Wait For It (Sequel to Challenge Accepted)

Chapter Ten: Bask In The Light

Barney, shockingly enough, was the first to come down the stairs. I looked up at him from where I sat on top of the bar in the corner, before looking away again.

"What was that?" He asked, coming over and standing in front of me. I sighed, burying my face in my hands.

"She's right. She's right, isn't she?"

"Right about what? That you work in a Pub? You knew that." I shook my head.

"I have no room to give anyone career advice because I don't have a career. I've been working in a Pub for so long that I completely forgot to be looking for a career."

"Well, what do you want to do? What are you looking for." A thought popped into my head.

"I know exactly what I'm going to do. I'll be back." I jumped off of the bar, grabbing my phone and dialing a phone number. "Hey, Lina. Your brother still interested in publishing that book?"

~~~

When I came back into the basement, I'm...I'm not quite sure what was happening to be honest.

"Ted, we're not moving. End of discussion." Stella said.

"How can it be end of discussion if there's never been a discussion?"

"This is part of being a parent. I can't just uproot Lucy." Ted replied.

"People with Kids move all the time, and I think it would be really great for Lucy to grow up in the greatest city in the world."

"Oh, here we go. New York's the greatest city in the whole wide world. It's where dreams come true and pigeon poop tastes like tapioca. Wanna know a little secret, Ted? New Jersey is better than New York."

"Ah crap." I came downstairs, joining the others on the other side of the room.

"Better than...you think...I...The Empire State buil...H&H Ba...Lincoln Ce...Za...Papaya King!" He stuttered.

"Where did you go?" Barney whispered in my ear.

"I'll tell you later."

"New York is the intellectual and cultural hub of the planet."

"New York is full of weirdoes and snobs and mean people. Ted, do you know that, once, an old lady actually called me a Grinch and threw a cat in my face?" She didn't actually say Grinch. "And you wanna know if that happened in New Jersey? Uh-uh. 86th and Lex, right in front of your beloved little Papaya King. Ted, people are nice in New Jersey. I mean, it's the kind of place where you know your neighbors."

"Hey, I know my neighbors. Oh, yeah? Like who?"

"Lauren."

"I don't live in your building anymore Ted." I reminded him.

"Paxton lives there now."

"Love that dude." He said.

"Ok Stella, this is crazy, you can't actually think that New Jersey is better than New York." Lily said. "New York has Broadway. We win right there."

"Oh, no, she did not. Knuckle up for safety." Barney tried. When he got nothing, he settled back into the beanbag next to me.

""We have Atlantic City."

"Can't beat the AC. Pretty please? No one has to know." Stella ignored him.

"New York has Greenwich village."

"New Jersey has the shore."

"Woody Allen." Lily threw in.

"Oscar-winning chronicler of urban neuroses. Bump it!"