12

And My Heart Says…

Chapter 4

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"You're in early," commented Bobby as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Lucy made a face. "Had a report due. I'm taking a break."

"Haven't had much chance to talk to you recently. How are you?"

"I'm worried."

He looked at her in concern. "Anything I can do to help?"

"It's Sue."

"What about Sue?" He'd noticed as well as everyone in the bullpen that their friend's usual radiance had been dimmed since her break up with David a few weeks ago. But no one but Lucy and he knew about the proposal.

"She acts like everything's okay for the most part but every now and then I see this look on her face," shared Lucy.

"Look?"

"Yeah, like maybe she might be having second thoughts about David."

"You really think so?"

"No…yes…I don't know. She doesn't want to talk about it."

"What say we do something to take her mind off everything?" suggested Bobby. "It's been a while since the lot of us has been out. It could be fun."

"That's a good idea!" she agreed enthusiastically.

"Any suggestions?"

Lucy's eyes widened as a thought struck her. "I know! The amusement park! It just re-opened a couple of months ago. That should be fun."

"Hey! Did I hear the words amusement park?" remarked Tara as she returned to her desk.

"Bobby and I were thinking maybe it would be kind of fun if all of us went to the one that just re-opened. You know, get away from work…have fun…eat all that junk food."

Tara beamed. "I love amusement parks…and roller coasters!"

"Roller coasters? Did I hear someone say roller coasters?" Jack chimed in as he approached the coffee station. "I love 'em!"

"You, too!" said an excited Tara. "I have someone to ride with!"

Jack looked puzzled. "Wait. Are we having a discussion about roller coasters or are we talking about going somewhere where there's a roller coaster?"

"That amusement park that just re-opened," said Lucy for the third time. "We were thinking it'd be kind of fun for all of us to go…say maybe…this Saturday? That is…if everyone's free."

"And a case doesn't come up," chipped in Tara.

"That goes without saying," commented Lucy. "How 'bout it?"

Jack looked pleased. "That sounds like a great idea! I haven't been to an amusement park in ages."

D and Myles noticed the animated group by the coffee station and joined them.

"Okay, what's got everyone so excited?" asked D.

Lucy looked at Bobby with a trace of exasperation. "I've done my bit. It's your turn."

Bobby smirked. "Lucy and I had the idea that maybe we need some down time after all the hours we've been putting in. So…how about going to an amusement park? Jack and Tara here are all set to ride that monster roller coaster."

"Two…they have two roller coasters," Tara chirped.

"I hope you've named a beneficiary on your life insurance," commented Myles. "I wouldn't set foot on one of those."

"Have you no sense of adventure, Myles?" teased Bobby.

"I have a sense of adventure," Myles retorted, "and I also have a sense of self-preservation. The idea of hanging upside down and careening around turns at breakneck speeds somehow just does not appeal to me."

"Yeah, go figure," smirked D who shared the same opinion.

"You don't know what you're missing," Tara declared.

Myles grimaced. "I rather not know."

"When are we planning this outing?" asked D.

Eyes darted around the little group.

"This Saturday?" suggested Lucy. "How does that sound?"

D shook his head. "Sorry, can't. The kids would disown me if I didn't show up at their games this weekend. I've missed too many already."

Lucy's gaze swept the rest of the group. "Well, how 'bout the rest of you?"

They looked at each other and mentally went through their calendars.

"Sure."

"Why not?"

"It'll be fun."

Tara looked at D. "Unless you'd like us to choose a different date so you can come, too," she said. "Bring Donna and the kids.

D brushed aside her suggestion. "Don't worry about it. We'll catch you another time."

Lucy turned to Myles. "What about you?"

Myles looked taken aback. "Moi? You want me, Myles Leland the Third, to go to an amusement park?"

"Out of curiosity, have you ever been to one in your life?" asked Jack.

Myles looked thoughtful. "I did go to one in my youth. With my cousins. It was quite delightful and I vaguely recall winning prizes," he reminisced. "I think my cousins were quite shocked I did win."

"So," said Lucy in exasperation, "does this mean you're going or not?"

The thoughtful look disappeared. "Sure. Why not?" A small smile appeared.

"Okay, we're going to the amusement park this Saturday," announced Lucy. "Let's say we meet at the entrance about four o'clock and then maybe go somewhere after for dinner? That is, if we're not filled with junk food by then." She looked at D. "How 'bout we give you a call when we're done and maybe you guys can join us for dinner," she suggested.

"Maybe. Call and we'll see."

There were nods of agreements and okays floating in the air. As Bobby walked back to his desk, Lucy pulled him to the side.

"What? Forgot something?"

"It'll be your job when Sue comes back from her meeting to convince her to go with us on Saturday," she told him.

"Me?" He was astonished. "Why can't you tell her?"

Lucy shrugged. "Because she needs a fresh face to nag her. If you ask her, she might say yes."

"Nag, eh? I don't nag well."

"Sure you do. I've heard you."

Bobby mockingly glared at her. "If you're trying to convince me that I'm the person for the job, you're going about it the wrong way."

"What if I said if anyone can get her to say yes, it would be you, Bobby."

"That's better," he said mollified. "All right…I'll mention it to her when she comes back."

"You need to persuade her to come," Lucy ordered. "That's the whole reason for this outing."

He grinned. "I'll turn on the full force of the Manning charm."

"We want her to come with us, not scare her off."

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Flipping through the files in the cabinet, Sue looked up when she became aware of someone on the other side. It was Bobby.

"Need something in here?"

"No."

"Something I can help you with/?" she suggested.

"Yes."

She smiled. "What is it?"

"With the exception of D and provided a last minute case doesn't land on our desks, the rest of us are going to the amusement park that just re-opened on Saturday. How 'bout you? It'll be fun," he coaxed.

Reluctance appeared on her face. "I really don't feel like…"

Bobby held up his hand to stop her.

"What?"

He looked at his friend with sympathetic eyes.

"C'mon, Sue," he said quietly. "You need to get out and do something to take your mind off of…things."

"Have you been talking to Lucy?"

"I talk to her everyday."

"You know what I mean."

"She's worried about you."

"I'm fine."

"Then there's no reason why you shouldn't come with us." His blue-grey eyes held hers. "Come with…please?"

Sue had been planning to say no but something in his expression made it difficult and when he added please, her resolve melted. "On one condition."

"What?"

"You buy me some cotton candy."

"I'll throw in some popcorn and a hot dog, too!"

"All right," she laughed. "I'll go."

His dimples flashed. "Good. It'll be fun.

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Amusement Park

"Okay," called out Lucy as the unooficial den mother of the outing, "has anyone seen Myles?"

"There he is!" Bobby stated pointing towards a figure quickly striding towards them.

"Sorry," apologized Myles when he joined them. "Had a little run in with my neighbor."

"The same one?" asked Lucy.

"Sometimes I think his sole purpose in life is to aggravate me," Myles said in an aggrieved voice. "I swear he must sit at his window watching for me to make the slightest infraction of our association rules."

"And you don't do the same thing?" Jack asked.

"Of course not," denied Myles indignantly. "I am much too busy saving the country to spend my time in front of my window watching my neighbors."

Tara looked at him dubiously. "Well, I hope you can get into the mood here. Maybe you can take out some of your frustrations on the rides or the games or something."

Myles considered her suggestion. "That could work. I could imagine each of the targets as ol' what's his face. See? It's working already."

"Whatever floats your boat," said Lucy, "What shall we do first?"

"Roller coaster," Tara answered immediately. She turned to Jack. "If you still have the nerve, Mr. Hudson," she challenged with a playful glint in her eyes.

"Hey, I have nerves of steel," Jack boasted. "I can ride any roller coaster you pick!"

"Ha!" She grinned. "You're on." Turning to the rest of the group, "Anybody else wants to go?"

Myles shuddered. "You know my feelings on that. I think I'd prefer searching for an activity that will allow me to release some of my stress."

"I know just the game," declared Lucy. She grabbed his arm. "C'mon. No, wait." Everyone stopped. "We were supposed to be going out together. This defeats the purpose if we all split up."

"I thought the purpose was so we could get out of the office and have some fun," reminded Bobby.

"R-i-ig-gh-ht," answered Lucy slowly.

"Since it appears we have different interests, why don't we go our separate ways and meet up again in say, two hours?" suggested Bobby. "That should give us all an opportunity to find something we like."

"I hate to agree with Bobby but," said Myles, "that's a good idea. Let's meet back here in two hours."

Murmurs of agreement were heard. Myles left with Lucy while the roller coaster enthusiasts excitedly headed in the direction of the nearest roller coaster.

Bobby turned to Sue. "I guess that leaves the two of us. What would you like to do?"

Sue lifted her arm and gestured towards him. "It doesn't matter. Whatever you want to do is fine with me."

"Why don't we walk around a bit until we see something we like?"

"Fine," she agreed half-heartedly.

The couple strolled around the amusement park, Bobby pointing to different things they could do. It was restful just walking around with him, she thought. While the others had found out she and David were no longer together, only Bobby and Lucy knew the reason behind the break up.

They stopped to watch the roller coaster make a loop-de-loop. Sue grimaced. "I don't know how Tara and Jack can enjoy that!" she declared. "It makes my stomach feel funny just watching. What about you?" she turned to ask Bobby. He wasn't paying attention. He was looking in another direction. "Bobby?"

"One sec," he said then darted off.

Puzzled, her eyes followed him to a snack cart. Money exchanged hands and he returned carrying a paper stick of spun sugar.

"One cotton candy as ordered," he grinned holding it out to her.

"I was just kidding," she commented.

"A promise is a promise."

"Well in that case…" She reached for a tuft. "Mmm, I love the way it melts in your mouth. Want some?"

The two snacked in companionable silence for a while.

"You know, I really haven't had a chance to talk to you in a while," he commented nonchalantly. "How are you—really?"

"Would you believe me if I said fine?"

"No."

"I didn't think so," she replied ruefully. "I'm…all right."

"Really all right or you're getting better all right?"

"I know I did the right thing but every now and then I just can't help wondering..." her voice trailed away.

"…of what might've been," he finished. He faced Sue straight on. "That's normal. But we both know you can't keep second guessing yourself. You'll drive yourself crazy."

"I know," she answered uncertainly.

"Look here, Sue," he said placing his hands on her shoulders and looking directly at her. "You like David…a lot but not enough to marry him. You're still feeling guilty you hurt the bloke but you did what you felt was the right thing. And one day you'll realize you did do the right thing."

Her eyes scanned her companion's face. His sincerity was touching. "I think I feel better already. Thanks, Bobby," she smiled.

"My pleasure." He stood up. "We have," he said looking at his watch, "a little more than an hour before we have to meet the others. What say we try one of these attractions or play a game or two?"

She followed his lead. She would try to forget David. "No roller coasters."

He laughed. "No roller coasters."

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"That was so much fun!" declared Tara as she and Jack got off their second roller coaster ride.

"Are you sure you were having fun?" questioned Jack. He put his finger in his ear. "I think I could be deaf in this ear from your screaming!"

"That's part of the whole roller coaster experience," she insisted. "Can't enjoy a roller coaster ride without screaming." She looked at him critically. "Besides, I wasn't the only one screaming. That was you wasn't it when we went upside down and around in that double corkscrew?"

"Guilty as charged," he admitted a shade embarrassed. "That spooked me a little." He looked at her through narrowed eyes. "However, if you repeat that I will deny everything."

Her eyes gleamed in amusement. "Understood. Wild horses couldn't drag it out of me."

Jack looked at her skeptically. "Maybe not wild horses but I bet Lucy or Sue could."

"W-e-ellll," teased Tara.

Jack pointed a finger at Tara. "You are not to be trusted."

She grinned back in response.

"C'mon," said Jack good-naturedly. "We still got time before we have to meet the others. What would you like to do?"

"You know, I'm thirsty from all that screaming. How 'bout we get something to drink?"

"You're on."

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"Myles, I think you've spent enough money here," declared Lucy holding an armful of stuffed animals. "What are you going to do with all of these?"

He grinned at her in great satisfaction. "I forgot how satisfying it was to exercise my athletic proclivities and win these totally useless pieces of faux fur and sawdust."

"They don't use sawdust in stuffed animals any more, Myles," Lucy said in exaggerated patience. "They use plastic pellets."

"Whatever." He scrutinized his booty. "I propose that we wait until we meet up with the rest and offer them their choice of animal and we donate the rest to a children's hospital or the like."

Lucy smiled. "That would be nice, Myles," she congratulated him.

"And you, Lucy, get first pick," he told her grandly.

"Hmm, first pick," She peered at the toys in her arms. "I think this little penguin is pretty darned cute."

"You like penguins?"

"I like this one."

He eyed her in speculation. "There's a movie called The March of the Penguins. Want to go see it? I hear it's excellent."

She returned his look. "Are you asking me on a date?"

"I was simply asking if you wanted to view this movie since you appear to have a soft spot for penguins."

"When?"

"Tomorrow?"

"You're on."

"Popcorn and a hot dog as usual?"

She smiled. "You still remember?"

"It hasn't been that long," he reminded her. He looked at her thoughtfully. "It wasn't all bad, was it?"

A small smile appeared. "No, it wasn't. In fact, a lot of it was good."

"I know I apologized once before, but I'd like to do so again," he told her sincerely. "I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you. Sometimes I can be quite the jerk." He added quickly, "And I'll deny I said that if you ever repeat this conversation."

"Have no fear, Myles," she assured him. "Besides, no one would believe me."

"There is that," he admitted. "Friends?"

"Friends."

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