Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Chapter 2

The flight to Los Angeles was long and exhausting, but as soon as I walked out of the airport and felt that California air I felt rejuvenated. It had been two years since I had been home and it was definitely long over due. I rented a car and drove along the coast to my best friends', Abby and Josh's, house. I had called Abby that morning and told her I was flying in. She had offered to pick me up from the airport but I needed to rent a car.
"God it feels great to be home," I said when I walked into her house.
"You should come back more often," she said. "We miss you."
"I know," I said. "I miss it here too. But my life is in New York now."
"I know, I know," she said. "Why didn't your cute husband to be come with?"
"Work," I said, sounding more bitter than I had meant to.
"Everything okay?" she asked picking up on my tone.
"Other than this mess with me already being married?" I sighed. "We're fine. Everything's just swell."
"Hmm," she pondered. "Doesn't sound like it. Who says things are 'just swell' when they're about to get married?"
"A person who has been married for seven years to her ex and didn't even know about it," I retorted.
"Yeah I guess that does complicate things," she said. "I can't believe you didn't know."
"I just never thought about it," I said. "I thought it was a joke and nothing more. We were so drunk I didn't think they would take us seriously. And once I moved to New York I never gave it another thought, until yesterday when that women read off his name as being my husband."
"He still lives in Los Feliz," she said. "He owns a house now, though. Josh and I still go over there from time to time"
"I figured you guys would know," I said. "Do you think he'll be home now?"
"Are you sure you want to go now?" she asked. "You just got in."
"The sooner I get this over with," I said. "The sooner I can relax. I have two days before I have to be back in New York."
"Okay," she said. "Let me call him and see."
She picked up her phone and punched in his number.
"Hey Drake, it's Abby," she said. "No Josh is alright. He's working... I just was wondering if you were home? Oh okay, good... Yeah I'll be coming over if that's alright... It's something important... You'll see when I get there... Okay see ya soon. Bye."
She hung up the phone, "He's home. You want me to come with?"
I shook my head, "No. I think I better do this on my own. I'll be back in a couple of hours then we can go out to dinner, sound good?"
She nodded and punched his address into my phones GPS.
I followed the instructions and it didn't take me long to get to his house. It wasn't too far from his old apartment. As soon as I seen the house, I knew it was his. It felt like him. I walked up to the front door and hesitated before ringing the doorbell.
I heard dogs barking and tried to figure out how many there were. He had only had one when I last saw him now it sounded like at least 3 or 4 different dogs.
I waited a few more minutes before ringing the bell again.
"Seriously," I heard him say as he opened the door. "You know you coulda just came in-"
He stopped when he saw me, his jaw dropped and he looked like he had seen a ghost.
"Cordy?" he asked. I could hear the shock in his voice.
"Well, I didn't think it would be appropriate to just walk in since it's been 6 years," I said jokingly.
He swallowed hard, "I thought you were Abs."
"Yeah sorry she didn't tell you I was coming instead," I said softly. "Can I come in?"
"What? Oh yeah, of course."
He stepped to the side allowing me to walk in. Across the hall behind a baby gate I counted four dogs. The only one I recognized was the little white Maltese named Zero.
"Are you like a crazy dog person now?" I joked.
"Yeah, something like that," he laughed, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. He showed me into the living room and we both sat down. "Not to be rude, but why are you here?"
"Do you remember when we went to Vegas for my 21st birthday?" I asked.
He smiled, "Vaguely. We were pretty messed up that entire weekend so it's all kind of a blur."
"So you probably don't remember when we stopped at that drive up chapel on the cab ride back to the hotel?" I asked, grabbing the folded up papers out of my purse.
"You mean when we got married?" he asked nonchalantly.
"Wait," I said, surprised. "You've known all this time?"
"Yeah, you didn't?" he asked, chuckling.
I shook my head, "I thought it was a joke. You've known all this time?! Why didn't you ever file for divorce or tell me so I could?"
He shrugged, "I don't know. Didn't really think too much about it. I just figured you knew and if you wanted to end it, you would've by now."
"I had no idea!" I jumped up suddenly angry. "When we broke up -"
"Correction," he said. "When you broke up with me."
"Fine," I retorted. "When I broke up with you you knew we were married and you said nothing?"
He laughed.
"Oh you think this is funny?" I asked in disbelief.
"So who's the guy?" he smirked.
"What?" I asked. "What guy?"
"The one you're trying to marry?" his brown eyes twinkled and he smiled impishly.
"Who says -" I started.
"There's only one reason you're here sweetheart," he cut me off. "You're trying to get remarried and you can't because we're still married. So who is he?"
"His name is Rick," I sighed, sitting back down on the couch. "He's a good guy. An attorney in New York."
He smiled smugly, "And when's the wedding?"
"In two weeks," I said softly.
"Well, congratulations," he said with a hint of sarcasm. "I'm sure you two will be very happy together."
"Right," I said and handed him the divorce papers. "But we can't do that if you don't sign these."
He glanced over them for a few minutes, "Ya know I really should have my attorney look over these."
"Really?" I asked.
"Hey I don't understand any of this legal jargon," he said. "For all I know you're trying to take half my stuff."
"You really think I would do that?" I asked. "How long have you known me?"
"How long had I known you?" he corrected. "It's been six years since I've seen you. A lot changes in six years."
"I don't want anything from you," I said. "Except for your signature."
"Which you'll have," he said, setting the papers on the end table beside him. "As soon as my lawyer looks them over."
"Fine," I said disgusted. "I only have two days in LA, so can you please make it quick? I'll be staying at Abby's. Drop them off there when you've signed them."
I stood to leave.
"Well you don't have to leave," he said.
"You just accused me of trying to take half your stuff and now you wanna hang out?" I asked shaking my head.
"It's been six years," he said, his impish smile returning. "And you are my wife. The least you could do is have dinner with me?"
"I'm not your wife," I said, shaking my head. "And I told Abby I'd have dinner with her and Josh."
"Perfect," he said. "Let me get dressed and I'll come with."
Before I could respond, he was bounding up the stairs to where I assumed his bedroom was.
I took a deep breath out of frustration and muttered, "Some things never change."
One of the dogs barked as if agreeing with me and I laughed. I walked over to the gate and reached down to pet them. They all sniffed me and Zero licked my hand as if he recognized me. I smiled and picked him up.
"Hey boy," I said nuzzling him to me. "I missed you. You've gotten so big."
He had just been a puppy when I had last seen him.
He licked my face in response.
I heard Drake's footsteps coming back down the stairs so I gently set Zero down behind the baby gate.
Drake came back down wearing a white and blue striped t-shirt and tight dark blue jeans and he had gelled his hair up off of his face.
He looked gorgeous. He had definitely grown up and like a fine wine gotten better with age.
"I'm driving," I said, swallowing hard and turning toward the door quickly.
"I'm cool with that," he said following me out. We climbed into my rental car and I drove back to Abby's.
"It's really weird being here with you," he said as I pulled into Abby's neighborhood.
"It is weird," I admitted. "I feel like I climbed in a delorean or something and went back in time."
I pulled into Abby's driveway and shut off the car.
"I missed you, ya know," he said quickly before hopping out of the car, not giving me a chance to respond.
I sat there for a minute confused, I was relieved he didn't give me a chance to respond. I wouldn't have known how to anyways.
I opened the door and followed him into the house.
"I wasn't expecting to see you, Drake," Abby was saying when I walked in.
"I wasn't expecting to see Cordelia either," he teased.
"Yeah I know," she said. "I just had to make sure you were gonna be home. So did you guys take care of everything?"
"Not exactly," I said.
"I'm having my lawyer check it out in the morning," he said.
"He thinks I'm trying to get all his money or something," I said.
"Well it's not like -," Abby said.
Drake shot her a look.
"I mean," she quickly retracted. "It's probably better to make sure it's all legal and everything."
"What am I missing?" I asked confused.
"Nothing," Drake said. "It's not important."
"No it's not like what?" I insisted.
"I've had some financial trouble," he said. "No big deal."
"Oh," I said softly. "Sorry to hear that."
He shrugged, "It is what it is. It's taken care of now and I'm getting back on track."