Author's Note: I cut a Greg and Tawny scene from the original versionof this chapter appearing on my homepage because it contained a smattering of music lyrics and the scene wouldn't have read properly without them. I was also concerned that it might violate the rating although I don't think so...playing it safe!
Feasibility Study
Written by: Ms Maggs / Edited by: KJT
Chapter 79: Losing It – Part 8
Greg's Apartment
7:55 p.m.
When Tawny heard a knock, she flew out of the bedroom cinching her black silk robe and hurried to open the door. When she did, she was thrilled to see Greg grinning from ear to ear with both hands secretively behind his back.
"Hey," She greeted with the same smirk she used to wear when he would arrive for their daily date.
"Hey," Greg echoed while revealing the contents in his right hand…a bag of Krispy Kremes. "I'm embracing our history. This is a booty call, Baby…and like it always was…it's also something a little more." Bringing his left hand forward, he displayed a vase full of red roses. "I can't believe I never brought you flowers before now. Please subtract one hundred cool points for that because you've certainly deserved them many times over. Thank you for the phone call, and for bringing a smile to my face after a really rough day. I love you, Tawny."
"I love you too!" Throwing her arms around his neck she shrieked, "The flowers are beautiful! Your words were wonderful! I know the donuts will be delicious, and every lusty pregnancy hormone in my body is grateful for this booty call!" It had been six days since they made love, and after a stimulating striptease class and rehashing their passionate first time together over the phone, she was craving intense physical affection as much as the sugary treats in the bag. "Thank you!"
"You're very welcome," Greg declared as he was yanked inside seconds before the door slammed behind him. "I only have an hour before I need to get back to the lab." Kicking off his shoes he chuckled, "I hope that's enough time."
Snatching the contents from his hands she placed them on the kitchen counter. "I don't know about you, but I'm so pent up I'll be done in ten minutes tops."
"I realized today that I absolutely without a doubt know the baby is mine," He declared while letting Tawny frantically undo his belt. "When I first found out you were pregnant I was worried you had done it on purpose to trap me. Hello!" He hoisted his arms up so Tawny could yank his shirt over his head. "Talk about selective memory. Could I have been more wrong? How many times did you remind me?" He shuddered with delight as Tawny's hands fastidiously worked open his button-fly jeans. "And you were more than happy to expertly take care of business for me, so it wasn't like you were leaving me high and dry hoping I'd insist on something and make it seem like my idea." Shaking his head he groaned, "What guy in his right mind turns down that in favor of pregnancy-risking sex?"
"Yeah…that really shocked the hell out of me at the time," She giggled as she shucked his pants and boxers. "Wow, I've missed you, Baby."
Quickly he stepped out of the clothes bunged around his ankles. "I've missed you too."
Bending down she tugged off his socks…while trying desperately to block the homo-erotic toe-sucking imagery she had painted for Sara at dance class.
Pulling her up, he half-joked, "I think, subconsciously, I intentionally got you pregnant because deep down I knew you were the perfect woman for me. How else can I possibly explain such an intense desire to screw up that day?" After discarding her robe he placed his palm over her womb and affirmed, "That's my baby, Baby. No guy gets away with being that stupid and reckless."
"Nope!" Her estrogen-fueled libido powered her words as she cut to the booty call bottom line. "Couch, bed or floor?"
"Couch of course, we're being nostalgic! And we'll need the right music." Hurrying to the Beosound 9000 he cued up the exact same disc. "Our baby was conceived during a sugar rush while listening to The Crystal Method…starting with Eight Miles Back, which coincidentally was where I left my condoms, and conception occurred during Blowout, which by definition means the sudden malfunction of an apparatus leading to an escape of gas or liquid..." He chuckled, "…luckily I only leaked one of those substances in the heat of the moment."
Lounging on the couch she laughed. "Actually you leaked the other one when you were sleeping later that day." Suddenly concerned the truth might kill the mood, she lied. "Just kidding!"
Breathing a sigh of relief, he raced over and joined his lover on the couch, honing in on her gleaming eyes. "Hello, there." Instead of joining their bodies, he remained just out of reach to taunt her.
Grinning wildly, she shifted her hips to acknowledge the tease. "Hello, Stranger."
Lowering his lips to hers he admitted, "If I could go back and do it all over again that first time, I wouldn't change a thing." Halting an inch from her mouth he confessed, "Except the music. Sorry…can I…"
"I'm up for whatever you mix," She purred. "Just figure it out quick, because I can't believe what these pregnancy hormones are doing to me! I'm unreasonably horny."
"And I've had a really tense day and desperately need to decompress. Talk about perfect conditions for red hot lovin'." At the stereo he queried, "Think you can hang in longer than ten minutes, because I'm programming this with a specific ending in mind and it will take almost twenty to get there."
With a glint in her eye she requested, "Give me the rundown, Mister DJ, so I can pace myself."
"It's all Prince…starting out light. Then we're gettin' naughty."
"Ahh…inspirational music." She threw him a look as he stood before her.
Feigning ignorance he prodded, "Sorry, I'm not tracking you. Oh! You must be referring to …Let's Pretend We're Married. I believe that could inspire me."
"Then maybe we should hear that one twice!" She giggled riotously.
Sliding his eager body over hers he informed her in a sexy whisper, "After a potent twenty minute combination of songs, we both should be good to go. Then, when the tempo changes to the slow, sexy groove of one of my favorite romantic ballads, Do Me, Baby, we can lock eyes, up the intimacy, and explode during the high note towards the end…you know the one I'm talking about. After that we'll simmer down to Purple Rain. Sound like a plan?"
"Oh, yeah." Raring to go, she purred, "Now let's get to it, because I'm really looking forward to the explosion..."
The Fitness Den
8:00 p.m.
As he had done several times in the past month, Jim Brass leaned against the large blue U.S. Postal Service mailbox just outside The Fitness Den to wait for his mystery lady's arrival. But unlike those other times, on this night he noticed his friend, Gil Grissom, driving up to the curb.
"What are you doing here?" They asked each other as Gil emerged from the driver's seat and glanced over the roof of his car.
Just then, Heather strutted out the front door of the gym in disguise and made a beeline for her man. As she hurried toward Jim, her long dark ponytail, which was funneled through the back of the Boston Red Sox baseball cap she was sporting, swung in the evening breeze. The cap was a gift from her baseball-loving daughter during one of her visits home from Bean Town. And, as if wearing a ball cap wasn't out of character enough, in a severe departure from her regular attire she wore an oversized grey t-shirt, white yoga pants and cheap red flip-flops.
Before Gil could get close enough to recognize her, and before she noticed anyone else in the area, Heather had her arms around Jim's neck, greeting him with a passionate kiss.
Finding it a bit awkward to smooch his lady in front of her ex-one night stand, Jim pulled away. "We have company." When he said the words he was referring to Gil but, by the time they were out in the air, another person was within sight. "Oh shit." And although he was sure the next series of events took only seconds to unfold, it seemed like a slow motion nightmare that lasted an eternity…
As she approached from the parking lot carrying the important items she needed from her broken-down car, Sara saw Jim Brass embracing a woman. With the woman's back to her, all she could make out were some basics of her appearance…baggy clothes, plain ponytail and a sports cap. She silently rejoiced…he's SO busted! Finally, I'm going to meet Jim's mystery lady!
While Jim and Gil froze like deer in the headlights of an oncoming twenty-ton truck, Heather felt the tension in her partner's body and inquired with concern in her voice, "Is something wrong, Jim?" That's when she realized someone had appeared out of nowhere. "Oh, how nice to see you again, Gil."
"That voice," Sara whispered under her breath as her eyes focused on the woman. "What…" That's when she realized who the woman was with her hands on Jim's chest. "You…"
"Hello, Sara," Heather greeted warmly. Then turning to her partner in crime she remarked, "Well Jim, I guess the cat is prematurely out of the bag. And she wasn't home to receive her delivery at seven." She had specifically requested an in-person delivery so the document wouldn't be waiting on her doorstep.
Gil stood gaping at his stunned wife.
"No, this…" Steely-eyed, Sara asked Brass, "Is she your mystery lady?"
"Sara…" Brass swallowed the lump in his throat. "That's why I was taking you out to lunch on Saturday…to explain. I didn't want you to find out this way."
Rocked by the revelation, Sara turned to her husband. "You look shocked for me, not about them. You couldn't have been here more than thirty seconds, and that's hardly enough time to get used to this appalling idea so…tell me…did you know about this already?"
Before he could respond, Heather lied on his behalf. "No, he didn't. Not until a moment before you." She stood back waiting to see what Mr. Grissom would do with her lie.
Gil's eyes darted to his former lover as he wondered why she felt compelled to save his ass. Then he realized if he didn't correct the lie, she would be able to hold it over him. It's all about power with her, he reminded himself, and he knew she'd cherish having it. "That's not true. I've known for weeks."
Heather couldn't hold her tongue. "Look who grew a spine. Bravo, Gil!"
Jim gave his lady a warning stare.
"I don't believe this." Dizzy from the shock, the lies, and the reality, Sara took a step back from the conspirators. "Every one of you knew the truth, looked me in the eyes, but didn't tell me." Facing Heather she snipped, "I wouldn't expect you to be honest."
"I'm sorry, Sara." Heather calmly replied, "I know how much you value honesty in your marriage so this has to be quite a blow."
Gulping for a breath, Sara recalled the confrontation she just had in the locker room with Heather...
"If a man purposely withholds information from his wife when she's asked for it and purports not to know the answer, is that the same in your mind as lying?"
"Yes." Sara stood firm.
"Would you say it's disrespectful?"
"Yes."
"A breech in the trust of the marriage?"
"Yes."
"And you're certain your husband doesn't lie to you?"
"Never." She snapped, "Why are you asking? Do you have a point you're trying to make? Or is all of this vague questioning just supposed to rattle me in a general way?"
"Like I said… I was just curious." Heather grinned uncontrollably. "Have a nice night." At the door she turned and tossed a wink in Sara's direction. "And congratulations on your perfect marriage."
Incredulous at her own naiveté, Sara glared at Heather. "You set me up. Just now…in the locker room…when you were asking me those questions…you knew this was about to go down."
"I beg your pardon?" Her tone reeked of innocence. "That's not true. I had no way of knowing you'd be hanging out waiting for your husband."
Sara's blood pressure skyrocketed. "You calculating Bitch."
Jim stepped forward in his lady's defense. "Hey now! She doesn't deserve that, Sara. It's me you're pissed at. How about giving her a chance to explain before you…"
"A chance, Jim?" Livid, she unleashed her fury. "Oh, so NOW, after I'm blindsided and humiliated, I'm supposed remain calm and give you all a chance. Do you have ANY idea what this feels like right now? She pulsated with anger as she screamed, "You lied to my face repeatedly. You made a game out of this…you were laughing at me while I stood there trying to guess who your mystery lady was! Oh my god! You cracked jokes in front of me about it! You said stuff like…I can't meet her because she's tying up loose ends. I asked if the four of us could go out to dinner some time, and you said, that would make for a very interesting evening. I never forget what people say. Admit it! You were deliberately making a fool out of me!" Her heart breaking, she sadly said, "I thought you cared about me. I trusted you. When you found me in the airport…when I was in Tahoe…I really believed you were someone I could count on. But now I know I can only count on you to let me down. Just like my real father." She fought to hold back her tears, knowing how much Heather would thrive on them.
Standing there listening to disappointment saturating Sara's voice, he suddenly heard Ellie's in his head echoing the sentiments. "I'm so sorry, Sara."
"Hasn't your lady told you…" Sara's body started shaking. "Apologies are just words. Action is what counts. And your actions have spoken louder than words ever could. How long has this…" She saw the answer in Jim's eyes. "Oh my god…since we worked the case. After you saw her ruthlessly cut me down? Unbelievable! While I was running out the door, you were back there scoring with her. I'm so disgusted right now. At least Greg didn't betray me that…"
"Greg and Tawny know too." Heather's hand flew to her mouth from the shock of the blurt. "I didn't mean to…"
"NO!" Sara lurched away another giant step. "She was just in class with me as my friend. We were having a great time. She's my friend. She wouldn't have…and Greg…he's like a brother to me. Oh my god…how many others? Catherine? Warrick? I know you wouldn't tell Nick because she makes him sick. No…you couldn't tell Nick because he would never lie to my face, he'd refuse. Tell me he doesn't know! Tell me Carrie doesn't know!"
Jim placed his hand on his aching heart. "I swear he doesn't know, Sara, which means Carrie doesn't. Catherine and Warrick don't know either. Just Greg and Tawny."
"Well…aren't they going to be sad they missed this big reveal?" The tears started to flow as she slipped into a brutal memory…
With a pleasant smile on her face, Suzie led the way to the high school library. "Thanks so much again for agreeing to tutor me, Sara. I'm so bad at Science. I really owe you. In just two weeks I've learned so much."
"It's not a problem." Sara returned the popular girl's smile. Even though she hated cliques and Suzie was the queen of one, when the girl came crying for help a couple of weeks previously, she didn't turn her down. How could she after the sad story Suzie told her about her mom being diagnosed with cancer? Her mother's illness had impacted her studying so much that Suzie could possibly lose her cheerleading scholarship to University of Michigan if she didn't pull up her science and math grades this quarter. "What do you want to study today?"
"History."
Sara tilted her head curiously as they entered the library. "But I didn't think you had a problem with history?"
"I don't." When she glanced over and saw eight of her friends gathered around a table she smirked. "I love history. Especially the juicy stuff…the scandals. Oh look…come meet my friends."
"Um…okay." Nervously, Sara adjusted her blue sweater and pushed some hair behind her left ear and when she approached the table of grinning popular students she gave a tentative, "Hi".
"So, Sara…" Suzie handed her books to her jock boyfriend, Rod. "We'd love to hear your take on this little piece of history." Holding out her hand, Suzie received a small pile of printed pages from her best friend Jane. With uncontainable glee on her face she held up the first page.
Sara's heart stopped as she saw the printed newspaper article on her father's murder. "How did…"
Suzie snickered, "Your mommy killed your daddy, huh? That explains why you're so weird."
Rod stared down at the shocked girl. "Totally understandable that you're fucked up from that psycho trauma. Explains why you never have a date too. Who would go out with the daughter of husband-killer?" Acting like Norman Bates wielding a knife, he pretended to repeatedly stab his pal John while imitating the infamous soundtrack.
The gang loved it.
Staring at Suzie, Sara meekly asked, "This whole time…these two weeks…it was all a set up for this?"
"Yeah!" Suzie slipped into her boyfriend's arms. "I'm good. You didn't suspect a thing. Not even when Janey and I were laughing about you in gym class yesterday and you heard us say your name."
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Sara fled the library to the sounds of hysterical laughter and hurtful name calling.
Bolting backwards from the touch of her husband's hand, she snapped out of the memory. "Don't lay a hand on me." The tears were flowing.
"Sara…" With a heavy heart he said, "Honey, please…"
"Stay away from me!" She stared at him broken hearted. "Because you were laughing about it in front of me too." Crushed, she choked out the words. "At the party…
Nick placed his hands on Carrie's shoulders. "I can't believe what I'm learning about you tonight. What else don't I know?"
"A woman should always have some mystery," She teased.
Gil raised his whisky glass and chortled, "Just ask Jim, he's got a mystery lady of his own."
Decimated by her husband's betrayal, Sara weakly whispered, "I gave you that party to make you feel special and in return you degraded me in front of my so-called friends. You betrayed me. I'm so stunned I can't really fathom how much right now. But I'm so familiar with the concept I know it when I feel it…and I'm feeling it deep. After everything we just went through with your father. After Tahoe. After…" Her hand landed on her womb. "I can't believe you."
Gil felt powerless. If he pushed it would be disrespectful. If he backed away he would appear unfeeling.
"Greg and Tawny didn't know at the party," Heather announced in a remorseful tone hoping to alleviate some of the damage. "They found out accidentally when they drove Jim home and stopped to use his restroom. Jim made them swear not to tell you because he had already had made plans to tell you on Saturday."
Lowering his head Jim confessed, "She's right and Sanders wasn't about to cross me considering my position at the lab. He's got a baby on the way. He needs his job. I didn't threaten him, but it's common sense."
Gil pleaded with his eyes while fighting the urge to pull her into his arms and comfort her. But he knew physical assertiveness was not the way to go right now. She needed space.
Moving her gaze between Gil and Brass, Sara remarked in exasperation, "Wow…she must really have a hold on the two of you to get you to toss your moral character out the window so easily." Sick to her stomach, Sara began walking backwards. "All I want is to be left alone." She tossed everything to the ground except her gym bag. "Don't think about following me." With the back of her hand she wiped her tears. "Don't call me. Just stay away." And as she turned she demanded, "You've betrayed me enough already, so you better listen to me now."
Raw with despair, Gil watched his wife disappear into the night. "She's absolutely right." He closed his eyes.
Heather took Jim's hand. "She just needs time to cool off and then she'll be able to discuss it rationally."
"You think so, huh?" Pulling away his hand, Jim despondently replied, "That's what I said about Ellie." With his eyes on the ground and his hands in his pockets, he walked away.
Standing alone with Gil, Heather commented, "If the truth is going to hurt anyway, why delay it?"
Turning to face her he replied, "How ironic to hear you say that since it was exactly my thought that morning when I phoned for the warrant."
"Apples to oranges."
He waited for a more detailed explanation.
"You didn't really know if I was guilty or innocent when you phone for the warrant, you were only suspicious. Delaying your actions in that scenario would have ultimately caused you and me significantly less discomfort." Folding her arms across her chest she asked the distraught man, "Tell me…were you merely suspicious that your wife might react badly if she found out you didn't tell her the truth, or did you know without question that she'd feel hurt and betrayed?" The answer was immediately clear in his eyes. "And yet you chose to keep the truth from her. Why? There's something you can ponder while you wait for her to cool off." She removed her ball cap before heading for the parking lot. "For what it's worth…I sincerely hope the two of you can make it work."
Without comment he left her side and retreated into his vehicle. Once seated, Gil slouched in the driver's seat and closed his eyes.
Crime Lab
8:25 p.m.
Joann, the Swing Shift Supervisor, slammed down her phone when Jim Brass didn't answer. "What the hell is going on!" She had several burning questions about the Dollhouse case and the evidence which that was left for her shift to process. However, not a single person who worked on the case that afternoon…Grissom, Nick, Greg, Sara, Pete, Jas or Sofia, was answering their pages or cellphones. Granted they weren't technically on shift, but considering the gravity of the case she felt they should be on standby to field questions.
Glancing at her watch she decided, with only ninety minutes until shift change, she'd sit on her hands and leave it all for Warrick to handle. After all, it was his second night in the Supervisor job and he was probably ready for a challenge.
Greg's Apartment
8:35 p.m.
Lying snuggly on the couch facing each other under the blanket they had finally remembered to snatch, Greg and Tawny enjoyed the soft music playing and the looks of contentment in each other's eyes. After sharing such a powerful experience, the intimacy between them was flowing.
Finally Tawny whispered, "I think I really am guilty of trapping you this time."
Puzzled, he lovingly asked, "How can you trap me if I already got you pregnant?"
"I trapped you emotionally," She clarified in a guilty tone. "In your most vulnerable moment I asked you to pledge your feelings for me. I'm sure you would have agreed to anything only seconds away from bliss."
He pushed the hair out of her eyes and lovingly prompted, "Then ask me again now that I'm coherent."
She jumped at the chance. "How much do you love me, Greg?"
"So much," He answered without hesitation while gazing into her beautiful brown eyes.
Excited by the confidence in his reply she quizzed, "And how long will you love me?"
He repeated the same answer from before. "Forever." After pausing long enough to savor the love in her eyes, he propped up on an elbow and whispered, "Tawny…there was a time in my life years ago when the only thing I wanted to do was disappear." It was the impromptu beginning of a confession. And for a second he thought he would backpedal, but then he knew in his heart he should forge on. "When I was thirteen…I told you a little about it yesterday, remember? Being bullied…tortured actually, at my middle school, and my parents near divorce over how to raise me."
"Yes, and believe me, I know all about wanting to disappear," She lamented as she caressed his cheek. "Why do you think I ran away?"
"I mean really disappear…" On the brink of divulging his darkest secret he took a steadying breath. "I mean disappear forever…not just from school, or home…from life."
"You mean…" When he nodded she didn't finish her statement.
"Did you ever think it?"
"No." She shook her head. "Not even on the worst day."
"Good." It made him feel better to know she never did or could entertain the possibility. "I wondered about that and I'm relieved to know that in spite of everything you've gone through, you've never been there. It's an awful place to be, even for a moment. And if you happen to stay there longer than a moment…" His voice cracked. "If you stay there too long…"
When she saw his eyes welling up, hers followed suit. "Did you think it when you were thirteen, Greg? Or…"
Taking her hand he gave it a squeeze. "Remember our first date when I asked you not to tell anyone that I liked romantic movies…"
"I told you that even your darkest secrets are safe with me." Her heart ached from the sadness building in his eyes. "Trust me." She clutched his hand.
After acknowledged his faith in her with a nod, he bared his soul. "The doctors told my mom if she found me twenty minutes later I wouldn't have made it." As the first tear streamed down his cheek he confessed, "The thing is…she wasn't supposed to be coming home for five hours. My dad…he was away on a trip with some friends. I picked that day and time for a reason." His voice cracked as he spoke of the details he and his mom hadn't shared for almost two decades. "You see…I wasn't doing it to get attention. I had plenty of attention…every day, I had my mom and dad trying to control me, I had those bastards at school pounding the shit the out of me, and I had their girlfriends laughing their asses off at me. I wanted the opposite of attention. I wanted the attention to end. I wanted everything to end."
Tawny's eyes blurred from her tears. It was so hard to hear and twice as hard to believe that the sweetest, funniest guy she ever met had once fallen so far into despair.
"I knew what I was doing." In a distant voice he described the plan as the memory played like a movie in his head. "I went to school as usual but after first period, I snuck out and came back home. With my dad out of town and my mom not due home until after four, I knew no one would find me until it was too late." As he gulped in air, salty tears slipped into his open mouth. "I went to my parents' bathroom and took two bottles of pills…tranquilizers for my mom's migraines. Then I went to the wet bar in the living room and grabbed a full bottle of vodka. I didn't write a note or do anything fancy because I didn't want to waste any time." He swallowed hard. "I was focused."
Devastated by the thought of what might have been, Tawny's tears flowed as she wiped away Greg's.
"But my mom…" He paused for another deep breath. "This is really hard…it's…my mom thought you should know. You should know. I haven't said this stuff since it happened so it's all coming back and…"
"Take your time." So he wouldn't center on her distress, she forced herself to pull it together. "I'm not going anywhere."
Finding the strength to continue in her steady gaze, he revealed, "That day, my mom realized she forgot her grade book at home. Never in her life had she forgotten that thing. She was really protective of it. You know…it was before teachers had computers. You lose that book and the whole year is gone. It was always in her briefcase before she went to bed at night, so when she left in the morning it went with her. But…on that day…"
Tawny smiled through her despair. "She left it at home."
"Yes." Once again he had to force the words out. "On her desk…and when she had a free period, she came home to get it…that's when she found me in living room." Trembling, he rested against the back of the couch. "The next thing I remember was waking up in the hospital…with my mom asleep in a chair next to the bed…" Cracking completely he eeked out the last part. "…holding my hand. I shouldn't be here, Tawny. I don't deserve…"
Blanketing him with her body she soothed, "You were temporarily lost and she was meant to find you. She had to because seventeen years later I would be lost and need you to find me…and when we found each other, we were meant to make this baby growing inside me. Believe that for me. Can you?"
He managed to affirm her request with a nod while emoting in her loving embrace.
In silence she held him until Greg was able to compose himself from the painful memory and the heavy feelings of regret. "Feeling better?" Tawny tenderly inquired as she ran her fingers through his hair, subtly pushing it from his damp face.
"Yes…because of you." That's when he knew his mom was right. If ever the time came in the future, Tawny would be able to pull him out of the hole. She had the right stuff. And in that moment of perfect clarity he spoke from the heart. "That was a very scary time in my life when all I wanted to do was avoid forever, but now…with you, Tawny…" Reaching out, he gently placed his hand on her tear-streaked cheek. "Forever is what I want more than anything." Filling his lungs with air and his heart with hope he wistfully said, "So…Tawny Ann Cooper…now that I know what I want more than anything…" An adoring smile dawned on his face. "…I don't want to pretend we're married like the song says."
Breathless from the realization of where he was going, Tawny's eyes exploded with excitement.
"I want to ask you something." After placing a delicate kiss on the back of her hand he whispered, "I'm going to ask it even though we're on my old couch and not in a romantic place. Yeah…I'm going to ask it even though we're both emotional wrecks from dealing with my baggage, rather than out on the town blissed out over a bottle of Cristal. And even though we're naked instead of dressed to the nines, I'm going to ask anyway…even though the wrong music is definitely playing..."
They shared a sweet laugh and then Tawny said, "Do you want to stop and change the music?"
"Hell no!" He beamed with excitement. "But wait, my preamble it gets even more pathetic. I'm going to ask my question even though the only ring I have to give you is a glazed Krispy Kreme!"
"You know I love Krispy Kremes!" She gushed with anticipation. "Ask anyway."
"If you insist…" Holding her hand he breathed in and out twice before starting. "Tawny…
Unfortunately a harsh knock on the door ruined the critical moment.
Tawny couldn't believe the disastrous timing of the unwelcome visitor. "Let's not answer it. We're not even dressed." If it was a Girl Scout with cookies she was fully prepared to whack her over the head with the box and if it was someone thumping the Bible she was fully prepared to tell them to go to hell. "It's okay, keep talking!"
Greg dropped back against the couch cushion terribly disappointed that the momentum of his proposal was lost. And just when they thought the visitor had left, and was about to attempt to recapture the mood, instead of a knock there was a bang. "I know you're in there. Greg, your Tahoe is in the parking lot and Tawny, you left me a note saying you would be at home. I want to talk to you…now."
"It's Sara," Greg remarked with surprise in his voice.
"Whoa…I didn't think she'd be this ticked about me leaving dance class early."
Greg shook his head. "Nah…she wouldn't get pissed over something that trivial. Something else must be upsetting her." Concerned, Greg sat up with Tawny in his arms and shouted, "Hey, Sara! I was just getting in the shower so I need to throw some clothes on. Give me two minutes."
Masking her disappointment, Tawny wrapped the blanket around her body and followed her almost-fiancé into their bedroom to grab some clothes and see what was upsetting their friend.
Next Chapter: Losing It - Part 9
Posting: late 5/16
Thanks for reading and commenting,
Maggs