The Future We Were Destined For

Zoe Rachael

Marissa smiled at her dad as she saw him waiting for her standing by an oak picnic table across from the marina.

"Dad!" she ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck, "I missed you."

Jimmy smiled, returning his daughter' hug, "Yeah, I missed you too, kiddo." He laughed slightly as he pulled back and surveyed her, "You look great, I like the hair."

She smiled, "Thanks," she shifted the strap of her shoulder bag and turned back to the black sedan she'd just stepped out of. The driver was just opening the boot and extracting the three bags she'd managed to pack all her things in.

"Traveling light?" Jimmy asked with a small teasing smile. Marissa just glared at him and shook her head.

"Come meet your crew," he smiled as he put an arm around her, "I mean, your fellow crew. I wouldn't want your head to get to big."

She rolled her eyes, "Gee, thanks dad."

Jimmy lead her towards the marina, across the one-way road and towards a four story, fiberglass boat, a huge white and red sign on its side read, "Zeus"

"So, what do you think?" he asked, motioning towards the gigantic vessel, "You like?"

"Wow," she looked to the top of the boat and the back down, amazed at how long it took her eyes to make the journey, "It's big."

He laughed, "What were you expecting? A canoe?"

"No. Just not… this," she motioned to the boat, a look of surprise still on her face to emphasize her point.

"Well… do you want to meet the others or not?" he held out a hand for her and eased her across the short gap between the wharf and the footpath-like peer that lead straight out into the sea of yachts that crowded the marina. He then waved a hand for her to walk up the ramp that lead to the bottom deck that was completed with a bar, sun chairs and a large, clear swimming pool.

"Kitchen is just inside, there's a door beside the bar that leads to the dinning area. Over there," he pointed.

Together they walked through the open door and into the large dinning area complete with tables set with cream/white tablecloths and candle centerpieces.

Marissa noticed the kitchen straight away, a swinging white door with a gold and black sign that read, "Staff Only."

Inside there were about a dozen young men and women bustling around the large room, packing utensils into draws or hanging pots on racks above their heads. The granite bench top was covered with frozen food that different men were taking turns at carrying into what Marissa assumed to be the walk in freezer/refrigerator room.

An eye skimming all of the workers around the room, Marissa's attention was caught by a young blonde with her back to her. The long blonde hair moved as she did and fell softly down onto the smooth ivory skin of her shoulders. She wore a yellow wife beater that clung to her jean clad hips, which were swaying as she rose up on her toes to reach the top shelf and deposit the glass bottle of oregano that she was holding.

Marissa stared at the girl, as a familiar feeling rose up inside her, a feeling she'd felt only once before but remembered all to well, a soft flutter in her chest and bats in her stomach.

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to one of your fellow kitchen hands, my daughter, Marissa."

The blonde that Marissa had been watching flew around at the sound of the name, dropping a glass bottle of chili powder that she was holding and cringing at the loud smashing noise it made as it broke apart and it's contents spilt across the tiled floor.

Marissa's mouth fell open in shock at the sight of her and she had to close her eyes and re-open them again to make sure she wasn't seeing things. "A-Alex?"

The blonde was staring back at her wide-eyed and in complete shock, her mouth was hanging open slightly and her face was completely drained of any color. Marissa saw her swallow as she closed her mouth, "Marissa," she whispered.

Marissa stared back, remembering the last time she'd laid eyes on the gorgeous blonde, the night of their break-up, one of the most unwanted memories she possessed. Almost eighteen months previously, she made what she now considered the worst decision of her life, she decided to pay less attention to the girl she was dating, and more attention to the guy she wasn't. Her ex, Ryan, was the more acceptable partner. When she started to freak-out about her relationship with the blonde, she decided to do the only thing she could think of, she latched onto the guy everyone expected her to end up with. If she could redo those few weeks, she would seriously rethink her decision to exclude the blonde, maybe if things had been different, she would've had a more settled eighteen months.

"Oh, wow. Alex. What are you doing here? On this boat?"

"Um…" Jimmy's voice was quiet and uncertain, as he looked from his employee to his daughter, "Do you two know each other?"

"Yeah. This is Alex. She's my… she's my ex."

Realization spread across Jimmy's face and he nodded slowly, "Oh, that Alex." Marissa nodded, still not taking he eyes off Alex standing before her. "Well… Alex is the staff manager. She ran a couple of clubs."

"Yeah, I know," Marissa blinked and subtly pinched her leg to make sure she wasn't dreaming, "How are you?"

Alex let out a deep breath; "You know…" she shrugged, still not taking her eyes off Marissa.

The room fell silent as everyone stared at the exchange going on between the two girls. They watched with great interest as Marissa stared at Alex and Alex stared back, neither even shifting as hazel eyes searched aquamarine ones.

"Well…" said Jimmy drawing out the word and watching as the attention of everyone in the room, not including Alex and Marissa, shifted to him. "I think there are some boxes out on the deck ready to set up the staff sleeping quarters."

Everyone sprang into action, dropping what he or she had been doing and heading for the white swinging door. Within seconds, the room was empty apart from the blonde and Marissa, still staring at each other.

"What are you doing here?" Marissa asked, breaking the silence and the stare, looking down a her feet for an instant before looking back up to Alex, this time with a curious look on her face.

"Working. Money doesn't grow on trees, well, it doesn't for me at least," she smiled softly to let Marissa know that she was joking, "What about you, just here to see daddy?"

Marissa shivered at the small smile and tried to hide her reaction by leaning against a nearby bench top, "No, I'm here as a kitchen hand actually. Money doesn't exactly grow on trees for me these days either. I was living in a trailer for a few months this year actually. Step daddy died, and left us completely broke. Dad offered me a chance to get away from Newport, so I jumped at the opportunity." She sighed, searching Alex's body with her eyes. They fell upon the heart pendant around her neck, and subconsciously, she reached up to grab her own, running her thumb across its smooth edge. On closer inspection, however, Alex's necklace was different from when Marissa last saw it, the same, but with the letters "MC" engraved at the bottom meeting point of the heart. Marissa smiled when she noticed this, realizing with a jolt somewhere near her navel, that the blonde still thought about her. "You look good," she commented, her eyes leaving the necklace to look back into Alex's eyes.

"So do you," Marissa saw Alex's eyes roam her body, landing on the necklace that she was still stroking slowly with her thumb. "You still wear it," she said softly.

"When I'm lonely. When Summer, Seth or Ryan aren't around"

At the mention f Ryan's name, Alex looked down at her shoes, her eyes leaving Marissa for the first time, "Oh. How is Ryan?"

Marissa tried to keep the smile off her face at the disappointment in Alex's voice, but she couldn't help herself, "He's alright. We broke-up a while ago actually."

"You did?" she looked up, a small smile on her face, "I mean, that's horrible. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We just weren't meant to be together. We're friends now, which is good. What about you, what have you been doing?"

Alex shrugged, "I went back to LA and Jodie tried to get me to go back out with her, but I couldn't. I went home and started working at a club near my parent's house, then I got this job offer a couple of weeks ago, so now I'm here."

Marissa smiled, "You've been good then?" she asked, closely watching to see Alex's expression, "Did you end up going back to school?"

Alex shook her head, "No, well, yes, I lasted four days before I couldn't take it anymore. And I'm okay. I've been better, but life doesn't royally suck, so it's okay," she smiled, "I've been meaning to call you, some of your things got mixed up with mine."

"Well, maybe if you just didn't up and leave in the middle of the night, we could've sorted everything out."

Alex sighed and lent on the bench behind her, brushing some of the chili powder still on the floor with the toe of her shoe. "I didn't want to end it, I didn't want to go, you meant so much to me, and I couldn't hang around and watch you live your life without me. I shouldn't have got so jealous like that. Look, I'm really sorry, for being such a jerk."

"No. That night was my fault, I lied. You weren't wrong when you said I was paying more attention to him than to you. But I did have my reasons. I'm sorry I lied to you, which was stupid, if I'd just told you the truth; maybe we could've worked it out. That's on me. Truth be told, I didn't want you to end it either, the whole two relationships I've had since then have completely imploded, I only ever felt safe with you." She smiled, "I haven't had that sense of security since."

Alex smiled broadly, "Really?"

Marissa chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, Really," her hand reached out and she laid her palm against Alex's forearm. She felt jolts of electricity shoot up her arm from the points of contact. Once again, the feeling was familiar to her, a sensation she never wanted to forget, but one that she hadn't felt in a long time. She stroked Alex's skin with her thumb, a subconscious action that she didn't realize she was doing until Alex moved her arm slightly.

With a sight nervous chuckle, Alex looked down at her arm where Marissa's hand still sat, her thumb still stroking her soft skin, "Are you doing that to excite me?"

Marissa blushed, but she didn't cease her action, "No. If I wanted to excite you I would just…" she took a step forward and moved her hand from Alex's arm to her hip, "… do this." She leaned forward slowly, pausing just before she made contact with Alex's lips and looked into her eyes, searching for any sign that she shouldn't continue. When she saw none, she smiled and leant in further.

This kiss was short; a sort of testing the waters type thing, but still, both women felt emotion behind the action. Alex moaned in protest as Marissa pulled back, moving her head forward to prolong contact as long as she could.

Marissa chuckled slightly and brought her free hand up to cup Alex's cheek. This kiss, however short, made her feel something she never felt with Ryan or Kevin, but it was something she couldn't quite place.

"I never thought this would happen when I woke up this morning."

Marissa laughed, leaning her head forward and resting her forehead against Alex's, "Me either. Makes me wonder if I'm dreaming."

"I know exactly what you mean." Alex smiled at Marissa and leant forward again, pressing their lips together for another quick kiss. "Do you… I mean… Do you want to go out with me, on a date? Tonight?"

Marissa nodded slowly, "Yeah, I'd love too."

*ROXANNE KELLY*

That's how my mom and my mama got back together after nearly eighteen months of being apart. Well that's the story they tell me and my twin brother Daniel on every one of their Anniversaries.

My family is the most amazing and loving family that I've ever come across. My mom, Marissa Kelly, formally Marissa Cooper, is a chef. She grew up in a small town called Newport in Orange County, not far from LA. Growing up, she was a rich snob, the leader of the rich snobs, one of the richest girls in the county. She grew up in a house not so different from the one we live in, in our small town of Ryde, just south of Newport.

Her mother, my Granny, Julie Cooper-Nicol-Roberts, was a huge influence on her when she was younger. Growing up in Newport, surrounded by all the "Newpsies," she tried to be something she wasn't, she tried to be Granny, and my mom is nothing like Granny. First of all, mom is a rebel, she's one of the most rebellious people I know, even now, as a grown woman, when she can see an alternative that will suit her better in any situation, she'll go for it, and she'll do anything she can to get things to go her way. Also, mom doesn't care about appearances as much as Granny does, now, she doesn't really care at all.

Mom has a father and a stepfather. Pop is Jimmy Cooper, mom's biological dad. Apparently, growing up in Newport was really hard on mom, so when she was having a hard time, she'd turn to her dad, apparently she leant on Pop a lot when she was growing up. Of course, I can see why, Pop is like a really big, moving teddy bear, he's the sweetest guy you'll ever meet. Sometimes, I have trouble believing the stories I've been told about the reason Granny and Pop spilt-up, apparently, when my mom was sixteen, Pop was a financial investor and he used the money from his clients' accounts to pay off his debts.

Mom's step dad is Doctor Neil Roberts, my Gramps and Granny's husband. Gramps' daughter is mom's best friend, Summer Cohen, Aunty Sum. The cool thing about Summer is that she's so… how should I put it… ditzy. Aunty Sum has known mom her whole life. Every story mom tells me, in some way has Summer in it, everything she's ever told me shows that Summer has supported mom through everything, including something about Mexico and a guy named Luke, that mom wont tell me about until I'm older. Aunty Sum's husband is the geekiest guy that I've ever met, Seth Cohen, my Uncle Cohen.

Uncle Cohen is a comic book designer, a really successful one. Sometimes, he gives me signed limited additions and original drawings, which he lets me sell on ebay. Uncle Cohen and Aunty Sum have a son, just one, named Dudley, my step cousin. Dudley is two years older than Daniel and I, us group of kids in the family have crowned him as our ringleader, everyone loves him. Uncle Cohen's foster brother, Ryan Attwood, is my Uncle Rye. Apparently he dated my mom for a while in high school, but they decided to be friends instead, good for me I guess. Uncle Ry's wife is my Aunty Resa, Theresa Attwood. She has a son, Brandon, who is older than all of the kids of the "fantastic four." Uncle Rye and Aunty Resa only got married last year after Uncle Rye got out of rehab for alcoholism. He's fully recovered now; he can even sit at a party and not even look uncomfortable.

My mama, Alexandra Kelly, is better known as just Alex. She's the owner of a string of clubs all around the world, from the states to Europe and back. Mama's family doesn't really have much to do with us. I've only ever met mama's mother and father once, at my Christmas ball when I was 5, Daniel and I don't remember them much. Mama's friends however, are just like our family. Lucy and Amy Reynolds are Mama's best friends and the most in love couple I've ever seen, not including my parents. Lucy and mama met while mom and mama were working on Pop's boat. Both mom and mama got to know her really quickly. Lucy used to be a boat mechanic and decided to start her own business when she got back to California. Now she owns most of the Yachts in the Marina, renting them out and doing repairs and paint jobs for the locals. Her pride and joy is a two-story yacht she calls "Amy Diamond," a name that is supposed to show just how much Amy means to her. Most of Lucy's free time is spent either fixing up the yacht or out sailing with Amy, having a relaxing afternoon on the harbor. Amy is an artist and has been friends with mama since junior high. Mama introduced Lucy and Amy on their return to LA and they hit it off from the word go, they soon after fell in love, they haven't spent time apart since.

I love my family, and today is my favorite day of the year, Christmas, and not just because of the presents, but because today is a day for family, for togetherness, and I love that.

I'm currently sitting by the pool with my Aunty Kate, mom's little sister. We're stretched out on blue/white sun chairs, watching as everyone around us interacts with each other.

"So how's school?" she asks me, briefly turning her head towards me to indicate she is actually talking to me, "You still the brains?"

I smile and look towards my brother who is running around the pool house with Dudley, "Of course, would you look at him?"

Aunty Kate looks over just in time o see Dudley tackle Daniel to the ground and grab the basketball from his arms. Aunty Kate laughs, "Yeah, you're right. He is… different."

I laugh at her as I stand up and dip my toe into the crystal clear water of the pool, checking its temperature before adjusting my bikini and diving in with skillful ease.

"Hey!" I hear my mama yell as my head re-surfaces and I shake the excess water out of my long light brown hair. "What are you doing? Food, you remember that?" she points o the kitchen where mom is cooking up a storm for lunch. "It's Christmas. Out!"

I smile at her and walk up the stairs out of the water and pick up my towel off my sun chair, "I thought it was Chrismakah," I smile in the direction of my Uncle Cohen, "Right Uncle Cohen?"

He smiles back and raises his glass, "Right you are young Roxy," he sends me the thumbs up, "Chrismakah is awesome."

Everyone sitting around the pool laughs at him before going back to his or her conversations. Uncle Cohen's parents, Sandy and Kirsten along with Gramps, Granny and Pop are sitting at a table on the patio, overlooking the nearby harbor and on the opposite side of the pool to the house. Aunty Sum, Uncle Cohen, Aunty Resa, Uncle Rye, Lucy and Amy are lounging around in sun chairs at the side of the pool, next to the hot tub. Daniel, Dudley and Brandon are shooting hoops and running around the pool hose, every so often, one of them running over to the table on the patio to grab a handful of chips or a packet of smart beans to share between them. Mom is in the kitchen, as usual, cooking up another fabulous meal for everyone to enjoy, and mama is playing hostess, running between everyone and making conversation.

"Hey Rox!" Lucy yells at me, putting down her glass of wine next to her and pushing her dark bangs out of her eyes, "Come here for a sec."

I run over quickly, dropping my town back onto my chair. Lucy knows I would do just about anything for her and Amy right now, "Yeah?"

"Could you get me a cold cloth, Amy's head is feeling a bit… hot," she smirks, but it falters when Amy hits her hard on the arm.

"Ignore her sweetie. I'm just a bit stuffy. Damn hormones." She smiles at me, "Damn pregnancy, you know. You know, it's your fault I'm like this," she glares at Lucy, "You had t insist on having a baby."

"I didn't get you pregnant you know."

Amy rolls her eyes, "I don't care who did it. I'm a big as a house, and I'm saying that it's your fault."

It was true, compared to her usual tall, thin frame, Amy was swollen and her stomach was huge, round and firm.

"Oh, come on baby. I think you look beautiful," Lucy smiles at her wife.

Amy shoots Lucy a glare that could kill and then turns back to me, the sweet Amy smile back in place, "Could you get me that cloth please Rox. I am starting to burn up."

I nod, "Sure. Anything for my favorite pregnant lady."

I walk to the house quickly, my body still dripping with water and I smile at mama as I pass her, sitting next to Uncle Rye, talking about the code violations on the place she just purchased in San Francisco to open up another club. As I walk into the kitchen, I am engulfed by the smell of roast chicken, "Wow mom. That smells great."

She turns to me with a smile as she wipes her hands on her black apron with "kiss the cook" written in red across the chest. "Thanks bubs. What're you doing in here?" she gives me a brief smile before turning back to the bench and her beautifully sliced potatoes.

"Amy wants a wet cloth," I shrug, "Any idea where I might find one of those?"

Mom lets out a breath of laughter, briefly stopping her slicing and closing her eyes, "There is this thing across from the bathroom; it's called a linen cabinet. Maybe you should try in there."

*DANIEL KELLY*

My mom and my mama have always told us that true love is something special, and you can see it when you look at them together. They're so in love that animals could sense it, hell, the dead could sense it.

It gives me hope when I look at them, and it's good to see that they nearly always get along.

Every once in a while, they'll have an argument, Roxy, my twin sister, and I try not to listen, but sometimes we can't help it. On the rare occasion when they do argue, it's about stupid things, like mama spending to much time away at all her different clubs and not enough time with us, or mom taking us to visit Aunty Sum and Uncle Cohen in Newport without telling her, but no matter what it is, they always end up in the same place, so many years ago in Newport, the night mama just walked away. It always gets emotional, for all of us.

Our family is very close, we have the sort of family that is crazy and embarrassing, but you love them anyway, the family that is all connected in some way, if not by blood than by friendship and love.

The sad thing is, most of our real blood relatives don't talk to us.

My actual family is relatively small, just me, Roxy, mom, mama, Granny, Pop and Aunty Kate, but there is a whole group of us that is connected through the fantastic four, mom, Aunty Sum, Uncle Cohen and Uncle Rye.

They were friends at school; Aunty Sum and Uncle Cohen are married with a son, Dudley, my best friend. My mom used to date Uncle Rye, before she met my mama, and a little after their break-up of about 18 months, before my parents got back together on my Pop's boat. Uncle Rye has a wife, Aunty Resa; she has a son, Brandon, who is the eldest of all of us kids.

There are eighteen of us from my mom's side, including Granny's ex-husband, Mr Nicol's family, which includes Uncle Cohen, Kirsten and Sandy, Uncle Cohen's parent and Uncle Rye's foster parents.

On my mama's side, it's a larger family, but none of them talk to us.

Mama has a brother, Joel, a sister, Piper and a half brother, Laurin. I have a cousin, Doug Jr. and a half cousin Michael, neither of which I have ever met.

When my mama was 14, my age, her older brother, Joel, stared going out with Amy. My mama had just realized that she liked girls, and when she met Amy, she liked her. The problem was, Amy liked her back. They kissed one day when Amy had come over to see Joel, and Joel walked in on them. I've been told that Joel hasn't spoken a nice word to mama since that day.

My mama went back into the closet after that, but remained good friends with Amy.

When my mama was sixteen, she met Jodie and it was then that she came out to her parents, Gregory and Diane Kelly, my grandparents. They kicked her out.

It was a year after that, that mama met mom and they fell in love.

Jodie is now a friend of mom and mama and she changed her cheating ways and met Allison. They've got a four-year-old daughter, Jenny, my little fan, she comes to everyone of my basketball games.

So… my mama's family deserted her when she was sixteen and she's never really forgiven them. She went home to them after she had her heart broken by my mom and they got along for a while, that was until mama was offered a managing job on my Pop's boat, mom's dad.

That's where my mom and mama met up again and realized just how much they loved each other from the start.

It was on that boat that my parents met Lucy, a boat mechanic and the maintenance inspector on Pop's boat.

Lucy was introduced to Amy, my mama's friend, when they got back to the states. Soon after, they fell in love too.

I walk past Lucy as she puts a cushion on a chair and helps a very pregnant Amy into it, pushing her closer to the table.

It's easy to see what Amy sees in Lucy. Lucy is sweet and generous, and for a grown adult, and me being a teenage boy, she's incredibly good looking, dark hair, dark skin and dark soulful eyes, eyes that say a lot just with a look.

Roxy sits down next to me and bounces in her chair. She's wearing a brown bikini with a pair of jean over the top. Her eyes are excited and I smile at her, my twin sister is one of the most considerate and nicest people you could ever meet, that is why she's so excited.

It's Christmas day, or Chrismakah, as we tend to call it around here, it's like a tradition in our family. Every year, all of us gather here at our large house over looking Ryde bay. Every year mom cooks up a fantastic feast that everyone enjoys and we all go for a swim after. Presents are exchanged after dinner, and that's everyone favorite part, watching the reaction of everyone when they open each present.

Mom brings out a large platter of chicken, beautifully presented and roasted to perfection, the only way mom knows how.

When Roxy and I were born, my mama brought my mom her own restaurant, "Devotion," named after my parent's affections for each other, and us.

Roxy and I weren't born like most gay couples children; they used a treatment that was new at the time called "egg relocation." Basically, they took an egg from mama and an egg from mom and switched them after they were fertilized with the same donor.

I guess it makes us more of a family, were all connected, all related.

Roxy and I were born two days apart, I was first. Mama gave birth to me, making mom my biological mother and mama, Roxy's.

The funny thing is, I look more like mama, and we have the same light blue eyes and the same white/blonde hair.

We really do look like mom and mama's kids, there really seems to be a bit of each of them in both Roxy and I.

"Listen up!" my mama is standing at the end of the table, her hand on my mama's shoulder, "Riss and I have some pretty big news."

I frown slightly at my sister, neither of us having heard any exciting news recently.

"It' big, and it's going to be a huge change, but… it's a really good opportunity for me to boost my career as a major club owner," she smiles and rubs mom's shoulder, "We haven't told anyone, not even the kids, but we wanted to tell everyone together," she took a deep breath, "We're moving to New York."

My mouth drops open, "Wait… What!"

*ALEX KELLY*

I see the look of horror on my son's face and the look of sock on my daughters.

"Wait…What!" Daniel yells, looking amazingly like a goldfish, gaping at me and Marissa, my wife. "New York as in… New York!"

I feel a sudden need to explain, as the look of horror on my son's face turns to one of hurt and betrayal. "Daniel, listen, it's New York, anyone who is anyone in the club business has a station in the city that never sleeps. Sophie has found a location and she is really confident about this."

Sophie is my club promoter, usually she only rings when there is something that is going to jeopardize everything we've worked for, so when I saw who was calling I got worried, but this time was different. Sophie has only one client, me, and so when I go downhill, she loses out too. After hearing about this space in New York City, right in the heart of the city and a huge hotspot for celebrities, Sophie rang me and asked if I was up to it. "It'll boost your career to places you never even dreamt of. But you'll have to set it up yourself, just to ensure that everything goes to plan," was Sophie's proposal.

I told Marissa and she jumped at the opportunity, telling me that she'd always wanted to live there, ever since her trip with her parents when she was nine.

"Listen honey," Marissa says, standing up and putting her arm around my back, lightly touching the exposed skin of my hip and sending shivers through my spine even after nearly seventeen years together, "It won't be forever, just until the club is making a profit, a couple of years maybe," she was talking directly to Daniel, knowing that Roxy's reaction would be a positive one.

I glance at Roxy and see she looks rather excited, smiling and nodding as she looks at the table and her empty plate. She looks up at me and I smile, receiving a grin in return, her eyes lighting up, just like her mother's do when she's happy or excited.

I look back at Daniel who is still gaping at Marissa, not saying a word. He shakes his head and pushes his seat backwards with a scraping noise on the tiles of the dining room floor. With a quick look towards me, he shakes his head once again and takes off towards his room.

Marissa starts to go after him but I stop her, grabbing her forearm, "No, you have a good time. I'll go." I grab her hand and place a kiss to her palm, "I love you."

She smiles at me and sits down and I hear her say, "Sorry guys," as I step out from behind my chair and walk towards the living room, up the flight of stairs and into the upstairs hallway. My son's room is on the left, just a few steps up the hall.

I stand in front of his door and take a deep breath, preparing myself, before raising my fist and knocking softly on the stained, walnut door.

"It's open," his voice is soft as it drifts to my ears.

As I push open the door, I see him lying on his bed, facing the ceiling with a necklace in his hand.

The necklace is something that means a lot to my son. When Marissa and I first got together, we took these heart necklaces from my ex, Jodie. I gave her the spare, I gave her my heart, which she took, not only physically, but mentally on that night.

After we broke-up, after my heart was broken by the one person I loved more than anything, I never took my necklace off, not until the day I had her initials, MC, imprinted on my heart, her heart, that I wished I'd owned. When we got back together, she had my initials imprinted on hers, so we never forgot that our hearts, our souls, our entire being, belonged to each other.

So when Daniel and Roxy were born, we brought two necklaces one manly for Daniel, and one girly for Roxanne, which we gave to them on their tenth birthdays.

Daniel keeps his for good, only wearing it on formal occasions, but when he gets an emotional blow, or on the rare occasions when Marissa and I fight, he holds it, for comfort. It's through that necklace that he holds onto the fact that the love in our house hold is strong, and no matter what, it'll always remain that way.

I walk to him and take a seat on his bed, placing a hand on his shin. "Talk to me," I say softly.

He sighs, "I have friends here Mama, and our lives are here, our family's here. Amy's pregnant and I think Aunty Resa is too," he looks down, "I'd miss them so much."

I pull him up and into a comforting hug, running my hands across his muscled back, "I know baby. But aren't we enough? Your mom, your sister and me, we all love you, so… aren't we enough?"

He pulls back and looks at me, his piercing blue eyes looking right through my defenses and seeing the hurt buried deep inside me. "What? Of course you are. I love you guys. But what about my team? What if I'm not good enough for their teams, I've seen the Bulldogs play, I have nothing on them."

I laugh as I see worry cross his features, "If you're not good enough for them, I'll eat… this matress," I push him slightly, in a joking way, and he smiles at me, rolling his muscular shoulders back.

"You think so?"

I smile at him. Daniel is the best basketball player in Ryde, our town. He had recently been made captain of the local team, and even as just a freshman, vice captain of the school team.

His tall muscled frame was perfect for the sport, and his fashion sense fit that of a professional to a tee.

He usually wore a pair of baggy jeans or cords, one of his many Lakers Jerseys, skate shoes and a zip up hoodie. He rarely wore hats, he had his mother's hair and also her obsession of keeping it perfectly neat, usually having it spiked or gelled, a style he called, 'neatly messy'.

"Of course."

It was funny how Daniel was such a teenage boy and yet so sweet and caring, not scared to show his emotions, or to be seen with his parents.

He was proud when I cheered at his presentation before the summer, and he'll always give me or Marissa a goodbye hug before school.

"So, you ready for some of your mom's fabulous cooking?"

He grins and stands up, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, "I love you Mama."

I smile and stand up, following him, "I love you too baby."

*MARISSA KELLY*

I watch as my daughter dives into our pool, hardly making a splash. I smile.

Biologically, she's not my daughter, but I gave birth to her. She and Daniel are my whole world, I would do anything for them, and I know Alex would too.

I'm sitting next to my little sister, Kaitlin as we both watch Roxy swim. She's a grade A student, never bringing home a quiz, exam or assignment with a grade lower than an A-, and the one time she did, she sulked for a week.

Alex and I wonder where she gets her brains from, neither of us ever being great students, Alex leaving at 16 and me going… rarely.

She took the news about moving amazingly well, saying the excitement of New York would be a nice change from the monotonous town of Ryde.

"Hey mom, come race me!" she yells, standing on the edge of the pool, her brown bikini sticking to her.

I smile at her. She's always so friendly, wanting to share her experiences with everyone, her triumphs and achievements. She even offered to swap report cards with Daniel once, so he would get the better marks. "Okay. Let me get changed."

She gives me the thumbs up and takes another dive. It's the only sport she enjoys, swimming. When she was nine, her first elementary school swimming carnival, she won every event she entered, and even made the junior girls water polo team.

Changing quickly into a small black bikini, I pulled my hair back and started outside.

"Wow."

I turn and smile at the voice, seeing my beautiful wife with a towel in her hands. "You like?" I ask with a sly smile.

Putting the towel down on the bed, she moves closer to me, her own sly smile forming as she puts a hand on each of my hips, "You look hot."

I roll my eyes playfully, reaching up and wrapping my arms around her neck, "You look hot, always," I reply.

She leans in and captures my lips with hers, the wonderfully sweet and loving kiss, making my knees go weak as I fall backwards onto our bed, her above me.

Removing her lips from mine, she moves them to my rapidly throbbing pulse point and sucks.

"Ah… b-baby." I breathe out through a loud moan as she runs her hand across my stomach lovingly.

"Hmm?" she mumbles against my neck.

"We… have guests."

I feel her lips leave my skin, at the same time, her thigh forces its way between mine and she presses her knee into my centre.

My eyes drift close and I moan in pleasure, my whole body feeling like I'm buried in snow and yet, completely on fire, something she's been able to do to me since day one.

"You're right," she says softly, easing off my centre and pushing herself up on her arms, "We should go be good hosts." She looks down at me, smiling.

I can't help but smile at her cuteness.

She's always enjoyed teasing me, even when we were together the first time. She would finish work late and come to my house, sneaking in with the key I gave her, skillfully avoiding the servants, my mother and Caleb. Even though I couldn't hear her, I always knew when she was close by, and would be waiting to open my bedroom door when she was about to knock on it. Those nights were always so anticipated, by both of us, but no matter how much each of us wanted to, we waited almost a month before we made love for the first time, the day we moved in together.

"I love you," I say softly, reaching up with my right hand and moving her smooth, silky blonde hair out of her eyes, "You're beautiful."

She smiled, moving off me to lie next to me, propped up on one elbow, facing my direction. "So are you."

She reaches over with her free hand and strokes my cheek with her thumb, "You're my world," she whispers softly, and I smile.

THE END

Behind the Dialogue13