"I don't want to ride in a wheelchair." Francie sat on her hospital bed, distastefully wrinkling her nose at the metal monstrosity before her.
Kendall, gripping the handles, leaned on the wheelchair. "Hospital rules, Freckles. You don't have much to say about it."
"Oh, I've got plenty to say about it." Francie folded her arms across her chest, not budging one inch.
"Come on, get in. It'll be fun." Kendall tried his best to coax Francie out of bed.
"If it'll be soooo much fun, then you get in it."
"Look, do you want to go home?"
"Yes."
"Then get your sweet ass out of that bed and get in the wheelchair."
Francie pouted, "Bossy doesn't suit you."
"Stubborn doesn't suit you."
"Yes, it does."
Kendall cracked a grin, "Okay, so maybe it does. Get in."
"Fine," Francie slid out of the hospital bed. "But I'm not happy about it."
Kendall opened his eyes wide in mock surprise. "Wow! No shit? I couldn't tell."
Francie glared at Kendall. "Snarky doesn't suit you, either."
Francie's irritation made him laugh. "Just sit down."
Francie rolled her eyes and sat down in the wheelchair. Kendall grabbed her bag and placed it on her lap as the nurse came into the room.
"I see you're ready to go." The nurse smiled warmly. "I'll follow you out with the flowers." The nurse stepped behind the cart full of beautiful blooms.
Kendall's phone went off. He read the text and started laughing.
Still annoyed at riding in the wheelchair, Francie looked up at Kendall and scowled. "I could use a good laugh, what is it?"
Kendall continued to snicker. "Your sister says to get your ass in the wheelchair and get a move on."
"Bitch," Francie muttered.
After waiting for the elevator to take them to the lower level, the three people and a ton of flowers made their way to Nikki's car. Nikki popped the trunk of her SUV and the nurse started to load the flowers in the boxes that Nikki had in her trunk.
Kendall helped Francie into the front seat under a flurry of protests.
"I'm fine Kendall. I can get in the car all by myself."
"I just want you to be careful."
"I got this."
"Let me just help."
Francie glared up at Kendall. "Kendall Francis Schmidt, I said I've got this."
Kendall simply smiled at her, and continued to burrow further under Francie's skin. "Gosh, you're beautiful when you're angry."
Nikki giggled from the driver's seat. "Watch it, Ken, she'll kick your ass."
"Seriously, Kendall, this cast is a weapon. Don't make me use it." Francie couldn't hide the amused smirk on her face. "I'm fine, now go help the nurse."
"Yes, ma'am." Kendall shut the passenger door and walked to the back of the SUV.
"Glad to be going home, Sis?"
"Absolutely."
Kendall got in the back seat and they waved goodbye to the nurse as they pulled away from the hospital and headed to Francie's house.
"Kendall just sent a text, they're on their way!" Logan slid his phone into his pocket.
"They better hurry," Carlos rubbed his stomach. "I'm hungry."
"Papi, you're always hungry." Ry squeezed his hand, she loved teasing Carlos.
"Hungry for your love, Niña." Carlos kissed her cheek.
"Ewww..." Tiff giggled as she played with the puppies on Francie's living room floor.
The doorbell rang and Dom trotted out of the kitchen to answer it.
"Josh, come on in."
"Thanks, Mr. Mancini."
The crowd merrily greet the doctor.
"Thank you for stalling Francie," Sophia hugged Josh. "We appreciate it."
"You're welcome. The nurses were glad to play along and drag out Francie's discharge. They thought a surprise welcome home party was a fantastic idea."
"James is pretty excited about it. He's quite the dictator, calling each of us up and barking orders. I'm surprised Nikki took the direction as well as she did." Logan chuckled.
Kent walked in the door with two large bags of ice and headed into the kitchen. "Okay, how are we doing? Everything ready?"
Kathy was setting out the plates and utensils. "I think we're good. Kendall sent a text, they're on their way."
Carlos' phone buzzed in his pocket, he had a text. "James just landed he's getting his bags and he'll be on his way here. He's texting Kendall now, maybe he and Nikki can buy some time to let James get here before they do."
"She's going to flip when she sees him. It's going to be a wonderful surprise." Tiff smiled and rearranged one of many balloon bouquets.
"She was upset last night when James called her to say he got held up with production and wouldn't be home until next week." Ry rolled her eyes, "I was pissed until Carlos got a call from James explaining everything."
"Explaining...yeah...after he told me he was coming in today and surprising Francie, he told me to order a hundred and fifty balloons for today! Red and white only."
"Yeah," Ry laughed. "I thought Carlos' head was going to explode."
"I had to run out and get red and white streamers, and help Kendall and his parents decorate the house."
"It looks great, Logan. You guys did a great job...of course, my balloons pull it all together." Carlos grinned at his friend.
"Hey! My sign looks like the star here!" Tiff protested. "I had to have Quick Signs print a rush order...James got slammed with a hefty charge for that."
"I think you're forgetting the key person here," Josh interjected. "With out me stalling her discharge, Francie would have been home by noon."
Tiff eyed her brother, "Glory-hog."
Josh smiled, "That's Dr. Glory-hog, thank you."
Dom and Kent walked into the front room seeking comfortable places to rest their weary bones. They were beat. The Schmidts had helped decorate Francie's house while the Mancinis were busy getting and prepare the food for tonight's surprise party.
Just as Dom sat down the doorbell rang again.
"Dammit," Dom mumbled.
He started to get up but Logan sprug to his feet first. "I got it Mr. M, you stay there."
"Thank you, son. I appreciate it." Dom leaned back and sighed deeply.
Logan opened the door for Cammy and Gino. Cammy made a bee line into the kitchen carrying a casserole dish, Gino followed with a grocery bag.
"He won't last in there long," Dom said, grinning.
Kent held his hand up and counted, "Five, four, three, two, one..."
"Jesus Christ! Women!" Gino walked into the living room shaking his head. The room erupted in laughter.
James pulled his bags off the carousel and headed to grab a taxi. He was excited, and nervous, for tonight's festivities. He couldn't wait to see the look on Francie's face when she sees him, and again when he proposes to her.
James took the distinct blue box out of his carry on bag. He lifted the lid and slid the dark, velvet box out and into his hand. He put the blue Tiffany box back into his bag resting it against the other one. James opened the box and smiled, imagining the gorgeous ring on Francie's hand.
It'll look great on her hand...the hand of my fiancée, when she says yes. An idea popped into James' head, causing his smile to fade. IF she says yes. Please, let her say yes! I don't even know what I'd do if she said no. Surely, she won't...God, please don't let her say no!
Anxiety hit James like a runaway train. He never considered the possibility that Francie would say no.
I know she turned me down last time, but she didn't realize it was a serious proposal, albeit not a romantic or planned one. I would have taken her to the airport and grabbed the first plane to Vegas to marry Francie that afternoon, I wouldn't have hesitated one bit.
But this time there will be no doubt. I planned a party, I'll be on one knee, I'll have a ring, she'll see my tattoo. Shit's about to get real.
If she turns me down, I'll...I...hell, I don't even know what will happen. I know that I love Francie, and she loves me. So, if she says no, I'm sure there's a good reason.
James closed the box and, gripping it in his fist, pressed his closed hand to his lips and shut his eyes, tightly, in silent prayer. Please let her say yes...
Kendall read the text from James.
'Flight was late, waiting for bags then grabbing a taxi. Have you left the hospital?'
Kendall sent a text back 'Left about 2 mins ago.'
'Stall!'
"Shit." Kendall realized he spoke out loud.
Francie turned in her seat to look back at him. "What's wrong?"
Kendall's mind was whirling, trying to conceive a reply. "I, uh, I need to stop by the music store. I forgot I need...strings...for my guitar." Whew!
Nikki looked in the rear view mirror, "What?"
"I need strings for my guitar."
Nikki figured something was up, she just didn't know what. She followed Kendall's lead and nodded, "Okay, we'll make a little detour."
"What? Now?" Francie just wanted to get home. She'd spent almost a week in the hospital and she was looking forward to sitting in her living room with her daughter and the puppies.
"It'll only take a second, Freckles." Kendall tried to be persuasive with puppy dog eyes. "Please?"
Francie thought about all Kendall had done for her while she was laid up in the hospital. "Okay, let's go."
"Thank you." Kendall sat back, relaxing a little and breathing a small sigh of relief.
Tiff sat in front of the fire, watching the flames dance about. Her mind wandering back over last night's events.
After having dinner with Kendall, they returned to her empty house. The lovemaking blew her mind repeatedly. The entire night was perfect.
The morning started off with breakfast in bed followed by a co-ed shower. Tiff had a hard time concentrating on her students today, her thoughts were occupied with a tall, green-eyed, handsome man with killer dimples.
She couldn't wait to see him again, it seemed like days to her needy heart. She couldn't believe how quickly Kendall had become so important to her. Every fiber of her being craved him.
The vibration from her pocket pulled her back to reality. She pulled out her phone and read her text.
'We had to stall. James is running late. We'll be there ASAP. Can't wait to see you...ALL of you. XOXO'
Tiff smiled at Kendall's last few words, glad to know she was on his mind, too. She replied back, 'We're all ready here. For the record, I can't wait to see all of you, too. XOXO'
"Text from Kendall?" Ry sat on the hearth next to Tiff.
"What makes you say that?"
"That smile on your face. You look happy, in love. Only Kendall could do that to you."
Tiff nodded, "There's a lot of things Kendall does to me." Oh boy, is there ever!
Ry gawked at her friend, "You slept with him!"
Tiff's eyes widened in shock that Ry just blurted that out, "Shhhhh!" Tiff hissed, "Keep it down." Tiff scanned the living room, praying that no one heard Ry's proclamation. Thankfully, no one seemed to.
"You did." Ry whispered, "You slept with him. Finally, God, I was wondering how long that was going to take. You're on, you're off, you're on again...I thought I was going to have to step in and fix things."
Tiff made a face at Ry, "Good thing you didn't."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" Ry scowled at her friend.
"Oh, nothing...nothing at all." Tiff's skills at evasion needed work, but it got Ry to chuckle.
"I know, my brazenness would have really screwed thing up. I get it."
Tiff put her arm around her friend. "Oh Ry, it's why we love you. You keep us on our toes, keep us in touch with reality. We need th-"
Ry cut Tiff off. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. So how was it?"
"What?"
"How was it? The sex...how was it?"
"Pfft. Are you seriously asking me that?"
"Uh, yeah, I'm the brazen one, remember? How was it?"
"Ry, I'm not going to tell you. I mean, would you tell me about your 'activity' last night?"
"Absolutely! I'd love to...Carlos bought these fur-lined handcuffs and a flogger and last nig-"
Tiff put her hand over Ry's mouth, "Okay, okay, okay! Stop!" Ry grinned under Tiff's hand. "Now, I'm going to have a hard time looking Carlos in the eye. Thanks for that."
"No problem. Look, I don't need details - but I'll gladly take them - just a general overview. Did you teach him anything, did he teach you? Is he a vanilla kind of guy or fifty shades of freak in the sheets?"
"Ry?!" Tiff giggled, "Stop! I'm not going to tell you any of that but I will say that it...it was amazing. The man is perfect in every way."
"Oooh! You go, girl!" Ry squeezed Tiff's hand.
"Now, I'd better tell everyone that Kendall and Nikki are buying James some travel time."
TIff went to spread the word to the party goers, leaving Ry by the fire to think. She thought about how fate works and, sometimes, even in a good way. If Ryan hadn't bought the BTR meet and greet for Marley, none of them would be here right now. Ry wouldn't have met Carlos, Nik wouldn't be with Logan, Kendall wouldn't be seeing Tiff, or know that Marley is his daughter, and Francie wouldn't have fallen in love - with the right man this time - or come out of her divorce, as well, as she did.
Sometimes, fate can be be a bitch, I just hope we stay on its good side.