This is a continuation of the story "Pictures Never Lie" I feel that I owe it a reader who reviewed the first part and felt it was rushed…so here you go Woodylover22…hope this serves its purpose!!
PICTURES NEVER LIE (The non-rushed slightly less fluffy version)
It was really no big deal. Well, at least it wouldn't have been a big deal if I had followed through with my plan to stick Nigel's new long-range adjustable lens camera where the sun don't shine. But then Woody showed up at the office and I lost my train of thought. It happens generally without my ever noticing it. To tell you the truth, a lot of things happen without my ever noticing when Woody's around. Weather changes, phone calls…lanky, hyperactive Tea Bags taking Paparazzi-like photos with their new long-range adjustable lens cameras when no one asked them to. Such was the case on the day Nigel took 'The picture of Jordan and Woody' that began to circulate, unbeknownst to me for three days following the taking of said picture. I swear, I never even saw him outside the door. But three days later, I walked into work to find one of the most flattering, sentimental pictures of myself and…and anyone, I'd ever seen. It literally took my breath away.
In 'the picture of Jordan and Woody' I was sitting at my desk. I was leaning back my sneaker clad feet propped up on top of a couple piles of paper I like to think of as being filed under "I'll do it later". I have a case file on my lap and Woody is standing behind me, leaning over my shoulder. There is nothing really remarkable about that. Woody leans over my shoulder a lot to look at case files. The remarkable thing is that he is not looking at the file, he's looking at me and I am looking at him. We're practically nose to nose for God's sake. An inch from each of us and we'd be kissing. But as suggestive as the stances from the two of us are, the expressions on our faces are what had everyone talking. We look….blissful….happy….comfortable. We look like we're in love. It couldn't be more obvious. Both of our cheeks are flushed, Woody has that look guys get on their faces when they get caught off their macho guard and I am smiling at whatever cute remark he made. We look like a couple.
Pulling myself momentarily out of the trance the picture had put me in; I looked around the office, trying to tell if anyone was watching me look at the picture. No one was, but I got the feeling that they had been. I rubbed the back of my neck nervously and hurried to Nigel's desk.
"Hey Jordan." He said deeply involved in a file.
"HEY JORDAN!?" I whispered appalled.
"Don't you 'Hey Jordan' me ya lousy Brit." I whispered angrily.
Finally, Nigel looked up from the file and looked me over once quizzically before it finally occurred to him why I was so mad.
"Oh what's this all about? The Picture?" He asked innocently.
I merely shook my head vehemently in the affirmative. Then he shrugged at me. "I don't see what the big deal is, I just took a picture of you and Woody going over a file," he said. Then quietly added:
"It's not my fault you two were all starry-eyed and twitterpated like." And turned his attention back to the file he was reading.
I started to tear him apart again but he interrupted with 'Austin Powers' inspired shushing.
"Aep…the camera DOES NOT lie." He said pointing at my face and then went back to his file.
I could only turn in a huff and stomp childishly back to my office and slump into my chair.
THE NEXT DAY………………….
I came to the office somberly and grumbled past Nigel who called after me as I slammed my office door,
"You're mad at yourself not at me! I forgive you!!" and it was ended by the slam of my door.
I could only slump once again into my chair retreating to the comfort of being alone and steaming off in my head. I thought for a few minutes, my arms crossed in defiance of Nigel's revelation. Then, after realizing that I was pouting like a child, I uncrossed my arms, stood, and began to pace the floor. It was time for some major thinking.
Okay, let's think this through Jordan. Okay, so you DO have feelings for Woody and well, his feelings aren't in question, you could see his feelings from the International Space Station. So, I'm happy with where we are at in our relationship. It is kind of like, 'going out' in middle school, yeah, that's it. I can deal with that…walking around on the playground holding hands and saying we're going out. Who would wanna complicate a thing like that? Honestly, people are so stupid sometimes. I think the emotionally closed off, untrusting people like me are the only ones who really know what the hell is up. And as for Nigel's picture? Well, that's a whole separate issue. I can't deny the emotions going on in it.
I stopped pacing suddenly, as if walking into an imaginary brick wall. That brick wall was a revelation of my own. And it made me short of breath enough to feel I was having a panic attack. I sat down on the edge of my desk, my Adidas dangling just above the floor. As hard as I tried not to think about it, there was only one thing going through my mind.
"Shit." I said out loud as Nigel was walking into my office cautiously with an autopsy request in his hand.
I just looked up and Nigel's eyes widened as he stopped dead in his tracks. He looked around my office trying to figure out what I was commenting on. I just turned my head slowly to look at Nigel still standing eyes narrowed now in anticipation of what I was going to say. I let my shoulders slump in defeat.
"I'm in love with him." I said and shook my head in amazement.
Nigel grimaced and strode across the room to sit next to me on my desk. He laid a hand on my head and gently guided my head to his shoulder.
"There, there Love. You tell Mama Nigel everything." He said petting my hair. I just sighed and stared helplessly at the wall.
"I'm in love with a guy named 'Woody'." I whined.
"From Wisconsin, "The Cheese State." Nigel said and I could tell he was grimacing just by his voice.
I turned my head and mock cried into his shoulder. Nigel went back to petting my hair teasingly.
"Don't worry, we'll get through this together Jordan. You just have to be strong, buck up, and come to terms with the possibility that your future MAY involve a 4-H membership and bake sales." Nigel said looking out the window.
This only caused me to fake cry more dramatically and Nigel wrapped his arms around me.
"I know, I know. There, there now. Would ya like my to get Lilly in for a little grief counseling?" he asked and I pulled back and pointed right between his eyes.
"NO ONE hears of this! Honestly Nige, I have to deal with my own shocking response to this before I can deal with everyone else." I said sternly still slightly baffled by my realization.
Nigel just nodded emphatically and hopped off my desk. He patted me on the back.
"Good Luck, Sweetheart." He said as he laid the autopsy request down on my desk and strolled out the door. I shook my head one last time before picking up the file, welcoming the distraction.
I sat at my desk a half hour later still going over the basics of the case when there was a knock on my door. Engulfed in the file, I just yelled that it was open and leaned back further in my chair still reading the file. When the door opened, I looked up to find a smiling Woody looking down at me from in front of my desk. I almost fell backwards in my chair but caught myself.
"Woody! What are you doing here?!" I asked loudly, my heart beating audibly in my ears.
Woody watched me fumble to regain my composure as I stood from my desk and tried to stand casually with my arms crossed. He pointed to the file laying open on my desk.
"That's my vic you're about to autopsy." He said still trying to figure out why I was acting more spastic than usual. I grabbed the file.
"Oh," I said rushing for the door and hurriedly yanking it open. "I'll give ya a call when I 'm finished." I called as I hurried towards the Morgue.
Woody followed after me and stopped just next to Nigel's desk to call out after me, "Www…Well, can't I go with you?" he asked and looked over to Nigel who was carefully avoiding eye contact with him.
"No!" I yelled as I rounded the corner quickly.
Nigel told me later that Woody turned to him and looked back towards the way I went then back to Nigel and asked,
"What the hell's with Jor……is she high?" he asked a cowering Nigel. Nigel told me that he crumpled under Woody's overbearing glare and just pointed in the direction of 'the picture'.
"What?" Woody said frustrated because he didn't understand what Nigel was trying to show him. Nigel, opted to remain silent but pointed again in towards the picture as he typed away at his computer with one hand. Woody followed the direction of Nigel's long, skinny white finger to the wall where the picture was. Nigel watched out of the corner of his eye to see Woody's reaction. He said Woody stood in front of the picture for about five minutes. Then he looked self-consciously around the office and rubbed the back of his neck. Oh yeah, we're a match made in heaven.
Woody must have left after that, because when I came out of the autopsy, he was gone. I faxed the autopsy to his office. For the next two weeks I never saw him once. I wasn't sure if I was avoiding him or if he was avoiding me. I think it may have been a little of both….
But as it often happens in Boston, Woody caught another murder about 2 weeks later. And I caught the autopsy. Ah, damn. Now we had to see each other. I was in the middle of the autopsy when Woody sauntered into the autopsy room, hands in his pockets like a shy sixth grader and smiled warily at me. I smiled back. And stood back from the body a little.
"Hey." I said quietly. Woody smiled and returned the greeting.
"Umm…look Jordan, could we go and talk somewhere?" He asked and looked towards the door. I just glanced down at the open chest cavity in front of me.
"Sure Wood, I'm sure she won't mind if we slip off for a quick drink somewhere." I said pointing to the body with my scalpel.
Woody just looked at me sternly. Okay, so he meant business. I nodded and sighed looking down at the body for a beat.
"Al….alright, just give me a few minutes to finish up here and I'll be out. Okay?" I asked gently and Woody studied my face. Probably to make sure I wasn't going to crawl out the bathroom window to get away or something. He nodded and backed out of the room.
About 15 minutes later I found him in my office watching traffic out the window.
"So….where do you wanna go?" I asked as Woody turned to face me.
Ten Minutes later……….
Well, as if the situation wasn't already heading towards uncomfortable as it was, we ended up at the Pogue Mahone. Dad greeted us both and invited us to sit at the bar.
"Actually Dad, I think we're gonna take a booth…" I said and he took in the serious expressions on both of our faces.
"Oh, okay…sure you want a couple a drinks to take wit you so I don't have to botha you?" He asked and I smiled thankful of the gesture.
He handed me two bottles of beer and I took them mouthing a 'thank you'. He just nodded as Woody followed me to a back corner booth. I handed him his beer as we took a seat across from each other in the booth. I began instantly to roll my beer back and forth between my hands. Woody reached out and held them still.
"Sorry." I said and cringed. Woody just nodded and took the beer from my hands and sat it next to his. But surprising me, he took my hands in his own.
"Jordan, I wanted to talk to you…because of….well…because of…" I nodded and looked nervously down at our intertwined hands.
"Yeah, I know
because of the picture." I said. Woody looked up. I figured he would just
agree with me and go on with whatever excuse he could come up with to get me to
go out with him. But he didn't. Instead he looked up and furrowed his brow at
me.
"Actually, no….well…sorta." He said and leaned his head forward to recapture my attention. I must have looked really confused…hell, I was really confused.
"Let me explain. It inadvertently has to do with the picture, yea, but the feelings in the picture were there before it was taken. Do you get what I'm saying Jordan? Whether the picture was taken or not was just…circumstantial…if Nigel hadn't been there to catch us…looking…at…each other the way we were….we still would have been looking the way we do in the picture."
I had been looking down at his and my hands while he spoke. I just nodded when he finished.
"Yeah, I know Woody." I said honestly and he seemed taken aback by my honesty.
"You do? I mean…yeah. Good." He said and looked down at our hands together on the table. He continued. "Because, well…I'm tired of playing childish games with you. I've all but to dip you pig tails in ink. I think you should just forget everything your logic and your science is telling you and go with your feelings on this one. Go with what you felt after you saw that picture….because if you do…then you'll have a vague conception of how I feel every time I'm with you."
He lifted my chin and looked me in the eye.
"I've fallen for you, Jordan. Despite the middle school games, the teasing flirtation, the walls, despite everything you've done to push me away. I've fallen hard. Now it's your decision to let me know if I'm gonna land safely or fall on my ass." He said and laughed nervously out his nose.
I looked into his eyes and I could feel tears burning behind my eyelids. I had to regain my composure after hearing something like that.
"Well," I said my voice cracking weakly. " I don't want you ta get hurt." I said and tried to smile without spilling the tears. Woody smiled and bent forward, planting a soft kiss on my lips.
"I don't want you to get hurt either." He said and then sat back waiting for my reply.
"You're not really giving me a choice are you?" I asked taking his hands in mine.
"No. I'm asking you to give me a chance." He said and softly ran his thumbs over my knuckles. I sat for a moment then wiped my eyes and chuckled.
"Then I guess I'm gonna have to say yes." I said and brought one of his hands to my lips and kissed it.
Woody's eyes brightened and he nodded slowly. "Good." He said and stood from the booth. He put out his hand and I took it easily. He pulled me to my feet and kissed me softly in front of everyone in the Pogue. I smiled at him as if we were the only people in the room. I glanced around and Dad had his back to us, but I knew he hadn't a second ago. I raised my eyebrow towards him. Woody smiled and took my hand as we walked towards the bar.
"Daaaad." I said sternly and he turned naively to face us.
"Yeah Honey?" he asked, without a hint of what he knew just happened showing on his face.
"Thanks for the drinks." I said placing the full bottles on the counter.
He took them with a nod and turned to put them under the bar. "No problem Sweetie." He said and I waited for him to turn back and say something to Woody and I. When he finally turned around, he looked us over. I was standing leaning in to Woody's side and he had one arm around me.
"Don't you two have jobs you should be getting back to?" He asked drying a mug with a dishtowel. I leaned back to look into Woody's face.
"Yeah, I guess so." I said and Woody smiled innocently. We turned together and headed for the door. As Woody was opening the door for me, we turned back towards the bar at the sound of Dad's voice.
"Oh, hey kids…" he said and we both turned simultaneously to face him. Ears awaiting approval.
Dad smiled at us and leaned on the bar with both hands." It's about time." He said and smiled. Woody and I smiled at each other than at Dad.
"Okay, go on. Get back to work…and how 'bout you stop by afterwards and we'll eat some dinner together?" He said wiping the bar counter with the dishtowel.
I smiled at Woody who nodded.
"Sure, we'll stop by around six?" I asked and Dad just nodded and shooed us off. I couldn't help it I trotted back down to the counter and hopped up on the stool on my knees. I reached across the counter and wrapped Dad in a big bear hug.
"Thank you Daddy." I whispered into his ear softly. He just nodded quickly, gave my shoulders a quick squeeze and said, "You're welcome Baby." I kissed his cheek and hopped down off the stool running back up to join Woody. He opened the door for me and I stepped out ahead of him, pulling him with me by the hand.
That night after dinner with my dad, which went really well by the way, I drove Woody to his apartment. When we stopped in front of his building I turned the car off. Woody looked a little surprised. But he didn't say anything. He just got out of the car and shut the door before leaning against the passenger side and waiting for me to walk around. I took a deep breath and got out. As I walked around the front Woody was slicking back his hair and I pretended not to see it, but I let a telling smile flash quickly over my face. Woody stood straighter and I came to stand in front of him. Woody reached out and wrapped his arms loosely around my waist.
"Come here." He said pulling me into his arms. I chuckled and wrapped my arms around his torso.
"So is this Goodnight?" I asked breathing in the scent of Tide and starch on his shirt. Woody thought for a second and I could tell he was trying to choose his words carefully.
"This…is…….whatever you want it to be." He said confidently without any pressure. I regarded this statement for about three seconds then reached up to loosen his tie.
"I want this….."I said as I began to unbutton his collar and moved forward to kiss his neck and collar bone and finally took his ear lobe softly between my teeth before whispering. "to be foreplay." I said and instantly a wave of warmth radiated from Woody, through the cold, and onto me. He bent his head to rub my cheek with his nose. He kissed my lips tenderly then, with the promise of more to come. When I pulled away, I held tightly to his hand as we headed up the stairs to his building. And after a little necking on the elevator ride, we stumbled into his apartment, the only sound the clink of both sets of keys onto the floor as coats were pushed and pulled off. Woody walked backwards toward his couch. He pulled away from me only long enough to yank the end bar of the couch to drop it into a bed.
"ooooooo……impressive." I said chuckling. Woody smiled as he undid the rest of the buttons on his shirt and kicked off his shoes. Then he looked at the bed and wagged his eyebrows at me.
"See that's the deceiving thing about futons……couches by day…..beds by night…..very impressive." He said as I unbuttoned my shirt and let it fall to the floor. I stepped forward and laid my hands on Woody's bare chest, right over his heart. He laid his hands on top of mine, then slid my hand up his chest, neck, and finally to his smooth lips and kissed my finger tips slowly. When he'd kissed each one, I let my hand continue its upward journey into his soft brown hair. I tousled it gently and let my wrist lay momentarily in line with his pronounced Widow's Peak. Woody smiled and held my forearm to his mouth and kissed the soft underside of my arm near my wrist. When he pulled back, I let my hands drop to his waist undid his belt buckle, which he pulled off when I was done. He unbuttoned his dress pants as I wandered back to kissing his neck. When he had finished with his pants he let them drop to the floor and in a fluid motion swept me off of my feet and laid me down on the bed before laying gently on top of me and reaching for his bedside drawer……
The next morning when I woke up in unfamiliar surroundings, for the first time in a while, I didn't panic. It was probably because I was being held by a familiar person. I turned my head slowly and kissed his freckled shoulder. Woody awoke with a jolt.
"Hmmm…..that tickles." He said and a laugh escaped his nose.
"What this?" I asked kissing his shoulder again.
Woody covered his eyes from the morning sun and groaned. "No….your hair…it tickles." He said stretching and popping his long frame. "ooooo…ouch…..I think I pulled a couple muscles I didn't know I had last night." He said and wrapped me back in his embrace.
"You're welcome." I said turning my face to his and kissing the chilly tip of his nose. "Oooo! Your nose id cold!!" I said and rolled onto my side to lay my chin on his chest.
"ohhh…..you poor thing, I didn't realize it bothered you so much." He said with as much enthusiasm as the remark deserved. But I couldn't let him get away with it. So I smiled coyly and dug my pointy chin into his chest. Woody yelped and wrestled me onto my back. When he was on top of me, the warm black fleece blanket now exposing from his lower back up, I was suddenly renewed with energy considering his position and the way his hair fell in a little bit of a mo-hawk just above his eyes. "That was cheap! I'm gonna have to get you for that later!!" he said kissing my cheek and rolling off of me to hang over the side of the bed.
I sat up, covering myself with the blanket he'd just partially abandoned.
"I think you're getting me for that now!" I said referring to the sudden lack of Woody on top of me. He looked over his shoulder and smiled.
"No, I'll get you later," he said producing his boxers from under the bed. "Because right now, you have to go home and get ready for work." He said sitting up and pulling his boxers on as he stood from the bed. When he turned around I was sitting up with the blanket loosely around me pouting. He looked me over and bit his lip before running a hand through his hair.
"Or….you know what…..like…you said you have what?…..like, 5 years worth of sick days? You could spare some of them for Woody time?" He said wagging his eyebrows at me. I just stared at him.
"But…you on the other hand have only been with the Boston PD for about a year……so you can't spare any sick days…." I said putting my bra on quickly and fixing my shirt as I put it back on. Woody just stood there for a second scratched a manly scratch and said something to the effect of, 'your loss' to which I chuckled and laid back for a second to regain my composure. Woody leaned across the bed and kissed me before announcing that he had to take a shower and he'd meet me for lunch.
When I got into work that morning I passed by the picture and smiled. Nigel was waiting in my office for me sitting at my desk smiling devilishly.
I smiled at him and hung up my coat. Nigel spun sinisterly in my chair, matching each move I made around the room.
"Sooo…….?" He said after about five minutes of the shadow game.
I stopped whatever needless task I was at and hopped onto the edge of my desk. "Soooo……..I could learn to like pie and farm animals." I said with a tell-tale smile. Nigel grinned like the Grinch and put his hand up to high five me. "Give me some love, come on babe don't leave me hanging!!" He said and I leaned forward instead and hugged him.
"Thank you Nige." I said and kissed his cheek. "You're the best." I said and Nigel kissed my cheek in return.
"No problem, that's what I'm here for Love." He said standing and heading for the door. I knew he wouldn't be able to resist making some kind of comment. So of course I wasn't surprised when he stopped before opening the door and turned on his heels.
"Alright I MUST know…..What exactly does fresh country produce taste like?" he said wagging his eyebrows at me suggestively. I threw a stress ball at him. "Good-bye Nigel!!" I said and he ducked quickly out of the room.
The next few months were the best months of a relationship I have ever had. We never even fought once….well except over the covers….but I don't think I had ever been that happy in my life….and then came July…and the night the Drug Store on the corner of Woody's block was closed. I had stopped by on a night Woody had thought I was going to be spending at my Dad's for a kind of father daughter night of drinking and catching up alone together. And Woody, being as disgustingly understanding as he was… kissed me good-bye on the way out of work and told me he'd give me a call the next morning. I said okay and headed off to Dad's. When I got there, he was asleep on the couch. Tissues and Nyquil bottles around him. I smiled and tucked a blanket around him before checking to make sure his air conditioner wasn't too high on my way out.
I decided that it might be fun to surprise Woody since Dad would remain happily in a Nyquil induced coma until probably about early afternoon tomorrow. I drove up to his apartment around 10 pm after going home to make a quick change of clothes and grab an overnight bag. When I pulled up to Woody's place, I peeked up at his window to make sure he was there. I smiled when I saw the glow of his television against the glass of the window. I buzzed his apartment and a few seconds later I heard his cautious hello over the intercom.
"Guess who?" I said light-heartedly.
"Jordan? Is everything all right? What happened to going to your dad's?" he asked.
"Ah, he's riding out a summer cold by putting himself in a cold medicine coma…" I said and he buzzed me in.
When I got up to Woody's apartment, he heated up some left over Thai food for me which I graciously accepted. We laid on his bed together, picking at the last of the food When I rolled over and inadvertently rubbed Woody 'the right way'. He squirmed and took the Thai container out of my hand. "hey, I was eating that!" I said jokingly and let my hand slip up under his t-shirt. A few minutes later, most of our clothes lay on the floor and Woody casually reached over to open his night table. His hand was spending a little too much time rooting around in the drawer and I was becoming impatient. I leaned back, straddling him.
"Would you and the drawer like to be alone, Wood?" I asked. Woody chuckled. "Sorry…I just…comin' up empty here." He said and looked apologetically at me. I sat patiently as Woody turned to root through the drawer. Finally he stopped and huffed. He sat still for a minute then turned slowly to face me. He grimaced.
"Ummmmm…….I'm out coach." He said and flopped backwards on the bed. I just looked at him in astonishment.
"Are you serious?" I asked sitting up and turning to look at him as he lay stretched across the bed.
"Fraid so…." He said and his bare chest rose and fell heavily with his breathing.
"Drug store?" I asked hopefully. Woody shook his head. "Closed. Owner's wife's birthday." He said sadly.
I looked him over and groaned in frustration. "oohhhh……what the hell." I said and slid back over to straddle him again.
3 WEEKS LATER
I was sitting at my desk munching on a package of saltines while going over a file when Woody's firm voice scolded me from the door.
"Now, don't ruin your lunch young lady, I'm taking you out to eat!" He said and leaned against the door jam.
I looked up and smiled warmly at him as I finished chewing a cracker. "Actually," I said standing and picking my phone up to hand to him. "You're gonna call for some sort of take out for yourself which you will eat here in the enjoyment of my company. I am going to sit in here with you while you some delicious something or other that I will probably be drooling over but won't eat because I have some, stomach virus or something." I said as I munched on another saltine.
"What the HELL did you just say?" Woody asked stepping forward and taking the phone from me. He hung it up and I sighed.
"I SAID," I emphasized leaning forward to kiss him. "That I have a tummy ache, and you're buying for one today." I smiled and flopped down into my chair and Woody dropped onto my couch.
"Oh, thanks for the translation." He said and stood up from the couch.
"Where ya goin'?" I asked as he headed for the door. He turned on his heels as he walked out of the room.
"I'm just gonna grab a cheese steak or something from the corner. I'm comin' back, don't worry." He said flashing me a quick smile. I chuckled and continued to read the file until Woody came back. When he came into the office, he threw the cheese steak, wrapped of course, onto my desk in front of me. I looked up from my file, went to say something to Woody, and got a whiff of the cheese steak and felt my stomach roll. When Woody realized that I had stopped mid-sentence, he turned to look at me. I was in the process of bolting for the bathroom, my hand over my mouth.
When I returned Woody was lounging on the couch. "Sorry." He said apologetically. I just shook my head.
"It's not your fault. We now know however that cheese steak has been sidelined until this stomach thing passes." I said popping open a can of Pepsi. I sat down at my desk and noticed that Woody had disposed of the offensive cheese steak in another room.
"Good to know." He said and sat up on the couch. He pulled a bottle of Pepto Bismol out of his pocket and set it down in front of me. I smiled and he kissed the top of my head.
"I'll stop by and drive you home tonight…"He said and headed for the door looking at his watch. I nodded, chugging the Pepto.
I called Woody when I was through work and he was already on his way over. I asked him if he minded stopping at the pharmacy and letting me run in and grab a few things. Sweet thing that he is, Woody volunteered to run in for me.
"Ahhh…no that's okay….you probably wouldn't want to make this particular run." I said hoping he'd get what I was saying. Woody was quiet for a second.
"Oh, girl stuff and such huh?" he asked rhetorically. "Okay well I should be there in about 5 minutes or so you gonna wait outside?" He asked. I nodded.
"Jordan, I can't hear your head shake.." He said chuckling. I couldn't believe he knew me so well! I chuckled.
"Yeah, thanks I'll be out front." I said and hung up the phone. Now the panic set in, well some of the denial too, but that had already been there for about a week. Lily walked in just then and I tried to fake being okay.
"Hey, Jordan I heard you weren't feeling well I thought you might wanna try this herbal stuff I…………"She trailed off as she always did when she sensed a wrinkle in the balance of the universe. She watched me as I stared out the window. "Jordan?" She asked trying to catch my attention.
"Hmmm?" I said swinging my head in Lily's direction. She was watching my face carefully.
"You okay Jordan? I mean aside from being sick?" She asked coming in and closing the door. I couldn't look at her yet. So I went over to the window and Lily sat in the chair next to my desk.
"Well……..I'm late……"I said and when I turned around, Lily's mouth was hanging open. She couldn't even say anything.
"That's what I said." I joked, because I didn't know what else to do. Lily stood finally and walked over to stand next to me by the window.
"Well…it's……do you…..could it be………do you think you are?" She asked and I looked down at my feet. I sighed heavily and laughed. I didn't know what else to do.
"Yeah…. I think it's a possibility." I said honestly. Lily once again was speechless. And just to make the situation that much better, Garrett walked in to my office. He saw the two of us standing by the window and I'm sure we looked startled.
"What? What's wrong with you two?" He asked closing the door and walking over to stand with us by the window…..just as Woody was pulling up outside. Lily tried to cover for me…
"Uh nothing we're good." She said and Garrett could tell she was covering for something. I was too busy watching Woody out the window as he stood outside of his car…trying to balance a bottle of soda on his forehead.
"That..could be the father of my child." I said and Garrett's head shot up. He's always been kind of like my second dad and it definitely came to a head that day.
"What!?" He said and turned me by the shoulders to face him. I could only look at him embarrassed. He took a minute to take in the news.
"Jordan, are you pregnant?" Garrett asked and I'm sure that anyone who didn't know Garrett at that moment, probably would have thought that he WAS my father. Lily just stood back and watched.
"I don't know." I said honestly. And I was being honest. I didn't know for sure…I suspected yeah, but I wasn't gonna swear to it.
Garrett huffed and that little vein in his head popped out. He knew it would be a good idea to step back and try to think rationally for a second. When he'd regained some composure, he turned back to me.
"Are you happy about it?" He asked and I shrugged my shoulder.
"I don't even know if I AM yet Garrett!" I said. "Can we all just….calm down a little? Guys! I don't even know if I am pregnant!" I whispered loudly.
Garrett huffed. "Does Woody know about this?" he asked. I smiled weakly and darted my eyes towards the window. Garrett followed my gaze to look down at the street….where Woody still stood arms out focused intently on trying to keep the half-empty soda bottle from falling off of his head. When he had gathered an appropriate amount of data from Woody's blissful ignorance, Garrett turned back to me.
"okay, I'm gonna go with no." He said and rubbed his forehead. I just nodded sideways in agreement and continued to watch Woody's painful display of his age.
"Alright, well I gotta go, Woody is taking me home and then I'm gonna try and work all of this out." I said and grabbed my bag. As I headed for the door Garrett called for me.
"Jordan." He said and walked over to me. He wrapped his arms around me. I laid my head down on his shoulder.
"Thanks Garrett." I said when he pulled back. He just nodded. I mouthed a thank you at Lily and she smiled back. "Good luck!" She called after me as I headed towards the elevator. When I got down to the car, Woody's attention seemed to have been recaptured by something new to do and he was apparently playing the drums on the front of the car with the soda bottle. When he spotted me he smiled and walked around to the passenger side door. He opened it for me and I kissed him softly, my eyes filling up a little.
"You okay" he asked. I just nodded and smiled before climbing into the passenger seat. We drove in silence to the store. When we pulled up to the pharmacy, Woody once again asked me if I wanted him to go in.
"No, no that's okay really, I can handle it." I said hopping out and quickly jogging to the door. I perused the merchandise slowly, not wanting to go anywhere near the pregnancy tests. I grabbed some more Pepto and a bottle of Rolaids. Finally, I broke down and casually grabbed one of those EPT Pregnancy tests…then because I am a scientist, I grabbed two more in case multiple trials were needed. As I was standing in line I had just reached the counter and realized I left my purse in the car. I looked towards the door about to let the cashier know I had to run back out to the car to grab my money…and as I was placing the stuff down on the counter…Woody walked in with my bag…
"Jordan, you would forget your head if it wasn't bolted on…" He trailed off when he noticed my panicked expression and then the pile of purchases. He just looked at me dumbfounded and I could do nothing but stare back……
…………….To be continued (Dontcha just wanna strangle me right now?)