~*~Brian’s point of view~*~

I’d gotten a call around noon from Kate. The book had finally come in. Hopefully it would shed some light on our little predicament. I needed the hope, at least. I wanted there to be an end in sight to being Nick.

I got to Mystic Illusions and tried to open the door. It was locked, but I spotted Kate behind the counter. From the looks of it, she was finishing that Austen book.

She looked up and I could see her mouthing “sorry,” referring to the door. I laughed at her apologetic tendency. “Hey! Come on in. I’ve got the book right over here.”

“Great,” I said, following her inside.

As she went behind the counter to grab it, I thought about the first time I’d read AJs card for this store.

“I thought you guys weren’t open on weekends?”

Kate tried to lean lower behind the computer, but I could see a faint blush. “We aren't, but I had to come in and get a few things done. I want everything in perfect order for when my grandmother gets back. And I knew you were really wanting this book,” she held it up. It was rather thick, with a faded skull on the cover. Her expression read that she still didn’t understand my fascination with this subject.

Well, that explained the locked door. The store already seemed like it was in perfect condition, though. I wondered if she’d really come in to give me the book. I smiled to myself as she rang it up. I handed her my credit card.

“Alright,” Kate said, putting it in a bag. “Here’s your receipt. When you see my grandmother, just give her your name. I’ve already told her about you, so hopefully she’ll be able to answer all the questions that I couldn’t.”

“Thanks so much,” I said, then realized that the next time I came in the store, Kate probably wouldn’t be here. I’d almost forgotten that her working here was temporary.

“Well… see you later.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Bye.” I made it three steps before I stopped and turned around. I don’t know where it had come from, but a surge of confidence had come through me. “Hey, Kate?”

She looked at me quizzically.

“Are you doing anything tonight?”

“Um… not really. Why?”

“Well, my friend is throwing a surprise party for his girlfriend. You wouldn’t want to come, would you?”

Kate thought about it for a few seconds. “Sure. Sounds like it could be fun.”

I left the store, but not before getting her address and promising to pick her up at five thirty.

*****

My palms had been a little sweaty when I’d picked her up, which wasn’t like me. But I’d wiped them off and laughed at myself. This wasn’t even really a date; just a casual get-together. I didn’t know why I was nervous. She only lived about fifteen minutes from Kevin’s, so we were the first ones there.

“Wow, this house is beautiful,” Kate breathed as we got out of my car. “And he lives all by himself?”

I nodded.

“Makes my place seem like a dollhouse,” she laughed.

We headed inside. Kevin and a girl I’d never met before were hanging streamers in the living room.

“Hey guys,” I said.

“Hi,” Kevin turned around. “Nick, have you met Madeline?”

So this was Madeline. Had fate worked out differently, I would’ve already been out on a double date with her. As far as looks were concerned, I could see why Kevin thought she would be a good date for me. She had long blonde hair and, well, she was pretty well-endowed for her petite frame. Madeline was wearing a sporty dress and smiled at Kevin’s introduction.

“Hi, Nick. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too. This place looks great,” I motioned to the decorations around the room. Everything was purple and pink, probably Kelly’s favorite colors.

Madeline must’ve read my mind because she said, “Yeah, I know. The colors are a little too Rainbow Bright, aren’t they?” She laughed. And it was a great laugh. “I tease her all the time about being a girly girl.” Madeline winked.

I laughed, too. “And this is Kate,” I finished the introductions. “That’s Kevin.”

He walked over to shake her hand.

I noticed that Kate was, in some ways, plainer than Madeline. She had a quieter presence and was dressed a little more conservatively. She’d probably take a book over a basketball any day. As far as the usual “checklist” went, Madeline should’ve been the girl for me.

But I was mostly interested in getting to know Kate more tonight. There simply wasn’t a spark with Madeline. Yes, I’d only just met her. And yes, she seemed like a wonderful person. Nevertheless, my heartbeat hadn’t sped up.

“You guys are a little early,” Madeline observed. “Would you mind setting up some food and stuff in the kitchen?”

“Sure,” Kate said to her and Madeline led the way.

“As you can see,” Madeline said, “Everything is still in the grocery bags! If you could just set it out and get everything out of the refrigerator real quick, I’d appreciate it! Kevin and I have been running around like crazy. Everyone else should be here in a few minutes, and then Kelly is supposed to come at six thirty. But she’s usually early.”

Kate made a face at the idea of being early all the time.

“I know, right?” Madeline laughed again before rejoining Kevin in the living room.

We started laying stuff on the counter. They’d gotten almost every 2-liter of soda known to man. Kate put those by the sink as I grabbed the tray of cheese and crackers from the fridge.

“Do you see cups anywhere?” she asked.

“Oh, they’re in the basement,” I told her. Then I did the “walking down stairs” trick since I was on the opposite side of the counter. When I disappeared from her view, I grabbed some from the cabinet, closing the door as softly as possible, and “walked” back up.

Kate had a huge grin on her face.

I threw her the cups. “Phew,” I wiped my forehead dramatically. “Those are steep stairs.”

“Alright, Mr. Funnyman, what about napkins and silverware? Those in the basement, too?” she raised an eyebrow.

“No, silly! Those are in the cabinet!” I bent over and grabbed those out of the same spot the cups had just been.

“Oh, you’re right. What was I thinking?” she laughed.

The other guests trickled in, and Kevin closed the blinds when he squeezed everyone into the living room. He’d periodically peek through the window when six thirty approached. Finally, he said that Kelly’s car had pulled into the driveway. Hopefully, she hadn’t noticed the higher car population. Most of us were parked down the street, but a few people in cars she wouldn’t recognize were in front of neighbor’s houses.

Kelly walked in a moment later and everyone yelled “surprise.” She looked as if she were about to have a heart attack. Madeline went up and hugged her.

“I can’t believe you guys did this!” she told Madeline and Kevin.

I heard the music turn on a minute later. Looking in the direction of the stereo, I spotted AJ playing DJ. I hadn’t seen him come in tonight.

“Um, hey,” Nick came up awkwardly. We hadn’t spoken outside of the studio since telling AJ. We were both acting very cordial towards one another.

“Hi Brian,” Kate said.

“Hi Kate,” he responded. I was impressed that he’d remembered her name. He was usually bad with them. And we were getting pretty good at answering to each other’s names now. Another sign that we had been swapped for way too long.

“Is there a restroom anywhere?” Kate asked.

“Yeah, go past the stairs and take a left.”

“Thanks. Be back in a minute.”

“So,” Nick said. “Have you talked to AJ?”

I shook my head. I’d just been wandering if he was avoiding me. I guess the answer was yes, since he hadn’t spoken to Nick either. He had left my house rather suddenly, and hadn’t spoken to us while recording any more than was necessary.

Kevin and Howie were at wits end. First Nick and I were fighting. Even now it was a strained relationship. They’d noticed that AJ had something going on with us now, too. And they were totally clueless.

AJ had still claimed that he didn’t believe us. But if that were true, I couldn’t see why he would’ve ignored us. And the look on his face when I’d… well, said some evidence had shown otherwise. I guess he was still processing how this could be happening.

I whispered to Nick my suspicions, about AJ trying to sort it out.

“I guess. I sure wouldn’t have believed you if I were him. So you here with Kate on a date?”

“Umm…” I said. “Sort of. I saw her at the bookstore…”

“Isn’t it closed on weekends?”

“Yeah,” I said. “But our book came in.”

“Oh, yeah?” he said, eyes wide. “What’s it say?”

“I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet. I’ll do it tomorrow.”

Nick folded his arms. “Couldn’t you have started reading it this afternoon?”

Yes was the correct answer. I’d had a little time, but I’d gotten distracted by a baseball game on ESPN. Oops. “Well, I wouldn’t have gotten far. Not since we had to be here tonight.”

Nick looked at something behind me and then switched places with me.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing,” he said.

I looked behind where he was standing now. Madeline was talking to Kelly. “Do you not want to talk to her?” He sure didn’t want her to see him.

He shrugged, looking a little nervous. “I just didn’t know what to say last time.” He stopped when Howie walked up.

“Hey guys. So what happened with you two and AJ?”

Nick and I exchanged a look. He’d obviously just come from taking to him. I couldn’t think of what to say.

Nick said, “I don’t know. He’s just being kind of anti-social. If you find out, we’d love to know.”

Howie nodded, still thinking on it. I wondered what AJ had told him.

“Hey, Nick?” I whispered. “I think Madeline is coming over here.”

“Oh. Gotta go!” he said, and without another word, he headed into the crowd.

Howie and I laughed. I thought about all the things going on, and all the people brought together tonight.

This was going to be an interesting party.