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Chapter 8: Reactions

Julie woke up on Monday morning and as usual popped out of bed and did morning yoga. It was something she'd picked up at ZBZ, yoga in the morning, followed by a jog. She stopped, grabbing a smart water from the fridge and then seeing a note pinned to the door.

Sorry I ratted you out to Elyse.

She laughed and headed downstairs popping her head into the studio to say hello to Tammy.

"Julie," Tammy said, "you're here," she sounded surprised and worried.

"Um, yeah," Julie said. "I work here, live upstairs, you know." Tammy laughed awkwardly.

"I know that," she said, "but I thought you were going to LA today."

"Tammy, are you sure this fits," Bonnie walked out of one of the dressing rooms wearing the simple pink bridesmaid's dresses Tammy had been working on for years. "Oh, hi."

"Hi," Julie said. "Um, you're a bridesmaid." Bonnie nodded. Tammy looked at Julie, begging her to leave. "You look great," she whispered. "I'm just going to go for my run now, and then I'm going to take a shower, and go to the airport, I'm going to LA, and I'll see you both in Minnesota, I guess." She headed out whacking into the door.

"You OK, Jules?" Tammy asked.

"Totally," Julie nodded. "Absolutely OK, really really good to see you again, Bonnie." Bonnie looked at Tammy after Julie left.

"I should probably make sure she doesn't run into any customers or anything," Tammy said. She walked out into the hallway. "Julie!" She hissed. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Julie said.

"The Kelly sized freak out in there!" Tammy said.

"She's a bridesmaid?" Julie sighed.

"Well," Tammy said, "you know Kelly, she's been planning this wedding for five years. You were supposed be the sixth bridesmaid, and everything was planned around that, now it wouldn't look appropriate to have Jimmy escort you up the aisle."

"Six?" Julie said.

"Me, Cassie, Janet, Linda, Ellie, Bonnie," Tammy rattled off. Julie nodded. "If Kelly wouldn't kill me for ruining the pictures I would totally make her look fat."

"Thanks," Julie mumbled. "I have to go."

"Say hi to Casey for me," Tammy said.

"Sure," Julie sighed, "see you in Minnesota." Tammy hugged her. Julie knew that after that performance there was no way she could keep pulling the "I'm fine" thing with Tammy.

Elena sat bored in a coffee shop stirring hers around in a circle. In theory this her not having a job thing was what she wanted. She was planning on taking over all of the Vanderbilt family charity work, once she and Brad got married. It was actually something she was pretty passionate about, and none of the other women in the family were, after all, Claire and Kelly had their careers and Janet, well, Janet was Janet. That left Elena, unfortunately, due to their constant stalling she wasn't a Vanderbilt just yet, and so a lot of the work which required carefully cultivated old contacts just couldn't be done. She frowned and looked at her cell phone. It was a half hour past when Brad was supposed to meet her.

"I'm so sorry I'm late baby," he kissed her running over.

"It's fine," she said softly. He frowned.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing," she said.

"Something's wrong," he sighed, "I can tell by now, what's happening?"

"I'm just bored," she said. "Maybe I should get a job."

"OK," he said. "But I thought you were going to do the charity thing."

"Yeah, once we get married," she shrugged, "I can't really before that."

"So then let's set a date," he said. She looked at him. "Look, we put it off before because we knew that Kelly's head would explode if you got married before her right?"

"Right," Elena said with a nod.

"Soo," he shrugged, "we're not going to pick a date in the next three weeks are we?" She smiled and kissed him. "So you're OK with picking a date?"

"Of course!" She said, "I thought you didn't want to until after law school!"

"No," he laughed, "I don't need to graduate before we get married, that's stupid, you've been wearing that ring for two years." She kissed him again. "And if you still want a job, I'm sure we can find you something."

"I don't really want a job," she said, "planning the wedding will be my job now." He laughed. There was a giddy buzz surrounding both of them. They both had but off this moment thinking the other didn't want it. There was something inherently freeing about knowing this was real now. Elena had even managed to silence the nagging voice in the back of her head, telling her to wait until after she saw…well, it wasn't important, she hadn't seen him in five years, maybe having the date set with Brad when she did would make it easier.

"You're what?" Dean said, sitting at a small bar table across from Tanya and Fulton.

"We're engaged!" Tanya said.

"Congratulations!" Lisa smiled and hugged her. "Oh my God that's amazing! Kev, isn't it amazing?" Kevin was staring at the Cubs game that was playing on the TV above the bar. "Kevin!" She hissed.

"What?" He said. "What did I miss?" Tanya wiggled her left ring finger. "Holy shit, that's a diamond!"

"Very quick on the uptake there Norris," Tanya laughed. Dean stared at the table. "Dean?"

"I think I'm going to get some air," he whispered and walked outside. Lisa sighed and followed him out. "Lee, I'm fine."

"Your two best friends in the world are getting married and your reaction was to get air. You're not fine." She said. He looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"He shouldn't do this to her," he said. Lisa raised her eyebrows, "there are things," he sighed. "Things that Tanya doesn't know about."

"Right after you guys graduated and he slept with Tammy again?" Lisa said. Dean stared at her. "Tanya knows about that."

"She does?" He said.

"Yeah," Lisa said, "I think Tammy's boyfriend does too, they made a mistake, whatever. Besides, it's not like you were sleeping at home that week."

"Nothing happened," he said defensively. Lisa said. "It didn't, I mean we shared a bed, but not like that." Lisa laughed. "You think I'm lying."

"I know you're lying little brother, but whatever," she shrugged. "Now come on, Patrick only watches the ones that aren't his for like four hours before getting fed up, so let's go, we're going to have a drink, and you're going to give Tanya a big hug, and tell her you're excited for her."

"But I'm not," he said. "I think she's making a huge mistake." Lisa sighed. "I'll smile, I'll shake hands, I'll hug her, OK?"

"OK," she said, shoving him inside. After several toasts and laughter Fulton and Dean separated from the group for a while.

"You're pissed at me," Fulton said.

"Nah," Dean said, "I'm just surprised, I didn't know you guys were thinking that way." Fulton nodded.

"Listen um," Fulton sighed, "this is gonna sound weird, I know um, you're going to Kelly's wedding, and you'll see Tammy,"

"I'm not telling her," Dean said, "no way, no how man. That girl scares me." Fulton laughed.

"No, I was actually going to ask you not to tell her," Fulton said. "I want to, I mean, I should tell her myself, I just need to figure out the best way to do that."

"I would go against the email." Dean twitched still remembering the email he'd gotten from Elena two years earlier.

Brad asked me to marry him, I'm saying yes.

It almost felt like a challenge, a way of saying, "this is your last chance." He missed that chance, he knew now he should have taken it.

"Note taken," Fulton nodded.

"Hi," Julie smiled at a receptionist who held up a finger to shush her. She rolled her eyes. It was nice to be in LA but she'd forgotten how rude everyone was compared to New York.

"Hello," The receptionist said. "Who are you here to see?"

"Um, Joshua Parker," Julie said.

"Do you have an appointment?" The woman said and started typing.

"No," Julie said. "I don't."

"Mr. Parker is very busy," She said, as if she said this a million times a day. "If you don't have an appointment,"

"My name is Julie Gaffney," She said. "I'm his step daughter." The woman looked at her. "Look it up." She did.

"Oh I'm sorry Miss Gaffney," She said, "I'll just call up and let them know that you're on your way."

"Thank you," Julie said and walked to the elevators and rode up. She emerged and saw Josh standing waiting for her. "Hey." She smiled.

"Hey Jules," He hugged her. "Oh, honey it's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too," She smiled.

"How's your mother?" He asked.

"She's Jaime," She shrugged. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Let's just go in my office," He nodded. They walked in. "God, it is so good to see you." She smiled. "You look more like Jaime every day."

"I'm starting to think I get more like her too," She sighed.

"I don't know about that," He shook his head, "How are things with Jimmy? You two have to be heading down the aisle soon."

"Um, we broke up," She sighed, "About a year ago. Between him at med school and my traveling, we never saw each other."

"I'm really sorry," He said. "What about your dad?"

"He's good," She smiled, "I saw him last weekend, Stephie's birthday." He nodded. "Casey and I got Tell Me About The Girl." He looked at her. "We wanted to give you the head's up."

"Who are you thinking about?" He asked. She sighed. "Sophia Bush?"

"Thank you!" Julie said, "Casey said Rachel Bilson, I told him he was crazy!"

"Rachel Bilson's a good back up," He nodded. "But definitely Sophia Bush should be your first choice."

"Caleb's who we're really having trouble with," She said. He nodded.

"It's a tough character," He said, "I mean, I've met Scott Vanderbilt." She nodded. "Where are you staying?"

"Hotel," She said, "I'm only here for two days I didn't want to spend one of them going back and forth between LA and Newport." He nodded.

"You're not talking to her," He said. She sighed. "I've spent enough time around both of you to know the conversational signals." She looked down. "What this time?"

"I don't even know," She groaned. "That's the pathetic part you know? I don't even know what we're fighting about anymore. I just know that this always happens with her."

"You're too hard on her," he said softly.

"You're the one she kicked out," Julie said. "Honestly, Josh, I don't see how you can,"

"Julie," he said. "If you're not speaking to you mother on my behalf, I'd rather you called her. It's much more complicated than you think." Julie frowned and leaned back in her chair. "Don't pout, save that for negotiations." She laughed. "If anyone comes to mind, I'll give you a call."

"Thanks," she smiled. "Casey and I are having dinner, you should come." He smiled and they sat quietly. "Josh, I want you to know that I was really hoping you guys would work it out. I still am."

"I know," he said. "And I want you to know that no matter how this all turns out I'm here for you OK? I mean, I know you have your dad, I wouldn't dream of trying to take Cal's place, but I'm here."

"I know," she hugged him. "I'll talk to you soon Josh."

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