Rae shook her head, as Monica walked in. "I'm sorry, but I really don't get what you see in him. He's totally off." Monica threw her head back and laughed. "You, my friend, are not one to be talking. I do believe Chris was the one who wore Ninja Turtle pj's to the last sleepover we had." Rae crossed her arms. "And that's so much more mature than a wifebeater and boxers? At least he has character." Monica laughed and was about to spit out a remark, when they heard a soft knock on the door. Rae raised her eyebrows. "It must be Corinne. No one else knocks." The two answered the door and smiled knowingly. "We knew it was you. Come on in." Corinne smiled, timidly, stepping in. "Where's Kaela?" Monica asked, looking around. Corinne motioned back to the car. "She's asleep. I didn't want to wake her..." Rae nodded. "Understandable. Want something to drink?" Corinne nodded. "Sure. Water'd be fine." Rae shook her head, tsking. "No wonder you're so bloody thin." Corinne shook her head. "It's called serious Tae-Bo." Monica laughed. "Yep. Tried that. But then, Justin came in and started mocking me calling me the next karate kid. Hence, I stopped." Rae snickered. "I'm telling you, I hope you know what you're getting into. I mean, I heard the kid telling Chris the other day, he wanted 50 kids. All boys." Monica shook her head. "Psssh. In his dreams." Rae laughed, heading over to the stereo. "Yeah, I say we be pimpin' Weezer, while we cook." Corinne coughed. "Um, we?" Monica nodded, hands on her hips. "I know she didn't say WE. Sorry darlin, this is YOUR cookout. We're in here merely for chatter." Rae shrugged. "Suit yourselves. Those who don't help, don't eat. Simple as that." Corinne and Monica looked at each other and sighed. Rae grinned, heading back into the kitchen. The girls set to work, but not before hearing a knock on the door. "Knock-knock." Rae turned, seeing JC standing there, Isabella standing quietly in front of him. "Hey kids!" Isabella shushed her, putting her finger over her mouth. "Shh. Aunt Rae. Kaela just woke up and Daddy said to keep it down." Rae nodded, zipping her mouth and throwing away the key. Corinne sighed. "I'll go.." She trailed off, as she saw Kaela's arms wrapped tightly around JC's neck, her head buried in his shoulder.
"She must have woken up to hear Isabella screaming." Corinne nodded, silently. "C'mere baby." JC leaned down to place the little girl in her arms, but Kaela whined, shaking her head. Rae and Monica looked at each other strangely, while Corinne stepped back. JC smiled. "Someone gets cranky after naps. Kaela, sweetie, don't you wanna see mommy?" Kaela shook her head, whining again. Corinne shrugged. "She gets clingy to whoever gets her after he wakes up. She won't let you go for a good 10-20 minutes now." He shrugged, brushing a strand of hair from the little girl's face. "I don't mind. We're gonna go say hey to the guys outside."
The girls watched him leave, and as soon as the screen door slammed, Corinne sank down into a chair, and sighed. Monica looked at Rae again, before kneeling in front of Corinne. "Corinne?"
"She's getting too attached to him. I knew I should have put an end to this." Rae shook her head. "Corinne, you can't help it if Kaela loves him." Corinne raised her head slowly. "You think she loves him?" Monica nodded. "I don't mean to scare you, Cor, but it's quite possible that she thinks that JC is gonna be her dad." Corinne shook her head. "This can't go on anymore." Rae sighed. "What are you gonna do? You can't just rip her from the security she's finally come to known... Corinne, you can't. Do you know how unfair that would be? To Kaela? And JC? It's obvious he cares for her."
The slamming of the screen door, caused them to stop talking. Joey grinned. "Hey guys. Just wanted to know when you gals were gonna come outside and join the rest of the party. There's a pool that's just waiting for someone to get thrown in." Monica rolled her eyes. "As tempting as that sounds, Joey, we're talking here." He shrugged. "GUYS! They're not coming!" He scooped up Corinne and threw her over his shoulder, as Chris and Justin came charging in, grabbing Monica and Rae. Corinne pounded on his back. "Joey Fatone! Put me down this INSTANT!" She screamed, as she saw her reflection in the crystal water below her. "Oh, no, please, please, don't throw me in. You're setting a bad example for my daughter."
Joey looked back at the now awake Kaela. "Whatcha think Kaela bear?" She giggled. "Throw her in!" He shrugged. "Sorry, Corinne, but, it's Kaela's choice." Corinne whined. "Kaela Anne! You are in deep water young lady!" She giggled. "No, I'm not, mommy, but you're gonna be! Bombs away, Uncle Joe-Joe!" He saluted her and threw the thrashing Corinne into the pool. She came up, sputtering for air. JC laughed, and leaned over, holding his hand out to her. "Here Corinne, let me help you up." She smiled, sweetly, grasping his hand. "No, really, let ME help YOU!" She pulled him in, and laughed as she saw Chris cannonball into the pool after him.
JC came up and shook his now wet head, and glared at her. �That wasn�t nice at all, Corinne. I was earnestly trying to help you out and this is what I get?� She rolled her eyes. �Gee, JC, don�t get mad or anything.� He shrugged. �Well, then you either.� She looked at him, curiously. �Wha..?� He grinned, at her bewildered expression, and lunged at her, knocking her down into the water. She came up, sputtering and coughing, before shaking her head. �Oh, it�s ON!� She lunged after him, as he tried to swim away.
Isabella looked at Kaela and the two laughed, watching their mom and dad goof around, splashing in the pool. Isabella looked at Justin and held her arms up to the older man. �Uncle Justy.. I wanna swim, too.� He smiled, and picked her up, kissing her cheek. �Ok, kiddo. Come on Kae-Kae, let�s go get you munchkins into your bathing suits, alrighty?� Kaela nodded, taking a hold of a nearby Lance�s hand, and the four trooped inside to change.
Joey smiled down at the two wrestling in the water, and cleared his throat. Both looked up at him, and he waved. �Hey guys. Remember that Indian dude, from back when? What was his name? Oh, yeah, GERONIMO!� Corinne and JC looked at each other and ducked underwater as Joey flipped into the pool, splashing water everywhere. He grinned at his achievement and looked around for the two who he�d been aiming to splash.
The two emerged from underwater, laughing and sputtering, both unaware of how dangerously close they had become. JC laughed, pushing away a strand of her wet hair from her face, �You look like the ultimate drowned rat.� She frowned and smacked him. �Me? What about you?! You look worse than me!� He clutched his chest in mock humor, before staggering back a few steps. �Why� are� are you calling me� ugly?� She shook her head, innocently, stepping back a few steps. �Of course not. I was simply saying that�� He shook his head, looming over her. �Simply saying what, Corinne?� Her eyes darted around for help, when she noticed they were the only 2 remaining in the pool. �Ah, JC, come on, you know that wasn�t what I was implying.� He scratched his chin. �How do I know what you were implying, mmm?� She squeaked as she felt the side of the pool, slam against her back. �JC�� He didn�t say anything, just stared at her. Her gaze followed his to see where his eyes set, and her eyes widened as she saw that look of need in his eyes, and she shook her head.
�JC� I don�t think�� He shook his head. �Don�t think anymore, Corinne. Just don�t think. Just go.� She closed her eyes, as his head descended towards hers.
�DADDYYY!!!� JC groaned and pulled back, but not before dropping a kiss on Corinne�s forehead. She sighed, and together, they swam to where Justin, Lance, and the kids were waiting, both fully aware of their near-kiss.
Six