Chance Encounter

Just My Luck

I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam

And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem

But if I know you, I'll know what you'll do

You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream

~*~

"I didn't know it was his birthday actually," Jonathan replied looking briefly at Sock before returning his glaze back to Rachel. The resemblance was uncanny. Rachel had Sock's eyes and brown hair though hers was kept in a French twist and didn't look like it would be in perpetual bed hair like Sock's.

She just let out a long suffering sigh, "That's just like him. Nappy didn't want us to make the trip down for his birthday." Rachel began sniffing in the beginnings of tearing up.

"Mom," Sock exhaled feeling a little bit guilty over making his mother cry even though he knew she was faking it. "I didn't want to bother you. It's just my birthday, it's not a big deal. You didn't have to travel all the way here just for that."

Jojo raised her brow at him. See what I have to put up with? She tried to convey as Rachel wiped her eyes with the end of her cardigan. "After everything I do for you, why wouldn't you thank your mother for coming all this way? Children are so ungrateful these days."

All three sat as she stormed off into the kitchen. Eyeing Jojo, Sock lowered his head in resignation before getting up to comfort and please his very distraught mother. All while leaving Joane free reign to question Jonathan to her hearts content because if Sock didn't want him, maybe Jojo could take a stab at the blond cutie.

###

Knocking on the door twenty minutes later—after Sock had managed to appease his mother—he went to the door to answer. Sock didn't expect anyone so he was more intrigue than anything at who it was. Opening the door to his next door neighbor Lil, Sock felt his stomach sit heavy.

"Hey, heard there was a birthday party to my favorite Sherlockian so I brought some drinks." Lil smirked as she entered his place and greeted the other people. Norris walked into the living room to see what all the big fuss was about before jumping into Jojo's lap to sit like a king. The slight puckered look on Sock's mother's face was a clear indication for her non-approval.

"Mom, this is Lil, my next door neighbor. Lil, Rachel, my mother." Sock introduced.

"Nice to meet you Rachel." Lil shook Rachel's hand.

"Call me Mrs. Sowachowski dear," she answered politely. Jojo lifted her brows at Sock noticing the tone. He slightly shook his head at her direction. There was a chime from his jeans as he pulled out his phone seeing he had a new text message from Joane which he chose to ignore. "Napoleon honey, go put the drinks in the fridge."

"Right," he answered stepping up to Lil whispering, "Sorry about her. She's really prickly with new people."

Lil forced a smile, "Forget about it. I get that all the time become of my hair. It's fine." She turned walking to Jonathan's side. "Johnny boy, it's been a while."

Joane got up from her spot to let the other two alone sliding to Sock's side. "Dude, your mom was cold. And I thought your birthday party wasn't going to be that interesting. Maybe I should befriend her. It'll piss off your mother. Might protect my loins from her conversations next time."

"Ugh, Jojo, you're enjoying this too much," Sock moaned as he put the twelve pack inside the fridge before pulling one out to drink. "I need to drink this night out of my head."