The One Where The Lines Get Kinda Blurry

The One Where The Stars Align

There was a guilty hush that fell over the room as she entered and saw Cleo perched on the edge of her side of the bed watching nervously, David propped up against the headboard, the lower half of his body hidden under the covers, with Chesterfield and Sophie curled up together at the bottom.

"I'm sorry for disappearing like that I...." Cleo began to say as Jen approached.

"It's ok, come here" Jen interrupted, shaking her head, sitting beside her on the bed and holding out her arms widely. Cleo did as she was told and was quickly enveloped into an enormous hug, burying her head into her welcoming shoulder as Jen locked eyes with David and smiled a huge, warm smile. "Did you know about this little plan" she asked him with mock indignation.

"I did not, or else I would never have allowed it to happen. Although I have to say, from your demeanour, it appears that it went okay."

Cleo lifted her head, "I just wanted you two to talk. Sorry it was a bit of a mean way to do it, but I thought if you had no choice it might help."

"Honey, it's okay, I totally understand why you did what you did and you're right, it did help. Your mom and I had a productive chat and as you both predicted, we're good, I like her."

"Awesome!" exclaimed Cleo, "my idea actually worked."

"It appears it did this time, but that was playing with fire young lady. You need to be very careful doing things like that. What if it hadn't gone well, what were you planning to do then?" David said with a semi stern tone. "I know you meant well, but you have to remember, all actions have consequences and if your little scheme had backfired it could have made things pretty difficult for all of us."

"Well, thankfully it didn't" Jen said quickly, not wanting the girl to get into trouble for doing something she felt absolutely sure she would have done back in the day had it been a possibility. "Your mom and I even talked about maybe meeting up sometime when I come to New York."

"Are you coming home with us tomorrow?" Cleo asked excitedly. "Oh, please say you are."

"Cleo! Stop pressuring poor Jen like that. We have jobs and responsibilities you know, it's not so simple as you'd like to believe."

"Well, actually, I need to make a couple more calls today, but so far it's looking like it might well be possible. If you don't mind that is?" Jen said, looking at David whose eyes were sparkling back at her.

"I mind a great deal" he laughed. "I've not tidied up and made the place in any way ready for your arrival since I didn't know you'd be coming."

"Don't you listen to him" Cleo giggled, "he keeps the place like a museum, everything in its place and everything clean and tidy. The only place messy is my room because that's the way I like it."

"Yes and it drives me insane" he laughed, "but I just close the door and try to remember what my room was like at that age."

"Oh I bet you were never a messy child" Jen laughed, "I bet you had all your books in alphabetical order and your T-shirts colour coded and folded neatly at all times."

"You couldn't be further from the truth" he laughed loudly, "more like crusty socks and pizza boxes. I bet your room wasn't always pristine either."

"My bedroom was filled with posters of Shaun Cassidy, and I had a floordrobe rather than a wardrobe because I could never decide what to wear that didn't make me look fat so I'd put on everything I owned before going back to the same outfit I tried on first."

"I can't imagine you fat" Cleo said honestly.

"She never was fat" David interjected.

"I was never really fat no, a little chubby perhaps, but I was never unhealthy. My mom used to tell me I was fat all the time though which wasn't nice to hear."