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Chapter 43: Birthday Girl

Tammy sat quietly in her apartment watching TV. She sighed and took a sip of a glass of milk she was drinking. There was a knock on the door and she stood up and opened it.

"Hey sis," Jimmy smiled. "Happy Birthday."

"My birthday's not for a week," she laughed.

"Yeah," he nodded. "But I won't be here in a week." He pointed out. She laughed. "And these," he held up a tupperwear, "will be no good by then." She gasped and clapped.

"Enchiladas?" She squealed. He nodded. "Oh I love you, and Julie. Do you want to stay and eat them with me?"

"Nah," he shook his head. "I'm heading to the library, I've got a test." She nodded. "But we'll get breakfast tomorrow? Someplace fancy, I'll buy."

"Sure," she said as he kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks."

"No problem," he said. "Look, if you don't have plans for your actual birthday come up to Maine, Julie would love to see you and Steph's been asking."

"Maybe," she nodded. "I don't know, I think I need to learn how to do this life of a single girl thing." He laughed. "Thank you for my present."

"You're welcome," he said. "You should call Steve to eat those with you. You guys are talking again right?"

"Look, Riley," she shook her head, "just because you and Julie lived happily ever after doesn't mean that everyone will." He nodded. "Go study, many children with cancer are counting on you." He laughed.

"Are you sure you're OK?" He said.

"Yes," she said. "Go, study and then go home to your family." He nodded. "Thank you for the enchiladas, and stopping by, but I'm OK now."

"OK," he said. "See you tomorrow." She nodded and he walked out. She smiled and bounced into the kitchen and preheated the over. She pulled a bottle of tequila out and giggled. Clearly Jimmy hadn't noticed the dress hanging on the bathroom door, and she was glad for it. Of course she wouldn't need it now.

"Are you really a publicist?" Steve smiled. This girl was perfect, she was a pretty blonde senior theater major at NYU. She didn't want to be an actress though, she wanted to be a star.

"Yeah," he said. At least she would be perfect, if he were really that guy. "I am," he handed her his card. "You should call, or send me your reel or something." He got up and walked away. He hailed and cab and rode uptown. He unlocked the door and saw Jimmy sitting in the kitchen with his books. "Hey."

"Hey," Jimmy nodded. "I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd be back so soon. Or alone."

"I can't do it man," Steve said. "I tried, I had this sweet little theater major, she wanted to be a star."

"God you can be an asshole," Jimmy laughed. "You walked away?"

"Mm hm," Steve nodded. "It helps to be angry, you know to really hate the person you want to screw over."

"I've only been in that kind of mood one time," Jimmy said. "You were the one I wanted to screw over." Steve laughed. "And Julie, but mostly you."

"Christmas 1999?" Steve smiled. Jimmy nodded. "Mm, that was a good night for me. First time I realized I actually had a chance and I wasn't hitting my head against a brick wall." Jimmy laughed. "I seem to have a talent for that though."

"The brick wall?" Jimmy laughed. Steve nodded. "Tammy's not a brick wall, she's just a wooden fence." Steve laughed. "You know that if you'd been the one who went to her that night," he said softly.

"I know," Steve said softly. "But I couldn't do that, not to her, not to you, not to Tammy." Jimmy nodded. "We'd be miserable, Jimmy, not at first, but someday down the line, we'd find a way to make each other miserable. I love my Cat, but I can't make her happy, I never could. That was what you were for."

"Oh is that it?" Jimmy smirked. "I was wondering why you've put up with me for," he stopped, "well, I guess it's been seven years."

"I've put up with you for nine years," Steve said. Jimmy looked at him. "Her sweet sixteen," he smiled. "Once I saw how happy you made her, that's what you're for."

"Cool," Jimmy nodded. "You used to sleep with my girlfriend and with my sister, so I'm still not sure what you're for, except to push my buttons." Steve laughed.

"Tammy?" Dave called opening her door. "Honey, are you ready to go?" She giggled and walked over and kissed him. "You're not dressed?"

"No," she said. He raised his eyebrows.

"And why not?" He said. "I thought that we were going out tonight, you know, because we can now?"

"Because Jimmy gave me my birthday present," she said. She walked over to the kitchen. "Julie made me enchiladas."

"I see," he nodded. "You already started them, as well as the appropriate libations." She frowned.

"That's a Yale word," she said. He laughed.

"You're drunk," he said and kissed her.

"Mm, just a little," she giggled. They kissed for a minute and he pressed her against the counter. "You have to try them, they're amazing!" She picked up a fork, broke off a piece of food and fed him.

"That's good," he nodded and kissed her. "It's Julie's?" She nodded. "Her recipe?" She nodded again. "Jesus! What's stopping her from opening that restaurant?"

"At the moment?" Tammy shrugged. "Grief, guilt and two little kids." He kissed her. "Come to bed." She whispered and walked backwards, taking his hand. They kissed deeply, falling back onto her unmade bed. "Give me your birthday present." He smiled. He pushed her teeshirt over her head and she arched her back. He slid her shorts down. He kissed down her body and she groaned. "What are you doing baby?"

"Relax," he whispered, "I think you'll like it." She giggled.

"Oh," she whispered, as he climbed under the covers, "Mm, oh God!" She groaned. "Oh baby, yeah." After he finished he climbed back up. "Oh God," she said. "You're very good at that."

"I was married to a lesbian for three years," he reminded her. She laughed. "She liked that a lot."

"Mm," she kissed him and ran her hand down to his crotch. "I like it too, but I like other things better." He laughed and rolled over on top of her.

"My beautiful girl," he said. She kissed him. He slid his hand onto her thigh, pushing it gently to the side. "All mine." She smiled up at him.

"I love you," she whispered and kissed him.

Kelly woke up and rolled over. She sighed, seeing the space in bed next to her empty. It wasn't easy, being married to a creative genius. She wandered down the hallway into the office at the house. Scooter was sitting typing. She sighed and walked in.

"Baby," she said and leaned against the desk, "you said you weren't going to work last night."

"I know," he nodded, "I'm sorry, I'll be just a few more minutes."

"Scott," she said and closed his laptop on his hands, he sighed and pulled back. "Were you in here all night?"

"No," he said. "Of course not."

"Because, I fell asleep," she said, "and you weren't there, and then I woke up and you weren't there."

"Kel," he said. "I'm in the middle of the editing process, I promise,"

"You promise," she nodded. "After the editing, and the publicity, you promise." He took her hands. "I know, that this is how it works, but I thought that," she closed her eyes. "I love your work, you know that, I'm proud of you, but you promised that we would have a year."

"I know I did," he said. "And I'm sorry for that. I shouldn't have," he looked at her.

"You shouldn't have promised?" She whispered.

"No," he shook his head. "I should have waited a year to give it to Claire." She smiled. "Are you OK? Besides being pissed at me?"

"I'm worried about my brother," she said.

"Which one?" He asked. "Jimmy?"

"No," she said. "Jimmy's fine." He nodded. "Tommy, I don't think he realizes what he's getting himself into."

"It was hard for you wasn't it?" He asked. "Seeing Diane?"

"Yeah," she said softly. "It just made me think of Mom." She sat on his lap and curled her head into his chest. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. It had been a long time since he held little Kelly Riley close.

"I did stay in here all night," he whispered. She smiled.

"I know," she kissed him. "Go get some sleep, we'll talk later."

"OK," he said. "Are you going somewhere?"

"There's a board meeting," she sighed. "I have to go and Tammy and I are going to recommend Emma Tierney to be the new face."

"I see," he nodded. "Are you two talking again?"

"No," she sighed, "I mean, about the business, yeah, but not about anything else." He kissed her. "I'm just not sure I can get on board with all of this."

"You two will make up," he said softly. He kissed her again. She nodded. "This thing with my brother isn't going to last Kel, and when he breaks her heart, which he will, she'll need you."

"I know," she sighed, "I just hate that I'm rooting for her to get her heart broken." He nodded. She stood up. "I should go get dressed. I love you, go to bed."

"OK," he laughed. "I love you too."

David sat quietly at a table by himself at Tanya and Fulton's engagement party. Dean walked over and sat next to him.

"Hi," Dean said.

"Hi," David said glumly.

"What's with you today, kid?" Dean asked.

"Patrick's moving to Colorado," David said. Dean looked at him. "I know you hate him, so you can be happy, like Dad."

"I'm happy, for your mom's sake," Dean said. "But I know you like having him around."

"He wants me to go with him." He said softly. Dean looked at him again. "I think I'm going to."

"Why would you do that?" Dean said. David looked at him.

"Cause," he shrugged. "I get in the way."

"No," Dean shook his head. "No you don't."

"Yeah, I do," David said. "Mom's too busy, and I know he loves me, but I'm not really Dad's kid, and I think that bugs him more than he lets on."

"I want you to hear me Davey," Dean said. "You're not in anyone's way."

"Mom said it was my choice," he said. "It's always been my choice. I want Patrick to be my family." Dean nodded. "But I'll miss Mom, and Lizzie and Dean and Dad." Dean nodded.

"I'll come visit a lot," he said. "A lot, I've gotta make sure that he's taking care of you." David smiled.

"You know when the other kids talk about the first stuff they remember about their dads," David said. "That's the stuff I remember about you, from when I was like really little. You were my dad first."

"I tried to be," Dean nodded. "Or as close to it as I could be."

"I'm glad you were," David said. "T said to ask why we don't get to meet your new girlfriend." Dean laughed.

"I want you to meet her," he said. "But I like her and your mom and T tend to scare off girls on purpose when they don't think they're good enough."

"Oh," David said quietly. Dean nodded. "I thought it might be because you still wanted to marry Tanya." Dean smiled.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I think Fulton might think that too." David nodded. "So, Colorado, skiing or snowboarding?"

"I haven't decided yet," David said, getting excited for the first time. "But he did say I could learn both." Dean laughed. David did seem happier than he'd been in a while, maybe this was a good idea. Lisa obviously thought so, she wouldn't have said he could go otherwise.

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