Jude at Tom's apartment...
"Wow! We almost have a party going on in here." Portia said merrily as she dropped a bag of gourmet soup in an indecorous heap on the floor next to my trailing blanket. The odor of it tantalized my nose as I peeked cautiously over the coverlet—praying as I did that the powers at large would manage to save my sanity as I watched Portia gaze curiously over the apartment with a quirked brow.
"Still living it large even with a wife and a monthly alimony payment. I give him my fullest and deepest respects." Portia stated sarcastically as I winced at her damaged tone. Couldn't these people see I needed sleep, not an emotional roller coaster ride?
"He's definitely got a fine decorator. I wonder if he's doing her too?" Spied said with a wry lift of his brow as he leaned over and started digging through my bag of soup before unearthing a few packs of crackers. He held them up in front of me as if silently asking if he could have them, and I just nodded my head mutely as he ripped into them—watching as a few stray crumbs drifted to the floor purposely. "Oops." Spied remarked with a shrug as he literally jumped into an armchair and slouched lazily. I just groaned inwardly. I was so not in the mood for this. I scribbled furiously on the tablet I had pulled under the blanket with me before holding it up for all of them to see. 'I'm fine. You guys can go now!" It read, and Jamie squinted at it myopically, as if he weren't wearing too perfectly serviceable contacts. I threw my eyes up at him as Spied laughed.
"Leave now? We haven't even done anything to entertain you yet. How about a game of 'hide n seek.' I'm very interested in the hiding places Tom has in this big place." Spied said with a chuckle before leaping down off the chair and moving around the place leisurely. Oh, God! Couldn't these people get anything into their heads when it was boldly displayed before them? Portia grinned as she pointed at the lunch bag.
"Eat up, Jude. I agree with Spied. This place has a huge prospective area made just for a little game of 'let's see what Tom's hiding now' possibilities." Portia remarked with a small smile as I groaned and looked down at the food miserably. I had just lost my appetite. Jamie rounded the couch and poked at my blanket with a small grin.
"It's like letting loose a couple of tigers. I would try to stop them, but I'm afraid that I'd get bit. That's what I use Patsy for. She's my guard dog." He said with a small laugh as I raised a brow at him and scribbled again on the tablet. He laughed as he read what I wrote—"Is that what all the dog collars she wears is for?" Then he shrugged.
"What can I say?" Jamie teased as I heard a loud bang on the floor above our heads. I winced as Portia came sauntering down the stairs with a mischievous look etched across her features.
"So, Jude, is there a reason a heap of your clothes are piled in the corner of Tom's personal bathroom?" Portia asked with wide, expectant eyes as I felt my cheeks grow red in indignation. I couldn't even argue with her as I grunted up at the stairs. Portia just grinned wider.
"Don't worry about answering, Jude. Your flushed cheeks speak volumes on their own. He's quite a man, isn't he? Takes you amazing places if you let him." Portia said with a introspective glance at me, and I literally choked on my own spittle as I tried to swallow around the lump that had developed in the middle of my throat. I was more than just a little insulted. Jamie raised his hand defensively in Portia's direction.
"That's was way out of line, Portia." Jamie said with a grimace as Spied came to stand like a warrior at Portia's right shoulder.
"Was it?" Spied asked dryly as I felt a wave of nausea sweep over my system. I just couldn't deal with this right now.
"Why don't you guys wait and ask Tommy that?" A voice asked suddenly from the side of the room, and I sighed in obvious relief as I caught a glimpse of Kwest's glorious face standing piously at the door. I had never been so glad to see anyone in my life. Kwest looked over at me with a small smile before pointing a little irritably at the door.
"I think we're all pretty much needed at the studio so it may be a good idea if you leave Jude to her rest. Jamie, they need someone to watch the receptionist desk. Portia, the wardrobe department is in an uproar since Tom and I finished Jude's album this morning. And, Spied, Darius would like to speak with you and SME about a solo opportunity. So, let's scoot and get to it." Kwest said with such authority that I almost laughed. It just wasn't in his character to be a leader. Although I was really really beginning to like him in that role at the present moment. Portia glared at him as she stomped past him out the door followed closely by Spied. Jamie stopped a moment and pulled out an old 'Kung Fu' movie before laying it out on the coffee table across from me.
"For old time's sake." He said with a small laughe as I grinned up at him gratefully—watching as he followed the rest of the group out the door before I was left alone, quite gratefully so, with Kwest. Kwest glanced out the door before walking over to me slowly.
"Are you feeling any better?" He asked as I nodded up at him before writing on my tablet. I was really starting to hate paper. "My album's finished?" I wrote excitedly as Kwest grinned at me with an easy quirk of his brow.
"It is, and Tom's pitching it to Darius as we speak. I even brought you a copy." Kwest remarked with a grin as I grabbed for it with nothing short of giddiness. Kwest watched with an amused smile as I turned it over and over in my hand lovingly before looking back up at the door.
"I think I'm going to leave you two to bond." Kwest said while indicating myself and the disc that I held like a lifeline in my grip. I just nodded at him as I heard his foot steps move toward the door. Lifting myself up suddenly, I mouthed the words 'thank you' at him as he waved at me before shutting the door. I sighed. Once again, I was drained. Now would be a good time to take a long, hot shower.