Author's note & Disclaimer: I was very pleased with the reviews; y'all are just such sweeties. This was never meant to be a one-shot but if you prefer not to be disappointed by my writing skills I would advise not to read on. Really, well don't say I didn't warn you.
Chapter Two
Darien Shields smirked, his hair falling into his eyes as he suppressed a laugh. Those gorgeous midnight eyes glinted with mystery as his hair obstructed Serena's view of them. "It's very nice to meet you Serena." He said holding out his hand like a polite gentleman.
Serena was abruptly shaken out of her daze. She glanced up at him; it was most definitely the man from last night. His height was a dead giveaway. Most men were taller than her, but few towered over her by a full foot. He had to be around six foot four for goodness sake! She looked down at his outstretched hand and raised her eyebrow.
"I'm pleased to meet you as well Darien" she said, his name coming from her lips sounded as sweet as honey. She shook his hand, her eyes never leaving his. What was he playing at? Did he forget her already? 'It's not like it really matters' she told herself.
"Eh, Darien get over here, it seems our guest had the need to pack rocks instead of clothes." Seiya called from beside her truck as winked at Molly. Molly shook her head disapprovingly, her red curls bouncing as she did.
"Come on Serena they can handle it on their own… I think." Molly joked while taking her hand once again and leading her inside. The walls of the entrance hallway were painted a rusty red and lined with family photos. Serena spotted several that she'd seen before in Molly's parent's house when the family was still together. It was her parent's divorce their junior year that caused the duo to be separated. To the left was a kitchen, as Serena passed it she noticed that it was full of rooster decorations, just as Molly had said she'd decorate her house back in high school. A strip of wallpaper split the rusty red with beige above it. Clean dishes were drying on a rack outside of the sink and the rest of the kitchen looked squeaky clean.
Immediately after the kitchen the hallway emptied into a small and cozy family room, a brown leather lazy boy was in the corner of the room, a matching couch across from it and a pale pink playpen sat in the middle of the floor. The most adorable child Serena had ever seen played with a rattle inside it. Tight black curls sprouted out of her head and her translucent blue eyes observed Serena and her mother. A fist was currently being slobbered on in her mouth but an innocent smile remained evident on her face. As soon as her mother approached her she laughed and shook her rattle. Molly reached down and picked up her child, setting Rose on her hip.
"Serena, this is our little Rose" she stated, her mother love showing through every word. It was a picture perfect introduction and Serena's heart melted at the sight of them. Some women her age were already making dream families, why couldn't she be one of them?
"She is adorable Molly, and she couldn't resemble you more, it seems that the hair color is the only thing different from you, she had to get some of his genetics though" Serena declared.
"Would you like to hold her?" Molly asked while gracefully walking over to Serena and placing the baby in her arms.
Serena stiffened with uneasiness, "Molly I'm really not good with children."
Molly shook her head, "Nonsense, now support her head like this" she re-arranged Serena's arms a little and backed away. "And there you go" Serena looked down at the little girl, nearly eight months and she was still so small and fragile. She seemed so tranquil, until she began to cry.
"Uh Molly" Serena cried out in panic, she tried to rock her a little like she'd seen other mothers do. Rose only cried louder at this. Molly took her child from Serena and Rose quieted to a whine.
"She probably just needs a diaper change Serena, don't worry." Molly reasoned, "Seiya dear," she turned in the direction of the front door where Darien and Seiya had emerged carrying Serena's two duffle bags. "Could you change Rose for me?" she asked as Seiya dropped Serena's bag with a 'thud' and walked to his wife. Slowly he took his daughter and smiled.
"Alright, she could probably use a nap before dinner as well." Seiya commented before crossing the living room to a hallway leading off its right side and disappearing behind a wall. Serena assumed the bedrooms were that way.
Molly snapped her fingers, "Oh shoot, I forgot to get dinner started! Darien would you mind showing Serena to the other guest room?" she asked her brother in law sweetly, Darien nodded, looking dashing as he brushed the hair out of his eyes. "Serena I'm making some of your favorites for dinner it will only take around an hour so feel free to use anything here in the time being. Darien will finish up the tour for you."
Serena didn't have time to protest and tell her that she didn't need to make a special dinner on her account; and to let Darien know that she could easily carry her own bags, for Darien quickly smiled and asked her to follow him. Serena obliged and they crossed the living room heading towards the hallway that Seiya had just gone down. The door on the south side of the hallway was open and Darien had informed her that it was Seiya and Molly's room. Then was the bathroom, the first guest room and at the far end of the hallway was the room Serena was going to stay in. Darien opened the door and walked to the right where a bed was. He placed her bags on its quilt and smiled.
"Well this is your room for now, Seiya mentioned that they were in the process of turning it into a nursery but they haven't had time to finish it." Serena could see that it was a child's room; with pastel yellow paint and shelves of Molly's ever so famous teddy bear collection it looked like a typical youngster's room. Molly had always collected Teddy bears when they were young, all sorts of them, large small, holiday themed. The collection had certainly grown quite a bit. Serena noticed that their 'best friend bear' sat with the rest of Molly's favorites, including her very first one. Serena had attempted to make it in a home economics class freshman year. Its eyes were uneven and she'd forgotten an ear, the legs were the only thing sewn on correctly, but for some reason young Serena had decided that buttons would make good bear toenails. Any child would be scared of such a hideous contraption but Molly had kept it out of love for her best friend.
"It's perfect for a nursery," Serena commented while smiling at him, "Thanks for carrying my things, I don't want to be a bother or anything."
Darien gave her a quirky smile, "Don't worry about it. I'm quite surprised you made it here today; I'd figured that you'd settle down and rent a hotel room near Winslow or Holbrook. You seemed pretty tired last night."
Serena rolled her eyes at him, "Oh so you do remember me, I was beginning to believe that I'd imagined our whole encounter." She said accusingly.
"How'd you end up arriving here before me anyways?" she questioned.
Darien smirked, "Same way as you I suppose. I drove all night, followed my map carefully, and didn't get lost." Serena frowned, was he mocking her?
"Excuse me, who said that I got lost?" she asked defensively.
Darien laughed, "You turned a six hour drive into a nine hour drive, how else could you do that?"
Serena sighed, "I was only sixty miles off course when I turned around." She threw back at him; one little wrong turn had given her more embarrassment that she'd expected. "What was with your little act anyway?"
Darien gave her a blank stare, "huh" Serena sighed in frustration." Our second introduction…" she explained trying to get the point. It wasn't that it really mattered, she was just curious.
Clarity crossed Darien's face. "Oh that, Seiya seems to think that every woman I know is someone I've slept with. There was no way he'd buy an explanation of meeting you at a rest stop so I figured I'd let you make your own first impression. Those two can be quite good at hammering whatever story they want to hear from you." He answered as if it were the most obvious answer out there.
"And you normally have sex with women you meet at rest stops?" Serena asked, mocking him this time around.
Darien frowned before smirking, "No" he began, Serena found odd feelings of relief rush through her, "I usually prefer to meet them at airports, they're a bit cleaner." He said, his smirk growing wider as color flooded Serena's face.
"Alright then," she laughed uncomfortably "I think I'll take a nap, I've been awake for over twenty four hours" she cued him to leave.
"Alright then, until our next memorable meeting." He said before walking out the door and quietly closing it behind him.
Serena lay down on the small bed, pushing her bags off and hanging her legs off the side. How on earth did he fluster her so? She shook her head; no matter how gorgeous Darien Shields may be she was here for a baptism and only that. This was her little relaxation vacation and she was here to catch up with her old friend, not go man hunting. Plus she didn't even know if he was interested in her. She cleared her head of him; it wasn't time to be acting like as schoolgirl with a crush. She smiled and closed her eyes before the waves of sleep crashed over her.
Serena awoke to the smell of spaghetti wafting through her door and enticing her senses. She took a deep breath and sat up. The dresser mirror across from her bed showed a much disoriented demeanor. Her hair was mussed in tangles, eyes slightly red from sleeping and her tank top and sweats were rather inappropriate now that she was around people. Doing a quick search of her bags she found a comfortable but nice outfit, jeans and a lace tank top, simple but acceptable. She rushed into the bathroom down the hall with her toiletries and did a quick fix up of her hair, make-up, and teeth. No one liked bad breath. A strange idea knocked Serena over the head as she brushed her hair. She began to pull one side up in her old childhood style, two buns with the rest streaming down. She let out a giggle. Serena hadn't worn her hair like this since elementary school why on earth would she try it now? She figured that it would give Molly a good laugh and she could take it down after dinner. Changing her outfit she walked out of the bathroom and towards the kitchen where Molly was. Serena snuck up behind her and peered over her shoulder.
"What's that?" she asked as her friend jumped slightly.
"Serena you startled me!" she scolded, before giving Serena a double-take and bursting into laughter. "What's with the hair flashback? Next thing you know I'll be trying to wear eighty's poof" she teased giving one of Serena's pigtails a tug. Serena shook her head and laughed as well.
"It's dessert," Molly finished answering her question. She began to pour it into a pan, the chocolate looking concoction making Serena's mouth water. "Would you mind setting the rest of the food on the table? Seiya and Darien are on a shopping run, I ran out of milk and Rose needs more diapers." She explained.
"Sure" Serena complied but not before swiping her finger through the chocolate batter and eating it. "Yum" she said to Molly's disapproving gaze. Looking around the kitchen; there was only a bowl of salad and a plate of odd, but tasty, fried mushrooms that Molly always made with her Italian dishes. Serena picked them up and walked through another opening in the kitchen which she assumed to lead the dining room. The oak table was already set with four plates and a highchair for Rose. Serena placed the dishes down and looked around. "Do you need anything else Molly?" she asked leaning back into the kitchen.
Molly raised her head and looked around, "Well if you could bring Rose out here I have to feed her yet." She asked reaching into a cabinet above the sink and pulling out a jar of baby food. "How do yams and carrots sound?" she asked Serena. Serena made a face of disgust, that poor child with no teeth.
"Where is she?" she asked.
Molly looked back at her, "Just in the playpen again." She muttered, consumed in grating a block of cheese for the salad.
Serena shrugged and walked through the kitchen and into the living room. Sure enough there was little Rose sucking her pacifier and trying to crawl. "Alright Rosie" said Serena leaning over the playpen to pick up the little baby. "It's dinner time" she said with a smile trying to hold Rose on her hip like she'd seen Molly do earlier that day. Rose cooed before reaching a little fist up to yank Serena's hair. "Ow!" she exclaimed. "Okay, let go of the hair sweetie" she said trying to pry Rose's fingers from her golden locks.
"Is everything okay?" Molly shouted from the kitchen.
"Fine!" Serena grunted. She carried Rose into the kitchen, the baby fist still tangled in a vice grip with her hair. Molly spotted this and dropped her cheese grater.
"Oh I'm so Sorry Serena" she apologized removing Rose's fist. "Seiya lets her tug his ponytail all the time, it seems to have become a bit of a habit for her now" Molly explained.
Serena shook her head, "don't worry about it" she said walking into the dining room and placing Rose on her highchair. Molly followed her with the baby food and a bib and sat down, tying the bib around her daughter.
"We're back" called Seiya from the front door.
Molly pressed a baby spoon into Serena's hands, "Could you feed her? Just scoop up the food that falls out of her mouth okay?" she instructed before leaving to greet her husband.
Serena looked around, did Molly not understand that she wasn't good with children. With a smile she gave it a shot, opening the can of carrot and yam baby food. Serena smiled at Rose, scooped some into the spoon and tried to feed the child. Most of it ended up on her bib but Rose did manage to eat some. When Molly returned Serena was feeling quite triumphant, she was getting the hang of this. Rose saw her parents, giggled and clapped, sending fragments of her orange baby food onto Serena's face. Serena turned and heard a snort of laughter coming from their new arrivals. Molly looked at her in apologetic shock and Seiya was rushing towards her to take over the job, Darien, on the other hand, was laughing hysterically.
"Well why don't you try feeding your niece if it's so funny" she shot at him. Why was she always embarrassing herself in front of him?
"Hey you two don't start fighting now" Seiya warned the two of them as he easily fed his daughter the rest of her baby food.
Serena rolled her eyes and sighed, "Show off" she mumbled before grabbing a napkin from the table and wiping the orange goop from her face.
The meal was delicious, salad, spaghetti, garlic bread, the whole works. By the time Molly brought out her triple fudge brownies, Serena was stuffed full. She managed to eat one though; they were just too delicious to pass up.
"Molly I hope you don't plan on feeding me like this for a whole two weeks, I'd get back to work and be fired for not fitting down the aisle anymore." Serena laughed and patted her stomach slightly.
"Oh hush Serena, you're as thin as a twig" Molly waved a hand at her friend, "It won't matter though. I plan on taking you up to Coronado Monument, we'll have a few miles hike to the top but the view is breathtaking." Molly explained. Serena sighed; they were going to hike a mountain? Oh dear…
For the past few moments Serena had felt the tickling feeling that Darien had been watching her, she'd avoided looking at him, but he was being unusually quiet. She turned her head to face him and their eyes locked. She sucked in a breath of air. "Well what is it?" she asked, did she have something on her face?
Darien smiled, "You're hair… it looks uncannily like spaghetti and meatballs" he stated profoundly.
Serena's jaw dropped, how dare he? Wait was that laughter. She turned to her best friend. Molly Shields was stifling her giggles as best she could. "Oh I give up" Serena proclaimed picking up her dishes and heading to the sink this was going to be one heck of a vacation.
End Note: Ta Da! I'm slightly disappointed with this chapter but perhaps my excess amount of grammar mistakes will convince someone to be my editor. hint hint But I'm sorry anyways, my grammar has never been good. This is actually my second draft of this chapter edited twice so I did all I could. That's all for now so be kind if any of you decide to review.
There was one review that I though I'd reply to. From Anonyms, you mentioned that flight attendants had to be taller than average height in order for everyone to see them during safety presentations. It is true that the airlines used to have strict height and weight requirements but after many lawsuits claiming that this was discriminations, all airlines were forced to lower their standards. According to if you are in a height range of five to six feet most major airlines will hire you. I suppose I should have been more specific, I figured Serena would be about five foot three inches.