It's the 29th and we just got back from the East Coast, relaxing for the day. The five of us are playing in the back yard and enjoying the company of a few friends, the Carters and having a small BBQ to celebrate the end of the year together. Joey and his small family, Justin, James, Chris, the Carters sibs (baby Alyssa and Mike included), and the rest of our friends are all here. "Baby, I have one surprise for you," Josh tells me, looking like a giddy child on Christmas or his birthday. He is completely excited about it, that means it's got to be good.
"What's that?"
"Come on out."
My best friend Dawn comes out, smiling more than I thought she could. I start jumping up and down, shrieking with joy. The moment she's within arms reach, I pull her into a hug that's so tight and overjoyous that she is saying 'ow' and giggling. "Thank you, Josh!"
"You're welcome."
"You can release your death grip," she tells me.
"Oh, sorry, Tiggy," I say sheepishly as I let her go, turning to my cousins and our friends. "This is my best friend, Dawn. She moonlights as my sister."
The kids have huddled around me and are hugging various parts of her, showering her with love. They all intro themselves to her because I'm far too excited to see her here. "Nice to meet everyone, but I don't think I'll have a problem remembering most of your names since I've heard them so much. I might have a problem with placing a name to the correct face."
This comment paired with the heavy Massachusetts accent that I have all but dropped unless I talk to her or someone from that area makes everyone burst out in hyena type laughter. "Aren't you from New England?" Nick inquires.
"Lived in Massachusetts most of my life," she answers.
"I spent most of mine in that hellhole as well," I reply.
"Is that why you ran from it?" AJ questions.
"Too much drama, too many nosy people, too many people know me, too many rumors and overbearing in laws," I explain, taking a sip of my flavored water.
"Makes sense, cuz." Nick takes a sip of his Mtn Dew, smiling from ear to ear.
"Course it makes sense, I spoke that shit," I joke.
"Stop frontin'," he playfully fires back at me.
"Nick, she's frontin' you hardcore, man, and she's you're cousin!" AJ teases.
We all laugh and the kids run off to Briahna, climbing on the trampoline to jump themselves silly. "I'm just glad that my three made friends quickly with y'alls kids and everything settled down right quick."
Josh chuckles as he wraps his arms around my slender and lean body. "You talked to Mandy, huh?"
"Mandy?" Nick asks, cocking an eyebrow.
"As in Marlana, not the Mandy you're thinking of."
"Maybe, baby," I say, feigning innocence.
"When?" he asks, kissing the side of my neck.
"About an hour ago," I confess.
"We have to hear the Georgian accent for another eight hours," he taunts, grinning.
"You love when I start talking like this," I say, leaning to give him a quick peck on the lips.
Kloey comes over to me and Josh, grabbing my pant leg and repeatedly saying 'I want up'. I squat down, allowing her to perch her almost 3 year old body on my lap before standing upright and surprising Kelly and Joey. Joey comes over and tries to get her to leave my hip, failing miserably. "She never took to anyone like this."
"I've seen her a few times in her own element, out and about, a time or two here. Maybe she's gotten used to me? She sees me in a positive light," I tell him.
"Have you ever done early childhood courses?"
"I've been dealing with kids since I was five, so over twenty years of helping my family raise five kids, baby sitting over fifty different kids for family friends and my mom's coworkers, plus raising my own three. I took psychology in college, it does help."
"Where do you stand on a degree or certificate?"
"I'm waiting to he approved for financial aid to begin at UCLA."
"Why that college?" Justin asks.
"It's just easier to get into," I tell him, shrugging. "It has a computer information systems program and a CNA certificate program."
"You're going to do both?"
"Along with a business degree later on."
"JC, your girl is crazy ambitious," he says, chuckling.
He shrugs. "I love that about her and she can do it now that she has the right people in her life. She barely needs anything and I'm slowly breaking her down to ask for help when she needs it."
"What about her stress levels from the kids?" Dawn asks.
"Dropped pretty low since I've figured out her signals for stress," he answers cooly. "I step in when I notice she's starting to lose her patience, helps keep the peace."
I glance at Nick and he nods his head in the direction away from the crowd of our friends, family and other halves. I pat Josh's hand, prompting him to let me go and I follow Nick to part of the yard away from everyone else, but still in sight of the kids. "You think I should propose?"
"Do you love her? Does she make you happy? Do you want to share the family name with her?"
"Yes." His blue eyes are filled with sincerity, bearing his heart and soul to me because he trusts me.
"Then make sure that you do it at the right time and don't drop it or lose it," I reassure him, picking on him about losing the engagement ring.
"I won't. What about you and JC?"
"I'm not too sure yet." I look over at the wonderful man I've had in my life for all of nine short months, hoping to make it work for the longest time possible and not rush it. That's the mistake I took with my almost ex-husband, I let it go too fast. I guess you can say I learn fast when I want to. He smiles and nods at me and I do the same back to him, blushing as I return the gesture.
"You still have the glow Lauren and I have."
"Thanks. He's everything I've ever wanted and so much more. I don't know what I'd do without him."
Nick pulls me into a comforting hug, holding me close to try to wash away the worries I have flooding my mind. "He's the happiest he's been in a long time, I doubt he'll let you go."
"His family says if he lets me walk out, they'll get him a lobotomy," I giggle, telling my cousin one small detail about Josh's family.
He shakes with hysterical laughter as he holds me. "They really said that?"
"Mainly his dad, his aunt and three of his cousins."
"I think this is your forever, Sam."
"You know I had a mini breakdown the week of Christmas? In Maryland?"
"Really? How'd he react?"
"He just held me, listened and stayed beside me, holding me up. Completely supportive. He hasn't faltered yet."
"You think he might?"
"Everyone has the ability to falter in life," I point out.
"Good way to look at it."
"He might be thinking I could falter at any given moment."
"Stop it. You want me to talk to him?"
"Take him out for a guys' night and talk to him before he's too lit, if that's what it takes."
"You sure you'll be ok with it?" he cautiously asks.
"He deserves it, Icky."
"Alright, cuz, we can do that this weekend," he tells me.
I hug him for the little bit of help he's offering, showing my appreciation. "Thanks, punk," I say affectionately.
"Any time. You're my little cousin and I have to be there when you need me, you're right where and when I need you without fail."
I 'shine' my nails on my tank top. "It's what I'm good at," I tease.
He shakes his head for a second, quietly laughing and he drops his arm to my shoulders, leading me back to the BBQ. "I think we should mingle with our friends, family and lovers," he voices his opinion.
"Alright," I reply, imitating Peanut (Jeff Dunham).
"What is that from?"
"Jeff Dunham, it's this purple and light cream colored puppet with a red shoe, green hair and crazy eyes puppet. He's a ventriloquist. It's hilarious."
"I bet," he responds as we get near Lauren and Josh, who happen to be talking about us. "Here you are, milady," he jokes.
I giggle. "Why, thank you for returning me to my heart's true desire." I curtsy after I spoke the best Shakespearian English I could muster. The four of us cachinnate at the new inside joke we have created.
"Shakespeare was something I couldn't take seriously then, I still can't now," Nickolas confesses.
"He was ok," Lauren says.
"I love Shakespeare!" I remit, disagreeing.
"He wrote really well and if you translate it, it's good," Josh agrees.
"He just so tense and serious all the time," Nick counter argues.
"If you look beyond that, he was absolutely brilliant."
"I just couldn't understand half of what he wrote," Nick defends.
"Poe and Dickenson are much better, even Angelou is better and easier to understand. Poe and Dickenson were more mentally perturbed than Shakespeare though, Angelou is just brilliant and aging beautifully."
"Who are you more partial to?" Josh inquires.
"Poe and Angelou," I fire back.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry about it being kinda short, but I got stuck. Forgive me and put the apples and applesauce away, the veggies too!
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