Ocean Dreams

Chapter 15

Back in Maryland, four people were packing suitcases to get ready for a flight. Annie was musing over what to bring with her from her closet.

"Just pick something, Annie! We have to go!" Josh scowled from the hallway. He had a very fit physique, much like his father, but his hair was cut short and spiked up. His mother's green eyes studied his youngest sister critically. "We're always late, because of you! Just grab something!"

"It's the Caribbean! I can't just take anything!" she scowled from her bedroom. Her long hair was done up in rich curls. Her beautiful face held a haughty air of egotistic pride. Her older sister was leaning in the door of her overdone bedroom with an amused look. She kept her hair about shoulder-length for quick management, but her face wasn't as pretty or done up as her younger sister's was.

"Annie, just listen to him. Okay? Doug is already packed. I'm already packed. Josh just finished packing. You have only half a suitcase. If you don't finish it, we'll help you finish it," Lisa frowned. "I don't think you'll want that. I'm sure Josh will find something that you don't want."

"Fine," she sighed. "I still can't believe that Nikki got married. Boring old Nikki!"

"Nothing wrong with it," Lisa smiled with a shrug. "I'm glad she's happy."

"And she's pregnant! I mean...why can't we see her new man? That's just unheard of!"

"Well, you did insult her every time she came home with someone. And, didn't you try to steal that one guy from her, too?" Lisa frowned. At the sight of her little sister sticking out her tongue, she knew that Annie knew everything about that. Both of them had very sensuous bodies with a figure that would make many think was done from plastic surgery. Josh tended to keep fit with some running and weight training here and there. Doug was slowly losing it, though. He didn't even bother with his hair, and he let it grow long in unruly waves. He didn't really care to do much about himself right now. He just wanted to live life in the most relaxed way possible.

"She didn't deserve any of them!" Annie chided, as she finally started to zip the suitcase closed.

"Neither did you," Lisa said when she left the room. That was rewarded with a mild glare.

"No smoking in the car," Josh said to his brother.

"Fine by me. Dad took my lighter, anyways," he pouted.

"Can't use matches?" Lisa smirked.

"I could..." Doug shrugged. "I just...don't wanna."

"Too much work to strike a match instead of flicking a lighter?" Lisa grinned.

"I never got the hang of matches, okay?! I guess I could practice," he thought.

"Not in the car," Josh muttered again. When Annie strutted out in the most fashionable way she could, he honked the horn to spook her. He grinned at the nasty sniff she gave him. He popped the trunk to his blue Sedan and helped pile everything in. When it was secured, and everyone was in the car, he took the time to run back in to double check locks and windows. Then the house was alarmed, and they were on their way. As Annie started to talk on her cell to various girlfriends on the ride there, she hollered at her brother when he would purposely turn up the volume on the car radio.

"Stop it! I'm having an important conversation!" she growled.

"Talking about how your nail broke last week is not important," he snorted.

"Yes, it is! It was my pinky! I had to run in and get it fixed right away!" she wailed.

"Such a drama queen," Lisa sighed. As Josh and Annie bickered the rest of the way there, Lisa found herself lost in thought. Why couldn't we see Nichole's new husband? Even Mom was being so skeptical about it. Dad, too. Then again, Nichole was very defensive of herself. I thought we were best friends, but all of that stopped. Ever since I caught Nichole taking makeup from my room, that is. It was odd how that happened. Nichole never liked makeup! But, it doesn't matter anymore. Nichole's an adult. We're all adults. In many ways, I'm really happy that Nikki found someone to be with. She even remembered the conversation that happened when Nichole first got home after being away for so long.