When We Meet Again

Chapter 4

“I’m sorry about my mother,” Dean said as soon as she came to check on him that evening. She had received several messages asking for her to stop by in his room but she’d ignored the first three after ensuring there was no medical emergency. However if she continued to ignore his requests it would look like it was a big effing deal so she decided to just get it over with.

“Its fine,” she replied.

“It’s not. She was out of line. And I don’t want you to think that all that ‘you stole my valedictorian’ crap came from me. I never thought that.”

“Good to know,” Meaghan said her face closed.

“And of course we both know the wh*re thing is crap. That’s just Samantha being jealous,” he continued.

“Did you tell her that?” Meaghan wanted to know. “Because all of the time that she and her friends were bullying me, I never once heard you stand up for me.”

“I figured that if I defended you, it would create more problems than it would solve,” Dean said but he had the grace to blush as he said it. His green eyes were apologetic but he looked her straight in the eye nevertheless. Meaghan appreciated that. At least he wasn’t trying to dismiss the issue.

“Well anyway, it was a long time ago and we’ve all moved on right?” she said turning on her heel.

“Wait, Meaghan. Please don’t go,” he said. There was something in his voice that she didn’t understand. She turned around again to face him eyebrows raised.

“Why?” she asked.

“Just…I,” Dean trailed off. “I missed talking to you,” he finished and then grimaced.

“Yeah, I’m sure you did,” the sarcasm was thick in the air.

Dean sighed, “Okay I’m just going to go ahead and say it. I was an asshole in high school. Satisfied?”

“Are you satisfied?” Meaghan turned the question on him.

Dean eyes became thoughtful. “Actually no. I’m not.” He said hitting her with the full force of those emerald orbs. She tried to hold on to her anger but could feel it slipping away fast.

“So what are you going to do about it?” she managed to ask while trying to regulate her breathing.

“I’m going to ask your forgiveness. I’m sorry Meaghan for what an asshole I was in high school. Would you possibly condescend to being friends with me?” he asked still staring into her eyes and playing Jedi mind tricks with her equilibrium.

“I’m not your mother…I don’t condescend,” she said a bit sharply.

“Ouch,” he replied and then grinned at her. “So can we be friends or not?”
Meaghan shrugged and then felt like a petulant teenager for doing so, “I guess,” she said.

“Wonderful. So what are you reading these days?” he asked leaning back on the pillows. She hadn’t noticed how tense he’d been until he relaxed.

“Grey’s anatomy,” she asked and then grinned at his expression. “What? No quotes today?” she asked.

“When it comes to anatomy I prefer the Karma Sutra to Grey’s actually,” he said tongue in cheek.

“Ah, of course,” Meaghan said smiling.

“And from there can I neatly segue to, can I take you for dinner?” he asked.

Meaghan brows touched her edges, “Dinner? How do you propose to manage that?”

“Just say yes and leave the rest to me,” he said.

Meaghan took a deep breath. Bain was going to kill her for this. “Yes.”

*****

“You did what?” Bain asked as soon as she called him to tell him she’d agreed to have dinner with Dean.

“I’m not even sure he’s serious. I mean he has pins holding his leg together and his ribs are still delicate. I don’t even see how this is going to happen. And next week he’s going back home so…”

“So why. The hell. Did you say yes?” Bain wanted to know.

“Because…I wanted to find out. I’m sure whatever he plans will fall way short of my overactive imagination and the reality will erase the ideal. Then he’ll shrink to normal size in my mind and I’ll stop building him up as Prince Charming or whoever.”

“That’s a very good theory you’re spouting and I wish I could believe your reasons but I don’t. Sorry. I know you too well Megs. Don’t do this. You’ll only end up getting hurt. He has a girlfriend.”

“I know and this isn’t that kind of date. It’s a ‘sorry I was an asshole before can we be friends’ sort of date.”

Bain sighed deeply.

“Don’t sigh at me Bain,” Meaghan protested.

“Don’t make me sigh at you then. Use that mega-brain you’ve got and snap out of this!”

“One date Bain. Please. Just one okay?” Meaghan pleaded.

Bain sighed again, “Well I guess you’ll never let this go if you don’t go so, one date only. Now, tell me what you’re wearing.”

They spent the next forty minutes happily strategizing for the date even though Meaghan wasn’t sure exactly when it was or where Dean would be taking her. The conversation ended only because Meaghan’s mother called to solidify plans for her to go home for Thanksgiving.

“When do I expect you darling?” her mother wanted to know. She still lived in the same trailer park because she said that was her home and Meaghan should save her money to spend it other things. Life was easier though because she only had herself to support and Meaghan had insisted on getting her a car and paying maintenance on it as well as sending money for gas.
“I don’t know when but definitely by the day before Thanksgiving I should be in New York. Is Mr. Henley joining us this year?” she asked.

“Oh yes, and he’s bringing someone. An apprentice of his he wants you to meet.”

“Oh joy.” Meaghan said. Mr. Henley considered himself a connoisseur when it came to relationships even though he hadn’t been in one since his wife had died in 2000. He was continuously trying to fix Meaghan up with people who he thought would suit her. The primary criteria being they were classic rock lovers. Mr. Henley believed that the strength of a man’s character could be gauged by the music he listened to. So far though his matchmaking efforts hadn’t come to much. Meaghan and the guys might share a love for classic rock but that was generally the only area where there was any overlap.

“Don’t be like that about poor Mr. Henley. He has your best interests at heart,” her mom protested.

“I’m not. Really. I look forward to meeting this apprentice,” Meaghan said and her voice was even steady.

“That’s my girl. I can’t wait to see you,” her mom said.

“Me either mom. It’s been too long.” She said.

*****

Dean’s first order of business was to procure a new phone. Now that his mother had found him, the rest of his crew wasn’t far behind. His best friend, Smith Winchester had boarded the first flight to Colorado once the news hit that he was in hospital. Samantha was walking the catwalk in Milan but they’d had a hysterical phone call where she vented all her upset at his abrupt disappearance. Smith brought him his spare phone and collected his belongings from the hotel so that he didn’t have to deal with that.

“Hey. You’ll never guess who my doctor is,” he told him casually when he brought the phone.

“Who?” Smith asked just as casually. Although he already knew; Poppy had been very vocal in her disapproval of Dean’s doctor.

“You remember the scholarship girl that was in our year in high school? Meaghan Leonard?”

Smith frowned as he feigned trying to remember, “Black girl? Big hair?”

“That’s the one,” Dean nodded.

“She’s your doctor?” Smith asked incredulously.