Dog Days Are Over - Part I

Round 8 - August 2041 - BTU

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Meadow Thayer and Ginger Newson are 21, Joss Willis is 8 months ( Caleb Henderson is 21 )

Happiness, hit her, like a train on a track

Coming towards her, stuck still, no turning back 

She hid around corners, and she hid under beds

She killed it with kisses, and from it she fled

With every bubble, she sank with a drink

And washed it away down the kitchen sink

The dog days are over, the dog days are done

The horses are coming, so you better run

Florence + The Machine

His name was Armand Wrightwood, and he was amazing. He was a rich and successful businessman who had recently moved to LaQuest Beach. He was originally from Lyon, France and had the most adorable accent. And he seemed to really like her. And she was happy........well, for the most part. It seemed that Slade had left her a bit distrustful of what men said they wanted. And that would just never do! It wouldn't be fair of her not to give Armand a fair chance........

They had gone on a few dates since she met him at The Hub 3 months ago and she still couldn't find a flaw in him. He was cultured and mature and charming.......everything she had ever wanted in a guy..........

"I have something I need to tell you. Something I probably should have said to you before now," Meadow said.
"Oh? What is it, chèri?"
"Well........I have a child. A little girl.......and she's eight months old," she said.
"Hmmmmmmm. And where is her father?" he asked.
"He's around. But we aren't together any more.......I guess we never really were. I liked him but he didn't want to be serious with me......or any other girl for that matter. She wasn't planned but I love her very much," Meadow said.

"Chèri, I do not care that you have a small child. I am in my 30's now, I am looking to settle down and have a few of my own. I cannot believe he would leave you alone to raise your daughter," Armand said.
"Oh Slade helps out with her. Financially and emotionally. We just aren't together. We were never a good match, I suppose. He's a musician and his first love is his music. Chasing women is probably a close second," Meadow said laughing.
"Well il est un idiot, no? I do not care that you have a child, mon cher. I have enjoyed all the time we have spent together, and I hope we can continue to build a relationship together. Maybe I can meet your belle fille one day," he said. 
"What is wrong with you?" Meadow blurted out.
"Quoi? What do you mean?"
"Nothing, I'm sorry! It's just......well you seem so wonderful, so perfect."
"Personne n'est parfait, I have my flaws as I'm sure you'll find out," Armand said laughing.

"Shall we make a toast?" he asked.
"To what?"
"To clearing the air, no? Now can progress forward with nothing between us," he said.
"I'm glad. I was afraid you wouldn't want to date a single mother," Meadow said.
"Who wouldn't want to date someone as beautiful and kind as you?"

And so they finished dinner, talking about their respective lives, mostly his. He was an only child and had recently inherited his family's business after the death of his father. His mother left his father when he was six years old. He spoke French fluently as well as English, German, and Spanish. He was expanding their business into the states and had recently bought a home in Lorrington. Meadow had done a little research and found that his company was worth millions........looked like she would get her rich man after all.

"So, would you like to see my new house?" Armand asked after dinner.
"That sounds lovely.......but I can't. I left Joss at home with my room mate and she'd kill me if I stayed out too late." 
"Surely an hour or two wouldn't make much difference? It's still quite early."
"Yes......look, Armand. I really like you. But........I jumped head first into things with Slade and it bit me in my ass. I really want to take things slowly this time around," Meadow said.
"Ne vous inquiétez pas, mon cher. I am a patient man. We can progress at any speed you like," he said.

"This all seems to be too good to be true," she said.
"Every woman deserves her fairytale. I want to give that to you," Armand said.
"I want that too," she said laughing.
"There is one thing you must know about me, mon cher. I do not share. If you are to be with me, then you are with me. I will not tolerate anything less," he said.
"I don't think that will be a problem. As long as that goes for you too."
"Without a doubt. Let me get you home before I find myself unwilling to do so," he said with a smile.

Meadow returned home floating on cloud nine and Ginger found herself worrying about her friend once again.
"You know, you are so much easier to deal with than your mother!" Ginger said as she cradled Joss.

 Meadow had some how talked herself into a job deejaying at a local club. Since she worked late hours, they were able to dismiss Joss' nanny. Ginger was glad to have her days back. It felt like she and Caleb hadn't been on a date in forever!

Ginger had never really been good at sports. Like ever. But Caleb had really gotten into surfing and against her better judgement, she agreed to let him attempt to teach her how to do it. She had to admit, it was quite fun at first. She was so proud that she actually rode a wave on her first try............

But soon she was tumbling into the crashing waves while Caleb laughed at her from his board. Some great boyfriend he was!

So she felt no remorse about beaning him with a flood of water balloons once she recovered from her fall. She still couldn't believe he returned her feelings almost two years ago now...........

He'd seen her at her worst and her best and all those awkward stages in between........he was her best friend and she couldn't imagine her life without him. She hoped she never had to. He had really helped her keep her mind off the fact that her brother was a world away at the moment. She didn't know how he felt about it, but she would marry him in a heartbeat. 

But they had time for that. There was no need to rush things, she wanted things to be perfect. And as long as she was with him, they always would be. 

Slade came over while Ginger was out with Caleb to discuss Joss.
"I heard the album went gold. Congratulations," Meadow said.
"Thanks. I paid off my house, so now it's mine. It actually ate up most of the money. But I've started a trust for Joss. I want to make sure she has the money to go to college when she's older," Slade said.
"That's really nice of you," she said.

"Nice of me? She's my daughter, it's not about being nice. It's about doing what's best for her. This isn't about me and you and I don't want you to get the impression that anything I do is for you," Slade said.
"You just couldn't do it could you? You just couldn't come over here and have a pleasant visit with your daughter without starting shit with me," Meadow said.
"I'm not starting anything with you. Just stating facts. I don't want you to get confused about my motives for doing things."
"I've told you before, Slade. I don't want anything else to do with you. Nothing at all. I've moved on. Actually, I needed to speak with you about that."
"What about it?"
"I've been seeing this guy for a few months now, and I want to introduce him to Joss," Meadow said.

"Introduce him to Joss? She's a baby! I am not going to have random dudes around my daughter Meadow. You just had her eight months ago and you're already running around with guys?" Slade said.
"Your daughter? She is OUR daughter Slade. And I don't need your permission to date. You probably had some woman over the night she was born. I'm the one who has her most of the time. And this isn't some random dude as you put it. He happens to be a very successful business man. And if I didn't see myself being with him for a long time, I wouldn't bring him around her. So if you think you're going to get to dictate how I live my life, you thought wrong!" Meadow said.
"No one is trying to run your life! Yes, I have women over. But not while Joss is there. I don't exactly date women who need to meet my daughter. I just think we should get a chance to meet anyone the other wants to bring around her. You don't have the best decision making skills, Meadow."
"You're right. Obviously my decision making is off. I slept with you," Meadow said rolling her eyes.
"Whatever. I mean it Meadow. If you want this guy to see her, then I need to see him first."
"Sounds like jealousy to me," Meadow said.
"Don't flatter yourself. Now where is my daughter?"

She didn't know who Slade thought he was. But she wasn't going to let him get to her. She would do what she always did......whatever the hell she wanted! It was conversations like that that made her regret having Slade as Joss' father. But then she would see how gentle and loving he was with her, and while she knew she would always bump heads with him, she had to admit that he was a good father. 

* So I'll be splitting the uni update into two parts this time. Whenever I can, I try to just make it one post. But that's hard to do sometimes with the posts coming from two different locations. 

* Ginger and Meadow are finally friends lol. This was the slowest friendship I've seen in a while! Meadow is still in the slacker career and is now a house deejay. I still plan to let her open up her own store after she gets her degree in business administration. If she gets with Armand, he can pay for it :)

* I've moved Armand into a nice house and given him quite a bit of money. I can totally see him and Meadow together. I'm still working out his background in my head. 

* Caleb and Ginger are so sweet they give me a toothache lol. She rolls a want for him every single day that I play her :). I'm sure he'll be the same when I play LBU for part II

* I'm actually going to do a birthday post in between this and the second half. I didn't want to do two birthday posts back to back so this lets me break them up a bit. 

* One more semester and they graduate! As it stands right now, Meadow and Ginger will continue living together, but Armand may change that.......we'll just have to see how it all plays out.