The Secret Love Song [MAJIM] CHAPTER 10
“There are just a lot of questions, more questions. I have no theory of everything and I kind of like it.”
“So what time are we expected at dinner?” Todd asks while he was fixing Jim’s collar.
“It’s just a thanksgiving slash Christmas dinner. Johnny said eight is good,” he attempts to reassure his partner.
“Maybe, but didn’t you say we need to pick up Kunal on our way? It’s already five past seven,” Todd points out.
“I’m sorry I fell asleep. I guess my body hasn’t fully recovered from the flu last week,” Jim says guiltily.
He didn’t plan to take a longer nap than necessary, but his phone died and no other alarm was set before he laid on their bed. Todd just got back from work and was surprised to find him sleeping. Jim is a very punctual man and actually hates being late.
“Well when you put it that way,” Todd replies with a shrug. “How do you feel?”
“Better. Ready to go?” he asks, grabbing his keys.
“Yes. Let’s go handsome.”
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“So have you guys seen Harry Potter, yet?” Kunal asks the couple in the front seat.
The guy’s car had an unexpected engine problem the day before and had to leave it in the shop. Jim was kind enough to offer him a ride to Johnny’s place for their dinner. The show filmed the ninth episode of the season and was now on their short hiatus for the holidays. Each year, someone in the group would hold a dinner or a small party for them before they all scatter around the map, to celebrate the festivities with their respective families or friends.
“No. I’ve been busy, but we’re planning to go on Thursday,” answers Todd who was fiddling with the car’s heater.
“Make you you go soon. The first one was really awesome!” he exclaims.
“I just finished the last book in June. Are you sure I won’t be disappointed?” Jim asks, raising an eyebrow and looking at Kunal through the rear view mirror.
“Dude, you know not everything in the book is shown in movies or TV series. Just watch it,” he answers with arms crossed.
“Fine. But if it’s disappointing, you’re buying me some of those lemon bars you brought last Friday,” Jim challenges with a smirk.
“Fine. What if you like the movie? What do I get?”
“We’ll discuss that later,” Jim answers stopping the car in front of Johnny’s gate.
Todd offered to park the car while Jim and Kunal started a conversation about football. A few cars were already inside and the only choice was outside. As he was getting out, another car stopped just right behind theirs. Curiosity made Todd stand next to his car without closing the door, to wait for the new comer. A few more seconds and a woman in a blue coat went out of the car. Todd immediately recognized her as Mayim, Jim’s co-star.
Mayim looked around the area and up at the house. She saw the number in the mailbox and knew she got the right house. If you’re not paying attention, the house would be easy to miss. A lot of plants, mostly bamboos, were surrounding the property, making the place almost hidden from the outside.
“Talk about forest in the middle of the city,” she whispers to herself as she studies the outside. She glanced to her left and noticed a man looking at her.
Todd realized that she must have no idea who he was so he closed the door, locked the car, and started walking up to her. He gave a small smile and nodded.
“Hi. Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re Mayim, right?” he asks with a measured look.
She had no idea who the guy was, but one look at the car in front of hers and she knew who exactly he was. She smiled back and replied while locking her own car.
“I am. And you must be Jim’s partner… sorry, I don’t want to guess. I honestly forgot your name,” she tells him, a little embarrassed.
“Oh that’s okay. Don’t worry,” he reassures her. “I’m Todd by the way, Todd Spiewak.” He offers a hand, which she took right away.
“Mayim Bialik. But you already know that,” she says sheepishly and lets go of his hand.
“Is this your first time here?” he asks, gesturing for her to walk ahead.
“Yes. I have never been to Johnny’s place before. I gotta say, he really got the whole privacy thing going on here,” she jokes, swinging her hand to indicate the bamboos, barricading the lot.
“Well, isn’t that what celebrities want the most?” he replies.
“I suppose. It’s just so different from my idea of what his house would look like,” she tells Todd.
“Well, he’s always been this cool, hip guy since we were teenagers, I just didn’t think someone like him would surround himself with so much greenery. Not that I don’t like it, because I do,” she rushes.
“So you’ve known him since teenage years?” he asks as they made their way up to the front door.
“Yes. He guest starred in Blossom once and we’ve been connected since. We talked from time to time even after that one-time appearance, and just lost touch when I took a break from showbiz,” she answers.
“Wow, so this was way back, early nineties, right?”
Before they could reach the door, it opened, revealing Johnny with Kaley following behind him. They both smiled and greeted Todd and Mayim. The foursome went inside the house to join the rest. Mayim was technically the last to arrive when she spotted Jocelyn, Simon, Melissa and her husband, in the living room. Simon’s back was turned to them, facing Jim and Kunal who were outside by the sliding doors that opened to Johnny’s pool.
“Want a little tour?” Johnny offered and Mayim accepted. After greeting the people in the living room.
Todd joined the guys outside who were now starting a bet about who will be facing off in Super Bowl.
“Still going with Ravens, man. I think it’s their year,” Simon says. “Oh, hi Todd. How’s it been?”
“Busy. Try getting three new clients all at the same time,” he complains, leaning against Jim.
“Well they’re big clients. They’re worth your time,” Jim tells them, linking his arm with his boyfriend.
“Maybe. But I’m starting to miss getting eight hours of daily sleep,” he says, looking up at Jim.
“Is that all you’re missing?” Kaley quips from behind Simon, joining them. She was looking at the two, wiggling her eyebrows playfully.
Jim scowls at her and Todd just laughed. While everyone has been completely comfortable with Jim’s preferences, he was still not a fan of teasing. Much to his distaste of jokes about his relationship with Todd, his partner apparently is more sport than he is about them.
“That too,” Todd agrees, earning him an eye-roll from Jim.
“Anyway, I told you we’ll make it on time,” Jim tells him in an attempt to change the topic.
“That you did,” Todd replies.
“Well the food’s ready. Johnny’s just giving Mayim a tour of the house,” Kaley tells them.
“Mayim’s here, too?” Jim asks, clearly surprised.
“Oh that’s right! I almost forgot! I met her. She got here right after we did.”
“Yes. She seems nice,” Todd tells him.
“Well, she is.” Jim affirms.
Just then, Johnny called for them to get inside to start dinner. Jim spotted Mayim and walked up to greet her.
“Hi there. I didn’t know you’d be here too.”
“Well Johnny invited me last week. I was supposed to take my husband with me but no one was available to watch the kids.”
“I told her she could’ve brought them,” Johnny says.
“I’m sure you mean well, but believe me, those two would keep me and Michael from bonding with the group if we did that,” Mayim says.
“I’m sure it wouldn’t be that bad. We’d probably end up adoring them,” Simon tells Mayim, rubbing his wife’s arm. The two have recently been discussing starting a family of their own. The idea of being around kids was something appealing to the couple at the moment.
“Oh that’s sweet of you to say,” Mayim says with a smile.
Johnny got a long, wooden table for the dinner. His usual spacious kitchen was a now a little packed because of the amount of room that it occupied. The group took their respective seats. Mayim took the seat next to Jim. While the rest started to dig in, Jim chose that moment for proper introductions.
“Uh, Mayim, this is Todd, my partner. And Todd, you know Mayim. Just wanted to formally introduce you to each other.” Jim leaned back a little in his seat to allow the two to shake hands again.
“I told you we met outside,” says Todd.
“Yes, but I wanted to properly introduce you to my possible love interest.”
Mayim and Todd looked at each other, and then at Jim. Playing his words in his mind again, Jim realized how they came out.
“On the show!” he rushes out, looking at Todd.
Todd and Mayim laughed at his defensiveness and Jim shook his head. The two were getting along well apparently. That was good for him.
The group went through dinner over trivial topics and stories that happened the years. The gang telling Mayim and Melissa about previous thanksgiving dinners they’ve had. Once done, the group dispersed around the house. While Todd catches up with Kaley, Jim was sitting next to him in the living room. He was facing the sliding doors where he can see Simon, Jocelyn, Mayim and Johnny. They were talking about something really interesting, given how engaged they seem to be from Jim’s vantage point.
It’s becoming an unconscious habit of Jim’s, but lately, he would find himself watching Mayim’s every move from afar. Unless she disappears from his sight or someone takes his attention away, his gaze would not leave her. She would often catch him looking, but he never seemed to mind, thinking he wasn’t really doing anything wrong. Then he’d just smile at her and get back to whatever he was doing. This time was not an exception.
“What was the name of the place, Jim?” Todd asks him.
“Name of what?” he asks back, having no idea what the topic of the conversation was.
“That bakeshop that sells those peach cupcakes?”
“Oh. I.. I forgot. But those were good,” he says, not looking at Todd.
“Right? I was just telling Kaley. So anyway…”
Todd got right back into the conversation, with Melissa commenting every now and then. Jim excused himself to join the group outside. Just as he was crossing the threshold, Simon and Jocelyn rose from the wooden seats outside.
“Oh, hey Jim. We were just leaving. Jocelyn’s got something early tomorrow so we can’t stay too late,” tells Simon.
“Oh, well have a safe drive home. Happy holidays.” says Jim, giving Jocelyn a kiss on the cheek, and each, a hug.
“Well, I’ll see you all soon.” With that, Simon and his wife took off. Johnny wanted to show them out so Jim was left with Mayim.
She was staring out into the open space beyond the bamboo fences, admiring Los Angeles at night and the clear sky.
“Looks like the stars are all out tonight,” Jim comments, taking a seat, opposite her.
“Yes. It’s a pretty clear horizon.” She looked at him and offered one of the vegan pastries in front of her. Jim took one and was once again amazed at how good a vegan treat tasted.
“Any big plans for the holidays?” he asks after finishing the food.
“Hanukkah is coming up. We’ve barely had time preparing and now we’re probably going to have to cram. But Michael is pretty helpful so, that make things easier. And you?”
“Oh, well we’re flying to Boston tomorrow. We’ll be spending the holiday hiatus there, with Todd’s family.”
At the mention of Todd, Mayim looked through the glass doors to find the man laughing with the girls.
“He’s a nice guy. And a fun one, so it seems,” she says, then looked back at Jim.
“He’s alright,” Jim shrugs and Mayim laughs at him.
“How long have you guys been together again?”
“Eight, turning nine in a few months.”
“That’s a long time,” she muses.
“It is. The way these things go, you’d think I’ll go through at least a few other partners before finding the right one. He was an exception.” Jim says dreamily.
“Well I’m glad you guys found each other. You look good together. And not just physically.”
“Thank you.” He studied Hollywood hills for a while, fascinated by the city lights. “Too bad your husband couldn’t join us tonight,” Jim adds.
“Yes. I was looking forward to introducing him to the group,” she says with an air of disappointment.
“There’s still plenty of opportunities in the future. I’m sure he’ll get to join us. These dinners happen more often than you may think, so…”
“I guess,” she says, taking the last pastry in the platter.
The rest of the group joined them, shortly. Wine and cider was shared for the next hour, then they decided to call it a night. They thanked Johnny for the dinner and for being a wonderful host. Kaley stayed behind while the rest made their way out.
Once outside Johnny’s lot, they all said their goodbye’s and wished everyone a happy holiday. Jim still had to take Kunal home so together with Mayim, they walked to where their cars were parked. Kunal hugged and kissed Mayim before getting in the car. To Jim’s surprise, Todd went for the same gesture. Jim just wished her a fun holiday and waited for her to get inside her car, before getting in his as well.
The drive to Kunal’s place didn’t take too long due to light traffic. Once the couple was alone in their car, Todd launched into discussing the events of the evening, including meeting Mayim and Melissa. He mentioned a few things that he was able to talk about with the girls and something about meeting Kaley in January to meet her fitness instructor.
“Are you still not feeling okay?” Todd asks with concern.
“No. I’m good. Why?” Jim says as he made a left turn for their street.
“You just seem a bit distracted. Are you sure you’re fine?”
Todd couldn’t point out what it was, but there was definitely something off about Jim. Thinking back, it may have been happening for weeks now. He wanted to ask him what was wrong, but he knew how much the man hated being asked the same question over and over again. Deciding to dismiss the matter until he figures it out, he just went into talking about the details of their trip instead.
Jim was excited to finally have some quality time with his partner. The two have been so busy lately and were both looking forward to being in Boston again and then in New York, to welcome 2011.
