A Deceiving Passion

Milestones

~ March 13, 2001 ~

"After what happened, your father and I are more comfortable staying home," she shrugged.

"What about a cruise?" Eli asked.

"No, thank you---I have seen The Titianic."

"How about you choose anywhere you want to go in the world and we make it happen?"

"We've been almost everywhere in the world... Home is nice. Besides my tour is coming up and I don't want to go on a plane till I have to... You guys know what we went through, why push?" she wondered.

"I know what happened five years ago, mom, how could we forget?" Lance rolled his eyes.

"Don't talk to me with that tone," she arched her brow.

"Look what we're saying is, is that you and dad deserve to take a trip for your anniversary after dealing with all the craziness. This is your thirtieth anniversary," Eli assured in a more calm matter.

She stood with crossed arms, looking between her children.

"Mom, we've put a lot of thought into this," Brandon explained. "We know you guys are afraid to a certain extent but we really want you to celebrate your anniversary together this year... Alone."

"Last year, we had a great anniversary; we went to dinner and to a hotel. We were alone," she shrugged. "It was great."

"Yeah, sure it was," Eli nodded. "But we want you to go somewhere and have a good time. I'll be in town with Lainie, Amarice and Jaime will be home--"

"I'll be here..." Lance shrugged.

"What about Andrea?" Stevie wondered.

"Who?" he creased his brow.

"What do you mean who? Andrea... The girl we met last week, Lance."

"Oh," he smirked. "We're not together. I'm not about to give up my dating life for one girl..."

She rolled her eyes. "So thoughtful of you..."

"Rhea and I have spring break so we'll be here too," Brandon assured. "We'll be here with Sofia."

"Me too, I have spring break and I don't really have any plans other than to go to Aunt Maya and Kim's..." Roman assured.

She sighed, figuring that all the kids had really put thought and effort into such ideas for the sake of their 30th wedding anniversary.

As she pondered such things, she could hear all three girls talking Lindsey's ears off; all of them.

"Girls, girls, girls..." he spun around to kind of create space between their badgering. "I gotta talk to your mom about it first, okay? I know you're all excited and everything but there's a lot to process..."

They sighed.

"Thank you," he sighed and turned back to meet the powwow in his living room.

"Don't tell me, you were up there getting your half of what I just got?" she crossed her arms, smirking at her spouse.

"They sure know how to gang up on us..." he relieved a breath of air, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"It's called divide and conquer," Rhea smirked as she approached Brandon's side, snuggling into his embrace.

"We just think you deserve it..." Eli claimed.

"Of course you deserve it," Amarice assured. "Mom, dad---you've done nothing but support us and or take care of us and love us. But we're all at a point, with the exception of Sofia, that we can take care of ourselves. We have each other... I'm not in New York, I live a few streets away from you with Jaime, Brandon and Rhea are in their apartment, Eli and Lainie are here for the week, Lance is always in and out of the house... What do you say?"