"THIS TIME AROUND"
By: gb
Chapter 21
Scott had driven Ryan home after they had gone to their apartment and Becca had helped Ryan get rid of "Buffy". Ryan was in the back seat and Becca was sitting up front with Scott. As he turned the engine off, Ryan was getting out of the car when Scott stopped him.
"Do we have to do this again, man?" Scott asked impatiently.
"If Mateo keeps taking Gillian out and she keeps saying yes." Ryan replied.
Scott was silent for a few minutes.
"What is it now?"
Scott tried to keep a straight face as he said in mock serious tones. "Ryan, I think I want to see other people. I don't think you and I are gonna work out- we're just too different. I have taste...and you don't." he finished referring to the blue pansuit "Buffy" had worn earlier.
Becca's face broke into a large smile and Ryan grimaced.
"Very funny, Chandler. Maybe you should take it Vegas."
"Comon, Ryan, I was just kidding...it's just that..well, you just..."
"What are you trying to say?"
"Well, I know you love Gillian...and I remember when you two first met and all and you were so cool and collected about the whole thing even though she was seriously seeing me. What's going on now? You don't really consider Mateo a threat?"
Ryan sat back down. "I don't know. That was different."
"Different how?"
"I just...I just knew that even though you two were together, I wasn't worried because...because..well..."
Ryan looked carefully at Scott and selected his answer.
"I wasn't worried because I knew it was me she wanted even thought she was engaged to you."
Scott sighed and shrugged. "I knew that too. I'm not mad, Ryan. You don't have to avoid telling me. You and Gillian had a enferno between you that just wasn't there with her and me. Actually, Gillian and I are friends now and I'm not broken up or anything- I'm happy for you."
Scott was looking at Becca as he finished this and he was holding onto her hand as if there was a silent message between them. Ryan, for his part, was surprised, but didn't comment.
He got up again and got out of the car. He and Scott shook hands and leaned over and hugged Becca and thanked her for her help.
Scott drove away and Ryan walked in through the front door at Wildwind and was heading up the stairs.
One of Edmund's staff was walking down and she gave him a smile and said good-night.
Ryan returned the greeting and was about to continue on when he noticed her staring at him strangely.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"Nothing." she said quickly. "Goodnight, Mr. Ryan."
Ryan decided not to pursue it and headed up to his room.
When he came in, he saw that Gillian was not home yet and he quickly went to get his pajamas and head for the shower. As he glanced at the mirror on the wall, he noticed that one of the clip on earrings he had worn that evening was still hanging from his ears!
"No wonder she was staring at me like I was a nut!" he exclaimed out loud as pulled it off and went to take a shower.
He was finished and in bed when Gillian came in through the door already having been to her room and was in a short sleepshirt.
"I guess we're sticking around Wildwind for awhile," Gillian said as she climbed in beside Ryan.
"I think it's a good idea if you do," Ryan agreed.
He changed the subject and asked, "Did you have a nice night with Mateo?"
"Mmm. Very nice. We ran into Scott there," she replied.
Ryan tensed up. "Oh?" he tried to sound casual.
"Yes." Gillian said." He was there with someone- not Becca and he was acting a little odd."
"What do you mean? Who was he with?"
Somehow, Ryan expected himself to be described in glorious terms by Gillian. He didn't think he had looked as bad as Scott had been telling him.
"Oh, I didn't get an up close look at her- Scott said she was shy- but I we saw them walking out of the restaurant together. Some cheesy looking girl who was wearing this ugly blue pantsuit and too much hairspray."
"What do you mean too much hairspray?" Ryan asked defensively. "How much is too much?"
"Oh, you know the kind that hangs out way too much in singles bars- Mateo thought from what he could see she was way too old for Scott!"
"Too old?! Well what does he know?! I'm sure Scott was out with a very attractive woman. He picked Becca didn't he- she's pretty!"
"Ryan, relax. It's just an opinion. Gee, you're sensitive this evening! I think Scott was embarrassed- said it was an old scoolfriend of his-wouldn't even introduce us! I think she maybe trying to come between him and Becca. Becca wasn't there by the way. You should've seen her walk- like watching an elephant dance the ballet."
Gillian was laughing now as she tried to sit up in bed. She grabbed her feet and began rubbing one of them.
"I don't think Becca has anything to worry about, though. She has a horrible taste in clothes, and I'm sure she's way too..."fluffy" for for Scott. I think he said her name was
"Buffy"."
"I'm sure she was trying the best she could! What's wrong with a pansuit?! Ryan demanded angrily. "I looked all over for..."
He forgot himself as Gillian stared at him confused now. "All over for what?"
"Nothing never mind," Ryan said quickly. "What's wrong with your feet?" he asked as he rubbed them for her.
"Oh, my heels. They were really killing me tonight!" she said as she leaned back as he massaged them. "Beauty hurts!"
"Tell me about it!!" Ryan said as he remembered the shoes that had pinced his feet the whole evening.
Gillian stared back at him again and he quickly added. "I mean, I've heard...alot of woman say that...shoes hurt..."
Gillian was looking at him now but didn't pursue the matter. Instead, she said tiredly,
"
What did you do all evening?"
"Huh? Oh, I just hung out...no big deal..."
Gillian snuggled up next to Ryan after he turned out the lights and sleep came over them.
Gillian was taking her lunch in the park the next day so could go shopping for a new purse. she had suggested a lunch with Ryan,but he was at work at the club and couldn't get away, so she went by herself. She was staying away from free time at the hospital because she didn't want to run into Jake and felt she would be safe here.
She had just finished when she saw Becca coming from the opposite side of the park.
Becca approached her and the two sat down on a bench to talk.
"What's up?" Becca asked cheerfully.
"Nothing." Gillian replied. "I hear you and Scott are on another vidio project for WRCW. Ryan mentioned it at breakfast. He said Liza might turn this into a new show."
Becca talked enthusiastically about her latest work escapades with Scott. Gillian admired her enthusiasm and felt she,too had been like that once, not long ago...
"Mateo and I were out at dinner the other night and saw Scott with his friend, Buffy." she mentioned casually.
"Oh, yeah!" Becca replied without thinking. "Didn't he look cute?! It took me some time, but I didn't do too bad, I thought!"
"He?" asked Gillian. "Who? I was talking about the girl Scott was with at dinner- Buffy. He said you couldn't be there."
Becca's face fell straight down. Ryan's gonna kill me!, she thought.
"Did I say 'he'?" she stammered as she tried to paste a smile on her face! "I meant 'she'. Yes- she. I was busy, so I couldn't be there- you're right. I helped her with her makeup. Poor girl! She's clueless!! Don't you hate that?! I'm always into knowing the right look and so I helped her- you know people are always coming to me for help- I used to do Dixie's hair back in Pigeon Hollow all the time when I came over to babysit. She was always saying, 'Nobody does hair like you do, Becca!' Am I rambling?"
She stopped and took a breath. "I do that sometimes...you know I just don't know when to stop!"
Gillian bobbed her head while trying to follow Becca's tornado speed speech.
"Well, I have to go now, Gillian. Scott's expecting me!"
She got up and was about to leave when Gillian tried to stop her. "You just got here! I haven't seen you in ages and I'd really like to talk to you. See, Scott and Ryan have become good friends and all and I thought we could do the same. Why don't the four of us get together some time?"
"Ah...I guess so. I'll tell Scott and let you know...Call me sometime. You know, we should get together- how come we never talk anymore, Gillian?!" she hurriedly gave Gillian a quick hug and scurried away.
Gillian stared after her and said to herself. "I think there must be bad weather coming- that always makes people do the strangest things!"....
end of part 21
(to be continued..."
Next time: "Buffy" makes another appearance and Gillian gets suspicious!!