Chapter 18: Complex kind of life.

Morgan was lying on the couch listening to the Playstation (my feeble excuse for a stereo) when I got back. "You seem surprised to see me here," she said languidly.

"I'm surprised at your musical choices. Since when did you start listening to syrupy AC love song stuff?"

"Hey, it's your Dawson's Creek CD."

"Well, I know I'm a fool for love songs. But you've always been the Pearl Jam and Nirvana kind of girl. The one that got me to try Three Doors Down, Godsmack, Days of the New, and all those groups."

"You may consider yourself a bonafide bad influence." She held out her hand. "Help me up?" As I pulled her to her feet, she moved into my arms. "Dance with me," she whispered into my ear. "I like the next song." We slowly started swaying as the strains of Nicky Hassman's 'Any Lucky Penny' filled the apartment:

"Baby look around
see that I'm nowhere to be found
you wanna feel me near
then close your eyes and I'll appear

Dream of all of me without tears
anything it takes to wish me here
oh, magic and sweet lullabies
any lucky penny will do fine
oh wish me here

Your arms are open wide
waiting for me to run inside
I'll meet you in the clouds
please you, your power to bring heaven down

Dream of all of me without tears
anything it takes to wish me here
oh, magic and sweet lullabies
any lucky penny will do fine
oh wish me here

And when we're face to face
the world just fades away
so take me to the place
it's just you and I every single night

Dream of all of me without tears
anything it takes to wish me here
oh, magic and sweet lullabies
any lucky penny will do fine
oh, yeah yeah

Dream of all of me without tears
anything it takes to wish me here
oh, magic and sweet lullabies
any lucky penny will do fine
oh wish me here..."

After the song ended we were still dancing slowly. She turned her head and kissed me softly on the cheek. "I liked that."

"So did I."

"We need to do this more often."

We slowly pulled apart, and she sat down on the couch as I went to the kitchen to get us something to drink. It wasn't until I had sat down that she spoke again. "How did tonight go?"

"Cordial relations have been resumed. Tentatively, at any rate."

"You two didn't stay out for long. I expected you back at eleven at the earliest."

"It was still awkward, and we didn't want to push it."

"Fair enough. You wouldn't have had something in mind for the rest of the evening, did you?"

"Funny you should ask..."

We spent the night and all of Sunday together. Early Monday morning, Maddie and I drove Morgan to the airport, and watched her plane taxi away from the gate before leaving. We were quiet on the way back, as I fiddled with the radio and she concentrated on the road.

"Would you mind picking a station already?" she said sharply as we got off the highway. Taken aback, I left the dial on a Top-40 station and sat back, even though it was playing a rather hideous cover of Cyndi Lauper's 'Time after time.'

"I'm sorry for snapping at you," she said a few minutes later. "It's just that the last few days have been so crazy."

"Because of me... and your family?"

She looked over at me, an eyebrow arched. "You're not supposed to be able to do that anymore."

"Do what?"

"Read my mind."

"If I could, I wouldn't have to ask. I just wish you'd still be comfortable talking about it with me."

Maddie stayed silent for a few seconds before replying. "You remember that my sister's in the middle of a divorce, right?"

"Yeah."

"She's moving in this week."

"With her three kids. Ouch."

"There's more. My parents have been thinking about going to Denver for an extended period on business, but didn't want to leave me here by myself. With Erin moving back in, they're heading out next Sunday."

"For how long?"

"At least a year, I think."

"Will you be all right?"

"I guess so. You must be used to it by now."

"I didn't move out until my sophomore year, though. Parents may be annoying to live with when you're a teenager, but it's not easy living without them either."

"But you got through it. I will, too. I'll just need some time to adapt. So," she said, changing the subject, "What do you want to do today?"

"Did you have anything in mind?"

"Well, yeah. Problem is, you've got work."

"I managed to get quite a bit of work done last week, so I can afford to ditch today."