(One Week Later - Saturday afternoon)
Andy drove home from the daycare with a smile spread across her face. She had adapted quickly and decided that this new life suited her just fine. The past week had been busy, but at the same time uneventful. That was a good thing though. Andy had had her share of dramatic changes. A little monotony never killed anyone. That was her opinion anyway.
Lizzy, however, didn't seem to agree. She was worried about Andy and constantly trying to persuade her to "go out to a club or a movie or anywhere." Lizzy was very persistent and usually got what she wanted in the end. Andy was pretty sure she would cave soon. She just didn't need to always be active. And she didn't particularly care to meet too many new people, especially the male half of the human race. No way was any man going to cause her pain ever again. Not to mention she had made a vow to herself and to James. She wouldn't forget that vow. Not now. Not ever.
She still thought about James. Every now and then, she could swear that she saw his face in a crowd or heard his voice whispering her name. But it was always her eyes playing tricks on her or the gentle whispering of the breeze. Never James. Andy's dreams were filled with James too, and sometimes her eyes would fill with tears, much to the confusion of those around her.
But Andy was slowly healing. She didn't cry herself to sleep every night anymore. She let herself smile and laugh without feeling too guilty. As long as she kept busy, she was fine. The children at the daycare provided a welcomed distraction. She had fallen in love with those children from the beginning, with their adorable smiles and innocent gestures. Now she
could hardly live without these children, her 'little people,' as she liked to call them. She loved every single one of them, and they loved her too. She really couldn't ask for a better job. It was how she had always dreamed teaching would be.
Andy shook her head to clear her thoughts and decided she was in the mood for some bubblegum pop music. She snickered at the thought. It was sad. She was way too old for this music, but she couldn't help it. It was an addiction. Pop music was just so fun, so refreshing, so full of energy and life. The lyrics were sometimes lacking, but the music was almost always good, and some of the groups had amazing voices. She scanned the radio stations until she came across one of her favorite pop songs.
"I really should get this CD," Andy said aloud. "These guys have great voices."
She sang along at the top of her lungs and even adding the appropriate hand movements from time to time. She didn't care who heard her screeching along with the song. She rolled the windows down to let the sun in and teeny-bopped all the way home.
I,I'm doing this tonight
You're probably gonna start a fight
I know this can't be right
Hey, baby, come on
I loved you endlessly
When you weren't there for me
So now it's time to leave and make it alone
I know that I can't take no more
It ain't no lie
I wanna see you out that door
Baby, bye bye bye
Bye bye...
Andy walked into the house, tossed her keys on the entry table, and headed towards the kitchen, all the while humming Bye Bye Bye. Her humming ceased as she approached the doorway to the kitchen. Lizzy always teased her about her teenybopperesque tendencies. Not that she was ashamed of her music choices. She just chose to...not be teased? Yeah, that was it.
Lizzy greeted her with a grin. "You're home just in time. Sara's cooking up something 'unique' tonight. We get to be her guinea pigs. This could either be really good or really...odd."
Sara turned from her spot near the stove to smack Lizzy upside the head. "My meals are always delicious. Don't you forget that."
Lizzy feigned pain, and Andy spoke up, smiling sweetly. "I love your cooking, Sara. I'd be delighted to try anything you made."
Lizzy muttered, "Traitor." This was followed closely by a "You don't need to suck up, Andy. You're already my favorite roommate," from Sara and a scowl from Lizzy.
"Hey, Andy," Sara turned away from her cooking once more. "You don't have a problem with Matt coming over tonight, do you? I think Lizzy invited someone over too. I have enough food here for lots and lots of people."
Andy didn't mind Matt, Sara's boyfriend, coming over at all, but she froze at the evil look that came to Lizzy's eyes when Sara had mentioned Lizzy having guests over too. "No, I don't mind Matt coming over Sara. You know I love him to death."
Sara turned back to her cooking contentedly. Lizzy refused to meet Andy's eyes, letting Andy know that Lizzy was planning something that she wasn't going to like. "Lizzy, my dear, dear friend. Who have you invited over this fine evening?"
"Well, uh...no one important."
"Lizzy...please tell me you didn't do what I think you did."
"Um...that depends on what you think I did. If you think I ruined your new sweater, then no, I didn't do that. If you think I invited a serial killer here, I didn't do that either. Come to think of it, I probably didn't do what you're thinking at all."
"I think that you decided to play little miss matchmaker and fix me up with some guy."
"Oh...well I guess I did do what you thought then."
"Elizabeth Ann! How could you do that? You know that I'm not ready to date. Did I not come here less than a month ago crying my eyes out over the only man I've ever loved? How could you even think about doing something like this? How, Lizzy? I thought you knew me better than that."
"Andy, don't hate me! Please don't hate me! It wasn't like an official date or anything. I just invited Brian over and suggested he bring his cousin so that you wouldn't feel out of place with both Sara and me having dates. I didn't think it would hurt to get you to meet some new guys. I didn't know you'd be so angry."
Andy sighed and lay her head on the table. "I don't hate you, Lizzy," she mumbled. "I just can't believe that you would do this without asking me first. Don't pull something like this again. When I want to date again, if I want to date again, I will find my own men."
Lizzy nodded. "I'm so sorry, Andy. I only wanted you to be happy."
"As for tonight, when Brian's cousin gets here, you are going to tell him that I've been through a lot, and I'm not really ready to date. Tell him whatever you want about why you invited him as long as it is some version of the truth. I need you to make him see that I'm not interested in a relationship right now."
"Do I have to?"
Sara interrupted before Andy could chew Lizzy out again. "Lizzy! If you even have to ask that question, you aren't half the person I thought you were."
Her shoulders slumped noticeably and she paused before speaking again. "Sorry guys. I won't be this stupid again for a long time."
Andy nodded. "Good. I'm still mad at you though. The way tonight turns out will determine the length of time that I stay mad at you. Keep that in mind."
Just then the phone rang, and Andy crossed the room to answer it. "Hello?"
"Yes, hi. May I speak with Andy?"
This struck Andy as odd. Who would be calling her at this time of night? "Yes, I'm Andy. What can I do for you?"
"Oh, hello dear. This is Lynn Harless. My son, Jon, goes to the daycare you work at."
"Oh, Mrs. Harless. I didn't recognize your voice." There was a slight pause.
"Call me Lynn, dear. You're probably wondering why I'm calling you now, so I'll get to the point. I know this is terrible timing and an awfully short notice, but I'm desperate. I've just been called away on business, and I have no one to watch Jon and Jenny tonight. Her parents are away tonight and Paul is on a business trip himself. I'm guessing you already have plans, but if by some chance you don't, would you be willing to help me out?"
"I have some semblance of plans for dinner, but we're just eating here. If you wanted to drop them off after dinner, that would be fine by me. Let me just check with my roommates quickly."
"Oh, that would be wonderful."
Andy looked over her shoulder at her friends. "You know those kids I've been telling you about?"
"Jon and Jenny? How could we forget?"
"Jon's mother needs a last minute babysitter. Would you mind if they came over here tonight?"
Sara agreed right away. "Matt loves kids, so I'm sure he won't mind. And I'm dying to meet these wonder children myself."
Lizzy was more hesitant. "I thought you were going to hang out with the guys and me tonight, An."
"That was your plan, remember? I'll have dinner with them, but this seems a little more important to me right now. May I remind you that you are hardly in a position to negotiate?"
She sighed. "Ok. It's fine with me."
Andy turned back to the phone. "Lynn?"
"Yes, dear?"
"You can bring them over after dinner tonight. They can sleepover if they'd like. It would make more sense anyway. I'll just bring them home in the morning."
"Thank you so much, Andy. You really are a lifesaver. Jon will be thrilled, too. He talks about you all the time. Don't tell them I said this, but I think Jenny gets jealous that he talks of you all the time."
Andy giggled. "That's so cute. And this really isn't a problem at all. You know I love those two."
"Yes, I do. That's why I decided it would be all right to ask you. Thank you again."
"You're welcome. I'll see you later tonight."
"Good-bye, Andy."
"Bye."
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