by T J Vertigo
* * *
As luck would have it, Wade and Jodie met on the sidewalk just outside Cayden and Wade's apartment building. Jodie stopped him from going upstairs, filling him in first on the phone call she had with Brooke. Wade was a non-believer and had to see this for himself so he ran up the stairs, forgoing the elevator, and flung himself into the apartment. He ran frantically into the living room and gasped. "Oh my god! Jodie was right!" He then proceeded to throw himself on the floor in a faint.
When Jodie arrived, she stepped over the swooning Wade and stood in front of the couch with her hands on her hips. "Has she any idea where her mouth is?" She wondered.
"No, she just turned over a little while ago and I was afraid to wake her." Brooke explained in a whisper.
"Well, it's high time sleeping beauty rises." Jodie said with an evil grin.
Brooke winced as Jodie began puling individual strands of Cayden's hair. "Jodie, that's gotta be annoying as hell."
"I know." the waitress replied with a snicker.
Cayden grimaced and swatted at her head a few times before smacking herself in the face. Oh, yeah, she thought groggily, Hang over. She became semi-conscious and let her hand fall back down when it stopped and leaned against something foreign and soft. She brushed her knuckles across the surface a few times trying to register what she was touching, and suddenly a new surface formed within the soft one. Furrowing her brows, she peeked open one eye and was completely disoriented. A snicker to her right made her open both eyes quickly and when she focused, her half open eyes widened enormously. She opened her mouth to speak, and a croak came out.
"Morning, beautiful." Jodie teased. "I bet you can use a cold drink about now."
Cayden pulled her hand off of Brooke's breast and scrambled into a sitting position, getting dizzy as she did. She looked to Brooke, who had a very humorous expression on her face, then to Jodie who was standing with her hands on her hips. She tried to form some spit in her arid mouth and swallowed. "Well, I was sleeping!" she said nervously. "How was I to know what it was?"
"Hey, it didn't bother me at all." Brooke said with a grin.
"Yeah, and you don't see me complaining." Jodie added with a smirk.
"Fuck off, the lot of you. Where's Wade? Why isn't he jumping at the chance to tease me?"
"He fainted." Jodie said, pointing to the floor.
"Candy ass." Cayden muttered, getting to her feet shakily. She was horrified that she was groping Brooke's breast unbeknownst to her, with an audience, but she'd never let on.
"I'm not really fainted." he said getting up. "I saw you feeling Brooke up. For shame Cayden."
"I repeat, fuck off." She began to make her way into the kitchen.
"Cayden, I have some soup for you, let me warm it up." The blonde followed the tall woman.
"I'm capable." Cayden shot.
"I'm aware of that, but you're also dehydrated and probably weak as a kitten." Brooke said, putting a bottle of water in front of her. "Drink this while I heat it up."
Jodie and Wade looked on in amusement as Cayden diligently opened the water. "Oh look, I did that all by myself, and weak as a kitten to boot." she drawled then guzzled nearly half the bottle at once.
"Don't fight me Cayden, you know you'll lose." Brooke said, with her back still turned on the tall woman.
Jodie covered her mouth as Cayden stuck her tongue out at Brooke's back and then made childish mimicking faces at her. When Brooke turned around suddenly, Cayden was the picture of innocence.
"Here." Brooke placed a bowl of soup in front of Cayden, then sat down opposite her at the table.
"You're not gonna just sit there and stare at me when I eat are you?" she asked crankily.
"Why, do you need me to feed you?" Brooke asked sarcastically. Cayden glared at her and clenched her jaw. "You're going to make your headache come back if you keep that up." Brooke pointed out. "Fine, you big baby, I'll go inside while you eat. You have to be starving by now. "
Cayden turned her glare on everyone in the apartment before picking up her spoon and eating. The soup smelled so damned good she wanted to shove her face in the bowl and slurp it out, but she curbed that desire and opted for the spoon. She couldn't let everyone know that Brooke was right.
Brooke carried a plate of soup chicken into the living room, right past the shocked duo of Wade and Jodie, with La La Bird hot on her heels. When she sat down on the couch and looked up, she almost laughed out loud. Jodie had the exact same expression on her face as the first time she saw her, prompting Brooke to think she was retarded, and Wade looked like he was about to drop down into another dramatic swoon. "What?"
Jodie pointed towards the kitchen, her mouth agape. Wade pointed at Jodie and nodded rapidly.
"Oh, her? She's easy." Brooke said with a snort. "I totally expected the worst, but if this is as good as she gives, ha, I can take it."
Wade and Jodie watched as Brooke fed La La chicken. Wade turned towards the kitchen and looked inside, then shook his head in wonder and smiled warmly at Brooke. "Can't argue with a woman who feeds my La La." He said with a chuckle.
"Well, I was kind of afraid not to. He was staring at me for hours." Brooke joked. "Ya know, I don't know about saddling him with a name like that. It may be why he turned to food."
Wade rolled his eyes, "Oh good, and here I thought I liked you." he teased.
Cayden shuffled into the living room. "Hey, Brooke, I want seconds. Do you think I should get up on my own and get it?" She asked obnoxiously.
Brooke crinkled her nose. "Go right ahead, I think you're capable."
Cayden looked outraged, but the need for more food forced her back into the kitchen.
PART 16
I T WAS LONG after Cayden finished eating her fill of Gramma Millie's soup, and she was currently hiding in her bedroom, while Wade, Brooke and Jodie communed in the living room. Cayden pouted, trapped in her bedroom, unable to go out there and face the traitorous group. "They're probably talking about me." she groused. A scratching at her closed door made her frown. "Oh no, you Brooke loving, back-stabber. You don't actually think I'm going to touch you with that chicken breath do you?"
The tall shop keeper felt like a baby. She couldn't believe Brooke had gotten away with as much as she did, or got her in the position she was in so easily. Not to mention how she felt waking up in the blonde's lap, in front of Jodie and Wade. Cayden growled. "I was groping her tit! God, it really doesn't get any worse." The brunette threw herself into her pillows, then a wry smirk formed on her lips. "Well, she's right, I coulda shit my pants."
* * *
Brooke forced Wade to allow her to wash the dirty dishes she created, then made coffee for everyone. They were all sitting in the living room, indeed, talking about Cayden
"So, then she threw up and I felt bad so I made her go home." Jodie finished.
"I'm surprised she even went into work at all!" Wade said.
"You know she never lets anyone know she's sick." Jodie reminded the man, then looked thoughtfully at Brooke. "Which brings me to you. How the hell did you get in here in the first place?"
"The door was wide open. She was pretty miserable when I got here."
Wade grimaced. "Boy, she must have held it in all the way home in the cab. God forbid she should puke in front of someone."
"She hadn't even taken off her shoes, I'm sure she ran straight for the bathroom, that's where I found her anyway." Brooke continued.
"Ooohhh. So that's how you managed it." Jodie snickered, then looked serious. "The fact is, she let you stay here. That's a big deal Brooke."
"Aww, she really had no choice. She was quite unable to fight. You have no idea how I pictured the scenario, I prepared for the worst after speaking to Wade. I thought she'd kick me out on my ass, but she was easy."
"Easy?" Wade laughed. "Just wait until she gets her fire back, you, my dear, are in for trouble."
"Please, if that's the worst, I can take her."
"Apparently. You
had her head in your lap, not to mention your hand tangled in her hair at one point. Care to explain?" Jodie asked curiously.
Brooke blushed. "Well, you see, she was bitching and I thought some good head scratches were in order, and before I knew it she had fallen asleep."
"Ah, but you never took your hand away from her head did you." Wade asked with a silly smile.
"No." The blonde admitted. "It felt too good to stop."
Jodie smiled knowingly.
"What else did you do to her when she was sleeping?" Wade asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
"Nothing like that, Wade." Brooke said with a nervous giggle. "I only touched her lips, her cheek... and her arm, her ear, oh, and her fingers. She has such long, sexy fingers."
"Oh yeah, you got it bad." Jodie said with a chuckle. "You couldn't possibly have found anyone more difficult, Brooke."
"So I gather." Brooke said distractedly. "So, how did you all meet?" She asked to change the subject.
"I met Cayden when she came to live with me." Wade started. "She was looking for a roommate and she found me through a friend of a friend. We were living in Brooklyn at the time, both of us younger and poorer back then. She was the perfect roommate, spending all of her time in her room, you hardly ever knew she was there. Sometimes I didn't see her for days. Now, though, she's my best friend. She may not act like it but she's proven it on many occasions. She's very loyal and she'd give you the shirt off of her back."
Brooke smiled, she knew there was more to the tall cranky woman than met the eye.
"No kidding." Jodie agreed. "She doesn't have many friends, in fact I think we're it. She's a very private person in some ways, she likes to be alone. Sometimes, I force myself on her because I hate that she's sitting here alone." Jodie shrugged. "Sure, she says she's happy that way, but she's not. She really does want someone," Jo cut her eyes to Brooke, "We all do."
Brooke smiled and nodded. "I gotta tell you, I was drawn to her the minute I saw her, I don't know what happened. I thought I was fine, I thought I was happy, and I didn't know just how unhappy I was until I met her. Jodie, you never said how you two met?"
"I tried to pick her up. I fancy myself a sort of Casanova, and was totally baffled that she would have turned me down. I pretty much stalked her until she finally gave in and kept me around. She never did want me that way, but we became really close. I'm glad too, cuz if it would have been any different, she wouldn't be my friend right now." Jodie smiled warmly at the thought. "I know how you met Cayden, but tell me what was happening from your point of view."
Wade moved closer to Brooke and giggled. "Ooo, I love girl talk." He pulled La La onto his lap and listened intently.
"Well, I just happened to get out of a cab in front of the store, I had no idea it was even there and my parents live a few blocks away. Go figure."
"Karma." Wade said.
"Don't start with that what's meant to be will be crap." Jodie warned.
"Yes ma'am." Wade snickered. "So, you went into the store and..."
"I was cranky, and hot, and there was this man droning on and on about his cat. I was getting very irritated with him when I heard her voice and everything stopped. I remember that I thought it was sexy and I surprised myself." Brooke blushed at the memory. "So, finally this man stepped away and I saw Jodie. I thought you were retarded at first." She admitted.
"What? Why?" Jodie asked with a loud snort.
"You were looking at me with this expression, it was amusing."
"Ohh, yeah." Jodie snickered in remembrance. "I had just made a bet with Cayd to try and rap to the first woman that walked into the store. I was quite pleased to see you standing there."
"She talked to me because I was a dare?" The blonde asked in offense.
"Brooke, you do recall that she hardly said two words. She was dumbfounded by you. It was funny as all hell to watch."
"True. I thought she was retarded too."
Wade laughed. "Yeah, I still wonder about that myself."
"Anyway, something about her voice, it did something inside of me. I couldn't get her out of my head. Her voice, her eyes, I was totally confused about what was going on, but I knew I had to see her again."
"Lust at first sight." Jodie teased.
"I don't know what the hell it was, but I needed to see her, so I came back later. I was fascinated by her hands." Brooke recalled clearly. "Then the dreams started..." She drifted off in thought.
"Wow. That is so cool." Wade said. "You know, she was pretty upset after talking to you that night." He informed the blonde who raised her eyebrows. "Yeah, she was trying to pick you up as best as she knew how and you said you had a boyfriend. She was sure you wanted her until then."
Brooke frowned. "Yeah, in retrospect, I realized she was flirting with me, but at the time I had no clue. Actually, I have no idea why I brought up Grant."
"Subconscious fear." Jodie said.
"Shut up, Freud. Since when do you know this stuff?" Wade threw a pillow at her.
"I watch Dr. Phil." Jodie stuck out her tongue.
"Dr. Phil is banned from this house. Him and soap operas, they're poison according to Cayden."
Oh no... but she let me watch.... Brooke's eyes widened and she cleared her throat nervously. "You really watch Dr. Phil?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, he's a pip, entertaining as all hell. I love to watch him."
"Then you'd know enough not to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."
All heads turned to see Cayden standing with her arms folded and a scowl on her face.
"Hey Cayd, come join the party." Wade said, patting the couch next to him.
"No thanks. That couch is evil." She said, narrowing her eyes at Brooke. "What are you still doing here?"
"Cayden!"
"Never mind her, Jodie, she's just cranky because I saw her throw up. She'll get over it."
"Hey! I am not cranky!"
"Oh? So, you're normally this irritable? Maybe you should look into Pamprin." Brooke offered.
"You did NOT just call me hormonal." Cayden said, steamed.
"If the ovary fits..." Wade interjected.
"Shut up. No one asked you." The tall woman shot back.
"You know, Cayden, you don't scare me with your rude behavior. In fact, it gets my juices going." Brooke announced.
"Well then, you better get up off the couch, Wade hates that sort of thing on his furniture."
"Oh, you're a regular riot, Cayd." Wade snorted.
Brooke smiled sweetly. "I could always go sit on your bed, Cayden, I'm sure my juices are welcome there."
Jodie and Wade laughed uproariously. Cayden looked flabbergasted.
"What happened Cayd, La La got your tongue?" Wade managed to choke out between guffaws.
"I do not want your juices on my bed." Cayden insisted, though she was blushing deeply.
"Oh yeah, that's believable." Jodie teased her red friend.
Brooke simply sat and blinked demurely.
"Well, I don't! And what do you look so pleased about?" The shop keeper asked the blonde.
"Please," she waved her hand around. "You want me." Brooke said boredly.
"I do not!"
"You'll come around." The blonde said confidently. "Just give me time."
Wade and Jodie looked as if they were watching a tennis match, mouths agape and eyes wide.
"You're crazy! You can't make me do anything I don't want to!" Cayden insisted.
"Yeah right," Jodie said, "Hey, Brooke, how's those drool stains on your lap?"
"Shut up, Jodie!" Cayden stomped her foot in frustration. Everyone was ganging up on her.
"That was mature." Wade joked.
"Fuck you all." The brunette pouted.
"Aaaanyway..." Brooke started, "I'm glad you feel better Cayden, it was my pleasure to have you on my lap. Feel free anytime."
Cayden narrowed her eyes. Her blush was just dissipating and now it was back.
"I'm thinking, maybe next tim
e, you'll want to hold off on the groping in mixed company though." Wade joked.
The shop keeper's nostrils flared. "I was sleeping! I didn't know what it was."
Brooke smiled saucily. "Again, it was my pleasure."
La La Bird jumped up and headbutted Brooke's leg, she began to pet him, while Cayden looked on with a frown.
"You know, Cayd, you're going to have to get used to Brooke. We like her and we're going to keep her." Wade informed the scowling woman.
"Fabulous." The tall woman stomped off into her room.
Brooke, Wade, and Jodie all snickered quietly at Cayden's behavior and drank their coffee in silence.
Brooke had learned a lot about the tall woman from her two friends, and was digesting the information. She was relieved to know Cayden wasn't as impossible as she seemed. The blonde kept her confident airs. Even though she acted smug, telling Cayden how much the tall woman wanted her, there was always that bit of doubt pricking at her. She needed some sort of proof. Of course the kisses in the store room were a good start, but Cayden was drunk. Brooke needed more than that and was trying to think up a way to get better proof.