InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "You're a red-headed woman."

Gina Marie (gigigina) wrote in chicagothread,
@ 2009-05-12 22:37:00

[WHO:] Gina & Vaughn

_vaughn_
[WHAT:] Planning a NY Vacation
[WHEN:] Tuesday May 12^th - Late Evening
[WHERE:] Dare we say... Their Apartment!
[STATUS:] Comments
[RATING:] PG-13 [Most Likely]

The emotions that had been surging through Gina over the past week or so had had her head whirling with thought throughout her work day. There were so many reasons to be happy and to keep that smile she had on her face plastered there. However behind the smile she couldn’t help but have a few other emotions as well. After talking to Shon the previous night about the child that they had lost her thoughts had kept wandering off to the what could have been scenarios and the what if questions that she had often pondered. There were so many emotions that she couldn’t describe and there was no way for her to put them into words. They didn’t take away from her happiness they were just emotions that paralleled those feelings. With Vaughn, she was happy. She was more than happy. Her life was where she wanted it to be. Gina knew everything happened for a reason and she knew that their break-up had been just a bump in the road on their journey with one another.

Before leaving work, Gina sat there with her employee work schedule in her hands. She had kept herself off of the schedule for awhile so that she and Vaughn would be able to plan their trip, and she really didn’t need to be there most of the time anyway. As her eyes looked over the paper to make sure everyone had a fair amount of hours she zoned out a bit in thought. Her mind reverted back to the conversation with Shon again. Gina’s lips pressed into each other as she thought about what they talked about. Gina believed that their child had a purpose, even though he or she was not brought into the world. When she told Shon she believed their child was watching over them to make sure that they were happy, she meant that. Their little angel, as Shon had referred to their baby, was watching them and guiding them; they had their own little guardian angel. As much as she believed that to be the truth, she also believed that she was being punished. The first baby she had carried and lost was one that she didn’t really want and didn’t really accept until after she had already lost it. She believed that it was her fault that their child was lost because she didn’t appreciate the first one the same way. It was an irrational thought, and she would likely never say it aloud but it was how she was processing everything and no matter what she thought, the child that would have been due any day now wasn’t going to be brought back. She realized that, she accepted that, and she knew that if she ever did conceive another child that it wouldn’t replace the ones she hadn’t been able to carry to term.

Gina sighed and she placed the schedule in a folder on the desk for the managers the next day to look over to clear their own hours. Her purse was gathered and the light-weight jacket she had worn into work was slipped on. As she walked out of the restaurant and locked up she let her mind go back to the good things, not wanting to dwell on the thoughts that made her on the sad side. Her mind had gone back to Vaughn and their relationship. She wasn’t quite sure where it was going but at this point, she didn’t see it going badly and she wasn’t going to think too much on things without knowing what Vaughn wanted from their relationship. She could see them going in so many different ways but each outcome was something she saw herself being happy doing. The ride home from the restaurant was a short and familiar one and she often wondered why she didn’t walk to work and then take a cab back home but that was when she remembered the shoes she normally wore to work and that she would have had some killer blisters if she walked.

When she finally made it to her building and up to her floor she fumbled through her keys to find the proper one to open the door. A little sigh escaped her and she smiled. She wasn’t sure if Vaughn would be inside or if he was going to come by later. It was a mystery lately if she was going to end up seeing him immediately or later but it seemed that they had been seeing more and more of each other than ever before. It was everything she had wanted the first time around and it seemed as if they had picked right back up where they left off. With barely a hitch they were back on their path and exploring where their lives would take them. Gina put her purse and keys down on the table inside the door and she nudged the door closed behind her with her hip, relocking it before she finally stepped further into the apartment. “Vaughn… Are you here?” There was an inquisitive tone to her voice as she stepped into the living room and looked around. Not seeing him right away made her assume he wasn’t there, and he very well could have not been there but that hadn’t stopped her from hoping to see him sitting on the couch watching television and waiting for her.

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_vaughn_
2009-05-12 10:25 pm UTC (link)

Vaughn's week had been an interesting one and with each day that passed, he felt like he was getting more and more on track. Not just with himself but with others as well, and for that he was more than just a little happy. There were still parts of his life that were hanging in the balance and could go either way but he chose not to think about any of that; it would only make him sulk again and he wasn't prepared to go back to that. He was unstable enough in his own mind without outside help, that much he knew for sure. His apartment was in shambles with boxes everywhere he looked, perhaps the most excruciating part for him was that he'd packed up most of his kitchen. It was his sanctuary and now he could hardly use it, so that's when he made the decision to just leave and come back slowly for the rest of his things.

Most of his important stuff had been packed up, and that's what he loaded into his truck to take over to Gina's. He knew she was working but he also had the key, so he figured he could get some stuff done before she got home. She'd been clearing things out for him ever since they basically mutually decided that he'd move into her apartment. Some may think they were out of their goddamn minds; he might agree with the statement. He never said he wasn't nuts, but he also didn't feel like they were in a new relationship either. That's the part that made him not even put much thought into moving, it just didn't seem like it made any difference. He'd gotten to her place about an hour after he got home from work, and had decided to just get right back to moving things before he showered. Of course he took the opportunity to fill the space in the closet that she cleared for him; he had a feeling that if he didn't, she'd fill it right back up again and he'd be shit out of luck.

He emptied as many of the boxes that he'd brought with him as he could before he just didn't feel like it anymore, and that's when he went off and showered. A brief thought went to dinner and the fact that he should probably make some for when she got back from work, but it was fleeting because he heard her calling out to him. Tugging on his t-shirt, he poked his head out of the bedroom door with a broad smile and a wave. "I was just thinking about you. Well, more like ..what would Gina want for dinner? But you know me, that's sweet in my own way," he said through a laugh as he stepped up to her and presented her with a kiss.

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gigigina
2009-05-12 10:44 pm UTC (link)

Many people probably did think they were crazy for how quickly their relationship moved. The first time and this time the two of them had moved almost at lightning speed but that was nothing new to Gina. She had always been in relationships that moved quickly and it was something she was used to and actually comfortable with. They both knew that her cousin thought they were insane for even getting back together, if Vaughn had told her they had taken this step to moving in with one another already, Tania likely would have been cursing at both of them and having them committed. However, Miss Russo didn’t care in the slightest. She was happy with how things were and she liked that they picked right back up. It wasn’t like they were seeing each other for a week in her eyes. It was like they were seeing each other for five months… Five months with a bit of an awkward phased stuck in the middle of it; but five months none the less. She knew that come December she’d be calling it a year together anyway.

When Vaughn stuck his head out of the bedroom a smile immediately curled Gina’s lips. “I almost thought you weren’t here. I was going to be disappointed.” When he kissed her, her lips responded with a gentle embrace to return his sentiment. Gina’s arms found their way around Vaughn’s waist and as her lips pulled back she couldn’t help the smile that had reformed afterward. “Dinner hm? Well. I could go for just about anything. There’s ground sirloin for burgers or tacos as well as pretty much any sort of chicken dish you could possibly want to make.” Gina’s kitchen was always fully stocked. As much as she loved shoe shopping and clothing shopping; grocery shopping was at times her favorite. She loved exploring what she could do in the kitchen and was always up for making up her own concoctions – even if some didn’t always turn out as well as they sounded.

“And while you cook, we can talk about when we go to New York. Since the last time we were going to do that, I got distracted by the delicious meal and well… these.” Her lips pressed to his in another gentle yet very brief kiss. If there was one thing Vaughn had going for him, if he was fighting with Gina or wanted her to shut up, all he had to do was kiss her and the distraction would set in. Taking a step back from him she let her hands slide free of his waist but immediately they caught his hands instead. Her fingers laced into his and her eyebrows rose. “So do you want to do the honor of making dinner while I change out of these work clothes and catch a quick shower, or do you want me to make something?”

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_vaughn_
2009-05-12 11:23 pm UTC (link)

"I have been here for .." he trailed off with a look to the clock, trying to figure out just how long it had actually been. "Hm, maybe three or four hours at this point. I had some stuff to bring over and get put away. Speaking of which, go check out the closet," he grinned while pointing down the hallway. "I'll go figure something out, and hurry up because I have ideas for New York." Giving her another peck, he backed away from her and went off into the kitchen to try and decide what he wanted to cook. He wasn't in the mood to do anything that was too involved; his head was swarming from all of the things that he had to get done before they went to New York and he'd probably mess it all up. What good was food if it was all burned?

He decided on tacos since they were simple, and got right down to frying the meat up. As soon as he heard her turn the water off from her shower, he pushed away from the counter and went over to grab the extra things so he could chop up the lettuce and tomatoes. Though as soon as she returned to the kitchen, he popped a diced tomato into his mouth and went back over to check on the meat, stirring it around a little while he cleared his throat. "I was thinking ..what part of New York do you want to stay in? When I go, I'm always in Queens to see Kit, she has a pub there where I play poker. And then I work in Brooklyn usually, but I'm not working when we go, so we don't have to stay there," he shrugged, keeping his eyes on the meat for the most part since it was nearly done.

"Manhattan?" he asked as he turned to glance at her, lips curling into a smile. "We have some stuff to talk about, I suppose. All kinds of things." Reaching up, he grabbed plates for them and grabbed the shells from the oven where he'd been heating them up. Once everything was in order, he carried everything over to the table and directed her to sit, placing her plate in front of her. "What's on your mind?"

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gigigina
2009-05-13 12:01 am UTC (link)

That smile that she had on her face was seemingly plastered there when she was with Vaughn. It was so easy for her to be happy with him and she knew exactly why. All of those thoughts about not being in love, just loving him, were just thoughts. The feelings inside of her were different. Gina knew she had to listen to her heart and not her head when it came to their relationship. Her heart had always guided her in the right direction and her head was where she faltered. “Alright baby, I’ll check it out and I’ll be back after my shower.” She pressed another kiss to his lips before they parted ways and she went to the bedroom. A little content sigh escaped her as she brought her hand up into her hair and she let her fingers run through it a little bit. The closet door was open and when she saw his things in the spot she cleared for him an even brighter smile appeared upon her lips. It was really happening. He was moving in and they were going to have their dream relationship. Biting her lower lip at the corner she then turned and made her way into the bathroom that only opened within their bedroom. It was amazing to Gina, their bedroom, their bathroom, their apartment. It was theirs now and it couldn’t have been more perfect.

The shower was soon taken, the steamy water feeling good against her back as she relaxed a little bit. The steady stream hitting her shoulders was relieving a bit of tension from the work day and if Vaughn wasn’t cooking in the other room she likely would’ve stayed there until the hot water went cold. However, in this building the hot water was abundant and she likely would have left for her fingers getting pruney before she left for cold water reasons. Legs were shaved, hair was washed and Gina was finally finished with the shower. Emerging from the bathroom, the smell of her cucumber melon body wash was masked by the smell of the tacos being prepared in the other room. Not cooking dinner for herself was something she was growing accustomed too and she looked forward to the nights were Vaughn was cooking. She’d never admit it to anyone else, but he put her skills in the kitchen to shame at times. She’d admit it to him, but not to the rest of the world.

After changing into a light blue velour sweat suit she made her way into the kitchen. Her long hair had been put up into a damp messy bun at the back of her head and the sweat suit’s hoodie was zipped up to just above her breasts. She hadn’t bothered with anything beneath it for now but it wasn’t obvious that she was only wearing the hoodie. So many questions came out of Vaughn and she listened carefully when he spoke but she didn’t answer anything he had said until she was sitting. “Well, with the places I was looking to sight see at, Manhattan would likely be the best place to stay. Maybe we could get a room at the Marriott in Times Square?” Her shoulders shrugged as she picked up a fork and began making her taco from the things he had put on the table in front of her. “And what other kinds of things do we have to talk about besides the Statue of Liberty, making-out on the top of the Empire State Building and going to see a Broadway show of my choosing?” She looked up with a smirk wondering if he’d complain about that last part but hoping he didn’t.

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_vaughn_
2009-05-13 12:17 am UTC (link)

The biggest reason why Vaughn was so quick to move in was because he hadn't felt pressured by her to do so. When he felt pressured by anyone to do anything, he usually just removed himself from the situation as best as he could. If she would have urged him to in any way, he would have ignored it and would be sitting in his own apartment in that moment, so it's a good thing that she didn't. It wasn't necessary for them to live together, it wasn't entirely convenient either, it was being done because they wanted to do it. Besides, ever since their reunion, he hadn't been spending too many days at his own apartment anyway so it was turning into a huge waste of money on his part. Of course her apartment was the most reasonable option, it had the most space and was completely paid for. His was only meant to be a bachelor pad and barely had enough room for him and all of his things, let alone anyone elses. When the market got a bit better, he had every intention of looking for an actual house, but he was actually in no hurry to do any of that.

He took a seat, watching her put together her tacos with a sigh and a rub against his forehead. "We can do that, sure," he replied, biting his lip to conceal the laughter that he felt coming on at the mention of Broadway. "Oh, I'm sorry. I don't know who you thought you were talking to just then, but it's me. Vaughn. Broadway isn't a term that I'm familiar with, nor do I ever want to be. Denied!" He wiggled his eyebrows and started fixing up his own tacos, watching her with a tilt of his head. "Can't I go be a guy and play poker while smoking cigars when you're doing that?" He was only partially kidding; if she was really that invested in going, he would take her. But he made no promises when it came down to enjoying it. None at all. He'd probably complain every now and then, just enough to let her know that he was doing it against his will. "We have a lot to talk about actually," he said moments later, waiting until he'd taken a bite of the taco and chewed it fully before he went any further.

"Such as, well, what we want to do about certain things. Certain aspects of our lives ..life. Oh, and when we get back, we have that damn wedding to go to. I swear I want to blow the damn thing up, but at least at this point the bride and groom are ready to kill each other so one of them might beat me to it."

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gigigina
2009-05-13 12:48 am UTC (link)

The last thing in the world Gina wanted to do was pressure Vaughn into anything. That wasn’t a relationship. If he didn’t want to do something then he shouldn’t have to do it. Moving in was a great decision since they spent every night together any way and there was no reason for them not to just take that step officially when they were doing it anyway. It had been an idea she had before they broke up and it was an idea she was happy he was okay with now. After taking a bite of her taco she looked up at him as he spoke about not going to Broadway. Her lower lip pouted out a little bit and she then spoke softly in response. “You’ll like it. I want to see Chicago and I hear there are a lot of half dressed women in that one.” Her own eyebrows rose and she gave him a look as if she was trying to convince him. “Not to mention, a man who sits through a Broadway show for his girlfriend, is a man who is getting laid afterward.” Her shoulders shrugged upward and when he continued speaking she took another bite of her taco and listened.

When he said their lives but corrected himself to make it their life Gina couldn’t help but smile. It was just as she was thinking before she took a shower. Their life together was officially starting. “Well, I’ll pick out a nice dress when we go to New York so that I look hot at the wedding. You know, to show off your hot girlfriend that you found all on your own rather than the girl they were trying to set you up with.” She couldn’t help but laugh a bit, her nose scrunching the slightest bit at the bridge when she did so. “And what other aspects of our life do we need to discuss? The hogging the bed thing? I’ll do my best with that. As for hogging the blankets? I might kill you one night for making me cold.” She winked at him and took a bite of her taco; he had done a great job keeping the meat still somewhat tender and not dry like most tacos ended up being. After swallowing she used a napkin to wipe her mouth before she finally continued. “I’ll be serious now though, what else are we talking about?” Her lips curled again into a smile and she let out a content sigh. It was obvious she was happy. The look on her face, the look in her eyes, she couldn’t get much happier than that.

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_vaughn_
2009-05-13 11:00 am UTC (link)

Her selling point for Broadway had him laughing before she even finished talking. He nearly choked but managed to swallow before looking to her, one eyebrow shot upward. "Again, you're talking to me here. I'll be getting laid either way, because come on, let's not get crazy," he replied with another laugh and let his foot tap against the floor. Broadway was on his agenda whether he liked it or not, it seemed, but he was cooking something up in his head that he knew she wouldn't have a good time doing so that it would be an even trade off. Bonus points if she complained the whole time.

The mention of his former girlfriend had him nodding the whole time, it was something that amused him to this day. He'd picked the girl on his own and all but there was pressure from their families to make it official and it was the straw that broke the camel's back in his opinion. They were only leaving high school when this all came about and he had no intentions on ever making it beyond that with her. The fact that he was in her wedding as the best man was only because he was friends with the guy she had moved on with after him, and he remained in contact with them over the years. "Sad part is that neither one of them look anything like they did when we were in high school. Now they look like they're all ..man, I don't know. Too much stress will kill you." He shifted against the chair, happy that Gina was going to be tackling the wedding with him even if he didn't think to tell her that.

"Alright, well. We'll get a bigger bed, that's all I can say. Not that I mind waking up to you on top of me because that gets me places, but the whole night isn't necessary. Hogging the blankets isn't my fault, I don't know why you're blaming that on me," he said with half of a grin, lowering his gaze while he finished off the taco. "I'll be serious now though. I told you that when things get better, we'll look for a house, but I don't have any time frame for that. Not that I can know when the market will bounce back, but I also think that this apartment has enough rooms for quite some time. Three bedrooms will do us just fine, even if we do expand," he said the last part quietly, but with a smile, and sat back while contemplating if he was still hungry or not.

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gigigina
2009-05-13 12:23 pm UTC (link)

Gina continued to eat while Vaughn spoke. What he said was right about the Broadway show. He was going to get laid whether he went or not. The last thing that Gina wanted to do was withhold when she too wanted something and with the way they were around each other it would be hell for herself more than Vaughn. Honey brown eyes watched him and when he started to talk about the bride and groom-to-be she smiled a little bit. A lot of people tended to change after high school, however it may be. Gina was luckily not one of those people who changed drastically. Even the people who hadn’t seen her since she was sixteen knew who she was when she went back to New Jersey. During a few crazy years she did some stupid things that could have messed up her entire life, drugs, excessive amounts of alcohol, but thankfully she got herself out of that place in her life without too much of a repercussion.

“So we’re going to upgrade to a California King instead of just a king size? Amazing, I’ve always wanted a bed that could fill the whole room.” Gina laughed a little bit but when Vaughn got serious, so did she. As he spoke she took a sip of the drink that was on the table; but upon hearing his last few words that drink became a bad idea. Gina nearly choked on her beverage and her eyes went wide. Did he really just say what she thought he said? Her hand went to her chest and her eyes remained as wide as a deer’s would be had they been caught in headlights. When she had her throat cleared, she was baffled. Everything she had been thinking about and everything she had been worried about had just been laid out on the table in front of her. True he didn’t give her a time frame for when it would happen but technically he was saying it might be soon. “Did you just say what I think you said?” Gina finally responded; her eyes locked on his face, trying to read him as if she had heard him wrong. Gina bit her lower lip gently at the left corner but a smile soon curled her lips. The slightly confused look was taken over by a happy one.

Part of her wasn’t sure how to further the conversation, she didn’t want to pressure Vaughn or to make things go to a point that he was uncomfortable with. Vaughn knew Gina wanted to have a baby. She wanted to be a mother and she wanted to have a family of her own. This time last year she would have never imagined that she would be in the position of wanting a child and it took her awhile to realize that it was what she wanted but now, she knew. “I don’t know what to say, Baby. I mean… In all your updates after we broke up you might it seem like that was something you didn’t want anymore; or that you never really did want it.” Even knowing that that was a possibility and that he really didn’t want kids anymore, Gina had gotten back into the relationship that she had loved. She enjoyed her time with Vaughn and she was happy when she was with him and that was what mattered the most to her.

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_vaughn_
2009-05-13 01:03 pm UTC (link)

Vaughn should have realized that he more than likely dropped a bombshell on her just then, but he didn't. In his mind, the pendant that he'd given her on Mother's Day and the explanation that came afterward spoke enough for him. They'd talked about all of this stuff the first time they were together, in fact, they seemingly hashed it all out before they really even met. That was the first sign to him that he was going just a little crazy, but he didn't listen to it and just dove right in. Sure enough, his mind began to get the best of him and he dipped out on everything when it got a little too hectic for him. In the few months that followed, it became obvious to him that he wasn't the same person that he used to be. There were tons of drinking sprees that went hand in hand with break ups for most people, but there were no rebounds. He hadn't even attempted at one, he'd turned down advances, and that's when he knew that something was different with him.

It may have been fear that things were progressing faster than he was used to, but he also allowed them to do so. In fact, he encouraged them for the most part. So why he went on a head trip not too long after was anyone's guess. Dropping the unfinished taco onto the plate, he sat back and licked his lips with a look to her. "I'm just saying. I am not saying that we try for it, because that's just not my style. I think that's for people who are a little more advanced and whatnot, but I'm also not saying that we prevent. Catch my drift? Since we're seemingly all for letting things happen naturally this time around," he said as he abruptly stood and grabbed his plate. "At the time, after we broke up, everything that I said was true. I didn't want that at the time. My head was all messed up." He dropped the plate off into the sink for the time being, he would get to that later. Grabbing them both a drink, he walked back to the table and pressed a kiss to her forehead, handing her drink over to her in the process.

"I don't do very well with plans, as you probably figured out by now. But the natural progression of things seems to do me just fine, so, that's what I'm saying." He took her by the hand and tugged her up, even if she wasn't finished; he could be greedy when he wanted to be. From there, he led her into the living room and pulled her down onto the couch with him, taking a moment to uncap the bottle of water for a sip before he spoke again. "Did I just kill you? I can be shocking at times, I should work on that."

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gigigina
2009-05-13 02:37 pm UTC (link)

The pendant and the words that had come with it had said a lot to Gina. However, she was assuming that the thoughts were much farther in the future than Vaughn had seemed to portray by his expanding statement. She knew it was a possibility that the two of them would take that step she just didn’t know if or when it would actually happen. She didn’t think this conversation was coming so soon. It wasn’t so much a bombshell it was as if a happy surprise had fallen right into her lap and she just didn’t know what to say in return. Like Vaughn, she hadn’t rushed out and found something else. She hadn’t been with anyone, hadn’t had the advances made and hadn’t given anyone the time of day to make them. She wasn’t sure where her life was headed and she didn’t want to make mistakes and anything that would have happened in those few months would have surely been mistakes. This was where she was supposed to be and her questioning her actions prior to doing them was a sure sign that she had in fact grown up; not only that, she had fallen harder than she had thought. She had had her moments where she doubted herself and her feelings but she kept returning back to the same thoughts she was having when they were together. Marriage, kids, white picket fence and two dogs in the backyard; she wanted the American dream.

When Vaughn finally started speaking again she listened quietly. She was still a bit in shock and was more-so speechless than just being silent. She sat there for several moments until he pulled her to her feet. With the water bottle in her hand she made her way out of the kitchen with him. All she could do was blink and when they made it to the living room and took a seat, she placed her unopened water on the table in front of her. That natural smile crept its way across her face and she a soft little half laugh escaped her before she finally spoke. “I wasn’t expecting to have this conversation and part of me doesn’t know what to say.” There were so many thoughts that were racing through her mind. She wanted this. She wanted all of it and she wanted to go at their own pace; not the pace that others set for them. She had told her cousin that she had already taken the precautions with the doctor prior to her and Vaughn’s sudden rekindling of their relationship but really, she hadn’t yet. They had managed protection that night but she wasn’t as protected as she had said. Normally she didn’t lie and she was planning on going to the doctor but she didn’t want to hear about how her decisions were incorrect and how she was doing something stupid. Tania had already thought that their relationship was stupid so she didn’t see any need in letting her think things were worse.

“Natural progression works for me,” she finally said with a nod. “No counting days and being maniacal about when is the best night for this to happen. That only ends up with tears and disappointment. I don’t want to be disappointed and if you change your mind we have the option to go back. I won’t be upset.” Gina took a little bit of a breath. It was still a lot to take in and she wasn’t even sure what she was saying. They were taking one of the biggest steps of their relationship at that moment and she couldn’t have been happier. “We both just have to remember, that things might not end up the way we want them to if this happens. I’ve lost two…” she paused and closed her eyes a little bit, she didn’t want to get upset or teary eyed; she had done enough of that already and she was coming to terms with everything that had happened. “The doctors said I should be fine, I should be able to. Two doctors have told me that so I have hope. But if I can’t…” her eyes met his and she turned slightly toward him, her fingers lacing with his. “If I can’t I’m okay with that too. I just hope you are.”

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_vaughn_
2009-05-13 02:55 pm UTC (link)

Vaughn was sure that a lot of people thought their relationship was stupid, but Tania was the first and only one to voice it thus far. That hadn't bothered him, he knew it was coming due to all of the complaining that he'd done after they broke up. It's not as though he did it behind Gina's back while saying things that he wouldn't have said to her face, he was fairly open about it and she knew exactly what all he said and why. She may not have agreed with it, but he also didn't expect her to when he was more or less putting her down in one way or another. Like any break up, it was bitter on his end for many reasons, and he lashed out in a way that could have probably been expected. Some men did or said far worse, and had no remorse about it. Vaughn, however, had seen the error of his ways and had gone back over the situation and had apologized to Gina in the meantime. Not only that, but he didn't care what others thought. It wasn't their relationship, and truth be told, he thought that a lot of people were stupid and so were their relationships, he just wasn't one to point that out. It wasn't any of his business.

"Oh god, no. If you count days, I'm beating you over the head with a frying pan and locking you in the spare bedroom. Not even in our bedroom, that's how much of a punishment it would be," he said matter-of-factly with a nod. "Look, I'm not worried about any of it because, like I said, it's not a plan. It's whatever happens, happens. I can't and won't get mad or upset over either outcome, alright?" His head tilted and he let his hand fall to her thigh, tapping there a few times. "I think the time in between was enough for me to evaluate shit and to decide what it is that I want, and also what I don't want. You see where I am right now, don't you? So, there's nothing to worry about in that department." He pulled another sip from the water and capped it before tucking it down beside him for later. The conversation was supposed to be saved for New York and he had no idea why, it's not like it made a difference. Now he would just have to come up with something else to surprise her while they were there, to make it a memorable trip.

"Tomorrow, we are ordering in Chinese, just so you know. I have to let the guy know where I moved to and that I am not throwing our relationship away, I'm just taking a breather."

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gigigina
2009-05-13 03:21 pm UTC (link)

At his words about her punishment if she turned into a crazy pregnancy seeking psycho; she couldn’t help but laugh. His details were amusing to imagine and she simply shook her head after he had finished that statement. The words that followed though made the smile on her face shine even more though. He was amazing and like he didn’t feel pressured; neither did she. There was no plan, no pressure and with that no disappointment. Every possibility was out there on the table and the two of them were going with everything that they had inside of them. That was the way things were supposed to be. Their relationship was for them not for anyone else. Gina loved her cousin and she valued her opinions but that didn’t mean she always agreed with them. She didn’t think this was stupid and when their relationship was mentioned to Shon he didn’t find it to be stupid either. Despite being her ex-boyfriend he was still one of her closest friends and he seemed to have just as much faith in their happiness as she did.

Gina’s thumb ran gently over the back of Vaughn’s hand and she nodded once again to everything that he had said. She did see where he was coming from and she was glad that they were on the same page. Her dark eyes scanned his face once more and without saying anything at first she pressed her lips to his in the gentlest of kisses. His words were then uttered about the Chinese food delivery man and she laughed. “Alright, Chinese it is. But if he starts eyeing you I’m going to have to go Italian on his ass.” She laughed again and kissed him once more. He couldn’t have made her happier if he had actually been trying that night. Her lips moved softly against his but she still left the kiss brief. “I had said so many times that I wasn’t in love with you after you left. I had told myself that I loved you and that I wasn’t in love. I don’t know why I said it other than I was trying to convince my heart that I wasn’t.” Gina pulled back a little bit and her eyes locked on Vaughn’s. “But I am. I don’t just love you…” her voice trailed off but she knew he knew what she was saying without having to say it again. She smiled a little bit and simply repeated the words she had said to him so many times. “I love you, Vaughn.”

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_vaughn_
2009-05-13 04:55 pm UTC (link)

The only person he really talked to in depth about the break up and his feelings about Gina was Kit, and she was in New York. She wasn't able to give opinions because she didn't know Gina, and that's what he liked the most. He wasn't seeking opinions, or for someone to agree with him, he just wanted to vent and then he was done. Sometimes he vented through writing about it, and sometimes it came out after one too many shots of Jameson. Either way, he'd stopped all of that about two months prior and was now eager to put it all behind him. In his eyes, everyone made mistakes and almost everyone deserved second chances afterward, if possible. "I make no promises about him, I think we had something special. My egg rolls always came warmer than everything else, like he rushed over knowing that I liked those the most," he replied with a laugh not too far behind. None of it was true, hopefully she'd know that. He was crazy but not that bad.

"All I can say is, it doesn't matter to me what was said or what wasn't said during that time. If that kind of stuff mattered, we wouldn't be sitting here right now, would we? Your mind does crazy things, makes you say shit that you wouldn't normally even think of, it's all water under the bridge now. And for what it's worth, come on, I knew that you were in love with me the whole time," he said softly while giving her a playful nudge. He didn't actually know that, or anything even remotely close to it because it wasn't even on his mind during that time, but he said it anyway. "I love you, too, you big ball of mush. Now what do you want to do with the rest of the night? Unpack my stuff? Greeeeat, enjoy that, I'm just going to relax ..right here, tell me when you're done .." he added, pretending to stretch back with his arms behind his head, but he laughed it off and leaned forward to give her another kiss anyway. "Kidding. Movie?"

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gigigina
2009-05-13 05:35 pm UTC (link)

If anyone understood venting, it was Gina. She often would just vent and yell and say things to someone who would listen to what it was that was bothering her. Though when they broke up she didn’t exactly vent, she cried. It had become something Gina had been a master at over the past several months. Her emotions used to be hidden behind the façade of drugs or alcohol but since that wasn’t in her life anymore she had become emotional. She was trying to quit smoking and almost had for quite some time when they were together but with the break up the habit had picked back up again. With Vaughn and her taking those steps toward one another and living with each other; not to mention potentially having a child together, she was determined to quit again. There was no way she could smoke while pregnant so why not just get rid of the cancer sticks now. As Vaughn spoke about the Chinese food guy again she laughed and shook her head. “Oh dear, I wonder what this guy would say if he was a fly on our wall.” The way he made her laugh was something she cherished in him. If she couldn’t laugh and she couldn’t talk to someone and joke around, she was uncomfortable more often than not. Gina wasn’t always serious and she didn’t expect anyone to be. Vaughn was just the right combination of the two in her opinion.

“If we think of everything that was or wasn’t said we might end up thinking too much and burning the bridge we just rebuilt. I don’t want that.” Her eyes were serious as she looked at him but still she smiled. “So, we’ll just concentrate on the present, not the past, not the future. The future will be our present when that happens and we need to just live in right now.” Gina had done so much self reflecting when they were broken up and she worried about too many things that were already passed and too many things that hadn’t yet happened and she knew where she had went wrong with that. No more worrying, just living. As Vaughn then mentioned unpacking Gina made a face. She wasn’t in the mood to unpack just yet and she would get to that the next day. She smiled though when he sat back up and she nodded. “A movie sounds perfect, but only after you tell me when we’re going to New York. I’m supposed to go with Shon one day this week to a tattoo parlor…” she hadn’t told him that but she would explain. “So whenever we go is fine with me, that’s really the only plan I have.” She cleared her through a little bit and she smiled a bit. “I’m going to get a tattoo on the back of my neck with little angel wings and a halo and well, Shon is going to get his own, I think it’s going to say Daddy’s Angel. As a bit of a memorial to… well, you know.” She smiled at him again and her eyes scanned his face. It was part of the closure she needed. She had closure but this was like sealing the deal for her in a way.

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_vaughn_
2009-05-13 08:59 pm UTC (link)

"We'll go to New York next week? Leave Sunday?" His work schedule was cleared ahead of time, he had decided to take two weeks of vacation so that he could spend a week moving and the other week finishing up on moving out of his place. It only seemed logical since he wanted to be out of his apartment by the start of June, and it would work out perfectly that way. At the mention of her and Shon planning their tattoos, he nodded and lifted an eyebrow when she got into detail. "That's a good idea. I should rephrase that, it's a thoughtful idea. I want to see both of them when they're done," he said as an afterthought and sat back with a hand dropping against her shoulder.

"So, if you go this week for the tattoo, that will be perfect. We'll go to New York after that." He shrugged and let his eyes jump across the room, looking at nothing in particular. Her mention of a tattoo made him think that he wanted to get another one, but he was going to wait on it and see how he felt then. Something told him to seriously put some thought into what kind of one he'd get in memoriam of his father, even though he always told himself that he didn't want any reminders of him floating around. Times had changed though; he was getting softer whether he liked it or not.

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gigigina
2009-05-13 09:22 pm UTC (link)

When Vaughn’s hand went to her shoulder she leaned forward to pick up the remote control. She handed it off to Vaughn for him to pick something to watch. Of the two, she wasn’t going to be the one to complain about a movie choice. Gina was relatively picky when it came to that. Her legs curled up beneath her on the couch as she rested her head into his shoulder and wrapped her arm across his stomach to hold herself close to him. This was perfect. “Sunday sounds perfect,” she agreed with a nod. “I’ve made the schedules at work up so that I didn’t have to go in for the next couple of weeks so that you could decide when the best time for you would be. Oh the awesomeness of being self employed, right?” A laugh escaped her causing her nose to crinkle at the bridge. “Well, you’ll see my tattoo as soon as I can take the bandage off of it. You know that. As for Shon, well you’ll have to hang out with him or ask him for a picture when it’s all said and done with.”

Just the thought of going on their first real vacation with one another was having her head spin in the most wonderful of ways. All of the things they could do and the places they could go. “There are a few must dos when we get to New York by the way. I want Junior’s cheesecake. There is nothing you can say to change my mind on that, I want their cheesecake. It’s the most amazing ever and if you haven’t had it you’ll love it.” Gina looked up at him with bright eyes and she smiled widely. “It’s not far from the Marriott and I think we should stay there, right in the middle of everything. After all it also gives us an excuse to eat in the spinning restaurant in the hotel.” There were so many things she wanted to do. So many places she wanted to go. “But the first thing I want to do is go to your friend’s bar.” She nodded quite matter-of-factly and she smirked. “An Irish woman’s bar has got to be open on Sunday’s right?” That little smirk remained as she looked up at him and then placed a kiss to his cheek.

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