Just Jenny!

“You willgo in, I tell you! You will! And you know why? Because I’m the human and you’re the stupid pretty shoe I want to pack…” I emphasized giving the shoe an extra shove, “therefore you will be shoved in there with the restof my crap, and you will likeit! AH ha! Gotcha!” Okay so I realize it’s a shoe, but it was being stubborn!

“Now you, don’t get any ideas!” I glared at the coffee pot currently sputtering to life. I have about two weeks before the convention, but I’m heading out to California in about an hour…okay so I’m heading to the airportin about an hour.

“I’m too sexy for my…” blared from the cell phone in my pocket.

“Joe, how the heckdid you change my ring tone from all the way over there?” I answered not even bothering to look at the caller id.

“I set it as my exclusivering tone since July, I just haven’t called from my phone since then.” He laughed. Oh well, that makes since I guess.

“Ha ha ha,” I deadpanned “so what’re you doing up at this finehour in the morning? It’s like…not even lightout!” and that’s just herein the city!

“I know, but I wanted to catch you beforeyou boarded the plane then became inaccessible, can you talk now?” he asked conspiratorially.

“Yeah I just made it through airport security and my flight’s delayed so you’re in luck, now dish.” This has gotto be good.

“Well, you and Kevin are closeright?” he asked nervously, sounds like a scheme.

“Mm-hmm…” I answered suspiciously; because lets face it Joe’s calling me at four thirty am, my time!

“Well, it’s about the whole Brittanything…” he trailed off.

“What’s going on? Is he keeping something from me? Boytell me that…araña pantionera isn’t still lurking around!” I rambled off.

“That what?” oops slipped into Spanish, I tend to do that when I get over excited about something, which is ridiculousconsidering I hardly bother to speak it otherwise.

“It’s kind of like a black widow spider I guess, it sort of means skank.” I tried to explain, because really there’s no cool English way of saying it.

“Oh, okay, well not really, but I think she’s still like textinghim or something, and he’s not answering, that I knowof, but every time she does he gets all bummed. I mean I know that she worked a number on him, but stillyou’d think he’d be over her…and that’s were youcome in!” he finished happily, man that boy can run from hot to cold in about a second flat!

“Joe…if he’s stillnot over her, I’m not sure there’s anything anyonecan really do, meleastof all. I mean yeah I have a few choice words for what she is, but he really cared about her, and worst of all he thought she felt the same.” And I’m not supposed to meddle, because he’s vulnerable, hot (yeah I’ll admit thatmuch), an amazing friend, and worst of all, not interested…not that I am, I mean surehe’s Kev so who wouldn’tbe, but he’s not my…I’m not his…it wouldn’t…no, it couldn’t work. Yeah, any way has he started talking yet?

“Um, Jenyou there?” oops, what?

“Sorry, I must have spaced, what was that?” I asked shaking my head.

“I said, I know, all that, but I think you’re wrong, about one thing. If anyone can get him out of this funk, it’s you, heck you got him to break up with her…well okay so shedid that by cheating, but he was going to anyway because of you!” gee, that paints a flatteringpicture of me.

“Hey, I resentthat babe, he came to that conclusion on his own. He asked me for advice and I told him I couldn’t help, so he…slowly, got there himself, then I just simply reaffirmedwhat he had already decided. Don’t make meout to be a home wrecker now.” I chuckled.

“Okay, fine, but see, he went to youwith it, and he admitted that there wasa problem. With Nick and I, he always seemed to try and…not hideit, but just glance over it. He always made it seem like it was a little spat that would blow over, even when we all knew it was going on almost every day! With you, it’s one phone call after like three weeks of not seeing you and BAMthe whole thing just spillsout!” I could just picture the dramatic hand gestures that accompanied that rant.

“Well okay, but that could be the fact that he wasn’t talking about it and just needed to vent.” I tried, I really don’t know if I want to get into the relationship talk with him again, it’s not safe territory.

”Okay, perfect, because he says even lessabout this than he did about that, so he’s due to pop any minuet!” eww, that could have sounded so wrong.

“Like a pimple?” I asked opting for the more guy friendly analogy, over the gross one that would force me to relive images of that nasty birthing video that we alwaysseem to have to watch in class.

“Exactly! Plus I think you just seem to have a knack for weaseling out information from him.” he’s doing Kevin’s smirk, I can hearit!

“Don’t smirk at me boy!” I laughed.

“Gee, you are mom! So now that that’s settled when do you get in?” he asked casually.

“Um, in a few hours hopefully, but I won’t be able to see you guys for a few days.” I have some work stuff to deal with, plus hang out with my dad before he heads out of town for something or other.

“Okay…but once you get here, Kevin betterbe chipper you hear me?!? The team needs you!” he cried over dramatically.

“Which team?” I smirked.

“I don’t know…pick a team, itneeds you!” I knewit! Kevin got to him, he’s been Gilmored.”

“Nicely done, but now I have to go find the pretty, pretty coffee, so I can board my flight and not have like major caffeine withdrawal, so take care, get some rest, and I’ll call one of you when I get my itinerary sorted out?” I asked.

“Okay, be safe, and Jen?” wow too much serious Joe is starting to get weird.

“Yeah, hon?” I asked, much like I usually do with Kevin…okay seriouslyget that boy out of your head!

“Don’t tell Kevin I called you?” he asked shyly.

“It’ll be our secret.” I smiled.

“Thanks.” These boys don’t know how lucky they are to have each other.

“Any time, now sleep!” I laughed writing down my coffee order and handing it to the girl behind the counter who simply smiled and proceeded to fill it out.

“Yes mom!” he mocked.

“Boy, you jokeabout it, but I can play the momrole if you want.” I laughed.

“Man, you are like her…” he mumbled before adding, “Okay, good night!” in a more chipper tone.

“Night, see you in a few days.” I chuckled hanging up.

“Little brother?” the girl asked taking my credit card and handing me my coffee.

“Yeah…” I smiled, sipping my coffee…he might as well be.