"Brooklyn!" she almost shouted into the phone. I pulled the phone away from my ear, but was happy about her excitement. We hadn’t spoken in six days, which was an unpleasant record for us. "I have missed you so much, baby cakes," she cooed.
"Me, too, honey buns. How’s it going?"
"Oh, this has been the most wonderful week of my life, Brooke. I can’t wait to tell you all about it," she gushed.
"So tell me about it now." I leaned back against my arsenal of pillows.
"Well, I’ll tell you some, but I want to tell you everything in person."
"Alright. How’s Dickson?"
"She’s really great, though I think she’ll be a bit of a bear should I get the job."
"Did you get the job?" Silence. "Rand?"
"I move in July," came the quiet response. I knew her so well. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, twirling the phone cord in her fingers, shyly, feeling bad about getting this incredible opportunity.
"Oh, sweetie!" I breathed, so happy for her, despite the pang of sadness in my stomach. "I’m so proud of you, Rand."
"Really?" she asked, her voice childlike.
"Most definitely, honey. Have you told Peter, yet?"
"Yeah. He knows. We’re talking, trying to figure out what we’re going to do." We were both silent for a moment, both lost in our own thoughts of gain and loss. "But, enough of this. How are you?"
"Well, I’m doing better now."
"What? Doing better now," her voice trailed off. "What do you mean?"
"Rand, now I don’t want you to freak out,"
"What? Why?" I grinned, wanting the exact opposite of the shrillness that already marked her voice.
"Well, earlier in the week I was in an accident."
"What!"
Again, I pulled the phone away from my ear.
"Some guy hit me while I was on my bike."
"Oh, sweetie. Are you okay?"
"Yes, I’m fine. I have a broken bone or two, and some bruises,"
"Why didn’t you tell me? Brooklyn, I’m coming home right now,"
"That is why I didn’t tell you. There was no way in hell I was going to allow you to screw up the most important interview of your life just for a few scrapes and cuts. Besides, Cody’s been taking care of me." The line went dead silent.
"Cody?" Her voice was low, almost dangerous.
"Yes, Cody. She’s done a wonderful job, too. Since I can’t walk,"
"You can’t walk? What?"
"I broke my ankle, anyway, since I can’t walk or use my left arm,"
"Why not? Brooklyn, talk to me,"
"I’m trying! I broke my left arm, too. So, I’ve been in this damn wheelchair for the past week, not able to do a damn thing for myself. She has truly been invaluable."
"I’m sure she has."
"Rand, stop it." My brows drew in irritation as I suddenly felt very protective over Cody, not willing to put up with any of Rand’s shit where the girl was concerned. "If not for her, I never would have made it, and you were gone. I mean this girl has cleaned for me, she’s cooked every meal, from scratch, might I add,"
"Gee, she’s just a regular Julia Childs."
"Rand, what’s your problem?"
"I should be the one who takes care of you, Brooklyn. No one else, and certainly not some irresponsible kid."
"She’s not the irresponsible, honey."
"Well, whatever. I should have been there, and damn it, Brooklyn, why didn’t you call me?" I could hear the hurt in her voice.
"Oh, honey, I honestly wanted you hear. You would have lost your chance if you would have come back, and you know it."
"I got to meet my hero," she said, her voice quiet and shy.
"Yeah? You got to meet Donald Rumsfeld?"
"Yeah," she said, just as shy.
"Oh, you are so cute. How did that go?" I asked.
"Well, I got to dance with him and talk shop at a ball I went to."
"Oh, watch out Peter." I chuckled.
"Yeah, no. But, it was incredible all the same," she gushed.
"Oh, sweetie, I’m so happy for you. I miss you." I dropped my head into the pillows, excited to see my friend.
"I miss you, too, honey. But, I will be there tomorrow, so your little nanny can go back to playing Legos with the neighborhood kids."
"Rand," I warned.
"I have to go. I was just about to jump in the shower when you called. I’ll see you later, Brooklyn. Take care of yourself, huh?"
"I will. I can’t wait to see you and see all the great stuff you bought me." I grinned into the receiver.
"Yeah, I can’t wait. You’ll love it."
"I love you."
"I love you, too. Bye, cupcake."
"Bye, my little snickerdootle."
Keith dropped Cody off an hour later, loaded down with more bags of food.
"Hey," she said as she walked in, headed for the kitchen.
"Hi," I said, following her with my eyes. "Rand is coming home tomorrow," I said, my voice filled with excitement to see my friend. Cody’s pace slowed at the mention of her name, but she quickly disappeared through the swinging door without a word.
* * *
"So, what do you want to watch?" Cody asked, plopping down in the recliner, a bottle of Gatorade in her lap.
"I don’t care. Pick a movie out of my monster collection." I grinned.
"Oh, you mean out of the half dozen videos you own?" she snickered.
"Yeah, yeah, so I’m not Blockbuster."
She sat on the floor in front of the movie cabinet, looking at the titles. She glanced at me over her shoulder.
"You own this?" She held up the box to show me.
"‘Gleaming the Cube’? Sure. Doesn’t everyone?" I smiled.
"Uh, no. Some random skateboard movie? I don’t think so. I can’t believe you have it," she muttered, reading the back.
"Well, come on, it has Christian Slater in it, and when I was younger, I had quite the crush on him." She snorted.
"Figures." She took the tape from the box, and slid it into the VCR. "Now you’ll get to see some great skater action."
* * *
I awoke to some serious pounding on the door, and a startled, irritated Cody standing, and stomping to the door. She unlocked it, and pulled it open.
"Oh, hello," Rand said, her voice low and void of emotion when she saw my houseguest.
"Yeah, back at you." Cody walked away from the door, leaving it open as she walked toward her makeshift bed, and began to fold up the blankets and sheets.
I looked at my best friend again, seeing the overnight bag she held in her hand. She looked at me, a huge smile on her face.
"Hey, sweetie." She rushed in, taking me in a huge hug that nearly killed my still aching ribs. She held me at arms length. "Oh, Brooke, you look like shit." She brought her hand up, fingering some of the lingering bruises and healing cuts.
"Thanks, you hag." I batted at her hand. She smiled and hugged me to her again. Then she eyed Cody with a side glance.
"Well, I’m here now, staying." Cody looked at her, then rolled her eyes.
"I’m going." She headed to the bathroom.
"Rand, please don’t," I begged, my hand on her arm. She looked at me, then looked away with a sigh.
Cody came out a few minutes later, dressed, and began to shove all of her clothing into the bag she’d brought with her.
"Listen, um, if you need anything, call or whatever," Cody said, standing by the front door, skateboard in hand. She took one last look at Rand, then turned and walked out.
Part 8
I leaned back against the pillows on the couch, looking into Rand’s eyes to make sure she had heard me.
"Will you get it for me?" I asked, positive what I wanted to get Cody as thanks for helping me. My friend sighed, but nodded.
"I’ll get on it tomorrow. I’ll need help," she said, her voice sounding uncertain.
"Ask Keith. He can help."
"That’s a good idea. Speaking of, have you talked to him much since the breakup?" She grabbed her bag from the floor, setting it on the bed next to her. I shrugged, sipping from the glass of water Cody had brought before she left.
"I’ve talked to him on and off, and he came to visit last week. I’m beginning to feel better about it, but come on, Rand, no one likes to be rejected." I smiled at her.
"I’m sorry, sweetie." She took my hand, squeezing my fingers gently in hers. "I really don’t know what I’d do if Peter suddenly told me, gee honey, I want to date this guy from the office instead."
"Well," I sighed. "I had a feeling, you know? It was bound to happen." I ran my good hand through my hair and took a deep breath, my brows knitting as a thought occurred to me. "Speaking of, what will you guys do when you move?"
I felt my heart break as my friend sat back, her hand leaving mine so it could join its twin in her lap. She turned away for a moment before turning a brilliant, and brave smile on me.
"We’ll manage."
"Oh, buttercup. Don’t be so brave on my account. I know how much you care about him."
"Yes, I do. But, at the same time, I can’t turn away from my dreams for love."
For some reason that made me sad. True, you do have to follow your drams to happiness, but at the same time, what if you reached your ultimate life goal, the pinnacle of your self-worth, yet were still all alone in the world?
"I’m sure you guys will figure it out, hon." I took her hand, and squeezed. She smiled at me, then with a deep breath, took her hand from mine, and turned her attention to her bag.
"Okay, here come your souvenirs." She unzipped the bag, and reached in. "First, let’s start with these little ditties that will make you gain ten pounds in as many minutes." She grinned evilly at me, then produced a small foil bag. "Here." I took the bag and read the label written in gold lettering.
"Smaggles?" I looked at her with raised brows.
"Yes, my little noodle, Smaggles it is. They’re absolutely wonderful. Here, let me help you." She took the bag from me, and tore it open. "Here." She handed me a cookie that was actually two cookies sandwiching an orange substance. I looked at her with wary eyes, then turned back to the cookie in my hand. I brought it to my nose, smelling it.
"Mm." I took a small bite, chewing thoughtfully as a swarm of tastes exploded into my mouth. "Oh, oh my god, this is so good!" I shoved the rest of the cookie into my mouth, and grabbed another from the bag. Rand chuckled.
"I happened across these at a street vendor, if you can believe it, in downtown D.C. I must have eaten twenty bags of these while I was there."
"Well, that explains a lot." I chuckled, lightly patting my friend’s stomach.
"Yeah, fuck off." She batted my hand away.
"So, what else did you get me?" I munched on another cookie while looking at her expectantly. She reached her hand into the goodie bag again, bringing out something wrapped in tissue paper.
"To add to your collection."
I unwrapped the tissue paper, not an easy task with one hand, and smiled at the double shot glass that awaited me, all sorts of sayings all over it about past and current presidents.
"‘Big dubya for a little Bush’" I read. "Oh, that’s gotta smart." I chuckled, setting the glass aside.
She reached in again, this time bringing out a larger something wrapped in tissue paper.
I tore through the flimsy wrapping and giggled at the mug I held, our current president’s ears the handles on both sides.
"They’re not very nice to him down there, are they?" I asked.
She just grinned.
I put the mug next to the shot glass and rested my hands on my lap, looking at Rand expectantly.
"What else?" This waiting stuff was for adults.
"Well, the boring stuff, pictures, which I have the next three days to show you, but here’s my pride and joy, and will also help your collection." She winked, and brought out a plush, white bathrobe. My eyes lit up.
"Oh, you stole the hotel bathrobe!" She nodded, baring her teeth with a wicked twinkle in her eyes. "Nice." I breathed as I unfolded it, and rubbed the softness against my cheek. Ever since we were in college, Rand and I had gotten into the routine of going on weekend road trips, staying in hotels and motels, and always taking something to add to our "Thelma and Louise" collection. I grinned at my friend now. "You rock, sweet cheeks."
"Aw, garsh." She looked away. "I guess you’ll want the three pads of stationary, too? And pen, of course."
"Ohhh," I breathed, taking the offered pads, and looking at their fancy lettering. I always set these by the phone for messages. A huge grin spread across my face. "Thanks, baby cakes."
"So," Rand said, tossing the bag aside, finished with show and tell, and leaning back on her hands. "How was your week with the little skater girl?" She crossed an ankle over her knee.
"Be nice, Rand. She was a wonderful nursemaid. She even cleaned my house." My friend looked away for a moment, then turned to me with a smile.
"Well, I am truly grateful to her that she got you through a week that must have been terrible for you, Brooklyn. But, I’m here now."
I looked at her, my brows drawn in confusion. Rand had always been a very straightforward woman, but I’d never known her to be so, well, mean.
"Rand, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure." She grabbed the bag of cookies she’d brought for me, and popped one in her mouth.
"Why do you hate Cody so much?"
"I don’t hate her."
"Fine. Dislike, mistrust, what ever." She finished chewing her cookie. With a sigh, she swallowed the last of it and looked me in the eye.
"I feel threatened by her," she said simply. I nearly choked on my tongue.
"What? Threatened? How?" Okay, yeah. Call me baffled. Rand shrugged.
"She’s young, cool, or so they say, different."
"Come on, Rand. This is ridiculous. I feel like I’m in the middle of a cock fight for my affections or some such nonsense." I laughed it off, but deep down I was annoyed at her reaction to Cody, who I had come to view as a friend, however unwilling she may be.
"Well, in some ways that’s true. Cheesy and immature as it is, it’s true. Yes, Cody and I are engaging in a pissing war of sorts. Brooklyn," she put her hand on my knee. "Honey, you’re my best friend, have been for so long, and well, frankly I don’t want to lose you. I see what Cody means to you, and well," she looked down with a shrug. "I don’t like it." Finally dark eyes met my own.
"Ah, sweetie," I reached out, cupping her cheek. "No one will ever replace you." She tried to duck her head, but I caught her chin, turned her so I could look into her eyes, and let her see the truth in mine. "You got it?" Finally she nodded and smiled, my old Rand coming through.
* * *
Rand had brought enough clothes to stay with me for three days, and three days she stayed. I was thrilled as I was going to miss my Rand more than I could even imagine right now once she left for D.C. The thought of her leaving, oh man, I didn’t even want to think about it, so I didn’t. Instead I concentrated on our time together now. My mother used to tell me to always stay grounded and look at the here and now, never look too far over the hill.
I was also able to take my first bath in nearly three weeks.
I trusted my friend like I trusted no one else, and I trusted her to help me wash up. Even though I wasn’t so keen on her helping my naked butt into the tub, it was worth it.
So, now with a bag tied off around my arm, and another around my leg, I lay in the hot water, my leg and arm hanging over the sides, my head back against the inflatable pillow, and my eyes closed.
A loud moan escaped my lips as the warmth soaked in, and the idea that I’d actually be clean, and not just "clean" from a quick rub down with a sponge and soap and water.
However, as I lay there, my mind begins to roam.
Cody.
I hadn’t talked to or seen her since the morning she left when Rand came bursting through the door bearing gifts and a smile. The girl’s face came before my eyes, and I smiled in turn. There was still so much mystery to Cody, but I had gotten to see a side of her that I doubt many did.
As she had helped me last week, she had been so gentle with me, so kind and caring, granting my every wish and need, not complaining once.
I missed her. I missed her wit, her quiet presence. How crazy was that? This girl who did everything she could to hide herself from anyone, who may dare try and bring her down as so many had already in her young life — yet I had seen that light that was Cody shining through on more than one occasion.
As we had sat watching the Christian Slater movie, Cody munching on microwave popcorn, and me sipping my water and tossing a Sour Patch Kid in my mouth every so often, screwing my face up as the sourness spread through my mouth, only to chew happily, Cody looking at me like I was nuts.
"You know, if those things are so damn sour, why do you eat them?" she had asked.
"Cause they’re so damn sour." She had shaken her head, and turned her attention back to the movie.
Rand would be leaving today, and I decided to call Cody, and see why she had stayed away. Part of me was hurt, though I knew it was stupid to feel that way. She had done nothing wrong, but it made me wonder, hadn’t she enjoyed any of last week?
"Rand!" I called out, after washing my body the best I could. I still couldn’t wash my hair on my own, but that was okay. Rand had done her best earlier.
"Yeah?" she asked, peeking her head inside the door to the bathroom.
"Help," I muttered, reaching for her with my good hand. She pushed the door fully open, and grabbed a towel from the cabinet, ready to wrap it around me once she got me out of the water.
This was an exercise in patience for me. It was not easy, as Rand was not very big. I wasn’t either, but still, I have no doubt it was a real hoot to watch; me flopping around like a dead fish, Rand being the ever unwavering fisherman.
"So, how does PBJ sound for lunch?" she asked once she finally got me to the couch. PBJ? Hell, Cody would have made a seven course meal for lunch. Stop it, Brooklyn, I chastised myself. Instead, I smiled up at my friend.
"Sounds great. And, um, well," I looked down sheepishly as Rand stared down at me, hands on hips, weight shifted to one side. "Would you cut it into four pieces?" I finally garnered the courage to look up into amused dark eyes.
"You’re crazy."
Without another word, she disappeared through the swinging door that led to the kitchen, and with a lot of muttering, and the sounds of rattling dishes, my friend emerged victorious over the culinary arts with a plate in her hand, and a smile on her face.
"Madam," she said as she placed the sandwich, cut up as I had requested, on my lap. "Milk, lemonade or tea?"
"Oh, milk. Chocolate milk!"
"God, you’re a pain in the ass," she muttered as she headed back into the kitchen. I was terrified to see the state she’d left it in. Rand was not one to, shall we say, bother? She and Pete knew every food delivery place in town, and each maitre d’ at the restaurants knew them by name and wine selection.
Nonetheless I began to munch on my lunch, humming happily to myself as I did so. Within about ten minutes, Rand returned to sit across from me with her own sandwich and my milk.
"So," she said as she took a big bite. "Gonna miss me?" She chewed, watching me carefully with dark, expressive eyes.
"When you move?" I asked, confused by the general question.
"No, you nut," she smacked my good leg. "When I go home this afternoon."
"Oh." He he. "Yes, very much so." I popped the second square of cut up PBJ in my mouth, and began to dig in on the third. "Will you miss me?"
"Bathing your ass? Feeding your ass? Clothing your ass? Definitely." She grinned sheepishly, and I turned to mush.
"Aww, you sweetie. Come ’ere." I grabbed my old friend in a monster hug, nearly toppling my lunch onto the sheet on my couch bed.
* * *
After Rand left, but not before making sure I had everything I needed, and had peed enough times, I sat on my bed, and stared at the TV, not real interested in the nightly news. Dan Rather droned on about Iraq, and how more and more soldiers were being sent home, while more still were sent over seas. This was in part good news, but my mind was floating somewhere.
Different things went through my mind, different thoughts and concerns. I worried that I’d never be able to ride again. Tom had the awful duty of telling me that my bike had been totaled in the accident. I was so angry with myself for not getting it insured as I had planned to do. Serves me right for not following through. At the same time, I was pissed as hell. That accident didn’t have to happen. But, I realize with a sigh, it did.
So, now I get to sit here for another grip of weeks, thinking about my life and those in it. Gee, fun. I didn’t care much for self-analysis, but I didn’t have much choice, either.
Then Cody popped into mind. I missed the girl, and wanted to thank her, again, for all that she did for me last week.
Grabbing the cordless that Rand had left handy for me, I dialed the numbers, and listened to the phone ring.
"Hello?" came the familiar voice of my boss.
"Hey, Ron." I smiled into the phone.
"Brooklyn! How are you, honey?" she gushed. "I have missed you so much at work, I can’t even begin to tell you."
"Work piling up, huh?" The older woman tsked at me.
"No, silly. I miss our morning chats. What I wouldn’t give to have you back to vent to."
I chuckled, almost glad I had a break from it for a while, though I did miss her, too.
"So, how are you feeling?"
"Not bad. The swelling in my face has gone down to pretty much nothing, but my body still aches quite a bit."
"I imagine so. That was quite a blow you took, sweetie." I could hear the concern in her voice, and it warmed my heart.
"Yeah, I know. Makes me mad as all hell, too," I grumbled, flopping back into the mountain of pillows, but wincing when my arm screamed out in protest.
"I know. I’m sorry. So," Ron’s voice brightened, taking me from the dark mood I was beginning to fall into. "What’s up?"
"Well, I was actually looking for Cody."
"Oh," The surprise in her voice was clear.
"I wanted to thank her again for all she did last week."
"Oh. Well, I can see that. Well, hang on just a sec, okay?"
"’K." I waited patiently for the girl to come on. I looked down at the castle that she drew on my cast her first night here. It was big, nearly covering the entire side of my calf, complete with a dragon flying over head.
"Yeah?" came the annoyed voice over the line.
"Hey, Cody," I said, my voice quiet and unsure. For some reason, I always felt so, well, what’s the word, intimidated? when I called her.
"Yeah," she said dryly. "What’s up, cripple?" I smiled.
"Gee, thanks."
"Anytime. How’s the bones?"
"Could be better. But, have been worse."
"Shit, isn’t that the truth."
"Yeah," For just a moment Cody’s face flashed before my mind’s eye. I remember the concern in her blue eyes when she didn’t think I was looking, both here and in the hospital. How every time I woke up in that sterile, narrow bed, she was one constant, seemingly always there, though I knew she wasn’t. "Well," I began to play with the sheet that I laid on as the nervousness filled me. "I guess I just wondered why I hadn’t heard from you in the last few days." I felt like a silly school girl. I heard a snort on the other end of the line.
"Well, Brooklyn, you kind of had company."
"Yeah, so? This house is big enough for three people," I argued.
"Yeah, but Portland ain’t big enough for two of those people."
I could hear the grin in her voice, but it made me sad all the same.
"So, you stayed away because Rand was here?" I asked, brows knit.
"Well, not exactly. I mean, yeah, she’s not quite the friend to me that she is to you, but, you know, she’s like your best friend and stuff, and you don’t have much time with her anyway, right?" I shrugged, then realized that Cody couldn’t see it.
"Well, yeah, but I still, well, I missed you, damnit."
"Did you just swear?" she asked.
"Hell, yeah." I smile at the chuckle I hear. I had felt like we’d made some sort of a connection when she’d been here last week, and I had missed it.
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