August 15th, 1992
"Bee, come on, they'll be here any minute!" Tina called from downstairs in the kitchen as Roger prepared dinner. "Oh, I can't believe we're seeing Amos and Diane again! I've missed them so much!"
"I know dear, 12 years is way too long," Roger said, setting the table, "It's amazing that this place went on sale just as we starting looking for homes." He looked around the familiar kitchen of the house they had inhabited before they moved to America, which had gone up for sale merely days before they moved over from America.
"Oh God, I know!" Tina exclaimed, sitting down at the kitchen table. "I can't wait to see them again...it'll be just like old times."
A knock at the door had both of them smiling largely and walking, rather running, for the door, "Bridgette, get down here!" Roger called as Tina opened the front door, flying into Diane's arms the second it was open enough.
"I can't believe you're actually here!" Diane exclaimed, her voice a little strained as Tina practically crushed her with her hug.
"I know! We've missed you so much!" Tina cried, not letting go of her friend.
"Oh Tina, the years haven't touched you at all...you either Roger, you both look so amazing, can't quite say so for myself I'm afraid...after 3 kids a woman starts to wear a bit," Diane said laughing, "Speaking of kids, where's Bee?"
"She should be coming down soon," Tina said after giving Amos a bear hug. "Bridgette! Our guests are here!"
"I'M NOT COMING!" Bridgette screamed in reply.
"Oh dear...I'll go up and get her, where's Cedric by the way? I see little Lucas and I see Natalie, but I don't see Cedric," Tina said, gazing at the group.
"He's been a bit resistant too," Diane said sadly. "He said he doesn't remember Bridgette at all...I remember when they were kids, how close they were..."
"I know," Tina sighed. "But there's always time to try and remember, I guess, "I'll be right back, you all come in and make yourselves at home while I get my daughter," Tina said before jogging up the stairs and into Bridgette's room, which she had to magically unlock.
"YOU ARE NOT SETTING ME UP WITH SOME LOSER BOY WHO I USED TO PLAY WITH WHEN I WAS 3!" Bridgette shrieked when her mom walked in.
"We are not trying to set you up!" Tina exclaimed, closing the door. "And please, keep your voice down! We have guests!"
"I don't give a damn about our guests or your stupid friends!" Bridgette exclaimed.
"Bridgette Sophia Peterson that WILL be enough of that! You are coming downstairs now...oh my god you aren't even dressed!" Tina cried miserably, walking over to Bridgette's closet and taking out the outfit they had bought yesterday.
"You only made me buy that outfit so I could look good for Cedric," Bridgette said, though she stood up and snatched from her mom. No matter what, Bridgette couldn't resist a cute outfit.
"Well I bought a new outfit and it's not because I'm trying to look good for the Diggory's! They don't expect you to be dressed up Bee, and we don't expect them to be either, now I want you downstairs in 5 minutes, dressed and civilized," Tina said, kissing her daughter's forehead before leaving the room.
A half hour later, Bridgette walked down the steps and into the living room where her parents and the Diggorys were sitting. "Oh, Bee, nice of you to join us," Tina said cheerfully, setting down her wine glass. "Bee, this is Amos and Diane Diggory and those little angels over there are Lucas and Natalie and that's Cedric."
Bridgette put on a strained smile and walked into the kitchen, getting herself a can of Pepsi, pouring it into a glass and putting a few cubes of ice in it as well. She sighed and smoothed down the light green skirt she was wearing, which matched perfectly with the top she was wearing, a white halter top with strings that tied around her neck, butterfly patterns all across the bodice.
When she walked back in, Diane smiled at her. "Oh, gosh, Bridgette...you have turned out quite nicely," she said as Bridgette sat down. "I remember once, when you were three, you and Cedric were playing in the mud and you took off all your clothes and paraded around the backyard!"
"Oh now look Diane, you're embarrassing her!" Amos said, chuckling as Bridgette's face turned red and she quickly started to drink her Pepsi.
"I'm sorry...just reminiscing," Diane sighed. "It's so great to have you all back, really, it is!"
"So, I hope you all are hungry as wolves, because Tina cooked up the whole kitchen!" Roger exclaimed, laughing. They all got up and walked into the dining room, "Kids, there's a table set up outside for all of you, as well as hot dogs, hamburgers, you name it."
"Thank you, Mr. Peterson," Cedric said politely, glancing over at Bridgette before standing up. "Oh, come now, Cedric, you can call me Roger," Roger said, smiling before disappearing into the kitchen with the adults.
Bridgette took this opportunity to go outside, slipping past Cedric with her head high as she walked out. All of her years spent in ballet taught her one thing if anything else, how to exude an air of dignity.
A few minutes later, the little kids ran out, Cedric close behind them. "They're adorable," Bridgette said politely, sitting down with a plate of chips and a hotdog.
"Yeah, but they're a pain," Cedric laughed, sitting down with her.
Bridgette's smile faded and she began to speak, "Let's just get right to the point, Cedric: I've got a boyfriend back home and I'm not leaving him for you. We may have been best friends before I moved but I don't remember you, let's keep it that way."
"Fine by me," Cedric said, shrugging and eating his hamburger. Bridgette silently ate her food, consuming another 2 Pepsi's before she was finished with her dinner, getting up from the table and walking back in.
The rest of the night ran smoothly: the adults reminisced as Cedric kept Lucas and Natalie entertained while Bridgette spent the entire time on her cell phone, talking to her friends from New York.
"Bridgette! Peak hours dear!" her mother exclaimed when she saw Bridgette talking on her break to the bathroom, "Why aren't you spending time with your guests?"
"Because mom, I'm talking to my boyfriend, and he's more important than they are," Bridgette snapped.
"They may not matter to you but they matter to your father and I and you'll be seeing a lot more of them so get used to it," Tina said, taking Bridgette's phone away. "Now go in there and be polite, and about Anthony, didn't your father and I tell you to break it off with him? You won't be seeing him for a very, very long time Bee. Even if you don't want to date Cedric, there are plenty other boys at Hogwarts, and I don't think you'll want to remained tied to one boy, thousands of miles away."
"But mum, that's not fair!" Bridgette exclaimed. "I don't want anyone else, I want Anthony!"
"Bridgette, could you, for once in your life, think about someone besides yourself?" Tina snapped, "Think about him! You're not treating him fairly, and if you don't break it off, your father and I will have no choice but to tell him the truth!"
"I can't believe you're using blackmail to get me to break it off with the love of my life!" Bridgette exclaimed. "I'm stuck out here about a million miles away from my friends, try to put yourself in my shoes!"
"I did! Twelve years ago when we left Diane and Amos and Cedric," Tina said quietly. "So just let me have tonight with my friends and we'll work things out later."
Bridgette rolled her eyes but got up, walking back outside and over to the covered swing on the porch, sitting down on it and watching the little kids running around.
Cedric tossed a football to Lucas who nearly fell over to catch it and Bridgette laughed. Cedric looked over and grinned before running over to Lucas.
She felt a small tug on her skirt and looked down to see Natalie looking up at her, with wide eyes. She seemed to be looking intently at her hair and Bridgette looked at her in question, "What is it Natalie?" she asked, wondering if she had anything in it.
"Don't mind her, she just likes bright things I guess," Cedric said, walking up to his 2 year old sister.
"I was like that when I was little," Bridgette said, smiling. "In New York there are buildings a million stories high and they're so bright and the whole city's full of life...God, I miss it already."
"I can't picture living any where but Jolly Ole England, guess it's because I grew up here," Cedric replied, leaning against a bar on the side of the swing.
"I couldn't imagine living anywhere but New York...yet here I am," Bridgette sighed.
"All my life, mum and dad wouldn't stop talking about you and your parents," Cedric said, laughing.
"Ditto," Bridgette replied simply, "Hey, I'm like going to go inside now and chill or something, go drink another pop, since I seem to be in a good mood, why don't you bring the kids in and we can watch a movie, do they like Cinderella?"
"Are you kidding?" Cedric asked, laughing and running off onto the lawn to get Lucas and Natalie. Bridgette smiled after him before quickly walking inside.
She walked over to the fridge after shutting the den door tight to keep the noise down, grabbing 2 cans of pop and 2 juice boxes, also popping a couple bags of popcorn before heading out to the family room, putting Cinderella in the tape player.
Cedric came into the den and plopped the kids onto the large sofa. "This place is really nice, why'd you leave?" he asked as the kids got up and chased each other around the room.
"My dad got a deal in New York, too good to pass," Bridgette replied.
"Oh, I see, hey kids, the movie's starting!" he exclaimed, the two young ones immediately sitting down in front of the TV.
All throughout the movie, Bridgette caught Cedric glancing over at her. She wished he would stop. She was in love with Anthony and Cedric wasn't about to change that.
It wasn't that he wasn't good looking, oh he was definitely good looking, her parent's hadn't been lying, but he wasn't really her type. She wasn't really big into the jocks at school. She tended to go more for artsy guys.
Around midnight, the Diggorys left and Bridgette retreated to her room, thankful to be away from Cedric, but still wishing she was back in New York.
"Now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Tina asked, walking into her daughter's room and sitting down next to her on her bed. Bridgette simply glared at her before getting up to pick up a few stray things on the floor, "By the way sweetie how does a vacation to say...the French Riviera sound? Spending a couple days at the beach? The shops?"
Bridgette dropped what she was holding and looked over at her mother. "Oh my God," she said excitedly. "Are...are you serious?"
"There's just one...teeny catch," Tina replied, "Diane and the kids are coming with us...your father and Amos are going to stay here, do men stuff."
Bridgette sighed and picked up her clothes again. "I think I'll pass," she mumbled, putting her clothes away.
"Oh Bee, don't pass on this opportunity, you'll end up regretting it. I've heard the French Riviera is gorgeous," Tina said, "The Diggory's are really looking forward to this trip, but I'm afraid if you don't go, I won't either."
"Fine, but I'm only going for the shopping," Bridgette replied, pulling out a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt.
"Well that's better than nothing, we're leaving for the airport tomorrow morning at 9 promptly, get some sleep and I'll see you in the morning dear," Tina said, giving Bridgette a goodnight kiss before leaving her room.