�So why�d ya break up with Howie?� Sunshine asked Danielle, as they talked on the phone. �Besides him being an ass and in love with your sister.� Danielle didn�t say anything. �We are friends, Danielle, right?�
�Yeah,� Danielle said.
�So what�s the story? What happened?�
�I saw him kissing another girl and realized we weren�t meant to be.�
�Let me guess; Josephine Keera Horowitz.�
�Yeah.�
�Did you tell him?�
�Of course I told him the truth. And I also told him that I couldn�t be with him, because he slept with my cousin. He understood, but was sad.�
�Yeah right.�
�How�s it going with you and Brad?�
�Good; he�s really sweet to me.�
�But��
�But, I think about Nick all the time. Which is totally wrong for me to do?�
�Yeah; it might be natural for you to think of him, because you�re in love with him.�
�But I�m with Bradley. I should be thinking of him and not about one of his best friends. I feel so wretched. I feel so�slutty.�
Danielle laughed. �You got issues girl.�
�Ya think.� She sighed. �The bad thing is�what makes it even harder�is that I think I�m falling in love with Brad.�
�Wow!�
�Yeah; I don�t know what to do.�
�I don�t know what to tell ya. Ya just have to wait it out.�
�I don�t want to. I just want to be with one guy and give my heart to that one guy.�
�Which guy?�
�I don�t know.�
�Well my moneys on Nick.�
�Why?�
�Because it is. That boy will do anything for you and you know it. He blurted out he loves you in front of everyone for crying out loud. If that didn�t get your butterflies all worked up then I don�t think anything will.�
�Yeah it did get my butterflies all worked up. He always gets my butterflies all worked up actually.�
�So tell him you love him.�
�I can�t.�
�Yes you can.�
�No I can�t and I�m not going to argue about this.�
�It�s no different than sleeping with the guy.�
�Well Nick knows that I wouldn�t sleep with anyone unless I was in love with them. So by sleeping with him he should know I love him.�
�Maybe so, but he wants to hear it.�
�How do you know?�
�Everyone wants to hear that someone loves them.� Sunshine didn�t say anything. �Listen, Sunn, I have to go. Someone�s at the door.�
�Alright.�
�We�ll talk later, ok?�
�Alright, later.� Sunshine waited for Danielle to hang up and when she heard a click she hung up her own telephone.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Josephine went to visit Howard after her visit with Nickolas. The two of them were sitting in the kitchen talking. Josephine made up a story about visiting him, but Howard knew better.
�What�s the real reason you�re here?� Howard asked.
Josephine just looked at him then said, �Well�I was with Nick and I realized I should actually be here with you instead. I told Nick I didn�t feel well and came here.�
�What if he goes to the condo to check up on you?� Howard questioned moving his chair closer.
�I told him not to, because Sunshine would be with me,� Josephine answered also moving her chair closer.
�What if he stops by here?�
�That�s a chance I�m willing to take.� She kissed him.
�Same here. What if we end up in the bedroom again?�
�Oh well.� She wrapped her arms around him. �I wouldn�t care.�
�Me either.�
�Why�d Dani break up with you?�
�She saw me kissing another girl. My guess is you.�
�Yeah.� They continued kissing.
�And she said that she couldn�t be with me, because I slept with her cousin.�
�Yeah, Sunn kind of squealed on us.�
�Oh well.� Josephine just nodded and they continued kissing and not really caring at that moment if they got caught by anyone.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Walking into her bedroom, Sunshine closed and locked the door. She walked over to the nightstand and opened the drawer. She picked up a white envelope and laid on the bed. She opened it up and took out the piece of paper. She just looked at it a moment then began to read:
July 19, 2003
My Sweets,
As I sit here to write this, I look at a picture of us. Everything I said to you today was the truth. I miss everything we shared with each other. I love you and I love being with you. You fill that empty space in my heart no one else could or would be able to fill. When we�re together I notice how your eyes sparkle like diamonds and you never stop smiling. I miss the taste of your soft sweet strawberry lips and the way you wrap your arms around me when we kiss. There are so many things I miss and this letter would never cover them all. I was really stupid in the past and want nothing more than making it up to you. If you�ll just give me another chance I know I can make it better. I love you.
Love forever, Your Nicky.
By the time she was done reading, Sunshine was in complete tears. She reached for the telephone, but remembered that Josephine went down to Nickolas�. Instead, she got off the bed and walked into the bathroom still holding the letter. She started the water in the tub and poured some bubbles in. She looked at the letter and sighed, while reading it again.
CHAPTER 23
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