�Hey, Baby Girl,� Alexander said kissing her cheek.
�Hey, Denise.�
�Hey, Sunshine,� Denise said, as the two ladies kissed cheeks. �How�s it going?�
�Alright. And you?�
�I�m doing good thank you.�
�Ain�t she looking good, mom?� Alexander asked smiling and Sunshine rolled her eyes.
�Yes she is,� Denise replied.
�Does Des know about your little obsession with me?� Sunshine questioned.
�She doesn�t care, because she�s the one that has me,� Alexander said and they laughed.
�Anyway,� Sunshine started, �did you see Nickolas?�
�No I haven�t,� Alexander said.
�I wonder where he is then.�
�Sunnie!� Nickolas yelled and she looked, but didn�t see him. �Up here!� Sunshine looked up and saw Nickolas standing on the roof of the house and he smiled.
�What are you doing up there?�
�Showing you how much I love you and making a complete fool of myself!�
�That�s nice! Now get down!�
�Do you love me? Because I love you!�
�Yes I love you! Now get down, because you�re scaring me!�
�Hell you�re scaring me too, Nick,� Alexander stated. �Please get down!�
�I have a question for ya, Sweets,� Nickolas began then holding up the ring, �will you marry me�again?�
�Awe!� everyone said in unison and Sunshine smiled.
�I really don�t want to call Father Lockhart and tell him the wedding�s off! And I already got fitted for my tux and so did the guys! So what do ya say? Do you want to get married next year?�
�I say you better get the hell down before you hurt yourself or even worse!� Sunshine yelled over the music.
�Not until you say yes!�
�You�re really scaring me, Nickolas! Please get down!�
�Only if you say yes!� He slipped a little.
�Nick!� She grabbed a hold of Alexander�s arm. �If you don�t get down I�m not going to marry you!�
�Is that a yes?�
�Yes I will marry you! Now get the hell down!� Nickolas smiled and Sunshine watched him work his way to the window. She held onto Alexander�s arm the whole time and when Nickolas made it safely to the window, she quickly ran inside and upstairs. She saw Nicolas walking out of the one room and she ran up to him; throwing her arms around him. �Don�t ever do that to me again.� She slapped his back, as he put his arms around her. �I was so scared.�
�I�m sorry.�
�I thought I was going to have to witness your death.�
�I�m sorry I scared you.�
�I can�t believe you did that.�
�Are you ok?�
�I�ll be fine after my heart goes back down in my chest.� They looked at each other and Nickolas kissed her.
�May I have your left hand please?� Sunshine smiled and put up her left hand. �From this day forward I promise to love you for the rest of my life and we�ll always be together no matter what.� He put the ring on her finger. �And it�s a promise I intend on keeping. I love you.�
�I love you.� They kissed.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Some party this has been,� Kevin said, as he stood in the kitchen with Brian and Howard around midnight. �Josephine comes ready for a ball, but looking gorgeous; Aaron kisses Sunshine, half the quests get loaded, I realize my girlfriend�s jealous of Sunshine��
�Josephine and Sunshine almost get into a cat fight,� Howard added shaking his head.
�Nick gets on my roof and almost kills himself, but gets re-engaged to Sunshine instead.�
�That�s the good point of tonight.�
�Besides Danielle looking totally sexy as Cher,� Brian stated.
�All the ladies are looking sexy tonight,� Kevin said. �Including Nick�s kid sister, Angel.�
�Just leave your hands off her, Kev,� Nickolas warned standing at the kitchen doorway. �I don�t want to have to put you in the hospital.�
�The protective big brother,� Kevin said.
�Yeah, so hands off.�
�Where�s Sunshine?�
�Talking to Josephine.� He walked over to the food table, as the three guys looked at each other.
�You left them alone together?� Brian questioned.
�Yeah; why?�
�They were ready to kill each other earlier,� Howard explained.
�Brad, Rich, and BJ are with them. Nothing�s going to happen. No one�s going to die.�
�You better hope not, because if Sunn turns her back from Jo she just might get stabbed in the back.� Nickolas stopped what he was doing and looked at the three guys.
Nickolas put down the drinks and said, �Excuse me.� He quickly left the kitchen and the guys looked at each other confused.
�Something I said?� Howard wondered and Kevin and Brian shrugged. �I really hope Sunn doesn�t turn her back. I�m afraid of what Josie might do.�
�Why don�t you talk to her?� Kevin suggested.
�I did. She won�t listen. I told her over and over I don�t want Sunn. She doesn�t believe me. I realized there is only one thing to do to prove to Josephine that I don�t want Sunshine.�
�What�s that?� Brian asked and Howard took something from his pocket. He opened his hand to reveal a ring; 24 karat gold with a small diamond dolphin. It was the same ring he had gotten for Sunshine a few years back. �Wow!�
�Are you sure marriage is the answer?� Kevin questioned.
�Nothing else is working,� Howard answered. �I believe this is the only way to prove to her I really love her. I wanted to wait a year or so, but Josie�s not giving me that choice.�
�It�s nice,� Brian said looking at the ring again. �How many karats?�
�Five,� Howard replied looking at the ring himself. �Ya know, if it wasn�t for Sunn whacking me in the nose, Jo and I might not be back together right now.�
�True,� Brian said. �Does she have a thing for dolphins?�
�She said she did and the other rings I saw didn�t say Josephine,� Howard stated.
�Neither does that one,� Brian said under his breath, but just loud enough for Kevin to hear him and Kevin looked at him. �It says Sunshine more.�
�But are you sure marriage is the step to take?� Kevin asked ignoring his cousin. �It�s a big responsibility.�
�I know and I�m pretty sure,� Howard said. �I hope Josephine is too.�
�Good luck then,� Kevin said, as the kitchen door opened and the three guys looked.
�Nick, that was very rude of you,� Sunshine said. �I was talking to Justin and you just pull me away.�
�I�m hungry,� Nickolas said.
�So get something to eat. I�m going back out and finishing my conversation with Justin.� She went to walk out, but Nickolas grabbed her arm and she just looked at him.
�No; you just stay here with me.�
�You�re a big boy, Nicky; you can get your own food.� She walked out and Nickolas went out after her, as the three guys looked at each other confused. The door opened with Sunshine saying, �Nickolas, what�s your problem? Put me down.�
�Then stay in here with me,� Nickolas said putting Sunshine on her feet.
�Why?� Sunshine and the other three guys asked.
�Because I want to spend some time with my beautiful fianc�e,� Nickolas replied kissing her.
�I�m not understanding you right now,� Sunshine said. �But since you said I�m beautiful.� Nickolas took her hand.
�I insist.� They walked over to the food table.
�Are you ok, Nick?� Kevin questioned.
�Perfectly fine,� Nickolas replied getting a plate and smiling at Sunshine. Sunshine gave him a strange look, as Nickolas put his arm in hers. He used his free hand and put food on the plate while Sunshine watched him confused.
�Are you sure you�re all right, Nickolas?�
�I said I�m fine.� He smiled at Sunshine. �I wasted too much time of not being with Sunnie. I want to show her I love her.�
�I know you love me, Nicky,� Sunshine assured him then they kissed. She put a brownie and piece of cake on Nickolas� plate and he looked at her. She only smiled, as he led her to the table. He sat down in the empty chair and pulled Sunshine onto his lap. She looked at him and he smiled, as she looked at Kevin, Brian, and Howard. They just shrugged and she asked, �Did somebody say something to you, Nick?�
�About what?� Nickolas questioned.
�Anything; perhaps regarding me.�
�No one said anything.�
�Then what�s with the odd behavior?� Brian asked.
�Nothing�s wrong.� He continued to eat. �I just want to spend some time with Sunnie. Is that so wrong?�
�Of course not,� Sunshine said.
�Good.� He went to put the fork in his mouth when Sunshine took it instead. He smiled at her, as the back door opened and they all looked to see Alexander and Destiny walk in.
�Mortisha and Gomez are leaving,� Alexander said.
�I am so tired,� Destiny added. �I could sleep right now.�
�I�m glad I ain�t pregnant,� Sunshine smirked and Nickolas smiled at her.
�You�re going to be next,� Destiny said.
�I was the smart one and got the pill,� Sunshine rebutted and Nickolas looked at her. �What?�
�Nothing,� Nickolas said shaking his head.
�Like you said,� Destiny began, �I got pregnant on purpose.�
�I never said that,� Sunshine replied. �You just couldn�t keep your legs closed.�
�Like you can,� Destiny said.
�We�re not the ones having a baby,� Nickolas said.
�But you are having sex,� Alexander stated. �On the beach and on the kitchen floor with the Hershey�s syrup.�
�There was no Hershey�s syrup involved,� Nickolas and Sunshine rebutted.
�Not according to Josephine,� Destiny said.
�Do you believe everything she says?� Sunshine questioned.
�Uh�� but Destiny didn�t know what to say.
�How�d they find out about the kitchen floor?� Nickolas questioned Sunshine.
�When I was drunk it slipped out to D and Jo,� Sunshine answered. �And, naturally, Jo told everyone else.�
�Where else did ya have sex?� Alexander wanted to know.
�That�s rather personal, Alex,� Kevin stated.
�It�s alright, Kev,� Sunshine said. �It was on Alex�s kitchen counter.� Nickolas smiled, as Alexander got serious. �You wanted to know.�
�Now I have to move,� Alexander said. �I don�t even have sex on my kitchen counters.�
�Thank God,� they all said.
�She�s kidding, Babe,� Destiny said, as the others laughed.
�Ya better be,� Alexander said.
�Let�s go,� Destiny said pushing Alexander. �Later, guys.�
�See ya,� everyone said.
�I�m glad I�m not Alex�s wife,� Sunshine stated. �Or having his child.�
�I�m going to be worse,� Nickolas snickered.
�And you can marry someone else,� Sunshine said.
�I don�t think she�s kidding, Nick,� Brian stated.
�Please say you are,� Nickolas begged and she only smiled. �If I got up on that roof for nothing, you�re��
�I�m only joking, Baby,� Sunshine replied. �I�m glad we�re going to get married.�
�So am I,� Nickolas said and they kissed.
�I hope Jo and I will be that happy,� Howard said.
�Whatcha talking about D?� Sunshine asked.
�He�s going to pop the question,� Brian blurted out.
�You�re going to take the vows, man,� Nickolas said and Howard just nodded. �How sweet.�
�Good,� Sunshine said. �Maybe she�ll finally back off.� Nickolas sat back in the chair and Sunshine leaned back on him. �I don�t know what her problem is with me anymore. I think it�s about D.�
�Did ya talk to her?� Kevin asked.
�I try to stay away from the Howie subject with her.�
�Thanks a lot,� Howard said.
�It�s nothing personal.� The door opened and Venus, Danielle, and Josephine walked in while Nickolas tightened his hold on Sunshine.
�There�s my Cher,� Brian said, as Danielle sat on his lap and they kissed.
�Whatcha�s talking about?� Josephine asked and Nickolas tightened his hold again and Sunshine looked at him.
�Everything,� Howard said. �Including you.� Josephine looked at Sunshine and Nickolas tightened his hold more.
�How�s everything outside?� Kevin asked Venus.
�It�s�� Venus began.
�Nicky, I can�t breathe,� Sunshine interrupted slapping his arms.
�Good,� Josephine said and they all looked at her.
�Sorry,� Nickolas apologized loosening his hold.
�What�s your problem?� Sunshine questioned.
�Nothing,� Nickolas replied. �Let�s dance.� They got up and left the kitchen.
�He�s acting really weird,� Brian pointed out.
�Nicky is weird,� Howard stated and they all laughed. �Poor Sunn.� Josephine slapped him upside the head. �Why�d you do that?� Josephine only glared at him, as the others sat there wondering.
BACK CHAPTER 7
HOME