Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Saturday morning, Virginia woke up early but found Freddie was up even earlier “You’re up early.” She said shortly while she covered a yawn with her hand.
“You did say we had a barbeque to go to, I didn’t want to be rude and not bring anything. You think chicken wings will be good?” he was marinating them with oyster sauce and garlic.
She wrinkled her nose “Show off.” He laughed at her comment as she returned to the bathroom to get ready.
After she was done, Freddie had also finished his work. He carried the trays to the car while she locked up the house. They were meeting at the local beach, which was 15 minutes away from her house. “Are you nervous?” Freddie asked unexpectedly.
“Nervous?” she looked confused but kept her eyes on the road.
“Yeah, you know all those guys there at the same time. They might start fighting for you.”
She rolled her eyes “Freddie, that wasn’t very funny.” She scolded.
He let out a fake laugh “Sure it was, see, I’m laughing!” he stopped laughing when she didn’t join in “But seriously, have you decided on a guy yet?”
She smiled “You talk like I have 20 guys after me and I have to make a decision right now. I’m not interested in either one at the moment. But it looks like I won’t have to worry about Remy.”
He wrinkled his forehead “What do you mean?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
He didn’t pry further, but when they got to the beach, he knew exactly what she meant. Remy and Deana were huddled close as they chatted secretly. Jeff was already there and working the grill. Jo was playing beach volleyball with a bunch of strangers that he didn’t recognize.
“Hey, you guys made it!” Jeff exclaimed happily. His eyes fixated on Virginia who replied with a grin.
“You mean, you’re happy that SHE made it.” Freddie teased.
Virginia shoved an elbow into his ribs “He’s just teasing.” She said apologetically.
Freddie rubbed his ribs in pain “I guess I know who I’ll be staying away from this whole day.” He backed away when she threw him an evil stare. “I think I’ll be safe with Jo.” He said slowly as he turned in time to bump right into Jo. “I guess I’m not safe anywhere.”
She rubbed her arm where he hit her “You better believe it! I’m hungry, cook me some food woman!” she demanded as she pointed him to the grill.
He let out a loud laugh and couldn’t seem to stop as he exaggerate the laughing pain in his stomach. “That was a good one!” he pretended to wipe his tears away. “One more of that and you should be a stand up comedian.” He tapped her roughly on the shoulder.
“Touch me again, and you’ll really be a woman.” Her eyes moved down to his manliness.
Freddie stuck his head in the air and snickered “That’s suppose to be a threat?” he began to walk away.
Joanne picked up a handful of dirt ready to throw it at him “Jo! Be nice.” Jeff yelled from the grill.
Joanne turned around to him as she scowled “He started it!!” she whined.
“Don’t give me that puppy face. I’m not your brother.” He said with a smile.
She eventually dropped the handful of sand to the ground. “Where are the drinks?” she asked loudly.
“The two love birds are sitting on the cooler.” Jeff nodded to Remy and Deana.
Jo smiled as she approached them “Excuse me love birds, I need a drink.” She teased.
Deana’s face turned red as she popped up from her seat while Remy shook his head at his sister “Don’t scare her away. She might just be your future sister in law.” He gave Deana a wink and a smile that can melt all the ice. His dimple showing on his right cheek.
Jo made gagging sounds “Gross, come Dai Lou, I’m going to lose my appetite!”
“Good! More food for me.” Remy teased.
“You guys are no fun, where’s that fake man?” she looked around and found Freddie flirting with the bunch of guys that she was playing volleyball with.
Virginia was quiet as she helped Jeff set up some chicken wings. “You seem quiet.”
She shrugged her shoulders “Nothing to say.”
“Hmm…maybe we should change that. If not, I’ll need a new cooking assistant.”
She smiled “Good luck finding one.” She nodded at the scene before her. “Is this all the people coming?”
He shook his head “No, Michael, Linda and I think I heard Deana saying that Jim might drop by.”
“I see.”
“What’s wrong? You don’t like those people?” he sensed something different about her answer.
She shook her head “No, not that. I was just wondering how Jim would react when he sees Deana and Remy together.”
“You’re always thinking for people aren’t you? Look let me tell you something. Everything is going to work out for themselves, you’ll see. Maybe he won’t be as crazy as you think he is? He might be a bit creepy but I have faith.” He nodded firmly.
“Maybe…” she let out a sigh, still unable to believe his words.
“Look here Miss Chan, you will enjoy the barbeque today and you will NOT think for others. Leave that for the office on Monday.” He scolded in his daddy tone voice.
She laughed as she nodded “I hear you! Okay, I’ll do as you say. Just because you’re cooking and I’m starving!”
“Really?” his eyebrows raised as he took a paper plate and handed her some ribs and a chicken wing. “There you go. Wouldn’t want to starve my assistant.”
“Have you eaten?” she asked nonchalantly as she took the plate graciously.
“What did I say about thinking for others? If I’m hungry, I’ll eat. Just worry about yourself.”
She smiled at his response “Boy you sure are tough. Are you always like this at the office?”
“Nah, sometimes I could be really bossy.” He joked. She laughed as she took a bite from the steaming wing. “Let me get some food for those two.” She pointed to the two ‘kids’ arguing a few yards away. She took a plateful of ribs and chicken as she approached them. As she got closer, she noticed that they were calling each other names again.
“Those guys wanted to talk to ME. Why did you have to butt in like that? Boy, you’ve got no manners!” Freddie yelled.
Jo snickered as she replied with the same tone of voice “Well, I was trying to do them a favor by telling them that you were a fake guy. What was wrong with that?”
“I wasn’t even hitting on them!” he cried in disbelief.
“Yeah right, you’ll hit on anything with big calves and muscles.”
“I’m not hitting on you am I?” he retorted.
She frowned as she prepared to push him, while Virginia got closer. She was balancing the hot paper plate, hoping that it wouldn’t fall. She walked right into the fight as she felt an arm push her on the right side. The plate toppled over as a few pieces of scalding meat landed on her arm. “Ginny!” Freddie said as he stopped her fall. His arms secured around her waste as he looked up angrily at Jo “You didn’t have to push her!”
“I was aiming for you!” she cried back as her faced softened “Ginny, you okay?” she asked with full concern.
Virginia nodded and was about to answer when Freddie said “Does she look okay?”
“Freddie!” Virginia spoke up “I’m fine! Would you two stop, please?? If I knew you were going to act like this, I would have just came by myself.” She scolded. She looked down at her burned arm and brushed off the remaining sauce on the meat.
His eyes opened wide “I was helping you! Fine be that way!” he yelled as he stomped off to where the barbeque area was.
Jo muffled a laugh “Thanks, I think he needed that.”
Virginia didn’t laugh “You’re not any better than Freddie. Come on, you two are adults, act like them. Why do you to like to provoke each other like that?”
Jo shrugged her shoulders “I just like to argue with him.” She said casually. “Anyways, I’m really sorry for that.” She pointed at the plate of meat wasted on the sand.
“Well, you should be. Come on, let’s get more food. I know you’re hungry after that cat fight.” She laughed as Jo linked her arm around Virginia’s and they returned to the bbq site.
Jeff saw the whole scene happened and knew that Jo was returning for the food. He had a plate ready for her as he rushed over to them. “Here, I think you wanted some of this.”
She took the dish happily as she beamed at him “Thanks Jeff. You’re the best!!” she wandered off to the bench and ate by herself, while Freddie hung around the grill.
“Are you okay?” Jeff asked.
She brought up her arm for him to see “Its okay, just an outside burn. I’ll be fine.”
“Lets go clean this up.” He led her over to the cooler.
Freddie watched as Jeff took some paper towels and poured some water bottled into the paper and tapped her arm with it. “That’s not how you clean a burn.” He said casually as he worked the grill, one hand holding onto a chicken wing.
“What are you? A doctor now?” Virginia asked, never looking up at him.
“No, but my brother is.” He replied.
“I believe its surgeon.” This time everyone turned around to the unrecognizable voice coming from behind. “Yee Gor, I thought you would be more precise.” He smiled as he greeted them. Linda was right behind her brother with a container of fruit.
“Freddie doesn’t care as long as he can boast in front of strangers.” Linda spoke up.
Freddie dropped the grill fork and ran to help his sister with the fruit. “I’m not that bad.” He defended himself. “Hey Ginny, you never met my sister and Michael.”
“I’ve saw them at the hospital.” She recalled the day his father pasted away.
“I mean, formally.” He said as he reached out to her uninjured arm and pulled her closer “This is Linda, my oldest sister.” The girls smiled as they shook hands. “This is my younger brother, Michael.”
Ginny smiled politely “Nice to meet you.”
He returned the smile with a twinkle in his eye “Likewise.” They secretly exchanged glances before returning to set up the table. Deana and Remy got up to greet the new people, while Joanne was plastered to her seat. “Who’s that?” Michael whispered to Freddie. He pointed to Joanne.
“Oh her? That’s the she boy that Ga Jei snipped at the restaurant.” Freddie said loudly for Joanne to hear.
She spun around and saw Linda walking towards the table to drop off the container. “You!” she said loudly.
Linda dropped the container on the table and brought her hands up “Look, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean any harm when I made that comment. Anyways, if I knew you were Remy’s sister I would have been less cruel with the words.” She joked.
Joanne laughed “That was a pretty good comeback.” She admired the girl for her quick tongue. “Maybe you can teach me a few pointers.”
“Sure, it works miracles on Freddie.” She whispered. The girls cracked up together as they glanced at Freddie, who looked upset that the girls were getting along.