that if I eat one more frozen dinner, pizza or anything that bears the words instant or ready in 15 minutes I'll go crazy." She turned back to Laura. "So how about it?"
"Sure, why not?"
Mindy then turned to Pete. She couldn't invite Laura while he was sitting right there and then not invite him. Truth was, she kind of liked Pete. It was just that he was so freakin' annoying and so damn persistent about wanting her to date him. She just didn't like him that way. "How about you? You wanna come?"
Mindy, inviting me over? "Sure." What was with this girl? One minute she seemed like she wanted to push him out of a moving car , the next she wanted to hang out. He couldn't understand it.
Mindy knew what Pete was probably thinking. She didn't like it, but what could she do? If he was thick-headed enough to think she was giving off mixed signals that was his problem. Unfortunatly, his problem made him into one giant migraine for her. And she in turn became a headache to Josh by complaining about it. Then Pete would decide she was in denial or something, when Josh told him to back off, and be more of a pain to her. It was a viscious cycle. And now poor Laura was home and would probably get sucked into it somehow. As if Mindy didn't have enough problems right now. Then again, she was beginning to think dealing with a terrorist organization would be preferable to dealing with the raging hormones and stupidity of one Pete Costas.
They dropped off both of Josh's friends and headed back to the beach house. Josh wasn't sure what she was planning to make. She wouldn't tell him. All he knew was there was some chicken defrosting on the counter. This morning she had talked him into letting her do the grocery shopping for the week. He'd given her $100 and made her promise to be careful and to not take longer than an hour. When he'd come back from N'Tek, it was time to go pick up Laura so he had no idea what she'd bought. Hell, he'd had no idea she could cook.
When they got home, the first thing he did was check that no one was in the house. Once he was satisfied that they were alone, he let her come inside. She was slightly annoyed that he had made her wait in the car, but thought it was sweet that he worried so much.
Pete and Laura were going to be there at around 5:30. Mindy decided to start cooking at around 4:00. Dinner didn't take that long to make. It was only about 1:45 now so she had some time. Remembering what she had meant to do earlier, she went off in search of her purse.
Josh was sitting on the porch steps, staring at the ocean just across the street. He knew Mindy meant well by trying to get him and Laura to spend time together, but he was still a little annoyed at her obvious, to him at least, match-making efforts. He heard the door open and close behind him. There were footsteps and then Mindy sat down next to him. She didn't say anything. Just sat and let him stare.
"Are you mad at me?" she asked suddenly after nearly five minutes.
"Huh?" Josh snapped back to reality.
She sighed. "Look, I know I should've asked you if it was okay before I asked Laura to come over. I just want you guys to at least be friends again. I know you're still in love with her and maybe if you guys spend a little time together..."
He sighed heavily. "It's not that simple Morgan. You don't just go up to someone and say, "Hey, I know I cheated on you and everything, but do you want to go out with me again?" It just doesn't work that way."
"I know. Why do you think I want you to talk to her so much? I know she's not going to come around right away, but getting back to being friends is a good start. I mean, you two were pretty tense today. I'd have to be a complete idiot to think it wasn't going to take some time and a lot of effort. And I'm not an idiot."
Josh looked at her. He started to open his mouth.
"You open that yap of yours and I'll staple it shut," she warned. A small laugh had emerged with the words.
Josh just laughed and put his arm around her.
"Oh, before I forget again, here." She handed him a few bills and some change.
"What's this?"
"Your change from the grocery store."
"Change?" He looked at her as if that was a forigen concept.
"Yeah. You know, the money they give you back after you paid for everything."
"I know what change is. I just don't think I've ever had this much change after I go shopping."
"News flash, Einsteine. It's cheaper to buy food that hasn't been cooked yet."
He mock glared at her. "Are you implying I'm stupid?"
"I'm not implying anything," she assured him. She stood and took a step back towards the door. "I'm telling you straight to your face." Then she ran inside.
He sat there for a second longer, contemplating what he should do next. Then he stood and ran into the house after her.
Laura went through her clothes again. What should she wear? She flopped onto her bed with a sigh. What was she getting so worked up about. It was just dinner with a couple of friends. And her ex-boyfriend. The love of her life, who had broken her heart. Why had she agreed to this? She eyed the phone. She could always say she was feeling the effects of traveling, but she didn't want to pass up a chance to spend a little time with Pete and Mindy before school started. Spending time with Josh was another story entirely. She still wasn't sure how to feel about him after what had happened. Forgivness was something she still wasn't sure she should, could, or wanted to give him. Part of her said that he didn't deserve to be her friend after what he'd done. At the same time, she missed him badly. Why was life so confusing?
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I finally got this chapter done. Laura's finally in the story. Yay! The next chapter might take a while. Sorry to anyone who might be waiting for the rest. Like I said, reviews help me think. :o)