"How do I look?" asked
Alison as she was helped out of the car by Rafe, and tugged at her shirt again.
"Like a beautiful, glowing pregnant woman," he said giving her a kiss
as his hand landed on her belly.
"You say that to everyone, don't you?"
"No, just you," he said taking a second before responding.
"Remember Rafe, no starting anything with Caleb," she said poking him
slightly in the chest.
"Unless he starts something first," said Rafe and he held open the
door and took a look at the club. There was definitely a new aura to the place
now that everything was set up. He saw Caleb up on the stage with Livvie
talking to him from below, but he didn't take notice-instead followed his wife
to see Jack. "The place looks good," he smiled.
"Thanks, but you two have to be on your best behavior," said Jack as
he looked over towards Caleb.
"If one more person says that tonight, I think I will strangle him just
because."
"I think we have enough energy in the air already, no need to add more,
Rafe," said Ian as he came in behind him with Lucy, and then followed by
Elizabeth and Chris.
"Look at my little girl," said Elizabeth as she gave her a hug. "You look even more gorgeous
than the last time I saw you."
"Which was yesterday, remember?" she laughed.
"Elizabeth, we need to discuss having a baby shower for her,"
said Lucy as the two grabbed Alison by the arm and began to direct her towards
the stage.
"Oh yes, we must-so how abouts we goes on with
the show?" said Chris as he imitated Georges and they continued on towards
the direction the women were going in.
---------
"Well this is it-the Trinity," said Kevin as he walked up to the
door. He walked in and held it open for a second before Cindy followed.
"There's nothing to be nervous about," he said waving at Frank real
quick.
"I'm new here, that's all-don't want to step on any toes early on."
"I doubt that could happen," he said as he saw Alison and Livvie
talking at the table in front of the stage. "Now there's something you don't
see everyday," he said quietly as he watched Alison point out to Livvie
that he was there.
"Daddy," she said coming over and giving him a huge hug. "I was
starting to get worried you wouldn't be able to make it."
"Well, we finally made it. Livvie, I want you to meet the reason I've been
gone so long. This is Cindy."
"His wife," said Cindy as she stretched out her hand.
"Yes, my wife," said Kevin as he wished he had a second to ask Cindy
where that lie came from.
"Well, that's-that's wonderful," stuttered Livvie in shock.
"I've saved you a seat up here with me," she said as they started to
wander through the crowd to the stage. "Look who finally showed up,"
said Livvie with a smile plastered on her face.
"Hi Kevin," smiled Lucy. "And this is?" she asked looking
at Cindy.
"This is Cindy-his wife," said Livvie-who was so happy to hear Caleb
starting to play a song so she didn't have to deal with the awkwardness of
having a new step-mother for a bit.
---------
"I'll be right back," said Jasmine to Jack and Frank as she walked
through the kitchen door. The work was tiring, but she enjoyed finally feeling
like she belonged somewhere other than a few steps behind Myra watching her every move. She could hear the soft footsteps coming into
the storeroom where she was, "Imani?" she said looking up and seeing
her sister standing there, "Hello Myra."
"Hello yourself. So I bet you are proud of yourself."
"Why? Because I finally have a real life? Yes,
I'm pretty proud of myself for finally taking a step away from you."
"I was talking about telling Caleb and Rafe."
"Oh, no they don't know I'm here yet. You know they have pretty good lives
now, and I don't see any reason for you to ruin them just because you are
bored. Why don't you start a hobby-like knitting or something, it'll occupy
your time much better."
"You had a chance to tell them I was coming, and that was your big
mistake," said Myra as she left and locked the door.
"Myra!" yelled Jasmine as she ran and began banging on the
door.
----------
"Why did you drag me through this entire crowd for drinks?" said Ian
over the noise.
"Because Kevin needs some support. Livvie and Lucy are about to pounce on
him for getting married and not telling them. It's the gentlemanly thing to
do."
"I don't want to be a gentleman," he said finally getting to a corner
of the bar. "Frank! Hey, we need-what do we need?" he asked Rafe.
"Four glasses of Brandy, and three glasses of wine for
the ladies."
"And for Alison?"
"Uhm-a glass of orange juice."
"So what's the occasion?" asked Frank.
"Marriage," he said getting an unsure look from Frank. "Kevin's,
not mine."
"I'll get Imani over there in a minute," he yelled back as he watched
Rafe turn around and run into a female, causing her to begin to fall before
Rafe caught her.
"I'm so so sorry," he said picking her back
up and looking at her, he didn't even realize he still had his hand around her
waist.
"That's my boy Rafe here, always sweeping women off their feet,"
laughed Ian.
"Oh my God, Tonya, are you ok?" asked her
friend that rushed to her side.
"Yes, I'm fine," said the blonde haired-blue eyed woman who didn't
take her eyes off of the man standing in front of her.
"Come on, Rafe-Imani's going to get there before
us at the rate you are going," said Ian as he grabbed Rafe's
shoulder and pulled him into the crowd.
"I just wanted to make sure she was ok."
"She'll be fine," he said as they got back to the stage at the same
time Imani did. "Imani, there is a blonde girl here-white shirt and pink
pants, will you please buy her a drink. Tell her it's an apology from the man
that just swept her off her feet," he grinned at Rafe.
"I will," she laughed, having seen the incident just a minute before.
"You always have that effect on women the first time you meet them,"
grinned Alison as she took a sip of her orange juice.
Ian just laughed, "Ok, let's give this toast. To the
bride and groom. May your love for each other only grow with each
passing year. May you always remember what it was that
brought you together, and never pass by an opportunity to tell how much you
love the other. What you have found in each other is a
true blessing that should not be taken lightly," he said finishing the
toast and actually looking at Rafe when he raised his glass and took a sip.
"And on with the show," said Caleb, putting down his glass and
jumping back on the stage. He put the guitar strap on and gave a smile to
Livvie before beginning the song.
Livvie sat there as she heard the first few chord's being played-she knew the
song by heart now, he had played it enough for the past few days, tweaking it
so eventually every note was just where he wanted it, every syllable giving the
proper emotion that he asked for. She wanted to know the deeper meaning behind
the words, but knew it wasn't for her that he was playing this song. He wrote
this song as a way to speak to Rafe-in a way that only the two of them would
understand.
The rules of war are gone,
The battle lines have disappeared.
So what happens now?
Do you continue to live in fear?
I can see it in your eyes,
You think I'm going to mess this up.
We've been given another chance,
A chance to finally live the way we want.
She turned around for a second to see his expression,
it was one of understanding-almost as if he had co-written the lyrics with
Caleb. The song was for the both of them-showing the other that the emotional
and deadly war had finally come to an end.
Our lives are finally unconnected,
But we still stay nearby-
It's because of one thing,
And that is a destiny we cannot deny.
The past cannot be repeated,
And the present cannot be changed.
Life is uncomplicated,
If we only agree to let it be rearranged.
Alison sat there, her hand on his leg as she listened to his music. Caleb's
words always had an impact on him, usually one of deadliness, but this time was
different. She could tell he was relaxed-he wasn't enjoying it, but taking in
the words, almost taking himself back to somewhere else. Possibly to the past,
whatever it was that caused the war to start was now playing over in his head.
Alison looked at Caleb, and could tell his words were having the same effect on
himself.
So let's get past the temptation
Of giving in and committing suicide.
Because it's not that hard to
Forget about the innocent that died.
We both know the history
That is contained on that shelf.
A history where wrongs were made,
But one that cannot repeat itself.
