A harsh cough escaped my mouth. I gasped for air and coughed some more into my scarf. Spencer looked at me with a worried look on his face. "Are you okay?"
I nodded and turned away towards the window. My breath appeared on the glass in white blotches. They faded slowly and materialized fast. I drew little pictures in the blotches and smiled.
"What are you doing?" Spencer asked.
"Doodling. On the, um, glass." I replied.
He did his little face thing and looked away. I focused on the stick family I created and drew their house. The roof was unporportional, and I cringed at it. Using a light hand, I erased the line and redrew it, this time using my thumb as a ruler.
"You have OCD?" Spencer observed.
I nodded. "A little. I can't stand unsymmertical things. Or things being moved and the typical stuff for OCD people."
He inclined his head and looked away again. "Where's Rossi and them? Shouldn't they be here by now?"
"I gave them the long way by accident. I'll call them to see where they're at." I grabbed my phone out my pocket and began dialing David's number.
"No, you don't have to do that. It's fine. Let's just go grab a table." he said, getting out the car.
I shrugged and stuffed my phone away. Spence held the door open and helped me out. I smiled and shoved my gloved hands in my jacket. We hurried along against the small flurries of snow inside to the resaurant. The line was short, not much waiting time. I stared around the place, taking in everything from the decor to the fireplace. He stepped up a little and motined for me. "Are you distracted by something?"
"The decor. There's a lot of shiny stuff in here." I said, still looking around and earning a glare from a guy at the back. What was his problem? I can stare if I want!
Reid pulled me by my hand to the podium. "There's nine of us."
"Name?" the little blonde waitress asked.
"Uh, Reid." he answered.
She nodded and turned her back towards us. "Follow me."
The girl led us to the far right side of the place to a very long table, well three tables pulled together. She laid out the menus and asked us for the drinks. Reid ordered a water, me a coke. She left with a smack and strutted off to the kitchen.
"I hate girls like that." I stated, shucking off my jacket and sitting next to Spence. "They act like their shit's better than everyone else's."
"You must've not had many friends in school." he commented.
I stared at the menu and shook my head. "Nope. I was the freak. I was home-schooled until seventh grade when my mom decided to get a job at the high school. I knew no one, which made it awkard. And to add on to that, the high school and junior high were mixed."
He snorted. I looked at him. "What?"
"Nothing. It's just... Where did you grow up?"
"A little town in Georgia. My family was middle class so I didn't really fit in with the 'in crowd'."
"Oh. What small town?"
I grinned. "Why does it matter?"
"I'm just trying to find out more about you. Is that a crime?"
"Yes. You're under arrest and you only get one phone call." I said in my most macho voice.
JJ snickered and sat down beside me. "Oh please, officer! Let me go!"
Spence and I laughed. "Hey, JJ."
"Hey guys. So, what are we getting?"
"I'm getting a salad and a cheeseburger." I said. "I don't know what Jimmy Neutron's getting."
"Actually, I haven't even looked. Hey, do you know where the others are?" he asked.
"Uh, Derek, Emily, and Penelope are at the stoplight two blocks down. Aaron is on Croutch and Laughtner, aanndd David's a block away." she replied.
"You called?" I asked.
"No, Will did. I'm not getting a ticket." she said with some sass.
I smiled at Will and grabbed my phone. Two messages from Nick. I groaned.
"What?" asked a suddenly here Emily. "Ex boyfriend?"
"Yeah. He won't stop texting and calling me. I swear I'm gonna change my number."
"Or I can tell him I'm your new boyfriend and he needs stop trying to talk to my girlfriend." Derek offered.
"I don't think Penny would like that." I grinned and shot a look at Penelope. She smiled back and looked at her menu.
The waitress appeared with our drinks and recieved the others. She left us her name and swivled on her foot. I mimicked a squirrel and did the same, getting a round of laughter from the tables. Aaron and David appeared at the same time and grabbed the last remaining seats. Finally, my family was all here. I smiled and laughed at something JJ said. When the waitress came back, she took our orders and left to get them. I sipped some more of my soda and stared at everybody.
"So, Jordy. How's the other family?" Aaron questioned. Everyone stopped talking to look at me.
"Well, my mom just got out of the hospital two days ago and has been told she can't move for at least two weeks." I said.
"Her surgery went well then?" Dave asked.
"Yeah. Um, my twin sister Jade got engaged last night to her long-term boyfrind. Aanndd, Julio, Mary, Edith, Prudence, and Judith all went on vaction."
"That all?" Derek asked.
"Pretty much." I said nonchalantly.
"What about your roomie?" Penny asked.
"Karla? She's fine. She's been looking after Charlie, but she still has time for her studies."
They all nodded. I pulled my lips back and tightened my cheeks. Miss Sassy Waitress brought our food and we all dug in. She asked if there was anything we needed, but Emily dismissed her. My salad was delicious. Croutons with garlic bits cruched underneath my fork, tomatoes sat on a napkin, lettuce swirled with ranch and seasoning heaped everywhere in the bowl. I laid my fork down when I finished and started on my burger. Ketchup, mustard, and pickles were placed in perfect "food harmony". I bit into it slowly, savoring the taste, and nodded at something Will asked.
"Are you sure?" he asked uncertainly.
"Yeah. A dog would be really cool. What type of doggie is he?"
"He's a grayish, whitish, blackish Scottie." he said.
"I want him! How much?"
"Free if you want him that bad." JJ said.
"Yes!" I squealed. "Does he have a name?"
"Nope. I'll call Jason and tell him you want him." Will said gingerly.
"Yay! I get a Scottie!" I squealed some more. "What should I name him?" I asked Emily and Penny.
They shrugged. I picked up my burger and bit into it again, thinking on and on about dog names. Spence tapped my shoulder, making me snap out of my reviere and jump. He snatched his hand back and stared wide eyed at me.
"Sorry. I was deep in thought."
"I know. I asked you the same question five times."
"What was it?"
"Are you riding home with me or Penny, Emily, and Derek?"
I gave it some thought. "I guess you. My purse is in your car."
"Alright."
I smiled and gave Penny a sad look.
"Hey, dont worry. We're still going swimming, right?" she asked.
"Yeah, if I don't have to work anytime soon."
She smiled and gave me a wink. I winked back and finished the burger. Aaron got up and looked at Spence and me. "Thanks for dinner. I really enjoyed myself."
"You're welcome, Aaron! Big time stress reliever." I said cheerily.
He smiled and left. Dave, JJ, and Will soon followed, all thanking Spence and me for inviting them out. Derek, Emily, and Penny were the only ones left with us.
"That really was great, guys." Derek confessed, rubbing his stomach.
"Yeah. It really was." Emily agreed.
"I loved it. The food was great, I got to hang out with my fam. It was real nice, you two." Penny voiced.
"Well, I'm glad you guys liked it. Jade told me about this place and I wanted to try it with y'all." I said happily.
I got up to stretch, and we walked to the front. Penny walked arm in arm with me and made me skip a little. Spence pulled out his wallet to pay the kind of expensive bill when Derek stopped him.
"I'll pay for ours. That leaves Aaron, Dave, JJ, Will, Jordy, and yourself." he said.
Spencer looked taken aback by the comment, but quickly recovered. "If that's what you want."
"JJ and Will paid for theirs. I seen them. And so did Aaron and Dave." Emily commented.
"Well, ain't that sweet?" I said, grinning at the look of horror on Spence's face when I said "ain't".
"I guess I'll just pay for ours." he told me.
I grinned and got a piece of gum for the gumball machine. Penny got another one, a pink one, and popped it in her mouth. I blew a yellow bubble and watched Spence pop it with his finger.
"Hey!" I cried.
He laughed and handed the guy a twenty. I shot him an angry look and walked outside with Penny.
"Hey," she said when I stepped outside.
"Hey." I breathed out in a white blotch.
I rubbed my gloves together in some search of warmth and shoved them in my pockets. I let out a long , tired sigh. She looked at me with worry. "You okay?"
"Yep. Just really, really, really cold." I blotched out.
"Well, it's Virginia, so it's really cold during December. It's not cold like this down south?"
"Yeah, but, this is northern air. I'm not used to it."
"Oh. So, just wondering, is there anything going on with you and Spence?"
I almost choked. Almost. "What?"
"Well, you guys were flirting, so I figured you two were, you know, together." she admitted.
"No. Spence and I are just friends. That's just friends being friends. Nothing's going on. Absolutely, positively nothing." I clarified.
"What?" Derek, who suddenly appeared, asked.
Emily and Spence stared at me as I turned the many shades of red.
"Nothing."
"Okay?" he said questionly. He started towards the car, Emily and Spence following him.
"Well, don't make such a big deal about it. It makes your response seem like a lie." she said, stepping off the sidewalk and following the others.
I stood there like an idiot with my mouth open for a minute before I ran to catch up with Spencer. They were saying their goodbyes when I reached them. Spencer was in the car with his window down. I hopped in and waved to them. "Bye!"
"Bye!" they yelled back. "See you tomorrow!"
"Se ya tomorrow!"
They hopped in to Derek's SUV and drove off. I wrapped myself in my seatbelt and shivered. Spence glanced at me and turned the heat on. "Cold?"
"Just a lot." I said through gritted teeth.
He smiled and slowed for the red light. Silence filled the car. I breathed on the window again and seen the little family I drew earlier. He let out a slow breath that made me look at him.
"What?"
"Nothing. Just stuffed from the food." he said.
"Oh."
Silence again consumed the SUV. I stared awkwardly out the windshield to the other side. The light turned green, and he drove forward. I checked my phone again. Fifteen messages.
"I wish he's stop and leave me alone!" I screamed.
"Nick? Just tell him to stop."
"I have! He insists I'm wrong, and I should give him a second chance."
Spencer turned onto Gordan ans slowed down a little. "Well, let me talk to him."
"He'll think your my new boyfriend and come and find me to beat the hell out of you."
"What's wrong with that?"
My breath caught. "What do you mean 'what's wrong with that'? He'll beat the hell out of you, Spencer!"
"And? Federal agent. He can't touch me." he said.
Was he really not worried? Did he not remember that Nick beat me daily? "Do you not remember what he did?"
"Of course. How could I forget?" he asked. It kind of sounded like he hated the fact it happened to me. Like he could've stopped it.
"Look, it's okay. I'll just change my number or something."
He pulled into the driveway and let the car idle. "Get a restraining order."
"I'll think about it."
He looked at me and smiled. I smiled back and looked away. "Well, good night."
"Good night."
I leaned in and kissed his forehead. "Bye." And I left him sitting there with his mouth hanging open in surprise, eyes wide.
I smiled and walked inside.
"Hey!" Karla said when I walked in.
"Hey." I replied, shucking off my jacket and scarf and hanging them on the coat rack.
"How was it?"
"Fine." I pushed the curtain back. He was just now pulling out. I grinned and turned back to Karla.
"What did you do, Jordan?" she asked suspiciously.
"I kissed Spencer and left him sitting there."
Her eyes widened, and she covered her mouth; I grinned bigger. "Really?"
"Just on the forehead."
"Oh. You had me all worked up. Damn." she turned around and walked into the living room.
"Is Charles asleep?"
"Yep."
"Alright. I think I'm going to bed. Night."
"Night." she called as I walked up the steps.
I walked into the room of my five year old nephew I currently kept. He was on his back, his brown curls in his face. He needed a haircut, I knew. I sat down on the floor beside him and pushed his hair out the away. His little eyes fluttered and finally opened. I looked into his sleepy brown eyes and smiled. "Hey, buddy."
"Hi, momma." he said sleepily.
"Did'ja have fun today with Aunt Karla?" I asked.
"Mmm hmm." He sat up and looked at me with a smile across his face.
I got up and sat on his bed and pulled him in a hug. "I missed you, darlin."
"I missed you, too, momma."
I kissed the top of his head and looked back at him. "I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." It came from his favourite book. I always repeated that to him every night, even when I was away.
He looked up at me and smiled. "I love you forever, mommy."
I kissed his cheek and got up. "Night, baby."
"Night momma."
I tucked him in and walked out and into my bedroom. Shutting and locking the door, I sighed and dropped my bag on the messy floor. My phone vibrated. I pulle dit out of my pocket and answered it. "What?!"
"Hey, sweetie."
I groaned and hung up. My phone vibrated again. "What?! What could you possibly want?!"
"For you to take me back, Jordan. Please, baby. I love y-."
I ended the call and crashed on my bed. It vibrated again. "LEAVE ME ALONE" I ended and turned my phone off.
I let out a huff and screamed into a blue pillow. Why couldn't he get the picture and leave me the hell alone? We were over, and he knew it. So why continue to bother me? Ugh. Men. I got up and stripped off the covering and slipped into bed. I'll figure it out in the morning.