Author: Sparkling-Diva
Rating: PG-13 (possibly more later)
Genre: Drama/Romance
Feedback: Yes! Please! But be nice!
Summary: Vincent Gray, now 33, is at a depressing stage of his life. When he meets a young girl, his life will change forever.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the show Judging Amy whatsoever and in no way am I affiliated with it.
Author's Note: Yeahy! Long chapter!
Chapter 39
Laura heard the sound of the doorbell rang and rushed over to answer it. When she saw who it was, she said "Sean you're early."
"Oh my god." He said as he stared at disbelief at the woman in front of him. She was wearing a bright silk blue dress gown and had her hair up. Her brown eyes sparkled as she smiled.
"Laura?' he asked.
"Please don't say that I look so bad."
"No. It's just-."
"Just what."
"You're beautiful."
"Thanks. That's good to hear after 3 hours of Donna and Ariadne torturing me with hair and makeup."
Sean laughed a little.
"You look very handsome."
"Thanks oh and these are for you," he said handing a small bouquet of flowers for you.
"Sean…"
"Sean!" Ariadne yelled as she wore a little green dress and ran up to give him a hug.
"Hey," he said picking her up and giving her a hug, "I haven't seen you in the longest time."
"Me neither!"
Donna soon came out with a dark brown dress and said, "Hey, Sean!" a little nervously.
"Hey Donna," he said, "Oh these are for you," he said handing her a small bouquet.
"Do I get anything?" Ariadne said with a little pout that caused everyone to think she was the most adorable thing one could ever see.
"This is for you," Sean said giving her a sunflower, "Just since you are a little star and are so special."
"Thank you," she said hugging him.
"You're welcome," he said.
Laura then noticed the look on Donna's face and followed her gaze to meet Sean's and Laura then started to realize something she was afraid that she might have overlooked.
"Ready?" she asked.
"Yup." Donna said breaking out from her daydream.
"Hey, Sean, why don't you and Donna sit up front while me and Ariadne can sit at the back."
"Okay," he shrugged directing his attention back to the little girl.
Donna mouthed a "thank you" and Laura responded with a silent "you're welcome."
"Can we go now?" Ariadne asked. "I want to see Uncle Vincent."
"Sure, let's go." Sean said leading them out in the hall while giving Laura a glance before turning away.
"I can't thank or tell you enough how much this party means to me," Vincent exclaimed.
"It's always my pleasure to help fellow talented writers," Patrick said.
"Vincent!" Ariadne yelled running to Vincent.
"Hey," he said hugging her with his tux on. "How's the most beautiful and sweetest little girl in the world?"
"Good!"
"Vincent!" Donna exclaimed. "We aren't late are we? There's so many people here!"
"No you aren't. A little before time actually."
"Good."
"Hey, where's Laura? Didn't she come with you?"
"Yeah. She met with Maxine way back there and is talking with her and Sean. She told me to tell you she'd meet up with you any second now."
"So Vincent, you're involved with a woman?" Patrick asked suspiciously stirring his drink.
"We're not involved," Vincent said taking a sip of his. "We're close friends."
"Sure. And with the look on your face I can tell she means something special."
"Why are you so interested?" Donna asked confident in finding out.
"Well, if Vincent isn't dating her and she seems to be special enough to be so close to a fellow writer I believe that I have a right to know about it?"
"Says who?"
"The way that the world goes round."
"Hmmm…" Donna said giving him a suspicious gaze to him. Something about him just didn't seem right. But then again, agents were known to be really self-centered individuals who had to be overloaded with details. She looked around the room until she yelled, "Vincent, there she is!"
"Where?" he asked.
"There! Don't you see her?"
"I don't Donna."
"She's talking with your mother!"
"I see my mother and Sean and no one else."
"Men…" Donna grumbled in frustration. "Come on," she said grabbing his arm and pulling him through the crowd as Ariadne followed close behind. They finally reached the crowd and Donna announced, "And look who's joined the party!"
"Vincent!" Maxine exclaimed, "You look so handsome this truly is your night you know."
"Hey, Vincent," Sean said extending a handshake to him.
"Hey."
"Thanks for the invite."
"Anytime."
Suddenly, the woman standing in front of Sean turned around to face Vincent.
Vincent nearly had a heart attack when he first saw her. She was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen in her life. Her hair was waved and placed up in a decorative bun stile while two thick strands of her fell at either side of her face in slight waves. Her blue dress fit her just right and held together in all the right places. Her eyes were soft honey brown with sparkle and joyful happiness in them. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"Hi, Vincent!" the woman exclaimed with a smile.
Vincent then recognized the voice.
It can't be, he told himself, It just can't.
"Laura?" he choked asking.
"Yeah," she softly whispered.
It was her. It was who he was thinking of.
"You look so beautiful," he said staring deep into her shy eyes and swore that the blush she wore suddenly went to a slightly more rosier tone against her light tanned looked skin.
"Thank you. You are so handsome as well."
Vincent couldn't respond but couldn't stop looking at how different she looked.
She was nothing like she normally was. Laura no longer was the nerdy bubbly yet smart nerd who always wore a ponytail and big glasses that hid what beauty her face could have held. Her clothes were nothing like her normal comfortable style but instead one of a casual yet sensitive ballgown atmosphere difference.
"So, Vincent, are you just going to keep staring at this beauty or introduce me to her?" Patrick said as he came to join the group as Sean, Maxine, and Donna had apparently started a discussion aside from the other two.
"Hello," Laura said.
"And what's your name?"
"La-." Laura started.
"Her name is Laura Mitchell," Vincent finished with a little roughness to his voice.
"Well, Laura, you must be quite pleased of what your friend here has accomplished."
"Very. He deserves the best," she said flashing a smile to Vincent which he returned.
"I see," Patrick said, "Vincent has spoken of you very highly."
"Really?" Laura asked.
Vincent then gave Patrick a strange look.
Had he? He thought that he had refused 100 to give any information about his personal life whatsoever.
"He mentioned that you yourself use to write."
Well, Vincent had mentioned that in a previous conversation once but that is it.
"That's true."
"Have you ever thought of getting professionally big-time published?"
"Mr. Sommers…" Laura began.
"Just call me Patrick. Patrick Summers," the man replied.
Vincent couldn't believe what was happening before him. Was Craig flirting with Laura, his girlfriend? Wait a moment, girlfriend. She's a girl and a friend but when did those two words ever come together when he had thought about her as of a couple weeks before their trip together to New York? What was he thinking?
"Okay, Patrick," Laura said giving Vincent a little clueless look.
"So have you thought about it?"
"Yes, but that was so long ago and…"
"Never say never," he said grinning and showing his white teeth that made Vincent want to puke. What he was doing was just beyond pathetic.
"Here's my card. Give me a call. I'm really interested in reading some of your works."
"You would?" Laura said.
Oh no, Vincent thought, that smile must've had a hypnotizing affect since now she was falling for it.
"Yes. Now I have to go and talk to a few people before Vincent can come on up to the mic and explain his thank you's for being here. I hope to see more of you Ms. Mitchell."
"Same and it's Laura."
"Alright, Laura," he said before walking away and leaving Laura and Vincent alone.
"Patrick. Patrick Sommers," Vincent imitated in a James Bond voice causing Laura too laugh. "Don't tell me you felt something like a connection to him or anything."
"No, I mean c'mon. You know, he's…him. But at least I know."
They both laughed.
"Congratulations, Vincent," she said giving him a quick hug. "You deserve this."
In the background, Patrick could be heard welcoming the crowd as Laura and Vincent were at the side.
"Hi!" Amy waved from across the room as she and Lauren arrived with Kyle, Peter, Gillian, Ned, and Walter.
Vincent waved back as Amy also waved hello to Laura clearly in shock of how her appearance had changed and Laura waved back.
"And now for the reason we are all here, Vincent Gray!" Patrick announced as he then had a spotlight shine on Vincent to come on the stage.
"Break a leg, hot stuff," Laura smiled as she addressed him to the stage with encouragement.
"I will," he said as he made his way to the stage.
In the past he had been at readings but now this was a party to celebrate the success of the book sales. There must've been over a hundred people there. Clearing his voice, he said, "Hi! Welcome! You probably already guessed who I am. I'm not really one for public speaking although I do teach…which is really confusing if you think of it."
The audience laughed as well as Laura at the inside joke.
"Anyways," Vincent continued into the mike, "I'm proud to be standing here in front of all of you including my family and friends," he said staring from to them and then at Laura, "For helping me through my life and guiding me through the success of my now third novel. It's an honor to be recognized. I don't know what else to say but umm…thank you all and I hear the buffet is pretty good, so enjoy!"
The audience then applauded and laughed as he walked off the stage.
Something was off about the night in Laura's eyes.
Vincent wasn't seeming his normal self.
She had observed him all night and saw how he took all the encouragement form local critics and writers as he made his way through the room.
She even thought that sometimes they were stealing glances from one another.
But still, even though she couldn't quite figure it out, there was like a sadness.
"Hey, we meet again," Patrick said as he came up to her waking her from her waking reverie.
"Hi," Laura said holding her diet soda since she refused to actually drink the wine.
"You know, I couldn't help but notice…" Patrick continued. Laura tried to listen but found herself with her wandering gaze towards Vincent who was walking away from the crowd and off to an outside balcony.
Throughout the night, Vincent realized the way that other men were staring at her and he had to admit it made him uncomfortable. Especially with one of these men being his agent, Patrick, who was even much older than he was.
He then thought back on what he and Laura had gone through.
How could he have denied her in such a way? She was so beautiful. He felt so pathetic for letting her go. Then he realized looks were nothing on why they drew a close to their pending relationship but it was about what had been occurring in his life. Yet, he couldn't stop wondering if what he had done was a mistake.
Was she pain?
No of course she couldn't be in pain.
She was his friend now.
The past was way much more behind.
They had proved it in so many ways for the last couple months they seemed to be getting closer and even more closer.
If she had anything to hide or felt something was wrong, she would tell him, right?
There were just too many unanswered questions.
"Vincent," Vincent heard Laura say as he was leaning against a balcony with a drink in his hand gazing at the moon in the cool night sky lost in thought.
"Laura," he said taking a sip of his drink. "Aren't you suppose to be in there?"
"I should be asking you that. After all this party is for you," she said coming next to him and leaning over the balcony with her pop can that made Vincent smile. Despite all the alcohol, she still preferred to choose a diet soft drink. Sometimes, he forgot how old they really were.
"Well, since you've been in there, how's the crowd?" he asked.
"Good. They really like your book Vincent."
"That's a surprise."
"There's something different about you Vincent. Tonight you just seem different."
"How?"
"I don't know. You just do."
"In a good way?"
"How about in a you-got-me-kinda-worried-way?"
Vincent just grinned and looked down.
"You look beautiful."
"Don't change the topic, Vince."
"You do and I'm not changing the topic. I'm just simply choosing that this isn't the right moment to speak of it."
"Okay and thank you. I'm guessing that Donna's and Ariadne's sacrifice sufficed."
"They did this to you?"
"Yeah. The hair. The makeup. The dress. Everything."
"It paid off."
"I think it did too."
"So how's Mr. Macho."
"You mean Patrick?"
"Oh right, the moment you meet at a fancy party and bang! You're already on first name basis."
"No…we're good."
"Humph."
"In fact, ummm…he's meeting me the day after tomorrow to go over some writing."
"What time?" Vincent said taking a drink.
"You don't have a problem with me seeing him at least for a one-tester date do you," Laura asked softly.
"No," Vincent said taking a drink from his glass.
"Are you sure?"
'Positive. Go and have a nice time."
"You don't sound enthusiastic."
"I'm half wasted being drunk," he said raising his glass, "Am I suppose to be anymore enthusiastic?"
Laura smiled. "So you are okay?"
"It's your life, Laura."
"Okay. I'm going to go over check how the other's are doing and I'll be back alright?"
"Okay," he said. "Laura?"
"Vincent?" she said turning back around.
Looking down and then back up at her again he said, "If he ever hurts you let me know so I can do a trick that Donna taught me during her small wrestling obsession."
Laura just laughed. "Okay, I promise."
Then she left.
Vincent smiled before he then resumed to stare deep into his glass.