A/N thank you all so much for the reviews, yet again, special thanks goes
out to JuicyBabe whose comment made me smile for at least an hour :0). In
the upcoming chapters get ready to see some more characters. Ethan, Kate,
and Larry will all be making appearances soon. Also, there are a few more
twists. Lizzie will also be out of the hospital soon, although she has to
go through some physical therapy in order to be able to walk. Thank you all
for being such loyal readers. Without you I would have long ago lost my
desire to continue. You guys make my day everyday!
Lizzie sputtered in disbelief. David as in David Gordon? As in Gordo? As in HER GORDO? Wait, why am I letting this bother me? She questioned herself. I don't like Gordo. Well then, she challenged herself, what just happened a couple of minutes ago? That, well, that was just me being reunited with a friend. I haven't seen him in a long time and it's natural for me to miss him right? I'm happy, she concluded, I'm happy that Miranda and Gordo are going to be married. They're my two best friends! Why wouldn't I be happy? While all of this was running through her head she made sure that her smile never faltered, not even once.
"wow!" she managed in a convincing tone, "that's so awesome!"
It is? Thought Gordo. He concluded that whatever had happened in their brief reunion, had meant nothing. It had been a fluke. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all. Just keep your eyes off her and don't think too much and you'll manage to get through this. But, Gordo's brain had a bad habit of not listening. He sound found his eyes resting on her face. She had changed...a lot. That was for sure. His sunny blonde California girl had been replaced by a pale brunette who was too weak to even move her head. His heart went out to her. Even though her skin was the color of plaster and she no longer had that fabulous glow around her, Gordo still found her too be incredibly beautiful. He bit his lip and exhaled. Stop it Gordon. He thought to himself. He returned his thoughts to Miranda, his girlfriend, his fiancé. She was also, quite the beauty. He focused his train of thought on her instead. He found his eyes traveling slowly down her body. From her shining hair to her dainty feet she was wonderful all around. His thoughts began to wonder. Moments later he was startled as a pair of arms fell around him and a familiar voice squealed his name.
"Mrs. McGuire!" Gordo said. He then realized his fatal mistake. "I...I umm."
"Oh, Gordo!" Jo sputtered managing to quickly avoid the situation. "You've grown so much! Look at you, you still haven't had a haircut since the last time I saw you!" she joked. "Oh, and is this Miranda!" Jo opened her arms and ran towards Miranda. "You've become such a beautiful young woman!" Miranda concluded that she hadn't changed one bit.
"Matt, Melina, Brooke!" Jo yelled into the hallway. "Gordo and Miranda are here!
"Who the hell is Brooke?" Gordo whispered to Lizzie. Lizzie didn't like him that closer to her face. She was getting that feeling again. She nodded her head slightly towards the door where Matt stood holding the toddler in his arms. Gordo's mouth dropped.
"Matt! You...you're, you're a father?" he said half chuckling.
"Sure am" Matt replied, Gordo detected a trace of pride in his voice.
Lizzie smiled in spite of herself. That was one darling little girl. Matt placed her down on the ground and patter her bum. She burst into laughter and ran over to Jo yelling "Maga!Maga!" The whole way.
"Maga?!" Lizzie laughed.
"well, she can't really pronounce Gramma yet" a new voice spoke. Lizzie turned towars the doorway and saw a tall blonde woman with brilliant blue eyes. Melina. She hadn't changed much. She still had the whitest smile that Lizzie had ever seen. Towards the end of high school Lizzie and Melina had developed a friendship. She often hung out with Miranda and Lizzie and she was just as crazy about shopping as the rest of them.
"Meli!" Lizzie and Miranda yelled simultaneously.
"Hey!" she gushed running over to the bedside.
"so, you're the mommy huh? Miranda asked through a wide smile
"yep, that'd be me" she said cocking her head slightly to the side.
Jo walked over to the Melina and Miranda and cocked an arm around them. "Well girls, it looks like everyone is here, so I was thinking that we could bring in some food and all eat dinner here. It'll be like a party! To celebrate Lizzie and her recovery."
"And," Lizzie interjected "Two engagements. Melina and Matt, and Miranda and Gordo."
The entire room began to cheer. Everyone knew about Melina and Matt (with the exception of Gordo and Miranda) but everyone was surprised at the second announcement. Jo forced her face to light up. She knew her baby would be hurting form that news, she always knew that Lizzie had a thing for Gordo, she also always thought that it was mutual, but she concluded that she must've been wrong.
The room broke into chatter for awhile and somehow Kelin managed to worm his way in. Lizzie remained silent. He nonchalantly crossed the room where he wrapped his arms around Jo's waist and placed a kiss on the top of her head. It was all Lizzie could do to keep from throwing up. Melina and Miranda were in the corner comparing rings, and Gordo and Matt were talking about guy stuff, such as how annoying girls can be. Lizzie was feeling sicker and sicker by the minute. So much had changed, it was like she didn't even fit into her own life anymore. She held back the tears. She had cried way too much today. She concluded to force everything out of her head and just have a good time tonight. When her mom asked her to choose the dinner she decided on taco bell. Always her favorite. She hadn't tasted their mouthwatering beef in over three years. The way she saw it she was long overdue.
Melina and Miranda decided to go get the food. Kelin announced that he was going to head home to clean up some things and walk the dog. Matt and Melina went to go fetch Sam, after all, it was he who deserved to be at his daughter's first meal, not Kelin. Jo and Gordo and Lizzie chatted for awhile before Jo left to go out and buy Lizzie a change of clothes. This left just Lizzie and Gordo.
Gordo sat down next to her on the bed. He knew it was wrong to be that close to her, he knew it was going to tempt him, but he need it. He needed to be near. She quizzed him on he and Miranda's relationship. That was one thing he really didn't want to be discussing. She said that she was happy for him, but Gordo didn't know if he entirely bought that.
Lizzie inhaled and asked Gordo to just sit and listen. He had always been a good friend and she could always count on him to be her rock. He readily agreed. She began to speak, the words pouring rapidly from her mouth. She talked about everything from Kelin to Matt and Melina. She confided in Gordo about how she felt detatched from everything, how everything had gone on for so long without her, that nobody really cared anymore. Everyone was adjusted to life without Lizzie and noone really cared that she had come out of her coma. By the time she was finshed she was sobbing with all her might. Gordo held her in his arms. How could something so wrong feel so right? It was only a hug though, he told himself, a friendly hug. Lizzie dried her eyes on his shoulder and then pulled away.
"Thank you Gordo" she said softly
"Lizzie I want you to understand one thing"
"Yes?" she squeaked
"Life without you, was like swimming without water. Everyone missed you. Everyone needed you. Sure life went on, but that's inevitable. It doesn't mean that we didn't miss you or that we didn't think about you. We just moved on the best that we could. It's what we do. We're creatures of habit. I'm so sorry for everything that you're going through, I really am, but I just want you to know that I'm here for you, everyone is here for you, and I promise you that everything will be okay. Everything is okay in the end, if everything's not okay...then it's not the end." At the end of his speech he poked Lizzie lightly on the nose and smiled down at her.
Lizzie reciprocated. There was a loud clap of thunder. Torrents of rain beat down on the hospital room window. Gordo and Lizzie sat, staring at nothing in particular. Not talking at all. But, a wise man once said, some of the best conversations take place without a word being spoken.
Lizzie sputtered in disbelief. David as in David Gordon? As in Gordo? As in HER GORDO? Wait, why am I letting this bother me? She questioned herself. I don't like Gordo. Well then, she challenged herself, what just happened a couple of minutes ago? That, well, that was just me being reunited with a friend. I haven't seen him in a long time and it's natural for me to miss him right? I'm happy, she concluded, I'm happy that Miranda and Gordo are going to be married. They're my two best friends! Why wouldn't I be happy? While all of this was running through her head she made sure that her smile never faltered, not even once.
"wow!" she managed in a convincing tone, "that's so awesome!"
It is? Thought Gordo. He concluded that whatever had happened in their brief reunion, had meant nothing. It had been a fluke. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all. Just keep your eyes off her and don't think too much and you'll manage to get through this. But, Gordo's brain had a bad habit of not listening. He sound found his eyes resting on her face. She had changed...a lot. That was for sure. His sunny blonde California girl had been replaced by a pale brunette who was too weak to even move her head. His heart went out to her. Even though her skin was the color of plaster and she no longer had that fabulous glow around her, Gordo still found her too be incredibly beautiful. He bit his lip and exhaled. Stop it Gordon. He thought to himself. He returned his thoughts to Miranda, his girlfriend, his fiancé. She was also, quite the beauty. He focused his train of thought on her instead. He found his eyes traveling slowly down her body. From her shining hair to her dainty feet she was wonderful all around. His thoughts began to wonder. Moments later he was startled as a pair of arms fell around him and a familiar voice squealed his name.
"Mrs. McGuire!" Gordo said. He then realized his fatal mistake. "I...I umm."
"Oh, Gordo!" Jo sputtered managing to quickly avoid the situation. "You've grown so much! Look at you, you still haven't had a haircut since the last time I saw you!" she joked. "Oh, and is this Miranda!" Jo opened her arms and ran towards Miranda. "You've become such a beautiful young woman!" Miranda concluded that she hadn't changed one bit.
"Matt, Melina, Brooke!" Jo yelled into the hallway. "Gordo and Miranda are here!
"Who the hell is Brooke?" Gordo whispered to Lizzie. Lizzie didn't like him that closer to her face. She was getting that feeling again. She nodded her head slightly towards the door where Matt stood holding the toddler in his arms. Gordo's mouth dropped.
"Matt! You...you're, you're a father?" he said half chuckling.
"Sure am" Matt replied, Gordo detected a trace of pride in his voice.
Lizzie smiled in spite of herself. That was one darling little girl. Matt placed her down on the ground and patter her bum. She burst into laughter and ran over to Jo yelling "Maga!Maga!" The whole way.
"Maga?!" Lizzie laughed.
"well, she can't really pronounce Gramma yet" a new voice spoke. Lizzie turned towars the doorway and saw a tall blonde woman with brilliant blue eyes. Melina. She hadn't changed much. She still had the whitest smile that Lizzie had ever seen. Towards the end of high school Lizzie and Melina had developed a friendship. She often hung out with Miranda and Lizzie and she was just as crazy about shopping as the rest of them.
"Meli!" Lizzie and Miranda yelled simultaneously.
"Hey!" she gushed running over to the bedside.
"so, you're the mommy huh? Miranda asked through a wide smile
"yep, that'd be me" she said cocking her head slightly to the side.
Jo walked over to the Melina and Miranda and cocked an arm around them. "Well girls, it looks like everyone is here, so I was thinking that we could bring in some food and all eat dinner here. It'll be like a party! To celebrate Lizzie and her recovery."
"And," Lizzie interjected "Two engagements. Melina and Matt, and Miranda and Gordo."
The entire room began to cheer. Everyone knew about Melina and Matt (with the exception of Gordo and Miranda) but everyone was surprised at the second announcement. Jo forced her face to light up. She knew her baby would be hurting form that news, she always knew that Lizzie had a thing for Gordo, she also always thought that it was mutual, but she concluded that she must've been wrong.
The room broke into chatter for awhile and somehow Kelin managed to worm his way in. Lizzie remained silent. He nonchalantly crossed the room where he wrapped his arms around Jo's waist and placed a kiss on the top of her head. It was all Lizzie could do to keep from throwing up. Melina and Miranda were in the corner comparing rings, and Gordo and Matt were talking about guy stuff, such as how annoying girls can be. Lizzie was feeling sicker and sicker by the minute. So much had changed, it was like she didn't even fit into her own life anymore. She held back the tears. She had cried way too much today. She concluded to force everything out of her head and just have a good time tonight. When her mom asked her to choose the dinner she decided on taco bell. Always her favorite. She hadn't tasted their mouthwatering beef in over three years. The way she saw it she was long overdue.
Melina and Miranda decided to go get the food. Kelin announced that he was going to head home to clean up some things and walk the dog. Matt and Melina went to go fetch Sam, after all, it was he who deserved to be at his daughter's first meal, not Kelin. Jo and Gordo and Lizzie chatted for awhile before Jo left to go out and buy Lizzie a change of clothes. This left just Lizzie and Gordo.
Gordo sat down next to her on the bed. He knew it was wrong to be that close to her, he knew it was going to tempt him, but he need it. He needed to be near. She quizzed him on he and Miranda's relationship. That was one thing he really didn't want to be discussing. She said that she was happy for him, but Gordo didn't know if he entirely bought that.
Lizzie inhaled and asked Gordo to just sit and listen. He had always been a good friend and she could always count on him to be her rock. He readily agreed. She began to speak, the words pouring rapidly from her mouth. She talked about everything from Kelin to Matt and Melina. She confided in Gordo about how she felt detatched from everything, how everything had gone on for so long without her, that nobody really cared anymore. Everyone was adjusted to life without Lizzie and noone really cared that she had come out of her coma. By the time she was finshed she was sobbing with all her might. Gordo held her in his arms. How could something so wrong feel so right? It was only a hug though, he told himself, a friendly hug. Lizzie dried her eyes on his shoulder and then pulled away.
"Thank you Gordo" she said softly
"Lizzie I want you to understand one thing"
"Yes?" she squeaked
"Life without you, was like swimming without water. Everyone missed you. Everyone needed you. Sure life went on, but that's inevitable. It doesn't mean that we didn't miss you or that we didn't think about you. We just moved on the best that we could. It's what we do. We're creatures of habit. I'm so sorry for everything that you're going through, I really am, but I just want you to know that I'm here for you, everyone is here for you, and I promise you that everything will be okay. Everything is okay in the end, if everything's not okay...then it's not the end." At the end of his speech he poked Lizzie lightly on the nose and smiled down at her.
Lizzie reciprocated. There was a loud clap of thunder. Torrents of rain beat down on the hospital room window. Gordo and Lizzie sat, staring at nothing in particular. Not talking at all. But, a wise man once said, some of the best conversations take place without a word being spoken.