Irreconcilable Differences

++++++++



"Good morning," the annoying voice greeted from the other side of the line.



"It's one in the afternoon," Kelly pointed out.



"Well, I had accounted for a hang over," Clive replied.



"I didn't drink."



"Really? Because you must have either been drunk or out of your mind to have caused a scene like that."



"What scene?" Kelly asked taking a bite our of her piece of pizza.



"You arguing with Carrie," Clive reminded her.



"That wasn't a scene. It lasted for all of two seconds before she stormed away."



"Yea, well, that's not what I'm reading."



"Yea, well, the whole thing is your fault anyway. You and those damn magazines."



"How is this my fault?"



"The argument was about you, and you're inability to let people live their own lives."



"I don't care what it was about, just fix it," he replied firmly. "Fix it."



"Whatever," Kelly said, hanging up the phone.



+++++++++



"Carrie?" Kelly asked, hearing someone answer the phone.



"What?"



"I was thinking of going out for lunch tomorrow and was wondering if you wanted to come."



"And why would I want to do that?" Carrie asked.



"Care, come on. I'm trying to fix this, alright? Clive asked me to, and it's not like I have much of a choice. I need this to work out," Kelly replied.



Carrie sighed, the despair in Kelly's voice causing her heart to twinge, "Alright. What time?"



"I'll pick you up at 11:30?"



"Fine."



Kelly heard the phone click before she could respond. She tossed hers onto her bed, frowning. All she had to do was make Carrie see that she never did any of those things that she thought she did. It shouldn't be that hard.



+++++++



"So where are we going?" Carrie asked, climbing into the vehicle.



"This little cafe I heard about. It's supposed to be very low key. I figured we could use a day without cameras being shoved in our faces," Kelly replied, turning up the radio.



"Yea," Carrie agreed.



++++++++



"Thanks," Kelly smiled as their waitress handed them their menus.



"This is nice," Carrie commented, looking around the garden terrace where they were seated.



"I asked for a private room," Kelly admitted.



"Why?"



"In case this thing gets ugly," she shrugged, looking at the menu.



Carrie fought the smile she felt forming as she looked down at her own menu. She couldn't help but feel relaxed in the Texan's presence. It was as if she had this calming affect on her.



"So you ready to talk?" Kelly asked, not looking up.



"You have no patience," Carrie commented.



"Yea, it's probably playing in the same sand box that my filter is," Kelly replied.



Carrie shook her head, laughing to herself.



"So?" Kelly urged, putting down the menu.



"So what?" Carrie said, doing the same.



Kelly sighed, realizing that she would have to make the first move on this one.



"So, I'm sorry."



"For?"



Kelly fought the urge to scowl at the blonde sitting across from her, "I'm sorry for the comment I made at the press conference."



Carrie gave her a look, urging her to continue.



Kelly shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't be serious. She hadn't done anything else.



"Is that all?" Carrie asked, sounding bored.



"Fine, you want me to apologize?" Kelly asked. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that the media lied, saying that I was with Tony. I--"



"Lied?"



"Come on, you can't think that I would actually date him. He's a jerk."



"I dated him," Carrie pointed out.



"And I'm hoping you've learned from that situation."



Carrie frowned, "Just finish with your apology so we can get this over with."



Kelly laughed, "Alright. I'm sorry that those reporters fabricated those quotes. I'm sorry that you actually believed them. I'm sorry that Clive has been lying to you for the past few years, but why the hell would I be jealous of you? I'm pop, you're country. I have a free will, you do everything you're told," Kelly paused, taking a steadying breath. "I'm not jealous. I never was. The only thing I ever wanted was for you to succeed and hopefully some day break free from all this."



"You're unbelievable."



"Let me guess, you don't believe me?"



"Why should I?" Carrie asked.



Kelly looked her in the eye, studying her, searching for something. Carrie could feel herself falter under the gaze. There was something in those eyes that thoroughly unsettled her.



"Have I ever lied to you? Have I ever been rude to you any of the times we've met before all of this? Have I ever done anything that you know of, either to you or anybody else, that would make you think that I would ever act like that?"



Carrie frowned, knowing she was right.



"Well?"



"No," she admitted. "That's why I'm so confused by all of this. I mean, just watching you earlier, the way you interacted with the hostess and the waitress, I don't see you how you could've said all those things."



"So what makes you think I did?" Kelly asked patiently.



"I guess I don't," Carrie replied, starting to feel ashamed of all the things she had said.



"So you believe me when I say that I never said those things?"



"Yea."



"Good," Kelly smiled. "So maybe now, we can give this whole friendship thing an actual shot?"



"I'd like that," Carrie smiled back, relieved that Kelly wasn't going to ask if the things she had said in those magazines were true or not.



++++++++



"So, Jason, Ashley, and I were planning on catching a movie tonight. You wanna come?" Kelly asked as she pulled up to the hotel where Carrie was staying.



"I can't," Carrie replied. "I've got some work to do."



"Oh, that's alright then," Kelly replied, the slightest trace of disappointment in her voice. "I'll see you around?"



"Yea," Carrie smiled. "I'll give you a call when Clive decides when our next outing should be."



"Ok, catch you later," Kelly said, suddenly feeling nervous.



"Yea," Carrie replied, not sure what she was waiting on. She shook her head, coming back to reality, "Ok, well, bye."



"Bye," Kelly smiled as Carrie climbed out of the vehicle. She closed the door and walked to the front door of the hotel. She turned to flash a quick smile at Kelly before she pulled off. Kelly waved in response, wondering what had just happened.



+++++++



"So what are you thinking about?" Jason asked as he drove them home from the airport.



"Seeing my baby," Kelly responded, practically bouncing in her seat with excitement.



"She's gonna be fine," Jason assured her. "Jess was taking good care of her."



"I know. I just miss her. I got used to having someone sleeping next to me."



"Yea, normal people would just get a boyfriend, and they wouldn't have that problem," Ashley teased.



"And when has Kelly ever fallen into the category of normal?" Jason asked.



"Hey, I'm sitting right here," Kelly pointed out. "I can hear you talking about me."



"Well, there was this one time that she actually made it to school before the tardy bell," Ashley said, ignoring her short friend.



"Wow, really?" Jason laughed. "I'm kinda proud of her now."



Kelly just rolled her eyes, putting on her ipod while her brother and her best friend reminisced about the good old days.