Chapter 20

When Deja woke the next morning, she couldn't believe she'd actually agreed to move in with Mort. Her life was about to drastically change, for the better she hoped. Within the next few weeks, she would have to make a lot of readjustments. She looked over to Mort's side of the bed and noticed he wasn't there. His side wasn't even slept in. She placed her feet on the cold hardwood floor. She didn't realize how cool it had gotten throughout the night. She spotted the striped robe, Amy's robe, lying on a chair. She'd told herself she would never wear it again, but it was cold and she didn't feel like searching for something else to put on. If Mort had a problem with it he'd tell her and she'd know to never touch it again.

She walked out of the bedroom and had to laugh at the sight before her. Mort was passed out, his head on the edge of the desk. Deja couldn't imagine being comfortable in that position, but Mort looked liked he was used to sleeping like this.

Deja decided to have little fun with him. She snuck down the stairs, as quiet as possible, and pulled an ice cube from the freezer. Back up the stairs, like an expert cat burglar, she crept up behind Mort, and dropped the cube down his back. With a burst of energy, Mort jumped up from the desk trying to grab at the whatever it was that caused the cold sensation down his back. He didn't even notice Deja in her fit of laughter until after the cube was on the floor.

His hair was a complete mess and his breathing erratic. He hated to be woken out of a peaceful sleep, especially in that manner. He wanted to be mad, but Deja was practically on the floor laughing at him. He couldn't be upset with her, while she was obviously in a great mood.

"Oh, so you think that's funny?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She could barely bring herself to talk, she was laughing so hard. "Y...y...yes!" she managed to get out.

Tears were beginning to stream down her cheeks. Mort found her laugh so genuine and he loved seeing her this way. "Well, I can't have making a joke out of me," he said, trying to sound as serious as possible.

Deja tried to straighten up, but every time she thought she had it together the laughter overtook her. Suddenly, Mort began to walk towards her. Seeing a devious look in his eyes, Deja began to walk towards the stairs.

"Oh no you don't!" He began to chase her down the steps. Deja made it all the way to the front door, but Mort was hot on her trail. She fumbled with lock and before she had a chance to step foot outside Mort grabbed her waist. He pulled off the robe and threw it on the couch. She was only in a pair of his boxers and a tank top now.

"I'm sorry," she pleaded, "I'm not gonna laugh at you anymore!"

Mort had to laugh at her attempt to get out of this, "It's a little too late for that." And with that, he scooped her up and began to walk towards the lake. She didn't put up much of a struggle, but if she would've known where he was headed she would've fought harder.

Catching a glimpse of where he was headed, she began to beg for forgiveness. "Mort, I'm sorry," obviously not being sincere because she was still laughing, "please don't! What do you want me to say? I give? Uncle? Please don't!"

"Too late," he simply stated. "This'll teach you to play with Morton Rainey." He was now at the edge of the pier.

"Mort, if you drop me, I swear I will never speak to you ever again!" The last thing she wanted to do was to be dropped into the lake on a cool summer morning. The water had to be bitter cold.

"Get ready," he smirked.

"Mort, please...I'm so, so, so sorry. I'll never do that ever again!" Then just as he was about to throw her into the water, she managed to grab his shirt and take him down with her. The water was even colder than she'd imagined it would be. After rising to the surface, she began to look for Mort. He was nowhere to be seen.

"Mort? Mort!" she called out.

Still no sign of him. She went back under to look for him, but the water was too murky. About 30 seconds had passed now and she was beginning to worry. "Mort! Answer me!" Just then she about 10 yards away she spotted something. She swam over to see what it was. The closer she got, the more her heart raced.

Only five feet from the 'object' her heart felt like it sank into the pit of her stomach. It was Mort, floating face down in the water. "Oh my God! Mort!" As she neared him, she remembered a swimming course she'd taken when she was about 18. She turned him over and couldn't feel him breathing. Turning over onto her back, and placing her left arm under his left armpit, she began to swim backward toward the shore. She wanted desperately to cry, but needed to keep calm during this moment.

Once she was able to pull him to shore safely, she kneeled by his side. She was out of breath, but had to pull herself together to administer some sort of CPR. She tried to remember what she'd seen on television about mouth-to-mouth, but her mind was working against her. She leaned over him, pinched his nose with her left hand, tilted his head back and placed her mouth over his. She began to breathe air into his body. Just then she felt a hand on her hip. It was Mort's hand. She turned back to look him in the eyes and saw a large smile cross his face.

"You jerk!" she screamed, hitting him in his chest.

Mort started to laugh, finding the situation hilarious. Deja's nerves were frazzled. She wanted to laugh along with Mort, glad that he was alive, but her mind was still not in it's right state. She left his side and walked toward the house.

"Deja? Deja?" Mort called after her. He ran to catch up with her. Grabbing her hand, just before she entered the house, he said, "You're not mad at me are you?"

She turned around and he saw the tears fill her eyes. She couldn't hold them back anymore. "Please Mort, I just need to be alone right now."

Still holding her hand, he said, "I was just messing around. I'm sorry..."

Deja couldn't hold back anymore. Her emotions got the best of her and she broke down. Her body sank down onto the porch floor and she began to openly sob. Even she didn't know why she was crying. She figured it was just the events of the last few days catching up with her.

Mort bent down next to her and cradled her in his arms. "Deja I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that. I just wanted to play around with you. It'll never happen again, I swear."

"I'm not...even...sure why...I'm crying," she said crying and laughing at the same time. "I feel like such an idiot."

"It's my fault. I should've never played such a mean joke on you." Mort gave her a soft kiss on her forehead. "How about I let you put an ice cube down my pants every morning to wake me up?" He wanted to evoke a smile from her.

Thankfully, that little joke gave him the reaction he'd hoped for. Deja began to wipe the tears from her face and a small smile emerged. Looking him in the eyes, she said, "Make it two cubes and we've got a deal."

He loved her sense of humor. Just another thing to add to her list of wonderful attributes. Mort helped Deja to her feet and they went inside. She sat on the couch and Mort made her a glass of lemonade. As she began to sip the drink, she started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Mort asked, seated next to her.

"Oh nothing...just the fact that we're sitting here totally soaked," she answered.

Mort looked down at his clothing and it was true. He was sopping wet. He noticed the trail leading from the front door to his couch. In all the drama that had gone on, they'd both forgotten this all started because they were in the lake.

Finishing her drink, Deja said, "I think I better head upstairs into the shower before I make an even bigger mess in your house."

"OUR house," Mort added.

A wide grin overtook Deja's face at the words Mort just spoke. "Yeah, our house," she finished.

After a few hours had passed, Deja was seated in the living room flipping through a fashion magazine, while Mort was busily typing away at his story.

"Mort?" she called up to him.

"Yeah?" He answered too quickly, it must've meant he wasn't getting very far with his novel.

"I was just thinking...how soon would you want me to move in?"

"As soon as possible," he called back to her.

"I'd probably have to give my jobs two weeks notice."

"Well, if you call them both today, then you could get half a week over with."

"Good thinking." And with that, she walked over to her purse, pulled out her phone and made the necessary calls. The job at the insurance agency took it rather well. Business hadn't really been booming lately so Deja leaving was no great loss. They didn't even require the two week notice. As soon as she came back to town she was free to get her things and go. 'Lucy's' wasn't that easy. Mike needed all the help he could get and Deja was certainly going to have to work her week and a half until he could find a replacement. She didn't mind though. Mike was almost like family to her and she actually liked working at the diner. She was definitely going to miss that job.

"So, what did they say?" Mort called down to her after hearing her hang up with Mike.

"Well, a two week notice won't be needed at the insurance agency, but Mike's gonna need me until he can get a replacement."

"And about your house?"

Deja had totally forgot about having to put her house on the market. She'd thought about doing it a hundred times before, but never managed to get around to it. That place was too big for her anyway, this was the boost she needed to get rid of it once and for all. "I figure I can call Stanley, a regular at the diner. He's in real estate and I'm sure he'd be more than happy to help me out with all of this."

"Oh really?" Mort asked suspiciously.

"It's not like that Mort," Deja couldn't help but to laugh at Mort's jealousy. "Stanley's an older guy, almost like a father figure. After knowing him for a while now, I've told him all my sob stories about Darrell and dropping out of school. He'd be thrilled to hear of my plans to move here and go back for my degree."

"Well, then. Since he's no threat to me, then I guess we better give Mr. Stanley a buzz."

"He comes into the diner every morning before work, so I'll be sure to talk with him about the house next chance I get.

Things were falling into place perfectly, Deja thought. She was finally about to give up a life she knew so well, for something as whimsical as this. She wasn't sure what the future had in store for her and Mort, but she was more than ready for it.