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Chapter 38- Promise Ring.

The next morning, Lightning awoke to the sunlight streaming through the bedroom window. He turned to put an arm around Sally, but her spot was empty. That was strange. He didn't remember her getting up. He stood up and stretched, then went down to the kitchen to make coffee. When he got there, he found Sally already had made coffee, and also a huge plate of pancakes. She stood next to the oven, flipping the last pancakes. She was wearing a knee length Blue floral skirt and a white short sleeeved blouse. Her hair was up in a bun, and she had a flower clip in it. She was also wearing the black pearl necklace he had given her last year. She walked over to him and kissed his cheek.
"Good morning." She said cheerfully. "I made you breakfast." Sally took his hand."Come sit down." Lightning let her lead him to the table, and he saw that she had put a tablecloth on it and a vase of flowers.
"This looks really nice, Sal." He said sitting down.
She shrugged. "I thought this room could use a little sprucing up, you know? I considered asking you if you thought we should repaint?"
Sally walked into the kitchen and then came back with breakfast a few minutes later. She sat down, then looked at him expectantly, still waiting for his answer.
"I guess we could repaint it." He said, buttering a pancake. "What Color were you thinking?"
Sally thought a minute. "How about a light green? Sort of a fresh, springy, green?" Lightning shook his head. "I'm not really a 'green' person, hon." He replied. "I'm more 'reds' and maybe 'blues', but I draw the line at green."
Sally looked surprised.
"Are you really that against-oh, I get it. Green is Chick's car color." She said, looking slightly amused.
Lightning's face colored. "Possibly." He replied. "How about a fresh springy blue color?" He asked.
Sally smiled. "That'd be good." Sally replied. They continued their breakfast in silence, till Sally spoke up as she was clearing the table.
"I've been thinking about getting another job." She said.
Lightning looked at her in surprise. "Where?" Sally smiled.
"Alice said that there would be a position opening at the hospital soon, for a receptionist, or another for a nurse in training." She told him.
"What about the headquarters and the cone?" Lightning asked.
Sally rolled her eyes. "Your sister and my brother have pretty much taken over the cone, and the headquarters has a staff."
Lightning thought for a moment."Well, I guess that's probably a good idea." He said. " It'd give you something to do while I'm gone, and Alice could sure use the help while Doc is with me."
Sally smiled. "Great." She said, then gave Lightning another kiss. Lightning smiled and kissed her back. He loved her.

That afternoon, Lily sat at The desk of the cozy cone, waiting for Sean. Technically, they now ran the cozy cone. Sally had visited her earlier, and said that they'd done such a nice job while she and Lightning were gone that if they wanted to 'take over management' they could. She picked up her iPhone and began texting. After a minute she set it down and sighed. Lily had a problem. In two weeks, she was headed back to Florida for the school year. Now, it wasn't that she minded that, it was just that Sean would be heading to California for his school year. They would be on opposite sides of the country. The door opened just then, and Sean walked in. He wore a pair of jeans and a route 66 shirt. Lily smiled a little. Gosh, he was so good looking. He came over behind her and set his chin on the top her head.
"Whatcha doing?" He asked her.
She looked up at him. "Nothin really. It's been quiet today, because the sheriff kinda closed the town off to tourists during Lightning's last week here before the season." She replied. There was a hint of sadness in her voice.
"You okay, Lil?" Sean asked, pulling up a chair beside her and taking her hand.
She nodded. "I'm fine. I guess." She replied.
He put his arm around her. "You don't sound fine." Sean said. "What's the matter, Sweetie?" He asked, pulling her close.
She took a deep breath.
"Just thinking about how...we're both leaving...in two weeks." Lily said shakily, tears gathering in her eyes.
Sean stood up. "Stay here." He said, then left. He came back a minute later. He was holding something small in his hand. Sean kneeled in front of her.
"Lily, I love you." He said. "You are one of the most wonderful people in my life. I know neither of us is old enough to marry, let alone be engaged. So this is a promise ring. Will you take it? And wait for me?" Lily now had tears spilling over and running down her cheeks.
She nodded. "Yes, Sean." She replied. "And I love you too." Sean slid the ring onto her finger, then pulled her into a kiss.

The week passed too quickly for Sally. In two days, Lightning would be leaving for four weeks. They were eating dinner that night, and Sally had made cheesecake again.
"This stuff is just amazing, Sal." Lightning complimented. He noticed Sally's eyes follow his hand towards the spatula, where he was going to get seconds. He decided against it. Sally laughed. "You can have more, Stickers." She said.
He looked at her strangely.
"Are we really going to have this conversation again?" He asked.
"Nah." Sally replied. She became quiet, and gazed out the window.
Lightning noticed this. "You okay, Love?" He asked. Sally realized how quiet she'd become.
"Oh! Yeah, I-I-I'm fine." She said. "I was just thinking."
Lightning took her hand. "What about?" He asked, stroking her fingers.
She smiled. "It might sound...kinda strange."
"You can tell me, Sal." Lightning said. "you can tell me anything." Sally took a deep breath.
"What...do you think about...having kids soon?" She asked, laying down her fork. Lightning's expression became confused. Then a thought struck him.
"Sally, are you-?" He asked, slightly alarmed.
"No! No, no, I'm not." She assured him. She noticed him sigh with relief.
"Okay." He said.
Sally smiled. "I was just...wondering." Sally continued.
"Not yet." Lightning said.
Sally looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean, 'not yet', Lightning?" She asked, sounding mad.
"Calm down, Sally." He said. "I'm just trying to say, that with race season coming up, I don't think now would be the best time. And didn't we just get married, what, three weeks ago? Don't you think that that's a LITTLE soon?"
Sally tried to change her expression back to normal, but lightning saw the hurt in her eyes.
"Okay." She said softly. "That's fine." Sally stood up and grabbed the dishes, then walked into the kitchen.
Lightning sighed. He had nearly blown it. Only married three weeks, and nearly in their first fight. What did she think she was asking? Kids? Now? He was about to start the second half of race season. He had enough to worry about without a squalling baby on top of it. And it wasn't that he didn't want kids, just, not now. Then something hit him. When he had told Sally that he wanted, like, six kids, it may have been a lie. He didn't feel like he could handle ONE right now, much less eight. Sally shouldn't be so demanding. What was her problem? Did she think that he could just give her kids? Well he- never mind, not going there. She came back a minute later and put her hands on his shoulders. Lightning leaned down on the table and closed his eyes. Sally began to massage his shoulders.
"I love you." She said softly.
He turned and smiled at her. "I love you too, Sweetheart." He replied. Sally smiled, but he could still see the hint of sadness in her eyes. He shrugged it off. They weren't having kids right now. He was just...too busy. She'd get over it. But why did he feel guilty?

Yeah, kinda filler, but that ending is important. It kinda sets the stage for something in a few chapters.
Who thinks that the Sean and Lily pairing is just adorable?