M L Europe - thanks for the great review….I love getting reviews, and they really spur the stories along…but if you look at the dates published, I write pretty fast so I hope I keep your attention….check out my personal page if you want to email me, I love pen pals!
Thanks to all who have encouraged me to write this. I will have to say, this story is really helping me hone my writing skills and I love the fact that so many of you are enjoying the story.
This one, due to being set during their twenties, will have a few more adult scenes to it, so be forewarned. Not NC-17 or anything, but come on, a bunch of twenty-somethings definitely won't be stuck in the holding hands stage…just FYI! (also, some drinking mentions in it…hey, its bachelor party time!)
Justifying the Means
"Hatred is gained as much by good works as by evil."
-Niccolo Machiavelli
"The end justifies the means."
-Niccolo Machiavelli
Chapter 4
"Maybe the karaoke machine wasn't such a good idea, luv." Isabelle whispered aside to Brittany.
Brittany nodded. "Maybe we should have made Jeannette go a little easier on the champagne, too."
Isabelle giggled as they watched Jeannette whirl Eleanor around, dancing with her and still singing to Destiny's Child. "No, I think we gave her just enough champagne."
Brittany giggled herself – her and Isabelle had consumed quite a lot of champagne themselves. "You did remember the camcorder, right?"
Isabelle pointed to the hidden camera in behind a fern on her end table. "Oh, yeah. This is going to be priceless."
Brittany looked at Isabelle. "You do realize she is going to kill us when we show her that tape, don't you?"
Isabelle nodded, then gestured to Jeannette – who was swinging her hips seductively and acting very un-Jeannette like. "No doubt about it. But it will be worth it."
They clinked champagne glasses. "We did good." Brittany sipped her Asti Spumante. "Thanks for letting us use your apartment. The girls at the sorority house offered, but Jeannette only wanted a small party, and Miss Miller's getting on in years. I don't think she could have taken it. I hope your neighbor's don't mind."
"Not at all, they're cool." Isabelle had picked up quite a few Americanisms while living in the states. "No worries."
The song ended and Eleanor collapsed on Isabelle's cherry-red couch gratefully. "No more." She said, gasping. "No more. I need a break."
"Oh, come on, Elle." Brittany didn't think she had ever heard Jeannette call Eleanor by that particular name before. Eleanor shook her head. Jeannette looked at Brittany, her glasses a bit more askew than usual. "Okay, then, Brittany. Your turn. We can sing Material Girl."
Why did everyone always associate that song with her? "Maybe later, Jeannette. Eleanor's right – its time for a break."
Jeannette pouted. "Party pooper." Brittany almost laughed as Jeannette flopped into the chair next to her and Isabelle. "No one wants to sing with me."
Isabelle laughed. "We've been singing with you for three hours."
Jeannette waggled her finger at her – well, at least in her general direction. "I'll have you know that Brittany and Eleanor and I used to have concerts that would last hours and hours and hours and –"
"Really." Isabelle interrupted, her voice amused. She handed Jeannette her champagne flute.
Jeannette looked at it for a moment, then put it on the table. "I think I might need to take a break from the champagne." She said. "I think I'm a little intoculated…intixacated…"She shook her head. "Intoxicated."
"The word would be drunk, Jeannette."
"I am not drunk!" Jeannette denied, swaying in her chair. "Just a little lipsy."
"Tipsy."
"Tipsy." Jeannette corrected herself.
Brittany laughed at her. "What's the difference between being drunk and being tipsy?"
Jeannette seemed to need to think about that. "I don't know…'drunk' just sounds so…so…so crass."
They all burst into laughter at that. It was a pure Jeannette comment.
"Okay, a break on the champagne." Brittany said. "That means…presents!"
A stack of gifts suddenly appeared in front of Jeannette. "Oh, thank you!" Jeannette squealed.
"There would have been more if you would have let us invite some other people."
Jeannette shook her head. "At your bachelor party, you can have as many people as you want." Brittany didn't correct her on her verbal slip. "I just wanted my closest friends here – my sisters."
"Sisters?" Isabelle said shyly.
Jeannette smiled at her brilliantly. "Of course, Belle. You're an honorary Miller now." She hugged her briefly. "But now…presents!"
Brittany smiled as Jeannette fumbled a little with her gifts – she'd never seen her sister intoxicated and was having trouble not laughing. Jeannette was trying so hard to retain her usual reserved manner but failing miserably.
From Eleanor she received a custom-made soap-and-perfume scent set, everything perfected to perfume her with her signature scent of lilac and lotus bloom. Eleanor received big hugs for that one. From Isabelle she got a collection of toys that made Jeannette blush as she rifled through them…especially when she got to the powder blue fuzzy handcuffs.
"Belle, I don't think that Simon is going to be interested in these, really." Jeannette said, dangling the blue cuffs from one finger.
"Hey, you never know…and if he does like them…"Isabelle wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Meeoow."
"Blue fuzzy handcuffs?"
"I got them to match Brittany's gift."
"You did?" Jeannette looked at Brittany suspiciously.
Brittany handed her a smallish dress box wrapped in silver paper. "Don't jump to conclusions, Jeannette. Its just clothes."
"Oh, okay."
"But you have to promise me you'll wear it."
"Of course I'll wear it, whatever it is." If Jeannette had been just even a little bit less intoxicated, she would have probably heard the mischievousness in Brittany's voice…but a promise was a promise…
"Oh, my." Jeannette said as she stared at the contents of the box. "Well, it does match Belle's gift." She concluded dubiously.
"Let me see!" Eleanor said excitedly.
Jeannette pulled out a beautiful blue silk teddy that seemed to be made almost as much of transparent lace as it was of silk. A sheer ankle length blue robe accompanied it, and Isabelle had been right – the same powder-blue fuzzy material lined the wrists and bottom. "It's beautiful…. but I'll never be able to wear this…"
"You promised." Brittany said."
"But I-"
"I have to go to the bathroom." Eleanor said suddenly.
Brittany was glad to notice that she had been the only one of the Chippettes to see how the tears had suddenly filled Eleanor's eyes.
"So, are you going to model it for us?" Isabelle asked.
"Are you kidding me?" Jeannette looked shocked. "I'm not sure I'd be able to even wear it for Simon."
"Here." Isabelle handed Jeannette her champagne flute. "You need some more champagne. And trust me, Simon is going to love it."
"Give me a minute, will you? I'll be right back." Brittany was worried. Something was wrong with Eleanor, but she didn't want to ruin Jeannette's night. "I'll be right back." She started off after her younger sister, but they other two didn't seem to notice.
Brittany was alarmed when she heard the crying outside the bathroom door. "Eleanor? You okay?"
A set of hasty sniffles answered her. "Fine."
"Can I come in?"
"I'm using the toilet."
Brittany put her hands on her hips. "No, you're not. Let me in."
The door unlatched. Eleanor had already fixed her makeup but her eyes were red. "Yes?"
Brittany pushed her way into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. "Okay, Eleanor. What's wrong? I thought you were having fun!"
"I was! I mean, I am!" Eleanor insisted, sitting on the edge of the tub. "I guess it was just seeing the teddy you bought for Jeannette."
Brittany frowned. "You're crying 'cause you don't like the lingerie I picked out for our sister?"
"No! It's lovely, just lovely." Eleanor quickly assured her. She hiccupped, then looked at Brittany curiously. "Can I ask you a personal question?"
"Sure, anything."
Eleanor seemed embarrassed, but went ahead anyways. "Have you and Alvin…you know…made love yet?
That was a sensitive subject. "Honestly?"
"Of course."
"Well…yes." Brittany hurried on. "We're careful, really, but…yes."
"Oh." It seemed difficult for Eleanor to continue. "Is it…fun?'
That seemed to be a strange question. "Well…yeah. A lot of fun." Brittany smiled a little in memory. "A real lot of fun."
"Oh."
Suddenly Brittany realized where this was going. "Oh, Eleanor, I –"
"Don't worry, Brittany. I'm happy that you guys are doing so well." Eleanor didn't sound it. She sounded on the verge of tears again. "But…I'm twenty-three, Brittany, and a virgin. And if I stay with Theodore, I'll be a virgin forever."
Brittany had no idea what to say to that. "Eleanor, I'm –"
"Don't say you're sorry. And I'm not leaving Theodore. I love him too much for that." She paused. "But I don't like the idea of living my life as a nun, either."
"Eleanor, there are other things you can do…" Brittany was very uncomfortable with this conversation, but she felt that it was important for her to help her sister right now.
"I know. It's just…you and Jeannette getting married – don't get me wrong, I'm so happy for you I could burst – it just makes me think about my own future. My own choices. I don't regret the choices I'm making, but I am wondering how I am going to live with them."
Brittany wished she had something wise to say to her sister, or a magic wand to make it all better, but she didn't. "I guess you'll just have to deal with things as they come."
Eleanor wiped her eyes. "I know." She seemed to get a hold of herself. "We should get back to Belle and Jeannette…before Belle makes Jeannette do something she'll regret later."
Wanting to cheer her sister up, Brittany leaned in conspiratorially. "Want to know a secret?"
Eleanor looked at her suspiciously. "What?"
"We've been videotaping the whole night. We're going to show it to her tomorrow."
Eleanor tried to look shocked, but quickly dissolved into giggles instead. "Oh, you two better let her know I wasn't in on it. I don't have a death wish."
"Deal." Brittany stood, grabbing her little sister's hand and opening the bathroom door. "Come on."
When they entered the living room, they both stopped dead. Somehow, in someway, Isabelle had gotten Jeannette to change into her new lingerie and she was modeling it proudly – right in front of the hidden camera, to no less.
"Do you guys like it?" Jeannette asked, a very slight slur in her voice.
"Love it." Eleanor said brightly, then turned to Brittany and hissed at her.
"You'd really better tell her I had nothing to do with this."
OooooOooooO
"Did anyone ever notice that sunlight is really, really bright?" Simon said in a very quiet voice.
Alvin cracked one eye open, snuggling closer to Brittany. "It is, isn't it? Has anyone thought to complain?"
"I don't think it would do any good. Maybe last night, when we could have complained to the rum-and-cokes, and jager-bombs, and that drink that I can't remember the name of…" Simon groaned. "Okay, I don't understand bachelor parties. If you feel like this the day after, then why have them?"
Bachelor party…Alvin suddenly became aware of the warm body next to him. Brittany wouldn't have been at Simon's bachelor party… "Gavin!"
"Humph?" Gavin sat up quickly, and just as quickly groaned and dove back under the covers. "No, way, too early!"
Alvin threw the covers off his friend, trying to ignore the pounding in his head. "Oh, no, not until you get out of my bed."
"Actually, Alvin." Simon said, his voice raspy but the certainty in it still strong. "That's my bed you're in. You're both in, I mean."
"It is?" Sure enough, the comforter covering both him and Gavin was blue and white checkered, and it seemed that Simon had claimed Alvin's bed. Alvin thought briefly about switching beds, but…"Oh, who cares. Just keep your hands to yourself, Gavin."
"You're one to talk. You woke me up twice last night trying to nibble on my ear."
Suddenly Alvin was wide-awake – still feeling like he had been run over by a truck, but awake. "I what?"
Gavin laughed. "Just kidding, Alvin. I just wanted to see the look on your face when you thought…oof!"
Alvin's foot kicked Gavin off the bed just as Theodore came in, his wheelchair tray laden with breakfast food. "Morning, guys!" He said cheerily.
"Fascinating observation." Simon said irritably as Gavin crawled back into bed. This time Alvin let him. "As if we couldn't already tell."
"Actually, it's three in the afternoon." Theodore said. "But I guess it's morning for all of you." He started to lie out food on the dressers. "I don't know if you'll be hungry, but I made breakfast. Also, I brought a lot…and I mean a lot…of water. And some aspirin."
That made all three Chipmunks vacate their beds quickly…mostly for the water and aspirin, but food didn't sound all that bad…. not all that good, but they definitely needed something in their stomachs.
"Thanks, Theodore." Simon said around a mouthful of eggs.
"No problem." Not exactly the truth. Theodore could get out of bed now by himself, and in fact preferred to do so, but it wasn't exactly easy. A series of metal bars had been erected above his bed – for some reason they always reminded Alvin of the monkey bars they had used at grade school – and to get out of bed and into his chair Theodore would have to reach up, swing himself with his arms several feet to his wheelchair, and then repeat the process in the bathroom to get himself cleaned up. Out in the community, he still needed assistance for most of those things, but at home he was nearly completely self-sufficient. His physical therapy for his arms had definitely paid off…if Arnold Schwartzenegger had challenged Theodore to an arm wrestling contest, Alvin would have put his money on Theodore.
Sometimes Alvin wondered if there could be anyone in the world that he admired more than his baby brother.
"What time is the rehearsal dinner?" Gavin asked suddenly, and Alvin groaned. He had forgotten all about it.
"Seven-thirty." Theodore grinned. "I think Dave remembers what bachelor parties are supposed to be like."
Theodore had been their designated driver last night as they had made the rounds of the Hollywood bars…for his twenty-first birthday they had all pitched in and bought him this hideously expensive adaptive van that he could drive entirely with his hands. Alvin didn't think he'd ever forget the look of joy on his brother's face when they had given him that freedom.
But that didn't make him resent him any less for being the only one without a hangover here.
"Will you wake me up in an hour, then?" Alvin said, downing the last of the water and heading back to Simon's bed – hey, it was closer. He didn't even object when Gavin climbed in next to him.
"I'll even give you an hour and a half." Theodore said generously, obviously trying not to laugh.
"Great." Simon said, climbing back into Alvin's bed. "Ouch!" He sat up quickly, looking under the covers quizzically. "Guys, uh…"
"What is it?" Alvin asked, his curiosity overcoming his desire to go back to sleep.
Simon pulled an orange plastic traffic cone out from under his covers. "Anyone remember where this came from?"
Gavin and Alvin looked at each other helplessly. "No." They said in unison. The three Chipmunks then glanced at Theodore.
Theodore held up his hands helplessly. "Hey, if you don't remember, I'm certainly not gonna tell you." He grinned, cleaning up the remains of their breakfast and putting them on his wheelchair tray. "You know what they say…"
"A party's not complete unless you end up with a orange plastic traffic cone with you at the end of it."
Then End of part 4Reviews are as always, appreciated!!
P.S.I will make a special commendation in my reviews to anyone who can identify where the orange plastic traffic cone comes from…hint – another of my favorite shows, but one I haven't wrote fanfic for…yet. (2nd hint...its a British television series...)
