*~The Dream Of A Lifetime~*

“I seen Nick’s truck outside,” Alyssa said walking into the house with Kevin, the next morning. “Where is he?”

“I guess upstairs with Loni,” Charisma replied hugging a pillow, as she sat on the sofa and stared at the fireplace. “I haven’t seen either one.”

“What crawled up your ass and died?” Alyssa questioned her sister.

“A bug,” Charisma snapped. “Does it matter?”

“Actually it does,” Alyssa said.

“Ladies, please,” Kevin pleaded. “Just get along.”

“Whatever,” Charisma rebutted.

“I’m taking Nick’s being here as a good sign,” Alyssa stated. “A very good sign.” Charisma rolled her eyes. “What?”

“You,” Charisma said. “If Loni and Nick are meant to be together they would’ve been back together by now. You always assume things right away. They could be up there deciding to just be friends.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Alyssa asked just eying her sister.

“No,” Charisma lied and got up off the sofa.

“Hey,” Kevin said. “None of us know what’s going on up there and we won’t know until they come down. So just forget about it right now.”

Charisma just shook her head and began walking to the kitchen, but stopped when she heard laughter. She looked and saw Nickolas walking down with Valondra on his back; laughing and smiling. Kevin, Alyssa, and Charisma looked at them, as they got to the bottom.

Nickolas and Valondra looked and said, “Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” Kevin said.

“We didn’t know anyone was home,” Valondra said still on Nickolas’ back.

“I guess not,” Alyssa said smiling.

“I better go,” Nickolas said turning his head to see Valondra. “My parents are coming and I want to get some sleep before they show up.”

“Right now?” Valondra asked disappointed.

“Yes, right now.”

“Phooey.”

“Yeah I know.”

“Alright.” She jumped down and walked him to the door. “I’m glad we talked.”

“So am I.”

She put her arms around his waist. “Do you really have to go?”

“Yeah.”

“But Ruskin is so far away though.”

“It’s not that far.” She made a face. “And I’ll come back later.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Ok.”

He opened the door. “I’ll see ya later.”

“Yeah.” She smiled and they hugged. “Later.” He kissed her cheek and walked out. Valondra watched him walk to his truck. He looked back at her and she waved. He waved in return and got in his truck. She continued watching him and waved again. She watched him drive off then shut the door. She smiled and leaned back on the door, as the others looked at her.

She continued smiling and asked, “What?”

“So what happened?” Alyssa asked.

“What are you talking about?” Valondra asked in return walking over to the sofa and sitting down.

“The sparkle’s back in your eyes,” Kevin pointed out. “Does this mean you and Nick are back together?”

“In a way,” Valondra said. “We shared a wonderful night I’ll remember forever.”

“Did you two have sex?” Alyssa questioned, as Valondra began to laugh and Charisma sat in the corner chair listening.

“No, we didn’t have sex,” Valondra answered. “We spent the whole night talking and watching movies.”

“But you didn’t have sex?” Kevin said.

“No,” Valondra assured them. “Almost, but no.” They just looked at her. “I’m not lying. I swear to God. I wanted to, but I chickened out like the other times. I told him I didn’t want to rush things and I wanted to take it slow and just wanted to be friends right now.”

“Friends with benefits,” Alyssa chuckled.

“Nick understood?” Kevin asked.

“He was totally cool with it,” Valondra replied. “I think it’s because he knows our friendship will turn into more, like it was before, real soon.” She got up.

“Ya think?” Alyssa said.

“Oh yeah,” Valondra stated walking away. “I know it, because I love him and he loves me.” They watched as she walked up the stairs smiling.

“I say in a few days they’ll be back together,” Kevin said.

“Yeah,” Alyssa agreed, spying Charisma in the corner. “You heard it with your own ears; they’ll be getting back together real soon.” Charisma just looked at Alyssa and Kevin, then got up and ran upstairs.

“What was that all about?” Kevin asked confused.

“I’m as confused as you are,” Alyssa replied, as the front door opened. They looked and saw Alexander, Lillie, Howard, Storm, and Lance walk in.

“Hey,” they all said.

“Hey,” Kevin and Alyssa said.

“Where’s Riz?” Alexander asked. “I have our breakfast.”

“Upstairs,” Alyssa said.

“Thanks,” Alexander said and he went upstairs.

“We were planning on making breakfast,” Alyssa began, “do you want to join us?”

“Sure,” Storm said. “Me and Lance do anyway.”

“Lil and Howie?” Kevin asked.

“I guess,” Lillie and Howard said simultaneously.

“So what’s going on with Loni and Nick?” Storm asked. “We passed his truck coming from this direction.”

“They’re just going to be friends right now,” Kevin replied. “But Lon said they’ll be back together real soon.”

“That’ll be great,” Howard said. “To see them happy again.”

“They are happy,” Alyssa stated. “Nick spent the night and this morning when we saw them, you’d think nothing even happened between them. I’m going to start breakfast. Come, Kevin.”

They watched them walk away and Howard said, “That was some wedding yesterday.”

“Yes it was,” Lillie agreed.

“I didn’t think Loni was going to catch the bouquet,” Storm admitted. “And I didn’t think Nick was going to catch the garter.”

“I did,” Lance said. “Especially after Lon caught the bouquet. Did you actually think he was going to let someone else stick it on her leg?” They laughed. “I don’t think so.”

“I didn’t think Nick and Loni would end up dancing,” Storm said.

“I didn’t see that happening either,” Howard said, as they laughed again. “I guess they fooled us all.”

“That they did,” Lance replied. “I think they knew what they were doing.”

“And they know what they’re doing now,” Lillie said, as Antoinette and Justin walked in with Joshua and Trace. “Ooh, Toni, three guys with you. You animal.”

“I’m her number one man though,” Justin said putting his arm around her.

“Lon home?” Antoinette asked.

“If she is she’ll be upstairs,” Storm replied. “Because none of us seen her.”

“Ok,” Antoinette said and she and the three guys went upstairs.

“Makes ya wonder,” Storm said.

“What do you guys think of marriage?” Lillie asked.

“I think it’s a beautiful thing,” Storm replied. “Just as long as you’re marrying the person you love and that person loves you just as much.”

“I totally agree,” Lance said. “Marriage should be based on love and not because you feel obligated to marry the person.

“And you should not marry a complete stranger,” Lillie added. “Like Darva Conger did when she married Rick Rockwell. It wasn’t based on love.”

“One of those two had to be desperate,” Storm said.

“He was probably the desperate one and she was just money hungry,” Lance stated.

“You can’t say she was money hungry, Babe,” Storm said. “Because she did divorce the guy.”

“Alright, you have a point,” Lance said. “She realized what a mistake it was after it happened.”

“Howie, you still didn’t share your views on marriage,” Lillie pointed out. Howard just looked at her. “What do you think of it? And would you like to marry me one day?”

Howard just looked at them and hoped something would happen where he didn’t have to answer the question. They all just looked at him waiting for an answer when his cell began to ring. “Sorry,” he said answering it. They watched him get up and walk away.

“How’s the love life?” Lillie asked.

“Better than ever,” Storm said smiling.

“She says it’s just heating up,” Lance added. “And yours?”

“Not the same as it used to be,” Lillie said sighing, as they looked at Howard.