Author's Note: Hey there..I just wanted to say that I've enjoyed helping out different writers in our section…and I want more of you guys to do so! If any of you need help with ideas, editing, grammar- anything, please feel free to e-mail me at heathdiva@hotmail.com (and I have MSN Messenger too) or instant message me on AIM- ADivasLife4Me. =) Peaceout and have fun reading! –Heath
Chapter 15
"Ali, this is ridiculous. I look like I'm homeless…I bet someone will try to give me money."
"But we made a compromise, remember?"
"We were also a little tipsy…which is what led to us both losing the bet- equally."
"Can you please just go in and get my muffin and coffee? I'm gonna need energy to pitch and catch your damn missile baseballs. Actually, hold on a second."
Alicia put her hands in Merrill's hair and made it even messier than it had previously been.
"Al. You're kidding me."
She snickered obnoxiously and said, "Come on, slowpoke."
"I haven't even brushed my teeth. Can I have some gum?"
"Don't have any," she said laughing.
Merrill mimicked Alicia's laugh and reluctantly got out of the car. She laughed hysterically as he entered Starbuck's. He came out a few minutes later with two cups of coffee and the muffin.
He got in the car and said, "Here's your White Chocolate Mocha, princess."
"Thank you. Did you enjoy yourself?"
He took a quick mini-sip of his coffee and said, "I had a freakin blast."
"And to think…you have to do this for a week."
"And you have to be my personal pitcher/catcher for a week, so get ready. Are you sure you want to run and catch all those baseballs with a stomach full of sloshing coffee?"
"Yes, and don't forget my muffin- you still have to feed it to me when we get to Newtown."
"Whatever."
An hour later, Alicia got a taste of her own medicine.
"Merrill!! I cannot find this ball!! This is so unfair!"
Merrill was stretched out on the picnic bench, waiting for Ali.
"It's out there somewhere. You can do it."
About 10 minutes later, Alicia trudged out of the cornfields with a huge scowl on her face. Despite the chilly temperature, she had worked up a sweat. She slammed the baseball on the table.
"There! Isn't three times enough, Merrill?"
"I still have about 15 more balls in that bin."
"You know what? The bet was a dumb idea, OK? I'll admit it. Let's just call a truce."
"You mean, no more going to Starbuck's looking like a bum?"
"As long as I don't have to be your baseball bitch."
"Deal. Now I don't know about you, but it's 6:30 in the morning and going back to sleep is sounding like an amazing idea right now."
"I couldn't agree with you more."
"I think I'm still a little hung over from last night. We did a lot of drinking for just being at home."
"You got that right. I have a killer headache. Chasing those stupid baseballs didn't help."
"Here, I'll massage your temples. It always works magic when you do it for me."
Alicia closed her eyes and stood in front of Merrill. He pressed his cold fingers against the delicate skin of her temples and rubbed them gently, in a circular motion. As she stood in front of him, he stared at her from head to toe. Every time he looked at her, his knees would almost buckle. He knew in his heart that he loved her, but he was too shy to tell her. When she opened her eyes, it was as if they pierced his soul.
"You're gonna make me fall asleep," she said, almost like a child.
Merrill was so mesmerized, he couldn't bring himself to speak. Instead, he closed his eyes and kissed her three times on the lips.
Just say you love her, he thought to himself, Take a deep breath and say it. You know she loves you too.
After he kissed her, she looked at him and asked, "Baby, what was that for? You never kiss me like that. That was amazing."
"Because I love…I love the expression on your face after I kiss you like that."
Alicia held Merrill's face in her hands and said, "I am so glad we found each other the way we did. In my eyes, you're it."
"I'm it?"
"There's no one else on Earth I desire to be with."
"So you're telling me that if Brad Pitt came up to your room one night, shirt off and pants undone, ready and willing to be yours, you'd turn him down?"
"Of course I would. You're everything I've ever looked for in a boyfriend."
He embraced her and said, "You have no idea how good it makes me feel to hear you say that."
They broke out of the hug and looked into each other's eyes. It was obvious that they both wanted to say "I love you," but their nerves were getting the best of them.
"What are you thinking?" Merrill asked.
"About how much I adore you."
He moved his face closer to hers. Their faces were literally pressed together and Alicia could feel Merrill's lips moving against hers as he spoke.
"How much do you adore me?"
"More than anything."
"Your heart's pounding- I can feel it. Are you nervous about something?"
"No. It's just that when I'm with you in a moment like this, my heart can't help but beat faster."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Yes."
"Remember back when we had the huge fight that night- when Harrison came up here?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
"You told me that you were in love with me."
"I know."
"So, if you were in love with me then, what are your feelings now?"
"Well, let's put it this way- they've grown stronger every day since that night."
"OK, good."
"Why? You know how I feel about you."
"Because I was going to tell you that I love you, but I just wanted to make sure you felt the same. My biggest fear was saying that to you and having you be like, 'Oh, that's so cute.'"
"Well, you can go ahead and say it- you know what the response will be."
Merrill pressed his lips against Alicia's and held her lips in his for a moment.
Then he whispered directly in her ear, "I love you, Alicia."
Alicia moved her mouth to his ear and replied, "And I love you, Merrill."
"I want this moment to freeze forever- it's so perfect."
"I agree."
Alicia was so overwhelmed by the moment, she was finding it hard to even breathe. Merrill kissed her again, leaving her even more breathless. A few tears escaped from her eyes.
"I just realized," she said, "that this is the first time I've ever said 'I love you' to a man and I've really meant it."
Merrill thought about the times he told Lottie that he loved her, but Alicia was in a league of her own.
"Same here."
They kissed again and then held hands as they went back to the garage house. Then they took off their shoes and climbed into bed. Merrill grabbed the remote control for the TV and turned it to HBO.
"Look," he said, "Gladiator's on."
Alicia sat up a little to observe.
"I love this movie," she said.
"Yeah, me too."
"You know what?"
"What?"
"You kinda look like that guy…him."
"The evil one who's got the hots for his sister?"
"Yeah. You two could be brothers."
"Oh, why thanks. Such a compliment."
"Well, he's hot."
"Hotter than me?"
Alicia climbed on top of Merrill and straddled him.
"Baby, you already know the answer to that question."
He put his hands on her waist and said, "You're blocking my view."
She immediately proceeded to take off her shirt.
"Am I still blocking you now?"
Merrill sat up and turned off the TV.
"Not anymore."
He took off his shirt too and then picked up Alicia's hand. He kissed the tips of her fingers, then her hand, her wrist, and all up her arm. He slowly made his way up her forearm and shoulder and when he got to her neck, he ran his tongue along its soft skin.
"Merrill," Alicia whispered, "You're gonna make me melt."
Merrill planted a kiss behind Alicia's ear and said, "My exact intentions, sweetheart."
Over the course of the next five minutes, Merrill continued to kiss every single part of Alicia's body- from head to toe and everywhere in between. After he finished, he rested his head on her stomach.
"I've never experienced anything like that," Alicia said, "It was so romantic but so…so…orgasmic."
"Mmm, I like your choice of words there."
"It was amazing, but I'm exhausted. I think I wanna go back to sleep."
"But I wanna give you something back in return."
"We'll save that for tonight. Here or at my place?"
"We'll decide later. I like the idea of sleeping now."
They climbed completely underneath the covers and into each other's arms.
Merrill kissed the top of Alicia's head and said, "I love you, Al."
"I love you too, babe."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
About three weeks passed and it was now the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Merrill had been away for almost a week, visiting an old college roommate in New Jersey. Alicia wasn't able to take time off from work, so she missed him terribly. However, he was coming back that night and she couldn't wait. She also still hasn't told Colleen that she and Merrill had said they loved each other. That night, she came in from work and saw Bo helping Colleen get things ready for Thanksgiving dinner.
"Hey sis," Colleen said, "I'm surprised you didn't turn into a popsicle on the way in. It's beyond freezing out there."
"I know. I think it might snow. What are you guys up to?"
"Making pies," Bo said.
Alicia picked her up and kissed her nose.
"Are you, BoBo?"
"Yes," Colleen said, "and it's past your bedtime, sweetie pie."
Alicia said, "I'm gonna go change into something more comfortable and then I'll come back and help you."
"OK."
Alicia ran to the garage house and changed into sweatpants and a t-shirt. As she started to walk out, her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and smiled when she saw the familiar number.
She picked up and said, "Hi, baby."
"Hey. I just got back home."
"You are? Come and stop by here."
"Baby, I would, but I'm exhausted. I've had no sleep in the last 24 hours."
"And why not?"
"Matt and I went out drinking…and that's all I remember."
"Any girls?"
"Of course not. All I could think about the whole time was how much I missed you. Why don't you come out here?"
"Um, I don't have a car, remember?"
"I'm sure Graham will let you borrow the station wagon."
"I'm so comfortable though."
"So I guess we're on the same page."
"But you're coming over early for football tomorrow, right? Graham is so excited."
"Yeah. And your parents coming?"
"Yep. Yours?"
"Yeah."
"Well, I'll let you get some sleep."
"OK. I love you."
"I love you too. I'll see you tomorrow."
"I'll head out there as soon as I get dressed in the morning."
"OK. Goodnight, baby."
"Goodnight."
He blew her a kiss over the phone and she did the same. Then she hung up and headed back to the kitchen.
"Sorry I took so long," Alicia said to Colleen, "Merrill called me."
"Oh he did? Is he back from Jersey?"
"Yeah. But he's super tired, so he's going right to bed."
"How are you guys doing? You never talk about him to me anymore. In fact, I don't see much of you since you started working at LaStalla."
"I know. But you know me- I always have to keep busy."
"But I miss you!"
"I'm here now, aren't I?"
"Yeah, yeah. You never answered my question. How are you and Merrill doing?"
"Amazing. I used to think he was the one, but now I know for a fact that he is."
"Who knows- maybe this time by next year, you'll have a rock on your ring finger."
"From the way things are going now, that might be true. I love him so much."
Colleen glared at Alicia and said, "Excuse me?"
"I said I love him so much."
"I heard you, but I've never heard you say it like that."
"I've never been serious about it until now."
"Has he told you he loves you?"
"He was the first one to say it- about three weeks ago."
Colleen covered her mouth.
"Graham's younger brother Merrill, who used to have a different girl on his arm every week, told you he loves you?"
"Yeah."
"Wow. He's mighty serious then. He'll make such a great husband one day- I can just tell. So is he coming over tomorrow to watch football?"
"Yeah. I can't wait to see him…geez. If I can't handle a week, what am I gonna be like when he's gone for the season?"
"I can't imagine. Hey, do you still remember how to make Mom's pumpkin pie?"
"How could I forget? I think it's the only thing I can make from scratch."
"Good. Hey, before I forget…"
Colleen went into the refrigerator and grabbed a container of apple cider.
"I bought it from the farmer's market today."
"I'll drink the whole thing if you don't hide it."
Colleen laughed as she poured Alicia a glass. Then she poured one for herself.
"Here's a toast," she said, "to what could possibly be the best Thanksgiving ever. We have you here, you and Merrill are madly in love with each other, and everyone's happy."
"And here's the most amazing big sister a kid could ask for."
"Cheers."
"Cheers."
They tapped their glasses together, took sips, and got back to their work. Sadly, Alicia had no idea that this was the last Thanksgiving she would be spending with her sister. In less than 12 months, her life would be changed forever- in more ways than one.