Not Expecting to Collide (COMPLETE) - ABP Fanfiction

Chapter 37 - Real

"I never get to go to these meetings." Rainy sighed and flopped down on the overstuffed chair in front of the fireplace. She and October were waiting in a Starbucks across the street from the building that housed a division of The Discovery Channel satellite offices.
October smiled at the young girl and sipped her peppermint tea. "Meetings aren't all that fun, you know. Listening to a bunch of people talking just for the sake of talking, being bored to death. Mostly they're just a waste of time. I'd much rather go for Starbucks." Her eyes twinkled as Rainy broke into a smile over her whipped-cream-topped, frozen concoction. "How long do these meetings usually last?"
Rainy shrugged. "Sometimes they're really long. This one will probably be less than an hour. They'll likely go over a few production notes and tell everyone what is planned for the next episode." She rolled her eyes.
October laughed. "Is that annoying?" She asked.
Rainy glanced around the room and ducked her head closer to October.
"I've read some of the things people say on the internet about my parents and brothers. They're not idiots. That's just the way the show is written. If you ask me, for a reality show it's not very real. I don't even know why they call it that anymore."
"You don't like doing the show?"
Rainy shrugged again. "I don't mind it. I'm definitely not an actress though, nor do I want to be. But right now, especially in the winter when there's no shipping being done, it's the only money coming in for the entire family. Yes, the boys have jobs but Da is sick and medical bills aren't cheap."
October had never had a real conversation with Rainy before. She was surprised to find that she was very astute for her age. "I doubt they will be very long. Then you can have all afternoon with Bam." She grinned at October.

October smiled back at her. "Good." She said simply. She had the feeling that Rainy wanted to say something else but was too shy to do so.

Rainy took another sip of her drink and looked into the fireplace. She straightened her shoulders and turned back to October. "Do you love him?"

October's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?" She gasped, nearly spilling her tea in the process.

"Bam." She stated matter-of-factly. "Do you love him?"

October looked at Rainy's wide eyes. "Yes." She stated simply. "Very much."

Rainy nodded. "Good." She replied, satisfied with October's answer.

After that, the conversation moved toward less serious topics; boys, movies, music. Every once in a while October would glance out the window towards the office building across the street in hopes of catching a glimpse of the rest of the family coming out of their meeting. They didn't come. October and Rainy exhausted every topic of conversation. Yet, they didn't come. October and Rainy got refills of their drinks and read every newspaper in the coffee shop. Still they didn't come.

Finally, after three hours of waiting, October spotted them coming out through the revolving glass door and walking toward the Starbucks.

"Something's wrong." Rainy blurted. October had determined that before she'd said it. The expressions on their faces were grim. It looked like there were tears in Ami's eyes. Bam was mysteriously absent. October and Rainy watched in silence as the group crossed the street and entered the café.

"What's happened?' Rainy tugged on her mother's coat sleeve as soon as she was close enough to reach her. Ami didn't respond to Rainy. Instead she spoke to October in a very low voice.

"Bam will be a little longer. He asked that you wait for him here." October nodded and glanced at Bam's brothers one by one. None of them would bring their eyes up to meet hers. She flashed a worried expression to Birdie, who shook her head slightly and looked away. 

"Oh." October said barely loud enough to be heard. She watched the family leave the shop and walk down the street from where she stood behind the window. She pulled her sweater tighter around her arms and ordered another tea. A chill had suddenly made it's way down her back and she wasn't completely convinced it was just the cold Seattle weather.