Chapter 18 - Concerns of a McGuire (What would you do if you got everything
you ever wanted and realized that actually want something else?)
Lizzie sat at the kitchen table and started her homework. She had almost finished her algebra when her mom came home from the store. "Hey Mom, is Gordo with you?" Lizzie asked, curious of his whereabouts. She had not seen or heard from her boyfriend since lunch and even then he seemed like something was on his mind.
"No sweetie, didn't he tell you where he was going?" Jo answered trying not to make a big deal of it all.
"No, is he mad at me?" She inquired confused as to why her mother knew where he was and she didn't.
Jo sat the groceries down and decided to tackle this issue head on. She filled her daughter in on what was going on by saying, "Lizzie, today is his parents wedding anniversary. He called me to ask if I would mind if he went to visit them after school and if I would mind picking him up about 5 if he hadn't made it home by then."
Lizzie didn't how to react but something made her ask, "And you agreed to it?"
"Yes, sweetie your boyfriend is very responsible and besides this is something he needed to do." She replied, catching the bit of disapproval in Lizzie's tone.
"I know mom, I just don't know why he didn't tell me that's all," Lizzie admitted trying make sure she didn't get out line with her mother.
"Look Lizzie I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose, it probably just slipp." The phone ringing cut Jo off. "I'll get it." She stated as she walked out of the room to answer the phone. Lizzie had started back at her homework when Jo came back in the room. "That was Gordo, Miranda and her mom are giving him a ride home. He should be home in a few minutes." She finished, figuring that Lizzie would be relieved to know he was ok.
The news didn't comfort Lizzie. She wasn't sure what it was that was bothering her but whatever it was it was causing something. "Figures," she muttered loud enough that her mother heard her.
"What?" Jo quickly snapped back wondering what that last comment was supposed to mean.
"Nothing," She answered quickly.
"Lizzie there is something bothering you I can tell. Have you and Gordo been fighting or something?" Jo inquired suddenly very concerned.
"No, it just that he's been acting weird here lately." She replied before she could stop herself from opening up to he mother.
"Sweetie, his parents died recently, he just started high school, his girlfriend is a girl he has known his whole life and he just started dating, and to top it all off he lives with her family. How do you think he should be acting?" Jo asked, sticking up for Gordo.
"I don't mean that Mom. Lately it seems like there is tension, between him and Miranda." She stated surprised herself at the feeling she was expressing.
"Oh sweetie, I'm sure you're just over reacting; you are just being paranoid. Has he shown any indications that he's unhappy being with you?" She began hoping to make a point.
"No," Lizzie answered honestly.
"Has Miranda acted like she is interested in David?" Jo continued.
"Well no," She replied again honestly.
"Lizzie I'm sure if anything ever did happen between David and Miranda they would tell you ok?" Jo stated realizing that might not comfort her very much but as far as she could tell, it was the truth. Before Lizzie could answer the front door opened and Miranda walked in with Gordo following closely behind.
"Look what I found," Miranda informed them as she pointed and Gordo behind her. "I thought you might like him back," she told them as if he was a lost puppy.
"I'm going to go work on my homework," Gordo said, as he started towards his room still not feeling up to talking to anyone.
"Ok sweetie, dinner will be ready in a little while." Jo replied not wanting to put up a fight about it. Lizzie however spoke up.
"I don't even get a hello?" she inquired, hurt that he had barely even looked at her when he walked in. He stopped his journey to his room long enough to make his way over to Lizzie and kiss her lips. He then waved bye to Miranda and she returned the wave. After that he made his way to his room and shut his door.
Miranda, who had made her way next to Lizzie, took a seat next to her and in front of Jo. "How is he?" Jo asked noticing that Gordo did not look good when he walked in.
"Upset, he was crying pretty hard when I found him in front of parents grave. He didn't say anything on the way home. Just sat there." Miranda replied simply.
"What were you doing there anyway? Lizzie asked confused as to how Miranda got to the cemetery.
"My mom and I decided to visit some family. It was just lucky timing." She answered honestly.
"Well it sounds like he was lucky that you showed up Miranda," Jo added making sure someone thanked her for helping Gordo and bringing him home.
"Well, my mom is waiting for me in the car so I better get going. Lizzie you might better check on him. He really needs love right now. He really needs us right now. I'll call and check on him later. Bye Mom, Bye Lizzie," Miranda voiced purposefully before turning to leave. Lizzie and Jo waved bye and she walked out the door and left. Jo turned and faced her daughter.
"What do you want for dinner?" she asked before starting to look in the refrigerator to begin making dinner.
Lizzie sat at the kitchen table and started her homework. She had almost finished her algebra when her mom came home from the store. "Hey Mom, is Gordo with you?" Lizzie asked, curious of his whereabouts. She had not seen or heard from her boyfriend since lunch and even then he seemed like something was on his mind.
"No sweetie, didn't he tell you where he was going?" Jo answered trying not to make a big deal of it all.
"No, is he mad at me?" She inquired confused as to why her mother knew where he was and she didn't.
Jo sat the groceries down and decided to tackle this issue head on. She filled her daughter in on what was going on by saying, "Lizzie, today is his parents wedding anniversary. He called me to ask if I would mind if he went to visit them after school and if I would mind picking him up about 5 if he hadn't made it home by then."
Lizzie didn't how to react but something made her ask, "And you agreed to it?"
"Yes, sweetie your boyfriend is very responsible and besides this is something he needed to do." She replied, catching the bit of disapproval in Lizzie's tone.
"I know mom, I just don't know why he didn't tell me that's all," Lizzie admitted trying make sure she didn't get out line with her mother.
"Look Lizzie I'm sure he didn't do it on purpose, it probably just slipp." The phone ringing cut Jo off. "I'll get it." She stated as she walked out of the room to answer the phone. Lizzie had started back at her homework when Jo came back in the room. "That was Gordo, Miranda and her mom are giving him a ride home. He should be home in a few minutes." She finished, figuring that Lizzie would be relieved to know he was ok.
The news didn't comfort Lizzie. She wasn't sure what it was that was bothering her but whatever it was it was causing something. "Figures," she muttered loud enough that her mother heard her.
"What?" Jo quickly snapped back wondering what that last comment was supposed to mean.
"Nothing," She answered quickly.
"Lizzie there is something bothering you I can tell. Have you and Gordo been fighting or something?" Jo inquired suddenly very concerned.
"No, it just that he's been acting weird here lately." She replied before she could stop herself from opening up to he mother.
"Sweetie, his parents died recently, he just started high school, his girlfriend is a girl he has known his whole life and he just started dating, and to top it all off he lives with her family. How do you think he should be acting?" Jo asked, sticking up for Gordo.
"I don't mean that Mom. Lately it seems like there is tension, between him and Miranda." She stated surprised herself at the feeling she was expressing.
"Oh sweetie, I'm sure you're just over reacting; you are just being paranoid. Has he shown any indications that he's unhappy being with you?" She began hoping to make a point.
"No," Lizzie answered honestly.
"Has Miranda acted like she is interested in David?" Jo continued.
"Well no," She replied again honestly.
"Lizzie I'm sure if anything ever did happen between David and Miranda they would tell you ok?" Jo stated realizing that might not comfort her very much but as far as she could tell, it was the truth. Before Lizzie could answer the front door opened and Miranda walked in with Gordo following closely behind.
"Look what I found," Miranda informed them as she pointed and Gordo behind her. "I thought you might like him back," she told them as if he was a lost puppy.
"I'm going to go work on my homework," Gordo said, as he started towards his room still not feeling up to talking to anyone.
"Ok sweetie, dinner will be ready in a little while." Jo replied not wanting to put up a fight about it. Lizzie however spoke up.
"I don't even get a hello?" she inquired, hurt that he had barely even looked at her when he walked in. He stopped his journey to his room long enough to make his way over to Lizzie and kiss her lips. He then waved bye to Miranda and she returned the wave. After that he made his way to his room and shut his door.
Miranda, who had made her way next to Lizzie, took a seat next to her and in front of Jo. "How is he?" Jo asked noticing that Gordo did not look good when he walked in.
"Upset, he was crying pretty hard when I found him in front of parents grave. He didn't say anything on the way home. Just sat there." Miranda replied simply.
"What were you doing there anyway? Lizzie asked confused as to how Miranda got to the cemetery.
"My mom and I decided to visit some family. It was just lucky timing." She answered honestly.
"Well it sounds like he was lucky that you showed up Miranda," Jo added making sure someone thanked her for helping Gordo and bringing him home.
"Well, my mom is waiting for me in the car so I better get going. Lizzie you might better check on him. He really needs love right now. He really needs us right now. I'll call and check on him later. Bye Mom, Bye Lizzie," Miranda voiced purposefully before turning to leave. Lizzie and Jo waved bye and she walked out the door and left. Jo turned and faced her daughter.
"What do you want for dinner?" she asked before starting to look in the refrigerator to begin making dinner.