"Who wants to roast marshmallows?" Keefe asked, setting up a table and putting out the gram crackers, chocolate and marshmallows. Arron, Shamus and Gabe were the first to the table. They grabbed their roasting roads and speared their marshmallows. Gracie and Jess ran over soon after.
"Mama? Can you do my s'more pleaseeee?" Gracie pleaded, opening her eyes wide. I chuckled softly. Grabbing the materials off the table I led Gracie to the large fire pit. Huntley waltzed over almost knocking Gracie into the fire. As Grace toddled toward the bright orange flames, my reflexes kicked in and my arm shot out yanking her away from the open flames. Sighing I glanced at Linh and Wylie, they seemed to be in a deep conversation. They used to be the kindest people in the world...what happened? I asked myself. Probably fame. I laughed quietly and checked on the marsh mallow. It was toasted light brown and a bit bubbly.
"Just perfect!" I exclaim. I smushed the chocolate and marshmallow together, handing it to Gracie, "Careful, it's super duper sticky." I kissed her on the cheek and smiled as she ran over to Ruby and Amber and Jess. I wandered over to where Marella, Shyanne and Stina were in a meaningful conversation.
"Hey!" Stina said, "I heard you invited Marcuca?"
"Yep, last minute too. She'll ride up with Quinnle and Jensi." I said nodding.
"You're just doing this to piss off Biana." Shyanne states, crossing her arms and cocking her eyebrow.
"Maybe...but really, she did move away to England and didn't bother to keep in touch with me." I replied smirking.
Biana's POV:
It's so nice to reconnect with everyone again. Keefe has grown up and matured too. Dex is happy and has a nice family. Linh and Tam are actually famous and kind of ignoring everyone. But Sophie, she's changed. Her best friends are Marella and Stina. Like WHAT?!? She hardly acknowledge me and my brother at all. And she used to love my brother. But my mother and father decided to move to England. It was such an amazing surprise, I mean England! It's gorgeous! I look over my shoulder and sure enough, Sophie is babbling about who knows what with the weirdo's. She's probably just trying to make me jealous. Well, two can play that game. I stand up from mychair and walk around the fire to where Tam and Kelsie are talking in hushed voices. As I approach, I can hear that it is actually a quiet fight.
"Hey." I say timidly. Tam and Kelsie look up, startled.
"Huh? Oh! Hi Biana." He stands up and wraps his arms around me, squeezing me tight. I look over his shoulder at Kelsie. Her face is slowly turning red and I swear I can hear her teeth grinding from here. Tam lets go and smiles at me. Then he re-introduces me to Kelsie. We shake hands. Her eyes stare into mine with hate. It was just one hug girl! Jeez! Keefe begins to walk this way so I wave him over,
"Keefe!" I cry, waving my hand. He has Calliope in his arms. He walks over slowly, Fitz follows closely behind.
"Can I hold her?" I ask. "I miss holding babies. Amber and Ruby are so big now. It's just not the same." I cooed and tickled Calliope under her chin. Then I turned to Keefe, "So...What have you been doing since...well high school?" I asked, giggling slightly and batting my eyelashes flirtatiously. Yeah, I know I'm married, I'm just trying to make Sophie jealous, and I can't do that with my own husband.
"Well, you guys moved and me Sophie hung out a bit. She got a part time job at the library. So obviously I also applied. I proposed to her in her apartment. Nothing special...you saw the video at our wedding. After we got married at 23. Sophie then was promoted and now owns her own library. Gracie was born at 25 and Calli at 28. I opened my own hardware store and then we lived our lives for another 2 years and now we're here. and I'm 32 and Soph just turned 30 a couple weeks ago." Keefe replied, chuckling slightly.
"Oh!" I exclaimed surprised. I had forgotten my "best friend's birthday." And come to think about it, she had sent me a card and a necklace with a teal heart on it for my recentest birthday, I turned 29. I mentally slap myself in the face and smile nodding at Keefe.
"What about you?" He asked politely, reaching out to take Calli from my arms. I reluctantly handed her over and began my story.
"Well, I was excited to leave for england but sad to leave you guys. Anywho, I was absolutely amazed by the structure and accent of the people living there. I took my college courses to be a veterinarian but then changed halfway through the year to getting the first PHD for doctoring. I met Hemo there and we dated for a year before he proposed to me in his rose garden. We invited you guys but you couldn't find the time to come. After that, I went back to school for another school year and then got a job at a clinic. Hemo works for the government. Amber and Ruby were born when I was 24. We were quite young but Hemo was paid really well because he got promoted. We are going to send Amber to a boarding school because her teachers think she is super talented and smart. Don't tell them yet though...They don't know. " I said wagging my finger at Keefe and Fitz. Keefe nodded and Fitz smiled.
"You know that they haven't been apart since birth right? It's gonna be drama town when you tell them." Fitz explained. I sighed and rubbed my forehead. So far this jealousy act isn't going anywhere and I'm actually interested in what they have been doing for our around 10 year-ish reunion.
"Say?" Keefe began. "Where'd you meet Cassandra? She seems...interesting?" Fitz laughed. I shook my head remembering this story.
"We'll I was close friends with her husband and was invited to their wedding..." Fitz continued to explain his story. Keefe's eyes were filled with laughter. When Fitz finished Keefe broke, laughing so loud, Sophie Foster's little group turned around to look at us. What do I have against her? I ask myself. Shaking my head and clearing all thoughts I snagged Calliope out of Keefe's shaking arms. He heaved and puffed until finally, his laughter died out. Fitz was looking at his old best friend amused. Fitz slapped his hand on Keefe's back and the two of them wandered off. Probably to get a couple drinks. Leaving me with Baby Calli. It was getting pretty late. I glanced down at my watch.
10:27 pm.
"Amber! Ruby! Bedtime!" I called out. Two petite figures came dashing out of the darkness and hugged my legs.
"But we don't want to go to bed yet Mummy!" Ruby screeched.
"Well, my dears, it's well past your bedtime so...I'm afraid I'll have to call the boogie man to chase you into bed then." I smiled and turned toward the dark woods. "Oooohhhh boogi--"
"No! No nO!" Amber shrieked yanking Ruby by the arm and pulling her into the house. Hemo looked up from his conversation with Cassandra and got up.
"Hey! Babe?" I asked.
"Yeah?" He asked pulling me into him by the waist, careful not to crush the baby.
"Can you go tuck the girls in? It's past their bedtime."
"Sure." He nodded and gave me a quick peck on the cheek before going inside the beach house. I turned back toward where Sophie and Marella were talking but they all seemed to have spread out in search for their own kids. I spotted Linh sitting in a luxurious chair. Huntley sat on her phone and Wylie was looking into the dancing yellow and orange flames, almost blankly. I was about to open my mouth to ask Huntley a question when I heard tires rolling up the gravel drive-way. I spotted Sophie running out of the house to meet the vehicle. A van pulled in and Sophie opened the back door. Two little girls and boy stepped out, followed by a grown woman of whom I recognized. She was tall and lanky with wavy light brown hair and steel blue eyes. I walked closer slowly. The woman walked into the light, embracing Sophie in a friendly hug.
"Marcuca?!" I exclaim.
Sophie's POV:
"Yes. Marcuca this is Biana? You remember her right?" I ask gesturing to an opened mouth Biana.
"Yeah. I remember her." Biana said making a face at me. I shrugged nonchalantly and lead Marcuca to where Stina and Marella and Quinnle were talking.
"Hello!" Marcuca said, waving.
"EEEEEEEeeeee!" Sina screeched.
"Mom!" Sylvie hissed, embarrassed and turned away. Stina nd Marella ran To Marcuca.
"We haven't seen you in, like, forever!!!!" Marella yelled.
"Yeah! You little world traveller." Stina added kissing bot of her cheeks. I turned and snatched Calli out of Biana's arms and showed her to Marcuca. After handing her over, I turned to where Xena, Jensi's daughter stood, looking totally out of place.
"Xena, honey. The girls are asleep in their room, would you like to come in and get yourself already?" I asked, crouching down to the little three year olds eye level. She nodded her tiny head.
"Quinnle, I'm taking Xena to her room. Wanna come?" I call out to the little group of "fangirls."
"Sure."
"Oh! And grab Calliope please.... She already looks asleep." I said. After we got them already and in bed, which took almost an hour. We walked outside onto the large wooden deck and heard loud shouting.
"SHE'S A SNAKE AND SO ARE ALL OF YOU!!!! FOR BEING ON HER SIDE!!!!" I realized that it was Biana screaming. If she is seriously bringing up pettish fights from highschool I will literally explode. I glanced at Quinnle and she shrugged her shoulders. Jogging over to where the commotion was we saw two groups of people yelling at each other.
Marella, Stina, Marcuca, Shyanne, Dex, Valkin, Murlo and Keefe stood on one side of the picnic table and Biana, Hemo, Fitz, Cassandra, Linh, Wylie, Tam and Kelsie stood on the other. All the children including the "famous" HUntley looked scared or nervous. Presley and Arron were literally shaking on the ground with tears running down their cheeks as the grown adults continued their bickering.
"SOPHIE MADE THIS HAPPEN! SHE WANTED TO HAVE A REUNION AND THIS HOW YOU REPAY HER!!??!?!" Stina yelled.
"YOU LITTLE WITCH!!! YOU AND THAT...THAT BRETRAYER WERE LITERALLY THE FRICKING WORST TO ME AND SOPHIE IN HIGH SCHOOL YOU UGLY RATS!" Biana screeched, her face red with anger.
"WE DIDN'T MOVE TO ENGLAND! AND CUT OFF CONTACT!!" Dex and Keefe screamed simultaneously. There was a beat of silence before Linh yelled,
"Just because we have lives doesn't mean you have to get jealous and try to be mean asses!" The fight continued to rave angrily.
"STOP! STOP! DON'T YOU SEE WHAT YOU'RE DOING!! LOOK AT YOUR CHILDREN!!! THEY'RE CRYING!! THEY'RE SCARED!!" my words were lost in the howl of the vicious battle. I sighed, placing my left hand on my bellie.
"I didn't want it to be this way either, Aristotle." I cleared my throat and raised my voice to be heard over the vile shouts of my so called friends,
"I'M PREGNANT!"
A/N
There will probably be a part 3..... hope you enjoyed this one please comment, vote and come back for more!!!
I thank each and every single one of you for your support and getting this book so far!! <3
UNTIL NEXT TIME! :-)