Complicated Love

Pain and Happiness

I want to go home.

My head is pounding, my eyes ache, I can't think straight, but I have to stay.

I have to get these scripts done whether I want to or not.

None of them are interesting at all, they don't even make much sense, but since they're young writers, we're supposed to help them.  I want to help, but if I read one more "love" story about an asshole and a small town girl my eyes my actually jump out and die.

"Well, you're crying.  Are they that good or that bad?" Brad walks into my office with his pile "One of mine actually used our names thinking it would give them a better chance.  Might have worked out until they had us murdered."

"Did you at least go first?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Well you did forget to buy my coffee and breakfast this morning..."

"Yes, and I'm so very sorry." He rolls his eyes, shutting my office door "I didn't think that was murder worthy, but whatever.  Murder your source of happiness."

I ignore his over dramatic ridiculousness, continuing to read over everything until I finally get to a part that's actually a little interesting.

"Hey, read this."

He leans over, staring at the script, trying to hide all his laughter he's holding in.

"That's genius."

The characters, while lost in the middle of a desert, get out of their car with all their leftover picnic food.  Since they know nobody is around, they place the food on the side of the road to warm up and hop back in the car for a quickie, only to find out that there are many people around.  Many, many children sitting in a school bus that stopped to offer help.

"Reminds me of when we were driving through northern California and you were begging me to pull over." I read through the next, equally as funny paragraph "This is the best one I've seen so far today."

"I really want to give these people chances, but I just can't get into them." He squeezes himself next to me on my chair, pulling me on his lap so there's more room "I was thinking about maybe editing them a little."

"So much time, Brad."

"We don't have to go over everything, just a few pages maybe and give some hints.  You were on board with helping before."

"I know, but I'm not a writer, I don't want to mess them up.  I only know how to read it from an actor's perspective."

"But maybe that's better." He puts the script down, turning me towards him "You're a pretty good actor, they could learn from you."

"Pretty good?"

"Amazing."

I wrap my arm around his neck, leaning in for a kiss as he pulls me closer.  He pushes the button on my desk signaling the office door to lock as the kiss deepens.

"Babe," I try separating, but the strong suction of the kiss continues to pull me back in "Brad."

"What?" He sighs, pulling away.

"We have to get ready."

I get up, not really wanting to, pulling him with me.

"My parents can wait a few minutes.  Flights are never on time anyway." He grabs his jacket as I pull him out, knowing he lost "Slow down I gotta fix my jacket."

"Why?" I turn around thinking he's just trying to stall, but quickly see exactly why.  He really was excited.

I hand him the keys as we make it to the car and he drives straight to the airport, fighting through the mess until we see his parents waiting.

"See, they're waiting anyway."

"Suck it up.  You'll live."

"You could've said that to youself an hour ago."

I ignore him, getting out of the car and letting Will in my spot so I can sit with Jane in the back.  She slides right in, leaving Will with all their stuff and telling Brad to get out and help him.

"You look tired.  Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I've just been staring at scripts nonstop.  It's been a long morning."

"Well it's the afternoon now and Brad's driving, we can drink once we get to the restaurant."

"You have no idea how much I love the fact that you're Brad's mom." I lean over to hug her "I miss you, it's been too long."

"I know!  I'll be back here in a few months though."

They finish loading the car and we eventually go to a low key restaurant that isn't busy so we won't get noticed.  We all pile into a semi-hidden table and Jane orders us drinks as soon as we get our menus.

"That's not fair, Dad and I shouldn't have to be stuck with water!" Brad complains after hearing her order us wine "And it's like 2pm.  That's ridiculous."

"Relax, it's wine, not straight vodka."

"Yeah, let your wife have some fun for once.  She puts up with you all the time she deserves this."

They try to act upset once our drinks arrive while Jane and I happily drink them, enjoying the relaxation.  We order more before our food comes and quickly get to talking.

"I'm excited to see the house," Jane says "All the renovation pictures you've been sending are great."

"What all needs done yet?" Will asks, trying to steal Jane's drink "It seems almost done."

"We're putting new flooring in the living room and then redoing the bigger bathroom downstairs." Brad looks over at me, making sure he's right "Then we should be done.  We didn't want anything too crazy with not being home a whole lot right now."

"Yeah, we figured life is stressful enough with work, we don't wanna throw in too much."

"We've been missing your visits," Will admits "It's so much fun when everyone is together."

"What did you decide to do with that smaller room next to yours?" Jane looks across at us, ready to throw out an idea "I thought it would be the perfect nursery... or playroom."

"Mom!" Brad sighs, turning towards me right away, making sure I'm okay "We've been over this already."

"I know, I just mean it's a really great size.  Sorry..."

"No, it's okay.  I always thought that too, it just hasn't been the right time." I quickly answer, knowing she didn't mean to upset us "Maybe someday."

"So how have you two been?" Will changes the subject.

"We've been good."

I turn towards Brad smiling, loving the feeling of being with him and his family.