Chapter 3

The temperatures had started to drop into crisp fall likeness and Joan felt just about like the weather did - Cold and nippy.

The coldness went from the top of her head all the way down to her feet, and god was it cold.

She missed Adam so much. She hadn't seen him in a week and besides him calling her 2 days before to let her know he was back in New York, she didn't even know how he was.

How was he? Probably upset, hurt and mad at her and Joan admitted that she didn't blame him. At all.

She gave in at lunchtime and rode down to the gallery to see him.

The gallery full of people and she spotted several "sold" stickers on the artwork.

Glancing towards the wall, she saw "Sewer Walking" was still there and she suddenly felt very guilty for being there.

Joan was just turning to leave when she heard his voice.

"Jane?" Adam asked as he approached her.

Joan smiled weakly at him and moved some of her crimped hair out of her eyes as she replied "Hey."

"What are you doing here?" Adam asked.

"I don't know. I shouldn't have come." Joan said, taking her gloves out of her pocket.

"What? Why not?" Adam asked curiously.

"Last week, I sort of blew up at you. You left all mad and I've gotten one message from you saying "I'm back". You obviously don't want me here, so I'm going to leave." Joan said and she tried to leave again, but Adam put his hand on her shoulder and stopped her.

"I want you to be here." Adam said forcing Joan to look at him.

"Okay Adam, were you not there last week?" Joan asked.

"I was, but I can't stay mad at you Jane." Adam replied.

"Why not?"

"Cha! You know why." Adam replied and Joan smiled at him.

"You look so pretty by the way." Adam said.

Joan glanced down at her outfit - White sweater, Corduroy Jacket, Studded Jeans, a brown belt and her brown boots.

"Thanks." She said, smiling again.

Adam nodded and smiled back.

"Sir, how much is this painting?" A man in his 70's asked, coming up to Adam.

"I'll be right with you sir." Adam said and he looked back at Joan.

Your busy, so I'll go." Joan said.

"Call you later?" Adam asked, sounding hopeful.

"Yeah, sure." Joan replied.

Adam smiled at her and Joan smiled back as she turned and walked out the door.

Joan walked back to the subway entrance, smiling all the way.

She wasn't really paying attention and she made that known when she bumped into someone on the sidewalk.

"I'm so sorry." Joan said.

"It's okay." The short brunette said.

Joan stopped what she was doing and just looked at the woman. She knew that voice and there was no way it was who she thought it was.

The brunette looked up and Joan saw whom it was.

It was Iris, Adam's artist girlfriend from high school.

"Iris?" Joan asked, looking at her.

"Joan?" Iris asked in her soft voice.

"Yeah, it's me. What have you been doing over the past, what 7 years since I've last seen you?" Joan asked.

"A lot. You?" Iris asked as they moved over to a table at the small corner cafe that they were by.

"A lot. Senior year, I seriously brought up my grades and I was able to go to the college I wanted to. I went to NYC and I was an intern at Seventeen magazine. I've actually worked there for the past 2 years as a permanent journalist." Joan replied.

"That's so cool Joan."

"Yeah. What have you been doing?" Joan asked.

"I went to Yale and majored in art. I'm not a professional photographer and I love it." Iris replied and Joan smiled at her.

"I've been dating this guy, Ben for the past 2 years and he's a culinary artist."

"He's a cook, right?" Joan asked wrinkling up her forehead.

"Yeah, but never call him that though or he probably will hurt you. He's a culinary artist." Iris said laughing.

Joan laughed, and then shook her head.

"Have you seen Adam lately?" Iris asked.

"Yes. He's in town right now. He's having an art show called "Silhouette" in the artsy/urban part of town."

"Wow, I'm so happy for him."

"Yeah" Joan said. "Where do you live now?"

"Do you know where 70th street is?" Iris asked.

"Yeah, that's where I live."

"Wow, who would have thought?" Iris said with a shadow of a smile.

"Where on 70th?" Joan asked.

"I live in a townhouse with my friends Caitlyn and Zoe." Iris replied and Joan just starred at her speechlessly.

"What?" Iris asked curiously.

"I'm friends with Caitlyn and Zoe."

"What?" Iris asked again.

"I'm friends with Zoe Tomko and Caitlyn Lowe."

"Wow." Iris slowly said.

"Your the roommate." Joan said looking at her.

"Yeah, I guess I am." Iris replied, looking back at her.

"Ben is Nathan and Aldin's roommate, isn't he?" Joan asked.

Iris nodded. "Yeah, he is."

"And you know the rest of them?" Joan asked and Iris nodded again.

"It really is a small world, isn't it?" Iris said with a half smile.

"Yes it is." Joan replied, smiling at her.

"Your back." Tara said upon seeing her.

"Yeah. I met Iris." Joan said.

"Iris Graffman?"

"Yeah." Joan replied.

"You knew her already, didn't you?"

"Yup. I met her in high school and she dated Adam sophomore year." Joan replied.

"Hey we're going out and doing something tonight, all of us. Why don't you invite Adam?"

"As what? A friend? What?" Joan asked.

Tara shrugged and replied, "That's your call."

Joan rolled her eyes and walked back into her office.

Sitting down, she reached for her phone and the line connected a minute later.

"Hello?"

"Hey." Joan said.

"Oh! Hey Jane." Adam said and upon hearing Joan's voice, the tone raised in his voice.

"You busy tonight?" Joan asked.

"I don't think so."

"Well, now you are."

"What?" Adam asked, that familiar confused sound appearing in his voice.

"All of us going out somewhere and seeing Becca's involved, it'll probably be dancing or something and your coming. Come on Adam! It'll be a chance to hang out with me." Joan replied, running her sentences together.

"Okay yo." Adam said.

"Really?"

"Unchallenged. It's a chance to hang out with you Jane." Adam replied.

"Cool." Joan said, happily biting her lip.

"What am I coming as?" Adam asked a moment later.

"Hmm?" Joan half mumbled.

"Am I coming as your date?"

Joan sighed and replied, "I don't really know Adam."

"Then, I'll just come. Where's everyone meeting?"

"How about you come over to the townhouse around 7?" Joan suggested.
"Okay Jane." he replied.

"Cool." Joan said.

"You sound like there's something else."

"There is." Joan said. "Guess who I ran into?"

"Cha, I don't know. Who?"

"Iris."

"Iris? High school Iris?" Adam asked.

"Do you know another?"

"No." Adam replied, in a slight mumbled tone.

"Yeah, Iris. I wasn't watching where I was going and I ran straight into her."

"Cool."

"Turns out she's Zoe and Caitlyn's roommate and her boyfriend's Nathan and Aldin's roommate."

"Really?"

"Yeah, small world, huh?"

"Cha, it is." Adam replied.

Joan smiled. "You busy?"

"It's quieter now. I have to leave again in a couple days."

"For how long?"

"A few days. I'll call though." Adam replied. "Sorry Jane, but I've got to go."

"Yeah, so do I."

"I'll see you tonight?" Adam asked.

"Yeah, you will." Joan replied, smiling again.

She said good-bye, and then hung up.

Joan stood up and went into Tara's office.

Tara looked up from her computer and smiled.

"He's coming!" Joan said from the doorway.

"Yay for you!" Tara said beaming at her.

"Yeah." Joan said smiling as she turned around and went back into her office, closing the door behind her.