Trouble
Alex awoke with a start as the door to the apartment squeaked and then shut. She heard the familiar clip-clop of her daughter's heels. She heard her daughter go into her bedroom, turn on her stereo. She waited for the bed creak indicating that her daughter had flopped down on her bed. It didn't come. That was strange. A knock came at the door. Alex got up from the couch and walked towards the door. Meredith's door opened, and she streaked past her mother to open it. And there stood Carolyn.
"Carrie, why are you up so late?" Alex ushered her in, not missing the look Carolyn shot Meredith. "Did something happen tonight?" Meredith pleaded with Carolyn, giving her a look, begging her not to say anything. Carolyn ignored it and went to the coffee maker.
"Meredith, did you tell your mother what happened tonight?" Carolyn looked over her shoulder as she scooped the grounds into the filter. Meredith avoided her mother's looks. Carolyn continued as she filled the pot with fresh, cold water, pouring it slowly into the back of the machine. "Meredith ditched Lenny at the prom tonight to go out with…oh, what's his name Meredith?" Carolyn stabbed at the on button with her finger, turning to face the girl who was now glaring at her. Alex could not take her eyes off of Meredith and the fact that the kid refused to look her in the eye saddened her.
"Jonah," Meredith spat. "His name is Jonah, and he's who I originally wanted to take to the prom, but you people made me go with Leonard." She sat back angrily in the kitchen chair. All three women looked towards Alex and Bobby's bedroom, listening to him stir. They waited, each of them hoping, for their own reasons, he'd go back to sleep…or at least stay in the bedroom. They heard the lamp click on. Alex motioned for Meredith to go in her room. For once, she obeyed without argument. Just as Meredith's door shut, Bobby's opened. He wandered out into the kitchen, wearing a tissue thin white t-shirt and black boxers. He stopped, looking back and forth between his wife and longtime friend, confused from sleep.
"Good, um, morning, Carolyn. Alex, did Meredith come home yet?" He ran a hand through his curls, mussed from sleep. Alex looked at her husband, her breath catching; even after all these years she still wanted to jump him…like she was Meredith's age. She still wished she knew him when, but was more than thankful for what she did have. Another door in the apartment opened; Jack's bedroom door opened. Bobby looked down the hall and waved at him. Jack appeared in the kitchen, giving his father a strange look, punching him in the arm before moving to the coffee maker, helping himself.
"Would anyone else like a 3AM cup of coffee?" Jack pulled out 3 more mugs. Bobby shook his head, noting how much like his mother he looked…amused that he was so much like him in certain aspects, like the inability to sleep.
"I'm going back to bed. What are you two still doing up?" Bobby looked at Carolyn and Alex expectantly. Alex dared not glance at Carolyn.
"We were just talking about the prom. The kids had fun," Alex said, standing up to steer her husband back towards the bedroom. "We're going to have a little girl talk, okay?" She kissed him lightly on the lips; it killed her to have to swat away his roaming hand. He nodded and went back into the bedroom. Alex waited for the light to turn off, and then bolted back into the kitchen.
"Alex, she could've been hurt," Carolyn started, choked up. Alex bit her lip and handed a coffee cup to her friend. Neither of them noticed Jack in the living room, in the dark, absorbing the information of his sister's brush with stupidity…enough to choke him up, with rage and sadness. "She left Lenny at the Grove, went with this Jonah, I don't even know who the hell he is. Lenny called home. He didn't know where she was, couldn't find her, and you know how much he loves this girl." Carolyn stopped, reaching over the table for a napkin to wipe her nose. Alex stared at her. "So, Mike goes out and they go looking for her. They went up to the hill," Carolyn stopped, making sure Alex knew where she was talking about. Alex nodded, understanding where this was going, her stomach twisting, the coffee untouched.
Carolyn went on. Alex paled. Jack cried silently in the living room, not quite understanding why his sister would do such a thing, having been raised the way she was. Moments passed, coffee stood untouched. Carolyn hugged her friend briefly, before turning to leave. Alex sat at the table for a long time. When the nausea and shock passed, she went to sit in the living room only to find her son, curled up and sleeping. Quietly, she covered him up and kissed his forehead, having no doubt he had just heard every single word. Alex walked down the hall to her daughter's room and sat on the edge of her bed. Meredith was pretending to be asleep, of this Alex was sure.
"I don't know what the hell you were thinking. You know what could've happened and don't even think that it couldn't happen to you, because it could've, without a doubt. You don't know this kid, we don't know this kid. And don't give me that bull that we made you go with Lenny; last time I checked the story was he asked and you said yes and two weeks ago you were thrilled spitless. And drinking? And an impromptu stripteases? I don't know what you were thinking, and I don't think I want to know. I won't tell your father; I don't want him going off the deep-end. You are our only daughter – and if you don't shape up…"Alex trailed off, unsure of what kind of threat or punishment to give for something like this. She smoothed the cow-lick on her daughter's head and pulled the covers up tighter around her before leaving the room. Alex entered her bedroom, glancing at Bobby, curled up around her pillow, waiting for her. Alex stood by the window, watched the sun starting to come up. Bobby stirred.
"What happened, Alex?" He looked at her silhouette in the window, watched her shake with sobs. She took a deep breath before responding.
"Nothing, Bobby," Alex managed.
A/N: Let me know if you guys want more of this…more dealings with the children or not. Thank you for the reviews!