Author's Note: Thanks again to all those reading and enjoying my story. I greatly appreciate all the reviews, because knowing that others share my love for this story and these characters keeps me motivated to do my best for them! Standard legal disclaimers from the first two chapters apply to all these others. Also, I make no claims on either the excellent Oprah or Ellen shows, and no infringement on their copyrights is intended.
You and Me, Together
by Jo P.
Chapter 7: Stepping Out
Fantastic and romantic,
All a big surprise
You got the warning,
Hesitation pushed aside
It's sooner than I want,
But you caught my eye
I guess I'm ready now to fly
--Miley Cyrus"Start All Over"
The next day at school was positively anticlimactic in comparison to yesterday. As expected, Jake was absent, and no one seemed to know much about why. Well, no one outside of Miley, Lilly and Oliver, but they remained very quiet about things. Miley and Lilly continued to act like any other young couple at the school, sneaking quick kisses and holding hands whenever the teachers on hall monitor duty weren't looking. As they had expected, the rumors and teasing died down quickly, even faster than they had expected. While Miley and Lilly both attributed it to the fact that Jake's absence had probably assumed top priority in the school's gossip chain, Oliver maintained that it was because overall people found it difficult to stay upset with--or angry at--Miley and Lilly. The girls did a good job of staying unobtrusive, other than being open about their feelings for each other, and they really had few true enemies in the school, other than Amber and Ashley.
While Miley herself was excited about being on TV, Lilly was positively energized. It was all she could do to hold in her excitement at school, and she caught herself daydreaming about the opportunity to be in public with Miley. However, she didn't want to cause any trouble to Miley, so she promised herself that when they were on television, she'd restrain herself from being too touchy-feely. Lilly was also excited about the surprise she had for Miley. She hadn't told anyone about it, even Oliver. Well, her mom knew about it, but that couldn't be helped. But her mom didn't know exactly Lilly had in mind with it, and it would stay that way, at least for a few more days.
"What are you smiling about, Lilly?" Miley asked as she walked over to their lockers.
"Hm?" said Lilly. "Oh, nothing much, Miley," she said, smirking. "Just a little surprise I have for you..."
Miley leaned in close, and whispered, "What kind of surprise?" giving a rather dirty look to Lilly.
Lilly felt the sweat form on her forehead as the heat from Miley's gaze warmed her considerably. "Well, it wasn't going to be that kind of surprise--" she said, then corrected herself. "Well, it kind of had that in it, but there was more than that!"
Miley continued to pour on the heat, saying, "I love it when you surprise me, sweetheart," in her best sultry voice. And she did sultry quite well.
Lilly felt her resolve crumbling. "Ooooh Miley, let me keep it a secret please, just for a few more days!" she pleaded.
Miley relented, settling for a deep kiss from her girlfriend. "I love you for being so thoughtful, Lilly."
Lilly sighed, saying, "I just love you for, well...everything you are. Beautiful, kind, understanding, thoughtful, just generally amazing, all that."
Miley leaned in, putting her forehead right against Lilly's. "Same for you, Lilly. Keep your surprise until you're ready, but you know I'll love it," she said softly.
Lilly laughed, "Oh, I think you'll be quite surprised, Miles." She then pressed her lips forward slightly, lightly kissing Miley.
"Save it for prom night, ladies!" said Ms. Kunkle, passing through the lockers on hall duty. Miley and Lilly jumped when they heard her voice, both blushing rather intensely. They looked at each other, and then both laughed.
"Okay, time for sixth period," said Miley.
"Yeah," said Lilly, disappointed because they didn't have the same class this period. Suddenly remembering something she had just been asked about, Lilly said, "Want to come to some of the soccer games next week?"
"Are you playing?" asked Miley. "I thought you were afraid you didn't have enough time."
Lilly said, "Well, I really don't, but the team is short on players for another two weeks, and the coach asked some of us who had played in middle school to help out, at least so they have enough to play. I told him to go ahead and put my name on the roster, but that I probably won't play any more once Jamie, Fiona and Brooke all get healed up."
Miley took Lilly's hand and said, "Can I walk you to class?" Lilly nodded, and the girls set off. As they walked, Miley said, "You know, it might be fun to have someone to cheer for during a game. That time Jackson won the volleyball tournament was neat, but I felt cheated because I was dressed as Hannah." She looked at Lilly and asked, "What time is the game?"
"Six-thirty," Lilly said.
"Okay, let me ask Jackson and Daddy, but I think we'll probably be there," Miley said, smiling.
"That would be awesome, Miles!" Lilly said, giving Miley a one-armed hug as they walked. "Okay, I'll see you after school, hon," Lilly said as they arrived at her class. "And you need to hurry to get over to your class!"
Miley looked at her watch. "Uh-oh!" She gave Lilly a quick hug, then took off down the hall, waving over her shoulder.
"You are something else, Miley Stewart," Lilly said. "And I am SO totally in love with you." She took her seat right as the bell rang, pulling her book out.
When the bell rang, Miley, Lilly and Oliver all met outside school. Lilly started putting on her helmet and pads for the skate home, while Oliver filled them in on the latest rumors regarding Jake Ryan.
"So he used the skateboard accident story?" Lilly said, laughing.
Oliver nodded, "Oh yeah, but apparently he's withdrawing from school here, too. The story he gave to the main office is that it would be too difficult to do his rehab and attend school here."
Miley said, "And how did you find out all this, Oliver?"
Oliver replied, "Well, let's just say that one of the student office workers has a thing for Smokin' Oken."
Miley hugged Oliver, saying, "Tell her thanks from us, then, Smokin' Oken." She smiled as she and Lilly started off toward their homes. "See you tomorrow!"
Lilly said, "Bye Oliver!" as she hopped on her skateboard, giving it a leisurely push to start it rolling and stay beside Miley.
"Bye girls!" Oliver said, waving as he turned toward his own house.
"Well, it seems that's going to work out pretty good after all," said Miley. "Not only is our secret safe, but we get rid of Jake and his ego, too."
Lilly said, "Yeah, but I do kind of feel a little bad for him. I mean, a teeny tiny bit. But no matter what was going on with him, he had no place to threaten you or try to hurt you. And for hitting you, I'll take him out a second time if I ever run into him again."
Miley leaned in toward Lilly, carefully taking her hand very loosely, so as not to tug her off-balance. "Thank you again for being there to save me, Lil."
"You're very welcome, Miles," Lilly answered, smiling at her girlfriend. "So, when exactly are we leaving for the TV shows?"
Miley thought a moment, then said, "Well, Daddy said they're doing a special theme week where several shows are broadcasting or taping from Las Vegas, and that's where we're going. I bet we'll probably fly out Thursday evening or Friday morning. Oprah is broadcasting live from the Venetian, and that's where we're going to be staying. I think he said that Ellen will be taping in the MGM, but I don't remember."
"Las Vegas, huh?" said Lilly, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes.
"Oh no, Lilly," Miley said, "Even Hannah and Lola won't be allowed to go into the casino parts of the hotel. But the Venetian is supposed to be really amazing, so I think we'll find something we can do." Lilly didn't respond, but she continued to look at Miley with a very seductive look on her face.
Miley felt her heart pick up speed under Lilly's gaze, and she said, "Lilly, you don't have to seduce me, sweetheart. I can assure you, I'm a sure thing, but only for you." Now it was Miley's turn to smile seductively.
Lilly gave Miley's hand a squeeze, then released it as she leaned into the turn toward her house. "Come to my house with me so we can do our homework?" she asked.
Miley said, "Sure," speeding up a bit to catch up to Lilly as they went to the Truscotts' house.
As the girls went inside, Lilly yelled, "We're home! We'll be in the bedroom, doing homework!"
Miley added, "Just homework, we promise!" getting a light smack on the arm from Lilly for her comment.
"Don't give them anything to worry about, Miley," she whispered.
Miley feigned a look of shock as she whispered, "Why, Lilly, you practically told your mom that we had sex the night we told them about us!"
Lilly opened her mouth to say something, then reconsidered and said, "That's true." She set her skate gear down, then whispered to Miley, "But your comment about having to hold me in your arms while we slept was just so cute," her voice's pitch rising a bit at the end of her sentence.
Miley turned a bit red, but not that much. "Well, it's the truth," she said softly, smiling. She then pulled Lilly into a hug, breaking it to start upstairs. "Let's get our homework done, then we can plan out what we're going to wear!"
With both girls motivated, the homework succumbed quickly. The next block of time was spent holding each other and kissing softly, each girl careful to keep things from getting too intense while Lilly's mom was home. After a break to get a drink from downstairs, they returned to Lilly's room, where they sprawled out on the bed and talked about what it would be like to be on the upcoming TV shows.
"Now, I know that you've done tons of TV appearances, and I've done one or two as Lola, but none where I could be interviewed, so that possibility has got me nervous," said Lilly.
Miley took Lilly's hand, lifting it to her lips, where she kissed it. "You'll do great hon, and I bet you will get to talk to Oprah and Ellen."
Lilly's head instantly turned toward Miley. "You mean, like being interviewed by them?" Miley nodded. "But...why Lola? How is she important?" Lilly asked.
Miley said, "Lola is important because she is Hannah's best, dearest friend who accompanies her wherever she goes. And she's also important because..." Miley looked around the room, as if scanning for spies. "...she and Hannah are lovers, too!" she whispered.
That got Lilly to cackle. "That part probably shouldn't slip out on live TV, I think, Miley."
Miley looked at Lilly, her eyes still shining, "Why not? It'd be good for their ratings, I bet."
Still laughing, Lilly said, "Oh yeah, I bet it'd set an all-time ratings record!" More seriously, she said, "Miley, I won't let on to anything while we're on the air or at the TV sets unless you say it's okay. I'm certainly not ashamed of loving you, but you know show biz better than I do, and I'll let you set the pace with Hannah and Lola."
Miley kissed Lilly's hand again. "Thanks, Lil. Have I told you lately how much I love you, and what a great friend you are?"
Lilly dreamily answered, "You have, but I never get tired of it..."
When it was almost nine o'clock, the girls went downstairs, stopping in the family room to speak to Lilly's parents. "Hi Mr. And Mrs. Truscott!" Miley said. Lilly added, "Hi!"
The girls moved just inside the room, then Miley said, "Would it be okay if Lilly spends the night with me Thursday night? We're out of school Friday for an in-service day, and my dad is wanting to take Lilly and me with him on a day trip to Las Vegas. It's all paid for through his work, and Lilly and I would really like to get to see it." Of course, Hannah had seen Las Vegas, but Miley wasn't lying; she and Lilly really did want to see it together.
"Please Mom, Dad?" Lilly asked. "I mean, it's all paid for, and we'll be back Saturday night. We're leaving either Thursday night or Friday morning, so I need to be over there Thursday night." Thinking of a way to sweeten the deal, Lilly added, "I could always get you some of those little bells you collect from a few of the hotels there, Mom, and Dad would probably like to have some real playing cards from the casinos for his poker night! Plus Mr. Stewart will be with us, so nothing's going to happen to us while we're there."
Lilly's parents looked at each other, then her mom said, "Well, it would be a good opportunity for you to take a little trip, I suppose, and with Miley and Robbie Ray going with you, you should be safe." Her dad nodded, then said, "But watch yourself in the casinos; they've got pickpockets everywhere!"
Lilly nodded her head seriously, then ran over and hugged first her dad, then her mom. "Thank you!" She stood back up. "I'm going to walk Miley to the door, then I'll grab something to eat. You need me to do anything tonight, since our homework is done?"
Her mom said, "No, I think your chores are caught up, but you'll need to finish the laundry tomorrow and put up the clothes if you want to go over to Miley's Thursday night."
Lilly nodded, and she and Miley went to the door. One safely out of sight of Lilly's parents, Lilly and Miley grabbed each other's hands and silently jumped up and down, doing a joint happy dance. "Yes!" Lilly said.
Miley was equally thrilled. "Okay, I need to get home and clean up some around the house, so I'll call you when I get ready to go to bed, 'kay?" she said.
Lilly nodded, "Okay hon. Kiss goodnight?" When Miley grinned, Lilly leaned in and kissed her on the lips. Miley responded by wrapping her arms around Lilly, pulling her close. After a prolonged kiss, they girls separated for air.
Miley said, "I love that flavor lip gloss," licking her lips.
Lilly grinned and said, "I know. Love you Miles, be careful walking home."
Miley replied, "Love you too, girlfriend. Talk to you later," then she stepped outside and started home.
Wednesday flew by, and Thursday also zipped right along. Both girls found it extremely difficult to concentrate on school during the day, and only the fact that pretty much everyone else was looking forward to the day off tomorrow kept them out of trouble with the teachers. When school was over, the girls briefly met up outside, then took off to their respective homes to finish getting ready.
Lilly ran inside the house, gave her mom a kiss and rushed upstairs, grabbing her bags she had already packed the night before. Dragging them down the steps, she said, "Tell the men that I love them, and I'll call as soon as we get to Las Vegas and in the hotel room."
"Alright sweetie, and please be careful. Watch out for Miley, I'm afraid she'll be lost in that wild place."
Lilly grinned. "I think Miley will probably handle herself just fine, Mom. Love you!" She banged out the door, running at a jog towards Miley's house.
When Miley reached her home, she likewise ran inside, charging up the stairs like a madwoman. Reaching her room, she set her books on her desk, then ran inside her closet. However, when she got inside, her bags she had packed were nowhere to be seen, causing a panic. "JACKSON!!! DADDY!!! Where are my suitcases?!?" She took off out of her room, only to slam into her father.
"Whoa! What's the problem, Miles?" he said.
"My bags are gone! Jackson--"
"Jackson didn't do anything. I already loaded them up for you, darlin'," he said.
Miley stopped. "Oh, thanks Daddy!" she said, giving him a hug. The slam of the door told her that Lilly had arrived. "That's Lilly! Let's get her loaded up so we can get going!"
Robbie Ray chuckled at his daughter's excitement. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were a bit excited, bud."
Miley ducked under his arm as she ran downstairs, meeting Lilly on the stairs. "Oh my gosh! Are you ready to get going, Lilly?"
"Yeah! I'm all packed and ready to go!" Lilly said. She ran back down the stairs, followed by Miley. Once downstairs, each girl grabbed a suitcase, then they took off outside, to the Suburban.
By the time Robbie Ray got outside, the girls had already stuffed Lilly's suitcases in the cargo area of the vehicle, and they were climbing into the bench seat in the very back of the Suburban. He hopped in the driver's seat and started the car, then backed out of the driveway. As he drove toward the airport, he asked over his shoulder, "You ever been to Vegas, Lilly?"
"No sir, Mr. Stewart. This'll be my first time, and I'm really excited!" Sure enough, Lilly was practically hopping up and down in her seat.
"Well, just try to take it easy once we get there. It can be a bit overwhelmin' at first, but just take the time to get settled in your room, and then we can go look around if you want to."
They stopped and switched vehicles on the way, trading the Suburban for the limousine as they had done the other night. After moving all the luggage, they got into their alter egos' outfits. Lilly had kept her blue wig this time, and she paired it with a bright pink dress and white stockings. Miley had opted for a uniform-style dress, with jeans underneath. As always, Robbie Ray just added a suit and his simple fake mustache and was ready.
When they arrived at the airport, they drove to the chartered flights section. As they pulled inside the enclosed parking, they were met by an airport cart and two assistants who swiftly moved their luggage onto the cart, then they were driven to where their jet was waiting. Lilly tried her best not to be impressed, but this was another first for her. "You didn't say we were taking a chartered jet," she whispered to Miley.
Miley smiled at Lilly and took her hand in hers. "It was a surprise," she whispered back. "I want this trip to be special for us." Lilly cocked her head at Miley's statement, but she just smiled. So do I, she thought. And it will be, once I give you your gift.
When the girls got to the plane, they were dropped off at the steps going up inside the plane. They bounded up the steps and nearly ran over Roxy, who was waiting just inside the plane. "Heaven's sakes!" Roxy yelled. "What are you two doing, running around like chickens with your heads cut off?"
Miley and Lilly both said, "Sorry, Roxy!" in unison.
"You two practice that?" Roxy asked.
Miley ignored the question, needing to get something out of the way first before they took off. "Roxy, can we talk to you real quick, in the back?"
Roxy said, "Sure, let me go shoo any attendants up to the front of the plane," and she led the way to the back of the plane, doing exactly as she had said. Once the attendant had moved far enough away, Roxy sat down in a chair and said, "Okay, what do you need to tell Roxy?"
Miley smiled and said, "I don't know if Daddy told you, but mine and Lola's relationship has changed," she said with a smile.
Roxy looked puzzled. "Changed? Like how? Is she singing now?" she asked, pointing at Lilly.
Lilly laughed, saying, "Oh no! She means, we're much closer now." However, Roxy still looked a bit confused. "Here Roxy, we'll show you," Lilly said, looking to the front of the plane, then leaning over and kissing Miley on the lips.
"OH!" said Roxy. "THAT'S how you mean changed! Alright, Roxy's got it now."
Miley said, "Roxy, I hope you're okay with this, but Li...I mean, Lola and I really love each other, and we're together now, in both lives. We haven't exactly come out as Hannah and Lola, but we will, when the time is right."
Lilly added, "Or when someone finally gets observant and notices that we're all over each other." This was said as she shifted to sit in Miley's lap.
Miley laughed and said, "Right. But what are the chances of that?" as she pulled Lilly back against her.
Roxy smiled at the girls, then she leaned in to Lilly and said quietly, "I approve, little miss, but you got to help me take care of this one here," pointing at Miley.
Lilly said, "Not a problem, Roxy. I plan on doing that for the rest of my life." She grabbed a blanket from beside them and spread it over Miley and herself, then she adjusted the air so that it was spraying indirectly on them. "I like it kind of cool when I fly; it keeps me from getting a headache," she said with a smile.
Miley shifted to make them more comfortable, getting into nearly a prone position, then wrapping her arms back around Lilly. "'Kay, we 're ready to take off now," she said with a smile.
Roxy stood up and said, "I'll go tell them, then. You girls take a little nap, it should be a fairly short flight. Once we actually get in the air, that is." She took off for the front of the plane, telling the attendant to let the girls nap for now.
Miley remembered the plane's engines turning on and it starting to taxi, but Lilly was already out at that point, lost in the feel of her lover's arms and the warmth of her body heat. Before the plane got into takeoff position, Miley was asleep as well. They stayed that way until right before the descent into Las Vegas, when Roxy came back and woke them up so they could fasten their seat belts. The two girls complied, getting into position beside each other and buckling their seat belts. Right on time, the plane began its descent a few seconds later. The pilots were excellent, and within ten minutes they were on the ground, taxiing to the private terminals.
As they disembarked, Lilly saw that a limousine was already waiting for them beside the plane. "Oooooh, Lola likes!" she said, smiling at Miley. Miley just smiled back, thinking, Wait 'til you see what's inside the limo. When they reached the limo, the driver opened the door for them, letting Lilly and Miley enter first. When Lilly stepped inside, the smell of jasmine caught her attention. She saw that between the facing seats in the rear section of the limousine was a small table, covered with fresh jasmine and roses. She took her seat, then asked Miley, who sat right beside her, "Did you do that for me?" Miley nodded, a smile on her face. "Thank you!" said Lilly, hugging Miley and kissing her softly. Robbie Ray and Roxy got in as Lilly was thanking Miley, prompting Roxy to say, "That's gonna take some getting' used to!" The girls laughed at that, and Lilly pulled several of the flowers to her, sniffing them and smiling.
When the limo pulled out of the airport, Lilly was fascinated by the contrast inherent in Las Vegas. All around was desert and dry hills, no vegetation to be seen, until her sight came to the city itself. It was like the city had risen directly out of the desert, leaving no transition whatsoever. The change from wasteland to constructed city was abrupt, and it was very unlike anything Lilly had ever seen. Still, there was much less that Lilly could see than she thought there would be. She said, "I guess we're not in the main part of the city itself?"
Robbie Ray nodded, then said, "We're comin' up on the city from the south. The way we're headin', you can't see the Strip unless you're looking straight ahead, not 'til we're in it." Soon enough, though, they had arrived on the Strip, and the light traffic had turned into heavy traffic, whizzing around them like angry hornets.
"Oh my gosh, Hannah! Look at that!" Lilly said as the Luxor pyramid came into sight. She watched as the massive jet-colored structure slowly moved by them on their right.
Miley leaned over and said, "At night, they turn on this huge light in the tip of the pyramid, and you can see it shining up into the sky, like a big tower of light."
Lilly turned to look at her. "Seriously?" Miley nodded. "Okay, we HAVE to see that tonight!"
Miley laughed. "Honey, we can see whatever you want tonight," she said. "I've never stayed in the Venetian; last time it was the MGM, right here," she said, pointing at the MGM Grand structure as they drove by it.
Lilly took in all the buildings of the Strip as they went from the older southern end of the Strip to the northern end, where the newer, larger hotels were situated. Since she was seated on the right, that side naturally received most of her attention as they passed Circus Circus, Treasure Island, Harrah's, and finally arrived at the Venetian.
Lilly gasped as she got a good look at the massive structure of the Venetian. "Oh...my...gosh," she said. "It's...beautiful! And huge!"
At this point even Miley was dumbfounded. "Uh, yeah, it is," she said weakly. The architecture of the Venetian was imposing, replicating the style of Venice in a very convincing manner. As the limousine pulled into the VIP unloading area, the girls jumped out of the car as soon as it came to a stop, so they could get a better view of the building comprising the Venetian resort. As they looked around, a young woman who appeared to be in her late twenties approached them, carrying a clipboard.
She extended her hand to Miley, saying, "Welcome to the Venetian, Miss Montana! We're so honored that you're staying with us this time, and we'll do everything we can to get you all ready for tomorrow!" She turned to Lilly and said, "And you must be Lola!" as she extended her hand to Lilly. "We'll take excellent care of you and Miss Montana!" She went to the girls' luggage, which had been sorted into Miley's and Lilly's, then Robbie Ray's, then Roxy's, applying a tag from a paper on her clipboard to each bag. Miley noticed that each pile got a different colored tag. The young lady then handed a plastic card to Roxy, Robbie Ray, and Miley. "Alright, let me take you inside and get you checked in. By the way, my name is Sullivan; just ask for me if I can do anything to help you while you're here."
She led the party inside, where the coolness of the lobby provided a welcome contrast to the dry heat they been in outside. Even the lobby was amazing, with intricate golden chandeliers hanging from a high frescoed ceiling, and massive golden fountains matching them underneath. Lilly and Miley found themselves having to walk quickly to keep up with Sullivan's quick stride, and they didn't get to pay quite as much attention to the lobby as they'd have liked.
As they walked up to the check-in desk, Sullivan handed the two men behind the counter several papers from her clipboard. "Miss Montana, Miss Luftnagle, I'm going to make sure that your bags are delivered immediately. Again, please call me if there's anything I can do to make your stay more enjoyable." She handed both Miley and Lilly a business card with her phone numbers on it, then did the same for Roxy and Robbie Ray.
As the girls stepped up to the desk, the first young man said, "Welcome to the Venetian, Miss Montana. May I see your check-in card, please?" Miley handed the clerk the green card Sullivan had given her outside. He slid it into a slot on the desk, then he typed some information into the computer. "Two room keys?" he asked. Miley nodded, then said, "Wait, probably three." He looked at her but did as she asked without questioning it. "There you are, ladies. Your room is number 3155, and you can reach it by going through the casino, keeping right, and taking the bank of elevators marked floors 31 to 35. Enjoy your stay with us!"
Lilly took one of the keycards, leaving Miley with the other two. They turned and Miley handed one of the cards to Roxy, saying, "We're in 3155. We're going on up, if you don't mind."
Seeing the eager looks on their faces, Robbie Ray said, "Alright, but stay in the room 'til we get up there, okay bud?"
The girls nodded and then took off. As they powerwalked down the huge hallway leading to the casino, a few observant people noticed the two girls and started to take a few pictures. However, Miley set a quick pace, wanting to get up to the room and see what it looked like. As they approached the casino, Lilly squealed as she looked around. "Ooooh, they have an art gallery, Hannah!" On the other side of the hall, two guards with submachine guns caught her eye. "Hannah, look!" she said. "A Harry Winston jewelry store! I didn't know there even was such a thing." They stopped briefly to look in the display case. "Um, I wonder how much that bracelet is?" Lilly said, pointing what appeared to be a rather large tennis bracelet, or rather three tennis bracelets joined together, the two outer ones rows of diamonds, the center one a row of yellow diamonds.
Miley gasped when she looked at it. "Uh, it's too much for either of us to think about." She tugged Lilly, who was falling victim to the siren call of the jewelry store. "Let's go, before enough people recognize us and we get mobbed," she said.
Lilly turned to face Miley and smiled, saying, "You're right. We can come back and look later!"
That wasn't exactly what Miley had meant, but she took it. She held Lilly's hand and they resumed their walk, entering the main section of the casino. Both girls were first taken aback by the sheer size of the chamber, then they noticed the huge, glittering array of lights and the sounds of the many casino attractions. However, they stayed to the right and out of the official casino area, as they weren't old enough to enter it. After another minute or two of brisk walking, they arrived at the elevator bank for floors 31 to 35. Selecting one of the many buttons, Lilly pressed one of the Up arrows. Immediately, a chime sounded, and the girls stepped onto the elevator. As they boarded they noticed that the only buttons on the elevator were for the lobby, the spa, and floors 31 to 35. Selecting floor 31, they both pressed the button. After a fast ascent, the doors opened, and the girls followed the signs into the correct hallway to find their room. Running down the hall and laughing, they got to their room and slotted the card. The door clicked and they pushed it open.
"Wow," said Miley, softly. The entrance to the room was a small foyer, leading into a large bathroom to the left. Their luggage was waiting on them just inside the door, as promised. Straight ahead was the bedroom area, with a large king-size bed flanked by twin nightstands. A large flat-screen television was attached to a wardrobe facing the bed. Just past the bed, the room had a sunken floor with five steps leading down into a sitting area, with a desk, two couches, two tables and a large window.
Lilly just looked around for a minute. "Miley, this room is bigger than our classrooms at school," she said softly. "In fact, I think it's bigger than the entire downstairs in my parent's house."
Miley was just as amazed. She had stayed in several rooms that were bigger and more opulent than this one, but she and her father had specifically selected one of the hotel's regular rooms to try and avoid the paparazzi. "This is one of their basic rooms, too, Lilly," Miley said, just as amazed.
"Miley, the floor down here is marble!" Lilly yelled, having gone down into the sunken living room area. She selected one of the couches, then plopped down onto it. "And this couch is really nice!" She leaned back, pushing some of the pillows aside to stretch out.
Miley made her way over to the railing separating the bedroom and living areas, then climbed up on the rail and yelled, "Bombs away!" Lilly looked up in time to see Miley jump toward the couch, and she ducked and rolled out of the way as Miley landed on the large couch with a thump.
"You're crazy, Stewart!" Lilly yelled as she crawled over to the couch, trapping Miley down on it.
Miley wrapped her arms around Lilly's neck, pulling her head down to her lips and capturing them, first gently, then deeply. "Crazy for you," she whispered.
A few minutes later, a knock sounded at the door, and Roxy entered, followed by Robbie Ray. The girls looked up from the couch, not bothering to change positions or release each other. "Wow!" Roxy said. "This place is huge!" She looked around, then said, "Okay, I'm just across the hall here in 3154, and your daddy is right down the hall in 3159. We're going to go get ourselves settled in."
Robbie Ray added, "You ladies can either go eat at one of the restaurants downstairs or just get room service for tonight. Tomorrow Hannah has three CD signings to do in the morning, then we'll get some lunch and get ready for the TV shows. Oprah goes on at four o'clock, and Ellen will be taped at seven o'clock. So get some rest tonight, 'cause tomorrow's going to be a busy day." He and Roxy stepped out, closing the door behind them.
Miley and Lilly looked at each other, both more than a bit surprised. Lilly spoke first, saying, "Miley, did what I'm thinking just happen, or did I imagine it?"
Miley said, "I think it did happen Lilly," more than a bit amazed. "I mean, Roxy has always stayed in the same room with me before in a big hotel like this. Until now."
Lilly picked the thought back up. "But she has her own room this time, across the hall." She turned to look at the door, then back to Miley. "They trust us to stay with each other. By ourselves, so we can be together." Miley reached over to the phone on the table beside the sofa. Lilly got up and handed her the phone, then walked to the door, setting the deadbolts and the Do Not Disturb sign.
Miley dialed the number to her father's room. When he picked up, she said, "Daddy? Thank you. I love you." Tears started in her eyes as she said, "I think we're just going to order something brought up here, watch some TV and relax tonight. See you in the morning, and I love you again." Lilly waved at her, and Miley added, "Oh, and Lilly loves you too. Good night."
Hanging up the phone, Miley got up and climbed the steps to the bedroom area, when Lilly came out of the bathroom, minus her Lola wig. Miley smiled and removed her Hannah wig, handing it to Lilly, who promptly took it into the bathroom and placed it on one of the mannequin heads she had found inside the vanity area inside the bathroom. When she came back into the bedroom, Miley had already turned down the covers on the bed and gotten in, pretending to be asleep.
"Oh no, you don't fool me, miss pop star," Lilly said, hopping onto the bed. "i know you're not asleep yet."
She was rewarded by Miley opening her bright blue eyes and smiling as she said, "You win."
Lilly leaned over, nearly touching Miley's lips with hers. "And what do I win?" she asked.
"Me," said Miley, as she started to unzip Lilly's dress.
The next morning came all too soon, but Miley and Lilly made many wonderful memories through the night. As the phone rang, Lilly reached over and fumbled for it, finally getting a grip on the handset. "H'llo?" she mumbled into the phone.
"Morning darlin'!" said Robbie Ray. "You ladies need to get up and start gettin' ready. We're headin' to the first CD signing in two hours."
"'Kay," Lilly said sleepily as she hung up the phone. "Miles, we need to start waking up," she said, gently running her hand through her lover's thick chestnut hair. Miley's head was on Lilly's chest, rising and falling with each breath Lilly took. Seeing her best friend's head lying on her chest filled Lilly with a joy that was hard to put into words. She loved holding Miley, she loved being with Miley, she loved making love to Miley, but even beyond all of that, there was something else about Miley. It was just that it seemed so right for them to be together, as if the universe, or God, or destiny had set out for them to be together from the very beginning. Like everything up to the last week had been rehearsal, and they had just now begun their lives for real, together.
As Lilly thought her deep, loving thoughts, Miley's head stirred, then turned, her eyes gazing warmly into Lilly's matching blue eyes. "Morning sweetheart," Miley purred. "Love you." She stretched slowly, using the stretch to get a better grip on Lilly's chest, pulling herself up to better reach Lilly's lips. Both girls had slept in the nude last night, and the feel of Lilly's hot skin against hers was almost too much for Miley to take. She kissed Lilly, not worrying about such annoyances as morning breath. Apparently Lilly didn't worry too much about it either, because she kissed back immediately, drinking in her lover as much as possible. Deepening the contact, both girls let their hands wander, finding each other's most precious places and getting lost in their love for each other.
After nearly an hour, the girls collapsed on each other. "Miley, I love you more than I can say," panted Lilly.
Miley grinned down at Lilly. "I don't know Lils, you said it pretty clear. Several times, in fact. In several different ways."
Lilly laughed, saying, "You can't embarrass me with that any more, Stewart! You make these little squeaking noises that are so adorable when we're touching each other, and that really turns me on--" She was cut short by Miley covering her face with a pillow, then jumping up from the bed and running to the shower. Lilly tossed the pillow off, chasing her. "Wow, Miley, your whole upper back is red! I bet your face is even more red, huh?"
Miley disappeared into the shower right as Lilly got into the bathroom, the water already running. As Lilly pulled back the curtain and stepped in, the water was already warm, thanks to the instant heater in the bathroom. Miley looked at her lover and said, "No fair. You're not supposed to embarrass me like that."
Lilly laughed, then took Miley's hand and pulled her against her. "Sorry. You just look so cute when you blush like that." Working together, the girls were able to get ready quickly, leaving them a few minutes to turn on the TV before Robbie Ray and Roxy arrived at their room. When they arrived, the party set off downstairs.
The limousine drove the girls to the first signing, at a record store off the Strip. The crowd there was very lively, cheering and applauding Hannah. Lilly was surprised when several fans asked her to sign their CDs as well after Hannah had signed them. Lilly obliged them, simply signing "Lola" on the CDs.
The second signing was just as good, this one at a record store inside Caesar's Palace. The crowd here was larger and much louder. Hannah was great with all her fans, as usual, and this time Lola was seated next to Hannah. Lilly tried her best to support Hannah and stay out of the spotlight, but before long Miley was passing CDs to her to sign after she had signed them, often with a smile. Miley shifted her legs under the table until her left leg was against Lilly's right, finally crossing her left leg over Lilly's right. Lilly almost choked when Miley first did it, but she quickly recovered, eventually rubbing Miley's lower leg with the inside of her left leg. That signing ran a bit long, but Miley insisted on signing for everyone in line.
The third signing was a smaller crowd, but it was made up entirely of parents and children, all under thirteen. This signing was held at a local book and music store, and the entire store was dedicated to the signing for two hours. Lilly found that she enjoyed this even more than the other two signings, because the kids present for this one loved her pink wig, and she often wound up talking to and playing with the children while they waited in line for Hannah's autograph. Every now and then she'd look up and catch Miley staring at her with a look of pure, raw love, and her heart would skip a beat from the emotion in her girlfriend's eyes. While not as many people asked her to sign their CD, several parents did indeed politely ask for Lola's autograph as well.
After the signing was over, the girls thanked the store personnel and signed several CDs and posters for the store, as they had done for the first two locations they had visited. Once they were done, they climbed back in the limousine and returned to the Venetian. It was two o'clock, and the girls were starved. A call to Sullivan got a wonderful lunch prepared from Wolfgang Puck's restaurant and brought to the girls' room, where they frantically got ready for the Oprah show. Miley went with what was becoming Hannah's signature look, a white half jacket with a patterned tee shirt underneath, blue jeans and white leather boots. Lilly toned down Lola's look a bit, keeping the pink wig but going with a beautiful slim black dress cinched with a large zig-zag patterned belt. Her look was completed with tie-dye stockings and black pumps. When the girls were finally ready, they took a look at each other.
"You look amazing, Lilly," Miley said, awed at how beautiful her girlfriend looked.
Lilly answered, "So do you, Miles." Indeed, even though Lilly had seen this look for Hannah several times before, today it just seemed more incredible than usual. "i mean, you look really, really good."
Miley's smile was radiant, lighting up the whole room at Lilly's heartfelt compliment. "I only look that good because I'm so much in love with you."
"Ummm, no, you just really look that good," Lilly said. "The fact that you adore me just makes it feel sweeter."
Miley pulled Lilly into a hug. "Do you want this for the rest of our lives, Lilly?" she asked softly.
Lilly pulled back so she could look into Miley's eyes. "Of course I do, Miley."
Miley held her gaze. "So do I. I guess I just wanted to hear it again."
Lilly smiled as she caressed Miley's right cheek. "I plan on being with you from now on, love. For the rest of our lives and beyond."
Miley said, "Stop, you're going to make me cry," but with a smile.
Lilly said, "Shoulda thought of that before you said it, then," smiling back. "Okay, let's go show the world just how amazing you are, Hannah Montana."
The girls met Roxy waiting outside their door, then the three of them made their way downstairs and into the convention center inside the Venetian, finding the auditorium that was serving as Oprah's set for the week. They were greeted by screaming fans waiting in line to get in for the show, and Miley happily stepped over to them, talking to several of them as they waited on a production assistant to show them backstage. Finally, a P.A. appeared, and she led the girls and Roxy into a back entrance to the auditorium. There a show producer met them. "Hi, my name is Rachel," the young woman said, shaking everyone's hand as they introduced themselves. "Hannah, do you have any preferences for how you want to do this? We'd really like it if you could sing at least two songs, because this audience is pretty hungry for you, it sounds like," she said, smiling.
Miley said, "Well, I'd like to do three songs to start, and then we could do the interview part. After that, if there's time, I can do a fourth song if you'd like."
Rachel made some furious notes on her clipboard. "If we'd like? Miss Montana, you can do as many songs as you want!"
Miley laughed, then said, "I need to talk to my band and tell them which songs I want to do today, if you don't mind." She turned toward Lilly. "You want to go on over to the set, Lola?" Lilly nodded, giving Miley a quick hug, then walking over to the stage.
After a few minutes, the show was ready to begin. Lilly was both nervous and totally excited, as she watched everyone scurry to and fro, getting things just right for the broadcast. As the show began, the lights in the studio dimmed. Miley stepped over to Lilly, taking advantage of the darkness to give her a quick kiss and whisper, "Love you."
Lilly whispered back, "Love you, hon. You'll do great!"
Miley smiled as she said, "Of course. I'm singing for you again, remember?"
Lilly was glowing as she remembered the last time Miley had said those words to her, as it had led to a heartfelt performance that culminated in the girls giving in to their feelings for each other for the first time later that night. Then a P.A .came over and said, "Lola? Can you come with me please? Ms. Winfrey wants to meet you before we begin." Lilly was taken aback, but she quickly recovered and followed the young woman. THIS was not in the plan, she thought.
The P.A. led Lilly behind a curtain and said, "Lola, this is Ms. Oprah Winfrey. Ms. Winfrey, this is Lola, Hannah's best friend." Oprah held her hand out to shake Lilly's but when Lilly reached forward to take her hand, Oprah grabbed her for a hug, putting a smile on Lilly's face. "You are just too cute!" Oprah said, looking at Lilly's outfit.
More than a bit self-conscious, Lilly said, "Thank you Ms. Winfrey, you look great yourself."
"You're on my show, Lola, and it's Oprah here, got that?" she said with a smile. The smile and her friendly demeanor succeeded at getting Lilly to relax a bit, and Lilly smiled in return.
"Okay, Oprah, thanks," she said.
"That's better," Oprah said. "I want you to sit over by me while Hannah sings, if that's okay, because I want to ask you both some questions when she's done. Nothing too uncomfortable, I promise," she said.
Lilly nodded and said, "Sure, that'd be great!" She was taken over to the couch next to Oprah's chair, and she took her seat while the announcer did his job. As the lights came back up and Oprah was introduced, Lilly tried her best to look as if she sat for an interview with a major force in Hollywood every day.
After talking to the audience for a few minutes, Oprah gave Hannah a glowing introduction, and Miley led off with "Nobody's Perfect." The upbeat song was perfect to lead off with, and it did the trick today as well, getting the majority of the audience on their feet and dancing along. Miley followed the first song up with "Start All Over," keeping the energy high. However, she paused before beginning the third song. She looked over at Lilly sitting on the interview couch and said, "While all these songs today are for a very special friend of mine, this particular song I want to specifically dedicate to Lola, who means the world to me."
Lilly was sure she was blushing under the television makeup as Miley started singing one of her slower songs, "As I Am." Okay, that's a more emotional song, but she'll pull it off, Lilly thought. However, as Miley sang the chorus, Lilly caught a very subtle change in the way Miley was singing the song:
As I am
Is how you take me
Never try to push or make me different
When I talk, you listen to me
As I am
Is how you want me, and
I know I've found the piece that's missing,
I'm looking at her.
Miley, what are you doing? Lilly frantically thought. The last line in the chorus, the way the song was written, was supposed to be "I'm looking at him," making it a typical love song. But Miley had changed the last line, replacing "him" with "her," and looking directly at Lilly while she sang the chorus. She's singing me a love song, on live television, across the whole country, Lilly thought, moved nearly to tears.
"Lola, are you okay?" Oprah whispered.
Lilly nodded her head, whispering back, "Yes, I'm okay, it's just...she's so amazing." She found a tissue and dabbed at her eyes, being extremely careful to not smudge her makeup.
Oprah kept looking at Lilly for a minute before saying, "Yes, she is." Satisfied that Lilly was okay, Oprah turned her attention back to the song.
When the song was over, the audience erupted in cheering and applause. Miley waved and took her bows, then made sure her band got their own applause. She said, "Thank you," then placed the microphone back on the stand before she walked over to the couch. Before Miley could sit, Lilly stood and hugged her tightly. It was all she could do to refrain from kissing Miley, but Lilly conveyed her emotions by looking warmly into Miley's eyes. They then sat down, Miley closest to Oprah.
After the applause finally died down, Oprah looked at a loss for words, which was rather unusual for her. It was almost as if she was unsure about what to ask the girls. Finally, she made up her mind and began. "Hannah, that was an amazing performance."
"Thank you," said Miley, as the audience once again cheered.
"You carry yourself like someone much older than your age. You're, what, fifteen?"
"I turn sixteen in just a couple of weeks, actually, so yes," Miley said.
Oprah said, "And Lola, you're fifteen or sixteen yourself?"
Lilly said, "I'm fifteen too. My birthday is right before Hannah's."
"And how long have you two known each other?" Oprah asked.
Lilly was starting to get uncomfortable at the direction the interview was going, but Miley seemed perfectly calm, as if she had expected this direction all along. Miley answered, "We've known each other almost three years now, but it feels like we've been together much longer," smiling as she looked back at Lilly. Miley then reached back and took Lilly's hand.
Lilly spoke up. "She's my best friend," she said, shrugging her shoulders briefly. "I know that she's always going to be there for me, and I'll always be there for her, no matter what. Nothing could change that." She couldn't help herself from looking at Miley as she said, "She means the world to me."
Oprah said, "You two are so sweet!" That same uncertainty once again flashed across her face, then it was gone just as quickly. "Hannah, Lola, I hope you'll forgive me asking you this, but I think most everyone here can see that the two of you are very close..."
Oh no, thought Lilly, she's going to ask! She squeezed Miley's hand, silently telling her, I'll be here for you, no matter how this turns out. But Miley turned to look at her and gave her a dazzling smile, no sign of concern on her face at all. Then Miley interrupted Oprah before she could say her next question. "There's no need to ask, Oprah." She turned to the audience, and reached inside her jacket, pulling out a small white box. "Lola means more to me than anything in this world." She turned to face Lilly, who looked like she was about to pass out. "Lola, you know how much I love you. I can't live without you, and I need you for my life to be complete." Miley slid off the couch, kneeling on her right knee as she opened the box, presenting it to Lilly. "Lola, will you marry me?"
Somehow, someway, Lilly managed to not pass out. Gently, she took the ring from the box, and looked at it briefly, but her tears kept blurring her vision. It doesn't matter what it looks like, I'd marry this woman if she gave me a ring from a cereal box. She nodded her head, unable to form words at first, but finally finding her voice. "Yes. YES!" She slid from the couch as well, falling into Miley's arms. "Yes, I'll marry you!"
The audience remained deathly silent as the proposal was made, everyone in a state quite like shock. But when Lilly accepted, the ring was placed on her finger, and the girls' lips touched, cheers rang out. Tears flowed freely in the studio, and not even Oprah was immune. As the girls knelt on the floor, holding each other as they both cried tears of joy, Oprah sat next to them and said gently, "Stand up here, ladies," tears in her own eyes. As Miley and Lilly stood, Oprah hugged them both and said, "Now THIS is what love is about, America! We'll be right back; don't go anywhere!"
As the show went to a commercial, Oprah hugged both girls tightly and said, "I am so proud of both of you!" She motioned for them to sit back down, and tissues were handed out to everyone. After a few minutes and everyone's tears seemed to be back under control, the show went live again. Oprah led things off by saying offhandedly, "Well, I'm glad I wasn't imagining what I was hearing in your last song, Hannah." Everyone laughed at that, even Miley and Lilly. "Hannah, what prompted you to come out this way?"
Miley looked at Lilly, their hands firmly in each other's hands, and she said, "Because I love her."
Lilly looked deeply into Miley's eyes as she said, "I love you, too." She looked at Oprah and said, "I think I'm the luckiest woman in the world right now. I get to be with my best friend forever, and share my life with her. And she's proud enough of our relationship to admit it to everyone, just so we don't have to hide anything and we can be totally open with our feelings."
Oprah's expression grew more serious as she asked, "But Hannah, aren't you afraid that this might hurt your career? I mean, your audience tends to be fairly young, including children. Are you worried about a public backlash to you being in love with your female best friend?"
Miley was still smiling as she said, "Yes, I am. But I'm more worried about something happening to separate the two of us. I've already lost someone very important in my life, my mother, several years ago. That taught me to appreciate those people in my life whom I care about. If my admitting that I love Lola hurts my career, then I'll deal with that. And it'll be worth it, just as long as I have her with me."
Lilly said, "If this hurts your career, sweetheart, I'm sorry, but I won't apologize for loving you. And thank you so much, for showing me just how important I am to you. I love you so, so much." She softly kissed Miley on the lips, then hugged her again.
Oprah said, "You two are just so adorable!" She looked at the audience and said, "Aren't they just the cutest couple?" Applause and cheers answered her question.
Lilly then looked at the audience and said, "If anyone out there starts to think less of Hannah because she happens to love me, I'd like to say a few things. First, Hannah remains a great role model for girls. Today I watched her spend hours signing CDs and autographs for her fans. Not once did she get in a hurry, rush through anything, or ignore a single fan, even when she was tired and hungry. She truly cares about her fans, and I think that shows. Second, Hannah doesn't fool around with drugs, alcohol, breaking the law, or sleeping around. This will probably embarrass her—and I know it'll embarrass me—but we're never going to be with anyone but each other. We never have been and we never will be. Finally, who is it hurting for us to be in love with each other? We're happy, and our families know and are happy for us. We already have so much hate in the world today; what's wrong with more love?"
Miley and Oprah led the thunderous applause that rang inside the studio as the audience erupted once again. Miley said to Lilly, "Now I'm the one who's proud of my girlfriend."
After the interview was over, Miley went back to the stage and sang one of her favorite songs, "Bigger Than Us," again dedicated to Lola.
As the show closed, Oprah asked the girls to stand beside her. "These two young women have shown tremendous bravery today, and we owe it to them to make sure that their feelings for each other are respected and honored." She turned to Lilly and Miley. "Check back in with us whenever you want. I think you two are destined for amazing things, and all of us wish you the best in your future together." She turned back to the audience and said, "Let's give them a big hand again, for choosing to share this moment with us! Believe me, I was just as surprised as all of you at home were!"
As the cameras faded out, Oprah said quietly to Miley and Lilly, "Again, you two are mature beyond your years, and I'm so proud of you. If anything bad happens to your career Hannah, I promise you I'll find either a new record company or a television show for either or both of you. I won't let a declaration of love prove painful, I promise you." Lilly and Miley both hugged her, whispering their thanks.
As they stepped apart, Lilly said, "Thank you. At first I was nervous just because I had never been on television before, especially live. But then it turned into one of the best days of my life, one I'll never forget," she said, looking at Miley. She raised her left hand, looking at the ring. "Oh my gosh Hannah, that ring is unreal!"
Miley grinned at her girlfriend. "It's the best, like you."
Lilly looked at her. "How long have you had it?"
"Two days," Miley answered, "and it nearly killed me to wait that long to give it you."
Lilly didn't say anything else; she just held onto Miley for all she was worth.
When Robbie Ray met the girls backstage, he said, "I'm proud of you, bud" to Miley, then said, "Congratulations Lilly, that's one heck of a ring you got there."
Lilly cast a dreaming look at Miley. "It's heavenly, but it's still nothing compared to the woman I got, Mr. M," she said.
Compared to the Oprah show, the taping of the Ellen show was positively sedate. As the musical guest, Hannah hadn't planned to go on until the end of the show, but word of the big proposal had spread fast through the media, and Ellen brought the girls out at the beginning of the show. The combination of the show being taped and the fact that Ellen's sexuality was both well-known and well-received made Lilly more comfortable, while Miley was just as natural as she had been on Oprah. Miley and Lilly carried themselves well on Ellen, impressing the host so much that she asked them to come back in a month or two just to update her on their plans together. After they promised to do so, they let Roxy and Robbie Ray take them back to their rooms. By now, it was after ten o'clock, so they ordered room service again. All four of them ate together this time, and not once during the dinner did any show of concern regarding their engagement surface. It was extremely comforting, knowing that everyone important in their lives was okay with the love between Lilly and Miley. What happened to Hannah's career was truly secondary to how their families felt, and their families were accepting.
After dinner was finished, Roxy and Robbie Ray left to get ready for bed. Lilly gathered the plates and set them on the ground outside the room. She then walked over to Miley and kissed her, saying, "I'm getting in the shower. Let me take this one alone, then you get in, okay?" She saw the unspoken question in Miley's eyes and she said, "Nothing's wrong, I just want to do something special, okay?"
Miley said, "Okay," and she sat back down on the sofa.
Lilly hurried through the shower, getting clean as fast as possible. Washing her hair felt amazing after wearing Lola's wig all day, and she had to force herself to do it quickly.
As she stepped into the bedroom, her robe wrapped around her, she said, "Okay lover, your turn." No sooner had Miley closed the door to the bathroom than Lilly sprang into action, getting everything just right.
When Miley came back into the bedroom, she noticed that all the lights were off but that a soft, flickering glow was coming from the room. She stepped into the bedroom and gasped. All around the room, Lilly had placed glass-enclosed candles, all white with clear glass around them. The gentle glow made the white of the bed sheets and Lilly's robe more intense as Miley looked at Lilly sitting on the bed, looking up at Miley with devotion in her eyes. Lilly patted the bed, telling Miley to come sit down. As Miley did so, Lilly stood up.
Lilly shuffled a bit as she said, "Tonight was so unbelievable, Miley. As happy as you made me when you said that you loved me last weekend, you made me that happy all over again and then some, tonight. I hope I can give you some of that happiness in return."
Miley started to stand and say something, but Lilly pressed her fingers against Miley's lips, freezing her on the bed.
"Just give me a minute, Miles, please." Lilly smiled at Miley, then said, "I can't put how much I love you into words, so I'll just have to show you." She got on her knees, looking up at Miley, then she reached inside her bathrobe's pocket, pulling out a ring of her own. "This ring belonged to my great-grandmother, Miley, my mom's grandmother. It's been in my family for over a hundred years, and my mom gave it to me when I turned thirteen. She said that it had been given to her when she turned thirteen, and that it was a family tradition. It was my great-grandmother's engagement ring, but no one else in the family had used it that way. So I figured it was time it became an engagement ring again. It's not as beautiful as the ring you gave me, but it comes from my heart. So, Miley Stewart, will you marry me?"
Miley didn't even try to hide her tears as she said, "Yes, Lilly Truscott, I'll marry you," beaming with joy. As Lilly slipped the small but sparkling diamond ring on Miley's finger, the girls fell onto the bed, starting a night of intense lovemaking in the soft glow of the candlelight.
Author's Afterword: I almost cried at several points writing this chapter, the emotions were so strong. It's long, but I felt it wouldn't be right to separate it into two separate pieces. If any of you want more visual images of the Venetian, their website is excellent. And yes, I have been lucky enough to stay there, and it's amazing. Our girls get to do a bit more exploring of the Venetian and Vegas in the next chapter. I'll try my best to have it up as soon as possible, but give me a few days to get it written. Hope everyone continues to enjoy the story, and thanks for reading along with our heroines!
-- Jo --
