Chapter 13 – Miranda's apology (OH MY GOD! How long has it been? I've just been so busy and unmotivated. I started this chapter forever ago and I finally got it done. Things are going well for me. I have a job I like and it pays pretty well. I feel happy for the first time in a long time and I'm only hoping I might get a review or two out of this. I'm BACK!

Love Faith and Understanding will save us all,

James)

Gordo spread several pages of handwritten notes around him on the McGuire coffee table. He had his history book in the middle of the mess as he flipped through the pages and made marks on the papers. He was in deep concentration as the brunette girl watched him from the balcony. Miranda watched him study as she tried to decide on the best way to handle what she was about to do.

"Aww, he looks so cute," Lizzie remarked as she joined Miranda.

"He looks like a mad scientist," Miranda responded as she continued to pier over the balcony.

"Yeah, but he's my mad scientist," Lizzie giggled.

Miranda rolled her eyes as she turned to face her friend and told her, "Oh please Lizzie, spare me the giggles act. I get it, he's all yours. ALL yours. Believe me, we all got that memo."

"Oh come on Miranda. You know you would be the same way if it was you instead of me," she said as she stared at Miranda's annoyed face.

"Well its not me, thank god," Miranda answered.

As Lizzie did her best fake angry face, she grinned and thought to herself how happy she really was for her best friends. Although she really couldn't see herself dating him, Gordo's appeal was not lost on Miranda. If there was a silver lining to the horror of the last few days, it was the blooming of Lizzie and Gordo's relationship. As much as she liked to tease Lizzie about it, she knew that one day someone would have the same effect on her. It was a thought that comforted Miranda. For now she was just happy that what they had found in each other was as good as she had hoped it would be.

"Hey, what are you still doing up here? Go down there and talk to the mad scientist," Lizzie insisted.

"Ok, ok. I'm going," Miranda stated. She walked slowly down the stairs and approached him cautiously so she would not startle him. He smiled softly as he noticed her approaching.

"Hey," he greeted her.

"Hey," she responded.

"What's up?" Gordo asked, as he put down his pen and kept his focus on his friend.

"Actually I was wondering if you could help me with something for the test tomorrow," she told him as she took a seat a couple of feet away from him.

"Sure, what can I do for you?" he asked. Miranda quickly scanned his notes trying to find something to ask him about. After a couple of seconds she found something she really did want clarified.

"Well you know how the Mesopotamians believed in a bunch of different gods? Were some of them good and some evil? I didn't quite get that part." She inquired, as she picked up the paper with the notes on the subject written on it.

"No, it's just that they believed that different gods controlled different things. It's kinda like Native Americans, different gods over wind, animals, and rain. Make sense?" he explained.

"Oh, ok. That's easy. I don't know why I didn't get it before," Miranda stated.

"The teacher didn't do such a good job explaining it. I had to look it up online. Don't feel bad," Gordo reassured her.

"You can find that stuff out online?" she asked.

"You can find out just about anything online Miranda," he answered.

"Even who all the couples are at school?" Miranda wondered.

"I don't think you have to get online to figure that out," Gordo informed her as he glanced upstairs.

Miranda studied Gordo. His body looked worn and beaten down, an obvious effect of the stress he was enduring. His hair was even untidier then usual, and she could tell

From the bags under his eyes that he had not been sleeping any better then herself which was not well at all. Beyond the bags, his eyed showed a reserved determination that was remarkable to behold.

"Listen Gordo, about how I've been acting," she started before being cut off.

"Its ok Miranda. Water under the bridge, I already forgave you for it. Forget it," Gordo informed her.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted you to hear me say it. I've been a real witch and it's hard enough for you without me adding to it. You can yell at me and blame everything on me if you like," Miranda suggested.

"Didn't I just tell you to forget it? Its fine really, I'm not mad at you anymore. Believe me if anyone can understand what all this can do to someone it's me. So lets move on and stop talking about it, please?" He asked.

Lizzie continued to watch from the balcony. She was bracing herself for more arguing, and preparing to separate her best friends if it came to it. She was pleased, if a little surprised, to see that several minutes into the conversation Gordo and Miranda were still speaking without so much as a raised tone from either.

Miranda simply nodded at Gordo's request and the two sat looking at each for a few minutes in silence.

"You know before you came down here I was thinking about something," Gordo finally broke the silence.

"Care to share?" Miranda asked.

"Whenever I have gone to your house, do you know who has always brought me?" he questioned.

"I never paid attention," she answered truthfully.

"It was my Dad every time. I can only remember a couple of times my mom did it and that was because my Dad was out of town," He stated.

"So what's the big deal? My mom always took me to your house, OH CRAP!" Miranda snapped.

"Yeah I remembered that too," Gordo added.

"Do you think that something was going on then?" she wondered.

Gordo answered that, "Maybe, or it could have just been the spark. Seeing each other enough that when they started being unhappy with their spouses they knew someone they could confide in and it escaladed from there. But looking back on it now, they have always seemed to have gotten along really well and never missed to chance to talk to each other."

Gordo could see the wheels turning in Miranda's head. He could tell she was suddenly remembering things differently then she had originally. He could tell well from the look on her face that was asking herself how stupid she could have been to not notice before. He had asked himself the same thing earlier.

"Well I feel stupid," she snapped.

"Don't. I'm supposed to be a genius and I didn't get it until a few minutes ago. Its just further proof of how messed up it all is," he said.

"Can I have a hug now Gordo?" Miranda inquired after not being able to respond to the last statement. Gordo raised his eyebrows slightly and gave Miranda an inquisitive look.

"Are you trying to seduce me into leaving Lizzie and the kids for you?" he asked.

"Only if we can run off to New York together," she informed him.

"Deal," Gordo agreed as he motioned her to hug him. Miranda agreed and they broke apart when they heard Lizzie's voice.

"Aww how cute! Another Gordon leaving a his woman for a Sanchez," Lizzie yelled from above.

"Well if you would have cooked and cleaned like I asked!" he yelled back.

"I would have cooked and cleaned if you would have shown me more love and affection!" Lizzie added as she walked down the stairs.

"Would you two stop?" Miranda requested after she recovered from the giggle fit her friends' exchange had caused.

Lizzie joined them on couch, the trio continued to giggle