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Number of reviews: 42
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July 2013
"Mom has to hold this Cam," Sierra pulled the bottle of bubbles away from him. The two of them were sitting outside in the backyard, and Cameron was making a soapy puddle on the concrete.
"No," He reached for the pink bottle again.
"Yes," Sierra said seriously, "or we can put it away."
"No." Sierra lowered the small bottle back to his level. Cameron huffed and put the wand in the bottle and pulled it back out. Some of the soap ran down his arm, and onto the patio, as he lifted it to his mouth. A couple of bubbles were blown before he reached towards the bottle again.
"Hey," Justin smiled and pulled the sliding door closed behind him. "I let myself in."
"You always do," Sierra smiled over Cameron's squeal of 'JuJu!'
"Hey big guy, whatcha got there?" Justin gave Sierra a quick peck on the lips as he bent over to talk to Cameron.
"Ubbles," Cameron showed him the soapy wand. "See-" he held the wand up to his mouth and blew. A drop of soap fell to the ground.
"That's great," Justin sat on the bench next to Sierra. "Can I play?" Cameron nodded and handed Justin the bubble wand. Justin grabbed the bottle of soap from Sierra and dipped it in. Cameron watched with eager eyes as a stream of bubbles came through. "Cool …" Justin giggled along with Cameron.
"Are the girls back yet?" He asked.
"You're Mom just called and she's going to keep them for the night," Sierra answered.
"Ooo … la, la."
"Ooo … nothing. We've still got one here, and you're going to help me go through my kitchen and figure out what you have, that I don't need to move." Sierra patted his knee.
"That's not fun," Justin shook his head at Cameron.
"No fun," Cameron repeated and giggled. He grabbed the bubble wand from Justin, and dunked it into the container. Cameron blew a couple before handing it back to Justin. "You."
"Okay, I'll do it." Justin blew the bubbles for Cameron, while he chased them around the patio and onto the grass.
"I'm going to go inside and start dinner," Sierra stood up.
"We'll be in, in a little bit," Justin smiled at her as she disappeared inside.
"What furniture did you want to move?" Justin asked Sierra later that night. He was sitting at the kitchen table, while she sorted through the cabinets. Cameron had been put to bed an hour before and was hopefully sound asleep.
"The dining room set that was Aunt Carrah's and the bedroom set in my Mom's room, and then Cameron and Cora's stuff. Everything else can be sold. Crap … I don't know what to get rid of," Sierra sighed and sat back on the floor.
"We have too much stuff between the two of us," Justin said, "just get rid of all this stuff. If there is something you must have we can go buy it."
"I just hate to do that. It seems like such a waste, but I'm sure someone will buy it." Sierra stood up and moved to sit down next to Justin at the table.
"So you're having the garage sale next Saturday?"
"The moving sale? Yes," Sierra corrected him with a grin. Justin rolled his eyes. "Will you come and help?"
"That could be a disaster in the making," Justin cringed. "I'll think about it. I could get Cameron and Cora out of your hair, and maybe my Mom could come. She loves that kind of stuff."
"That'd be nice. I'll ask her tomorrow then. Do you think we could get some stuff moved to your house before then?"
"Whatever you want to do Sierra. So is there anything else you want me to help you with tonight?" Justin asked.
"What did you help me do tonight?"
"I just told you to sell everything in this kitchen, so we don't have to sit here all night, and remember what I have that you also have. So let's do something." As he said this he stood up and grabbed her hands which were resting on her lap.
"And what do you suggest we do?" Sierra squeezed his hands.
"Well there are lots of things," Justin pulled her off the seat and up against his chest. "We could sit, watch TV, listen to music, talk, cuddle … or my personal favorite make out." He kissed her.
Sierra sat up on her elbows when she heard a giggle. She saw Cameron's head at the foot of the bed, and felt the bed shift as he climbed up. Cameron crawled over to where she and Justin were laying.
"How'd you get out of your crib?" She asked him. He didn't say anything, but looked over at Justin as the older man rolled onto his back with a mumble. Cameron leaned over him and put a hand on his chest before leaning in closer to his face.
"Hi," the little boy smiled at Justin.
"Hey buddy," Justin rubbed his face tiredly and opened his eyes. "Did you sleep good?" Cameron nodded and moved so he was lying on Justin's chest. Justin wrapped his arms around the little boy in a hug.
"Are you sleepy?" Sierra asked and put a hand on his back.
"No," Cameron shook his head.
"Are you hungry?"
"Yeah," Cameron answered quietly.
"Okay. I'll go make you boys some breakfast," Sierra kissed both boys on the head and sat all the way up. She kicked the blankets off of her legs and stood up before straightening the t-shirt and pajama pants she was wearing.
"Did you climb out of your crib?" Sierra heard Justin ask Cameron. He answered with a 'yes' and a giggle.
Sierra made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. She found some stuff in the pantry to make pancakes and got started on that.
Justin and Cameron came into the kitchen fully dressed and ready for the day almost thirty minutes later. Sierra had already set the table and was putting the rest of the pancakes on a plate.
Cameron climbed onto his chair that had a booster seat resting on it, and slapped his hands down on the table.
"Do you need to be changed?" Sierra asked Cameron before she sat down on the table.
"I already did," Justin answered for Cameron.
"You?" Sierra sounded shocked, "you … Justin, changed a diaper?"
"Yes. Why are you so surprised?" He sounded hurt.
"Because I am, you always pass him off to me … and I'm just shocked." Sierra answered and poured some orange juice into a sippy cup for Cameron. "Thank you."
"That's not my first time ya know? I did it when we went to the basketball game back in February." He grabbed four of the pancakes off of the serving plate and put them on his.
"Justin," Sierra said.
"Hmm?" He asked and looked over at her.
"Be quiet," she winked and put a pancake on Cameron's plate. Justin rolled his eyes and turned the syrup container all the way over. Sierra cut Cameron's food for him, and grabbed the syrup bottle from Justin before he poured all of the sticky substance on his. "You're going to have a sugar high, with that much syrup."
Sierra put a little bit of the syrup on Cameron's pancakes before fixing a plate for herself. Justin and Cameron goofed off through the whole meal and made a mess of the table. Sierra left Justin to pick up the kitchen and Cameron, since he instigated most of the mess.
Sierra was coming down the stairs when she heard a knock on the front door, and Cora and Olivia giggling on the other side. She unlocked the front door and pulled it open.
"Good mornin'," Sierra grinned at the three on the porch. "Come on in. Did you girls have a good time?"
"Yeah," Cora answered as Sierra kissed her forehead.
Sierra kissed Olivia's forehead too.
"Did you guys get a lot done last night?" Lynn asked as she followed the girls in.
"Justin some how persuaded me to just sell what's in the kitchen," Sierra shrugged.
"That seems to be his attitude. So where is he?"
"He and Cameron decided to make a mess in the kitchen during breakfast. So he gets to clean. Put your dirty clothes in the laundry Cora, I have to do wash today. And you need to start packing what you want to move. If there is anything you don't want put it to the side and we'll sell it next weekend."
"K." Cora said and headed for the stairs.
"Do it now," Sierra said.
"I will," Cora said and disappeared into her room. Sierra went into the kitchen where Olivia and Lynn had disappeared.
"Before I forget, Lynn," Sierra said. "Do you think you could come on Saturday and help?"
"I can't," Lynn answered. "I'm going back to Tennessee on Wednesday. I'm sorry. Why don't you help her Justin?"
"He's afraid there's going to be a mob of people once someone sees him here," Sierra answered for him.
"I am not," Justin scowled and turned back to the sink. "I'm going to take Cora and Cameron for you."
"I know and I thank you," Sierra reached over and squeezed his arm. "I love you." She kissed his cheek. "I'll see if I can find someone from work. If not I'll be fine."
"Well I'm going to go," Lynn said, "I'll talk to you guys soon."
"Okay," Sierra smiled. She and Justin said good-bye to his Mom. Justin finished cleaning up the kitchen while Sierra went upstairs to check on Cora.
"You have a nice day," Sierra said to the older woman who had just bought a couple of the pots and pans from her kitchen. She put the money into the metal box she was using that day for the moving sale.
"You too," The older woman nodded as she walked out of the house. Sierra looked around the house, and watched the other people who were looking around. There had been a steady stream of people all morning, and she was glad for that.
She had spent the week back and forth between her house and Justin's house, and was looking forward to not having to do that much longer. Justin had hired some men to come and move the dining room furniture and the furniture that they were taking from the upstairs to his house. Everything else had been packed and moved to his house as well. The night before was the first night for her, Cora, and Cameron to sleep there as not just guests.
"Halley?" Sierra asked surprised to see the other girl walk in the front door.
"Yeah," she answered with a smile recognizing Sierra right away.
"God, it's been forever," Sierra smiled and stood up. She wrapped her arms around her old friend. "What are you doing back in Florida?"
"Well I got a job down here, and I'm getting my masters at UCF," Halley answered. "I saw the ad in the paper for the sale, and I recognized the address, so I thought I'd come and check it out."
"Well I'm glad you did." Sierra sat back down and smiled at the person who walked up to the table she was sitting at. Halley stepped out of the way and Sierra looked at the things he was buying and told him how much. She collected his money and put it away as he walked out the door.
"So where are you moving? That you are selling everything." Halley asked she found a chair and pulled it over to Sierra so she could sit down.
"I'm moving in with my fiancé," Sierra answered.
"Really? Let me see your ring," Halley reached for Sierra's left hand. "It's so pretty." She looked at the small diamond.
"He has very good taste," Sierra smiled and pulled her hand away.
"So where is your Mom?" Halley asked and looked around expecting to see the older woman.
"Oh man," Sierra covered her mouth in shock, "you moved way before she … Halley, Mom died three years ago from cancer. I tried to call you but the phone was disconnected."
"Oh Si, I wish I had known," Halley leaned over and gave her a hug. "Does your aunt still live next door?"
"Well," Sierra bit her bottom lip, "she passed away in November."
"Good God," Halley said, "I'm so sorry to hear all of that." She smiled sadly and sat back in the chair. "How are you doing all by yourself … well I guess you aren't all by yourself with that ring, bit still …"
A couple more people came up to pay for what they were buying and Sierra took care of them before turning back to look at Halley.
"You also haven't been around to meet my little sister and son, so I haven't been completely alone ever." Sierra smiled.
"Your sister and son?" Halley was shocked.
"I know, I know. You've missed a whole lot," Sierra smiled at her friend's expression.
Let me know what you think! Christine
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