Part 8<\/b><\/p>\n
Cordy tugged her jacket off as she meandered through her apartment\u2026.sighing a little at the tingle of cool air that wafted over her neck.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, Dennis, done and donner. You are looking at a single woman.\u201d She stretched, yawning. \u201cSingle and happenin\u2019.\u201d She giggled slightly, walking down the short hall to her room. \u201cGotta say, even for me, this was a red-letter day. I cowed Wesley, tormented a heart attack patient, and hey, oh yeah, ended a FAILED MARRIAGE. All in a day\u2019s work for Cordelia Chase, seer in the big city.\u201d<\/p>\n
She kicked off her shoes and headed for the bathroom. \u201cGonna take a shower, gonna pull on ugly comfy pants and big fat bunny slippers and gonna sit my ass right in front of the tv with a little gift from my future husbands, Ben and Jerry. Whatdya say?\u201d<\/p>\n
Silence greeted her musings. \u201cC\u2019mon, Dennis. We\u2019ll watch Ghost.\u201d Her voice cajoled tiredly. The water in the shower turned on, and she smiled softly. \u201cThere ya go.\u201d<\/p>\n
An hour later, just after twilight, she settled comfortably on the sofa, slapping her feet onto the coffeetable. The cheerful bunnies on the toes of her slippers grinned maniacally at her upside down, and a pint of Half Baked lay open in her lap.<\/p>\n
\u201cOk, Dennis\u2026let\u2019s get this cryfest on the road.\u201d A dvd floated up and into the open drawer of the player, which slid shut with a mechanical whoosh. Cordelia was reaching for the remote when the phone rang, jarring her in the silence.<\/p>\n
She stared at the caller ID. Wesely. Please, God. Please please please. Let this be an everything went ok call, and not a business as usual, all screwed up call. She picked up the receiver with fingers that shook slightly. \u201cHello?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia.\u201d Wesley\u2019s voice sounded muted. \u201cIt\u2019s done. Everything went smoothly. The papers have been notarized and documented and filed, and as of 5:00, we are\u2026.\u201d He broke off. Cordy relaxed and leaned back.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot legally forced to bicker? Able to snark at each other now just for sport?\u201d Cordelia took a huge spoonful of Half Baked and shoved it into her mouth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, yes.\u201d Cordelia could hear the amusement in Wesley\u2019s voice. \u201cFeel free to\u2026.snark\u2026.away just for the pleasure of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia grinned, licking the spoon. \u201cWell, now that I\u2019m single it has to be protected snark.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordelia\u2026\u201d Wesley\u2019s voice turned serious. \u201cI never said\u2026.\u201d He broke off. There was a silence, and she heard him mutter softly, \u201cMaybe this is best not done over the phone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Wes, now you\u2019re stuck. What is it?\u201d Cordy froze. What had gone wrong now?<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thing is, Cordelia, I haven\u2019t said\u2026.I didn\u2019t\u2026..Cordelia, I didn\u2019t ever tell you how sorry I was about all of this. I feel like it was my fault.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWes. I was there too. Not completely dumb here, just kinda. You don\u2019t have to tell me you\u2019re sorry. I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not?\u201d Wes sounded surprised.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, no. I mean, look at the lives we live, Wes.\u201d She stuffed another bite of Half Baked into her mouth. \u201cIsh nst e ay i ish.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia swallowed quickly, holding her hand to her forehead as brainfreeze shot through her. \u201cUm, I said, it\u2019s just the way it is. With us. We have weird lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes we do.\u201d Wesley\u2019s sigh was heartfelt.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at it this way, Wes. How great is it that I was married to my best friend? How sucky would it have been had I woken up with Bubba, the 300 lb truck driver from Armpit, America? C\u2019mon, get a little perspective here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is that.\u201d The amusement was back in Wesley\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood. We\u2019re back. I called the hospital. Mr. Blevins is fine. He\u2019s in the cardio-care unit, but expected to be ok.\u201d Cordy licked at the spoon some more. \u201cI\u2019ll send him flowers from us tomorrow. Maybe with a box of nicoderm patches.\u201d Wes chuckled. \u201cSo\u2026\u2026didya stand and deliver alone today?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUm\u2026.no. Had company.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCompany of the taco-shovin\u2019 variety?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. How could you see that she\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh Wes\u2026.clueless, clueless Wes. I think the question here is how could you NOT see?\u201d There was a silence for a moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is something to that. Being clueless.\u201d Wes mused. \u201cPerhaps there\u2019s something in the water. Because it seems that the clueless affliction is going around.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Cordy sifted uncomfortably. There was another moment of silence. When Wesley spoke again his voice was casual.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, nothing. Just that some people can\u2019t see what\u2019s right in front of them. Me, for example. I think\u2026\u201d he paused. \u201cI think I can see a lot more clearly now, and I think I\u2019m going to take Ms. Winifred Burkle out for dinner tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordy smiled sadly, a little chagrinned at the small stab to her heart. \u201cYou dog. Get rid of one, just get another. Really, Wes. Have a good time. I\u2019ll talk to you in the morning, probably with a dairy product hangover.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you like to join us?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia laughed out loud. \u201cOh, may I? That\u2019d be a perfect first date for you and Fred.\u201d She chuckled. \u201cBut thanks, Wes. You\u2019re the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright then. See you tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d Sigh. \u201cTomorrow.\u201d And she gently put the receiver down. Wesley and Fred. Sittin\u2019 in a tree. She smiled, fingering the receiver lightly as she thought. Good for them. She was reaching for the remote when the phone rang again. She looked at the caller id and picked it up, holding it to her ear. \u201cHey Gunn.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBarbie.\u201d Gunn\u2019s voice sounded relaxed. \u201cHey, heard you were on the market again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, and I\u2019m strong, have child bearing hips, and all my own teeth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gunn laughed. \u201cJust wanted to call and tell ya\u2026.kinda think I was a butt about this whole thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, you were. Lucky for you, your butt is fabulous.\u201d Gunn laughed again. \u201cIt\u2019s all good, Charles, my sweet. I kinda had a butt moment or two of my own.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, like torturing sick lawyers?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wasn\u2019t sick. He was near death. Big difference.\u201d She paused. \u201cBut yeah, that was a less than stellar moment for the archives. I just wanted it done.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d They were both silent for a moment. \u201cSo\u2026we good?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re the best, Charles Gunn.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOK. Need a little company?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, Microsoft would be nice, if you\u2019re offering.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gunn laughed again. \u201cOk, ok, I get it. Just don\u2019t want ya alone and sad, like those sad women, sitting there in front of the tv eating ice cream all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordy froze, the full spoon halfway to her mouth. \u201cUm, no, no, not gonna happen. No ice cream binge for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood. Because my Auntie Bernice\u2026..man, when she sits around the house, she sits AROUND the house.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia laughed. \u201cNo, no, no. No Atkins for me. I\u2019m gonna be skinny Minnie for a while at least.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSure you\u2019re good?\u201d Gunn was serious. \u201cI mean, big day. I was a butt. I could take ya out\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fine, I\u2019m fine. How can I not be, with such good friends?\u201d There was a silence for a moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cOK. Long as you\u2019re good. Because you\u2019re\u2026.you\u2019re gold, Cordy, and you deserve good. Hell, you deserve the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I already have it.\u201d Cordy sighed. \u201cIt\u2019s\u2026we\u2019re good and solid, sweetie. I\u2019ll see you tomorrow, still skinny, and buy you a latte.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOk. Gonna hold you to that.\u201d And he hung up. Cordy lowered the receiver and was reaching for the remote when the phone rang again. She looked at the caller id and sighed, picking up the phone and holding it to her ear.<\/p>\n
\u201cLorne. Hey. Don\u2019t wanna sing, I\u2019m fine, I\u2019m not mad, I\u2019m not eating myself into oblivion and it\u2019s all good.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a silence. \u201cSo\u2026..you\u2019re turning down a date with moi?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordy giggled. \u201cA date with you? Please.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHey it could happen. You know what they say. The size of a demon\u2019s horn corresponds directly to the size of his\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLORNE!!!!\u201d Cordelia laughed loudly. \u201cYou\u2019re bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo bad that you need to hustle your tush over here for dinner and entertainment. C\u2019mon, Cordycakes. It\u2019ll be fun. Right now, a Klanarion is onstage singing It\u2019s Raining Men. You can\u2019t find good times like that anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOk, ok, ok.\u201d Cordelia threw her hands up. \u201cDinner with the host with the most\u2026sounds good. Give me a few minutes and I\u2019ll be there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood girl. Just for that, I\u2019m not going to tease you for one single second about your tainted Klingon blood.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHey.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust kidding. Had to get my little lick in. C\u2019mon, time\u2019s a wastin\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOK. On my way.\u201d She hung up and sighed. \u201cI give up. My friends are determined to be friends. Dennis\u2026\u201d She rose, and trudged down the hall, her bunny slippers making little slappy noises on the wood floor. \u201cYou\u2019re on your own. Try to not drool over Demi, ok?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorne hung up the phone, smiling slightly across the table as he lifted his drink in a toast. \u201cShe\u2019s on her way.\u201d<\/p>\n
***<\/p>\n
An hour later, Cordelia entered Carita\u2019s and sat down, looking around for Lorne. Not seeing him, she wandered through the crowd till she got to an empty table and sat, wincing as the woman on stage belted out \u201cLike a Virgin.\u201d God had a sick sense of humor.<\/p>\n
A waitress appeared, and Cordy ordered with an absent minded smile as she looked again for Lorne. Maybe he was giving some kind of psychic music mojo reading thingee to someone, or something. The waitress returned and set her drink down and wandered off at Cordy\u2019s soft \u201cthanks.\u201d<\/p>\n
She leaned back in her seat, absently stirring her coke as her mind wandered. A shadow fell over the table and she looked up, grinning a bit as Lorne joined her and sat at her table.<\/p>\n
\u201cCookie\u2026.a coke? The shame, the shame.\u201d Lornes\u2019 voice was light but his gaze was watchful.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah. Me and the drinkypoo, we don\u2019t seem to mix.\u201d Cordelia flashed him another grin. \u201cI learned my lesson.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout drinking?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat. And other things.\u201d They both fell silent. Another shadow fell across the table, and Cordy looked up at the waitress, standing over her with a single drink perched in the middle of her tray. The waitress pointed in the direction of the bar.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom that guy over there, the one with the horn in the middle of his forehead?\u201d Cordelia followed the point and smiled apologetically, shaking her head no. The Demon shrugged his shoulders and she turned back to Lorne.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust what I need. Newly single, out on the prowl.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorne looked down at his fingernails carefully. \u201cSooooo\u2026not ready to dive into the having fun with the romance thing just yet?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf ever. Jeeze.\u201d She sipped at her coke. \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019m cut out to be married.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHoney\u2026.\u201d Lorne broke off as the waitress appeared again with another drink for Cordelia.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe guy with the one eye in the middle of his chin.\u201d Cordy followed the waitress\u2019 pointing finger and smiled again, shaking her head no. Lorne watched the byplay.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordilicious\u2026you\u2019re looking at this all wrong. That wacky thing called love doesn\u2019t really walk hand in hand with married. Those are two things going on. You need to look at the big picture.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I did. I have seen the big picture, and it\u2019s like a Seurat. You know\u2026.really beautiful from far away\u2026but get up close, and it\u2019s a mess.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCordy, maybe your happy ever after is here. Maybe you\u2019re too close and it looks like a mess, but you need to stand back and let the picture get clearer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordy sipped at her coke. \u201cCould be. Maybe\u2026\u201d She grinned at Lorne. \u201cMaybe I just need to hang with my favorite green guy and have me some dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lorne nodded, looking over her shoulder and hiding a grin before rising.<\/p>\n
\u201cCordycakes, all I\u2019m gonna say is that men are like busses. One goes by, another one will come along.\u201d Cordy wrinkled her nose at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, nice, Lorne. I\u2019m having that stitched on a pillow.\u201d<\/p>\n
He grinned back. \u201cOh, and live long and prosper.\u201d He waved a little wave and disappeared, leaving Cordelia shaking her head; she would never, ever live the Great Star Trek Wedding down as long as she had breath.<\/p>\n
Just then, the waitress reappeared, this time holding a tray heavy with several glasses, all identical, of the same drink. She plunked the tray down onto the table and Cordy raised wide eyes to her.<\/p>\n
\u201cCranky looking guy in the black coat over by the bar\u2026.\u201d Cordy\u2019s head whipped around and met the solemn dark gaze of the vampire who stood apart from everyone else. Cordelia froze, held by the somberness of Angel\u2019s unwavering stare.<\/p>\n
The waitress looked down at the tray. \u201cHoney, just take \u2018em. I\u2019m not carting that tray back to the bar.\u201d And she disappeared. Cordy ignored her as Angel strolled over, his eyes never leaving hers. He sat down across the table from her and they looked at each other silently. Finally, he spoke, looking away casually.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo. Big day. What with the medical emergencies and all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia groaned. \u201cAny chance of this little story just sliding away without comment?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNone at all.\u201d Angel smiled a bit. \u201cThat\u2019s Cordelia. Good in a crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cordelia smiled slightly and played with her glass. Angel watched her a bit.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny regrets?\u201d Cordelia barked out a laugh.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, my. Jeeze. Where to begin\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the thing is\u2026.\u201dAngel\u2019s tone was calm. \u201c..at the end of the day, you have friends who care\u2026.you have your life back\u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot to mention newfound legal expertise and a sundry knowledge of Klingon. Wasn\u2019t expecting that.\u201d Cordy grinned at him. He nodded back.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo. I guess it\u2019s official.\u201d Cordy nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, it is. I\u2019m officially, absolutely, one hundred percent\u2026..not married.\u201d She thought a bit. \u201cHey, you were going to tell me something\u2026.something\u2026.remember?\u201d He looked at her evenly.<\/p>\n
\u201cC\u2019mon, Angel, you hate it when I do that to you\u2026spill. What did you want to tell me. Tonight, everyone wants to tell me something, it seems, get on that train and dish the dirt.” He just looked across the table at her, and she began to fidget. \u201cWhat\u2019s with the drinks?\u201d She leaned in closer, wrinkling her nose as she sniffed at one of the glasses.<\/p>\n
She looked up at Angel, who watched her carefully. She picked up a glass and took a sip, her eyes widening as the cool liqueur slid down her throat. \u201cThese are\u2026these are all\u2026.\u201d She laughed. \u201cThese are amaretto sours. Hooboy\u2026.no thanks.\u201d She set the glass back down. Angel shifted slightly, watching her. \u201cLast time I had one of these\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah?\u201d<\/p>\n
She paused, smiling sadly. \u201cI had another. And another. And another. And after a while\u2026.I got wacky.\u201d She broke off, raising startled eyes to his face, as he leaned in a little and lifted the glass back up, reaching across the table and handing it to her.<\/p>\n
She took it with nerveless fingers, and held it tightly as he nudged her hand, keeping his eyes locked on hers. The picture suddenly became clearer as all the dots in her mind connected into a lovely arrangement of color.<\/p>\n
\u201cDrink up.\u201d<\/p>\n
And she did.<\/p>\n
The End<\/b><\/p>\n