Chapter 2



    The plane was descending, and Carrie was woken with a start.  Her CD player was playing "You Sang To Me", and the rest of the group was talking.  "Hey, why did you guys let me sleep?  I could have missed some important gab!"
    "Believe me, you didn't."  Kendra said as she and Jen flipped through a magazine.
    "Yeah, Howie and Jessica were playing a strange game of footsies, AJ and Kate were singing…off key, Nick and Jen were telling stupid jokes, and Brian and Stephanie cuddled."  Melissa added.  "So you didn't miss anything."
     "Okay, so what did Kevin, and Angie do?"  Carrie asked.
     "You really wanna make sure you didn't miss anything?"  Angie laughed.  "Top secret talk."
     "Top secret talk?"  Carrie was interested.  "About what?"
     "Duh!  Top secret!"  Everyone laughed.
     "I HATE SECRETS!"  Carrie whined. 
     "Please do not throw a conniption, Sis."  Howie told her.
     Carrie stuck her tongue out.  She glanced out the window.  "Where are we?  It is snowing down there, and hard."
      "Well, we may as well tell you where we are."  Kevin said as the plane touched down. "We are now in British Columbia.  We rented a lodge in the mountains."
      Jessica looked at Howie.  "You said there was snow.  How romantic."
      "I agree."  Nick pulled Jen close.
      "Please stop the mushy-mushy for us less lucky gals without guys."  Melissa cried.
       Kendra, Angie, and Carrie all added.  "YEAH!"
       "Okay, we won't brag…" Stephanie looked at Brian.  "…much!"
       "Oh, you'll get one someday!"  Kate said never taking her eyes off AJ. "And then you'll never want to let him go!"

                         ******


       "It's perfect."  Carrie entered the living room.  "And freezing.  Hey, Boss Man."  She called to Kevin.  "Get your behind in here and light me a fire."
      "Such a nice behind too."  AJ said in a girly voice.
      Kevin turned red.
       The lodge was nestled in the side of a mountain.  It had enough rooms to suit everyone comfortably.  There was a hot tub in the basement, a huge kitchen, living room, rec. room, and two bathrooms.
       "This room is mine!"   Jen called.  "And Nick's."
       "Separate beds!"  Howie told Nick.
       "You had to ruin the fun."  Nick pretended to pout.
       "That's his job."  Jessica put her arm around him.  "Us too?"
       He nodded.  "ONE PER BED!"
       Stephanie threw a pillow at him.  "Old fashioned, aren't we?"
       Howie ducked and the pillow hit the wall.  He nodded.  "And damn proud!"
       Kevin watched the fire roar up.  "Heat!"
       "My savior."  Carrie cried.
       "Me?"  Kevin asked.
       "No, the fire!"  She laughed and sat in front of it.  "Warmth! I can feel my toes again."
       "Florida girl can't take the cold."  Kendra teased.
       "I'll have you know, I once visited Nova Scotia.  It's freakin' cold there!"  She rubbed her hands.
        "Girlies, let's put on our swimsuits and hit the hot tub."  Kate pried herself from AJ.
        "I'll join you."  AJ hopped to his feet.
        "I don't think so!"  Jen cried.
        "Girls only."  Melissa added.
        "Boys unpack!"  Kendra ordered.
        "Yes ma'am!"  Brian said with a mock salute.

                         ******


       "This is better then the fire!"  Carrie said as she sat herself in the water.
      "Damn straight."  Angie agreed.
      "Let's talk."  Stephanie perked up.
      As she straightened her bathing suit strap, Kendra asked, "About what?"
      "About guys, what else?"  Melissa said seriously and everyone laughed.
       "So, how is Steve?"  Carrie asked Angie. 
      "Steve is still a crush!"  Angie frowned.  "I really don't think he knows I exists."
      "Are we talking about Steve, as in the cameraman Steve?"  Kendra asked, referring to the cute guy who taped the guy's videos.
       "Uh huh!"  Angie smiled.  "Fine, isn't he?"
       "I have to agree that he is good looking, but he isn't Howie." Jessica said.
       "Will you stop bragging?" Melissa splashed her.
       "Okay, okay." Jessica said, wiping some water off her face.  "Angie, if you would ask him out I'd bet he say yes."
       "Oh, and how do you know?"  Angie asked.
       "He is a shy guy and needs to be approached."  Jessica told her.
       "What makes you an expert on the opposite sex?"  Kate asked, sipping a glass of soda.
       "Because I have a…"
       "Don't even say it!"  Carrie warned.  "Darn, I need a guy!"
        "What about Kevin?"  Stephanie suggested.
        Carrie turned red.
       "I think someone has a crush on Train!"  Kendra cried.
         "Do not!"  Carrie crossed her arms.
        "Do too!" Melissa said.  "Jeez, gals, check out how red she is!  Is she ever attracted to Kevin!"
        "Ah hell, leave me alone!"  Carrie yelled in mock anger.  "I do not, repeat DO NOT, have a crush on Kevin."
       "Oh, I think you do!"  Angie giggled. 
        Melissa started to sing.  "Carrie loves Kevin…"

                          ******


        "When the girls are done their gigglefest, we should decorate the tree."  AJ suggested.
        "Great idea!"  Kevin said, as he lifted another suitcase.  "Whose is this?"
        "That's Sis'."  Howie told him.  "She is in the same room as Melissa, and Kendra."
        "Okay."  Kevin left to take the bag to his room.
        "Jessica said something this afternoon.  She told me that Carrie likes Kevin."  Howie said after Kevin was out of the room.
        "Ah how cute, a mutual attraction!"  Brian cooed.
        "What?"  Howie asked.
        "Isn't it obvious that he likes her too."  Nick said.   "Pay attention!"
        "I do pay attention to what is happening around me!"  Howie protested. "I just don't see it!"
       "Watch closer next time!"  Brian said.
       "Watch what closer?"  Kevin asked as he returned to the room.
        "The snowflakes!"  Nick cried.
        Kevin looked confused. 
        "Never mind, Nick's nuts!"  Howie laughed.

                          ******


       "Enough about guys!"  Carrie shouted over the cheer of  'Carrie loves Kevin'. 
       "Now what do you want to talk about?"  Melissa asked.
       "Christmas!"  Jen cried.  "This is my favourite time of the year."
       "Me too."  Jessica sighed.  "This is going to be so special.  My first one with Howie."
       "My second one with AJ."  Kate said.
       "Bragger."  Kendra mumbled.
       "My first one with Nick."  Jen added.
       "I beat you all."  Stephanie laughed.  "My third with Brian."
       "So, if it is your third year, then what did you get him?" Angie asked.
      "Everyone is not gonna say anything?"  Stephanie looked around.
        "We promise."  Everyone else said.
        "I got him a sweater."  She saw the look on everyone's face.  "I know it sounds predictable but this the sweater he wanted."
        "Oh, the one with the beautiful design over it?"  Angie asked.
       "Remember girls, when we were doing that concert in Toronto and Brian saw that sweater.  He wanted it really bad and couldn't buy it because all the fans were rushing him?"
        "How could I forget?"  Carrie laughed. "He was yelling 'THE SWEATER!  I CAN'T LEAVE IT'!"
        "So I went back and got it."  Stephanie finished.
        "Great idea.  He'll love it."  Kendra said.
        "So, what did Kate get her boyfriend of two years?"  Melissa asked.
        "Jewelry, what else?"  Kate smirked.  "I got him a ring.  I know he has lots of them but this one is special.  It has both our birthstones in it."
        "I didn't know you could get those kinds of rings for men."  Jessica said.
        "I had it specially made."  Kate told them.
        "Which makes it all the more special."  Carrie added.
        "Listen, I gotta go.  I feel like a prune and nature calls!"  Kate got out of the tub.
         When she was gone, Jessica motioned for all of them to lean in.  "I got something to tell you about Kate and AJ."
       "What?"  Jen asked.  "And why are we whispering?"
        "You know Kate.  She tends to hear things that should be kept a secret."  Jessica said.
        "Are you calling her a busy body?"  Kendra asked.
        "No!"  Jessica cried.  "She just tends to be there at the wrong time. 
        "Remember when she over heard AJ telling Kevin what he had bought her for her birthday."
        "Uh huh."  Carrie said.  "She was disappointed when he returned it for something else."
        "So, we are agreed that this goes no where?"  Jessica asked.
        "Agreed." Angie said for all of them.
        "AJ isn't the only one who is getting a ring for Christmas."  Jessica smiled.
        "You mean…" Carrie's eyes widened.
        "That's right.  AJ is gonna pop the question." Jessica squealed.
        "This is so great!"  Jen said.
        "I know, I know."  Jessica cried.  "They are so much in love, why not have a wedding and make it official!"
        "Where did you get this information?" Melissa asked.
        "Howie."  Jessica answered simply.  "AJ told him, he told me, I told you and you are telling who?"
        "No one."  Carried groaned.  "Christmas better come fast."
       "So what did you get Nick?"  Kendra asked her friend.
        Jen smiled. "A teddy bear!"
        "A teddy bear?"  Angie repeated.
        "When you squeeze it, it sings our song."  Jen said.         "Sweet!"  Carrie sighed.
        "What did you get Howie?"  Stephanie asked Jessica.
        Jessica looked at Carrie, remembering their earlier conversation. 
        "Nothing.  I don't know what to get him."
        "Did you ask Carrie?  She is the expert on all things Howie related!" Jen said.
        "I asked her."  Jessica nodded.  "You guys have to help me.  We are going to the mall tomorrow."
        "So…" Melissa's voice was sly.  "Carrie, what did you get Kevin?"
        Carrie sighed, heavily.  "Don't even start that again.  And I got him nothing as well.  I don't know what to get him."
       "Huh?"  Jen asked.  "I thought you always knew what to get people."
        "I am fresh out this time gals."  Carrie giggled.  "But I got everyone else's present.  AJ gets new hoop earrings.  He loses those all the time.  Brian gets a new Wildcat hat, to replace the one a fan stole.  Nick gets a new video game I can beat him at.  And Howie gets stuff that will jog his memory of his childhood.  His mom helped me with that."
         "And what about us?" Angie asked.
         "You…" Carrie stopped herself.  "Hey, you almost made me spill the beans!"
         "Darn, so close."

                        ******


         "Okay, the tree is up and ready to be decorated."  Kevin said. 
        "Then we can put the presents under the tree."  Nick rubbed his hands together.  "That is my favourite part."
        "I got everyone's, except for Carrie's."  Kevin sighed.  "I have no clue.  I talked to Angie about it on the plane, but it was no help."
        "Ask Howie, he is an expert on all things Carrie related."  AJ said.
        "You know, I think I should do that."  Kevin left the room to find Howie.
         "I got to show you guys something."  AJ pulled out a box from his pocket.
         "Is that the big rock?"  Nick asked.
         Brian looked at Nick.  "Why does it always have to be a big rock?"
        AJ was nervous.  "Tell me what you think."  He popped open the box to reveal a beautiful ring.
       "Oh, land's sake, it beau-ti-ful."  Brian said, acting like a girl.
        "I must agree."  Nick added.  "Let's go skating on it!"
        "You like it?"  AJ asked.
        Brian nodded.  "Now put it away.  You're blinding me!"
         AJ put the box back into his pocket.
        "If you are still unsure show it to the girls."  Nick suggested.
        "Thanks, guys."  AJ said.

End of Chapter 2

Chapter 3
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