Behind The Scenes

[Chapter Two]

Chapter 2

The night I arrived in LA was busier than expected. Even with Dustin's help, it still took the three of us at least half an hour to transfer everything out of my fully packed car and into the house.

By the time I had somewhat sorted the boxes into piles to later be unpacked I realized that it was well past ten 'o'clock, which came with Dustin bidding us adieu, promising to return tomorrow. Abbie had taken up a resting spot on the couch in the living room, but after some gentle maneuvers, and a bit of luck on my part, I had moved her into my room, settling her under the covers before kissing her forehead and wishing her a goodnight sleep.

Downstairs I found Emily without much trouble, following my sense of smell as I headed towards the kitchen. "Mhmm," I started, "What smells so good?"

Emily, who was previously facing the counter, looked over her shoulder with a smile on her face as she nodded to the cup she was mixing. "Hot chocolate," she replied, "Want one?"

Nodding in response, I opened two cupboards before finding where she had stored the mugs. "It smells just like the kind Greta used to make us when we were younger." I commented, sliding the empty mug over to her, willing her to work her magic.

"That's because it is," she replied as she started mixing the ingredients together, "Greta gave me the recipe one night when I called her after a break-up a few years back. She thought it'd help to cheer me up a bit."

"And did it? Help with the break-up?"

"A bit, if I remember correctly," she smiled in response; stirring in the heated milk she had on hand from her own drink. "That and time I guess. But hey, I met Dustin a couple months after that, so I can't complain about the way everything turned out."

Nodding as she finished up, the two of us moved to the living room, where although there were too many boxes littered around the floor, the room brought a sense of comfort that the kitchen was lacking. Tucking my legs up under my body, I smiled at Emily. "How are things with you and Dustin?" I asked, genuinely interested in what I'd missed being so far away from my sister. There were only so many things you could catch up on with the odd phone call. "By what I saw tonight I'd say that he's completely in love with you."

Emily's cheeks reddened slightly at my comment as she sipped at her hot chocolate, but the grin that soon followed told me that she felt the same way. "Things are good, I mean we've been together for almost two years so we're pretty much over the honeymoon stage, but once and a while he still does things that are adorably sweet. I love him and right now, I can see myself with him in the future."

A small awing noise escaped my lips as I listened to my love-struck sister. "Well if you're happy with him then I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," she mumbled, "But what about your love life? Did you leave a trail of broken hearts on your way down here?" Smiling grimly I shook my head, responding with a negative as I sipped at my hot chocolate. With a frown, Emily looked at me confusedly. "Well why not?"

"It's not that hard to explain Em, in fact, you can probably guess the answer." I started. "Sure there's been a few dates here and there over the past couple of years, but they never end up going anywhere because as soon as Abbie's name gets thrown into the mix it's game over. No unattached guy my age wants a girl with a three year old, hence no boyfriend."

"Well maybe you'll find somebody down here that'll want to get to know you! I mean, sure you have a daughter, but you're still a great person. You're smart, funny, and you like to have fun once in a while, and soon enough, somebody will see that."

"We'll see." I said, the side of my lips turning up at her excitement and loving honesty.

As the conversation took a turn away from our love lives, or more specifically my non-existent one, our hot chocolates were soon gone, the mugs left resting empty on the coffee table as the two of us sat there talking, catching up with each other's lives as the time ticked by. Somewhere between midnight and one 'o'clock in the morning was when the exhaustion finally settled in, the two of us deciding it was finally time for bed.