Do I Want To Know?

Chapter 29- The Next Adventure

   Joe ushered Ned away from the group, barely looking back to see both Frank and Bess huddling around Nancy after Callie's outburst. He could sense Ned's desperation to leave, and so he made it his duty to get him out of there.

   "Thought I'd maybe save you from any more awkwardness." Joe said to Ned with a smile after the two of them made it outside. Ned let out an exhale, and a chuckle, evidently relieved.

   "Yeah." He said with a breath, "Thanks for that."

   Joe patted Ned on the back, and the two of them took a seat on the curb of the street until Ned would be able to hail a taxi to the airport.

   "You don't have to wait with me, you know." Ned said after a few moments of silence. It didn't sound like he necessarily wanted Joe to leave, more like he assumed Joe would be happier standing in the lobby with Frank and Nancy. Joe looked up from his sling, pulling his fingers away from the loose thread he was playing with on it to flick Ned in the side of the head. Ned flinched, more out of surprise than pain,

   "What the hell was that?" He asked, looking over at Joe, who was smiling, full of mischief as always.

   "I can't leave you out here all by yourself. I mean, I could practically feel the gloom coming out of your pores back in the lobby." Joe's grin grew as he spoke, and as he saw Ned's eye roll.

   "The gloom, huh? How's it doing now?" Ned asked with a smile, leaning back on his hands. Joe chuckled a bit,

   "Fading away the longer we sit here. But I sense a relapse if I get up from this spot." He sounded professional, like a doctor giving a prognosis, and Ned actually laughed,

   "You're a real friend, Joe." He replied.

   "Don't forget it. Maybe it's complicated for Bess and George, Nancy, whatever. It's not complicated for me." Joe clapped his hand on Ned's opposite shoulder, giving him a side hug,

   "I won't leave you out to dry."

   "Thanks, man." Ned said softly. Joe could tell he appreciated it.

   Soon, a taxi pulled up in front of them, and the two of them got up so it wouldn't run their toes over. They exchanged a few goodbyes, and Ned put his luggage in the trunk of the taxi before opening the door to get in. Joe turned to go back into the lobby, until he heard Ned call out to him,

   "Hey, Joe." Joe whipped his head around, looking back at him,

   "Yeah?" He asked, entirely curious about what Ned was going to say.

   "Next time you're in River Heights, maybe stop by. I'll give you another crack at the engine." This time, Ned broke out into a grin, and Joe smiled broadly in response.

   "I'll really fix it next time, Ned!" He said excitedly, and Ned laughed again lightheartedly. Joe watched him wave and get into the taxi, and it wasn't long until it drove away.

   Joe hoped the gloom cloud wouldn't follow Ned Nickerson home.

   He heard the front doors of the hotel open, and was greeted by Frank, Nancy, Bess, and now George. Bess bounced over to him, hooking her arm with his,

   "Time to shop!" She exclaimed, and Joe was soon pulled down the sidewalk. The rest of the group followed, and Joe shared a glance with Frank as they did so.

   He gave him a proud, brotherly nod. Joe smiled again.

***

   The five of them found the shopping district that Bess had dragged George to on their first day in Hollywood. It consisted of a lot of walking, and a lot of Bess telling them where to stop, in order to look in a shop, or the window of a shop. The rest of them didn't mind, especially Joe, who was smitten with the sight of Bess in her shopping element.