Nowhere

Part Three: Nowhere
Dawson laid in his bed staring at the ceiling. He was running the night’s events in his head. He couldn’t believe what had happened.
Joey came home. They talked. They finally told each other how they felt. And Dawson felt full for the first time since Joey had left for Paris. Everything was great for Dawson. A knock on his door broke his thoughts. “Come in,” he said to the door.
His mother entered, “Hi, honey,” she said, “I just came in to say ‘good night’.”
“Mom, you haven’t done that in a long time. What’s the change all of a sudden?” Dawson replied.
“Can’t a mother just kiss her only son before she goes to sleep?” Mrs. Leery asked.
Dawson eyed his mother with a suspicious look. “Come on, Mom, tell me the truth.”
“Okay, you caught me, I do have an underlying motive. I know Joey came home tonight, so tell me all about it. What happened?”
“What do you mean? She just came home.”
“Now I know that’s not true. I have this thing called motherly intuition. Plus, I saw you two outside not too long ago. Everything okay?”
“As a matter of fact, Mom, things haven’t been this good for a long time. I feel almost like I’m at the end of an after school special and everything is going to turn out just fine.”
Mrs. Leery laughed. “You know, Dawson, sometimes you’re just too imaginative for your own good. So, tell me everything.”
“Why? I think that if you were spying on me you pretty much got the gist of everything.”
“Fine, I guess you’re not in the mood to share, huh?”
“It’s not that, it’s just that this is the first time things are going well in a relationship for me and I just don’t want to jinx it, okay?”
“I understand, hon, I just want you to know that I’m happy that you’re happy,” Mrs. Leery said as she kissed Dawson, “Good night, I love you.”
“Love you too, Mom. Night.” Dawson replied as his mom left. He then pulled down the covers to his bed and fell asleep.
***
Joey awoke to her nephew Alex screaming. Wow, she thought, I guess some things never change. She groaned as she got out of bed. She put on a sweatshirt and walked into the kitchen. “Don’t you know how to shut that kid up yet?” she angrily asked Bessie, “I would like to sleep for a little bit.”
“It’s not my fault you have jet lag,” Bessie replied. “Besides, you have to work today anyway.”
“What? I just got home, Bessie. How is it that I’m already scheduled to work?”
“I’m sorry, Joey, but Alex has a doctor’s appointment today and I have to take him. On my list, that makes you the next one in line to work. You are home, Joey, it’s time to return back to reality. This isn’t Paris anymore.”
“That’s what I was afraid of. I thought when I boarded the plane to Boston that I would somehow magically appear back in Paris, but I guess I was mistaken. Stupid me.”
“There’s no reason for your mouth, Joey. I’m sorry you have to work. I know you just returned home. I really need you to do this, okay? It won’t be for too long, and you can go out tonight,” Bessie pleaded with Joey to cooperate.
“Fine,” Joey replied, “But you owe me. Big time.”
***
Dawson ran into Jen on his way out the door. “Hi, Dawson,” Jen said, “In a hurry?”
“Actually, no, I’m not,” Dawson replied, “What’s up, Jen?”
“Not much, really. We just haven’t talked in a while, and I thought maybe we could go grab lunch together or something.”
“Um, sure, I guess. I was just on my way to the S.S. Icehouse anyway, want to join me?”
“Yeah, I would. Is Joey working? She is home, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she is home,” Dawson smiled, “And I’m not sure if she’s working or not, but she isn’t home, so that’s the next logical place for her to be. Do you want to drive or shall I?”
“Why don’t you? I’m not up to trying to get the car from Grams.”
“Okay, let’s go then.”
***
Joey saw Dawson open the door for someone. It was Jen. She couldn’t believe they were both here. Then she remembered, Dawson is mine, now. There’s no need to worry. Joey walked over to the table Jen and Dawson chose.
“Hey, guys, what can I get you?”
“Hey, yourself,” Jen replied, “That’s all I get after six months?” Jen rose and hugged Joey. Joey was a taken aback.
“Sorry, Jen,” Joey said, “I’m just working, you see. Asking ‘what can I get you’ is kinda in my job description.”
“I understand, you better not do it again. Anyway, I’ll take a chef’s salad with ranch, please. Oh, and a diet coke.”
“Got it, what about you Dawson?” Joey looked at the notepad. She was afraid that if she looked into his eyes that she would melt right there.
Dawson smiled. “I’ll have a cheeseburger with french fries. And a Coke.”
“Okay, that shouldn’t be too long.” Joey left. Dawson stared after her.
***
“So, are you going to tell me what’s going on, or what, Dawson?” Jen broke the silence first.
“What are you talking about Jen?”
“You look like a love struck grade schooler. Could it be true? Are you and Joey finally an item?”
“Jen, you don’t have to make fun of it. But, yes, I think we are. Enough about that, though. How’s your life?” Dawson didn’t want to talk about Joey with Jen. He just didn’t feel comfortable doing it.
“Same ‘ole, same ‘ole,” Jen replied, “Grams and I can tolerate each other for a little while. You know, it seemed after Gramps died that things would work out between us, but it just went back to normal. I don’t know, maybe that’s how it was meant to be. So, are you going to Pacey’s tonight? It’s going to be the ‘Party of the Year’ according to Pacey. Surprisingly, though, his apartment doesn’t look half bad. I helped him clean it yesterday.”
“He told me. I don’t know if I’ll go. I have to talk to Joey, she’s normally not into that.”
“You two should come, it would be fun. Especially since Joey hasn’t seen everyone in so long. Hold the phone, I’ll be right back.”
***
Jen got up to go to the bathroom just as Joey brought the drinks.
“What were you two talking about?” Joey asked Dawson.
“Nothing, really, just our plans for this evening. Speaking of which, Pacey is having a party, but I just figured we’d blow it off and rent movies or something,” Dawson replied.
“Why, Dawson?” Joey asked, “I think we should go.”
“But you’ve never really been into that scene, Jo. What’s the deal?”
“I don’t know, Dawson. It just sounds like it would be fun. If we get there and it sucks, we can bag. Okay? I better get back to work. Talk to you later.”
***
Joey bumped into Jen on her way back from the bathroom. “Hey,” Jen said, “You going to go to Pacey’s tonight?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Joey replied.

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