19
Nikki observed her boys sitting down to eat at groups of round tables in the dining room, many of then had brought along family, friends, and girlfriends. She was determined to get to meet everyone there. So as her parents were having an incredibly boring discussion with one of those people who do nothing but organize charity events like this she grabbed Rizzo by the arm and dragged him around as she went to talk with everyone.
She remembered Jimmy's dad and Lindy, Buzzy introduced them to his girlfriend Gretchen, who was an absolute doll, by the way—they definitely would have qualified for cutest couple in her high school yearbook—Mark had brought along his girlfriend from Wisconsin. Her name was Angela; she seemed nice. Silky, Bah, and Baker had their parents tagging along and were skillfully trying to avoid having to admit they were with mom and dad.
Once the food had been served that evening Nikki found herself facing her mother in the sitting room just outside the restrooms.
"So do you want to talk about this?" Patti asked her daughter knowingly, sitting down on the overstuffed chair next to her daughter. Nikki set her head on her mother's shoulder.
"Dad doesn't like it," Nikki told her uneasily.
"Neither do I," her mother answered gently. "But I understand. I know we raised you the best that we could, and that the choices you make are yours to make." Nikki laughed in spite of herself.
"Daddy doesn't understand." She told her mother in confidence. "I'm twenty years old and he still wants to treat me like some confused love struck tween. He's got one thick head." Patti huffed and rolled her eyes.
"He is stubborn," she admitted to her daughter. "He's a hockey player."
"You married him," Nikki reminded her. Patti laughed and nodded. "Why?" Nikki pressed.
"When he's stubborn—which he is most of the time—he is very stubborn, but, it works both ways. When he's romantic and loving, he can make you know he thinks you're the most important thing in the world."
"He makes me feel that way sometimes too," Nikki answered.
"He loves you," Patti assured her. "And he just wants to protect you."
After diner had been cleared up the boys were expected to make friendly with the reporters. They were all sitting up at the long dining table with Coaches Brooks and Patrick, as the press was shouting out questions.
"What was the hardest thing for the team during your experience in the Olympics?" One inquiry was shouted out. The boys looked to each other thoughtfully before Jannie supplied an answer.
"Playing the 'let's see how many people we can squish onto the podium game.' That was not a good idea." He glared over to Mike as the boys chorused into agreement. "Yea, definitely."
"It was just so demanding," O.C. dragged out.
"Mentally and physically," Jimmy nodded in agreement.
"Yea," Buzzy went on. "Bah stepped on me."
"I fell off," Ken Morrow put in his harrowing tale. Before the boys could start chatting among themselves again the journalists were shouting out more questions.
"How long have Mike Eruzione and Nikki Brooks been involved?" Was the next query shouted out. Rizzo shifted uneasily in his seat when Herb answered.
"What does that have to do with the Olympics?" He attacked the reported. No answer. "You figure out how that is related to the Olympics and he'll answer, until then, if there are any more questions about my daughter we are walking out of here."
"Yea, don't ask about his daughter," O.C. told them pointedly, then picked up his tone enthusiastically. "Any other questions?" And once again the reporters were off running their mouths.
After the brief conference the band started playing again, and people were being encouraged to get up and dance, but as it got later, no one seemed to keen on dancing.
Nikki was sitting at a table with her parents, Lola, Zack, and Jenna when Mike came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.
"Who do you think you are?" he asked in mock frustration.
"What?" she inquired cluelessly.
"I have been waiting all night for you to come over and drag me out to the dance floor and you never did," he shot playfully. "Do you know how many girls I had to turn down?"
"Oh I'm sorry," she laughed lightly. "I just didn't feel much like dancing."
"What about now?" he asked hopefully. Nikki shook her head.
"I don't think so," she started guiltily. She looked up at the saddest, most lovingly sincere eyes she had ever seen.
"Please?" He pressed once more. Nikki sighed in defeat.
"Alright," she said taking his hand. "One dance."
When I look at you
I see the souls of our unborn children
If I reach for you
Will you take my hand
Are you willing
"We're the only ones dancing," Nikki said nervously as the got out on the floor.
"It doesn't matter what they do," Rizzo promised her as she leaned into him.
"We probably look like idiots," she protested.
"Doesn't matter," he promised her as they rocked gently back and forth.
You turn more than the music on
But will you be there by my side at the dawn
Then I'll say
All right, I give in
I will dance with you just this one time
And all night
We will turn and spin
Then stand eye to eye at the sunrise
And you offer love
And it all begins when I say
All right, I give in
"Why don't you do romantic stuff like that?" Lola shot, smacking Jack on the arm with her purse.
"Because I don't want to dance," he protested.
"Jack O'Callahan, if you love me you will dance with me right now!"
"Love?" he started nervously. "You see love is a very strong word."
"Jack," she started, big tears springing into her hazel eyes.
"Dancing," he answered faithfully, pulling her out in front of the stage.
Nikki laughed watching her friends out of the corner of her eye as she gently rubbed her nose against Mike's face. She was sure she was in heaven, swaying gently, spinning lightly in strong, familiar arms.
-
"They sure look like they're having fun," Lindy cooed in Jimmy's ear.
"Are you kidding," he jested. "That's like slave labor." Lindy shot him a venomous glare, and if looks could kill he would have been gone faster than a '59 Cadillac.
"I mean, 'Yea, fun, woo hoo, let's do it'," he answered in mock enthusiasm allowing her to pull him out on the floor.
"We're setting a trend," Nikki told Mike with a smile on her face.
If I sing for you
Would it be the sweetest sound you've ever heard
And if I pray for you
Will you know that I believe in every word
Gretchen watched the dancing couples and looked over to Buzz and stuck her bottom lip out pleadingly.
"Don't you give me that look," he told her desperately. Her eyes began to well up as she continued to stare at him hopefully.
"I don't dance," he reminded her. Her lower lip began to tremble and he caved. "Alright," he declared, throwing his arms up. "How can I say no?"
"You can't," she reminded him cheerily. "I've got you wrapped around my little finger."
-
"Please?" Angela pressed desperately.
"No," Mark shot at her.
"Please?"
"No!"
"Please?"
"No!"
"Please?"
"No!"
"Please?"
"How many times do I have to tell you?" He exclaimed in exasperation.
"Please?"
"Oh, alright!" He consented as she gleefully led him out on the floor.
You build me a house on stone
Will you promise me I'm never gonna be alone
Then I'll say...
All right, I give in
I will dance with you just this one time
And all night
We will turn and spin
Then stand eye to eye at the sunrise
And you offer love
And it all begins when I say
All right, I give in
Mike had her fingers laced with his as the rocked easily this way and that, he spun her once and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned her head back into him as they turned slowly when a flash went off in the darkness.
She reached up and covered her eyes in annoyance as she was startled out of the comfort of her boyfriend's arms.
"We have a paparazzi," Mike warned her. "And it looks like your dad is about to take him out."
Nicolette watched in good humor as her father chased the journalist down and grabbed the camera out of his hands. As her father pulled the film out and threw it across the room, she let out a laugh, before she settled back into Mike for the remainder of the evening.
After dispelling the demon photographer, Herb went over beside his wife.
"So," she began. "Are we just going to stand here and let the kids have all the fun or are we going to go out there and show them how to cut a rug?" Herb shook his head going to dance with his wife.
Nikki couldn't hold back the gleeful laugh seeing her father and mother coming out on the dance floor.
"Yea, mom!" She cheered happily.
"Way to go coach!" She heard O.C. supply. Another moment later the song had ended and another one began.
"I think I'm done," she admitted going to sit down. "I'm getting tired." That was when Mike put a hand on her thigh and picked her up on his knee.
"Better or worse?" he asked as she nestle her head over his shoulder and smooched his cheek noisily besides his ear.
You turn more than the music on
But will you be there by my side at the dawn
Then I say...
All right, I give in
I will dance with you just this one time
And all night
We will turn and spin
Then stand eye to eye at the sunrise
And you offer love
And it all begins when I say
All right, I give in (1)
That moment was a complete revelation for Nikki. It was a moment when you understood, understanding because you've lived it, the meaning of true love: two bodies, one soul.
He was so much stronger than her, and the best part was that he was going to protect her. She was sure the moment she found herself in his arms; it was quite late and they were both somewhat drained from the evenings events, but he was still going to make her as comfortable as he could. And what was more, they were looking straight into one another's eyes. He kept her at his level, even though she was a good five or six inches taller than her. She felt more love in that one instant then she had ever felt in her life, and more than she ever thought she could feel again, until the song ended and the lights came back on.
He walked her over to the table, helped her into her coat, and pulled a long shallow box out of the inside pocket of his blazer. It looked like jewelry, a necklace or something of the sort was her best guess.
"I got you something," he said quietly, sitting her down as the clean-up crew was beginning to bustle about. "And I saved it until now, because, well, I didn't want it to ruin our evening. I'll understand if you don't want it..." he was rambling now trying to put off what seemed like an inevitable refusal. "But if you do...I'd be the happiest man in the world."
Nikki was a little confused as she peeled away wrapping paper. She wondered how a necklace would make or break their relationship. Rizzo was kneeling on the floor besides her chair and the sight was enough to bring Jack and Lola over.
She opened the box to find something totally unexpected: a one way plane ticket to Boston. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked into his expectant brown eyes.
Please come to Boston
For the springtime
I'm staying here with some friends
And they've got lots of room
You can sell your paintings on the sidewalk
By a cafe where I hope to be working soon
Please come to Boston
She said no, boy you come home to me
"What is this?" she asked him nervously.
"It's a plane ticket," he explained simply. "I want you to come home with me."
"You want me to move to Boston?" She asked. He nodded eagerly. "You mean move in with you."
She said, hey ramblin' boy
Why don't you settle down
Boston ain't your kind of town
There ain't no gold
And there ain't nobody like me
I'm the number one fan
Of the man from Tennessee
"Yea," he went on explaining factually. "I'm renting this two bedroom flat, in this really nice neighborhood—not far from Boston U, above this little old lady, she's half deaf—we can even throw parties."
"You want me to move into a party house," she gapped. "I mean I'm going to be a student and I'm not exactly—"
"No what I mean is, it's a nice place...and having you there is the only way it could be better," he defended. Nikki shook her head.
"I don't know," she said uneasily. "It does seem nice, but there are so many things that could go wrong with it."
Please come to Denver
To see the snowfall
We'll move up into the mountains
So far we can't be found
And throw I love you echoes
Down the canyons
And then lie awake at night
Until they come back around
Please come to Denver
She said no boy you come home to me
"Nicolette," Lola sounded behind her. "How many times do I have to tell you if you find a good guy, with a heart of gold and a smile that lights up the room you hold on and you don't let go for anything."
"You've never told me that," Nikki said.
"Well I'm telling you now," Lola put forth forcefully. Nikki shook her head and smile.
"Why not," she said. "What's the worst that could happen?"
"What's the best that could happen," Rizzo corrected her.
"I could find a hundred reasons to fall in love with you all over again," she answered him thoughtfully.
"And isn't that worth the risk?" He questioned. She nodded.
"Yea, it is."
She said, hey ramblin' boy
Why don't you settle down
Denver ain't your kind of town
There ain't no gold
And there ain't nobody like me
I'm the number one fan
Of the man from Tennessee
Lola smiled happily, now that had all the makings of a great romance novel, now here came the soap opera.
Now that drifter's world
Goes round and round
And I doubt if it's ever gonna stop
But of all the dreams
He's lost or found
And all that I ain't got
I need somebody I can cling to
Somebody he can sing to
"She said yes," Lola told Jack. "You know what that means."
"What?" he asked indifferently.
"I'm coming home with you."
"What?" he gapped. "Why's that mean—"
"You think I'd let my best friend fly solo on this one," Lola replied. "Besides, a baby has to have a father."
"I don't intend to have any kids just yet," he protested plainly.
"Well it's a little late for that," she cooed mysteriously. Jack's face froze as he looked over to her in utter amazement.
"Are you f#king me!?" He shouted. She shook her head. "What the hell! Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"
"I wanted to tell you face to face," she said. "So when you told me that you didn't love me I would know you were lying."
He said please come to L.A.To live forever
A California life alone
Is just too hard to build
I live in a house that
Looks out over the ocean
And there's some stars
That fell from the sky
Living up on the hill
Please come to L.A.
I just said no
Boy, you come home to me
"I don't love you," he shot. "Love is a myth guys made up to get into girls' pants."
"You do love me." She answered. "And I love you, and we're strong. I know we can make this work. Maybe not like that—" She looked back at Nikki and Rizzo, she was hugging him happily and laughing lightly at his comments. "But we're going to do fine."
She said, hey ramblin' boy
Why don't you settle down
L.A. ain't your kind of town
There ain't no gold
And there ain't nobody like me
I'm the number one fan
Of the man from Tennessee
I'm the number one fan
of the man from Tennessee (2)
"No kidding?" He repeated. She shook her head again.
"Ready or not."
THE END
But never fear...we've established there's a sequel, but I do hope this will satisfy for a while, maybe a week, but not much more.
1 I Give In Lyrics, Sara Evans
2 Kenny Chesney, Please Come to Boston, It just felt right okay?