Disclaimer: See Prologue.
Chapter 27: Is This Seat Taken?
Brenda settled herself in her seat. She was sitting by the window. She couldn't believe it had been only a week since she'd arrived in Beverly Hills, and now here she was, going back to New York. She mused over all that had happened.
Yesterday, she and Dylan had been chatting about what had gone on in their lives since they'd seen each other last, still holding hands across the table, when her parents and Andrea came in through the back door.
Jim and Cindy noticed Dylan, and the fact that his hand was intertwined with their daughter's, immediately.
Brenda and Dylan jumped up immediately.
"Jim, Cindy," said Dylan getting Brenda's parents.
"Hello Dylan," Cindy said, giving him a friendly smile. Jim only glared.
Brenda noticed Andrea standing behind Jim and Cindy.
"Did Brandon get there okay?" she asked pointedly.
Andrea broke out into a great big grin. Brenda grinned back.
"Oh yes," said Cindy, and threw a glance in Andrea's direction. "He was very okay when he left."
"Why are you here?" Jim broke in, addressing Dylan.
Brenda wanted to groan. Why did her father have to act like this?
"Actually, I was just leaving," Dylan said.
"Oh you don't have to," Cindy said. "We're having lunch soon, why don't you join us?"
Cindy saw Jim open his mouth to protest but she nudged him and gave him a glare. Jim relented.
Brenda noticed this exchange, and said a silent 'thank you' to her mother.
"Stay Dylan," she said.
Dylan looked at Jim. He could tell he wasn't very welcome, but he knew Brenda and Cindy wanted him stay. That was enough for him. He'd just ignore Jim.
"Okay," he said.
Jim went to the living room to see Hannah, while Dylan offered to help Cindy to fix lunch. She smiled at him and set him to work. Brenda pulled Andrea outside, eager to hear what happened.
"Well?" she said as soon as they were outside.
"Well, he loves me!" Andrea replied, and Brenda squealed.
"I knew it. I knew it! So, what's happening now?"
"He's in D.C. and I'm in New York. We're gonna work something out. I'm not sure what just yet, but we'll figure it out."
Andrea was still grinning madly. Brenda hugged her tightly.
"This is amazing!" Brenda said excitedly.
"I know!" Andrea replied.
They laughed.
"I'm so glad we bumped into each other," Andrea added.
"Me too," said Brenda, smiling and thinking of how Andrea had helped her with Dylan. "You know, it may have only been less than a week ago, but you really are my best friend," she said warmly.
Andrea smiled and added, "You too."
Lunch went better than Brenda could have hoped. Hannah kept everyone amused with her incessant chatter and questions. After the meal, Andrea reluctantly had to take Hannah home. They were going to visit Andrea's grandmother at the hospital.
Cindy and Jim were sorry to seem them go. Cindy extracted a promise from Andrea to bring Hannah by tomorrow.
Before she left Brenda and Andrea hugged and smiled at each other. Andrea gestured to Dylan and Jim who were standing beside each other and whispered "Good luck!"
Brenda smiled and whispered back, "I'll need it!"
After Andrea and Hannah had left, Cindy took Jim back into the kitchen to load the dishwasher. Brenda led Dylan into the living room.
They sat down and began talking again. This time they talked about all they had done in London together. They spoke animatedly, their eyes shining as they recalled those happy times.
They didn't notice when Jim stood in the doorway, listening. He was surprised to see the expression on Brenda's face. He hadn't seen her look so happy in a long time, not since the last time she had visited him and Cindy in Hong Kong with Dylan he realised. Hearing her and Dylan discuss their past time together so happily gave him pause for thought.
He'd forgotten how happy Brenda and Dylan had seemed back when they were living together in London. Cindy had been right. He had started to warm up to Dylan when he saw how happy he made Brenda, and how much he genuinely seemed to care about Brenda. Cindy had teased that they'd be hearing wedding bells soon. At the time, he had been apprehensive about this, but he also felt that Brenda and Dylan seemed like they were in-love and that they would be happy. In his anger at Dylan he had forgotten how accepting he'd become of their relationship.
Listening to Brenda speaking with such warmth and spirit, Jim began to wonder if perhaps he was being too hard on Dylan. Brenda had explained that it had been her who had pushed Dylan away. Maybe it was unfair of him to blame Dylan.
Cindy walked up behind him, interrupting his thoughts.
"They seem happy, don't they?" Cindy whispered to him, nodding her head towards Brenda and Dylan.
"Yeah, they do," Jim admitted. Cindy smiled at him and kissed him. They watched Brenda and Dylan for a moment longer, and then went back to the kitchen arm in arm.
Dylan had come by to see her that morning to say goodbye, promising to come out and see her play.
It had been hard to say goodbye
to him. She had been tempted to run after when he walked down the
driveway back to his car
and kiss him, but she was
serious about talking things slow. They'd had a wonderful time
together yesterday, but that didn't mean they should rush things.
She was happy to see Andrea and Hannah again when they came over a couple of hours before she left for the airport. She told Andrea about the previous evening spent happily with Dylan, while Andrea filled Brenda in on the phone call she'd received from Brandon last night. Brenda couldn't believe it when her mother announced it was time to leave for the airport.
She hugged Andrea tightly, making Andrea promise to call her when she and Hannah got back to New York. It was great that they lived so close to each other. They'd be able to meet up regularly once Andrea got back.
Next Brenda hugged Hannah, telling her she'd see her in a few days. She'd grown attached to her niece in the last week, and was glad she'd be able to be actively involved in her life.
Andrea and Hannah left, and then Brenda and her parents got into their car and left for the airport.
It was sad saying goodbye to her parents, but they said they'd be out to see her soon.
And now hear she was, on the plane, waiting for it to take off to bring her back to her old life in New York. Things were different now though. She and Dylan were working things out and becoming closer again. She suddenly had a close friend in Andrea and a niece to drop by and pay visits to. Life was just perfect. The only thing that would make things better were if she didn't have to leave Dylan just as they were in such a good place. Still, she only had to wait a few months and then she'd take a break and come out to LA again to visit.
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Is this seat taken?"
Brenda recognised that voice. How could she not? She looked up to see Dylan McKay grinning back at her.
"Dylan!" she cried, and jumped up, almost bumping her head on the overhead compartment.
"What are you doing here?"
He gestured for her to sit down, and then took the seat next to her.
"Well, I was thinking. I don't really have anything keeping me in Los Angeles, and since you have to be in New York, I figured I had to be in New York too. But, before you worry about it, I'm gonna stay in a hotel until I can find an apartment, preferably one near you. I promise I won't rush things. We can just hang out, and see what happens," he told her.
"Just like when you first came to London," Brenda said, smiling.
"Exactly. Only this time, you have to tell me if something happens Brenda, okay? That's the one rule I think need to have. We should always be honest with each other."
"I agree," said Brenda, her eyes shining. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"So, you looked kinda intense when I saw you. What were you thinking about?" Dylan asked.
Brenda paused for a moment, and then smiled.
"I was thinking how life was just perfect," she told him.
"Funny," he told her, "I was just thinking that myself."
