Friends, Foes, and Flirts

As the days trickled by after Amelia's birth, the hormones that had flooded Meredith's system began to float away like a good dream. She fought so hard to keep the glazed, optimistic outlook a permanent reality, but the unfortunate nature of life is that nothing remains perfect forever. Pregnancy had given her a few solid months-worth of Sim-time to wallow in happiness; and while she was grateful for it, going back to normal life just... stunk.



Though, Meredith supposed it couldn't be considered normal, anymore. "Guess I've got you to raise too, now, little missy," she said while chuckling and snuggling her daughter against her chest. "I just hope that you don't have to go through what your siblings did. You all deserve so much better."



Meredith didn't have much to be concerned about when it came to the kids, though. Travis had long gotten over their impromptu move to Twinbrook, especially since June, the only friend that had ever really mattered to him, had come along with. Bradley had been too young to even remember Riverview, so between the pair, what they had gone through was but a faded stain on the over-washed shirt of life. They still had their questions about why, but at least they had no real motive to become curious, yet: they were happy.



It seemed that Mere was slowly finding her place, as well. When she got a phone call from Eva Drudge, she called the sitter and was out the door faster than a flying potato.

"Oh Mere, you didn't have to come over right away," Eva said laughing as Meredith pulled up to her rather humble abode. "I just thought I should let you know."

"Well, I--" Meredith started, but then shrugged. "How's she doing?"



"Quiet, but good. We decided to name her Alesha. I couldn't be happier -- she's our first, you know -- but I am so ready to get out of this house."

"Well, let your husband handle her for a while! Come on over, I'd like you to meet my family."

Eva quickly said goodbye to her own newest family addition, and then her husband, before hopping into Meredith's car and speeding away towards the Kane residence. When they arrived, Meredith gave her new friend a brief tour, and then asked if she'd like to stay for dinner. "I'll go get something started -- my husband should be home any minute."



Jebidiah and Eva seemed to get along pleasantly at first, shaking hands and introducing themselves with a firm handshake...



... but quickly, they discovered how little they had in common. Jebidiah, the computer whiz, was bored by Eva's chat about her job at the bookstore, and she was equally annoyed by his computer-talk, being a Technophobe. Not only that, but she was a Goody-Two-Shoes -- which infuriated Jeb -- and once he noticed how placid and unflirty she was, his brain was ready to explode.



And when she was about ready to tell Meredith that he was trying to hit on her, he pleaded with her to keep silent. "I was just bored with the conversation, thought you could use a little, you know--"

"I have had quite enough of you, is what I've had, Mr. Kane. If you'll excuse me, I think your wife needs a little help in the kitchen."



After dinner -- and some more 'civil' conversation -- Meredith wished Eva a fond goodbye and went out to the backyard to work on her most recent painting. Unfortunately, before she could even pick up her paintbrush, Jebidiah came bursting down the back steps, and approached her with a few choice words.

"That's your new friend? A horse-faced, prissy, ninny, brown-nosing... librarian? Could you have found anyone more irritating to bring over for dinner?"

"Just because I married you doesn't mean that every single person in my life needs to be an andrenile-pushing criminal! Did it ever occur to you that I might need someone a little different in my life?"



"Well, I figured different, but not someone that's got a 2 by 4 shoved up their b--"

"Jeb!" Meredith had about had it. She threw her paintbrush to the ground, clenched her fists, and glared at her husband with more disdain than she thought she could possibly muster. "I know you just don't like her because she wasn't impressed by your futile attempts to woo her! And I'm so sick and tired of it, Jeb! I didn't befriend her to punish you, I befriended her because I'm lonely, cooped up in this house with only the company of a man who can't remain faithful to me for more than two minutes. Yeah, so maybe I found a friend that I won't lose because of you. Fantastic. I couldn't be happier."

"Meredith, you know I haven't done anything like that since--"

"No, Jeb, I don't! I don't trust you! I don't know if I ever will, again! I thought maybe, once we moved here, but then you pulled a move on Tana... And now on Eva? You've got a lot further to go if you want that back, Jeb. A LOT. Further."

---

While Meredith and Jeb were having their own falling-out, Bradley was finally having his first falling in.



"Somebody sitting there?" Brad asked as he climbed out of the pool, calling to a girl sitting in a lounge chair. "I don't wanna take it if someone's already called it."

"Naw, it's nobody's," she responded with a small giggle. "Say, I haven't seen you at school before. You new?"



"Just had my birthday, actually," Brad responded. As she popped out of her chair to shake his hand, he suddenly got a good look at her face... And a deep blush crossed over his cheeks. Man, she was cute.

"I'm Emerald," she told him in a cute, high-pitched voice. "Emerald Greenwood. 'N you can sit in a chair by me any time you want."



"So, didja kiss her?"

"Ewww, no, o'course I dinnit," Bradley responded midleap, trying to keep up with Travis's enthusiastic bouncing. Travis was way stronger and faster than him, but that didn't mean he couldn't try. "But she did gimme a hug before she went home. 'N she gave me her name... And her number, in case I ever wanna come over and play sometime..."

"You stink. You shoulda kissed her!"

"Yer just jeeaalllouuss..."

"Shut up, I've kissed loads of girls! Loads more than yooou!"

"Have not!"

"Have too!"

---

"Good song?" Meredith heard a voice coming from next to her, and when she opened her eyes, she noticed a man sitting next to her that she hadn't seen come in. "I saw your foot tapping," he said as he turned a page, smiling. "Looked like you were enjoying yourself."

"Oh, yeah, one of my favorites," she responded with a smile. "Oh... Justin, right?"

"Haha, yeah, that's me." He gave her a brief nod of the head, before tucking his book away and standing up. Meredith did at the same time too, though, and they ended up bumping into each other.



"Did you want to dance or something, Meredith?" Justin asked with a laugh.

"No, no, sorry, I just got up... Need to check on my clothes. Think I just heard them beep, and... You know... Gotta change them..."



Justin nodding, backing away a little to let her pass. "Say, I've never seen you here before, and I'm here almost every day washing scrubs from work. Something broken at the house?"

"Yeah, actually," Meredith responded, a bit surprised that he'd been able to deduce that. "My dryer. I figured I may as well do all the laundry here instead of at the house, until it's fixed, that is."



She went over to move her clothes over to the washer, but was surprised to find him standing right next to her when she stood up. "Oh!"

"You know," he said, a bit of a small smile growing on his lips. "I'm pretty... handy... If you need someone to come take a look at it, I could probably fix it up for you.



"I..." Meredith looked into his eyes. Oh Plumbbob, he was way cuter than she remembered. "I actually have someone taking a look at it right now, but... Thanks."

"Hey, anytime," he responded, growing a little closer ever second. "And, I mean, if there's anything else you need help with... I've heard you could use a little... Well..." He shrugged. "You have such pretty eyes, you know... And your freckles..."



"You, boy, are going to get me in trouble, if you aren't careful," Meredith responded with a poke into Justin's ribs. "It's... tempting, but I'm happily married."

"Really?"

"Yeah... Really."



"Alright, well... Just so the offer stands..." He winked and walked away, needing to go mess with his own laundry anyways; but, he gave a small look back as he left.

Meredith gave a small sigh as she dipped down to grab her newly dried clothes. "This town is gonna become the death of me," she sighed softly to herself, before turning and getting ready to head home.

Bad Meredith! She did that all on her own. Looks like she was getting fed up after all.


Also, I has a new monitor! Yay! Since a few months ago my LCD got fried in a power-outage, I've been using an old-school 50lbs monitor that had light flickering issues and horrible lack-of-brightness. For my brithday, my hubby was able to scrape together some cash and buy me a new widescreen LED, which means I can finally actually see what's going on in nighttime/overcast shots! Yay! Can't wait to play around with widescreen screenshots, but for now... It'll be a while til you guys get to see any of them. But I'm getting close! 9-ish posts!