A/N- Let's see how the girls are doing! Yay! I have so much catching up to do. I just got caught up on Glee. Now I have to watch the last episode of LBD. But, here's the next chapter!
When they got home instead of the normal feeling of sisterhood things were a little awkward between the girls. They each went about the apartment doing their own thing. At five Lauren decided to start cooking. She boiled some pasta and made some sauce. Then she baked a cake.
"Dinner!" Lauren yelled when she finished cooking but no one appeared in the kitchen. She tried again, "Dinner!" No one came in. Fed up with them ignoring her, she walked into the living room where Melissa was watching TV. Lauren switched off the TV and said, "Kitchen! Now!"
Then she went out to the balcony where Jaime was practicing new harmonies. She snatched the sheet music out of her hands and said, "Kitchen! Let's go!"
Finally she made her way to Julia's room. Julia was lying on her bed, headphones on, and blasting music so loud that Lauren could hear it from the door. She took them off her head, "Kitchen!"
"I'm not-"
"Its non-negotiable. We are meeting in the kitchen." Julia knew better than to argue with an angry Lauren. She stood up and followed Lauren back to the kitchen where the other two girls were sitting in silence at the table.
"Lauren-" Jaime began.
"Have some food." Lauren interrupted harshly, "And sit down." She handed the girls each a plate of pasta with some carrots on the side. She sat at the table and watched them closely. After ten minutes of uncomfortable silence, Julia still hadn't taken a bite of her food. Lauren noticed, "Julia."
"Its just gonna come back up."
"Please try to eat something. It'll do you good." Julia looked at the other two girls, who were also looking at her with worried eyes,
"Fine." Once Lauren was satisfied with how much Julia had eaten she cleaned the dirty plates then sat down again.
"I have to go." Melissa said.
"Where?" Lauren asked.
"Signing."
"Go. But, don't think you got out of it."
"Okay. Bye girls." She stood up and grabbed her coat, walking out the door.
"We need to talk." Lauren said to the remaining two.
"Lauren-" Jaime tried again.
"Let me say what I need to say." Jaime nodded in compliance, "This is ridiculous. We're doing it. Right now. Confessions. In the open."
"What are you talking about?" Jaime said.
"That's the only way we can go back to how things were before. We have to share everything that's happened in the last year."
"I don't think-" Julia said.
"Let's do it." Jaime said.
"Jaime. Since you're so eager. You can go first."
"Fine. My life's been pretty boring. I've been in New York. Acting and nannying."
"What about Joey?" Lauren asked. Julia shot her a warning look.
"What about him?"
"Did you see him at all?"
"No. He's been in LA."
"Did you think about him?"
"Some. But, I thought about everyone."
"Liar. You did not think about Joe as much as Joey."
"No. I admittedly thought about him more but we're just friends."
"So your little break-down was over a friend?"
"Let's talk about you Lauren." Julia diverted the conversation, "How's Joe?"
"Joe is Joe." Lauren answered.
"Do you think he's gonna-?"
"I don't know."
"He's gonna what?" Jaime asked confused.
"Propose." Julia said.
"Oh my god! Why aren't you more excited? If Joey…" She trailed off.
"If Joey?" Lauren prodded.
"Nothing."
"If Joey?" Lauren repeated, persistently.
"Lauren, just drop it! He doesn't like me! Okay? He doesn't think of me like that! Is that what you wanted to hear?"
"Jaime." Julia put an arm around her friend.
"What happened?" Lauren asked, now feeling guilty for pushing her.
"I went to LA and told him. And he was really nice about it. But, he made sure he was clear he didn't feel the same."
"Do you need me to kick his ass for you?"
"No. It's not his fault. He just sees me as a sister. Some relationships don't work out, I guess."
"Speaking of relationships that don't work out, how're Brian and Meredith?" Julia changed the subject.
"I've been wondering too." Jaime and Julia both looked at Lauren.
"So?" Julia said.
"So what?" Lauren answered.
"You talked to him. What'd he say?"
"He said he wasn't cheating. He says there's no one else. He told me he loves Mere."
"Then what's the story with the phone call?"
"I don't know. He wouldn't tell me anything."
"Any hints?"
"No."
"So he could be lying?" Jaime said.
"I don't think he is. He's Brian. He's faithful. He would never, ever do that to her. Besides, he looked terrible."
"Like he's been keeping dirty, cheating secrets?"
"No. Like he's been through an ordeal."
"So, what do we do?"
"Nothing." Julia responded.
"What? We can't do nothing." Jaime said.
"Well we can't do anything until he opens up about it."
"Let's stop worrying about Brian and Meredith." Lauren said, "Let's watch a movie."
"Sounds good." Both girls smiled.
"I'll get the food and you two choose the movie." Lauren walked into the kitchen. She could hear the other girls arguing over movie options, "Tangled!" She heard from presumably Jaime. "Pitch Perfect!" was Julia's response. She was glad they were getting along again. Lauren reached into the freezer and removed the vegan, gluten-free cookie dough ice cream. It was all of their favorites and had been used multiple times as heartbreak, comfort food. She carried it into the living room and placed it on the table.
The girls still hadn't decided on a movie so she went back into the kitchen and started preparing the popcorn. She popped it in the microwave and while it popped she thought about Julia and Brian and everything. Taking it out carefully she poured it into a glass bowel and brought it with her to the living room. Suddenly, she came to a revelation and the bowel fell out of her hands, smashing to the ground.
"What is it? What's the matter?" Jaime asked.
Lauren turned to face Julia and said very, very calmly, "Oh. My. God."
A/N- What do you guys think Lauren knows? I've been trying to make it semi-obvious so hopefully you can figure it out. So, as Julia's situation becomes clearer, Brian's is still shrouded in mystery. What in the world is going on with him? Review!