MassaHJ
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Chapter 111 Old Friend II
🕑 Added 2025-05-24 14:36:47 +0000 UTCI raised both eyebrows.
I looked over my shoulder and thought, Yep, Modern Family again. Just a few feet away were three very familiar faces—Jay, Gloria, and Manny.
I lingered a second longer on Gloria. Wow, she really is stunning.
Then I turned back to face forward.
The timeline is a mess again
"Someone stole that little guy's heart," I said jokingly.
Cher and Regina rolled their eyes, while Laura looked a little amused.
Then the waiter came by to take our orders. Each of us picked something from the menu, and I went with my favorite—Kobe beef.
"Anyone gonna travel in August?" Regina asked.
"...besides Laura," she added a little awkwardly, as if suddenly remembering that Laura would be going back in August.
"You don’t need to be awkward, we’re all good," I said, and Laura nodded beside me.
"I’m going to Europe. This time Portugal and Spain," Cher said.
"I so envy you, Cher," Regina replied. "My dad wants me to go with him to China on some business trip."
"And I envy both of you," Laura said jokingly. "I’ll be working for part of August."
"I might go to Japan," I added. "But I’m not so sure."
Pepper told me there’s going to be a party there for Lost in Translation. She asked if I want to go. I might, because Japan is definitely a country I want to visit.
"That little creepy is still staring at us," Regina whispered.
"He’s like nine or ten. What is wrong with him?" Cher added.
I lightly smacked the table, startling all three of them just a bit.
"That’s it," I said seriously, turning around.
"Hey, boy," I called out to Manny with a straight face, making him flinch.
Then I broke into a mischievous grin. "Which one of the three did you like?"
"Ouch, ouch, ouch," I muttered as both Cher and Regina kicked me under the table and Laura pinched my arm.
I looked innocently at the three of them. "What? I was curious."
They ruffed and laughed afterward.
With a playful smirk, Cher said, "What if he said he liked Laura?"
"I’d say, welcome to the team," I replied. "She’ll be back to Canada soon. She’ll break our little hearts...ouch"
Laura pinched my arm again.
I turned to Regina with a humorous smile. "You say 'little creepy,' but he could turn into a hunk in ten years."
Look to his mother
Regina gave Manny another brief glance. "I highly doubt it," she said afterward.
I leaned back a bit and grinned. "You say that now, but this morning I saw a perfect example of transformation. My dad’s old friend Jamie came over. Back in the day, she was, let’s say... not exactly prom queen material. But now? A stunner. Even Uncle Charlie couldn’t hide the surprise on his face."
We kept talking about it for a while.
Then Cher said, "Your Uncle Charlie was a menace to her. But from that brief moment you saw this morning, you think she wants him?"
"Yeah, she had that look," I said.
The three of them exchanged glances, and finally Regina said, "If I were in her place, I’d tease your uncle until he admitted he wanted me—then I’d dump him in that moment."
"Wow, that’s quite the revenge for him," I murmured, not questioning Regina’s wisdom.
We spent the rest of the day walking around and talking, just enjoying each other's company.
---
As night fell, I headed back to Uncle Charlie’s house.
Just as I stepped into the entryway, I walked into the middle of a heated scene.
"Will you both just shut up?" Jamie snapped. "You're ruining everything."
"Nice going," Alan said.
"Nice going," Charlie echoed.
"Say it, Charlie," Jamie demanded.
"Say what?" Charlie asked.
"Say that slick, cool Charlie Harper finally wants Eckelberry Hound."
"You knew about that name?" Charlie blinked.
"That name scarred me for life," Jamie shot back. "It’s the reason I haven’t eaten a carbohydrate since college."
"Well, you do look good," Charlie offered.
"You're damn right I look good... you smug, shallow son of a b*tch. I have spent years working and sweating and dreaming... about the day that I would be able to rub your smarmy nose in it."
"Okay, I'm getting mixed signals here," Charlie muttered.
"This is the signal, Charlie: You can't have this. Not now, not ever. Never, never, never!" Jamie screamed.
"You know, I didn't make up the Eckelberry Hound thing," Charlie defended.
"But he did spread it around," Alan chimed in. "I was always your friend."
"Oh, please. I spent years throwing myself at you, friend. Playing stupid nerd games on my bed with my shirt open, buddy. Hoping that you would kiss me or touch me... or at least notice me as a woman, pal!"
"You knew your shirt was open?" Alan asked.
"Who do you think opened it?" Jamie snapped.
"But I wasn't pretty enough for you. You wanted Donna DeMarco... or Maxine Chernikoff, just because they had big boobs... and no excess facial hair."
Alan stepped forward, looking regretful. "Jamie, I had no idea. I am so sorry. I was a stupid teenager. I guess I just didn't appreciate you then."
"I guess not," Jamie replied coldly.
"But that was a long time ago. I'm not a stupid teenager anymore. Do you think maybe you could forgive me, and maybe we could try again?"
Jamie raised her chin. "Is that what you really want, Alan?"
"Very much."
"Well, eat your heart out. You can never have this. Never, never, never!" she screamed again and stormed off. I took a step aside.
Charlie looked to the side and muttered, "Well, I guess we know why she's still single."
Then he noticed me standing there.
"Oh look who’s back," Charlie said, nodding toward me.
"Well," I said, stepping in, "Regina was totally right. But it didn’t go as planned..."
