Finally, another update! Surprising revelation in store this chapter...hope you all enjoy it!
I lay in bed in Kristy's guest bedroom and stared at the ceiling. This reunion hadn't turned out how I'd expected. I'd sort of imagined it was going to be like a weekend long babysitters club meeting, except we'd all be older. And I'd thought it would take my mind off the abrupt end to my dancing career, but instead it was making me think of it more and more. First there was Abby, talking about her company, Long Island Community Sports Program, which provided equipment and coaching to schools that couldn't provide it on their own. And Shannon, discussing the challenges of interpreting and the difference between it and translating (and why she preferred interpreting), Claudia explaining the thrill of helping children understand something new, Stacey jumping in with the excitement of having a hand in deciding what people will be wearing next season. And then there was me, with no direction whatsoever.
Deciding I wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon, I rolled out of bed and headed downstairs. I was going to go to the kitchen and get a drink, but as I walked down the hall I saw light spilling out from the den. I pushed the half open door wide and saw Logan, still dressed, sitting on the couch. He had a magazine open in his lap and was reading it with a slight frown on his face. I was about to leave when he looked up and saw me.
"You can come in," He smiled. "I won't bite."
I smiled back. "Couldn't sleep huh? Me neither. I don't know why – I've gotten used to sleeping in strange places traveling with the company…" I trailed off, remembering I wouldn't be doing that anymore.
Logan smiled again. "I think we all just feel slightly uncomfortable with each other. That might be it."
I nodded. "And you especially," I agreed. "With the whole…thing…you know…" I fumbled, not sure how to put it.
Logan frowned again. "What thing?"
"Well…Claudia told us about seeing you on that talk show…when they asked about you and Parker?"
Logan nodded. "I'm still not sure what you're getting at. Ok, me and Parker are dating…but why would that make me uncomfortable? Everyone else is with someone too."
I nodded, eager to reassure him that despite what I had said to him before I fully supported his lifestyle choice. "It's good you don't see any difference." I said enthusiastically. "Because there's really not. Well there is, but it doesn't really matter."
Logan still looked confused. He stood up, dropping the magazine onto the coffee table, open to the article he'd been reading. David Lowe's Love Triangle was splashed across the top of the two pages.
"I think I'll head to bed."
The next morning, I woke early and wandered into the den again. Logan's magazine was still open on the table. I picked it up and skimmed the article about David Lowe. I was trying to work out who David Lowe was, and why he was famous enough to have his love life in the headlines, (it was rumored he'd cheated on his girlfriend with her room mate of all people), when I flipped to the front cover and realized it was an English magazine. Figuring he was some English celebrity I'd never heard of I opened the magazine to a random page and my eye fell on a little snippet about the cannabis addiction of Parker Crowe. I paused, thinking the name was familiar, then decided I must be confusing it with Parker Lowe, Logan's significant other. I left the magazine in the den and wandered into the kitchen. As I was looking for the coffee, the doorbell rang. Figuring it was one of the other ex BSC members I abandoned my search and went to let them in.
However, on the doorstep was a dark haired woman in a black coat and sunglasses. She smiled uncertainly at me, not removing her glasses.
"Hi, I'm looking for Logan Bruno." She said in a distinctly English accent. Taken aback, I stared blankly at her.
"Perhaps I've got the wrong house." Her smile was fading. "Is this um…" She looked at a slip of paper in her hand. "Kristy Mathews' house?"
"Yes. Yes it is." I said recovering hurriedly. "Yes, Logan's here. Would you mind telling me, um, who you are?" I knew I was being rude, and though I was sure there was a more polite way of saying that, but it was too early for my brain to work properly.
"Oh I'm so sorry, I didn't introduce myself. How appalling rude of me." The woman smiled and held out her hand. "I'm Parker Lowe. And you must be Kristy? Or one of the other club members?"
"Parker Lowe?" I repeated. "You're Parker? And you're dating Logan?"
Her smile disappeared. "Yes, I'm Parker. And as for me dating Logan – I don't think that's any of your business. Now, can I see him?"
I recovered enough to step back and let her into the house. "I think he's still in bed." I managed to say. "Do you want a cup of coffee or something while you wait?"
Parker nodded wordlessly and followed me into Kristy's kitchen. Shannon was already there, poking round in the refrigerator. She looked up as I entered.
"Morning, Jessi." She said, her eyes flicking curiously over the newcomer.
"This is Logan's girlfriend, Parker." I said, gesturing behind me. "Parker, this is Shannon Kilbourne."
Parker smiled slightly. "Nice to meet you," she murmured politely.
Just after we'd settled in around the table with cups of coffee, Logan wandered in.
"Parker!" he exclaimed. "I thought you weren't coming?" He bent over and kissed her briefly on the cheek.
"Yes, well." She paused. "I'm sure you've heard about David. I didn't fancy having the press ringing me constantly, asking if all the rumors were true. I figured no one would ever expect me to be here, so here I am."
Shannon was staring idly out the window, though her gaze came back to rest on Parker and Logan occasionally. Realizing she wasn't about to leap into the conversation and find out what on earth was going on, I tried to figure out the best way of phrasing my questions. However, it turned out I didn't have to.
Kristy came in to the kitchen before I said anything. And not being the most tactful person in the world, the first words out of her mouth after being introduced to Parker were, "But I thought you were gay?"
Logan looked disconcerted and slightly affronted at this suggestion, while Parker went off into peals of laughter.
"But why?" sputtered Logan.
Kristy was beginning to look a bit uncomfortable now, perhaps realizing she'd been incredibly rude.
"It's just that when Claud saw you on that talk show, and told me about it she said that you implied you were dating some English actor. Parker Lowe." Kristy explained, then hurried on. "But perhaps Claudia made a mistake…" She trailed off.
Parker started to laugh again. "I think," she said, trying unsuccessfully to control her giggles, "that she may have mixed me up with Parker Crowe. He's an English actor – though I don't think he'd be too interested in Logan!"
Shannon had given up all attempts at being uninterested now. We were all staring dumbfounded at Parker. Suddenly Shannon started to laugh too. Kristy and I turned to look at her.
"I'm sorry," she smiled, recovering herself. "I was just thinking of everyone's reactions when they're introduced to Logan's girlfriend."
"You mean you all think I'm gay?" Logan exclaimed, not sounding too happy at the prospect.
Parker began to chuckle again. "Maybe I should have stayed home. Then they could have kept thinking it."
Logan looked even more affronted. "I don't see what's so funny about it." He snapped. Parker grinned.
"Not too secure about your masculinity are you?" she teased.
"So, did you fly all the way over from England?" Shannon broke into the conversation. "It's an awfully long way to come to meet your boyfriend's old friends."
Parker looked wary. "Well…yes." She said reluctantly, as if not wanting to discuss her reasons for coming any further. I saw Logan glance at her quickly, before saying loudly,
"So, breakfast…"