Chapter 12

Next morning

 

It’s a sunny spring day,  Gale’s  wedding is being held at Leery’s backyard. Dawson is standing by his mother.

 

“Mom, I’m so happy for you…and dad would be too,” he tells her, hugging her and her new husband.

 

“Oh, darling, you know how much this means for me and Steve.”

 

He looks around, in search of his friends. He spots Andie between Jack and an unknown man, Jen and Joey chatting and Pacey playing with a beautiful baby girl. Dawson goes towards them, a little bit unsure of how he should act due Jen’s last night’s outburst, but Andie stops him.

 

“Dawson. I want to introduce you to my fiancé, Gianni Moretti. Gianni, this is Dawson Leery, the famous Hollywood producer,” Andie says, talking to the tall dark-haired handsome man beside her.

 

“Nice to meet you, Dawson. Famous, huh?” Gianni shakes his hand, speaking in perfect English.

 

“Not that much and it’s good to see that Andie had a good reason to stay away from us all this time.”

 

“But she won’t be so far anymore…we’re moving here, I’m going to work in Providence”

 

“Gianni...that was supposed to be a surprise…”

 

“Scusami, cara, I forgot about that,” he leans in, giving her a peck on her lips.

 

Dawson feels uncomfortable…again this feeling that he’s the only one still dealing with teenage problems. All his friends dealing with marriage, children, long-term relationships, and he still stuck with adolescent fantasies. He talks with Andie and Gianni for a while, and then excuses himself. He needs to talk to Joey.

 

Joey is sitting at a table with Pacey, Jen, and Jack. Pacey keeps making funny faces to Amy who is in a stroller, in pure awe of her Uncle Pacey. Joey  grabs Jen’s hand and goes near the dock to some girl talk, after assuring her husband she would be fine.

 

“Already on training, Witter?” Jack laughs when Pacey makes another of his faces.

 

“If parenthood it’s this easy, I’m a natural,” he shrugs chuckling. “But Joey would say that I’m actually communicating with someone with a mental age close to mine.”

 

“More 5 weeks and she will prove her theory…”

 

“These are gonna be the longest five weeks of my life,” Pacey sighs.

 

“Oh, no, buddy…don’t forget about the no sex thing after delivery…those are going to be the death of you.”

 

“How do you know so much about this whole pregnancy thing, Jack? “

 

“Don’t forget I was with Jen during her Lamaze classes and all her pre natal appointments…her doctor thought I was Amy’s father, I never denied….right after her delivery he told me I should keep my hands off for about 6 weeks…”

 

Both of them burst into laughter.

 

“Well, I would just tell Joey’s doctor that we will behave properly.”

 

“C’mon, Pace…you guys are like two horny teenagers who can’t keep hands off…”

 

“Watch it, Mc Phee...it’s my wife we’re talking about…”

 

“Yeah…and my head still aches after getting hit by that flying bra,” Jack teases.

 

 

Dawson’s dock.

 

 

Joey and Jen are standing on Dawson’s dock, staring at the water. From time to time, Joey rubs her stomach, trying to find some relief.

 

“Jo, what’s going on?”

 

“I don’t know, Jen…My back is aching more than usual…my stomach seems to agree with my back on tormenting me.”

 

“Joey, you should go to the hospital...maybe you’re in labor...”

 

“No, Jen, I’m fine…I’m due to five weeks from today, I can’t be in labor. It’s just a backache. It will go away I’m sure. Don’t tell Pacey, please. He will freak out, you know…”

 

“Joey, you’re stubborn as hell,” Jen sighs.

 

“I’m stubborn? And what about you, Ms. I won’t tell anyone who Amy’s father is.”

 

“Joey, we already talked about that…I don’t wanna him around me and Amy because he feels guilty. Jo, he slept with me and conveniently forgot about that…And now I just come and say: Hey, do you remember a one-night stand you decided to have with me about two years ago? Guess what?”

 

Pacey’s table.

 

Dawson approaches the table, frowning when he doesn’t see Joey. Somehow, he feels attracted to the little blonde girl contently sat on Pacey’s lap, grabbing his nose.

 

“Hey, Amy girl. That hurts Uncle Pacey…”

 

“Yeah, man, she’s a real angel, except when she thinks your nose is something eatable.”

 

“So, how are you guys?” Dawson takes place beside Pacey, completely fascinated by the little girl.

 

“We’re good, Dawson. Life is good, really good. We’re very proud of you. Leery, the big Hollywood man.”

 

Dawson chuckles, embarrassed. In a million years, he would never guess talking to Pacey again would be so easy.

 

“Not that much, Witter…”

 

“Oh, c’mon, Leery, cut off the modesty .it really doesn’t suit you.”

 

“And you, big New York business man? Married to the girl of your dreams, about to become a father.”

 

“Dawson. I…”

 

“Pacey, I’m not mad at you guys. Just a little surprised and hurt, but I can’t blame you guys, I lost touch with both of you, so it’s kind of my fault too, I guess. In fact, it’s weird, but I’m happy for you guys.”

 

Pacey sighs in pure relief. He puts an arm over Dawson’s shoulders.

 

“This is very important to me, to Joey. It’s nice to have you around, D.”

 

“It’s important to me, too, Pacey. I ‘m so lost in my fantasy world that I lost touch with everything that should be priorities in my life, I’m sorry about the way I acted with you these past years.”

 

“Now, after all this sappiness, can you do me a favor? Go talk to my wife, she’s been really worried about how you would feel, this will mean a lot to her. She is talking to Jen at your dock right now.”

 

Back at Dawson’s dock

 

“Jen, I really think you should tell him, he will feel guilty, but he deserves to know, Amy deserves to know who her father is. And she looks like him, how long do you think will it take for people notice that?”

 

“No, Joey, I can’t…I can’t tell Dawson he is Amy’s father,” Jen mumbles.

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

Joey and Jen turn their heads to see a stunned Dawson right behind them, clearly shocked with what he just heard.