Half an hour later after continuous arguments about feet and dashboards, Hanson's Mustang pulled to a stop at the curb outside the old building that housed Penhall's loft apartment.
"If you don't get your hoof prints off my car I will cause you extreme amounts of pain." Hanson said glaring at Doug as he pushed the door closed.
"Oh will you relax. I'll get a cloth from inside and it'll be as good as new."
"It had better be. Oh, and you'd better not use one of those rags you use on your bike".
"Stop fussing. You nag worse than Dorothy."
"Are you sure she won't mind me just turning up?"
"Nah! I told you, she likes you. Anyway when she's not talking to me she's a really great girl!"
"That's good to know." Tom said as Doug took his bag and ushered him through the door.
"We have our problems you know, but deep down we're good for each other" Doug continued as they reached his door. "She knows she won't find better than me."
"And no one else would have you" Tom finished.
"You all love me, you just don't know it yet" he said as he slid they key into the lock.
"What's wrong?" Hanson asked as he noticed the puzzled look on his best friends face.
"The key won't work."
"What?"
"I can't open the door."
"You sure it's the right key?"
"Of course it's the right key. I've been using the same key for nearly three years."
"Just a suggestion." Tom said smiling.
"Thanks." he said bluntly as he began to pound on the door. "Hey Dorothy, open the door, my key's broken."
"It's not broken Douglas!" came a sharp shout from the other side of the door.
"It's not working, just open the door."
"No!"
"Dorothy!"
"You can sleep out in the hall!"
"Dorothy, what's going on?" Doug said with a long suffering sigh.
"What's going on?" she said as she angrily threw the door halfway open, the chain preventing it from opening all the way. "Hey Tommy" she said with a smile as she spotted Hanson standing beside Doug.
"Hi" Tom replied smiling uncomfortably before Dorothy returned her attention back to Doug.
"I changed the locks and you're not getting back in here."
"This is my place!"
"Was your place."
"Come on Dodo, let me in."
"Don't Dodo me! You've made your last mistake Doug."
"Dorothy. let me in!" Doug said through gritted teeth. "I am not arguing with you in the middle of the hallway".
"Maybe you should call your fancy woman. You can stay with her." she spat. Doug and Tom exchanged matching looks of confusion.
"Fancy woman?! That's it, let me in now." Dorothy sighed and rolled her eyes as she closed the door and removed the chain.
"You've got 5 minutes to explain and then you're gone!" she said as the two men stepped through the door. Doug glowered at her as Tom stood behind his large friend looking like he wanted to be anywhere but here.
"Explain what?"
"Why you're cheating on me!"
"I am not cheating on you! What are you talking about?"
"Don't lie to me Doug. I saw you!"
"You saw me! You know, you are crazy!"
"Don't you dare call me crazy!"
"Err...maybe I should..." Tom started to say
"SHUT UP" Doug and Dorothy both yelled at him.
"I saw you Doug."
"What are you talking about?"
"Today when I was in town. There were no parking spaces so I parked near that Catholic School and...what?" she asked as she saw Doug trying to stifle a smile and a look of horror appeared on Tom's face. "Are you laughing at me Doug?" she asked, her voice sending out warning signals.
"No I'm not laughing at you. Look there is a very simple explanation."
"What? It wasn't you?"
"Oh it was me, but it's not what you think I swear."
"I'm listening!"
"It was Tom."
"What?"
"The girl you saw me with. It was Tom."
"You expect me to believe that?" Dorothy said obviously insulted.
"Hey" Doug said holding both hands up in a defensive gesture. "It's the truth!"
"No one would believe that Tommy is an 18 year old girl."
"You'd be surprised!" Hanson said with a large sigh.
"Are you defending him Tom?" Dorothy said, her tone both hurt and dangerous. "Of course you are, you guys stick together, right?"
"Doug, give me the bag." Tom said rolling his eyes. Doug passed him his backpack and he tipped the contents out on the floor. The school uniform, Harry's shoes and the curly wig lay in a pile. Tom reached down and picked up the wig.
"He's telling the truth Dorothy" he said putting on the wig. "It was me." Dorothy looked at him for a moment in astonishment before she broke into fits of uncontrollable laughter.
"Oh my god! Are you telling me that you two are...You're cheating on me with Tom?" she yelled
"NO!" Hanson and Penhall both yelled in unison
"Not a chance! No way!" Tom continued. Doug looked at him, a mixture of hurt and annoyance on his face.
"Why does that thought seem to disgust you so much?"
"Doug..."Tom began, his patience fast running out.
"You could do worse. I'm a good catch you know!"
"Doug, not the time to be discussing this. Trying to stop your girlfriend kicking you out remember. Focus!" Tom said before turning his attention back to Dorothy." We're on a case." he informed her.
"A case that requires that you dress in girls clothes?"
"Er...yeah." Tom said slightly embarrassed. "You owe me!" he said glaring at Doug and stuffing everything back in the bag.
"Hey. it's not my fault she's so stupid as to think I'm cheating on her with a kid!"
"Doug!" Dorothy yelled
"Well it was a stupid thing to say. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised coming from you."
"Take that back!"
"No"
"I can't believe you just called me stupid!"
"If the cap fits. You accused me of cheating on you with an 18 year old girl and Hanson!"
"Ok. I'm gonna go" Tom said turning and trying to make for the door.
"No!" Doug said, "You stay where you are." Then turning to Dorothy, "I am sick of apologising to you. Now put those locks back how they were and stop acting like a child." Dorothy glared at Doug for a moment before turning on her heel and heading for the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
"Oh great!" Doug said as he headed after her, Tom sighed dramatically and followed after his friend. "Dorothy." Doug called softly through the door. "Come on out. I'm sorry, you know I don't think you're stupid."
"Yes you do, and I have nothing to say to you."
"Please Dodo"
"Go away!" Doug turned and slumped resting his head against the door. Tom looked at his friends crumpled and defeated form and felt bad that this argument had been played out in public.
"Hey, why don't you let me talk to her? Maybe I can calm her down." he offered
"Don't worry. She'll come round. Besides, it'd be like sending a lamb to the slaughter".
"I can handle myself."
"Fine, go ahead."
"Dorothy, it's Tom. Can I talk?" The bathroom door slowly opened. Doug tried to follow Tom inside but his smaller friend stopped him in his tracks.
"Hey. You stay out here. Girl talk" he said with a wry smile.
"You know, you're getting way too into this character" Doug said frustrated. Tom replied simply by smiling and softly closing the door.
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"Are you ok?" Tom asked as he took a seat on the floor beside Dorothy.
"Not really"
"Hey, don't worry. You know he doesn't mean any of that. Doug runs his mouth off without thinking, you must know that by now."
"He never shows me any respect and he obviously doesn't think I'm good enough for him. You know, I don't even think he cares about me."
"Of course he cares about you."
"He has a funny way of showing it."
"That's just his way."
"He's so frustrating!"
"Hey, I know that better than anyone. He drives me crazy, but I love him, and I think you do too."
"Of course I do."
"Then be patient with him. You know you do kinda give him the impression that you really don't trust him. Accusing him of having an affair, and with me of all people." he said smiling
"Well it was a very convincing disguise." she said laughing.
"Hey, you only saw me from across the street. Trust me. I'd never make prom queen." he said smirking. "Give Doug a break ok. It was quite a shock for him to have you turn up again after two years."
"He promised I could."
"Yeah he did. He kept his promise didn't he?"
"Yeah. Will you be absolutely honest with me?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"Do you think he does love me Tom?"
"I do, yeah."
"Why?"
"Because you wouldn't drive him this crazy if he didn't, and you should see the look he gets when he talks about you, even when he's complaining." he said with a smile. "He's crazy about you, trust me."
"He talks about me?"
"All the time. Never stops." Hanson replied. Well technically he was telling the truth.
"What does he say?" she asked looking at him, her eyes wide. Oh dear, now this was going to be tricky.
"How unbelievable he thinks you are" he said. Well that's not necessarily a lie either.
"Thanks Tom. You're a good friend to him you know."
"I know" Tom said flashing his crooked half smile and breathing a huge sigh of relief. "So you forgive him?" he said as he got to his feet and held out his hand to help her up.
"I forgive him."
"So, can we get outta here" he said suddenly very aware that he was locked in a bathroom with Dorothy. She nodded her head and opened the door.
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Doug was stood outside with his ear against the door as he had obviously been trying to hear the conversation and he looked quite embarrassed as the door opened and he nearly fell to the floor. Tom stepped out and smiled at Doug patting him on the arm.
"You can thank me later" he said as he walked past his partner and picked up his leather jacket and headed for the door. Next Doug was shocked as he was hit by Dorothy as she launched herself at him kissing him passionately.
"I'm sorry Doug. You should tell me how you feel more often and I wouldn't get so angry at you." she said looking up at him.
"Pardon me?"
"Tom told me how you feel. Is it true?" she asked hugging him.
"Er..." Doug began as he looked over at Hanson who was nodding his head urgently, "Of course it is."
"I love you too Douggie"
Tom looked back and smiled at the couple before closing the door and turning into the hallway. As he began to walk down the hall he was stopped as he heard Doug's voice calling from behind him.
"Hey Tom!"
"Everything ok now I take it?" he said smiling
"Yeah. Where you going?"
"Home. You guys need time alone together."
"Are you going to be ok? I don't think you should be alone."
"Hey I'm big enough to care of myself."
"Are you sure you'll be ok?"
"I'm sure. I've gotta be alone sometime. Now get back in there before you're in the bad books again."
"Ok I'll see you tomorrow."
"Ok, go." he said ushering Doug back towards the door.
"Thanks Tom."
"No problem. Go!" Hanson stood there smiling to himself as Doug re-entered his apartment. Then he turned and walked down the hall and out to his car parked outside. As he sat in the driver's seat and put the keys into the ignition his eyes caught sight of the large footprint still on the dashboard. His soft brown eyes narrowed in irritation as he glared at the blemish on his pride and joy.