The Long And Winding Road
Notes: I don't own the show, the characters, etc. Special thanks to those who have left comments and encouraging words regarding Chapter 1.
Chapter 2 -- Those Dog Gone Memories
Friday evening, JT sat in the office of the theater he helped manage. From behind the desk he was looking over some paperwork when the phone rang.
"Thank you for calling The Movie Difference," JT answered, "home of cinema's independents, oldies and oddities."
As he listened to the caller, he rolled his eyes.
"No, we're not showing 'Total Annihilation 4' here," JT told the caller. "Because you can see that at any other theater. We handle smaller, independent releases and, on weekends, unusual older films and also classic comedies. That's right, nothing starring anyone you're likely to see on that TV show 'Access Entertainment Scandals.'"
There was silence on the other end, and then JT thought he heard a click.
"Hello? Hellooo?" JT figured the person hung up on him.
Patrick Ryan, JT's friend and fellow student, entered the office as JT hung up the phone. Patrick helped work the theater's snack bar, and his family owned Ryan's Grille.
"JT, you gotta help me," Patrick urged. "There's some old guy out in the lobby complaining that after eating the popcorn with the extra butter, he's about to explode."
"Oh, that's probably just Mr. Ellicott," JT said calmly. "He's convinced one day he's going to spontaneously combust. Sell him some Junior Mints and tell him 4 out of 5 doctors said that this is the best medicine for counteracting the harmful effects of movie popcorn butter. Works every time when he gets like that."
"Cool. I'll do that," Patrick replied. Then he had another thought. "Say, is tomorrow another movie day?"
"Pat, this is a theater. Every day is a movie day."
"I mean, with you here in the afternoon. Watching the black-and-whites. With Emma."
"Of course. Why?"
"Just curious," Patrick answered. "I mean, this non-dating dating thing between you and Emma has been going on a long time, JT. When are you going to do what you really want and make it a non-non-dating dating thing? Wait, did I say that right?"
"Patrick," JT stopped him, "right now Mr. Ellicott is out there trying to figure out how to stop dying from imaginary Evil Butter Syndrome. You should get out there and let him in on the miracle cure."
Patrick then left while JT answered another phone call.
"Thank you for calling…"
JT paused and started to look frustrated.
"No, you can't order the Number 5 with an extra order of egg rolls. This is not the Chinese…"
Later that evening, Emma and Courtney entered the Nelson/Simpson house through the front door and headed into the kitchen.
"We can get something to drink then figure out what DVD to watch," Emma told her.
"Sounds good. I know I'm not JT, but hopefully my company won't bore you too much."
"Courtneyyy! What do you want me to say? That I'm crazy about my best friend? That as much time as we spend together, it could be even better if things were on a more than friendly level? He'd freak. You don't know. He would just freak."
"Why is that?" Courtney asked.
"Look, if I were to say anything, or even try to flirt with him…"
Emma's mother and stepfather entered the kitchen as Emma continued speaking.
"…he'd think it was like his sister wants to make out with him or something."
"Some girl is trying to make out with her brother!" Spike asked, looking shocked. "Ewww."
"Hi Ms. Nelson. Hi Mr. Simpson," Courtney greeted.
"Hi ladies," Snake replied.
"Which students is it?" Spike asked.
"Mom, it's not like that," Emma tried to explain.
"I bet it's Frank and Mary," Snake guessed. "They've always seemed closer than your average brother and sister. Or it might be Eddie and Faith. Of course it could very well be the twins, Ned and Ted. Or for that matter…"
"Snake, what the hell is happening over at that school?" Spike exclaimed. "Is someone tampering with the water supply?"
"Mom, no one is dating their relatives," Emma assured her. "At least as far as I know. Like you said, ewww."
"Emma's worried what JT would think if he knew how much she likes him," Courtney explained.
"Awww," Spike gushed. "Emma, that's so sweet!"
"Motherrrr…"
"You've got nothing to worry about," Snake advised Emma. "The boy's not dumb. In fact, I bet JT already knows."
Back at the theater, Patrick had returned to the office and was complaining unsuccessfully to JT.
"You don't know anything, JT," he said. "A hot blonde who doesn't run in the opposite direction when you tell one of your jokes, and you're NOT taking advantage of this good fortune?"
"I'm sure I'm more like a brother to her," JT explained.
"Well, she's already GOT a brother," Patrick reasoned. "So that lets you off the hook there. Now get to work telling her that you want to show her more than 'brotherly love.'"
"Hey Pat, that reminds me, if you ever see Frank and Mary in the theater, make sure they're not getting too cozy when the lights go down."
JT then cringed slightly at the thought.
"You're ignoring my wonderful advice," Patrick continued.
"Oh, so that's what that was," JT said sarcastically.
"Look, JT, you're the one who told me how it used to be four of you coming here every Saturday afternoon, long before you even started working here."
"Yeah," JT confirmed. "Me, Emma, Manny and Toby. I like these old comedies we show on Saturdays. So since we were all starting to spend less time together after school, I made them promise we'd still meet up here for a few hours each Saturday. That way no matter what else was going on we'd still get to hang out together for awhile at least once a week."
"But then…?"
"Patrick, who's telling this story anyway?" JT complained.
"Sorry."
"But then…" JT continued, "Manny quickly became a permanent no-show. I think we'd stopped being a high priority to her."
"That's one down," Patrick interjected.
"Then, not too long after that, Toby started skipping out most times. Kept saying he was busy. Knowing him, that excuse never did make much sense. I guess he really wasn't feeling like hanging out because soon enough he stopped showing up all together. Of course, then he left town with his father earlier this year."
"Leaving just you and Emma."
JT started to smile.
"She's never missed a Saturday," he told Patrick. "Not one. Me either. Even when one of us has been going out with someone, Saturday afternoon has still been our time. Two buddies who love…old comedies."
"And that's all it is," Patrick stated, doubting this was really the case.
"That's…all it is," JT repeated with hesitation in his voice.
"Riiight!" Patrick said, not for a moment believing JT. "Well, it's past time for you to get out of here for the night, JT. And if I were you, I wouldn't still be here talking to your old pal Patrick when there's a 'buddy' like her just a few minutes away."
"Then it's good you're not me," JT said, "because I am very hungry. I'm heading home."
"Your dad still away on business?" Patrick asked.
"When isn't he, Pat?" JT countered, while putting his paperwork in a folder and placing it in the bottom drawer of the desk. "He's a busy attorney."
"I'm sure it must be real lonely there since…well, since your mom passed and your dad is away most of the time."
JT stayed quiet for a moment, then put on a smile.
"Not really," JT replied. "Between school, work and friends…"
"And a good buddy?" Patrick interrupted.
"Yeah, and a good…and Emma…I barely have time to even think up new ways to amuse my demanding public, who expect to be entertained during classes."
JT then stood up and prepared to leave.
"See you later, Pat."
"Night, JT."
Back at Emma's house, Spike re-entered the kitchen with a large book in her hands.
"Here we are," she said to the other three, who were still standing in the room. "I knew it was around here somewhere."
"You should really keep those old photo albums hidden somewhere, Mom," Emma commented. "Maybe bury them as part of a time capsule in the backyard. That way no one can open them for 100 years or so, by which time I'll either be long gone or way too old to hear people laughing."
"Nonsense," Spike said as she sat down at the table. "You had a great childhood and I love looking at these pictures."
"On second thought, Courtney, maybe we should go out for the rest of the evening."
"Not a chance, Em," Courtney responded. "Can you show me those photos, Ms. Nelson?
"Of course," Spike answered. "Come sit here next to me."
As Spike and Courtney sat and began to look through the album, Emma walked toward Snake, who was standing by the counter.
"Archie, do something," she urged.
"Not a chance," Snake said with a smile. "Stopping your mom when she's this interested in something could be hazardous to my health."
"And here's one of the three of them back in…I believe…Grade 2," Spike explained to Courtney. "I think they'd only known each other two…no, three years by then. When they met, they became friends instantly. With Emma and Manny it seemed natural, but I was surprised with JT. Boys and girls that age usually don't get along so well, yet here these three were. Inseparable, I tell you. Of course, for quite awhile back then he was shorter than them. So when it came to being in pictures with the girls, he'd find a rock or phone book or…anything…to stand on, to be as tall as the others and to get them to laugh."
"Just so you all know," Emma interjected, "I'm not listening to any of this, so you're not embarrassing me."
"Did you hear something, Courtney?" Spike teased.
"Why no," Courtney replied, playing along. "Maybe it was the wind outside."
"You can't fight it, Emma," Snake told her. "Can't fight your feelings either. Look, I know you haven't dated anyone in awhile. And from what I can tell, neither has JT. Maybe you're each waiting on the other to say something."
"Oh, and here's one of Blinky," Spike said, pointing out a picture to Courtney. "I haven't thought of him in ages."
"Uh, Blinky?" Courtney asked, confused.
"Yes, Courtney. He was this…"
At the mention of Blinky, Emma tuned out, not hearing Spike tell Courtney about him, and not paying attention to the advice Snake was giving her. She started thinking.
And remembering.
Ten years earlier, a young Emma Nelson sat on the front steps of her home early one morning crying. Young JT Yorke was running down the sidewalk, almost to her yard.
"Hey Emmaaaa!" JT called out. "Come out here."
JT then arrived in her front yard and noticed her sitting on the steps.
"Oh there you are," he said, walking toward her. "Hey Emma, you wanna see how many pebbles I can fit up my nose?"
"Go away, James," she told him.
"Emma, you're crying."
"Duh."
"What happened?" he asked.
"Blinky got away from me when we were at the park yesterday."
"Your puppy Blinky?"
"Do you know any more Blinkys!" she said loudly. "James, he hasn't come back and we can't find him anywhere."
"Well, um, don't cry," young JT said, growing nervous at seeing Emma so upset. "Okay, Emma? It's gonna be okay. I'll help you find Blinky. Just don't cry. Um, maybe he just wanted to run around alone and got lost. Maybe he's back at the park today. Yeah. He's there and he's waiting for you. Ask your mom to take us to the park and we can look again."
Listening to JT, Emma stopped crying and started to calm down.
"You really think we'll see him, James?"
"Yeah. He's not dumb to stay away from you forever." JT then began to smile. "But he HAS to be there, Emma, or I bet you'll make me become your new dog."
JT then got down on all fours and moved up close to Emma.
"And I don't wanna be a dog," he continued. "I'd get tired walking on my hands and feet all the time."
Emma started to laugh.
"And I know you'll make me lick you, Emma. Yuck! And all those dog shots at the vet. Ouch!"
Emma was laughing hard by now, so JT sat down on the steps beside her.
"You stopped crying," he said. "Good. Don't do that again. Okay? Let's go in and get your mom and go to the park."
"Thanks James."
Emma then gave him a big hug, catching the boy by surprise.
"Hey! Don't do that, Emma. You're my friend, but you're still a girl. No hugging."
"Okay," Emma said, rolling her eyes and backing off. "Men…"
"Hey Emma," JT began again.
"Yes James?"
"You can call me Jamie. If you want. James sounds too serious. Like for old people."
Emma smiled at this, which pleased the boy.
"I like that," she said. "Come on, we're wasting time, Jamie. Let's go. Blinky's waiting for us."
"Hey," he had a sudden idea. "I could even make everyone else call me JT. That would be cool."
Emma grabbed JT's hand and they both stood up.
"Yeah, Jamie, and I could hit your nose with a rolled up newspaper. Now come on, let's hurry."
The kids then ran inside the house, Emma dragging JT by the hand.
Back in the present, Emma continued to stand beside her stepfather.
"Even then…" Emma said, out loud but speaking more to herself, "Just kids, but he was looking out for me. Caring. Keeping me laughing."
Emma then grinned.
"And I'm also the only one he's ever let call him Jamie," she added. "Not even Manny."
"What's that, Emma?" Snake, who had continued speaking to her while she was lost in thought, asked.
"We all looked everywhere but he never did turn up again," Spike told Courtney.
"But JT told me not to stay sad," Emma added to Spike's commentary, "because I still had lots of friends and we'd make sure to help out if we ever saw other animals in trouble, because we'd want someone to help Blinky if someone picked him up. Maybe that's when I first started thinking about ways to help animals in trouble. And concern for animals led to eventually helping with environmental causes."
Emma stopped talking and, after a few moments, Courtney finally broke the silence.
"Emma?" she called to her.
There was another silent moment until Emma finally responded.
"I think I need to talk to JT."