Author's Note: I know it's hard to believe I have updated at all, let alone
2.5 chapters! I'm going to go bask in the pride I feel.
Disclaimer: Unless I see the rights up on eBay sometime there's no chance I
own them.
Dee felt eyes watching her and turned to witness Audrey and Michael's open speculation. She groaned aloud which caused Tom to look at her strangely.
"What is it?" he asked.
She pointed and he saw Michael and Audrey and waved to them. Then he noticed the way Audrey was looking back at him. For some reason it made him distinctly nervous. Not taking his eyes off of her he leaned towards Dee and whispered,
"Why is she looking at me like that?"
Dee laughed at the expression on Tom's face.
"That's the look she gets when she smells gossip."
"So why is she giving it to me?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"No. Should it be?"
"It's because you're dancing with me."
Tom turned his full attention to Dee. He waited for her to continue or for her meaning to become clear to him. When neither revelation was forthcoming he questioned her again.
"And I ask again, why is she giving it to me? So what if we're dancing together?"
Dee made a mental note to repay Audrey someday for this current situation.
"Well," she began slowly, "I suppose it's because she knows we've never danced together before and she's wondering what's up."
"Are you serious?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Girls are so strange." Tom said.
Dee laughed and decided to enjoy herself, knowing full well what fate awaited her when Audrey cornered her later.
Jenny made her way to the crowd in time for a dance song. She moved in time to the music, letting all her stress melt away with the beat. The next few hours were spent dancing, chatting and reconnecting. The rest of the party passed without further incident, until it was time to go.
As the gang got ready to go they called out goodbyes to Sarah and arranged to meet at Aba's house. When they made their way to their cars it was with no small amount of shock that they discovered one of Tom's tires was flat. Upon examining the tire it was concluded that it had been slashed. "But who would do it?" Michael asked.
"Probably just some kids out causing trouble," Audrey responded.
"Yeah, most likely that's all it is." Tom agreed although he didn't look entirely convinced.
"Well, do we have enough room to get us all to Aba's in one trip or do we need to make a second trip?" Summer asked.
"I think we do," Zach answered, "but we need to let Sarah know that we'll be leaving Tom's car here overnight."
"Plus your folks need to know what happened," Jenny added.
"And I should let Aba know that we're going to be a little later than we thought." Dee said.
After all the phone calls and necessary arrangements were made the group left and arrived at Aba's a short while later. They were delighted to see that Aba had provided plenty of food and drinks for them. She stayed long enough to say hello to everyone and to make sure they had enough pillows and blankets. Jenny caught her staring intently and was a little nervous but asked to see Aba alone anyway.
"Aba?" she asked when they were out of hearing range of everyone else, "Did Dee tell you the rest of the story?"
"What she knows of it. I'm glad you asked to speak with me. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Yes I'm fine, thank you." She replied automatically. Aba's look of disbelief made Jenny smile.
"Ok, I'm not fine, not 100% at least. But I have to believe that I will be and just do the one day at a time thing until it happens."
"And what of your two loves?" Aba queried.
Jenny's eyes flew wide open at that. She was dismayed to hear her voice reduced to a squeaky whisper.
"What loves?"
"Tom. And Julian."
"I'm not sure what you mean, Aba." Well okay she did know but Jenny sometimes resented Aba's apparent psychic gift and its way of rearing its ugly head at the most inopportune times. Like now.
"Jenny, please. I may be an old woman but I am not a fool."
Jenny paced around the room in a tight circle, hugging her arms to her body.
"What do you want me to say?"
"I know your friends haven't pressed you and I know the time is coming sooner than you think when they will."
"You're right," Jenny conceded with a sigh, "But I don't know what to say right now."
"It's not fair."
Jenny peered at Aba closely, trying to determine if she was being made fun of. When she was satisfied that she wasn't the butt of a joke she let her pent-up sigh become audible.
"No, it's not. And that's just about all I know for sure. I don't know how to put into words what I feel without causing pain."
"And so you are putting off the conversation." She held her hand up to stop the protest that was on Jenny's lips. "I'm not judging you. That's a perfectly human thing to do. Avoiding pain and trying not to cause someone else pain are perfectly normal instincts. I just want you to realize that the longer it goes on that the harder it may be."
Jenny merely nodded and made her way back to the room where the others were busy arranging blankets and food. She was surprised to hear Audrey mention watching a movie, she was fairly certain that the plan had been to talk. But she decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and just go with the flow.
They chose a comedy first and a thriller for later on. By the time the second movie was over the gang decided to just go to sleep. Everyone fell asleep fairly quickly and Jenny settled under the blanket, anxious to see Julian.
Her dream began in a stable where she was dressed to go riding. Looking around she noticed a chestnut mare already saddled and apparently waiting for her to mount. As she exited the stable she was delighted to see a wide expanse of meadow in front of her. Kicking her horse into a light trot she let the horse have its lead and sat back, content to just ride off into the horizon.
Cresting the hill in front of them Jenny was delighted to see a picnic laid out underneath a willow tree beside a stream of clear blue water. Urging the horse into a faster canter she soon arrived at the water's edge. Dismounting she lead the horse to the stream and allowed her to cool off.
Jenny made her way to the picnic and spread out the extra blanket that was next to the basket, looking around as she did so. Wasn't Julian going to make an appearance? Suddenly she noticed movement at the top of the hill she had just traversed and he appeared, not riding a horse of his own but walking. She took her time drinking in the sight of him as he made his way to her. When he was almost to her she rose to greet him.
"Hi," she said, reaching her hands out to him.
"Hello yourself," he replied, taking her hands within his and leaning down to give her a quick kiss. Jenny was surprised to feel his lips leave hers as soon as they did but let him tug her down to sit next to him.
"So what did you do after you woke up?" Julian asked as he fished some food out of the basket.
A little taken aback Jenny hesitated before finally answering.
"Well, I went to this party."
"Did you have a good time?"
"Yes although not as much fun as I was having before."
At that Julian smiled.
"We'll work on your lack of subtlety sometime," he said with a smile which Jenny returned.
Dee felt eyes watching her and turned to witness Audrey and Michael's open speculation. She groaned aloud which caused Tom to look at her strangely.
"What is it?" he asked.
She pointed and he saw Michael and Audrey and waved to them. Then he noticed the way Audrey was looking back at him. For some reason it made him distinctly nervous. Not taking his eyes off of her he leaned towards Dee and whispered,
"Why is she looking at me like that?"
Dee laughed at the expression on Tom's face.
"That's the look she gets when she smells gossip."
"So why is she giving it to me?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"No. Should it be?"
"It's because you're dancing with me."
Tom turned his full attention to Dee. He waited for her to continue or for her meaning to become clear to him. When neither revelation was forthcoming he questioned her again.
"And I ask again, why is she giving it to me? So what if we're dancing together?"
Dee made a mental note to repay Audrey someday for this current situation.
"Well," she began slowly, "I suppose it's because she knows we've never danced together before and she's wondering what's up."
"Are you serious?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Girls are so strange." Tom said.
Dee laughed and decided to enjoy herself, knowing full well what fate awaited her when Audrey cornered her later.
Jenny made her way to the crowd in time for a dance song. She moved in time to the music, letting all her stress melt away with the beat. The next few hours were spent dancing, chatting and reconnecting. The rest of the party passed without further incident, until it was time to go.
As the gang got ready to go they called out goodbyes to Sarah and arranged to meet at Aba's house. When they made their way to their cars it was with no small amount of shock that they discovered one of Tom's tires was flat. Upon examining the tire it was concluded that it had been slashed. "But who would do it?" Michael asked.
"Probably just some kids out causing trouble," Audrey responded.
"Yeah, most likely that's all it is." Tom agreed although he didn't look entirely convinced.
"Well, do we have enough room to get us all to Aba's in one trip or do we need to make a second trip?" Summer asked.
"I think we do," Zach answered, "but we need to let Sarah know that we'll be leaving Tom's car here overnight."
"Plus your folks need to know what happened," Jenny added.
"And I should let Aba know that we're going to be a little later than we thought." Dee said.
After all the phone calls and necessary arrangements were made the group left and arrived at Aba's a short while later. They were delighted to see that Aba had provided plenty of food and drinks for them. She stayed long enough to say hello to everyone and to make sure they had enough pillows and blankets. Jenny caught her staring intently and was a little nervous but asked to see Aba alone anyway.
"Aba?" she asked when they were out of hearing range of everyone else, "Did Dee tell you the rest of the story?"
"What she knows of it. I'm glad you asked to speak with me. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Yes I'm fine, thank you." She replied automatically. Aba's look of disbelief made Jenny smile.
"Ok, I'm not fine, not 100% at least. But I have to believe that I will be and just do the one day at a time thing until it happens."
"And what of your two loves?" Aba queried.
Jenny's eyes flew wide open at that. She was dismayed to hear her voice reduced to a squeaky whisper.
"What loves?"
"Tom. And Julian."
"I'm not sure what you mean, Aba." Well okay she did know but Jenny sometimes resented Aba's apparent psychic gift and its way of rearing its ugly head at the most inopportune times. Like now.
"Jenny, please. I may be an old woman but I am not a fool."
Jenny paced around the room in a tight circle, hugging her arms to her body.
"What do you want me to say?"
"I know your friends haven't pressed you and I know the time is coming sooner than you think when they will."
"You're right," Jenny conceded with a sigh, "But I don't know what to say right now."
"It's not fair."
Jenny peered at Aba closely, trying to determine if she was being made fun of. When she was satisfied that she wasn't the butt of a joke she let her pent-up sigh become audible.
"No, it's not. And that's just about all I know for sure. I don't know how to put into words what I feel without causing pain."
"And so you are putting off the conversation." She held her hand up to stop the protest that was on Jenny's lips. "I'm not judging you. That's a perfectly human thing to do. Avoiding pain and trying not to cause someone else pain are perfectly normal instincts. I just want you to realize that the longer it goes on that the harder it may be."
Jenny merely nodded and made her way back to the room where the others were busy arranging blankets and food. She was surprised to hear Audrey mention watching a movie, she was fairly certain that the plan had been to talk. But she decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and just go with the flow.
They chose a comedy first and a thriller for later on. By the time the second movie was over the gang decided to just go to sleep. Everyone fell asleep fairly quickly and Jenny settled under the blanket, anxious to see Julian.
Her dream began in a stable where she was dressed to go riding. Looking around she noticed a chestnut mare already saddled and apparently waiting for her to mount. As she exited the stable she was delighted to see a wide expanse of meadow in front of her. Kicking her horse into a light trot she let the horse have its lead and sat back, content to just ride off into the horizon.
Cresting the hill in front of them Jenny was delighted to see a picnic laid out underneath a willow tree beside a stream of clear blue water. Urging the horse into a faster canter she soon arrived at the water's edge. Dismounting she lead the horse to the stream and allowed her to cool off.
Jenny made her way to the picnic and spread out the extra blanket that was next to the basket, looking around as she did so. Wasn't Julian going to make an appearance? Suddenly she noticed movement at the top of the hill she had just traversed and he appeared, not riding a horse of his own but walking. She took her time drinking in the sight of him as he made his way to her. When he was almost to her she rose to greet him.
"Hi," she said, reaching her hands out to him.
"Hello yourself," he replied, taking her hands within his and leaning down to give her a quick kiss. Jenny was surprised to feel his lips leave hers as soon as they did but let him tug her down to sit next to him.
"So what did you do after you woke up?" Julian asked as he fished some food out of the basket.
A little taken aback Jenny hesitated before finally answering.
"Well, I went to this party."
"Did you have a good time?"
"Yes although not as much fun as I was having before."
At that Julian smiled.
"We'll work on your lack of subtlety sometime," he said with a smile which Jenny returned.