Open Your Eyes: One More Try

((Post-series future fic - Drake/Mindy, Mindy/OMC - Rating: K+; Words: 933)

There'll be another follow-up after this one.

Josh spots that cardboard carton at Drake's feet containing five open (and empty) beer bottles as he enters the living room of his brother's condo. "Rough day?"

"You could say that." Drake twists the top of the sixth with a little difficulty and takes a gulp. "So, I'm thinking about crashing Mindy's wedding tomorrow."

Josh frowns and looks at his brother, confused. "Say what now?"

"Yeah. But I want to time it just right so that I'll burst through the doors when the priest or preacher or whatever asks if anyone objects. Like something out of a movie."

"Uh, Drake, I get that you've never liked Mindy, and maybe you've been waiting all this time to get revenge on her for trying to get you suspended, but don't you think that ruining her wedding might be, oh, I don't know, a little extreme?"

"What? No. This isn't about revenge. She shouldn't be marrying that loser," Drake grumbles.

"They're in love. And since when do you care who Mindy marries?"

"If she marries him, it's going to make me miserable for the rest of my life."

Josh contemplates what Drake just said then shakes his head, "Yeah, I don't get it."

"Oh, right. See, here's the thing: Mindy and I kind of had a little thing going on the side before she and Luke got back together."

"You what?"

"Mindy and I dated. Sort of."

Josh looks completely baffled for a few moments before he bursts into laughter.

"What's so funny?"

Between peals of laughter, Josh says, "You. And Mindy. You and Mindy." His laughter begins to die down. "Oh, Drake, you almost had me going there. Like anything would ever happen between you and Mindy."

"Seriously, Josh. We were together for four months. And there was also that one night after she and Luke had that fight the week before he popped the question."

The color is steadily draining from Josh's falling face. He squeaks, "You and Mindy?"

"Yeah, man."

"You and Mindy?" Drake nods; Josh lets out a shriek and starts pacing. "She—you—the two of you—when? How? How? How?"

"You remember your birthday party last year?"

"Yeah?" Josh makes a face. "Oh, no, tell me you two did not hook up at my party."

Drake gives him a sheepish grin, "Ok, I won't tell you."

"Aah! Why?"

Drake shrugs. "I don't know. One minute we talking and not being hateful and the next we were kissing and then we were kind of dating. Oh, and having sex."

"Why would you do that?"

"You went out with her; you know how…persuasive she can be."

Josh gags a little. "Oh, that is so not what I was asking; I am asking how it wasn't just a one-time thing. And I still don't get why you're not okay with her marrying Luke."

Drake frowns, "Yeah. So, it turns out, I may have fallen in love with her. Yeah, pretty sure I did. And I tried to talk her out of it when they got engaged but she got all pissy and told me that she loves him. Him! The guy has no sense of rhythm. He's so boring and not as good-looking as me."

"Actually, Luke's a pretty good-looking guy and he's a fantastic dancer, plus he's got a great sense of humor—"

"Are you going to marry him too?" Drake asks spitefully.

Josh remembers that he should be trying to help Drake feel better. "Sorry. I was just pointing out some of his qualities that Mindy might find desirable in a mate."

"And I've got those same qualities!"

"Have you told Mindy that you love her?"

"No."

"And there it is. It's possible that if you had told her that, she wouldn't have gotten back together with Luke in the first place."

"I didn't know that I loved her until after they got engaged! And she stopped answering and returning my calls and my texts, my e-mails and IMs. I can't tell her if she won't let me talk to her."

"Okay. But, interrupting her wedding is not the right way to go about letting her know how you feel about her."

"So what do I do?"

Josh scratches his head. He takes a deep breath, digging his cell phone out of his pocket. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but, let me try talking to her, okay? Maybe I can get her to listen to you for a few minutes."

Josh sighs as he hits the call button on his phone. Mindy answers after the third ring. "Hey, Mindy, big day tomorrow, huh?"

Drake stands up and walks over to Josh, trying not to get his hopes up.

"Yeah, about that, I'm at Drake's and he just told me the craziest thing about the two of—" Josh looks terrified and he pulls the phone away from his ear.

Mindy's yelling is loud enough for them to both hear: "I am getting MARRIED tomorrow! Married! What reason could you possibly have for bringing that up the night before my wedding?"

Josh looks at Drake and shrugs, thrusting the phone at him. Drake grabs for the phone, nearly dropping it before bringing it up to his head. Even her breathing sounds angry and annoyed. At this point, he's just happy that she hasn't hung up yet. Without any preamble, he blurts, "I love you."

There's shocked silence on the other end for several seconds before Mindy barks, "Your timing sucks," then hangs up.

Drake stares dejectedly at the phone for a moment before looking at Josh. "What time's the wedding?"

*** Finis ***