Expectations and Propositions
Disclaimer: Once again, I only own Carmen, James, their families, and anyone else who suddenly steps into the story from my imagination.
Part 5: (Of Candy)
Here is the next installment in the Candy series! This story picks up about 4 months after "Time Won't Wait." It is now July 4th, and the gang is preparing to go watch some fireworks, but, that's not all that's gonna happen...
*******************************************************************
The phone let out a loud insistent ring. Carmen and Mark, accustomed to the quiet of the room, jumped out of their chairs almost. She laid a hand on his arm,
"I'll get it." He smiled at her and looked back down at the camera he was attempting to fix. Skilled fingers flew quickly over the bent metal scraps that had been damaged when the couple, in an attempt to shift some furniture, had dropped the table. One of the legs had struck the filming instrument, much to their dismay.
"Hello? Oh, it you Mimi! How's things?" Candy's voice said in recognition of the person.
On the other end of the line, Mimi laughed, "I'm good, everything's great! So, what's goin' on over there?"
"Well, Mark and I are trying to fix that Camera still, but, other than that, nothing really."
"Okay, well, listen, everyone is coming over tonight to watch the fireworks, can you come?"
"We were gonna celebrate on our own, but.... " Her eyes glanced over to Mark, who looked up at her over his glasses. A mischievous grin on his lips started her laughing softly. The ex-dancer didn't have to be there to realize what was going on.
"Hmm, you guys were planning your own little fireworks 'display' huh?"
"Oh, well, maybe... " She stuttered shyly. Though for four months now she'd had experience in that area, but she still considered it a private manner. Mimi's outrageous and flamboyant ways were breaking down Carmen's reserved manner, however.
"So, are you gonna come over or not?"
"Yeah, we'll be there. What time?"
"What's it now? About 8 something?"
Carmen checked the wall clock, "8:43."
"Cool, be here at about 9:45. That'll give us a little time before they shoot off the fireworks. Joanne is gonna bring some food."
"Should I bring something then?"
"Only if you want to."
"I think I will then. You did say that everyone was coming, right?"
"Yep. Collins, James, Maureen, Joanne, Roger, me, you and Mark."
Running through a mental checklist of the supplies she had in her cupboard, Carmen knew that she could make enough food to bring to the party. The problem was now, what to make? Suddenly, one of Mimi's words caught her attention, "Maureen?"
She heard Mimi gulp, "Umm, yeah."
Carmen sighed deeply, it was true that the actress was less of a problem nowadays, but, she still was an irritating presence in the group. Her cold eyes followed the couple everywhere, and had become even icier since the group had discovered as to what extent the relationship between Mark and Carmen went.
Hiding her anger from Mimi's ears, she continued, "That's okay. We'll be there in an hour."
They hung up the phone after the exchange of short good-byes, and Candy returned to the table where she had previously been working. Mark's hand came acrossed the table and took hers in it's own. He caressed her fingers and gave her a sweet smile, which she gladly returned. As they returned to repairing, she daydreamed back over her relationship with Mark.
************************************************************
That night, the first night, had been the most passionate. Every caress, every motion, every feeling of ecstasy, she remembered clearly. Most of all however, she remembered his reassuring smile when she'd asked him to be gentle. Each time after, the same heat came to her body, strong and full of life, and sparked only by her lover.
Just as the night before had been the one revolving around the physical end of the relationship, the morning was the emotional. When she had awoken, Mark was already up. He lay there on his side, and had obviously been watching her sleep. His hand had stroked her blushing cheek and played with her short brown hair. Carmen remembered how she'd whispered that she loved him and he returned her comment purely.
After kisses had been exchanged and they had dressed, the lovers walked to the Life Cafe for breakfast. Neither had felt like preparing food, and it helped that she hadn't had much in her apartment. What they weren't expecting, was to run into the rest of the gang. Everything had stopped when they came in together, hands clasped. Roger and Mimi exchanged knowing looks and James looked shocked, but happy. The first person to break the silence was Collins,
"Well, it looks like Mark's not sleeping alone anymore."
Carmen bit her lip and didn't make eye contact with anyone. It was even more embarrassing when the table sort of burst out into mock applause. The male filmmaker slipped his arm around her waist and held her to him. A gesture which, in looking back, had a possessive, yet loving air to it. Maureen bristled and became angry. To her, this was just one more step towards Mark fully getting over 'them'. She didn't want him to devote his time to someone else, and it didn't help that she and Joanne had quarreled again.
"So, was Mark good for you?" She sneered.
Carmen looked at the actress, "Yeah, I had a good time."
"That's a miracle."
"Well, you had others to compare him to." Retorted the female filmmaker, a smirk on her lips.
This earned her a snort and a harsh look from Maureen, and the conversation between them ceased, for that time. While Carmen was generally sweet, she couldn't take criticism of herself, or anyone she held dear to her.
*********************************************************
The memory then switched over to Roger and Mimi's wedding. It had been a small affair, everyone, including both sets of parents, had helped with the cost. Speaking of parents, when the others had seen Mimi's mom, they knew where she'd gotten her figure, and everyone saw that Roger had his father's eyes. Despite her own objections, the bride had worn a white dress by her mother's suggestion. Once the photo were developed however, the mother got to brag that she knew what color would look good on her daughter.
At the wedding, Maureen and Joanne had reconciled their differences... again. When this had taken place, the day was perfect. Everyone was civil to each other like they had never been before, not wanting to ruin such a joyful day.
That night, Mark officially moved in with Carmen in her apartment, to give the newly married couple their own space.
*********************************************************
She suddenly snapped back to reality as she heard Mark ask her if she was okay.
"Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking, I guess."
"You had me worried there, you looked like you were off in space."
"Maybe I was." Laughed Carmen. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she scrambled to her feet, "I've gotta make something to take over to Roger and Mimi's!"
"Want help?" He called after her as she ran into the kitchen.
"Maybe a bit later, but, could you fix that camera instead? We want to get some good pictures."
Mark shrugged and nodded, agreeing. Candy tried desperately to think of what she could make that everyone would like. It would be vegetarian, of course. She pulled open the fridge and saw, at the bottom, a bag of apples, some grapes, and some oranges. A few days earlier, she had gotten her paycheck and had bought the fruit. Carmen guessed that she might be able to make a salad out of it. Quickly, she went to work, slicing, cutting, and mixing.
Finally, when all was finished, she had a pretty decent fruit salad in front of her. Due to lack of a top for the bowl, Carmen covered the bowl with a cloth and called to Mark,
"It's time to leave."
In the living room, Mark clicked the last camera piece in place and stood up, "All right."
Gathering their coats and the other instruments they would need, the couple exited the apartment. It was only a short walk to the Davis apartment. Mark still couldn't get over the part of the ceremony where the priest had said, "I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Davis." All of his emotional efforts had to be combined to keep him from laughing. Even Mimi and Roger seemed to laugh slightly. The name just didn't sound right, but, everyone was glad that they were married now.
They stopped in front of Mark's old apartment and knocked on the door. Roger answered it,
"Hey guys!" Then he turned and yelled back into the apartment, "Hey everyone, guess who's finally here!"
"Must be Mark and Carmen! Am I smart? Oh yes..." Collins said, grinning and moving his eyebrows to resemble a suave, sophisticated philosopher.
Mark burst out laughing and embraced Collins. When the men were done with greeting each other, Collins grasped Carmen's shoulders with both his hands and held her there, "Hey little lady. No hug for your best friend's lover?"
"Oh, how wrong you are." She replied, and he spun her around as he held her to him.
"Now, now, he's my man Candy." Came the accented voice they knew so well. James came forward and took the teacher's arm. She smiled and kissed both his cheeks.
After all the greetings were exchanged, the gang moved to the center of the room to get everything around that they would need to watch fireworks. Since the roof of their building was flat, and Roger knew of a secret staircase, they could sit up on the roof and view the display. Mimi had gathered what she had of towels, and others had volunteered their coats. The group tromped like an army procession up the stairs and found themselves on the right corner of the building.
There was no regular door, like you saw on the modern buildings, but only a rusty trapdoor. Roger stepped out first, and, due to the trapdoor's hinges, he had to hold the metal lid open for everyone else. When they were all out, Joanne and Maureen volunteered to clean up an area while the others got out the food.
Since everyone had Collins code, a lot of the food here was, "A-N-G-E-L," food. The honorarium was continual, and because the cops rarely took heed to investigate anything, they were safe. Once everything was setup, food, seating, and those other miscellaneous details, the eating and talking commenced.
"Isn't it funny?" Said Maureen, staring at the starry black sky.
A chorus of 'whats?' came her way. She paused, and said, "Well, we're not at the Life Cafe. It seems like whenever we get together and have dinner, we're always there."
Mark laughed, "Until they kick us out at least!"
"Yeah! Yeah! It's always, can you please go? You can't pay!" Added Roger, setting down the cookies that Mimi had made. It was one of her first attempts at the culinary arts, and, they were pretty good.
Suddenly, his wife pulled him down a little and whispered to him something that the others couldn't hear. Roger smiled, nodded, and looked at the faces that held the eyes that stared at him.
"Well, since I got your attention already, Mimi and I wanna make an announcement, " He looked at her, "Do you wanna tell them?"
She smiled, "Sure. Everybody, Roger and I... We're gonna have a baby!"
Everything then seemed to happen at once. There was congratulations and hugging, and even tears.
"When did you find out?" Asked Carmen, embracing her friend.
"Just today. I went to visit that lady I made friends with at the hospital when I almost died, and she picked right up on it."
Joanne questioned her further, "How far along are you?"
"Only two months, so, I'm not into all the heavy stuff yet."
"No morning sickness, thank God." Said Roger, hugging his wife.
Everybody could now see though. Mimi was so rail thin that it did look like she'd gained some weight. Plus, if you look at her normally sassy and alluring eyes, they were, softer, somehow. She had the look of an expectant mother. To the others, this was another new thing. Roger and Mimi's apartment filled with the sound of little feet scampering about made no sense. What was funnier was the image of Roger scolding a disobedient child.
No one had ever imagined that any of them would ever become parents. They saw each other, always at the same age, free, without cares or worries. The thought of a second generation, of children that might go through the same struggles they themselves went through, didn't fit. Like a odd puzzle piece.
Mimi seemed to read their thoughts and said, "I know it's weird, but Roger and I promise we won't become dull people."
Joanne laughed, "You guys couldn't if you tried. Mimi's too wild and Roger's too, well, just too Roger!"
And there was a general feeling of joy going around the group. So much so that no one saw the first of the fireworks exploding over head. James, however, did and he mentioned it to the others.
Each of them hurried to get the varying foods available to them, and sat, in couples, on different towels and coats. They lay on their backs or simply sat with legs either crossed of stretched out. Mark and Carmen lay down fully, his arm around her as best he could get it. No one really ate, except for the occasional fruit, cookie, bread slice, etc.
The fireworks caught their entire focus. Even more so than some of Maureen's loud and outrageous, but very inventive, performances. Maybe it was the colors. The bright swirling of red, blues, greens, purples, and whites lighting up the sky. Rainbows, of sorts. Ever since they were children, the odd shapes made by these relatively safe explosives had fascinated them. Upside down fountains, mushrooms, and many pointed stars.
Mark picked up his camera and filmed the sky. He also secretly taped his friends as they stared upwards. Since the subject of his next film was the simple pleasures in life of poor people, this was really good material.
****************************( 1 hour later )************************
The male filmmaker clicked his camera off finally and sat up. He reached into his pocket and felt of the cool, round, metal object he hid there. Slyly, his eyes watched Carmen as she sat next to him. The fireworks were over, and all around them, everyone was stretching and cleaning up.
Playfully, he wrapped his arms around his lover and pulled her toward him so that she was almost sitting on his lap. Carmen tilted her head and kissed him. When they finally pulled apart from each other, he put his lips up to her ear so only see could hear him,
"July 4th, 2001, 11:00 p.m."
"Eastern standard time?" She whispered back, giggling slightly, placing his hands over his as they lay around her waist.
"Yeah. Carmen, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"You do love me, don't you?"
"You know I do."
"Enough to marry me?"
She turned to look at him, her eyes full of confusion and anticipation, "Are you-"
Mark nodded, and, nervous though he was, his hand stopped shaking long enough to pull the ring out of his pocket.
"Will you marry me?"
Carmen smiled, "Yes!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and they kissed again. Mark then slid the ring onto the fourth finger on her left hand. During the ceremony, that would be changed for a little while, but still, she was half Christian.
Their actions caught the attentions of the others even though they were speaking in low tones only, "What's going on?" Asked James, looking at his friend and her boyfriend.
The male filmmaker smiled, and kept silent. So did Candy. Since Roger and Mimi had made their announcement, the couple didn't want to interfere.
"Oh, nothing." Shrugged Carmen, and put her hands behind her. And it was quickly forgotten. Mark and Carmen exchanged looks of relief and helped carry the supplies back downstairs. They left after they'd helped clean up, as did most of the others, and they walked, hand in hand, across the street to their apartment.
Once inside, Mark pulled his fiancé into his arms and kissed her, "We'll tell them tomorrow at the cafe."
"I just didn't wanna say anything tonight, what with their news and everything."
"That's so sweet of you Candy." He laughed, joking around.
She ran her hand down his cheek and smiled up at him, "I can be a whole lot sweeter."
"Really?" He asked, and kissed her.
"Uh huh."
"Care to show me?"
She waved her arm in the direction of their bedroom, "Lead on, if you dare."
Mark laughed and picked up her. He moved quickly and the only thing Carmen had enough time to do, was to turn the lights switch off.
************(End of this Story part)**************************
Well, that's it! If you want a part 6, please review!
Disclaimer: Once again, I only own Carmen, James, their families, and anyone else who suddenly steps into the story from my imagination.
Part 5: (Of Candy)
Here is the next installment in the Candy series! This story picks up about 4 months after "Time Won't Wait." It is now July 4th, and the gang is preparing to go watch some fireworks, but, that's not all that's gonna happen...
*******************************************************************
The phone let out a loud insistent ring. Carmen and Mark, accustomed to the quiet of the room, jumped out of their chairs almost. She laid a hand on his arm,
"I'll get it." He smiled at her and looked back down at the camera he was attempting to fix. Skilled fingers flew quickly over the bent metal scraps that had been damaged when the couple, in an attempt to shift some furniture, had dropped the table. One of the legs had struck the filming instrument, much to their dismay.
"Hello? Oh, it you Mimi! How's things?" Candy's voice said in recognition of the person.
On the other end of the line, Mimi laughed, "I'm good, everything's great! So, what's goin' on over there?"
"Well, Mark and I are trying to fix that Camera still, but, other than that, nothing really."
"Okay, well, listen, everyone is coming over tonight to watch the fireworks, can you come?"
"We were gonna celebrate on our own, but.... " Her eyes glanced over to Mark, who looked up at her over his glasses. A mischievous grin on his lips started her laughing softly. The ex-dancer didn't have to be there to realize what was going on.
"Hmm, you guys were planning your own little fireworks 'display' huh?"
"Oh, well, maybe... " She stuttered shyly. Though for four months now she'd had experience in that area, but she still considered it a private manner. Mimi's outrageous and flamboyant ways were breaking down Carmen's reserved manner, however.
"So, are you gonna come over or not?"
"Yeah, we'll be there. What time?"
"What's it now? About 8 something?"
Carmen checked the wall clock, "8:43."
"Cool, be here at about 9:45. That'll give us a little time before they shoot off the fireworks. Joanne is gonna bring some food."
"Should I bring something then?"
"Only if you want to."
"I think I will then. You did say that everyone was coming, right?"
"Yep. Collins, James, Maureen, Joanne, Roger, me, you and Mark."
Running through a mental checklist of the supplies she had in her cupboard, Carmen knew that she could make enough food to bring to the party. The problem was now, what to make? Suddenly, one of Mimi's words caught her attention, "Maureen?"
She heard Mimi gulp, "Umm, yeah."
Carmen sighed deeply, it was true that the actress was less of a problem nowadays, but, she still was an irritating presence in the group. Her cold eyes followed the couple everywhere, and had become even icier since the group had discovered as to what extent the relationship between Mark and Carmen went.
Hiding her anger from Mimi's ears, she continued, "That's okay. We'll be there in an hour."
They hung up the phone after the exchange of short good-byes, and Candy returned to the table where she had previously been working. Mark's hand came acrossed the table and took hers in it's own. He caressed her fingers and gave her a sweet smile, which she gladly returned. As they returned to repairing, she daydreamed back over her relationship with Mark.
************************************************************
That night, the first night, had been the most passionate. Every caress, every motion, every feeling of ecstasy, she remembered clearly. Most of all however, she remembered his reassuring smile when she'd asked him to be gentle. Each time after, the same heat came to her body, strong and full of life, and sparked only by her lover.
Just as the night before had been the one revolving around the physical end of the relationship, the morning was the emotional. When she had awoken, Mark was already up. He lay there on his side, and had obviously been watching her sleep. His hand had stroked her blushing cheek and played with her short brown hair. Carmen remembered how she'd whispered that she loved him and he returned her comment purely.
After kisses had been exchanged and they had dressed, the lovers walked to the Life Cafe for breakfast. Neither had felt like preparing food, and it helped that she hadn't had much in her apartment. What they weren't expecting, was to run into the rest of the gang. Everything had stopped when they came in together, hands clasped. Roger and Mimi exchanged knowing looks and James looked shocked, but happy. The first person to break the silence was Collins,
"Well, it looks like Mark's not sleeping alone anymore."
Carmen bit her lip and didn't make eye contact with anyone. It was even more embarrassing when the table sort of burst out into mock applause. The male filmmaker slipped his arm around her waist and held her to him. A gesture which, in looking back, had a possessive, yet loving air to it. Maureen bristled and became angry. To her, this was just one more step towards Mark fully getting over 'them'. She didn't want him to devote his time to someone else, and it didn't help that she and Joanne had quarreled again.
"So, was Mark good for you?" She sneered.
Carmen looked at the actress, "Yeah, I had a good time."
"That's a miracle."
"Well, you had others to compare him to." Retorted the female filmmaker, a smirk on her lips.
This earned her a snort and a harsh look from Maureen, and the conversation between them ceased, for that time. While Carmen was generally sweet, she couldn't take criticism of herself, or anyone she held dear to her.
*********************************************************
The memory then switched over to Roger and Mimi's wedding. It had been a small affair, everyone, including both sets of parents, had helped with the cost. Speaking of parents, when the others had seen Mimi's mom, they knew where she'd gotten her figure, and everyone saw that Roger had his father's eyes. Despite her own objections, the bride had worn a white dress by her mother's suggestion. Once the photo were developed however, the mother got to brag that she knew what color would look good on her daughter.
At the wedding, Maureen and Joanne had reconciled their differences... again. When this had taken place, the day was perfect. Everyone was civil to each other like they had never been before, not wanting to ruin such a joyful day.
That night, Mark officially moved in with Carmen in her apartment, to give the newly married couple their own space.
*********************************************************
She suddenly snapped back to reality as she heard Mark ask her if she was okay.
"Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking, I guess."
"You had me worried there, you looked like you were off in space."
"Maybe I was." Laughed Carmen. Glancing at the clock on the wall, she scrambled to her feet, "I've gotta make something to take over to Roger and Mimi's!"
"Want help?" He called after her as she ran into the kitchen.
"Maybe a bit later, but, could you fix that camera instead? We want to get some good pictures."
Mark shrugged and nodded, agreeing. Candy tried desperately to think of what she could make that everyone would like. It would be vegetarian, of course. She pulled open the fridge and saw, at the bottom, a bag of apples, some grapes, and some oranges. A few days earlier, she had gotten her paycheck and had bought the fruit. Carmen guessed that she might be able to make a salad out of it. Quickly, she went to work, slicing, cutting, and mixing.
Finally, when all was finished, she had a pretty decent fruit salad in front of her. Due to lack of a top for the bowl, Carmen covered the bowl with a cloth and called to Mark,
"It's time to leave."
In the living room, Mark clicked the last camera piece in place and stood up, "All right."
Gathering their coats and the other instruments they would need, the couple exited the apartment. It was only a short walk to the Davis apartment. Mark still couldn't get over the part of the ceremony where the priest had said, "I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Roger Davis." All of his emotional efforts had to be combined to keep him from laughing. Even Mimi and Roger seemed to laugh slightly. The name just didn't sound right, but, everyone was glad that they were married now.
They stopped in front of Mark's old apartment and knocked on the door. Roger answered it,
"Hey guys!" Then he turned and yelled back into the apartment, "Hey everyone, guess who's finally here!"
"Must be Mark and Carmen! Am I smart? Oh yes..." Collins said, grinning and moving his eyebrows to resemble a suave, sophisticated philosopher.
Mark burst out laughing and embraced Collins. When the men were done with greeting each other, Collins grasped Carmen's shoulders with both his hands and held her there, "Hey little lady. No hug for your best friend's lover?"
"Oh, how wrong you are." She replied, and he spun her around as he held her to him.
"Now, now, he's my man Candy." Came the accented voice they knew so well. James came forward and took the teacher's arm. She smiled and kissed both his cheeks.
After all the greetings were exchanged, the gang moved to the center of the room to get everything around that they would need to watch fireworks. Since the roof of their building was flat, and Roger knew of a secret staircase, they could sit up on the roof and view the display. Mimi had gathered what she had of towels, and others had volunteered their coats. The group tromped like an army procession up the stairs and found themselves on the right corner of the building.
There was no regular door, like you saw on the modern buildings, but only a rusty trapdoor. Roger stepped out first, and, due to the trapdoor's hinges, he had to hold the metal lid open for everyone else. When they were all out, Joanne and Maureen volunteered to clean up an area while the others got out the food.
Since everyone had Collins code, a lot of the food here was, "A-N-G-E-L," food. The honorarium was continual, and because the cops rarely took heed to investigate anything, they were safe. Once everything was setup, food, seating, and those other miscellaneous details, the eating and talking commenced.
"Isn't it funny?" Said Maureen, staring at the starry black sky.
A chorus of 'whats?' came her way. She paused, and said, "Well, we're not at the Life Cafe. It seems like whenever we get together and have dinner, we're always there."
Mark laughed, "Until they kick us out at least!"
"Yeah! Yeah! It's always, can you please go? You can't pay!" Added Roger, setting down the cookies that Mimi had made. It was one of her first attempts at the culinary arts, and, they were pretty good.
Suddenly, his wife pulled him down a little and whispered to him something that the others couldn't hear. Roger smiled, nodded, and looked at the faces that held the eyes that stared at him.
"Well, since I got your attention already, Mimi and I wanna make an announcement, " He looked at her, "Do you wanna tell them?"
She smiled, "Sure. Everybody, Roger and I... We're gonna have a baby!"
Everything then seemed to happen at once. There was congratulations and hugging, and even tears.
"When did you find out?" Asked Carmen, embracing her friend.
"Just today. I went to visit that lady I made friends with at the hospital when I almost died, and she picked right up on it."
Joanne questioned her further, "How far along are you?"
"Only two months, so, I'm not into all the heavy stuff yet."
"No morning sickness, thank God." Said Roger, hugging his wife.
Everybody could now see though. Mimi was so rail thin that it did look like she'd gained some weight. Plus, if you look at her normally sassy and alluring eyes, they were, softer, somehow. She had the look of an expectant mother. To the others, this was another new thing. Roger and Mimi's apartment filled with the sound of little feet scampering about made no sense. What was funnier was the image of Roger scolding a disobedient child.
No one had ever imagined that any of them would ever become parents. They saw each other, always at the same age, free, without cares or worries. The thought of a second generation, of children that might go through the same struggles they themselves went through, didn't fit. Like a odd puzzle piece.
Mimi seemed to read their thoughts and said, "I know it's weird, but Roger and I promise we won't become dull people."
Joanne laughed, "You guys couldn't if you tried. Mimi's too wild and Roger's too, well, just too Roger!"
And there was a general feeling of joy going around the group. So much so that no one saw the first of the fireworks exploding over head. James, however, did and he mentioned it to the others.
Each of them hurried to get the varying foods available to them, and sat, in couples, on different towels and coats. They lay on their backs or simply sat with legs either crossed of stretched out. Mark and Carmen lay down fully, his arm around her as best he could get it. No one really ate, except for the occasional fruit, cookie, bread slice, etc.
The fireworks caught their entire focus. Even more so than some of Maureen's loud and outrageous, but very inventive, performances. Maybe it was the colors. The bright swirling of red, blues, greens, purples, and whites lighting up the sky. Rainbows, of sorts. Ever since they were children, the odd shapes made by these relatively safe explosives had fascinated them. Upside down fountains, mushrooms, and many pointed stars.
Mark picked up his camera and filmed the sky. He also secretly taped his friends as they stared upwards. Since the subject of his next film was the simple pleasures in life of poor people, this was really good material.
****************************( 1 hour later )************************
The male filmmaker clicked his camera off finally and sat up. He reached into his pocket and felt of the cool, round, metal object he hid there. Slyly, his eyes watched Carmen as she sat next to him. The fireworks were over, and all around them, everyone was stretching and cleaning up.
Playfully, he wrapped his arms around his lover and pulled her toward him so that she was almost sitting on his lap. Carmen tilted her head and kissed him. When they finally pulled apart from each other, he put his lips up to her ear so only see could hear him,
"July 4th, 2001, 11:00 p.m."
"Eastern standard time?" She whispered back, giggling slightly, placing his hands over his as they lay around her waist.
"Yeah. Carmen, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"You do love me, don't you?"
"You know I do."
"Enough to marry me?"
She turned to look at him, her eyes full of confusion and anticipation, "Are you-"
Mark nodded, and, nervous though he was, his hand stopped shaking long enough to pull the ring out of his pocket.
"Will you marry me?"
Carmen smiled, "Yes!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and they kissed again. Mark then slid the ring onto the fourth finger on her left hand. During the ceremony, that would be changed for a little while, but still, she was half Christian.
Their actions caught the attentions of the others even though they were speaking in low tones only, "What's going on?" Asked James, looking at his friend and her boyfriend.
The male filmmaker smiled, and kept silent. So did Candy. Since Roger and Mimi had made their announcement, the couple didn't want to interfere.
"Oh, nothing." Shrugged Carmen, and put her hands behind her. And it was quickly forgotten. Mark and Carmen exchanged looks of relief and helped carry the supplies back downstairs. They left after they'd helped clean up, as did most of the others, and they walked, hand in hand, across the street to their apartment.
Once inside, Mark pulled his fiancé into his arms and kissed her, "We'll tell them tomorrow at the cafe."
"I just didn't wanna say anything tonight, what with their news and everything."
"That's so sweet of you Candy." He laughed, joking around.
She ran her hand down his cheek and smiled up at him, "I can be a whole lot sweeter."
"Really?" He asked, and kissed her.
"Uh huh."
"Care to show me?"
She waved her arm in the direction of their bedroom, "Lead on, if you dare."
Mark laughed and picked up her. He moved quickly and the only thing Carmen had enough time to do, was to turn the lights switch off.
************(End of this Story part)**************************
Well, that's it! If you want a part 6, please review!