Everything You Want

I couldn’t possibly begin to comprehend how Norman, Cleo, and Sean all were so awake and, even more bewildering, aware at this time. Sean had evidently made the executive decision that each day I was in New York, the three of us would be spending at least a little bit of time together. Not that I minded, until he declared meeting at 4-a.m. for breakfast. But, Sean being Sean, got his way and here we all were carrying a conversation like it was 4 in the afternoon… excluding me. I could barely keep my eyes open, and the only reason I wasn’t snoozing in the chair was directly in correlation with the three cups of caffeinated coffee I’d downed.

“Kenz?”

I blinked rapidly a couple times before my eyes focused on Sean, who was suppressing a laugh.

“Hmm?”

Cleo giggled a little, rolling her eyes. She was naturally a night owl, much like myself, but somehow she managed to adapt into a morning person. It blew my mind, really. I’m not sure I could ever become a morning person- maybe that’s because my bedtime typically rounded out to be between 3 and 4 in the morning.

“We were talking about plans for the day. Norman is free, Cleo has to work, and I have some meetings to attend to and one Brazilian Ju Jitsu class I have to teach this afternoon,” Sean said slowly, as if I was mentally incapable of comprehending his words. In a way, I probably was right now. “Then, around six or seven your parents are coming over to the apartment and we’re all going to dinner.”

“Oh, ok. Yeah, that’s cool,” I muttered, taking another long swig of my coffee.

I was honestly beyond excited to see my parents and wished everyone’s schedule could have been cleared so we could all spend the entire day together just catching up. They had let Sean practically move in during our teenage years before he left for college, and they treated Cleo like a second daughter. When Norman came into the picture, both of my parents -my mother, particularly more so- fell in love with the idea of having him as a son-in-law. To this day, she still inquires when I’ll finally let him back in my life. My father could sit and talk with Norman and Sean all afternoon; they were three peas in a pod.

“Oh, my God. You’re impossible in the mornings. What-do-you-have-to-do-today?” Sean asked, pronouncing each word as it’s own sentence.

I rolled my eyes. “It’s your fault- you drug me out of bed at a God-awful time. I’ve got a couple go-see’s I have to do today, but that’s it.”

“Go-see’s?” asked Norman, raising an inquiring eyebrow.

“Basically, she’s got to go around to different designers and put on their clothing and do a walk or pose in them. It’s to see if they would want to book her, officially, to model their clothing line,” Cleo said, a small smile on her lips as she munched on a blueberry muffin. I simply nodded, affirming her statement.

“Kenz… I can’t go with you, and neither can Cleo,” began Sean, and immediately I knew where this was going.

“I’ll be fine, Sean, really,” I laughed, but the concern and wariness etched on his face made me sigh.

“A lot has changed since you lived here… I’d just, I’d really feel a lot better if you took Reedus with you. I know he can get you where you need to go just as quickly and efficiently as cab drivers, but in a safer manner…”

“Sean-“

“I think he has a point, Kenzi,” interjected Cleo, her expression a softer mirror of Sean. She mouthed a ‘sorry’, but I glanced over at Norman. He looked a little awkward, and a little scared to be honest, and it suddenly hit me that we were talking over him- like he wasn’t even here. He noticed the apologetic look I sent him, and he flashed that brief, shy smile that I had fallen in love with so many years ago.

It made my stomach muscles tighten up, and a slight shiver ran through my bones. But, we were sitting outside so it was probably just the wind.

“I don’t mind, Kenzi. Really, I have nothing to do,” said Norman softly, and it was all I could do to stare at him with wide eyes.

“It’ll be so boring for you, though. Surely you’ve got other things to do- it’s New York,” I said, trailing off a little at the end with an out of place laugh. Again, he smiled at me.

“Nothing is ever boring with you around.”

My eyes widened at his words, and my stomach lurched again. There were all kinds of birds in my stomach- not just butterflies, no; they had brought the entire sky with them when Norman decided to unleash his beautiful smiles and cheesy lines.

I was forced to avert my eyes before I began fumbling over words and just staring into his endless blue eyes. Cleo caught my gaze, a small smirk and twinkle in her overly vibrant eyes. She knew every single thought that was crossing my mind, and she was purposely siding with Sean to have me pinned with Norman all day.

“It’s settled then,” grinned Sean triumphantly. “Thanks, Reedus.”

“No problem, man,” replied Norman, never taking his eyes off of me. The way he was looking at me made goose bumps rise all along my arms, a blush creep into my pale cheeks, and my heart skip several beats.

My, oh my. This was going to be an interesting day, that’s for sure.