A Place to Call Home-Part IV
Moving ever forward and for those wondering I'm not writing all this in one day, lol. I've been working on it for a while.
Home inspires thought.
“Dawson,” Lily said impatiently, “You are acting like a doofus, what happened?” Dawson looked over at his fifteen-year-old sister. Her eyes were brown, the eyes of his father, and her hair was still as blonde as it had been at eight. Her straight hair fell to her shoulders, framing her small face. She was an intelligent young woman, very aware of everything that went on around her and as always she hadn’t failed to notice the number of times Dawson ran his hand through his hair or tapped his long fingers on the table.
She reminded him of Joey sometimes, the way she just came out and said things without thinking about them first. He decided denial was his best line of defense, “Sox Production Company keeps calling me, they want me to direct their next film. They don’t understand I’m taking a break from sho-biz.”
Lily shot him a look, “That’s a very nice story Dawson, you were always a great story-teller, but I don’t buy it.” She leaned back and smiled at him smugly, “You saw her didn’t you.”
“What?” He wished he could take back the question, but it was too late, he was busted. He threw his hands up in defeat. “How did you know about Joey?”
“Alex, who else?” She shook her head at him, “We have no secrets Dawson.” His heart squeezed painfully at her words. Lily and Alex reminded of him and Joey at that age. Except there was never any real doubt in their minds that what they shared wasn’t simply friendship. He doubted his mother knew that Lily snuck out of the house every night to spend time with Alex. He had caught them making out at the ruins late one Tuesday night. She hadn’t known he was there; he didn’t have the heart to stand in the way. It was obvious to him and everyone that they were head over heels in love. A Leery and a Potter deserved a shot, a real shot, and he couldn’t make himself step in the way of that. Telling his mother and stepfather would only make his rebellious sister worse. Alex was her rock, her sense of stability in a chaotic world. He couldn’t help but wonder if they would have a less complicated relationship than he had with Joey.
“I should have known.” He gave a short laugh, “So you two knew all along and didn’t tell us?”
“Of course not, what would the fun be in that?" She winked, "I’ve even known about her divorce for a while now, but I thought it’d be more interesting to see how fate would reunite you.” Sometimes her ability to observe life and emotions was a little annoying and unnerving.
“You have it all wrong, we’re just friends.”
“Only in your universe Dawson.” She gave him a wry smile, “You’ve always been in love with her, I don’t see why you fight what’s meant to be. “ He glanced down at her, he had never told her about Joey. “Everyone and their brother knows that the Creek was a monument to your relationship with Joey. Which by the way had an awful ending, such a hack job. Sam and Colby should have ended up together; Petey was just a passing romance. They would never be able to sustain a real relationship and in the real world, Dawson, they didn’t.”
“What do you know, you’re fifteen.” He hated to say that because out of everyone he knew that age had nothing to do with it.
“Everything. I’ve seen my brother fight his feelings for a certain girl across the pseudo creek all my life. Maybe she didn’t choose you then because it wasn’t the right time.”
“And you think now is?”
“There’s only one way to find out, talk to her, see where it goes from here.”
“Such a sage.” Dawson smiled.
“I’m a regular Jen Lindley.”
At he mention of his deceased friends name he closed his eyes in pain. Would it ever stop hurting? Writing her death scene for the Creek had been painful….it had taken him months to write it because it brought that time up for him over and over again. He missed her so much and right now he needed her advice. He was afraid to listen to his sister because in his heart he knew she was right.
“There’s no place like home.”
She’s right, he thought to himself later that night, I should talk to Joey, open the door of friendship. I was the one who wanted to let go of the past. He got up out of the chair he had been sitting in, walked to the door, and opened it. He was shocked to see Joey coming towards his house. Her long hair swung around her shoulders as she moved her head up and down. He recognized that gesture, she was talking to herself, trying to figure out what she was going to say. He smiled to himself as she moved closer. She finally looked up at his place on the porch and smiled at him hesitantly.
“Dawson.” “Joey.” They both said softly and their eyes met through the screen. He could see her green eyes sparkling in the moonlight. “I was just coming to see you.” He said casually.
“Wouldn’t that be breaking one of the sacred rules of Dawson and Joey?" She lifted her eyebrows and pointed at the rowboat, "I get in the rowboat and climb up the ladder to your window. It has been the force of the universe since we were eight.”
“I recall the last time you did that you almost broke your neck.” He chuckled.
She slightly stuck her tongue out at him, “I was a little tipsy that night.”
“Is that the new word for drunk these days?” He said with a glint of amusement in his eyes.
She shot him a look and her face softened at the memory of that night. Hours of conversation and her sleeping by his side just as they always had. “That was a long time ago.” She said softly.
“Yeah it was.” His voice was just as soft as hers. “I don’t think Lily would appreciate it if you climbed into her room in the middle of the night.” He laughed.
“Alex would be furious if he knew I stole his rowboat.”
Dawson raised his eyebrows, “How did you slip by him?”
“He’s with your sister," She shrugged her shoulders matter-of-factly. "Could you be any more oblivious Dawson? She’s always sneaking out that window I used to sneak in.”
He laughed, “I knew she had been sneaking out, she just got by me tonight.”
“Lost in thought, eh?”
She could still read him so well. “Yeah,” he paused, “I’m sorry, Jo. More than anything I just want us to be friends again.”
“You could start by inviting me onto the porch at the very least.” She gave him a sarcastic smile.
He laughed and opened the screen door. “Better yet, why don’t you come in and watch this new movie I bought. It’s called E.T., ever see it?”
“It sounds vaguely familiar,” She chuckled and stepped through the the door. She paused in feigned thought. “Didn’t it win an Oscar?”
“How many times to I have to tell you…” He groaned.
“It was Gandhi I know. Spielberg was robbed.” Laughter filled the porch. God, it’s good to be home, they both thought as they walked into the house.
Peace - that was the other name for home. ~Kathleen Norris
“I’ll be right there….” Joey mimiced the movie with tears in her eyes. She swiped at her eyes as Dawson turned the TV off. They were curled up on his large, comfy couch. The window by the TV was open, letting in a cool breeze. Joey had her bare feet tucked beneath her and Dawson was leaning back on the arm of couch. They were carefully avoiding touching each other. The sparks they had felt earlier were still too overwhelming.
“How many times have we seen that movie now?” Dawson grinned and rolled his head towards her.
She flashed him a smile, “Oh, only a million.”
“Always feels like the first time.” He sighed, obviously still in love with all things Spielberg.
“That’s what they all say.” She teased, “You met the maker of that movie and didn’t bother to invite me.” She poked him in the ribs.
He laughed, “When you hit the big time you forget the little people.” This statment only earned him another jab. She was closer to him now, so close he could feel her breath on his neck, in his hair. It surrounded him and filled his soul. His breathing became shallow as he shoved aside the thoughts he was having at that moment. He could almost feel her skin against his, her lips pressed against his, and her minty breath clinging to his body. He closed his eyes and swallowed.
Seeing his reaction to her closeness made her feel powerful. He felt more for her than he was willing to admit. Maybe it was only desire, but that was a start, wasn’t it? What was she thinking….they were friends now. Friends. They were just lonely and it had been so long since she had kissed a man. That had to be it….she managed to convince herself. She had secrets, things that Dawson didn’t know. Things that may make him see her differently. Things she was afraid to tell him. She resumed her previous position on the couch.
Dawson opened his eyes as she moved away. What was wrong with him? He wasn’t a horny teenager anymore and this was Joey. His best friend, the girl that had broken his heart over and over again. He was just lonely and she was there. And so beautiful. He thought as he gave glanced at her from the corner of her eye. He shook his head, he was definitely falling over the edge of sanity into a world of teenage fantasy.
“Dawson,” she said quietly.
“Yeah?”
“Have you ever noticed we always watch this movie at important times in our lives?”
“Yeah I have.”
“Wonder why that is.”
“Nostalgia?” He raised his eyebrows.
“Sub-text?” She challenged.
“Way of coping with what we don’t want to talk about?”
“The past.”
“The present.”
“The future.”
“And what is in that future?” He couldn’t believe he was asking that question. Even after all this time, knowing his place in her life was important.
“Friends.” She said hesitantly.
He smiled, feeling relieved and disappointed at the same time. “Friends.” She scooted closer and laid her head on his shoulder. They stayed like that for a long time, just letting the cool breeze blow through their hair. He hadn’t felt this content in years. The universe just felt right and maybe, just maybe it still had a few surprises up his sleeve.
Home inspires thought.
“Dawson,” Lily said impatiently, “You are acting like a doofus, what happened?” Dawson looked over at his fifteen-year-old sister. Her eyes were brown, the eyes of his father, and her hair was still as blonde as it had been at eight. Her straight hair fell to her shoulders, framing her small face. She was an intelligent young woman, very aware of everything that went on around her and as always she hadn’t failed to notice the number of times Dawson ran his hand through his hair or tapped his long fingers on the table.
She reminded him of Joey sometimes, the way she just came out and said things without thinking about them first. He decided denial was his best line of defense, “Sox Production Company keeps calling me, they want me to direct their next film. They don’t understand I’m taking a break from sho-biz.”
Lily shot him a look, “That’s a very nice story Dawson, you were always a great story-teller, but I don’t buy it.” She leaned back and smiled at him smugly, “You saw her didn’t you.”
“What?” He wished he could take back the question, but it was too late, he was busted. He threw his hands up in defeat. “How did you know about Joey?”
“Alex, who else?” She shook her head at him, “We have no secrets Dawson.” His heart squeezed painfully at her words. Lily and Alex reminded of him and Joey at that age. Except there was never any real doubt in their minds that what they shared wasn’t simply friendship. He doubted his mother knew that Lily snuck out of the house every night to spend time with Alex. He had caught them making out at the ruins late one Tuesday night. She hadn’t known he was there; he didn’t have the heart to stand in the way. It was obvious to him and everyone that they were head over heels in love. A Leery and a Potter deserved a shot, a real shot, and he couldn’t make himself step in the way of that. Telling his mother and stepfather would only make his rebellious sister worse. Alex was her rock, her sense of stability in a chaotic world. He couldn’t help but wonder if they would have a less complicated relationship than he had with Joey.
“I should have known.” He gave a short laugh, “So you two knew all along and didn’t tell us?”
“Of course not, what would the fun be in that?" She winked, "I’ve even known about her divorce for a while now, but I thought it’d be more interesting to see how fate would reunite you.” Sometimes her ability to observe life and emotions was a little annoying and unnerving.
“You have it all wrong, we’re just friends.”
“Only in your universe Dawson.” She gave him a wry smile, “You’ve always been in love with her, I don’t see why you fight what’s meant to be. “ He glanced down at her, he had never told her about Joey. “Everyone and their brother knows that the Creek was a monument to your relationship with Joey. Which by the way had an awful ending, such a hack job. Sam and Colby should have ended up together; Petey was just a passing romance. They would never be able to sustain a real relationship and in the real world, Dawson, they didn’t.”
“What do you know, you’re fifteen.” He hated to say that because out of everyone he knew that age had nothing to do with it.
“Everything. I’ve seen my brother fight his feelings for a certain girl across the pseudo creek all my life. Maybe she didn’t choose you then because it wasn’t the right time.”
“And you think now is?”
“There’s only one way to find out, talk to her, see where it goes from here.”
“Such a sage.” Dawson smiled.
“I’m a regular Jen Lindley.”
At he mention of his deceased friends name he closed his eyes in pain. Would it ever stop hurting? Writing her death scene for the Creek had been painful….it had taken him months to write it because it brought that time up for him over and over again. He missed her so much and right now he needed her advice. He was afraid to listen to his sister because in his heart he knew she was right.
“There’s no place like home.”
She’s right, he thought to himself later that night, I should talk to Joey, open the door of friendship. I was the one who wanted to let go of the past. He got up out of the chair he had been sitting in, walked to the door, and opened it. He was shocked to see Joey coming towards his house. Her long hair swung around her shoulders as she moved her head up and down. He recognized that gesture, she was talking to herself, trying to figure out what she was going to say. He smiled to himself as she moved closer. She finally looked up at his place on the porch and smiled at him hesitantly.
“Dawson.” “Joey.” They both said softly and their eyes met through the screen. He could see her green eyes sparkling in the moonlight. “I was just coming to see you.” He said casually.
“Wouldn’t that be breaking one of the sacred rules of Dawson and Joey?" She lifted her eyebrows and pointed at the rowboat, "I get in the rowboat and climb up the ladder to your window. It has been the force of the universe since we were eight.”
“I recall the last time you did that you almost broke your neck.” He chuckled.
She slightly stuck her tongue out at him, “I was a little tipsy that night.”
“Is that the new word for drunk these days?” He said with a glint of amusement in his eyes.
She shot him a look and her face softened at the memory of that night. Hours of conversation and her sleeping by his side just as they always had. “That was a long time ago.” She said softly.
“Yeah it was.” His voice was just as soft as hers. “I don’t think Lily would appreciate it if you climbed into her room in the middle of the night.” He laughed.
“Alex would be furious if he knew I stole his rowboat.”
Dawson raised his eyebrows, “How did you slip by him?”
“He’s with your sister," She shrugged her shoulders matter-of-factly. "Could you be any more oblivious Dawson? She’s always sneaking out that window I used to sneak in.”
He laughed, “I knew she had been sneaking out, she just got by me tonight.”
“Lost in thought, eh?”
She could still read him so well. “Yeah,” he paused, “I’m sorry, Jo. More than anything I just want us to be friends again.”
“You could start by inviting me onto the porch at the very least.” She gave him a sarcastic smile.
He laughed and opened the screen door. “Better yet, why don’t you come in and watch this new movie I bought. It’s called E.T., ever see it?”
“It sounds vaguely familiar,” She chuckled and stepped through the the door. She paused in feigned thought. “Didn’t it win an Oscar?”
“How many times to I have to tell you…” He groaned.
“It was Gandhi I know. Spielberg was robbed.” Laughter filled the porch. God, it’s good to be home, they both thought as they walked into the house.
Peace - that was the other name for home. ~Kathleen Norris
“I’ll be right there….” Joey mimiced the movie with tears in her eyes. She swiped at her eyes as Dawson turned the TV off. They were curled up on his large, comfy couch. The window by the TV was open, letting in a cool breeze. Joey had her bare feet tucked beneath her and Dawson was leaning back on the arm of couch. They were carefully avoiding touching each other. The sparks they had felt earlier were still too overwhelming.
“How many times have we seen that movie now?” Dawson grinned and rolled his head towards her.
She flashed him a smile, “Oh, only a million.”
“Always feels like the first time.” He sighed, obviously still in love with all things Spielberg.
“That’s what they all say.” She teased, “You met the maker of that movie and didn’t bother to invite me.” She poked him in the ribs.
He laughed, “When you hit the big time you forget the little people.” This statment only earned him another jab. She was closer to him now, so close he could feel her breath on his neck, in his hair. It surrounded him and filled his soul. His breathing became shallow as he shoved aside the thoughts he was having at that moment. He could almost feel her skin against his, her lips pressed against his, and her minty breath clinging to his body. He closed his eyes and swallowed.
Seeing his reaction to her closeness made her feel powerful. He felt more for her than he was willing to admit. Maybe it was only desire, but that was a start, wasn’t it? What was she thinking….they were friends now. Friends. They were just lonely and it had been so long since she had kissed a man. That had to be it….she managed to convince herself. She had secrets, things that Dawson didn’t know. Things that may make him see her differently. Things she was afraid to tell him. She resumed her previous position on the couch.
Dawson opened his eyes as she moved away. What was wrong with him? He wasn’t a horny teenager anymore and this was Joey. His best friend, the girl that had broken his heart over and over again. He was just lonely and she was there. And so beautiful. He thought as he gave glanced at her from the corner of her eye. He shook his head, he was definitely falling over the edge of sanity into a world of teenage fantasy.
“Dawson,” she said quietly.
“Yeah?”
“Have you ever noticed we always watch this movie at important times in our lives?”
“Yeah I have.”
“Wonder why that is.”
“Nostalgia?” He raised his eyebrows.
“Sub-text?” She challenged.
“Way of coping with what we don’t want to talk about?”
“The past.”
“The present.”
“The future.”
“And what is in that future?” He couldn’t believe he was asking that question. Even after all this time, knowing his place in her life was important.
“Friends.” She said hesitantly.
He smiled, feeling relieved and disappointed at the same time. “Friends.” She scooted closer and laid her head on his shoulder. They stayed like that for a long time, just letting the cool breeze blow through their hair. He hadn’t felt this content in years. The universe just felt right and maybe, just maybe it still had a few surprises up his sleeve.