She pulled him out back and when he saw it his jaw dropped as he said, �You did all this.�
She had candles lit all around the pool and he looked around more as she pulled him over as she said �Yeah but I don�t want to swim anymore�I had your Jacuzzi cleaned and since�. Just come on.� She pulled him over to the Jacuzzi and there was candles lit and rose petals everywhere and she said �Do you like it?�
�You are too much like me� he said as he hugged her and she hugged him back.
�I know, well go you know get whatever you wear in here on and come on� she said as she kissed his cheek and he walked off.
He came back and she was already seated on one side and he climbed in on the other side as she said, �How was your day?�
�Okay� he sat his head back as he said �I can�t believe you did all this or me�
�You�re my best friend, you deserve the best� she said with a big smile on her face.
�You shouldn�t even be here�you are like 17 Claudia�
She splashed him as she said �I�m 17 and a half and you�re 20 if I was like 16 it�ll be a problem, but I would still be here because I don�t care�
�Are you sure about that?�
�Shut up�Hey I may move to California for good� she said looking over at him to see how he would react.
He quickly looked over at her as he said firmly �Why?�
�Cause it�s so much fun there and I have a $50,000 dollars modeling contract waiting for me there� she said almost yelling as he was at her.
�You can�t move to Cali�
She laughed a little as she said �Why not?! Nothings keeping me here and since we�re just friends I can come and visit you like I am now.�
�A visit? That�s what this is?�
�What do you think this was suppose to be?�
�More than a visit�I thought you were coming home to stay�forever� he said not realizing the sadness in his voice.
�Well sorry I�m not�
�Why not?�
�What do you care? I do have a boyfriend back in Cali you know�
That did it he quickly got up and so did she as she said �What?! What�s up with all this flirting and and coming on to me and all that?�
�You did the same to me� she said now yelling because he was.
�I can�t believe you!�
�Believe what? Is there something I missed here?�
�Forget it� he said as he got out and went inside. She stood there in shock and then finally she stormed inside and she yelled, �What do you want me to say or do?�
�Nothing, I hope you have fun in Cali Claudia and oh yeah tell your boyfriend I said Hi �
He walked out the kitchen and she jumped a little when she heard his door slam and she raced towards her room as she yelled �Fine� and she then slammed her door. She didn�t understand why he was so mad. She really did not get it at all. They had always got in fights before but this one was different.
The next morning he left before she woke cause he really didn't want to talk to her. But he walked in later that evening about 6:45 to see her dressed up and in the mirror pinning her hair up. He looked her over and asked in a angry type voice "Where are you going?"
"Out on a date with Nick." she said in hopes that he would get upset.
"Have fun."
"I will"
He was so pissed off that he just left. He didn't know where to go but he had to get out that house away from her he couldn't believe how mad he was at her and he really didn't have the answers as to why he was so mad.
He knocked and knocked at Howie's door as hard as he could, not cause he thought they were not there but because he was mad and the door finally swung open and it was Debra looking like she was mad at him "Do you have a problem knocking at this door like that?"
He walked inside and she slammed the door shut and he turned to her "I'm sorry Debra, I'm just really mad right now."
"Who cares?"
She was about to go back upstairs when he stopped her "Hey you look different,. Did you finally take those contacts out I told Howie your eyes were not real."
"I am not gonna let you get to me today, do not come over here spreading you anger we don't need that here in a home that is expecting an addition to the family."
She laughed pointing in his face his hit her hand away and she laughed going back upstairs. He thought about what she said as he sat and Howie came downstairs.
"Your stripper I mean...your girlfriend having a baby."
"Yeah"
He came and sat next to him "You are starting to spend way to much time here."
"I know, you life is so perfect minds is so screwed up right now." he buried his face in his hands "I don't know."
Debra had heard him as she came back downstairs "Screwed up mind is more like it."
"Are the fumes from the strip joint going to your head again?"
"Ha! Ha! very funny" She rolled her eyes and came and sat in a nearby chair.
"You two really having a baby?"
"At least that's what the doctor said 6 weeks." she said standing up "Call me you need me honey and you if you are dying do not call me."
She started up the stairs and he yelled at her "So if I need a lap dance I can call you for that."
She gave him the finger as she went on up the stairs.
"You need to leave her alone about that she doesn't do that anymore."
"I'm joking with her but listen....Claudia just told me last night that she has a boyfriend and is going to move to Cali for good."
"So what's the problem?"
"She can't do that."
"Well why don't you say something to make her stay."
"I can't, she's the type of girl who wants one of those steady relationships and like I told you I'm not ready for that plus if she wants to move to Cali so be it, I'm not going to stop her."
"Well you've made up your mind that you just want her to sit around and wait until you are ready."
"She should why not?"
"But- "
"But I am 20, I'm young why should I want to settle down now, it's just so much I haven't done yet, Why should I be tied down to one chick even if it is Claudia?"
"So you want to sleep with different girls, have fun, party all that type of stuff."
"No, not sleep with different girls meet different girls, How do I know she's the one?"
"How do you know she's not?"
He really wasn't expecting him to say that and it really got him thinking.
The date was going pretty good they were now going separate ways with their dates walking threw the small carnival. She was holding a big bear in her arms that he had won for her earlier. She was really having a good time but her mind was on her and AJ's big fight the night before and he could tell her mind was wondering a little but she didn't want to be so obvious so she said "I'm really having fun tonight I needed to get out anyway."
"Things are not going good between you and AJ?"
"I am not sure."
"What happened?"
"Last night I told him I was thinking about moving to California for good and he went crazy."
"Cause that will break his heart."
"What! he told you that?" She asked eager to know why he really went off that night.
"You know he's not into getting mushy with girls especially if he is not sure or sure of your feelings. All he talked about was you while you were away."
"That explains so much, but I couldn't see me and him together, I want a steady relationship that I want to develop into something serious then to marriage and kids and all that AJ told me he could never see himself married."
"He doesn't mean that, all guys say that. What's going to decide whether you stay or not?"
"What's here to stay for you know? Like if something can click in my head and say 'girl what are you doing?' I'll stay but if nothing happens I'll go."
They finished talking meanwhile AJ was having dinner with Howie and his family. They were all sitting at the table and she was still cooking a little but she brought the food to the table.
"I didn't know strippers could cook" AJ said in a joke type way after she sat the the dish on the table she hit him upside his head
"Shut up and if you even think about another strip joke I am going to kill you."
After a while she got everything on the table they all blessed the food and began to eat the conversation was none at first and then she asked "When do you guys go back on the road?"
"We were thinking about dancers that were willing to take there clothes off this time." AJ said stuffing his face.
"Ah AJ you say the sweetest things."
"I know"
She turned her attention from him to Howie looking for an answer in which she got "In a month"
"For how long?"
"Not now Debra."
She didn't say much else after that listening to them talk mostly cause she was upset. After dinner AJ left and they played with Nancy a short while and then put her to sleep. Then she went downstairs to wash the dishes and that's what she was doing when he came down, as she was about to put the dish away he grabbed it.
"I hate when you go on tour. It's like you are gone forever."
"I thought we talked about this, this is my job and I love what I do."
"I know"
He hated every time it was close to time for him to leave shed start acting like a baby to him. "What would make me being away easier on you?"
"And Nancy"
"I told her she could come this time."
"Well that means I am gonna be here all by myself this time...that's just great."
"You'll have Buddy here."
"You're not funny." She walked out the kitchen and he followed her into the living room where she began to pick Nancy's toys up out the floor and he helped asking "Are you mad with me?"
"No"
She started up the stairs and he followed her. Knowing that this was going to be a long long night.