CHAPTER XIII

Matt and Jeff were scheduled in a match against T&A that night, but at the sound of their names the two brothers began to chuckle. Thinking about what was going to happen later that night made the two intensely anxious. They anticipated the tryst so much that they almost couldn't concentrate on the match. After securing both the Twist of Fate and the Swanton Bomb on Albert, the brothers had won the match. As they went back to the locker to change, they were met by Lita.

"You guys are going home already?" she asked incredulously.

"Sorry, babe," replied Jeff, "but we've got some business to take care of at home."

"Yeah," nodded Matt in agreement.

"What kind of business are we speaking of exactly?" Lita pried.

"Why are you being so nosy?" Matt chuckled.

"Just wondering," Lita smirked. "You know how much I care about you two."

"We love you too, Mommy," the men mocked.

"Shut up," cried Lita, pushing them as they laughed.

"Don't worry," assured Jeff. "We'll be okay."

"Alright, have a good time....whatever you're doing," Lita said.

"Oh, we will," replied Jeff with gusto.

They finished changing their clothes and walked to the parking lot. Getting into their car, Matt was starting to put the key in the ignition when Jeff asked, "How do I look?"

Matt rolled his eyes and said, "You're going to have sex. We really don't have to look too presentable. The girls already know we had to wrestle tonight, so I don't think they'll expect too much from us."

"I don't know about that," replied Jeff with slight apprehension.

"Trust me, bro," Matt assured him as he started the car. "Trust me."

Meanwhile at Cecelia's house, Cecelia and Mitzi had been setting up for the big event. It had come so quickly and the four of them didn't have time to know each other. It didn't matter now; they were going to go through with this---one way or another.

"Do we have enough candles and incense?" asked Mitzi.

"We should," Cecelia replied. "I really wanna go all out with this. Do you have some at home?"

"Are you kidding?" Mitzi exclaimed. "I'm a candle-burning freak!"

"Enough said," giggled Cecelia. "What about lingerie?"

"The filmy, furry slips are upstairs where I left them," Mizti explained.

"Then we can take them off during the night," Cecelia grinned.

"And show those boys what we're really made of !"

The two grimaced, then laughed at the corniness of the line. They continued with their work in anticipation of the boys' arrival. Cecelia checked her watch and sighed.

"It's 10:45," she alerted. " I hope they get here on time."

"Don't worry," Mitzi calmed, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "They will. What's the worst that can happen to them?"

********************

"SHIT!!!!"

Jeff winced at the volume of his brother's voice, but he sympathized with his anger. It was 10:45 and they needed to be there by eleven, but they were stuck in traffic. More than anything, Jeff wanted to be with Cecelia. He wanted this evening with her more than Matt wanted Mitzi. At least they weren't virgins!

"Calm down, Matt," Jeff replied. "We'll get there soon."

"But this traffic is in my FUCKING WAY," Matt hissed. "I need to be with Mitzi tonight!"

"I understand that," Jeff said, "but let's be reasonable here. There are other people who have more important things to do, and sex probably isn't one of them."

"Since when did you decide to be such a rationalist?" growled Matt.

Jeff smirked. "I don't know. I just learned from the person who knows best. Speaking of which, since when did YOU decide to be so selfish?"

"I don't know," Matt sighed. "When I first met Mitzi, I never thought I'd meet anyone like her again, so I wanted to take advantage of the moments that we would spend together. We have so much limited time in our schedule, so I thought it only best to do that."

"Cecelia's special to me, too," Jeff said. "I always wanted a girl like her. I was close to having sex with...until you lovebirds barged in!"

"Hey, we didn't know," Matt insisted. "I keep on telling you that!"

"Yeah," chuckled Jeff. "Whatever."

**********************

As the girls were in their bathrobes, Cecelia looked out of the window and sighed. Then she looked at her watch again. It was 10:55, and the boys still hadn't arrived. Mitzi watched her friend begin to worry and she wrapped her arms around her waist.

"You've been checking your watch every single minute," she said. "They won't get here any faster."

"I know," Cecelia replied in despair. "I just want them to be here. They promised!"

"They can't always come through," Mitzi pointed out. "They have needs of their own."

"I understand, Mitzi, but I want them to..."

Cecelia was cut off by a knocking at the door. She rushed to open it, and when she had, the boys were standing there. The girls knew they would be quite tired once they arrived, but they would heal them with their sexual magic.

"We were so worried about you guys," Cecelia cried, wrapping her arms around the boys.

"One of us was, anyway," Mitzi scoffed. "Cecelia was close to panicking!"

"What?" cried Matt in shock. "You weren't worried? We were stuck in traffic! I wanted to see you so badly, baby."

"Yeah," laughed Jeff. "He was cursin' and carryin' on about how the traffic was in his way!"

"Well," Mitzi replied gently, stroking his cheek, "it's good to know you cared."

As Matt leaned in for a kiss, Mitzi gently pushed him back. Matt was confused as Mitzi wagged her finger at him.

"Uh, uh, uh," she whispered seductively. "Cecelia and I have surprise for you two. Why don't you guys have a seat? Take off your clothes, too."

The boys did as they were told, and when they were naked, they sat and watched as the girls removed their bathrobes to reveal their filmy negligees. Mitzi got behind Cecelia and began to stroke her softly. Cecelia moaned at the touch of Mitzi's hands to her breasts, and soon her hands reached to fondle her vagina. The boys watched with their eyes widened and their mouths agape. In the background, Sade's "Cherish The Day" played...

You're moving the way that I move

And I breathe your air

You only can rescue me

This is my prayer

If you were mine, if you were mine

I wouldn't want to go to heaven

Cherish the day

I won't go astray

I won't be afraid

Won't catch me running

You're moving the way that I move

You take my hand

You show me how deep love can be...

Mitzi and Cecelia pulled their negligees off of each other and began to kiss passionately. Their hands roamed their naked bodies, and soon they fell upon the couch. Mitzi was on top of Cecelia, and she began sucking and licking her friend's breasts. Meanwhile, Matt and Jeff watched in awe as their girlfriends performed sex on each other. They exchanged glances and smiles began to form on their faces.

Mitzi spread Cecelia's legs and began licking her vagina, which made Cecelia moan loudly. Mitzi then told her to lift her legs over her head: she wanted to give Cecelia a "rim job." Cecelia loved the thrill of being dominated, but she wanted to dominate, too. She gently pushed Mitzi off of her and began straddling her, teasing her with little bites. She rode her like a bucking bronco, beads of sweat pouring down their bodies.

When she finished, she licked Mitzi's lips and kiss them softly. The girls looked over at the boys and crawled off the couch to make their way to them. Cecelia grabbed Jeff, who in turn got on top of her and pumped away. She grabbed his ass, screaming his name when he was pumping. Mitzi was sucking Matt's erect penis and was tasting the cum that had ejected. She moaned in delight to what she had tasted. When she had finished, Matt got behind her and pumped so hard that Mitzi's eyes watered, but she wanted more. Cecelia was blowing Jeff from behind and rubbing his throbbing dick. Jeff made grunts and groans of satisfaction, calling out Cecelia's name and telling her to suck harder. Mitzi was on top of Matt and was riding him. Matt soon forced his dick up into her, which made her gasp and laugh.

Soon, the couples joined each other to conclude their sexual conquest. Cecelia was holding Jeff with her legs wrapped around him, Jeff was pumping away at his girlfriend while Mitzi screwed him from behind and had her arms around him and Cecelia, and Matt held Mitzi while kissing and screwing her ass. All of them were holding each other and screwing each other, and soon they were all screaming and moaning. When they had collapsed, they all stared at each other.

"That was....amazing," Jeff panted.

"Yeah," breathed Cecelia. "when can we do this again?"

They laughed hysterically, knowing that they all enjoyed it, then they curled up in each other's arms and went to sleep.

CHAPTER XIV

It was the middle of the night, and the light was on. Cecelia was wrapped up in a sheet and looking through old photographs of her family and friends. Jeff woke up and wrapped his arms around her waist, giving her a nuzzle on her neck.

"What'cha doin'?" he asked.

"Pictures," she replied, putting one in his face. Jeff began to snicker at the person in the photograph. "Who's the ballerina wearing earmuffs and Rainbow Brite boots? It's hardly even cold here!"

"That would be my sister Amy," she retorted with a smirk. "We were in New York at the time. And speaking of Rainbow Brite....isn't she related to you?"

"That's enough," he sighed in an exasperated tone.

Cecelia just laughed at him, knowing how much he hated the comparison.

"Look at this one right here," he noticed.

It was quite an old picture, and the woman looked about 19 or 20 years of age. "That's Nona," whispered Cecelia. "My Italian grandmother. Everyone believed she looked like Sophia Loren. My grandfather said she looked more like Gina Lollobrigida."

"Who?"

"An Italian actress back in the days of vaudeville...no television! There aren't many Italians that I know here. My maternal grandparents were from Venice and they moved to the U.S. in 1945 after the war ended and Mussolini was killed. My mother grew up in a family of seven. I can't imagine how she survived it. Then again, it could have been worse. My two older sisters were born in Brooklyn. My father was from Raleigh. He's Welsh. His parents moved to the U.S. before he and his sister were born."

She picked up a photograph and handed it to Jeff. "This is my father." He sighed at the looked at the young man, dressed in his navy attire. He seemed so pleasant in the picture, yet he looked so uncomfortable.

Jeff smiled at the picture as Cecelia said, "Wasn't he so handsome?"

She showed him a photograph, which she explained was taken a month before his death. They looked at more photographs, especially one in particular that caught Jeff's eye.

"Was that you?" he asked.

"What?"

"You look like you're singing at a luau," he laughed.

"I belly-danced and sang as a kid," she explained. "The outfit I was wearing was this filmy dress and not a grass skirt. I wore this sequined top and I would sing a bunch of showtunes in front of a large group of people. My father enjoyed it a lot. He was always busting a gut whenever he was watching me."

"Were you close to him?" Jeff asked solemnly.

"Pretty close," she sighed. "We were best friends. Even that incident with the glass couldn't really shake or break the bond we had."

"I'm not that close to mine," Jeff confessed. "I love my father, but we've never really seen eye-to-eye. He and Matt always have."

"What about your mother?"

Jeff hesitated, then replied, "She died when I was young. Died of breast cancer. I hardly knew her."

"Oh, my God," she whispered, a tear rolling down her face. "Jeff, I'm so sorry."

"I didn't want to tell you last night because you were already upset," he admitted, tears forming in his eyes. "I mean, about your cousin..."

"I know what you mean," she said. "We're baring our souls."

"And we're bare naked," Jeff replied.

The two exchanged glances and burst out laughing, making sure not to wake the other couple by covering their mouths. When they had finished, they kissed and embraced each other. Finally, the light was turned off, and they had gone to sleep.

CHAPTER XV

As she was sleeping, Cecelia had another dream. It wasn't like the last dream she had, however; this one was nightmarish and haunting. She and Jeff were riding on his motorcycle. They were going quite fast when a drunk driver had swerved and the motorcycle collided with it, sending them both over the car. Pieces of glass laid upon the ground, and the two landed on the glass. The driver was hardly hurt, but Jeff and Cecelia were badly bruised and cut. They had been taken to the hospital, where Cecelia woke up. She had bandages and stitches upon her forehead and her leg was in a cast, but she demanded the doctor to let her see Jeff. Jeff was in another room barely breathing. Cecelia, in her wheelchair, was positioned next to his bed. Jeff was in the worst condition. His face had been brutally mangled from most of the glass that flew his way. His head had been bandaged, his arms limp and broken, and he was put on life support. Cecelia touched his hand and whispered his name, hoping that he would wake up.

Finally, his eyes fluttered open and he whispered, "Don't worry about me, my love. I will always be with you."

They were his final words. Soon, he flatlined.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Cecelia woke up out of the dream, screaming and sweating. She screamed Jeff's name as the three woke up in fright.

"Cece, what's the matter with you?" Mitzi cried. "What happened?"

"Oh, my God," she whispered hoarsely. "Jeff, where are you?"

"I'm right here, baby," Jeff said, holding her closely and trying to comfort her.

Cecelia began to cry. "Oh, Jeff. I thought I lost you. I had such a horrible dream."

"What happened in your dream, Cece?" Matt asked her with concern.

As Mitzi sat by her friend, holding her hand tightly, Cecelia began to explain the accident, the drunk driver, and Jeff's untimely death. As she spoke, the tears continued to flow from her eyes like a river in a storm.

"Oh, baby," Jeff replied sadly. "I'm so sorry you had that nightmare. I will not leave you. I won't leave you alone."

"That's a promise you can't keep," sobbed Cecelia. "You know you have to leave when there is a match in another state...or country. I would want you to stay, but your job is more important. You just met me. I would want to travel with you, but Mitzi and I would have to stay here while you were gone."

"I don't care," Jeff insisted. "I care a lot about you, Cecelia. I want to be here for you whenever you get scared."

"I don't want it to seem like you're protecting me, because that's not what I want you to do. I care a lot about you, too, Jeff."

As Jeff held Cecelia in his arms tightly, Matt and Mitzi wrapped their arms around them for a tight group embrace. None of them really wanted to separate from each other, and they had enjoyed eah other's company---in more ways than one. Cecelia was right, however; Jeff's promise could not be kept. The boys would have to travel and leave the girls behind. The boys didn't hate the business; they just hated having to leave home, but they made the ultimate sacrifice. Leaving home meant leaving ones they cared about behind---their loved ones.

CHAPTER XVI

Strumming my pain with his fingers

Singing my life with his words

Killing me softly with his song

Killing me softly with his song

Telling my whole life with his words

Killing me softly with his song...

Roberta Flack played on the radio as Cecelia drove to the dance studio. She'd loved to dance ever since she was a kid, and it made her flexible and comfortable more than anything else. It seemed, however, that on this day she saw it more as a routine than excitement and pure pleasure. All she could think about was Jeff; he had been gone for two weeks and she missed him terribly. He hadn't been able to send her letters since he was all over the place. He made her happy in the short time they were together. It was a kind of happiness that no one was able to capture. As she continued thinking about him, the sad song continued to play, and she sang the bittersweet lyrics in her quiet tone...

I heard he sang a good song

I heard he had a style

And so I came to see him

And listened for a while

And there he was, this young boy

Stranger to my eyes

Strumming my pain with his fingers

Singing my life with his words

Killing me softly with his song

Killing me softly with his song

Telling my whole life with his words

Killing me softly with his song...

She had to turn off the radio. It was too much for her. She could have always changed it to another station, but there could be other sad songs that would be playing. She sighed heavily as she drove, trying to get Jeff off her mind...for now. She got to the studio and found it empty. Luckily for her, no one would be here to attack her for being as late as she was. She was in her unitard as the music played. It was now the music of Sade's "No Ordinary Love" playing in the background, and her expressive dancing began.

I gave you all the love I got

I gave you more than I could give

Gave you love

I gave more than I have inside

And you took my love

You took my love

Didn't I tell you what I believed

Didn't I say that a love like that won't last

Didn't I give you all that I've got to give baby

I gave you all the love I got

I gave you more than I could give

Gave you love

I gave you more than I have inside

And you took my love

You took my love

I keep crying

I keep trying for you

There's nothing like

You and I baby

This is no ordinary love

No ordinary love

This is no ordinary love

No ordinary love

When you came my way

You brightened every day

With your sweet smile...

As she danced, a young man watched her through the window of the studio, staring and taking in every posture and every move she made. He looked well-dressed, but was he well-mannered? Cecelia never paid any attention---until he knocked on the door. She stopped playing the music and walked over to the door. Opening it slowly, she came face-to-face with a pair of mysterious and dark brown eyes hidden behind wide-rimmed bifocals. One look was all it took to realize who it was.

CHAPTER XVII

Hi, Cecelia," the voice greeted nervously.

"Nolan," she replied calmly, "Mitzi is not here right now, and I don't think she will be anytime soon. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my dancing..."

"I'm not looking for Mitzi," he stated adamantly. "I'm looking for you."

Cecelia eyed him suspiciously. "What do you want from me?"

"Can I come in?"

She hesitated, but finally let him in. As she walked over to her boom box Nolan took a seat against the studio mirror. The music started up again, and Cecelia began to dance. Nolan watched in awe as she perfected every move she made.

"How long have you been dancing?" he asked.

"Since I was four," she answered.

"Well, you look great in that outfit," he smiled.

"Is this the reason why you're here?" she retorted.

"No," he sighed.

Cecelia stopped the music. "Then what is it about, Nolan? You can't have a story without a plot, do you understand?"

"Fine," he snapped. "It's about Mitzi...and our relationship."

"Or lack thereof," she reminded him.

"That's enough, Cecelia," he growled. "I'm sick and tired of your bullshit! I want Mitzi back!"

"THE HELL YOU DO! She's got a boyfriend now. You've got a pregnant fiancee. How the hell are you gonna get her back, by emotional blackmail? By threats of suicide? What? And what would Michaela have to say about this, huh? What would your fiancee have to say?"

"I haven't told her," he whispered sheepishly.

"Then you better start thinking about this, Nolan Foster," she warned him. "You had better think this through, or your life won't be the only one that's gonna be ruined by your decision!"

"You're her best friend," Nolan assumed. "You know more of what she wants than I do."

"I don't know everything about Mitzi, O.K.?" she softened. "We've been best friends for years, but that doesn't mean I know everything about her. There are some secrets that she'd rather not tell me about, and the feeling is mutual."

"I'm sorry," he said. "I was giving you a friendly hug."

"And to think that Mitzi would ever want you back in her life," she spat at him.

"I better go," he whispered.

"Nolan, wait!"

He turned around and watched silently as she approached him, not moving a muscle.

"I didn't mean that," she apologized. "I know you care a great deal about Mitzi and Michaela, but I thought that you wanted me....wanted me to sleep with you. I have a boyfriend myself, and that would be cheating on him."

Nolan walked over to Cecelia and said, "He's not here, is he?"

"No," she replied, "but I don't want to hurt him. I miss him a lot, you know."

He wrapped his arms around her once more and glided his hands up and down her back. Cecelia's hands stayed at her sides as he held her tightly. Cecelia soon placed her arms around him and began to cry. Nolan smoothed her hair and whispered that everything was going to be alright. Then, he took her face in his hands and kissed her sweetly on the forehead. With one last look, he let her go and walked out of the dance studio.

"I've got to tell Mitzi," she said to herself. "I've got to tell her everything...."

CHAPTER XVIII

"Lemme get this straight, Cece," said Mitzi as she sat with Cecelia in a cafe. "My ex came to the dance studio to talk to you about me?"

"That's what he said," sighed Cecelia as she sipped her hazelnut cappucino. "I seemed kind of an unlikely person, but given the fact that I was your friend..."

"...he figured that you knew me well enough to figure me out," Mitzi finished.

"Exactly," answered Cecelia. "I know that I don't know you inside and out, and that's what I told him."

"That's good," Mitzi replied with a twinge of frustration.

"Mitz, why won't you talk to him?" Cecelia asked her friend. "It's been two months now."

"I don't know. Maybe I just don't feel good being around him. You know, after what he did to me, my confidence was really shaken. I don't know why he would want me to be a part of his life again."

"It couldn't hurt to try," Cecelia brightly insisted.

"You really think so?"

"I know so."

After they had finished and Mitzi paid the bill, they walked out to Cecelia's car. Getting into the car, Mitzi asked Cecelia, "So, what are you doing tonight?"

"I'm going to watch a movie," Cecelia grinned. "It's our favorite Sharon Stone movie, 'Basic Instinct'."

Mitzi gasped, "You're kidding!"

"Nope," Cecelia said. "I finally bought the movie, so whenever I feel sexual tension, I can just watch the movie. It's voyeurism, but I love it! Who wouldn't want to see people having sex?"

"I wish I could see it with you," Mitzi sighed, "but I planned to see Arianna perform at her dance recital. In fact, I promised her I would. You know how she gets when her big sister doesn't show up to major events!"

"She's a joy," Cecelia smiled.

"And she's thirteen," Mitzi giggled. "Most teenagers would be moody, but not Ari."

"Tell her that I wish her good luck, alright?" Cecelia instructed.

"I will, and have fun watching your movie tonight!"

*********************

8/30/99

Dear Diary,

Jeff's birthday is tomorrow, and I can't believe he won't be here for it! I miss him soooo much. I wish he was home soon. I think I'm in trouble, diary. Mitzi's ex, Nolan, came by the dance studio to talk with me about having her back in his life, but I swear that he's coming on to me. I have a feeling he wants me to cheat with him. I don't want to do this to Jeff or to Nolan's pregnant fiancee. I've got to tell him that we can't do this!

Cece

Sitting up in her room with her red bathrobe around her naked body, Cecelia closed her journal and put it on her dresser. She sat on her bed thinking about both Nolan and the way he held her earlier when she cried on his chest. He had a comforting touch, a touch that reminded her of Jeff the night he caressed and fondled her breasts on the beach. The thought made her smile and ultimately she began touching herself again. She soon snapped out of it when the doorbell rang.

"Now who could that be?" Cecelia said to herself as she walked down the stairs.

Opening the door, she was shocked when she stood face-to-face with Nolan, who carried a sly smile upon his face.

"Funny, I didn't think I'd see you in your bathrobe," he remarked casually.

"Funny," she deadpanned, "I didn't think of inviting you over to my house."

"Ouch," he replied in mock anguish, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What are you doing here exactly, Nolan?" she asked him. "Are you looking for Mitzi...or for me?"

"Don't I even get a 'hello'?"

"You didn't give me one!"

"Well, I am looking for Mitzi..." he began.

"She ain't here," Cecelia interrupted.

"Well then, I'm looking for you," he replied, wrapping his arms around her. "Does that answer your question?"

"Actually, I'm not finished. Does Michaela know you're here?"

CHAPTER XIX

Nolan released his grip and meekly replied, "You had to bring it up, didn't you?"

"You're never gonna get it, are you?" Cecelia sneered.

"Get what?" he asked as he walked into the house.

"You big dumbass," she cried in frustration, folding her arms. "When you make a promise to someone to love them, you stick with it! I understand the need for you to cheat, but seriously---you've got a fiancee who you cheated on Mitzi and is also pregnant with your baby, and you're fixin' to cheat again! You have an insatiable appetite for sex and you lack in commitment, not to mention morals."

Obviously stung by her words, Nolan grabbed the arm of the couch and slowly sat down. His porcelain skin blanched even more, and he was so nervous that his hands were shaking. He had always been a strong person, but no one had ever made him feel so defenseless before---not even a member of the opposite sex. Anyone who knew Cecelia well, however, knew her for her acid tongue.

"Man," Nolan sighed. "You certainly know how to hit a guy below the belt."

"And I never use my hands," Cecelia giggled, "unless I feel the need to get physical."

"I try to resist the urge to cheat," he admitted, "but I guess I'm not trying hard enough. I mean, I do love the woman I'm with, but I love other women, too. It's very tempting, you know. I don't want to leave her, and I don't want her to leave me. At the risk of sounding sappy, it would be too much for me to bear."

"Parting is such sweet sorrow," Cecelia sighed, "yet cheating is such sweet temptation."

"You said it," Nolan chuckled, understanding what she meant. "So, do you forgive me?"

"Do you want me to?" she asked, sitting next to him on the couch.

"Yes I want you to," he replied, looking deep into her eyes. "I don't want you to hate me, Cecelia."

"I don't hate you, Nolan," she admitted, taking his hand. "Trust me, I don't."

"Do you think Mitzi does?"

"Well, I don't think that she hates you, either, but what you did to her was pretty deplorable. She's been getting over it, though. She wants to move on with her life, and I think it's best that you move on with yours."

Nolan sighed heavily, knowing that Cecelia was telling the truth. It was something he couldn't deny, so he had to accept it.

"Maybe you're right," he replied. "Maybe I should leave her alone. I still want to talk to her. I want to apologize."

"It's best that you should," Cecelia said.

"What are you doing right now?" Nolan asked.

"Right now," Cecelia sighed, "I'm about to watch a movie. Do you know of 'Basic Instinct'?"

"It's one of my favorite Sharon Stone movies," Nolan smiled.

"Mine, too," Cecelia grinned.

They both stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, then Nolan broke the stare by standing up and walking to the door.

"I've gotta go home," he said quickly. "Michaela's expecting me back. Thanks for the chat."

"Anytime," she replied, opening the door for him.

As he stepped out, Nolan gave her a kiss on the cheek and a tight embrace. Cecelia could not help but moan in his arms. He stepped back, said one last goodbye, and took off in his car. After he drove off, Cecelia walked back into the house and closed the door, sighing deeply. She placed a hand upon her forehead in despair as she leaned her head against the wall.

*Oh, Nolan,* she thought. *Why did you have to do this to me?*

CHAPTER XX

As Cecelia watched her movie, she couldn't help but think about what had happened earlier that night. Nolan had given her a kiss on the cheek, but it bothered her because she felt that she was falling for him. She cared for Jeff even more, but was pulled into a direction so unexpectedly enticing. She thought about how his hands felt as he held her in his arms on the doorstep and how soft his lips were when he brushed them against the side of her face. Then, she wondered about how sexy he looked without his clothes on and how enjoyable sex would be with him...

She soon snapped out of her thoughts and came back to reality. She was with Jeff and Nolan was with someone else. She didn't want to get involved with him. She had never been in this kind of situation before and wished that she wasn't in this kind of situation now, but she recalled her saying that cheating was incredibly tempting. She agreed with Nolan on that. Then the phone rang.

"Hello?," she answered after picking it up.

"Cece," a male voice answered. "Baby, it's me."

"Jeff," she cried happily. "Hi, honey! I'm so glad to hear from you. I miss you so much. I wish you were home."

"I wish I was home, too," he sighed. "So...what are YOU doing tonight?"

"Oh," she purred. "I'm naked and watching 'Basic Instinct'. It's a really racy movie with Sharon Stone. She's hot!"

"Not as hot as you are," Jeff whispered seductively. "You're like a fire that can't be extinguished."

"How romantically...poetic," she mused.

All of a sudden Cecelia heard catcalls and laughter on the other line. Jeff's wrestling buddies had been listening the whole time to the conversation and he was yelling at them to shut up.

"It's certainly good to know who your true friends are," Cecelia laughed.

"Well, they can be annoying as HELL sometimes," he sighed.

"Aw, poor baby," she replied sweetly.

"Listen, I have to go. I have to take care of some....business, if you know what I mean."

"OK, come home soon," Cecelia said. "Happy Birthday, Jeffrey Nero Hardy."

"Thanks, Sexy Lady," Jeff whispered.

"Bye, baby."

"Bye, honey."

After she hung up the phone, Cecelia's smile faded. She wanted to tell Jeff what was going on, but she hadn't brought herself to doing it. She hoped that the next time he called, she would let him know.

Chapter XXI

Cecelia couldn't concentrate on the movie anymore. She shut it off in despair and buried her face in the pillow, trying to figure out what to do about her situation. No such luck. She jumped as soon as she heard a knock at the door. She stood up and tried to walk, her legs feeling almost like gelatin. She dreaded having to face Nolan again, but to her surprise, when she opened the door....

"Need some company?"

It was Mitzi, and she stood outside of the door with a smile on her face. It was a friendly smile, but also one of concern.

"Oh, thank God it's you, Mitzi," Cecelia whispered, her voice breaking.

She wrapped her arms around Mitzi for comfort and her friend willingly responded. Sobbing in her arms, Cecelia kept saying, "It wasn't supposed to be this way."

"What wasn't supposed to be what way?" Mitzi asked, still holding her.

"Nolan came by," she finally said. Mitzi loosened her grasp.

"WHAT?"

"I'm not kidding, Mitz," Cecelia cried, wiping her tears away. "He came by and he started flirting with me. He even kissed me."

"Why that lyin', cheatin', lousy, worthless, no-good pig!"

"Calm down, Mitzi," Cecelia replied softly. "It was only on the cheek. You really must hate your ex if you're gonna call him that! To tell you the truth, I....I think that I'm falling in love with him. I don't know what it is, but something about him makes me feel incredibly...beautiful. It's the way Jeff makes me feel, only....Nolan's power is much stronger."

"God," cried Mitzi in exasperation. "I HATE what he's doing. I absolutely hate it! Mind games, Cecelia, all mind games!"

"How the HELL do you even know that?"

"Believe me," whispered Mitzi, "I've been there. I'm not the first girl he's cheated on and lied to about it!"

Cecelia stared at Mitzi, her chocolate brown eyes growing darker as she scrutinized her best friend. "What exactly are you talking about, 'you're not the first girl?' "

"Remember Giovanna Drake, the girl who moved from New Jersey last year?" Mitzi asked.

"The one who...killed herself?"

"She got pregnant with his baby. She thought he loved her. Only two weeks along when she died. When she found out he was cheating, she took her father's handgun and shot herself in the stomach."

Cecelia felt sick to her stomach at this revelation. At the same time, another part of her believed that what Mitzi was saying was all just speculation. However, Mitzi would prove her wrong.

"Her brother told me...before they moved back to Trenton and after I started dating Nolan. She told him that she was going to kill herself that night. He wouldn't lie to me if he knew, Cecelia."

"That poor girl," Cecelia whispered, her voice wavering.

"You see, Nolan can not be trusted. He didn't directly kill her, but it was his infidelity that drove her to suicide. I'm glad that I didn't kill myself when I broke up with him or I wouldn't have found Matt. I don't think she was emotionally stable to handle the truth. I just wish Nolan wasn't as manipulative as he is handsome."

Cecelia nodded sadly and answered, "How true that is."

**********************

8/31/99

Dear Diary,

Jeff's 22 today. Happy Birthday, honey! I really do miss him. I believe that he's my soulmate, but there's a problem with that because of Nolan. What Mitzi told last night about him totally shocked me. Why is he always like this? Why can't he commit? Why on earth would anybody do such a thing as to break one's heart, especially the heart of someone they supposedly loved so dearly? I don't know. I feel this attraction to him,. but I don't want to get close because I'm afraid he might hurt me. Surprisingly, it wasn't that way with Jeff. I wanted him instantly. Nolan's history of infidelity makes me nervous around him. What am I going to do?

Cece

"Nervous" was just an understatement for Cecelia; she was frightened. Giving your heart to someone was much harder than she expected, especially with an unofficial---not to mention uninvited---third party involved. She had to do something with her relationship before it was too late. As she was contemplating telling Jeff the truth, the doorbell rang. She sighed and traipsed down the stairs and opened the door. It was her oldest sister Mackenzie, greeting her with a big smile on her face...and an even bigger stomach.

"Hey, sis," she cried, opening her arms for a hug. "Mackie," she squealed. "It's great to see you! How's Blair? How are the kids?"

"They're all just fine," she smiled. "They're all excited about the new baby. It's gonna be a boy, our first!"

"I'm excited, too," Cecelia said. "Would you like to come in? I really would like some company."

"Do you really have to ask, Cece?" Mackenzie giggled. "We're sisters!"

Chapter XXII

Cecelia and Mackenzie sat in the kitchen sipping cups of chamomile tea and talking about their everyday lives. During the conversation, Mackenzie noticed her little sister was tense as she kept tapping the table nervously. Mackenzie placed a warm palm on her sister's hand and squeezed it tight, which prompted Cecelia to take her other hand and hold it. At this moment, her sister was the only source of comfort she had, and she needed it badly.

"There's something wrong in your life, isn't there, Cece?" Mackenzie inquired with concern.

"It's more than just wrong, Mackie," Cecelia responded bitterly. "It's confusing, and I don't know how to get out of the situation!"

"Tell me about it," Mackenzie said. "Maybe I can help."

"Well, there's this guy who once dated my friend, but he cheated on her with another girl. Even though he's with that girl, who is pregnant with his child...he seems to want to go after me. The problem is that I already have a boyfriend, yet I kinda like him."

"You finally got a boyfriend?" Mackenzie shrieked.

"Yes," Cecelia grinned.

"What's his name? What does he do?"

"His name is Jeff Hardy, and...."

"Wait a minute," Mackenzie interrupted. "The same Jeff Hardy that works for the WWF and lives here? No way!"

"That would be him," sighed Cecelia.

"You lucky girl!"

"Can we PLEASE get back to what I was talking about, Mackie?" Cecelia whined.

"Sorry," Mackenzie replied. "Anyway, why don't you tell this guy how you feel? At the same time, tell him that you could only be friends. On the other hand, a long distance relationship is even harder, and that's what you and Jeff seem to have."

"I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings," Cecelia explained. "I just want everyone to be happy, and if that means risking the love of my life...then that's something I will have to do."

"You really love Jeff, don't you?"

"More than you'll ever know."

*************************

Now what am I supposed to do

When I want you in my world

How can I want you for myself

When I'm already someone's girl

What am I supposed to do

When I want you in my world

How can I want you for myself

When I'm already someone's girl

First time that I saw you, boy

It was a warm and sunny day

All I know is I wanted you

I really hoped you'd look my way

Then you smiled at me so warm and sweet

I could not speak

You made me feel like a little bitty girl

What you do to me

Now what am I supposed to do

When I want you in my world

How can I want you for myself

When I'm already someone's girl

I guess I'll see you next lifetime

No hard feelings I guess

I'll see you next lifetime

I gon' be there

Your energy feels so damn good to me

It lifts me up, don't wanna come down

You got me spinning all around

You need to know

I got somebody

But you're beautiful

You see, it just ain't that type of party

Now what am I supposed to do

When I want you in my world

How can I want you for myself

When I'm already someone's girl

Now what am I supposed to do

When I want you in my world

How can I want you for myself

When I'm already someone's girl

I guess I'll see you next lifetime

Maybe we'll be butterflies

I guess I'll see you next lifetime

That sounds so divine

I guess I'll see you next lifetime

I guess I will now

I guess I'll see you next lifetime

Wait, wait a little while

See, there ain't nothin' wrong with dreamin'

But boy, don't get me wrong

Cause every time I see you

It lets me know just how strong

That my love is for my baby

But emotions just don't lie

Well, I know I'm a lotta woman

But not enough to divide the pie...

*I don't want to love you, Nolan,* Cecelia thought to herself as she walked along the beach later that afternoon. *But you're making things so hard for me.*

She stayed on the beach until six in the evening. Her sister had gone to visit a friend and told her that she was probably coming back that evening. She felt tired, so she decided to go to her room and take a nap. Her plans were put on hold when she heard a knock at the door. Answering it, she found roses and a note on her doorstep. She picked up both items and walked into the house, reading the note as she shut the door.

To the most beautiful girl in the world,

Your secret admirer

"Secret admirer?" Cecelia asked herself.

Another knock sounded, and Cecelia went back to open the door. As she opened it, a male figure grabbed her close and pressed his lips to hers in a lustful kiss.

Chapter XXIII

Cecelia tried to break free from the kiss, but this person...this man was too strong for her. Just out of the blue this man attacked her lips, yet...she was enjoying the kiss. It tasted like Jeff, but she didn't know who it was. Finally, she bit him and he stumbled back, falling onto the ground. The poor guy absolutely forgot that the door was open!

"Who the HELL are you?" she screamed. "You can't possibly be my boyfriend!"

"I-I-I didn't know you had a boyfriend," the guy croaked.

She stomped over to where he lay and bent down to look closely. The shock in her face said it all.

"Johnny," she cried out, "you're home from college?"

"Well, yeah," Johnny replied, sitting up and rubbing his bruised lip (something he couldn't do with his equally bruised ego). "I already went to see the family. Mitzi told me where you lived now and I wanted to surprise you."

"You gave me the flowers?"

"Oh, no. That wasn't me; somebody else did that!"

Cecelia stared at him blankly. "Well, you gave me one HELL of a kiss. Whatever possessed you to do that? Playboy centerfolds lacked your interest?"

Johnny wrapped his arms around Cecelia and laughed, "I missed you, Cece. I always loved you and you know that. True, you're like a third sister to me, but...I do have feelings for you."

As Cecelia helped him stand and walk into the house, he added, "Now, Mitzi never told me you had a boyfriend, so I assumed you were free. I wanted to ask you out, but..."

"I understand, Johnny," she sighed. "I just wish you could have told me sooner. On the other hand, what would your family think, especially Mitzi? She is your sister, you know."

Johnny pulled her closer into his arms and into a tight embrace. "I know, but she has to understand that..."

Cecelia looked deep into his eyes and asked, "What? What is it that I need to know?"

Johnny took a deep breath and whispered, "I love you, Cecelia. I always have, and I always will."

Tears began to form into Cecelia's eyes and slip down her face. The revelation, although heartwarming, was also heartbreaking. She was involved with another man, and now to find out that her childhood friend's brother wanted her was enough to make her sick to her stomach. As Johnny bent down to kiss her, the doorbell rang again. Cecelia wiped her eyes and quickly opened the door.

"Nolan," she gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you..."

He stopped dead in his tracks the minute he glanced up at Johnny. The expression in his face turned from excited to pained, looking into those steel blue eyes. Johnny was angry.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked Nolan coolly, his voice lowered.

"I came to see Cecelia, just wanted to know if she got my gift," Nolan harshly retorted. "This is none of your business."

"Correction, Foster: This IS my business! You were the one who broke up with my sister, remember?"

"You sent me those flowers, Nolan?" Cecelia asked him. "I should have known..."

"Look," Johnny growled at Nolan, "she's glad you bought her flowers, so why don't you just get the hell out? You aren't supposed to be here anyway!"

"It's up to her, not you," Nolan snapped. "Who made you the boss?"

"Will you two just shut the HELL up?" Cecelia yelled.

She couldn't take it. This was all too much for her, too new for her---and it was just about to get worse.

"No," Johnny replied, rolling up his sleeves and preparing to give his enemy a good sock in the face. "You should stay out of this, Cecelia."

"Yeah," replied Nolan, taking off his leather jacket. "At least that's one thing we agree on."

"No, I AM involved in this, you two! You are NOT going to fight in MY house! I will not let you do it!"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Cecelia! it's me, Mitzi. I need to talk to you."

She grabbed their arms and stared at the both of them. "Listen here, I want you two to leave my house right NOW! I don't want to have anything to do with you---not tonight."

"That's fine, Cece," Nolan sneered. "I'd be happy to leave you...as long as this asshole leaves, too."

"You especially need to go, Nolan. It wasn't too long ago that I told you that your fiancee needed you."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Johnny chuckled. "You're trying to cheat? That's one hell of a way to go, man, but that's what I expected of you anyway."

"Don't patronize him," Cecelia reprimanded.

"Cecelia!"

"Get outta here, Mitzi!"

"Nolan! What the hell are you doing there?"

"That's alright, Cecelia," Nolan smiled insincerely at Johnny. "Mitzi wasn't woman enough for me anyway."

"THAT'S IT!"

Johnny lunged for Nolan and started attacking him, knocking Cecelia down in the process. As they were fighting, Cecelia slowly stood up and went to open the door. Letting Mitzi inside, she begged her to help pry them off of each other. Cecelia pinned down Nolan, while Mitzi grabbed her brother. Their faces were red---blood had colored their faces both internally and externally. They hadn't stopped fighting. The girls tried to make them stop by screaming at them and twisting their arms. They just could not stop the battle---until Johnny tried to punch Nolan again, this time knocking Cecelia unconscious.

Chapter XXIV

"Cecelia, are you OK? Wake up, Cecelia. Come on, Cecelia. Wake up for me, babe."

Her eyes still shut, Cecelia hoarsely whispered, "W-W-Where am I? What happened to me?"

"It's OK, it's OK," soothed the voice. "I'm here. You're in the hospital. You've been out since last night. Quite a nasty bump on your head. You need to take it easy, sweetheart."

She recognized the line, not to mention the voice. "Jeff? Jeff, is that...you?"

"Yes, it's me." Cecelia slowly opened her eyes and smiled at the piercing jungle green eyes that matched her brown, then grimaced as she clutched her head. "I got hit in the head...again?"

Jeff sighed. "Yeah. Unfortunately, you got caught up in a fight between two guys that were in your house. One of them hit you in the head, and..."

"I got it," she whispered. "Remember the last time this happened?"

"That was how we met. Two weeks ago."

"When did you and Matt get back?"

"Last night," he explained. "Mitzi was going to tell you about it. We wanted to surprise you."

"Ohhhh," Cecelia groaned. "How long have you been here?"

"All night and all morning." Cecelia glanced up at the clock. "Seven-thirty? When you hit me, I wasn't out that long, was I?"

"Just for a few minutes," Jeff said.

"Then this must have been worse," she exclaimed. "No wonder why I'm here! I'm going to kill him for this!"

"'Him?'" Jeff curiously wondered.

"Johnny," Cecelia exclaimed. "You weren't here when all of these situations were happening..."

"What situations?"

"He and Nolan..."

"Wait a minute," Jeff interrupted, his voice getting louder. "Who's Nolan? What in the hell's goin' on, Cecelia?"

"Will you just SHUT UP and let me explain?" Cecelia snapped.

Jeff's eyes widened at her response, and Cecelia was equally surprised. Since they had met, she had never acted so angry at him. What's more, she had never seen him get pissed off. It all made sense; she never had the heart---or even the chance---to tell him what had happened while he was gone. It seemed like a long time, when in fact this all took place during a week. He had been gone for two.

"Johnny...is Mitzi's older brother," she began, "and Nolan is her ex. For some reason, both have been pining away for me, which never happened before. I know Nolan has cheated before, and he did cheat on Mitzi with this girl he's about to marry. Her name's Michaela, and she's carrying his child. He came to see me while I was practicing dance moves, and he was kind of makin' moves on me. The truth is, he needed me to ask Mitzi to be a part of his life again."

She stopped to wipe a tear that had slipped from her eye onto her cheek. Jeff continued to stare at her intently, waiting to hear more of what she had to say.

"He came to visit me, and uh...I got mad at him for trying to cheat on his fiancee," she continued. "I told him how much I cared about you and how much I missed you, and that we couldn't cheat on the people we cared about. From what I can recall, Mitzi doesn't want anything to do with him."

"And Johnny?" Jeff inquired.

"Johnny just came back from college. Last night, I got some flowers---which I later found out were from Nolan---and I assumed they were from you. I closed the door, but I opened it again when the doorbell rang. I opened it, and...Johnny kissed me. I pushed him onto the ground, and that's when he told me that...he loved me; he always had, Jeff. I tried to stop them from fighting, I really did. They hate each other so much, and it's all my fault!"

Jeff held her in her arms and began to rock her back and forth. Her tears were now uncontrollable; she couldn't help but cry. Equally upset was her stomach, and the more she cried the sicker she felt. Her nausea was induced by a knock on the door and the entrance of both Nolan and Johnny with Matt and Mitzi right behind them.

"Please, Mr. Hardy," Nolan begged. "Let us talk to her. We want to apologize for what happened last night."

"Yeah," Johnny replied sheepishly. "We're really sorry."

"You can call me Jeff, but it's completely up to Cecelia," Jeff said, looking over at his girlfriend.

Now it became too much for Cecelia, whose once honeyed skin had turned frighteningly peaked and porcelain in color. Aghast at what she saw, she covered her mouth and made a dash to the bathroom and closed the door behind her, her visceral retching noises echoing in the background. The sound of a toilet flushing had followed as Mitzi ran to the bathroom and quickly started to soothe her friend, who was now sobbing in despair.

"What did we do wrong?" Nolan asked quietly.

"You mean, what did you do wrong?" Johnny snapped. "One good look at your ugly face and it would want to make a girl throw up."

"Why don't you shut up, Ellison?" Nolan growled, getting in Johnny's face again.

"Hey, why don't you two back off?" Jeff hissed. "She's my girlfriend!"

"ENOUGH!"

Matt's voice sent a tremor through every inch of the guys' bodies as they turned to face him. "This is what made her sick," he lectured, "and frankly, it's making me sick, too. You guys are not helping her by arguing around her. Nolan, Johnny, I don't know either; however I do know you, Jeff, and you're acting the worst out of all of you!"

"Now, wait a minute..." Jeff began to object.

"We just got back here, man," Matt interrupted, "and already, you're starting to act like a bratty, selfish, immature little asshole, but this time you're not alone!"

Matt stomped out of the room as Mitzi emerged from the bathroom with a shaken Cecelia, whose face was still white and her auburn hair was disheveled and all over her face. Mitzi glared at the three men, whose faces had equally been color-drained out of shame.

"I think it's best that you leave---all three of you had better go and leave us alone to talk," she remarked icily. "I'm going to do what none of you have bothered to do, and that is to help her."

"But, Mitzi, she..." Jeff began.

"Do as she says," Cecelia spat. "GET OUT NOW! I DON'T WANNA TALK TO EITHER OF YOU! I belong to none of you---just remember that!"

"Marissa," Johnny whispered to his sister.

"Jonathan," Mitzi whispered coolly. "You too, Nolan."

As the three of them took their leave---Jeff being the last since he was reluctant---Mitzi helped Cecelia back on the bed, her arms guiding her as she placed her body upon the firm mattress.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Cecelia asked her subconsciously.

"About them coming to see you?" Mitzi guessed.

"No," Cecelia objected. "About your name."

"You don't how much I hate it," Mitzi laughed.

"I think it's beautiful," Cecelia sighed. "Why would you want to hide it?"

"It was my grandmother's name."

Cecelia stopped asking. She knew what had happened. Mitzi's grandmother was a Greek dancer who had died two months before Mitzi was even born. Greece was also the birthplace of Mitzi's mother Diamando, who had never discussed memories of her own mother with her children.

"I'm sorry," Cecelia whispered. "I forgot."

"It happens," Mitzi sighed, almost sounding defeated. "You can't control everything in this world, you know."

"Tell me about it," Cecelia agreed. "So, why exactly did you bring them here?"

"They wanted to see you," Mitzi explained. "They both promised---unsuccessfully---that they would not get into an argument while they visited you. Now Jeff had to get into it."

Cecelia turned onto her side and began to cry for what would be the third time that morning. Her heart was in a million pieces, like fragile glass, and she could actually hear it shattering in her body. Her painful sobbing prompted Mitzi to gather her in her arms and brush her lips upon her friend's forehead.

"Oh, Mitzi," she cried, "I wish this didn't happen to me. Why must love be so complicated?"

"I don't know, Cece," she sighed. "I just don't know."

"I don't wanna fall in love again," declared Cecelia angrily.

"You don't mean that," Mitzi cried, looking at her surprised.

"Yes, I do. Although there is one exception."

She cupped her face in Mitzi's hands and slowly began to kiss her. Mitzi willingly gave into temptation and kissed her back. Grabbing her towards the bed, they were about to embark on another sexual adventure until the door began to open again.

CHAPTER XXV

"Uh, am I interrupting something?" the nurse queried nervously as she walked into the room.

"Sorry, I was just playing around with her," Mitzi replied sheepishly, the scarlet burning in her cheeks.

"She and I are really close, and we like to be around each other," Cecelia replied as Mitzi stared at her wide-eyed. "We're best friends. I love her very much."

"Oh," the nurse said in disbelief.

"My boyfriend thinks it's cute."

The nurse, staring blankly at Cecelia, suddenly smiled at what she heard. "Well, I just came to check up on you. I'm glad to see that you're OK."

"Thank you," Cecelia smiled back.

When the nurse left the room, Mitzi collasped onto the bed, sighing with relief. Cecelia couldn't help but laugh at the scene. It was obvious that she was feeling better.

************************

Jeff sat at a table in the cafeteria drinking a cup of coffee, despite the lack of taste. Matt walked in and grabbed a chair to sit next to him. Jeff, knowing that he was there, ignored him and just stared at the dark brown liquid in the styrofoam cup, looking sullen.

"I didn't mean to yell at you," Matt apologized.

"You had every right to do so," Jeff quietly replied. "I acted really selfish back there. Serves me right for thinking that way."

"I would, too," Matt said. "I don't know if I'd get so emotional about it, though. Listen, I know you love Cecelia, but..."

"She doesn't want to see me, Matt," Jeff interrupted bitterly. "I wanna be near her, but she doesn't want to see me. She probably hates me for what I did. Maybe I was kind of bullying her instead of helping her."

"You didn't bully her, Jeff..."

"Matt," Jeff requested, "do me a favor and tell Cecelia I'm sorry. I can't do it face-to-face."

"Are you scared or something?" Matt chuckled. The next response made him think twice about his question.

"If you mean of losing her, damn straight I am."

************************

Nolan and Johnny sat in the lobby, arms folded across their own chests and serious looks cast upon their faces. The argument in Cecelia's room was a mistake---they knew that---but they could not forgive each other.

"So what happens now?" Nolan asked.

"I don't know," Johnny sighed. "I wonder how Cecelia is."

"Yeah, me too," Nolan whispered.

Staring at each other, they both said, "Look, I'm sorry...No, you go first..."

"I'll start," Nolan said. "Johnny, I'm sorry about last night, and all the other times before. I know it's probably too late for those, but..."

"I understand," Johnny replied, "and I'm sorry, too."

"Shake?" Nolan asked, holding out his hand with a grin on his face.

Johnny was hesitant, then shook his hand and smiled back. At this moment, everything seemed to be alright with the world---theirs, anyway.

**********************

Diagnosed with a mild concussion, Cecelia was released from the hospital later that day. The men went to their respective homes, while Mitzi stayed with Cecelia after she asked her to.

"Do you feel dizzy? Do you have a headache? Did we call your mom?" Mitzi worried as they walked up the stairs to Cecelia's bedroom.

"I'm fine," Cecelia sighed, "and no, we didn't call my mom. I didn't want you to do that."

"If you say so," Mitzi replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"I do," Cecelia grinned, tightly squeezing Mitzi's arm.

Mitzi couldn't believe how much Cecelia really loved her. They were best friends before; how could they even be lovers now? But she enjoyed it. She loved to experiment, and was teaching Cecelia more than she thought she would need to know.

"I need to take a shower," Cecelia said. "Want to join me?"

"I don't see how a concussion can increase your sex drive," Mitzi giggled.

Cecelia feigned a pout. "Is that a 'no'?"

Mitzi kissed her face and asked her, "Did I even say that?"

With that, they stripped themselves of their clothing and rushed to the bathroom, climbing into the tub. Turning on the shower, they continued to giggle as they lathered each other's body with soap and washed each other's hair, kissing and cuddling throughout the cleansing ritual as any couple would do. The water trickled down their skin and rinsed them clean, and they stepped out of the tub after 20 minutes of back-and-forth washing, drying each other off. Of course, the drying was not without its share of rapturous caresses. The whole scene was almost like it was out of a porno movie! Clad in long button-down shirts, the girls were sprawled on Cecelia's bed; Mitzi's head comfortably placed on Cecelia's chest and Cecelia happily stroking Mitzi's wet golden hair. The night came, and a full moon shone brightly in the sky. If only their boyfriends could see them now...

**************************

Jeff sat on his bed, tears dripping down his face. He never liked to be away from Cecelia, and now he was being pushed from her side. He loved her very much, but didn't understand what had happened in the time he had been gone. He just wished he'd stayed around to comfort her and be there for her. He couldn't have understood what it was like for her to have this influence. Matt watched his brother from the door, noticing his brother's back was facing him. He felt bad for Jeff, knowing that he was going through this, but at the moment there was nothing either of them could do. The heart-wrenching scene almost made Matt cry, and he walked away, without announcing his presence.

*******************************

Johnny entered the family room, hearing conversation in Greek from his mother who was on the phone with his cousin Eleni. He mouthed to her that he was home and that he was going upstairs to sleep. He didn't feel like changing; he just collapsed on his bed as soon as he got up there. Before he went to sleep, he wondered if Cecelia was alright. He debated calling her, but his sister was at the house probably giving her advice already. He sighed, giving up on the idea and going to sleep.

*************************

Entering his house, Nolan encountered Michaela sitting at the kitchen table with a box of tissues and a glass of bourbon. Her head was in her hands and she was quietly sobbing.

"I'm home," he whispered quietly.

No answer.

"I was at the hospital visiting a friend. I wanted see if she was...okay."

He walked closer to her, bending down and giving her a kiss when he saw the glass. He stepped back, a questioning look crossing his face.

"You know you shouldn't be drinking alcohol when you're pregnant," he said. "It'll harm the baby."

She finally looked up at him with her tear-stained face. She smiled a little and picked up her glass, then pushed herself to stand. Because of the heavy liquor, she began to wobble. Nolan tried to help, but she pushed him away.

"Don't touch me," she slurred, walking into the den. "You was with another woman, wasn't you?"

"Mickey, baby," Nolan replied concerned, "she's just a friend."

"Don't you lie to me! I know all about your faults, so don't give me that CRAP! And what's all this about hurting the baby with alcohol? You obviously don't care so much about her or this damn hemline that your cow fiancee is stretching, so I plan to kill her."

"I never call you a cow," Nolan objected. "Stop this! Cecelia really is just a friend..."

"You know her name?" she growled. "Where does this bitch live? You probably know her address, too! tell me, GODDAMMIT!"

She walked over to the oak cabinet and pulled out a shotgun. Nolan saw the gun and tears sprang to his eyes.

"Ooooh," she evilly grinned. "Look who's turnin' sissy!"

"You're not gonna kill her, are you, baby?"

"DON'T CALL ME BABY, ASSHOLE," she cried. "In fact, I'll make sure you'll never call me---or anyone else---again!"

"NO!"

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

CHAPTER XXVI

Cecelia sat up quickly when she heard the phone ring late that night. Her movements stirred Mitzi in her sleep, and Cecelia gently rubbed her back as she picked up the phone.

"Hello," she replied groggily, "who is this?"

"Baby? I-It’s me. Were you asleep?"

Cecelia smiled. "Yeah, Jeff, I was. You can’t?"

Jeff emitted a sigh into the phone and replied, "No. I’ve just been thinking about you. Look, I was thinking that..."

"Um, Jeff, whatever you’re going to say is fine with me," Cecelia interrupted. "Don’t worry about it."

"You don’t understand, Cece," Jeff sighed again. "I need to come over to your house tonight. Right now."

"You need to come over? What for?"

"I need to..."

The conversation was once more interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell.

"Just a minute, Jeff. I need to see who’s at the door."

Mitzi sat up and mouthed to Cecelia that she would get the door, and she got up walked down to the living room.

"Never mind, sweetheart," Cecelia replied. "Mitzi’s getting the door for me. So, what’s this about you coming over to my house tonight?"

"I wanted to talk to you about...us."

"Why? What’s the matter?"

"I was thinking so much about what happened at the hospital, and...I was such an ass! I hurt you so badly. I know this is too much to ask, but..."

The conversation was cut off again, this time by a loud scream from downstairs. Startled, she told Jeff that she had to hang up and she went to investigate. As she came flying down the stairs, she noticed Johnny standing at the door, cradling a hysterical Mitzi in his arms. Behind him were flashing red and blue lights and a patrolman standing on the side. Her eyes widened as she saw the sullen look on Johnny’s face, and she stepped closer to put her arms around them.

"Nolan’s dead, Cecelia," sobbed Mitzi.

"How?" asked Cecelia, stepping back with shock. "We just saw him earlier! He was at the hospital with us..."

"Michaela shot him," Johnny quietly answered. "It was a murder-suicide. She had been drinking. She turned the gun on herself just after she killed him. The baby didn’t survive, needless to say."

"No," she whispered, her voice breaking. "No, no, no! He told me they were okay. he told me that he’d be there for her and the baby. He told me...he told me...Johnny..."

Johnny held out his free arm to Cecelia and she walked over and began to cry. She heard Mitzi muttering over and over, "I should have forgiven him, I should have forgiven him..."

Listening to her words, Cecelia couldn’t help but blame herself.

************************

Jeff heard the loud scream from the phone. After Cecelia hung up, he ran to Matt’s bedroom and woke him up. Matt opened and rubbed his eyes and glared at his brother, but changed his glance when he saw the concerned look on his face.

"I was just talking to Cecelia," Jeff rapidly explained, "and as we were talking, I heard this scream. I-I-It sounded like Mitzi!"

"Mitzi?" Matt immediately sat up. Had anyone hurt his girl, he would have beaten him up...or them, whichever came first!

"I don’t know what happened," Jeff continued. "The last thing I heard was this scream, and Cecelia said that she had to go! Matt, we’ve gotta get over there right now!"

Matt was already a step ahead of Jeff, grabbing his keys and black leather jacket and heading out the door, with Jeff closely behind him. Jumping into his car, they headed down the dirt road, almost going past the speed limit. Whatever had occurred at Cecelia’s house, they needed to be there.

***********************

Cecelia sat with a blanket around her body, her hands clasped tightly and her face stained with tears and red puffy eyes. Her hair, although neatly combed, fell upon her shoulders and covered the sides of her face so that only her deep emerald eyes had been shown despite the lack of glow in them. She felt sick again, but it was more of the heart: She never forgave Nolan after the fight in the hospital, and she wished she could have. She felt she got involved in the relationship and caused this whole murder-suicide. She looked over at a motionless Mitzi, whose head was resting in Johnny’s lap. Her face was pale and drawn, and she stared blankly into space. Cecelia knew that she didn’t know what Mitzi was going through, and she crawled over to Johnny and placed her head upon his shoulder, while covering Mitzi with her blanket and taking hold of her hand. She looked up at one of the officers, a tall and burly man who stood over the three of them with a notepad and a pen in his hands, and she sighed a heavy and mournful sigh.

"Miss Rhodesmann," the officer said to her. "Did you know the victims at all before this incident took place?"

"I-I-I knew Nolan," she stammered, "but I didn’t know his fianceé very well. What I did know was that she was four or five months pregnant with his child. I never met her, though."

"What was her name?"

"Michaela Gunther. I knew of her by Mitzi, who told me about her. Nolan was her boyfriend at the time. She never got to reconcile with him after the break-up because she was so angry about him cheating, but she went on with her own life. The last time we saw him was today at the hospital. I was checked in last night after a fight broke out here and Mitzi and I were trying to stop it."

"Who was the fight between?"

"Nolan and Mitzi’s brother Johnny."

She pointed to Johnny as soon as she said his name, then continued. "It was kind of about me. I’m sorry, I can’t finish..." Her voice trailed off.

Johnny spoke up, "I was angry at Nolan for breaking up with Mitzi. It had been about two months. He seemed to get along with Cecelia well, but I didn’t want her hurt. Nolan accidentally hit her, and I know he didn’t mean it, but I got angry at him again and asked him why he did that. I already knew the answer though: He was trying to hit me. Anyway, we took Cecelia to the hospital and we stayed overnight. While we were in the hospital, Nolan and I apologized and made peace. I tried calling his house tonight, but the phone had been turned off."

The confessions sounded self-incriminating, but they were telling the truth. It was all they had. They weren’t there, but the police could still suspect them of lying. They had never been faced with this type of situation before, and Mitzi took it the hardest out of all of them.

"I’m sorry, Nolan..." she whispered in a wavering tone.

"Mitzi?" Cecelia said to her. "Mitzi, are you alright?"

"Cece," Mitzi broke, sitting up, "it’s all my fault. I killed him. I killed Nolan."

"What do you mean?" Cecelia cried. "It’s not your fault at all. You were here with me!"

"No," she insisted, "I should have forgiven him. I should have said something to him! I was so busy being angry that I didn’t even think I could tell him that it was alright! Officer, he wanted to be friends with me and I shut him out! Now do you see why I’m to blame?"

"Mitzi," a voice called from outside. "Mitzi, baby, it’s me! Where are you?"

"Matt?" Mitzi answered. "Matt! In here!"

As Matt entered the doorway, Mitzi jumped off the couch and ran into his arms, holding him tightly as she sobbed uncontrollably. Matt whispered soothing words into her ear, and vowed never to let her go. Jeff slowly walked in the house and saw Cecelia sitting next to Johnny. He soon got up, leaving Cecelia alone on the couch to talk to the officer. Cecelia looked up at Jeff, and his piercing green eyes met her brown. Jeff came closer to Cecelia, pulled her in his arms and kissed her passionately. Cecelia enjoyed the kiss, and she placed her arms around Jeff’s neck and moaned her satisfaction, despite all the sadness she felt. Finally, she pulled away from him, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I’m sorry, Jeff," she whispered. "I can’t do this right now. Something really bad happened. Nolan and his fianceé...are dead. Murder-suicide, the police say."

Jeff’s mouth dropped open and he looked at her with deep concern. "How did that happen? What went wrong?"

"Oh, Jeff. I don’t know. I just feel to blame, and so does Mitzi. He was her ex, you know, and they never really had kind words after the break-up."

"Oh, shit! I didn’t know. I’m sorry," Jeff said slowly, sinking into the couch. There was no doubt he was, either. He had argued with Nolan and Johnny in Cecelia’s room, and he never really gave him the chance to say his peace. As he lowered his head, Matt came over and put a comforting arm around his younger brother.

"This shouldn’t have happened," Matt rationalized. "Something went terribly wrong in that house tonight, and everyone in it is dead. That unborn child never had a chance to live. Somehow, we all feel responsible for their deaths, but this situation is not directly any of our faults. There is a sense of guilt in every one of us---not getting the chance to know them, not getting the chance to heal old wounds, not getting the chance to say you’re sorry or forgive and forget. We will regret these things for as long as we live, but we must go on."

A tear fell from his eye as he spoke. Everyone else couldn’t help but wipe the tears away from their eyes as the truth spilled from his lips, and in the little time they had known each other, they had come together as a unit.

The case itself was never discussed between them again.

CHAPTER XXVII: The Last Taste of Sweetness...or is it?

12/31/00

Dear Diary,

It’s been over a year now. I don’t like to reflect on many bad memories. After all that’s happened to us, I think it would be best to get on with life. I’m not exactly sure why I’m choosing to remember Nolan on New Year’s Eve instead of three months earlier. Maybe it’s the fact that he didn’t live to see the last new year and he will never see this one or any other again. Sometimes, I think too much about what happened and I start to cry. I never voice this to anyone because I don’t want to stir up so many bad memories for them as I have for myself. Anyway, I do miss Nolan, and I wish that his life and the lives of Michaela and their unborn child didn’t have to be destroyed so violently and abruptly.

Despite that, we’re still enjoying life to the fullest. Matt and Mitzi got married a few months ago, and they’re enjoying an active sex life (big surprise!) They want to have a baby, and I don’t blame them. They hang around my adorable baby nephew Dakota so much they think they’re the parents instead of my sister Mackenzie and her husband Bill. Seriously though, I think they would make great parents someday. I mean, Matt already did a great job with Jeff!

My sisters Tina and Rhonda came over yesterday, and so did my mom. It’s great to have family around for the holidays, so I feel good about them being here. Tina announced that she was attending college and getting good grades, and Rhonda announced that she was pregnant. The whole room erupted in cheers over those announcements, and for once, I was finally happy for Tina, even though she got married at seventeen. I just wish Dad was here to see us. He was always proud of the four of us.

Johnny has a girlfriend. To tell you the truth, he’s had one for two years. Her name is Deirdre, but we all call her Deedee. Arianna herself has a boyfriend and his name is Tommy, a hockey player. I’ll bet Mr. and Mrs. Ellison are thrilled with their little girl! Ha!

As for me and Jeff, we are still together. We had a little...adventure, shall we say, in the bedroom last night, and our relationship is great. In fact, I’m supposed to be down the aisle in a few minutes and I’m writing this in my dressing room. I’ll finish this later...

**********************

"I, Jeffrey Nero Hardy, take thee, Cecelia Cheyenne Rhodesmann, to be my lawful wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward; for better or worse; for richer or poorer; in sickness and in health; to love, honor, and cherish till death do us part, and thereto onto thee I pledge my troth."

"I, Cecelia Cheyenne Rhodesmann, take thee, Jeffrey Nero Hardy, to be my lawful wedded husband to have and to hold from this day forward; for better or worse; for richer or poorer; in sickness and in health; to love, honor, and cherish till death do us part, and thereto onto thee I pledge my troth."

Rings placed on each finger vowing that each would be wed to each other, the priest concluded, "For as much as Jeffrey and Cecelia have consented in holy wedlock and have witnessed the same before God and this company and thereto have given and pledged their troths, each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring and joining hands, by the power vested in me and by the state of North Carolina, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

The veil was raised, the lips had met, and the crowd, including WWF wrestlers and officials, applauded. Cecelia Rhodesmann was now an official member of the Hardy clan. Although her father wasn’t there to walk her down the aisle, Gilbert Hardy was, and he acted as a surrogate for the wedding. Mitzi hugged her best friend and kissed her on the cheek. Her family crowded around the beautiful bride and embraced her tightly. Dressed in a sleeveless creamy satin dress, Cecelia looked ever the blushing bride, and she was crying. The tears smeared her mascara, and Jeff wiped them away for her. Then she felt someone yank on her dress.

"Hey, Cece," Arianna Ellison said.

"You know, if you wanted to get my attention, all you had to do was tap me," Cecelia replied with mock annoyance.

"Well," Arianna explained with a huge grin, "I don’t see how that would have worked considering you and Jeff were sharing all these kisses and cuddles everywhere."

"So, what’d you yank on my dress for, girl?" Cecelia asked with a thick accent.

"When are you gonna throw the bouquet?"

"After the first slice of cake and the first dance by the bride and groom."

"I have to wait that long?"

"Well, you know something, Ari, I can’t exactly guarantee that I’ll actually throw the bouquet directly to you. You have to be able to catch it when it’s thrown into the air."

Arianna rolled her eyes at the comment and walked away. Mitzi, seeing all of this, giggled, "What did you say to her?"

"Nothing," she replied. "She just wants to have the bouquet all to herself, that’s all."

"Now that we’re related to each other and all, what do you think will happen to...us?"

"Mitzi, we’re not blood-related! We can still have trysts if you want."

Mitzi feigned relief, knowing already what the answer was, and Cecelia started laughing.

"Oh," Cecelia exclaimed, "I’ve gotta do something. I’ll be right back."

Cecelia ran up to the stage and announced, "Attention, attention everyone! I would like to take this opportunity to sing a song to my new husband. I just felt the need to do it since my mother used to sing to us when we were kids and I felt like I should do something for him like the many things he’s done for me. So, uh, this for you, honey."

he motioned for the band to start playing, and she began to sing the song, tears forming in her eyes almost instantly:

The first time ever I saw your face

I thought the sun rose in your eyes

And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave

To the night and the empty skies, my love

To the night and the empty skies

The first time ever I kissed your mouth

I felt the earth turn in my hand

Like the trembling heart of a captive bird

That was there at my command, my love

That was there at my command

The first time ever I lay with you

And felt your heart beat close to mine

I thought our joy would fill the earth

And would last 'till the end of time, my love

And would last 'till the end of time

The first time ever I saw your face

I thought the sun rose in your eyes

And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave

To the night and the empty skies, my love

To the night and the empty skies

All throughout the song she never stopped looking at Jeff, and when she finished she blew him a kiss as he wiped the tears from his eyes. The beauty and range of her voice amazed everyone in the crowd and made all the guests cry. But she came a long way from her young belly dancing days singing showtunes for her father in front of the video camera.

"Mmmm," she muttered, kissing Jeff on his lips. "I hope you enjoyed that serenade, baby."

"I didn’t know you were such a great singer, Cece," he said. "You made me cry."

"I saw you," she replied. "You don’t know how much that made me happy."

"What, to see me cry?"

"Yes."

The slicing of the cake was a momentous event captured on video by friends and loved ones, as was the dance of the bride and groom. As they danced, a tape player played Kenny Loggins’ "For The First Time", and as they danced together Jeff couldn’t help but be a little naughty. As he dipped Cecelia back, he licked and kissed her large cleavage. The crowd, which had stepped onto the dance floor, hootered and hollered at the sight, while Cecelia looked at Jeff and touched the side of his face gently. He kissed her lips and mouthed "I love you" to Cecelia, who in turn mouthed it back.

"Alright, ladies," Cecelia’s mother Susan called. "Gather ‘round. It’s time to throw the bouquet!"

As the ladies crowded around (minus the already married women) Cecelia stood with her back turned and threw the bouquet up into the air. All the women tried to catch it, but it landed in the arms of Arianna, who was just standing there.

"Oh, my God," she cried. "I got it! I got it!"

"Alright, Arianna," said Mitzi, "you caught the damn bouquet. Just don’t rub it in everyone else’s faces."

"How can’t I? I got the bouquet. That means I’m going to be the next one married."

"You’re fourteen years old. Someone may come before you."

"So, I got the bouquet."

Then came the garter throwing. Jeff slipped it off his bride’s leg using his mouth, and the guests all started yelling their satisfaction. Taking it out of his mouth, he threw it up into the air and...it landed in the hands of Edge!

"Sorry, but I’m already taken," Edge joked.

"That was supposed to be given to my boyfriend anyway," Arianna scoffed.

"That’s enough," Mitzi snapped.

"Hey," Matt exclaimed, breaking the brewing hostility, "here comes the countdown!"

As the guests gathered around, they watched the digital clock and counted down the seconds to the New Year.

"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

It was a new millenium, and there were tears shed and hugs and kisses exchanged, especially from the bride and groom. The fireworks shined throughout the city of Cameron, and most certainly throughout the rest of the world. The wedding finally ended, and dressed in casual clothing, the newlyweds climbed on Jeff’s streamer and "Just Married"-covered motorcycle and waved to people as they drove off into the night sky, the fireworks still blazing in the heavens.

"So," Jeff yelled, "what does it feel like to be Mrs. Jeff Hardy?"

"I’m wondering if your fans are jealous of me," Cecelia cracked, "but it feels great."

"You know that I love you, right?" "And I love you, too."

************************

...and so here I am in 2001, married to the man of my sweet dreams. I surrendered my dreams to him, and they came true in the end. Fate must have been on our side...who the hell woulda thunk it? If imagination is sweet and temptation is even sweeter, then this reality must have been---excusing the pun---the icing on the cake.

Mmmmm....tastes good, dearest diary. Real good!

Yours truly,

Cecelia Cheyenne Rhodesmann-Hardy

THE END

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