Melt Your Headaches, Call It Work

October

Georgie and I strolled over to the mall for smoothies from Brendon and a short visit with Jon at Starbucks.

“—and then Bronx fell off the slide, and Miss Greta had to go n’stop him from cryin’, ‘cause Harlow called him a baby!” Georgie babbled as she skipped alongside me.

“That wasn’t nice of Harlow,” I informed her, swinging our joined hands back and forth. “Did she say sorry?”

“Miss Greta made her,” Georgie nodded. “She n’ Surie had too.”

“Surie had a part in it?” It was hard keeping up with all the little girls and boys in her class, but I liked to think I was managing. After all, I had been there before and knew all about how easy it was to jump from one little friend to another.

“Uh-huh! Surie n’Harlow are bestest friends.” We continued walking for a few minutes before Georgie turned to look at me; her blue eyes squinted in confusion. “Libby, who’s your bestest friend?”

“My ‘bestest’ friend would probably be Spencer Smith,” I laughed, glancing down at her. Georgie avoided my eyes, staring at the ground. “Why?”

“I thought I was your bestest friend,” she murmured. “You’re my bestest friend.”

I was speechless. Georgie, little five-and-a-half-year-old Georgie, considered me her best friend. A sappy grin stretched across my face and I crouched down to Georgie’s level. “Y’know what, Georgie? I think you’re my bestest friend, too.”

“Really?” she whispered, her face breaking into a grin that managed to outshine my own. “Do ya mean that?”

“Of course I do! Georgie, you are my bestest friend in the whole wide world, and Spencer is only my best friend,” I announced happily. Georgie tackled me into a hug, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck. I hugged her back, and I’m not going to lie, I felt tiny tears fill up in my eyes. It’s hard to describe the feeling that you get when you find a little looks up to you as her best friend.

“C’mon, Libby, let’s go tell Uncle Brenny!” Georgie pulled free from my hug and dragged me down the street, eager to get to the Smoothie Shack.

“Uncle Brenny!” Georgie shouted, skipping through the glass doors.

“Hey there, Georgie,” Brendon grinned, his mouth twisting into his famous lopsided smile. “I left your coloring book in the back lounge. Hey, Libby.”

“Hi Brendon, how are you?” I asked as I watched Georgie race to the back room.

“Nervous,” he admitted, staring out the front window. “I’m going to ask Elsie out tonight.”

“Oh you are? Brendon, that’s awesome!” I grinned. “Gosh, you’re finally growing up!”

“I have this impending feeling of doom that she’s going to say no,” he confessed.

“C’mon, have some more faith!” I lectured, slapping his arm gently. “She’d be crazy not to say yes.”

The moment I finished speaking, Brendon let out a tiny shriek of horror, a ruddy blush covering his cheeks. I turned to see a gorgeous woman entering the store, smiling shyly at Brendon.

“H-hi, Elsie,” Brendon stuttered, playing with the string of his apron. “What can I get you today?”

“Hullo, Brendon,” Elsie replied. “I’d like my usual, if you please.”

Brendon turned around making her a smoothie that included a lot of strawberries and vanilla ice cream. Everything was going smoothly, Brendon and Elsie were chatting about some concert Elsie had been to the week before. Brendon was just leading up to make a move when Georgie decided to make herself know, running towards him with a wide smile on her face.

“Lookie at what I made!” Georgie shouted, racing towards me, her coloring book clutched tightly in her hands. “Lookit, it’s you n’Daddy together! See, and Daddy’s making you a smoothie!”

“Oh, are you two a couple?” Elsie smiled, pointing from me to him as she took the smoothie from his hands and replacing it with the required change. “You just look adorable! Brendon, your daughter is gorgeous!”

With a final wave and goodbye, Elsie was out the door, leaving us behind, stunned. Brendon, horrified, slumped to the ground, making a whimpering sound close to that of a dying dog.

“Oh my god,” I whispered, just as shocked. “This is bad, this is bad, this is bad. Georgie, I want you to stay here, with Brendon, alright? Brendon, don’t you worry, I’m going to fix this all up, right now. Georgie, stay.”

I left the store in a sprint, following the same direction Elsie had taken. She was about to climb into her car, looking noticeably unhappy, might I add. As I approached her car, I noticed her quickly plaster a smile on her face. “Elsie! Wait!”

“Oh, hullo! I don’t think we met,” Elsie grinned, sticking out her hand. “I’m Elsie.”

“That wasn’t what you thought it was,” I explained, shaking my head and ignoring her previous statement. “Georgie’s not my daughter, I’m her nanny.”

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! I feel like such a bloody fool,” she blushed. “That must have been so awkward for you and Brendon!”

“I’m not dating Brendon,” I added. “As a matter of fact, Brendon’s kinda head over heels for you, and was going to ask you out before Georgie came up with the bright idea to draw Ryan making a smoothie.”

“Brendon wanted to…he was going to ask me out?” The moment the words left her mouth, I realized I had made a mistake in telling her.

“I mean, that is, if you like him. I mean, he was going to ask you as a…friend! Yeah, that’s right, Brendon was going to ask you as friend, and it’s not like he likes you, or anything. Not that he doesn’t like you! I mean he likes you, just not, like like, y’know?” I stammered.

“You tell Brendon,” Elsie smiled as she took out a piece of paper from her purse, scribble her number down, “That this is my mobile number, and I fully expect a ring this evenin’, alright? Thank you…”

“Libby, Libby O’Callaghan,” I grinned, taking the paper from her.

“Thank you Libby O’Callaghan.”

I watched her drive off, feeling proud and satisfied with my matchmaking skills. Practically skipping, I headed back inside to deliver the message to a sniffling Brendon. It was going to be a good day.

[&cut]

October flew by quickly, with Halloween appearing out of nowhere. Ryan and I took Georgie out dressed as various Disney characters, including Captain Hook, Tinkerbelle, and me as Sleeping Beauty. Georgie got at least a ton of candy, including handmade donuts from Spencer himself.

It had been Spencer’s first time meeting Georgie, and I’m glad to announce that it went perfectly. Spencer even let her help him powder the cinnamon donuts, while Haley huffed impatiently as she slouched against the counter. It was weird, being back in the apartment after so many changes, and yet, I found myself not really caring. I felt at home living with the Ross’, and while I still missed it being just me and Spencer, I loved being with Georgie (And Ryan).