Okay, so I just kept writing and writing with this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for the reviews and Waltz? Liking Buffy is never geeky. Have you seen some of the eye candy on that show? ;)
Taylor looked up when Seth's computer pinged.
She got up and moved the mouse so the screensaver went away and smiled at the message on the screen.
Queen-B has signed on.
T-Bird: Hey B. Happy Thanksgiving girlie.
Queen-B: Hey, I was hoping you'd be on. I wanted to let you know that your dress got here and so did Seth's suit.
T-Bird:Yay. One less thing to worry about.
Queen-B: What time do you and Seth leave for the airport?
T-Bird: We leave at 4 which will be 7 your time and we get in at 2 am. I know you said you'd come get us but we can take a cab, it's not a problem.
Queen-B: I'll be there and so will Peyton.
Taylor smiled a little. Perfect opening but first she had to make sure Brooke was by herself at the moment.
T-Bird: Hey, are you alone?
Queen-B: Except for the Bickersons downstairs.
T-Bird: What's the scoop? Did you tell Peyton?
Queen-B: No and I'm not going to. I'm going to pretend it was a bad dream.
T-Bird: OK, it that's the way you want it, then I will pretend our conversation was also a really bad dream.
Queen-B: Thanks T. I love you.
T-Bird: And I love you. See you soon.
Queen-B: Bye.
T-Bird has signed off.
Taylor stretched before she got up from Seth's desk and went downstairs.
"Seth, put that down," she scolded when she saw him about to bite into one of the cupcakes she'd made for dessert.
"But we have no bagels and I'm hungry," he whined.
"Too bad," she snatched it out of his hand, wondering if he realized how much he sounded like Sandy, and made sure there were no teeth marks in the icing before she put it back in the container it'd been in and put it back into the fridge. She took something out while she was in there. "Here, try these."
"What are they?"
"Banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookies," Taylor said.
"Sounds good. You packed," he asked as he took some out of the container.
"Yeah, my suitcase is by the front door. Brooke IM'd me. Your suit and my dress got there."
Seth bit into a cookie and nodded. "Great."
"The cookie or the fact that we have something to wear on Saturday?"
"Both."
"Thank you. Are you packed?"
"Just gotta throw my dress shoes into the suitcase and I will be ready."
"Good. So, you ready to twirl me around a dance floor?"
"Sure. It'll be fun."
"Fun? Seth, it'll be a lot of things. Fun isn't one of them," Taylor shook her head at her friend.
"Then please explain to me why we're going."
"Because I promised Brooke and you promised me and it is way too late for either of us to back out."
"Speaking of, has she decided what to do about Nathan?"
"She's going to pretend it's a bad dream. So I am going to pretend our conversation was also a bad dream."
"So I will pretend that the scene in the pool house was a bad dream," Seth nodded.
"You catch on quick Cohen."
"Eight years, right? I should be able to read the granddaughters of Penelope Delaney pretty well by now."
Taylor's smile took on a sad tinge, like it always did when someone mentioned her grandmother.
"Sorry."
"It's okay. I made those Pumpkin Butterscotch Chip cookies she liked so much but I left them to be enjoyed by Veronica and Neil."
"I'm sure your mom will appreciate the thought."
"Please, I doubt they'll get through dinner before one of her 'clients' needs her to come get them."
"What do you think Penelope would think of tonight?"
"I think she'd be telling Aunt Victoria that she's trying to prove something that can't be proven because it's not true. There is no better or worse. People are people. Money doesn't make anyone better than anyone else."
"I knew I always liked Penelope," Sandy came into the kitchen. "Happy Thanksgiving guys."
"Happy Thanksgiving Sandy."
"Happy Thanksgiving Dad."
"Doing a little reminiscing?"
"Just taking a stroll down memory lane," Taylor smiled. "She loved Thanksgiving and God did she love you guys. I think you gave her faith in the people of Newport and the future of her granddaughter."
"How so," Seth asked. "You know these are really good. Dad, you want one?"
"Okay." Sandy took a cookie. "Not bad Taylor."
"Thank you. Anyway, to answer your question Seth, I think Gran knew that Veronica wasn't going to be much of a parent after my father split so when she met you guys and saw how much time I spent here she kind of knew I'd be okay, so she stopped worrying about me and went back to worrying about Brooke's upbringing because Brooke's best friend was a motherless and pretty much fatherless child."
"Brooke will be okay," Sandy smiled. "The Delaney strength may have skipped Victoria and Veronica but it's alive and well in you and Brooke."
Taylor's eyes got a little bright and she looked down at the counter. "Thank you Sandy," she said quietly.
The doorbell rang and they heard Kirsten saying she'd get it just as the back door opened and Ryan came in. Taylor discreetly wiped her eyes before she smiled at Ryan, "Happy Thanksgiving."
"Happy Thanksgiving," Ryan replied. "Hey if I don't see you guys before you leave have fun this weekend."
"Why wouldn't you see us?"
"I'm going to see Trey. I don't know if I'll be back before you guys leave for the airport."
"Oh," Taylor said. She turned and pulled out the small box she'd put in there before. "Here take these. They're pumpkin ginger cupcakes. Everyone deserves a little dessert on Thanksgiving."
"Thanks Taylor," Ryan smiled.
"Sure."
The two of them looked at each other awkwardly for a moment before Ryan hugged Taylor.
"Hi everyone," Marissa's voice said as she and Jimmy came into the kitchen. She stopped when she saw Ryan hugging Taylor but quickly recovered when Ryan shot her a smile. "Happy Thanksgiving."
Taylor quickly backed away from Ryan and faced their new arrivals with a smile, "Happy Thanksgiving Marissa, Mr. Cooper."
Jimmy Cooper smiled at the teenager, "You know it's alright to call me Jimmy, Taylor. You're not a child anymore."
"If it's all the same to you, I'll stick with Mr. Cooper."
Jimmy nodded as Taylor turned to Seth, "C'mon let's go find your dress shoes."
"They're in my closet."
"Exactly. It'll probably take us an hour just to get to the bottom of your closet with all the junk you have crammed in there."
"You're hilarious," Seth told her dryly.
"Heh."
"Heh."
Taylor giggled and then turned to Ryan, "Drive safe."
"Fly safe," he returned.
As Taylor nodded and walked out of the kitchen followed by Seth she could hear Marissa asking Ryan, "Where are you going?"
OCOCOCOCOCOC
"Okay, I'm going to be very generous, considering the fact that you just got dumped twice over, and give you the option of backing out on me at the last minute leaving me to one of the horn dogs from Tree Hill's basketball team," Taylor said as she sat down next to Seth in his room in her 'traveling clothes': a zip up hoodie that said 'Penelope's' on the back, track pants, and a tank proclaiming her to be a shoe whore.
"No, I think going to Tree Hill would be good for me right now."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Okay then let's go."
The teenagers left Seth's room and headed down the hall, stopping outside Sandy and Kirsten's room. Seth knocked and poked his head in.
"Dad, we're out of here."
"You sure you don't want a ride?"
"Cab'll be here in five minutes, Sandy," Taylor said.
"Besides I don't think leaving Mom alone right now would be a good idea," Seth said of his currently unconscious mother.
Taylor suppressed a giggle.
"Funny. Have a good flight and call me when you get there."
"We will," Seth promised.
"And take pictures," he reminded.
"Promise," Taylor said.
Seth shut the door and the two headed downstairs. Just as they got to the bottom, the front door opened and in came Marissa and Ryan.
"Made it just in time," Seth said. "See you Sunday, man."
"You guys need a ride?"
"Cab's here," Taylor said as she peered out the window. "How was Trey?"
Ryan hesitated for a moment. "He'll be okay."
Taylor looked at him appraisingly before she smiled, "Good."
"He said thank you for the cupcakes."
"No problem. There's still some in fridge if you guys are hungry and I'm pretty sure there's some Chinese food left."
"Chinese food? What happened to the turkey?"
"A lot of distraction led to a very blackened turkey. Speaking of, Marissa? You might want to call Summer," Taylor told the blonde as Seth pulled a jacket on.
"Why?"
"You wanna take that one," Taylor asked Seth with a sly grin.
"No. But she's right. Call Summer and listen to her bitch about me. It's an exceedingly soapy story."
"Can't wait to hear it," Ryan said.
"I'm sure Summer and Marissa will fill you in. Bye guys," Taylor waved as she grabbed her suitcase and headed out the door.
"Marissa, your mom's in the kitchen. Later," Seth said following suit.
Ryan shut the door behind them and waited until they were in the cab before he turned off the porch light.
OCOCOCOCOC
"There they are," Peyton pointed. "Taylor! Seth!"
Taylor found the source of the voice and grinned at the blonde and brunette waving frantically as they stood on the top of a row of seats. She shoved her suitcase at Seth and ran to hug them. The girls caught each other in a three way hug and then when Seth reached them they tugged him into the hug as well.
"God I missed you," Brooke gushed.
"B, you just saw me three months ago," Taylor smiled.
"I still missed you," Brooke said.
"Hey me, too," Peyton agreed.
"Well, I have to admit I kind of missed you guys too," Taylor smiled. "But I had Seth and his love life to keep me entertained."
"Yes, I want to hear all about this girl, Anna," Peyton linked an arm with the taller boy as Taylor took her suitcase and linked arms with Brooke. "And then you can tell me how you finally managed to get Summer's attention.
"I'm starving. We didn't eat on the plane," Taylor said.
"Diner up the street is open all night. Let's go have breakfast. Did you guys get any sleep on the plane?"
"Yeah. I dropped off right after takeoff and Seth was out even before then. Seth, did you call home?"
"Doing it now," Seth said as he hit speed dial for home.
OCOCOCOC
Ryan jumped at the sharp ringing of the phone as he got himself some leftover dessert. He quietly answered the phone, "Hello?"
"Hey man, it's me. Just calling to say we got in alright."
"Oh good."
"I thought I dialed the house."
"You did. I was raiding the fridge."
"Oh. Okay. Just tell the parents we're here and we're okay and don't eat all the cupcakes, okay?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Okay. See you on Sunday."
"Bye," Ryan hung up and yawned. Listening to Marissa complain about how her mother treated her like a child and how Caleb had butted in where he had no right to was incredibly tiring and for some reason had made him wish he'd also been going to Tree Hill for the weekend.