Holiday in Friday Harbor

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

Maureen was ecstatic that both her sister and Drew were coming to her for the holiday! Not only was Maureen excited about the visit but so was her mother. Well, her adopted mother. Maureen cleaned her house from top to bottom, scrubbing every corner. It wasn't dirty to begin with but every home needs a deep clean now and then, which was exactly what she did! She decided Maxi would sleep with her and Drew could have the spare bed in the guest room/office. They were going to have Thanksgiving at her family's house, but Maureen was going to be doing a lot of the preparation herself at her own home to help her mother out. The Aberdeen's just had more space for company.

The day Maxi and Drew arrived had been an exciting one. It was the first time the two had come to visit her and she wished the Millers could have made it too, but she understood with all those kids they liked to have their own meal, and though they extended an invitation to Maureen, she politely declined. Thanksgiving was a time of family, and though the Millers were once her family, and were still so to Maxi and Drew, the Aberdeen's had been her parents for the last twenty five years and being without them would make the holiday seem a little empty. But it seemed so much more full with Maxi and Drew coming!

Maureen was more than a little nervous about Drew coming especially. Things had been a little awkward since that day they kissed. It wasn't as though she didn't like Drew. Quite the contrary. She liked him very much and Maxi seemed to encourage the relationship, but it was a long distance one and it was becoming a drain to visit Maxi so often. Of course she loved every moment of her visits and would continue to make them, but the truth of that matter was is that it took seven hours each way which was mentally taxing after a long week of work and not how she liked to start a work week. She would need to visit less and Maureen feared what that sort of distance would do to a relationship. Plus she was terrified what would happen if things didn't work. Drew was very much a part of her history. He was practically family which meant he was in there for the long haul, so if something were to happen between them there would forever be that tension in the air and Maureen simply didn't want that. But was he ever handsome, and so sweet! And she didn't even want to think about the way he kissed. Her arms burst into goosebumps that shivered down her legs and back up her spine whenever she thought of it. She would have loved to kiss him again, but as right as it all felt, she knew it was wrong. There was too much at stake to risk a relationship, not when she was still getting to know Maxi, and most importantly herself.

But Drew refused to make things awkward when they arrived, hugging her as a brother should and pecking her cheek gently in a way that made her stomach twist, but she knew it was mostly in her head. He wasn't doing it to hit on her or make her self conscious. The first night they got there was spent drinking wine and goofing off, talking and just enjoying each others company. It felt so good to be with them now that they had established a history of sorts, and now that Maureen was openly welcoming stories from her past. She even thought some of them seemed familiar, almost deja vu, like the memory was just right there and she could almost see it in her mind. It was a good feeling, and she wasn't sure if it was her remembering or her mind playing tricks, but it all felt good to put the pieces together like that.

The next day was Wednesday which was her day of preparation. She would be getting all her pies together but wouldn't be baking them until morning. Naturally she forgot to grab the pecans for the pecan pie, and she had miscalculated how much milk she would need, so she was set to run off to the store when Maxi offered to go for her. Offered wasn't really the word, more like insisted. She wanted to talk to August and she knew Maureen had plenty to do around the house which was sort of true she supposed, but deep down she knew her sister was making excuses to thrust her and Drew together. Unsupervised.

The door shut signalling Drew and Maureen alone time and the young brunette looked at her friend and offered a nervous sort of smile, as if to say she knew she couldn't avoid this and it was okay. "Did.. you want to help me finish baking then, or.. oh, are you hungry? I could warm you something up if you like." She offered moving to the fridge and opening it up to get a head start, sure he would want something. If not maybe she could fish out the rest of that white wine..

[DREW SOLOMON]

With no real family connections anymore and only Maxi to spend the holiday with, Drew was more than happy to follow her to Friday Harbor for the Aberdeen’s Thanksgiving celebration. Maureen had invited the both of them and he was curious to see this other home of hers. She’d made so many trips down to see them, it only seemed fair to return the favor now. He was a little nervous to meet her other family, unsure what she had told them about him, but Maxi was so excited that it rubbed off on him. She had been a little reluctant to leave August for the holiday, but apparently he had family he could spend time with too. So the two rode together and inevitably Drew’s relationship with Maureen came up. Maxi of course knew what had happened between them, but strangely she seemed to encourage it. Drew thought she would be more resistant since he’d viewed Maureen as his sister for so long and Maxi still regarded him as a brother, but if she had any reservations, she didn’t make them apparent. Unfortunately, there really wasn’t much to tell. Maureen hadn’t been avoiding him, per se, but she had been avoiding being alone with him, and that much was pretty apparent. He could understand her hesitation, not only because of their history, but also because they lived so far apart. Of course she was struggling to shuffle back and forth so often and if anything happened with them she would feel obligated to do it more often. Not just that, but it could also affect their friendship and their relationships with Maxi and the Millers if they didn’t work out. That didn’t deter Drew from wanting something more with her, though.

Drew was a kind person and he was positive he wouldn’t hurt Maureen. The more they saw each other the harder he fell for her. She was sweet and funny and beautiful and he wondered why he’d been so dumb to deny it before. A person couldn’t escape the obvious and it was obvious he was attracted to her. And those kisses…His heart jumped every time he thought about those kisses. Her lips had been so soft and sweet and warm…every time he looked at her mouth he would think of them and blush. She blushed around him too which made him think that she was attracted to him too, just reluctant to let anything happen between them. Just thinking of her and what he could do to convince her to go on a date with him kept him up at night. Hell, whenever he saw Maxi, which was pretty much every day, he thought of Maureen. They were practically twins, which made him wonder why he had never felt for Maxi what he felt for Maureen. It was probably the time and the distance that made Maureen less taboo in his mind, not to mention her personality was different. Maxi wasn’t bad in the slightest, but she had a darker side to her personality than even he realized, like some strange, secret part of her that enjoyed extremes. He’d always known it was there, but he never dared to figure out what it was. Maureen didn’t have that. She was all sweetness and light like an angel and he was drawn to it like a moth to a flame.

He tried to ignore his feelings when he greeted her and planted a friendly kiss on her cheek. It was a dangerous move since he wanted more, but he wouldn’t do that in front of Maxi. Even with the slight feeling of tension in his gut, it was a night full of laughter and smiles and wine and Drew was a little amazed at how at home he felt in this house he’d never been in before. He tried to find a chance to talk to Maureen alone, but that time never came. The next day, however, it came up unexpectedly. Maureen was doing preparations for Thanksgiving the following day and somehow forgot pecans for the pecan pie. As if she read his mind, Maxi insisted on going to the store and he knew she was trying to buy time for them to be alone together. He was going to give Maxi a big hug if this worked out in his favor. She left with a wave and a big smile.

Maureen looked at him with a nervous smile and he offered one in return, unsure how to approach the topic. This was his chance, but he didn’t know what to do. How did a guy ease into asking a girl on a date when all there was between them was silence? “Did…you want to help me finish baking then, or…oh, are you hungry? I could warm you something up if you like.” Eating was the last thing on his mind. “No, I’m not hungry, but I wouldn’t mind something to drink. And I’d love to help you finish baking.” He smiled warmly and watched her digging in the fridge until she pulled out a bottle of white wine they had been working on the night before. Before she could move to the cabinet to get glasses, he stepped forward and did so for her, smiling wide as he handed them to her. She had some of the bluest eyes…He had to clear his throat before he moved over to the counter in front of the pie ingredients. Looking at everything laid out on the counter baffled him a little. “Okay…so what should I do to help?” Though he was aware he only had so much time to get his feelings out and ask her for a date before Maxi got back, he didn’t want to scare her or appear unhelpful…not to mention he was pretty nervous. He just didn’t want her to say no…The best thing to do was busy himself with some pie-making.

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

“No, I’m not hungry, but I wouldn’t mind something to drink. And I’d love to help you finish baking.” She smiled sweetly and and tucked the stray tendril of hair that refused to stay in her ponytail behind her ear. It was nice having him there and she appreciated his help. Maureen was reminded of that night she'd spent at his home a couple months back and how he'd helped her back a chicken pot pie. She moved to the fridge and pulled the rest of the white wine out, deciding they could finish it as they baked. She could use a drink.. Drew had gotten the glasses down for her and she smiled a gentle thank you pouring the wine into the glasses.

“Okay…so what should I do to help?” He asked as he moved to the counter. She placed his wine glass in front of him and grabbed her recipe, though she'd made it so many times that she really only had it for backup. "First things first, grab two eggs from the fridge and crack them into that mixer there." She pointed the mixer out to him. "Then you need to beat them until they start to get foamy." She explained. As for her she needed to start getting the dough ready. Again she was reminded of the pot pie as she grabbed the flour and began to measure it out into a separate bowl. Would it end in another flour fight? The last time was nothing short of flirty and she knew if that were to happen now it would end in another kiss, and though Maureen wasn't exactly opposed to a kiss, she knew it wasn't a good idea.

"Don't get any funny ideas, I don't want to scrub this kitchen all night." She teased playfully as Drew cracked the eggs into the bowl and she grabbed the butter to cut into the flower. "Or myself for that matter." Her smile was genuine and she grabbed the pastry cutter and then her wine, taking a sip while her sparkling eyes stayed on Drew. He was so kind and so handsome.. She wondered how long her sister would be. Knowing Maxi she had this all planned out. The mischievous redhead had made it well known to Maureen that she liked the idea of she and Drew together. Maureen obviously approved of the boy which only made her feel better about her attraction towards him, knowing he wouldn't hurt her, but it wasn't about that.

Realizing she was staring her cheeks flushed and she placed the glass down on the counter and began her work cutting the butter into the flour. "This was my favorite dessert growing up here. I love pecans. I don't know if I liked them before, but I sure do now." She giggled gently her hand moving easily through the flour, having done this a hundred times before. "When that's starting to get frothy you can add that bowl of melted butter there and give it another good mix." She instructed, "And then we just dump the flour and sugar in that orange bowl, give it a mix and its basically ready!" She explained. All they needed to do then was add the nuts. "You did such a beautiful job with the crust last time. Maybe I'll let you do it again." She teased again, turning her head up playfully to smirk at him, her lips a tight, thin upturned smile that made her look like she was up to no good, even though that wasn't really the case. She was only playing with him.

[DREW SOLOMON]

“First thing’s first, grab two eggs from the fridge and crack them into that mixer there. Then you need to beat them until they start to get foamy.” Drew nodded and moved to the fridge with a smile, grabbing two eggs before moving to the bowl sitting under the two mechanical whisks. It wasn’t like he’d never used a mixer before, but he wasn’t used to it. Though he liked cooking, he wasn’t much for baking. Maureen was good at it, but he wasn’t. He cracked the eggs into the bowl and took the broken shards in his hand to dump them in the sink. “Don’t get any funny ideas. I don’t want to scrub this kitchen all night. Or myself for that matter.” He grinned at her, remembering their flour fight in his kitchen not so very long ago. They’d made a mess of the room and themselves and he liked the thought of doing that again. But he knew it would end up with him kissing her again and he wasn’t sure if she wanted that or not. She seemed to like his last kiss, but she’d been avoiding replicating it from all of the signs she’d given him. Just thinking of that kiss made it hard to look away from those sparkling sapphire eyes of hers. He flushed but still gave a kind genuine smile as he moved to the sink to dump the egg shells and wash his hands. When he moved past her again he went to the mixer and started it up to beat the eggs, reaching for his glass of wine as he let the machine do its work with only his hand to keep the bowl still. It wasn’t until he’d swallowed the wine that he felt eyes on him. It drew his attention and when he looked, Maureen was in fact watching him. He smiled curiously, not sure why those lovely eyes of hers were trained on him, but as she flushed and turned away, he realized she probably didn’t know why either. It made him smile more as he watched the eggs being rapidly churned into froth.

“This was my favorite dessert growing up here. I love pecans. I don’t know if I liked them before, but I sure do now.” He grinned wider, looking over at her standing next to the flour and butter. Her soft giggle and warm smile made him feel warm in return. Had she liked pecans? Margot’s pies of choice were apple, pumpkin, and cherry around the holidays, but Maureen might have had pecan pie once before. He would remember how much she liked pecans now, though… “When that’s starting to get frothy you can add that bowl of melted butter there and give it another good mix.” It was already starting to get frothy so he stopped and added the butter quickly before turning the machine back on. “And then we just dump the flour and sugar in that orange bowl, give it a mix and its basically ready!” Maureen made baking pies seem like child’s play. Why had he always had such a difficult time with it? “You did such a beautiful job with the crust the last time. Maybe I’ll let you do it again.” He could hear the teasing note in her voice before he even looked at her and when he did so, there was a devious little grin on his face as well. At least they were still being playful! But seeing her smiling as wide as she was and the flirty undertone he could hear in her voice, there was something else he wanted to do again. His eyes glanced to her mouth as he continued to smile, feeling butterflies jumping around in his stomach. When the green of his eyes met the blue of hers again, he could see the flush on her cheeks, which only made him want to kiss her more. What could he do? He wanted to kiss her more than anything, but he also knew she didn’t really want that. At least he didn’t think she did. Clearing his throat, he looked down at the mixing bowl and realized it was still going. He reached up and turned it off, trying to calm his nerves. Well, if he couldn’t kiss her, then he could do the next best thing.

Bringing his smile back, he looked down at Maureen again with something of a devious grin. “I’ll make you a deal, Maureen.” He leaned a hip against the counter as he smiled at her, one hand supporting his weight against it. “I’ll do another beautiful braid for the crust if you agree to go on a date with me.” It was a playful approach, territory he was more comfortable with than being dramatically romantic, at least when it came to officially breaking into more-than-friends territory. He smiled wider, hoping she would agree, but he could see the hesitation on her face. “Not now or anything, but back in Scriptor Bay. I’ll take you to dinner or something.” Scratching the back of his head, he glanced down to his feet with a nervous sort of smile. “I know it may be kind of weird…knowing our history and everything but…” Flushing a little, he looked back into her eyes and continued smiling with a boyish sort of hope on his face. “I don’t know what it is, Maureen. Ever since I took you around the city, my feelings toward you have been…changing. I really like you. I mean I really, really like you. You’re different from how you used to be, but in a good way.” He gave a wider smile. “I’ve got a crush on you and…well, I don’t want it to end with just one kiss. But I do want to earn the next one. So will you go on a date with me?” The words sort of jumbled together and just kind of fell out of his mouth, but he thought it was a good way to ask. Humor segued into boyish affection and he hoped it would work. Nothing would make him happier than to have her say yes right now.

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

The devious little smirk on his face only amused her further and she had to keep herself from giggling too much. Drew had some of the best facial expressions she had ever seen and it was moments like this that she genuinely missed the years she lost with him and Maxi. Maureen loved her life and the new family she had received but she truly wished she could have had those years with her sister and this brother figure. Then Drew's eyes moved to her lips and she had that sick excited feeling in her gut. Was he thinking of the kiss? She instinctively pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and his eyes moved to hers once more. She gazed for a moment before looking away bashfully, and Drew did the same, looking to the mixer and shutting it off.

“I’ll make you a deal, Maureen.” She looked back to him and saw that devious smile once more, which only cemented that uneasy excitement in her stomach. Her gaze was curious as he leaned against the counter, supporting his weight with one, muscular arm. "I’ll do another beautiful braid for the crust if you agree to go on a date with me.” Her eyes widened in surprise at what he had just asked. Had Drew seriously asked her on a date? She was more surprised than anything, but after a moment her large eyes shifted from shocked to hesitant. She had her reasons for thinking it was all a bad idea. “Not now or anything, but back in Scriptor Bay. I’ll take you to dinner or something.” Why did he have to be so darn cute? Drew was making this terribly difficult for her.. "I know it may be kind of weird…knowing our history and everything but…I don’t know what it is, Maureen. Ever since I took you around the city, my feelings toward you have been…changing." She bit her lip once more, knowing what he meant. Her feeling had certainly changed since then too and she knew it was because of what Maxi did, but how could she not like Drew? She looked almost sad, but also very touched at his confession. "I really like you. I mean I really, really like you. You’re different from how you used to be, but in a good way.” She was glad he added the last part since she wouldn't want to change for the worse. She gathered she had been more wild in her youth, which made a lot of sense to Maureen. She had felt that wild side of her as a girl but had tamed it with fear. She was afraid of her past and who she was and how she had gotten there. She had become nervous and careful when her nature told her to be anything but.

“I’ve got a crush on you and…well, I don’t want it to end with just one kiss. But I do want to earn the next one." It was impossible not to smile a little. Her grin was small and a little tense, her head bowed as she gazed up at him. It was cute what he was saying, and she knew she was falling harder for him by the second. Plus the simple mention of another kiss made her almost dizzy. "So will you go on a date with me?” T Her head slipped to the side and she pouted at him, though the pout was bordering on playful. Maureen was quiet for a moment and then she sighed, taking a step closer to him and leaning on the counter herself, closing some of the gap between them. "Drew it's not that I don't like you." She started, her eyes on his, peering deep into those gorgeous green eyes of his. "Because I do. Very much.. you're everything I'd hope for in a potential partner, and in a way I love that you know who I used to be because you've accepted me for who I am now and that's so deeply important." Her hand moved to his, sliding over his as she looked into his eyes, begging him to understand as she continued on. "But our lives are intertwined forever. We share Maxi and I suppose the Millers. I'm not close to them yet, but Maxi is. I couldn't bear to cause tension at family gatherings if you and I didn't work out. It's bad enough I've missed so many years, I would hate to ruin the next twenty five." She pleaded with her eyes for him to see where she was coming from. "And then there's us.." She added more serenely. "I genuinely enjoy spending time with you. When you and Maxi are together you make my ribs hurt from laughter. What if us dating changed all that? Is it worth risking so much?" She inquired, searching his eyes to see if he thought so. "What if we end up ruining all these wonderful things we have together?" Her voice was softer and she gulped, finding herself looking at his lips briefly. He truly was a handsome man, and his heart was pure. Maureen wanted nothing more than to accept his offer, but the thought of losing everything terrified her. The scared little girl was coming back, ruining all of old Maureen's fun.

[DREW SOLOMON]

Drew felt his stomach clench as Maureen pouted at him, finding that cute expression made him want to kiss her all the more. She moved closer and he swallowed hard, trying not to blush too much with the way his heart was racing. Would she turn him down? It wasn’t like he hadn’t been rejected before, but he felt a rejection from her would somehow be harder to take. He really liked Maureen and he felt he’d been building up to this for weeks. A let down would be hard to take. “Drew it’s not that I don’t like you.” His heart beat faster as he gazed down into those beautiful blue eyes he felt he could simply drown in. “Because I do. Very much…you’re everything I’d hope for in a potential partner, and in a way I love that you know who I used to be because you’ve accepted me for who I am now and that’s so deeply important.” He was starting to feel lightheaded, his stomach twisting as she said she liked him too and that he was what she hoped for…was he hearing that right? It was almost too good to be true. As her hand came over his he had to gulp to keep himself from losing focus on her words. Even with her hand on his, though, he could see the uncertainty in her eyes and he could feel the but coming on, and it made him tense… “But our lives are intertwined forever. We share Maxi and I suppose the Millers. I’m not close to them yet, but Maxi is. I couldn’t bear to cause tension at family gatherings if you and I didn’t work out. It’s bad enough I’ve missed so many years, I would hate to ruin the next twenty-five.” There it was; the But. It was bringing him back down from the clouds, frozen as he tried to think of an argument to overcome her fears. There were so many he could think of and yet none of them would form into words…

“And then there’s us…I genuinely enjoy spending time with you. When you and Maxi are together you make my ribs hurt from laughter. What if us dating changed all that? Is it worth risking so much? What if we ended up ruining all these wonderful things we have together?” He didn’t want to think of the what if’s. He wanted to believe they would work out because he would never do anything to hurt her. Couldn’t that be enough? But even thinking it, Drew knew that was a childish argument. Her eyes fell to his lips and he felt the spark between them again right in his stomach. He knew he could convince her. The question was how? His fingers finally wrapped around hers gently, holding her small hand and resting their hands on the counter. Her hands were so warm. “It doesn’t have to change, Maureen. Yes, we share Maxi, but not even us splitting up could stop me from being friends with her. It wouldn’t stop me from caring about you. Whether we work or not, I think we’re both mature enough to be able to maintain a good relationship with Maxi and still be at least civil to each other. You and I have so much history, Maureen. Before I ever started falling for you, I cared about you. For twenty-five years I mourned losing you; how I felt about you when we were kids will never go away. I’ll always be happy to have you around because I never thought I’d get to see you again. Maybe that’s a naïve way to think, but I really do think that even if we don’t work out, I could still be friends with you and certainly with your sister.” His spare hand came to her face gently, pushing some soft auburn hair behind her ear. “But I can’t stop thinking about you. Every time I get a moment of peace, my brain always wanders back to you…to that kiss.” He laughed softly at how cheesy he was sounding. “For weeks I’ve been trying to get up the courage to ask you on a date. I’m fifty-five years old and I can’t even ask my crush on a date.” Again he laughed softly at his foolishness before he got lost in her eyes again. “I think that’s worth it. The way you make me feel like a teenager finding the girl of his dreams, how every time I’m around you I just feel content to listen to you talk, how much you’ve completely lit up my world since you’ve come back…I think it’s worth a shot to try my best to make you happy and to try to convince you to be mine. Even just a chance would make me happy.” He meant every word he said and it was apparent in how sincere his voice was.

With a small shake of his head, he glanced down at their hands twined on the counter, a small bemused smile on his face. “I don’t do this that often...the last time I asked a woman out, N’SYNC was all the rage.” He grinned wider and dared to bring his eyes back to hers, one hand now resting against her neck gently. The feel of her heart drumming beneath his palm made him flush a little as his face grew serious again. Without really being aware of what he was doing, Drew began to lean toward Maureen, his eyes shifting slowly from her eyes to her lips. He knew he should stop, wait until he wasn’t pouring his heart out to kiss her, but his heart wasn’t listening to his brain. If Maureen stopped him, he would snap out of it, but neither one of them seemed to be protesting at the moment. Even his brain shut up the closer he got and at last his lips pressed to hers again. It was like fireworks going off between their lips. His one hand slipped up to cup her jaw, the other still holding her hand gently as he savored how warm and soft her lips were. The kiss was chaste and sweet, though no less passionate for it. Their lips just barely parted against one another and he found himself cupping the back of her head as he moved even closer to her, their bodies touching. He could feel electricity shooting all the way to the tips of his toes and he knew he’d never experienced a kiss like this before. When he pulled away, he realized he was holding her face in both of his hands and he couldn’t move back very far. He gave Maureen a dazed stare, mesmerized by her, and he stayed close as he swallowed hard again, trying to catch his breath. “So will you go on a date with me?” he implored, his voice soft and almost lost as he waited breathlessly for her answer.

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

“It doesn’t have to change, Maureen." He said softly, his fingers intertwining with hers. She felt his words making her stomach churn and she looked up at him innocently. "Yes, we share Maxi, but not even us splitting up could stop me from being friends with her. It wouldn’t stop me from caring about you. Whether we work or not, I think we’re both mature enough to be able to maintain a good relationship with Maxi and still be at least civil to each other." She wanted to believe it was true. No, she knew it was true. They would be civil, but she didn't want to be just civil with him. The thought upset her. "You and I have so much history, Maureen. Before I ever started falling for you, I cared about you. For twenty-five years I mourned losing you; how I felt about you when we were kids will never go away. I’ll always be happy to have you around because I never thought I’d get to see you again." Her throat clenched a little as she gazed at him, her cheeks flushing a little and the redness seeping down her neck. She felt guilty suddenly that he had missed her all those years, almost forgetting how he and her sister had mourned her untimely death. "Maybe that’s a naïve way to think, but I really do think that even if we don’t work out, I could still be friends with you and certainly with your sister.”

Maureen had to admit he had some good points. Nothing would come between Drew and Maxi, but that wasn't her issue. Still, she knew he wasn't a petty man, and she herself was still very friendly with her ex. She talked to Simon via email at least every other month or so. Sure, it wasn't all the time, but she considered him a dear friend. If things didn't work with Drew, maybe they really could be the same way. Maureen felt her face heat once more as Drew's fingers brushed past her cheek, sweeping a tendril out of the way. "But I can’t stop thinking about you." She could clearly hear her heart hammering in her chest and wondered if Drew could hear it as well. "Every time I get a moment of peace, my brain always wanders back to you…to that kiss.” His laugh was bashful, but she didn't offer one in return, her face stoic as she simply gazed at him, a little nervous at his genuinely sweet confession. Had anyone ever liked her so much? “For weeks I’ve been trying to get up the courage to ask you on a date. I’m fifty-five years old and I can’t even ask my crush on a date.” His crush? Her throat felt dry. “I think that’s worth it. The way you make me feel like a teenager finding the girl of his dreams, how every time I’m around you I just feel content to listen to you talk, how much you’ve completely lit up my world since you’ve come back…I think it’s worth a shot to try my best to make you happy and to try to convince you to be mine. Even just a chance would make me happy.”

Maureen felt like she was in a movie. She'd lost her memory and very, very slowly it was coming back to her, in strange bits and pieces, and the boy who had been like a brother was falling in love with her. It was too much to swallow. Their entire world was intertwined. He was still such a heavy part of her past, how could they be together? “I don’t do this that often...the last time I asked a woman out, N’SYNC was all the rage.” His smile grew and finally one broke on her face, though it was as nervous as she was. That had been quite some time ago. Then his eyes were on hers once more and again she felt so anxiously excited at the way he gazed down at her, as if their eyes had some secret language and were communicating together. His hand was on her neck and she was suddenly so clearly aware of everything around her; they faint smell of butter in the air, the clock ticking on the wall, the room heating from the oven.. Drew was moving closer and she was frozen in her spot, not willing to ruin this moment, wanting it as much as him but not nearly as confident about it. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, her head bowing ever so slightly as he moved closer. And then he was there.

Drew didn't linger long, but she could feel every ounce of devotion in that kiss. He cared for her. He'd always cared for her. Nothing could make him ever stop caring for her, and when he pulled away she knew it to be true; no matter what happened between them, he would never stop caring about her. Maureen didn't protest as he moved closer to her, his hand nestled at the back of her head. She looked up into his green eyes seeing his adoration and for the first time softening to the idea of them. Maybe he was right; maybe it was worth the risk. His hands had moved to cup her face and they felt warm there and inviting. She found she liked it. “So will you go on a date with me?” he implored, his voice still so soft as if he was afraid of pressing the subject. Still dazed and practically in a trance she nodded her head slowly. "Yes." She croaked before clearing her throat. "Okay." She added before gulping, unable to tear herself away from his eyes. It was in that moment that Maureen knew it was right. She reached a hand up, taking one of the ones on her cheek and pressing it gently into her flesh, pushing her cheek against it and practically nuzzling his hand with it. "When I visit in a couple weekends you and I can.. we'll go out one night." She offered softly, though there was no need for volume considering their close proximity. A flicked of a smile flashed across her lips. She tugged his one hand free of her cheek and gently pecked his knuckles, blushing afterward. Her heart was still pounding, trying not to think much on his confessions on how he thought about her so much. Hadn't it been the same for her? Hadn't she thought of him constantly? Maxi would have a field day with this!

"So does this mean you'll braid my pie crust for me?"

[DREW SOLOMON]

Drew held his breath as Maureen slowly nodded her head. “Yes.” The word came out weak and he was still too stunned to speak. “Okay.” Finally a huge smile broke out on his face and he let out his breath in relief. They were going on a date. They were finally taking that step from friends to something more. Her hand came up and gripped one of his holding it still as she nuzzled her cheek into it, a gesture that made his chest feel tight. He flushed at how affectionate that motion was, his eyes warm as they watched her. “When I visit in a couple weekends you and I can…we’ll go out one night.” The soft smile she offered invited one of his own, gulping as he realized he was going on a date with Maureen. Now he suddenly felt a little nervous, wanting to impress her. Those thoughts were quickly stunned into silence as she tugged his hand away from her face and she pressed those soft lips to his rough knuckles. She blushed and so did he though he couldn’t help smiling at how bashful she was with showing this affection. It was new for them to be so sweet with each other, but it felt right. It felt like it was always supposed to be this way and the fates that had been waiting for them to end up together were finally heaving a sigh of satisfaction. Maxi was going to be ecstatic when she found out…

“So does this mean you’ll braid my pie crust for me?” Drew couldn’t help but laugh, his eyes squinting up with his wide smile, genuinely amused by her bringing them back to where they started. He began leaning in again, but with a warm smile, watching her as he moved closer. “Gladly.” He spoke the word just centimeters from her lips and when he kissed her again, it was a little less bashful than the last one. The hand still on her cheek swept back through her auburn hair while the other one continued to hold her hand gently. He lingered a heartbeat longer than the last time and when he pulled away, he found he was pulled in one more time for a brief peck. It was like she had drugs on her lips. Finally he pulled away, forcing himself to take a step back as he smiled down at her. His fingers slowly slipped from hers as he turned to the crust on the counter. For a long moment he just stared at it, trying to get his thoughts together. “It’s like I can’t think now.” His voice was soft, but he knew she could hear him and he grinned mischievously. Really, though, those kisses had addled his brain and it really felt like an adjustment from dreams to reality.

He leaned close to the crust and began braiding the crust, his fingers working deftly as they did the last time. They were clumsier, though, and twice he almost broke the dough from stretching it too thin. He tried his best, mostly so the bargain was even—since she agreed to go on a date with him, he was going to make the best braided crust he could. The result was a braid to be proud of and he nodded in approval before looking down at Maureen again. “You know what’s going to happen when we break it to your sister, right?” he asked in mock seriousness. “She’s going to tackle you with a hug and squeal in a very high-pitched voice.” He grinned, knowing that was pretty much what she really would do. Maxi was very excitable and this was definitely something she would get excited about.

[MAUREEN ABERDEEN]

His smile was sweet and Maureen felt her stomach tense a little as he moved in closer to her. Instinctively she pulled back a hair, biting her lower lip bashfully in anticipation for the kiss she was sure he was about to deposit on her lips. “Gladly.” The word made her grin and it didn't seem so awkward when his lips met hers once more. She moved into him slightly, still shy about the fact that Drew was standing there kissing her in her kitchen, but it was nice at the same time. The fingers sweeping through her hair felt amazing just grazing over her scalp, his hand on hers a fine mixture of heavy and warm. He offered a peck at the end and she grinned with pink cheeks, letting out a soft little chuckle as she attempted to gather her wits. He had successfully wooed her and she was still a little confused by it, but in a way also very content.

Finally he pulled back and the moment ended, and Maureen felt like she could breath properly once more. "It’s like I can’t think now.” He said softly after staring at the pie for a moment and the girl chuckled. "Well lucky for you braiding a pie crust doesn't take an awful lot of thinking." She teased back. The pair set back to their tasks and Maureen found herself thinking about what had just happened between them. It was like Maxi had planned this all out somehow. Had She and Drew worked this out? Maxi makes an excuse to escape so Drew can have a moment alone? She wondered.

“You know what’s going to happen when we break it to your sister, right?” She looked up at him considering his serious tone and she realized immediately he was teasing. She smiled slightly and egged him on with a soft "What?" “She’s going to tackle you with a hug and squeal in a very high-pitched voice.” He smiled and she offered a suspicious look. Offer her a hug and squeal? Why not him? Oh, they had been planning this! Just then she heard a car door slam out front and her eyes averted towards the door. Maxi was back, she could already hear the footsteps and Maureen was expecting no one else. "Well, here's our chance to let her know." She teased looking up at Drew just as the door open. The girls sapphire eyes turned to meet her sisters and she thought she saw a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Maureen had been duped! But she wasn't angry. Maybe it was good.. maybe she needed this. It had been some time since she found someone and her parents would be pleased to hear the news. Though Maureen wasn't sure she would tell them until after their date.

"Okay brat," She called out to her little sister with a little smile. "You win. We're going on a date." And as Drew predicted, Maureen saw her sisters eyes light up as a squeal escaped her plump lips. It would be a good Thanksgiving.

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