Chapter 3, A Date with Destiny, Part 1, A Blast from the Past
Summary: This is chapter 3 of The Reunion of Tommy and Silvia. In this chapter, Tommy takes Silvia on their first date, which they double date with Chuckie and Nicole, to celebrate the end of final exams and the spring of 2034 semester, but when somebody from Tommy's past is their waitress, Tommy has a decision to make.
Tommy POV
It was the day I had been waiting for. Not only was it the last day of final exams, but tonight, I'd be taking Silvia out on our first date, as we agreed we wouldn't even consider going out on our first date until the semester was over, since she published her personal article about me in the paper, if Jane Augustine found out she had a close relationship with me while the class was in session, it would break the contract she signed at the beginning of the semester, and could cause her to get a failing grade. The same applied to me in Writing and Reporting the News II, though not exactly, since I never released an article on her. Nonetheless, I printed out my essay to turn into my English professor, took it by her office, and headed back to the town house to get ready. I got there to find Chuckie and Nicole watching some chick flick on the TV.
"Hey Tommy, how were your finals?" Chuckie asked.
"Who cares, they're all finished, and the only thing I wish to think about right now, is my date with Silvia." I replied, as I tossed my backpack in the corner of the small living room where I usually kept it.
"Oh, that reminds me, Silvia called our town house phone several times today. I tried to tell her you had final exams all day and wouldn't be back until after 4 o'clock, but she just kept calling and calling and calling. You might wanna call her back, and make sure we're still on tonight for our double date." Said Chuckie.
"Would you relax? I'm sure everything's fine." I said, taking a seat in the arm chair at the other end of the room.
"Hi Tommy, happy finish to another college semester." Said Nicole.
"Thanks. So, did you make it here in time to attend the Baccalaureate with Chuckie this afternoon at the MCLA Church Street Center, Eleanor Furst Roberts Auditorium?" I asked.
"Yes I sure did, and the ivy orations and speeches were just, beautiful!" Said Nicole, as she snuggled up next to Chuckie.
"Oh and, there was a note on our door. We have to be out of the town house by early next week, and I'm heading up to Yale to attend Nicole's graduation ceremony on Sunday, so have fun cleaning up." Said Chuckie.
"G, thanks." I groaned, as I made my way out of the living room towards my bedroom to return Silvia's bazillion phone calls.
I gave her a ring, and she answered on the third ring.
"Silvia?" I said.
"Tommy! I've been trying to reach you all day, I was getting worried!" Said Silvia.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I had three finals today, but I'm all done and looking forward to our date tonight." I said.
"Awesome! So, where are we going?" Silvia asked.
"I thought we already went over this. It's a double date, you and me, and my roommate Chuck and his girlfriend Nicole, we're all going to Patrick's Pub to celebrate the conclusion of the semester, and Chuckie and Nicole's completion of college, as they graduate this weekend." I replied.
"Oh, ok, cool! So, you're still picking me up at seven, right?" Silvia asked.
"Yep, I'll be there at seven." I replied.
"Awesome! I'll see you then baby. Oh and, sweetie, I love you." Said Silvia, followed by a kissing noise, as she hung up the phone.
"Love you babe." I replied, as I hung up the phone.
Why she had to kiss like that, when we haven't had our first real kiss yet is beyond me, but whatever, I figured I would go and shower and change, while the bathroom was free, before Nicole had to get in there, and do her makeup, for what would feel like, hours.
End of Tommy POV
At 6:15 PM that evening, the two couples left the MCLA campus in Tommy's driverless sports car, and headed for Pittsfield to pick up Silvia from her apartment. They arrived right at seven, and Silvia was outside waiting for them. She hopped into the passenger side of the car, and the two couples, made their way to Patrick's Pub. They got there to find a very crowded parking lot, which was not uncommon on a Friday night, and they made their way inside, where there was a long line. Lucky for them though, they had made reservations ahead of time. A manager walked up to them.
"Good evening, and welcome to Patrick's Pub." Said the manager.
"Hello, we have a reservation for four, under the name Pickles." Said Tommy.
The manager looked them up in the computer.
"Ah yes, you reserved a table for four at seven thirty?" The manager asked.
"Correct." Tommy replied.
"Very well then, please, walk this way." Said the manager, as Tommy, Silvia, Chuckie and Nicole followed the manager to a table.
They arrived at their table, where Tommy and Chuckie sat on one side, and Nicole and Silvia sat across from their boyfriends.
"Someone will be here to take your orders shortly." Said the manager, as he put down menus on the table.
"So, what do you recommend Tommy?" Chuckie asked.
"Well, I was looking at their menu online before we got here, and Silvia and I were thinking about splitting an order of their jumbo buffalo wings and sweet potato fries." Tommy replied.
"No way, not me, buffalo wings are too spicy." Said Chuckie.
"Honey, why don't you and I split an order of the tereoki wings. I hear they're suppose to be very good." Said Nicole.
"That sounds good to me." Said Chuckie.
Just then, their waitress came to the table.
"Good evening and welcome to Patrick's Pub. I'm Rachel and I'll be your server this evening. May I start you off with something to drink?" Asked the waitress.
"Let's see, Nicole will take an orange soda, Chuckie will take a Sprite, Silvia will take a lemonade, and I would like a strawberry dackary please." Said Tommy.
Just then, Rachel caught a glimpse of Tommy, and noticed that he looked vaguely familiar to her.
"Tommy?" Said Rachel.
"Rachel?" Said Tommy.
"Uh, you two know each other?" Silvia asked.
Tommy nodded.
"Yes, I knew Tommy over twelve years ago." Replied Rachel, as she filled the water glasses.
"Oh, I see." Said Silvia.
Tommy was lost in thought at this point, as he had flashbacks back to the year 2022. The year he was in middle school. The year that he went out with Rachel. They met at barmitsfa school, and hit it off. After that, they did everything together, from going to the movies, to bowling, ending the night, by the lake counting stars. That is, until the day she moved away. At that time, Tommy shrugged it off, because he figured this was a chance to be free, but his friends all thought differently, so Tommy went along with some advice given to him by his younger brother, to put on an act, making them think he was heartbroken over Rachel. As a result of putting on this little act, his friends got Rachel to come up for some contest or something the following weekend. It was so long ago, the events were somewhat of a blur now, but all he could remember was her final words.
"Pickles, I never want to see you again!" He heard Rachel say in his mind.
And now, here it was, twelve years later. On his first date with Silvia, his newest girlfriend, and an ancient girlfriend from the past returns as their waitress. And even more so, Rachel remembered him, after all of these years.
A little while later, Rachel had returned with their drinks.
"Are you guys ready to order?" Rachel asked.
But Tommy, couldn't bring himself to speak.
"Uh, earth to Tommy, it's time to give Rachel our order." Said Chuckie, punching Tommy in the ribs.
"Oh, sorry, uh, yeah. Nicole and Chuckie will be splitting an order of the tereoki chicken wings with an order of curly fries, and Silvia and I will be splittihng an order of the, uh…" Tommy trailed off.
"We would like the buffalo wings and an order of sweet potato fries to split." Chimed in Silvia.
"Very well then." Said Rachel, picking up the menus from the table and heading off to the kitchen with their orders.
The rest of dinner was relatively uneventful, as Chuckie, Nicole and Silvia engaged in conversation, but Tommy on the other hand, was unusually quiet, and did more picking at his plate than eating.
In fact, he remained quiet the rest of the night, hardly speaking except to tell Silvia goodbye after dinner, and even post getting back up to the town house at MCLA, he hardly spoke a word. Upon getting there, he headed off to his room, while Chuckie and Nicole enjoyed having the small living room to themselves. But Nicole could tell something was bugging Chuckie.
"Something bugging ya?" Nicole asked, gazing into Chuckie's eyes.
"I'm just worried about Tommy. He hasn't seemed himself since he and Rachel crossed paths." Replied Chuckie in a low whisper, so as Tommy wouldn't over hear. But just at that moment, Tommy walked in to the living room and overheard everything.
"What are you guys talking about? Rachel means nothing to me. That was like, nearly twelve years ago." Tommy replied, as he paced the room.
"Oh come on. Don't think I didn't notice Tommy. Ever since Rachel introduced herself as our waitress, you've been spacing out, and practically drooling over her." Said Chuckie.
"Yeah, and I don't know Silvia all that well, but she's probably all confused." Said Nicole.
"I already told you, Rachel means nothing to me." Said Tommy.
"I think you still have feelings for the girl. I'm a Psychology major, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that with how you were acting tonight, you can't decide who to be with, Rachel or Silvia." Said Chuckie.
Several minutes of silence passed before anybody spoke up.
"Ok ok, I admit it, maybe I do have feelings for Rachel, but I also like Silvia too." Said Tommy.
"Well, the only logical thing to do, would be to take Rachel out on a date, and see if you really have feelings for her and this, crossing of paths is meant to be a second chance, or, if it's simply nothing, and thus, Silvia is your match." Said Chuckie.
"Great idea Chucko, only one problem. I don't have her number." Said Tommy with a sigh.
"So? The girl works at Patricks. Just call the restaurant and speak to her." Said Nicole.
"Are you guys nuts? I'll look like an idiot doing that." Said Tommy.
"Yeah but it's the only way you're gonna know for sure." Said Chuckie.
"Fine, I'll do it." Said Tommy with a sigh, as he pulled out his iPhone and gave Patricks a call.
The phone rang four times before somebody answered.
"Patricks Pub, Janet speaking." Said a voice on the other end of the phone.
"Yes, I'm looking for Rachel." Said Tommy.
"Which Rachel?" Asked Janet.
"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize there was more than one Rachel employeed there." Said Tommy.
"You're not, Tommy Pickles, the head of the lovely party of four we had the pleasure of serving tonight, are you?" Janet asked.
"Uh, yes, I am." Tommy replied.
"Hold on, I seem to recall which Rachel was your server. Let me get her for you." Said Janet.
Several minutes of silence passed, as Janet went to find Rachel. A few minutes later, Janet came back to the phone.
"Uh, Tommy Pickles? You still there?" Janet asked.
"Yes." Tommy replied.
"Look, I'm sorry, but Rachel is busy, but I'd be happy to take down your name and phone number for her to call you back. Is this having to do with your service you received tonight?" Janet asked.
"Uh, um, yeah." Tommy lied.
"Very well then. What's your number?" Janet asked.
Tommy gave Janet his name and phone number, and the conversation ended not long after that.
The following day, Chuckie and Nicole packed up Nicole's car, and the two of them drove to Yale to attend Nicole's graduation ceremony, which would be on Sunday morning, while Chuckie's was a week from that Saturday.
"Have a good time, and congratulations again Nicole." Tommy shouted from the door of the town house, waving as Chuckie and Nicole pulled away.
"Thanks Tommy." Shouted Nicole, as the car drove off.
Tommy headed back inside to have the town house all to himself the rest of that weekend. He was suppose to be packing so they could leave the town house early the next week, and Tommy could put down the deposit for the apartment he would be moving into at the end of the month, to have a place to stay for the summer, when he wasn't in Austria, scaling the Alps, and taking a tour of every location where The Sound of Music was shot, as he would not be leaving for that trip until mid July, and after meeting Silvia, he had no interest in going home to California this summer, or even heading to Florida and staying with Dil, even though he had been invited to Lance and Chelsea's wedding, which sadly, would be taking place while Tommy was on his Austria expedition, causing him to have to turn down the invitation. But all he could think about all day was Rachel. Why did their paths cross? Was this a second chance for them? She did seem rather nice, like what went down twelve years ago meant nothing now. Of course, she was in a professional setting, where she had to keep her cool, but the fact that she remembered him after all of these years was definitely a sign, or was it. And Silvia, they had just started going out. Tommy only hoped that Silvia wouldn't call at that moment, until he had a chance to talk to Rachel, and find out for sure if their crossing of paths was meant something.
His phone was silent for most of the day, as he enjoyed a baseball game on TV that afternoon, and read a book. Finally, at around 10:30 that night, Tommy felt a vibration in his pocket. He had dozed off on the couch at this point, so he picked it up.
"Hello?" Tommy said.
"Tommy? It's Rachel." Said Rachel from the other end.
"Oh, hi." Tommy replied.
"Sorry it took me so long to return your call. Janet, my supervisor gave me your number, but I had a double shift today, so couldn't call you back until now." Said Rachel.
"It's ok. If anything, I was starting to wonder if I would hear from you." Replied Tommy.
"Look, I know I said twelve years ago that I never wished to see you again, but ever since our paths crossed last night, well, the truth is, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since." Said Rachel.
"Really? Neither have I!" Said Tommy, as he changed positions on the couch, turning from his back, on to his side, to get more comfortable.
"Are you saying, we should, have a second chance?" Rachel asked.
"Well, yeah!" Said Tommy.
"I have off tomorrow. Does tomorrow work for you?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, yeah, it does." Said Tommy.
"Ok, where do you live anyway?" Rachel asked.
"I attend college at MCLA up in North Adams, and live in town house number eight." Said Tommy.
"Awe, my favorite number." Rachel said with a chuckle.
The two of them laughed. Just then, A call waiting beep came into Tommy's ear, and Voice Over read off the caller ID. It was Silvia, Home, which meant Silvia was calling him from her house phone, and because Tommy had put Silvia's number into his phone under her name, it read off her name to him as the caller ID.
"Listen Rachel, I've got another call. We'll meet tomorrow night at The Olive Garden in Springfield, Mass, ok?" Said Tommy.
"Oooh, I haven't been to the Olive Garden in forever! Sounds good. See you tomorrow." Said Rachel.
"Yeah ok, bye." Said Tommy, as he double tapped to answer Silvia's call.
To be continued in the next chapter… So, what will happen? What will Tommy tell Silvia? And how will the date with Rachel go? And more importantly, who will Tommy choose to be his girlfriend? Is this a second chance for Tommy and Rachel to be together, after not dating for twelve years? Or will Silvia end up being the winner. We'll find out, in chapter 4.
Author's Note: I'll be honest, I've only seen one episode of AGU with Rachel in it, All Broke Up, and I don't recall her last name ever being mentioned. If it was ever mentioned during season 4 when she made the most appearances, somebody let me know please? Otherwise, I'll make up a last name for her, but that's why things went the way they did when Tommy called the restaurant, only to find out they had more than one Rachel working there. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and, chapter 4 will be up shortly.