"Route for the Home Team"

This is the 2nd story in my series..hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

Lidia marked a big, bold X through the box containing the seventh day of October on her calendar. Another birthday had come and gone, and not a mention of it from anyone. Not even a call from her parents. Annoyed and quite sad, she padded her way to her bedroom and grabbed her most comfortable pair of pajamas. Dressing quickly, she tossed her hair into a careless ponytail and slouched on the couch ready to take in a night of mindless television watching. When the commercial break came, she jumped at the chance to pop a near forgotten bag of popcorn and pour herself something to drink. Twenty-four years she'd had the same birthday, and never once had they all forgotten like this. Never once. What was different about this year?

Shrugging it off, she decided it was just because they were busy. After all, when weren't people busy doing something these days. Charity had her new boyfriend to be with, not to mention his pint-sized niece and nephew to spread the kind of love only she could. The rest of the group was busy with their careers. Her parents, now that was a kicker. What were they all up to? For one of them to forget was something, but both? Shaking her head, she picked up the phone and dialed Jazzelle's number. If there was one person she could count on for a straight answer it was her.

The phone rang once, twice, three times, finally an answer. "Hello?"

"Jazzi? It's Lidi, what is going on?"

Laughter met her question, "Turn on channel 18 to find out, girl."

After those words, the dial tone met her ear and she growled hanging up her phone and stomping to the television. Fighting with the stubborn buttons on the old set, she finally got the channel programmed in only to see her friends laughing faces as they sang "Happy Birthday."

"We couldn't agree on what to get you exactly, so..for your first gift, open the front door!" shouted Charity from the background as she cradled a smiling Ava in her arms.

Shaking her head and muttering all the way, Lidia did as Charity said. When she opened the door she expected a surprise, however she didn't expect there to be no one behind it. Puzzled, she took three steps out onto the porch in her bare feet.

"SURPRISE!" her twelve-year-old sister Lynsey shouted in her face, wrapping both arms tightly around her.

Lynsey was followed by a host of people, her parents, friends, and family crowded into her apartment behind her. Laughing now she distributed hugs, and slugged her friends in the arms for making her feel so stupid. The party was well under way when Jazzelle announced it was time for gifts.

Begrudgingly, she sat in the chair she was prompted to and opened a ton of gifts calling out thank-you's and distributing grateful hugs. When it came time for Charity and Jazzelle's gift they both began laughing and grabbed her hands tugging her up out of the chair.

"This better be good!" she commented as they led her toward her back door.

"Oh believe me, it is!" said Charity with a laugh.

Jazzelle opened the door, and waved to someone outside of it. Lidia found herself standing on her tiptoes bending this way and that trying to see who was outside, yet they wouldn't let her get close enough to the door to see. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity a shadow appeared on the door, followed by it's twin a tall, muscular man with dark hair and dark eyes. He smiled when he saw her and immediately took a step in through the door way. "It's good to see you again, Lidi."

Confusion set in before she recognized him, it'd been a long time but she'd know him anywhere. "Altan? Is that you?" she whispered it stepping closer.

"I still love it when you call me that." he joked, closing the door behind him.

Laughter bubbled up inside of her until it spilled out her lips, "I can't believe you're here...I could actually touch you..oh my.."

"Yeah, for a minute there I thought you were going to get all novel-heroine-like and throw your arms around me..shower me with kisses. Well, it might not be such a bad idea, what do you say?" he grinned again.

"I say it'd probably be a bad idea seeing as her Dad is about ten feet away." whispered Charity cautiously, with a grin of mischief still in place on her face.

As the party continued, she couldn't help but let her eyes wander over Altan and feel the surprise die down to bring up feelings she'd thought had died long ago. She still liked him, yet she couldn't exactly say she was a twenty-four year old woman with a school girl's crush. Pushing her feelings aside, she decided to enjoy his company, and the companies of her family and friends.

--

Altan watched as most of the party-goers said good night to Lidia and left. Finally, it was just them left and he couldn't exactly keep his eyes off of her.

"Wow."

Apparently she was still coming to grips with her friends surprise for her, he was enjoying the effect it had on her. Her brown eyes were round with reaction still, glittering with excitement and life as always. Smile in place, her cheeks showed a hint of color. He had to stifle a laugh at the get-up she had on, which he hadn't noticed until now. Her pajamas were a comfortable looking, worn in pair covered in what looked to be tiny rabbits. "Nice choice of evening wear." he commented, getting up to survey what was left of the apartment that he hadn't seen before.

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her take a glance down at her clothing and become mortified, "I wasn't expecting company..and least of all you." her sass was still there.

He couldn't help but laugh, "Nice apartment by the way."

"You think it's nice?" she cocked her head to the side, a small grin taking the place of her former smile.

"It's better than a zoo, that's for sure."

Apparently their old joke had come back to her at that moment, because she started laughing. "Shut up!" she exclaimed, pushing him playfully.

"Make me."

Shaking her head, she decided to change the subject, "What are you doing these days?" Casually, she took a seat on the couch, twirling a stray piece of hair that'd fallen from her pony tail.

"Flying, mostly. A little yoga, some football with the boys. The usual." he could feel the atmosphere of the conversation change back to its familiar footings.

"That's great. Where are you living now?" she was hinting at something, he could see it in her eyes, hear it in her words. And yet..he wanted to make her suffer.

Shifting, he walked to the window and glanced outside, "Hey, there's a moving van next door, did you meet your new neighbors yet?"

She sighed, apparently upset with his subject change, but she followed no matter. "No, not quite yet. This is New York we don't exactly go with gift baskets for the new neighbors." Rolling her eyes, she laid her head back on the couch to watch him.

He grinned, closing the shade for the window, "Well, I'll be expecting my gift basket, New York or not!"