Pacey reluctantly opened one eye searching for the source of the terrible noise that disrupted his sleep on an otherwise quiet Saturday. Finally identifying the culprit, he rolled over and swatted at his alarm clock. "9:00am?! What kind of cruel punishment is this?" Pacey said aloud to no one in particular.
"You say something little brother?" Doug questioned.
"Huh? No, Dougie," he said opening both eyes. "You are looking mighty spiffy this fine day. Let me guess, Barbara Streisand is coming to town?"
"Not your best work, Pacey," Doug replied with disinterest. "Now what has my slacker brother up before noon on a Saturday? Should I be worried?"
"Stand down, Deputy Doug," Pacey said giving him a smart ass salute. "Just going over to Joey's to do some stuff," he stated intending to display nonchalance. However, the slight upturn of his mouth gave away his true feelings.
"Stuff, eh?" Doug responded, pausing for a moment.
"Just leave it alone, Doug," Pacey thought to himself.
"Make sure some of your 'stuff' for the day includes cleaning up the bathroom. You may live like slob, but I do not."
"Yeah sure, whatever, Doug," Pacey said deciding not to push the issue. He was just relieved Doug didn't say or ask anything more about Joey. Doug had demonstrated some decent big brother behavior recently, but Pacey wasn't ready to trust him with an honest conversation about Joey.
"Well, I'm heading out. You better shower or Bessie may not even let you in the door."
Pacey started a reply, but Doug had already left the room. Realizing that his brother was indeed right, Pacey headed for the bathroom. He was under strict instructions to pick Joey up from work at the marina at precisely 10:00am or "no Chex mix." As Pacey showered, he recalled the conversation he had with Joey walking her home from school yesterday.
After settling the whole skipping class/Dr. Rand fiasco, Joey talked to him about how crucial it was that she continued to perform well academically. She spoke quickly and in run-on sentences, which Pacey knew was a sign that Joey was legitimately stressed. He had experience with helping high-achievers cope with academic stress, but Joey was different. Her behavior was not driven by a need to check a box on a college application. Her motivations ran much deeper. It wasn't that Andie had an easy life - Pacey was intimately acquainted with its numerous complications - but the McPhee's had money. And let's face it, money makes things easier.
If the Potters had money, Joey wouldn't have to work for that sleaze ball, Rob. She wouldn't be convinced that getting a scholarship was her only ticket out of Capeside. She might actually have a bed to sleep in instead of the living room couch. She wouldn't be checking the mail multiple times per day hoping to receive the insurance check from the Ice House, so they could actually start work on the Potter B&B. He wanted those things for her, but the Witters didn't have money either. Though Pacey knew it wouldn't matter if they did because as the designated loser of the family it wouldn't benefit him in any way. With that unpleasant thought, Pacey turned off the water and hurried to get dressed.
Ten minutes later Pacey arrived at the marina with five minutes to spare. He was leaning against the Witter Wagoneer when Joey walked out of the marina. "Your chariot, my lady," he said opening the passenger side door.
"This hunk of junk is my chariot? Figures. Other girls get carriages and glass slippers, but Joey Potter gets the Wagoneer and ... You," she said with an unfounded sense of self-deprecation.
"I'll have you know that you could do much worse than Pacey J. Witter."
"True, but I could do much better too," Joey responded playfully.
Pacey put his hand over his heart. "You wound me, Potter."
"Meh, you'll survive," she said as Pacey closed her door. He ran around the side of the car and climbed in next to her.
"Maybe, but if your words don't kill me, then that smell that's following you around will."
"Home, Jeeves," Joey commanded.
"Yes, Miss Daisy," Pacey said with a reminiscent smile.
Ten minutes later they were in Joey's kitchen. "Pacey, you're here to make food, not eat it all."
"I have it on good authority that the chef gets to taste the ingredients. Plus, someone made me wake up before my circadian preference, so I haven't had breakfast yet."
Joey groaned. "One bowl of cereal, and then no more. We have work to do."
"Yes, ma'am!" Pacey said sitting down to pour the biggest bowl of cereal he could find. Joey began moving efficiently through the kitchen, Pacey watching her in awe. "Hold on, here. Unless my memory fails me, you are not a particularly good cook. I'm not gonna end up with food poisoning again, right?"
"I can follow a simple recipe, smart ass," Joey replied with irritation. After considering his question for a moment, she added, "Besides, there's no chicken in this recipe."
"Oh, thank goodness," he stated with clear relief at the memory of the pain caused by Joey's chicken. Joey scowled at him. "What?" he said innocently. "I am ready for direction, Miss Potter. Guide me," Pacey proclaimed with his hands out in front of him.
"First, you need to wash those dirty hands of yours. With soap, Pacey."
"I'll have you know that my hands are perfectly clean, Josephine. But I am planning to be a great sous chef for you today, so will ignore your innuendo and follow your instructions."
"You're going to follow my instructions? Well, that's a first! I'm glad you've come to your senses, Pacey. You really should listen to me more often," she said clearly enjoying her power. "Now mix the cereals, pretzels, and nuts into this large bowl. And do not let me see you put any in your mouth." Joey set about creating the mixture of Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper on the stove.
Pacey did as he was instructed. He stopped occasionally to "conduct a quality assurance test" and was consequently hit each time in the arm by his head chef. As he was mixing, Pacey thought about the rest of yesterday's conversation with Joey. He had prepared his best puppy dog eyes to entice her to go grocery shopping with him. He had even been willing to admit that he needed her help to find the right ingredients. All of this in pursuit of more time with her, but to his surprise, none of those tactics were necessary. She had simply made the grocery list and asked him to bring their truck around. It was as if she had never considered that they might not go together. Pacey smiled at that realization. Then he thought, "Someone is going to have to teach that girl to drive stick!" Pacey silently resolved that "someone" might as well be him.
Pacey was shaken from his thoughts when he heard a cry coming from Joey. He began to panic afraid that the worst had happened. "No! It doesn't look right, "she said. "I think I burned it."
Relieved to see that Joey hadn't burned herself, Pacey began to say, "Jo, everything doesn't have to be perf ..." He abruptly stopped his words at the sight of tears welling up in Joey's eyes. "What's goin on, Jo?" he said sensing there was more behind those tears than burnt sauce.
"I messed it all up! I can't even do this right," Joey protested. Pacey watched her with concern. "It's my Mom's recipe, OK, Pacey?! I've been missing her a lot lately. You know, with the whole my Dad being arrested and everything with Dawson. I just wanted to do something to feel closer to her." Joey began to cry harder. "She used to make us Chex mix all the time and I've forgotten how she made it. I feel like I'm forgetting everything, and it scares me. It's just not fair, Pacey," Joey proclaimed finally allowing herself to break down.
Pacey looked at her, not with pity, but empathy. "No, Joey, it's not fair," he said as he moved to pull her into an embrace. "It's not fair at all." She put her hands up to his chest in a weak protest against the hug he was trying to give her. Pacey took advantage of his strength and pulled her closer as she cried. "It's ok to be sad, Joey. Don't worry. We'll figure it out," he said to her in a slow, calming voice. "You will always remember your mother," he continued. "I am so honored that you decided to share a piece of your Mom with me." Pacey's heart filled with love for the beautiful girl in his arms. He was amazed at her intense vulnerability and strength. In that moment, Pacey wanted nothing more than to set things right in her world. He wanted to steal Lillian Potter back from the death grasp of cancer. He wanted Mike Potter to be the father that she deserved. Despite his evolving feelings for Joey, he even wanted things to be right between her and Dawson again. Pacey could not provide any of these things, but he could hold her. He could be there for her now and in the future, for as long as she would have him. "I'm here, Jo. Go ahead, let it out," Pacey said placing a soft kiss on the side of her head while she fell deeper into the safety of his chest.
Bessie's eyes filled with tears. She had heard Joey yell and went to the door of the kitchen to check on her little sister. Hearing Joey's painful words, Bessie prepared to go into protective sister mode. She had been surprised yesterday when Joey told her that she was planning to make Chex mix with Pacey. Bessie liked Pacey fine and the two had been spending more time together, but she wasn't convinced that he was up for the responsibility that came along with being privy to a cherished memory of their mother. She opened the kitchen door and saw Pacey holding Joey in a warm embrace. In that instant, Bessie felt completing confident in Pacey's ability to provide her sister with all the comfort she needed. Bessie could remind her later that you put the Chex mix in the oven, not on the stove. But for now, Pacey had things handled.