FicWad

"Hey man, did Christina like your new bachelor pad?" Pete asked that evening, adapting to his new habit taken from Joe and Andy of walking into people's homes. Patrick didn't mind - he could use the company from now on. Walking around his new home, alone with his thoughts wasn't as fun as he'd thought it would be. It was like that night he left for the Intercontinental Hotel in Chicago - the silence ringing throughout the house and almost screaming a melody in his ears.
"It's not a bachelor pad, stop calling it that. And no, she didn't. We had a pretty big fight." Patrick said bluntly, not looking up from his laptop.
"What happened?"
Patrick sighed and pushed his laptop away. He turned on the sofa to face Pete, who had just sat down.
"Basically, I told her I was still in love with her and yelled at her how I can't get over her and how scared I was about becoming a father." He replied, and turned back, pulling his laptop back onto his lap.
"OK," Pete said slowly, "I can understand the telling her you're still in love with her, but I thought you were happy about becoming a dad?" Pete asked, edging closer.
"Being happy and being scared are completely different, Pete. I am happy, I really am. I can't wait to see them. But I'm scared about everything, how I won't be able to give them their breakfast and put them to sleep with Christina by my side, you know? Things normal first time parents do."
"I think you've been watching too many happy ending movies. There's millions of people out there who do this alone. One thing, you should be lucky Christina hasn't moved away with that guy or something, and she should be lucky you're so supportive, no matter how much it's killing you. I'm sorry pal, but you have to accept the fact that you're one of those people who raises a kid without the mother by their side. A single father - if you will."
"I know, it's just hard."
"I realize that. But maybe if you stop chasing after Christina and concentrate on your kids, then things will become a lot easier."
"I'll try."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
"No, no." Pete said with a shake of his head. Patrick grinned, understanding.
"Patrick promise." He said, holding out his pinky, Pete did the same and they shook.
"Wow, we're so lame. It's like that scene in Grease when they start combing their hair after being soppy." Patrick said.
"I know!" Pete said, pulling the collar of his jacket up and running a hand through his imaginary quiff. He cleared his throat and shrugged his shoulders.
"So, you know, you wanna like, get some pizza or take out, or whatever?" He asked, in his best 'cool guy' voice. Patrick laughed and copied what Pete had just done.
"Uh, sure, you know man, that's cool." He said, picking up the phone from the table.
"Wow. I just realized something."
"What?" Patrick paused in the middle of dialing the number.
"I'm naturally cool. And you're not."
"Shut up." He replied, giving him a shove. "Hey, where's Jenny?"
"She's at home. Probably doing my ironing or something." Pete laughed guiltily.
"Can we invite her here?" Patrick asked. Pete shrugged.
"It's your house dude."
"Yeah, but it's your girlfriend."
"OK, then sure. I get to be the first to make out on your couch." He said, watching Patrick pause and glare at him. Pete watched the TV as Patrick waited for Jenny to pick up the phone at Pete's house.
"Hey, Jen, it's Patrick."
"Hi! Are you OK?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Pete's here, uh, we were wondering if you wanted to come over and eat with us and get a movie or something?"
"You guys don't want a 'guy's night in' then?"
"Pete told you that?" Patrick laughed, Pete's head turned in his direction at the mention of his name. He motioned for Patrick to hand the phone over to him.
"All right, um, Pete wants a word, here." Patrick said, handing the phone to him and whispering 'here, big guy!'. Pete gave him the finger and put the phone between his ear and his shoulder, while flicking TV channels with the remote.
"Hey, sweetie. Yeah, I know I said that. I meant like if Joe and Andy were here - 'cause Patrick on his own isn't really a guy's night in. Haha, yeah. So you'll come? Awesome! You want me to come meet you? Sure? OK, we'll see you in a while. I love you, baby." He said, hanging up the phone.
"Shit - sorry." He said, realizing what he had just paraded in front of Patrick.
"Hey, no worries. don't let me stop you being happy. Seriously. You guys are really going good, huh?"
"Yeah." Pete started, nervously, aware of how much he wanted to tell him everything, but was too wary of Patrick's reaction.
"It's OK, you can tell me." Patrick replied, almost reading his thoughts. "It's what I'm here for. Spill."
"She's amazing. I've never, ever connected with someone like this before. We can stay up all night, sometimes, just watching each other. Or just talking - she's so intelligent, and she has the best views on everything, from politics to music. And she has good taste in men."
Patrick raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"Because... it helps you meet guys?" He asked slowly, puzzled.
"No! I mean because she chose me."
"Ah, OK I did not get that."
"She's too amazing for me to describe. If I started, I could talk all night but it wouldn't come close to how I feel. I just love absolutely everything about her. She's so sweet, and she's good at looking after me - God knows I need to be looked after. She just... kinda figures me out."
Patrick laughed.
"Kinda sounds like you're falling in love, dude."
"I am in love. I think. I mean she's not the only girl I've said I love you to, you know that, but this time it means something."
"Yeah, I understand that."
There was a knock on the door, interrupting them.
"Is that Jenny already? She was quick." Patrick called back to Pete in the living room as he opened the door.
"Howdy." Andy saluted.
"Heyyyyy." Joe grinned.
"Hey!" Patrick said, "Let me guess, you were just passing by?"
"Sure we were." Andy replied. "Well, actually, we did stop by Pete's, but there was no one there."
"But Jenny was..."
"Hey guys!" Jenny jumped up from behind them. Joe screamed and jumped a foot in the air, while Andy nodded a hello at her.
"I have a change of pants upstairs if you want, Joe." Patrick laughed, as Joe turned red.
"She didn't scare me..." Joe replied, following Andy entering the house. "I was just testing my, um, pitches for my singing."
"Really? I thought I was the singer." Patrick said, following them into the living room.
"Oh, God. You guys again. Did you go to my house and see I wasn't there?"
"Damn right. You should really tell us when you're going out, Pete, it's highly rude of you to leave us freezing on your doorstep."
"It's also highly rude to let yourselves in my house. Or to stand outside my living room window until I look up and get scared shitless there's people looking in my windows." Pete said. He caught sight of Jenny and his eyes lit up as he hugged her.
"Hey, baby. You got here quick!" Pete said, picking her up as he hugged her.
"I took the car. And I missed you." Jenny said, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him. The others made retching noises and there were calls of 'get a room!' or 'tone it down!' from around the room.
"'Cause we are liiiiving in a material world, and I am a material girl!" Joe sang along to the stereo, jumping around and singing into a pretend microphone. The others watched him laughing, unable to stop him from laughing, plus the enjoyment they were getting out of him embarrassing himself.
"Joe - how come you were born a guy?" Jenny spluttered. The sight of him prancing about with Patrick's rug draped around his shoulders and Jenny's bandana wrapped around his head was too much for them to handle, especially after many cans of soda.
"Hey, how come everyone picks on me?" He gasped back, out of breath from his er, 'performing'.
"That's why everyone picks on you." Pete grinned, pointing at him.
"Just because you lot are so insecure about your sexuality." Joe taunted them.
"Oh, I know my sexuality is just fine." Pete said, giving Jenny a sly seductive look. He pounced on her and tickled her, until she battled him away with her freakishly strong muscles, and settled for nesting in the crook of his arm. He kissed her head lightly and sank back, whispering in her ear.
"Jesus, Joe, if anything, I'm reassured of my sexuality now!" Patrick chuckled, shaking his head at the sight of his friend as the phone started ringing. Joe waved the taunts and teases away and started the sound again, turning it up louder. Patrick picked up the phone, ordering Joe to turn it down, and put the phone to his ear and stuck his finger in his other ear to block out the noise.
"Hello?"
"Patrick!" A voice cried from the other line. Patrick sat bolt upright, his eyes wide.
"JOE, TURN THAT THE FUCK DOWN!" He yelled over the music. Joe fell over in his rush, and by the time he'd switched it off the room was full of silence, everyone in the room staring at Patrick, who was frozen like a rabbit in headlights. He composed himself, his heart racing, and put the phone between his ear and shoulder, wiping his hands, which had started to sweat profusely. He gained his breath and tried his best to speak calmly into the phone, his eyes closing at the sound of the sobs on the other end. His voice shook as he tried to keep it from crying out too at his need to know what had happened.
"Christina, what's wrong?"

Boring? Yes? No? You want more? You know you want it... you know what to do. ;)