IMPORTANT!!! MUST READ: Alright, I know this is going to be confusing, but the rest of Riley's family is joining up in this chapter. Remember, this is just her mother's side; I'm not introducing her father's side in this book. Now some of this will be redundant, but it's just to help y'all sort things out...if you're OCD (like me) than copy and paste the whole 'family naming' section to s file in your computer or whatever and save it for later...

I'm not kidding...

You don't even know...

This gets so confusing...

It's so confusing, it's not confusing... (that makes no sense, I know) tee hee ;)

Chapter 40

(Wednesday August 20, 2006)

The morning had been all around uneventful; it mostly consisted of the family laying around and doing nothing...no one wanted to address the fact that it was the day before the funeral. Riley began to worry when there was still no sign of Porsche, no one had heard from her, but as far as Kiersten knew, she had boarded her flight that morning.

Nick found Riley sitting out on the deck, her leg propped up on the bench with her arm resting on her knee with the other leg dangling over the edge of the bench, with her other hand up by her mouth in the 'Riley-thinking-face' position. Sign number one that something important was on her mind. Nick smiled and neared her, resting a hand on her shoulder to lean down to kiss her forehead. She turned her head abruptly towards him, dropping the gold cross from her fist as she did so. Sign number two that her mind was working overtime. She always got jumpy, and dazed out when she was in deep thought, and, along with her thinking face, she'd bring her little golden cross to her mouth and hold it there absently as she thought, humming a random church hymn as her mind wandered.

Riley gave him a forced smile and Nick sat behind her on the bench and acted as her resting pillow as she leaned back against him and settled comfortably against him. He kissed the top of her head and set his chin there as he was silent for a few moments. "What's on your mind Darlin?" He asked softly and Riley sighed.

"Nothin really. Just thinkin about random things." Riley lied and Nick sighed and took her bicep in his hands and began stroking the smooth flesh with his thumb.

"What was up with that obscene, loud wake up call this morning?" Nick asked after a few minutes and Riley turned to him slightly surprised. That 'towel-under-the-door' trick had always worked when she was younger, but then of course Nick was trained to hear a pin drop in an airport.

"You heard that...?" Nick nodded. "Just...nothin. Relationship problems." Riley replied vaguely and Nick's eyes widened and he looked at her worriedly. She looked back at him and chuckled. "Not ours. We're good baby." She replied and patted his cheek reassuringly.

"You sure?" He asked and she smiled and nodded.

"Yes. Don't worry...have I ever not voiced my opinion or feelings?"

"Nope." Nick replied automatically.

"So don't worry. If something was wrong you'd know it."

"So whose relationship are you trying to save?"

"Ah just...no one's...its not important."

"Are you sure it's not us?" Nick asked and Riley turned to face him. Her bright blue eyes clashed with his deep brown ones. She grabbed his face gently in her hands and kissed him passionately to prove her point. When they broke apart for air Riley gave him a promising smile.

"We. Are. Fine. I promise baby..." She assured him and squeezed his hands before kissing him once more and turning back to sit in her original position of leaning against him.

Nick waited a few moments before he spoke again. "So you're not gonna tell me who it is?"

She sighed softly and shook her head. "I can't it's...complicated." You know, just the usual, one of my best friends cheated on one of your best friends with my cousin...no big deal. Riley thought sarcastically.

"Can you give me a hint?"

Riley chuckled. "You do not give up do you?"

"No...how do you think I finally got you?"

"Well, ya know, technically," She turned to face him and sat up on her knees, in between his one bent leg which scaled the rail of the deck, while the other dangled over. "I got you."

Nick scoffed. "You did not."

"Did too! When we first met I sat down at the bar-"

"And I asked where you were from-"

"Then I asked you to dance. But you said 'no'...so I finally convinced you to dance, then you looked whiter than can be-"

Nick gasped in offense. "I did not! I am a very good dancer."

"I didn't say you weren't a good dancer...I said you looked white."

Nick scoffed. "This coming from the palest girl I've ever met."

She gaped at him in slight offense, then closed her mouth and looked down at her jean-covered knees while a self-conscious smile played on her lips. "I thought you liked my pale skin..."

"Baby..." He grabbed her arm gently and kissed the back of her hand. "I love your skin." Her replied in a deep voice and sealed his confession by kissing her wrist. "Every," He placed a tender kiss on her lower forearm. "Single," He placed another kiss on her arm, this time on the inside of her elbow. "Inch of it." He continued kissing his way up her arm to prove it point, inhaling the scent of her skin as she went, letting his fingers slowly brush over the smooth flesh as he did so. He ran his hands up and down her arms, tickling the exposed silky skin with his lips as he did so. "And if we weren't at your parent's house, I'd be showing you just how much I love this skin...right...now." He professed and scooted her closer to his body so he could kiss her shoulder, then her clavicle, then the dip in her neck, across her other shoulder and back down her arm, sealing the back of her other hand with a kiss.

A sly smile fell upon her face and she chuckled in a low, seductive voice. "Feeling a little frisky are we Mr. Stokes?" She wrapped her arms loosely around his neck and intertwined her fingers behind his neck, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck with her thumbs. He ran his hand down her side and squeezed her hip lightly while looking her up and down. The sun was behind her, casting its glow through her hair making it look metallic orange with a golden halo of sorts around it. The freckles on her skin were standing out more with all the sun she'd been absorbing in the passed two days, no longer working the nightshift for the time being. The bright baby blue color of her eyes appeared to gain a certain sparkle when she looked at him and her grin seemed to grow a little wider whenever she saw him.

Nick looked down her exquisite form once more and sucked in a breath. As he ran the hand that wasn't on her hip up and down one of the arms looped around his neck. "You have no idea." She grinned and shook her head as she leaned in to kiss him gently. Nick groaned as the kiss deepened and reluctantly pushed her away. Riley winced and gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry..." She giggled and blushed when she felt him hardening against her thigh.

"Well, I guess I'll be relaxing out here for a while..."

Just get an anit-boner thought...like your parents having sex."

"Ah! Riley!" Nick screamed in horror and covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut. "Holy crap woman, what is your problem?!"

Riley clutched her stomach as she laughed and shook her head. "Hey, it worked!" She grinned triumphantly.

"Oh my God I'm never having sex again..." Nick professed and looked out on the lake, a haunted and scarred look on his handsome features. Riley cupped his cheek with her hand and bit her lip apologetically, but she couldn't help but smile at the unexpected, yet amusing, effect her statement had on him. "That's just not right..."

"Oh Nick...I'm sorry." She apologized again and Nick shivered playfully and pretended to gag. She giggled and pursed her lips. "You really had me worried there...I thought I really had scarred you..."

"Oh no, no, no...don't worry, you did..." Nick assured her. She laughed and climbed out from between his legs and pulled him up by his hands, then laced fingers with him. She gave him a soft smile and shook the hair from her face that had blown there from the breeze.

"Well...I think I'll still keep you around." She said softly and Nick smiled.

"You like me."

She pursed her lips and shrugged. "What can I say? You've grown on me." This caused Nick to laugh and pull her into a loving embrace. He looped his arms around her shoulders and gripped her back loosely. She hooked her arms underneath his own so that they were perpendicular to his, and clutched his shoulders as he buried his face in her hair. After a few moments Nick reluctantly pulled away and looked at her. She smiled happily at him and shifted her footing while ducking her head, then shifting her eyes to look up at him, embarrassed at the way he was looking at her. "What?" She questioned and waited for his answer.

He shrugged and smiled and she brought her face back up. Nick picked a piece of red hair away from her face where the wind had once again blown it, and she smiled at him. Suddenly Nick started to laugh and Riley chuckled softly.

"What?"

"Is it just me or is this a Kodak moment?" Nick asked and as if on cue, a bright light flashed and the clicking sound of a camera broke through the serene nature the couple was surrounded by. Riley groaned and shook her head while blushing.

"Nick, did I forget to mention that my family is in love with cameras?"

Nick grinned at her and laughed as she looked over slowly to whoever had snapped the picture. "Aunt Faye...how did I know it was you?"

"Cause you're psychic Sugar." The older, tourist looking woman drawled. She had dark blonde hair with gray streaks, bright white teeth, and an unmistakable Florida tan. She was wearing a tie-dye shirt with pictures of sea shells and 'FLORIDA' written on it. She wore spandex aerobics shorts, jeweled sandals and a white fanny pack. "Cheese!" She replied and snapped a quick picture before Riley could further object. Riley squealed and buried her face in the crook of Nick's neck. Nick laughed and wrapped his arms back around her like before.

"No more pictures!" Riley replied and Faye groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Bryn, c'mon Doll. I don't have nearly enough pictures of you."

"No!" Riley replied and Faye rolled her eyes again. Nick laughed and quickly took Riley's shoulders and spun her away from his chest and held her still so her Aunt could snap another picture. Riley growled in mock-anger and when Nick released her he ran for dear life. Riley took off after him, and quickly gained speed on him, only lagging a few yards behind.

Faye laughed triumphantly and wandered back to the porch where the rest of the family, including those who had just arrived, stood and watched the couple chasing each other like they had the night before. "Get your cowardly ass back here Nicholas Garret Stokes!" Riley demanded.

"Garret?" All of Riley's brothers and male cousins (that's too many men to name) asked before they all doubled over laughing and slapped their knees.

"Hey! No middle names Bryn Riley Ann Turner!" Nick replied and Riley laughed and pumped her legs faster to gain on him. She reached out and grabbed his shirt and yanked on it, sending them both to the ground. Riley quickly flipped Nick over and pinned him down by his wrists.

"Ha! I win." Riley replied triumphantly. Nick smiled and shook his head.

"I think you ripped my shirt."

"Oh did I?" Riley asked concerned and looked at the rip from his shoulder extending down his shirt.

"Yeah."

"Oh I'm sorry." She apologized and gave him the crooked smile that could always get her out of anything. Nick grinned back at her and chuckled as the fabric of her polyester and rayon green and blue floral shirt blew into his face. "If it makes you feel any better, I think I got more grass stains on my jeans." She replied and Nick laughed.

"Darlin, those things are older, more faded, and have more holes than any other jeans on the face of this Earth...ya know what, pitch those and I'll take you shopping for new ones."

"No!" She whined and released his wrists as she sat back and put her hands on her thighs. "I love these things! Don't make me throw 'em away." She pouted and Nick chuckled.

"It's the jeans or me." Nick joked and she sighed sadly and looked down to the jeans covering her legs.

"Bye jeans." She said in an unhappy little kid's voice and Nick laughed and pulled her back down to him so he could hug her and kiss her temple.

"You can keep the jeans." Nick joked and she laughed and pulled away but pinned his wrists back down, making him laugh.

"Promise?" She asked, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Promise." Nick swore just as another picture was snapped. Both of them turned to see her Aunt Libby standing smiling, a camera in hand.

"Kodak moment." She replied and Riley sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I would like a copy of that Ma'am." Nick requested and Libby laughed. "We've known each other for 10 months and I still don't have a picture of her..."

"What about that one picture of us by the 'Eiffel Tower'?" Riley asked and Nick shook his head.

"Wheaty ate it."

"Who's Wheaty?" Libby asked.

"My bird." Nick answered and turned back to look at Riley, who was still perched on top of him, not that anyone really seemed to notice or care. "I miss him."

Riley laughed and brought her hand to his cheek and nodded. "I know, and I miss Yoda. But don't worry, they're in good hands."

"Yoda is your dog, right Riley?" Her mother clarified and Riley nodded.

"Yep. Speaking of dogs, where are the little rascals?"

"Boarding School." Her mother replied and Russell rolled his eyes.

"You mean doggy boot camp."

It was Hope's turn to roll her eyes, and then wander back into the house to start cooking for the lunch feast. It seemed that anytime the entire family wasn't roughing each other up, making fun of each other, or doing some random event, they were eating...

"Aw, I was hopin Nick could meet the little babies." Riley drawled and crawled off Nick and reached out her hand to help him to his feet. The two of them stood and then brushed the grass and dirt off of their clothes, and Riley smirked when she saw Nick's shirt. "Oops...I'll buy you a new one."

"Eh, it's fine." Nick replied and waved the comment away as he pecked her cheek to reassure her.

"I'll grab you a new one then."

"Don't even bother Bee-bop, we're getting ready to start a game of tackle football and figured mister 'All Star' here would wanna play with us." Her cousin John (eldest twin to Michael) replied.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Hope objected. "Don't even go there. No one's playing anything until Nick meets the rest of the family."

Nick gulped. "'The rest'?"

"Yeah, I don't want him all broken and bruised when he meets 'em." Riley replied while nodding.

"Uh...how many more are there?" Nick asked and Riley scoffed.

"Saddle up baby. You're meetin the entire clan..."

"Oh no." Nick chuckled and Riley led him into the house along with the family Nick already knew. The loud commotion and voices Nick had been hearing earlier was now explained when Nick saw the large groups of family scattered throughout the large house. "Holy..."

"Alright, Mama...will you do the honors...? Cause I'm kinda confused myself." Riley replied and Hope laughed.

"Alright, first here we have my Dad, John Smith, and no, I'm not kidding about his name. Everyone calls him Pa-Paw Snoops though, and my mother Margaret Smith, aka, Mee-maw Cocoa. My oldest sister is Libby Dianete, and her husband is Artie Dianete. Their eldest is Missy and her two children are Rebecca and Jacob. John and Michael are Riley's twin cousins, also the sons of Libby and Artie, Michael's wife is Tina and their children are Kylee and their twin sons Ian and Harley. You already know Terri and her son Dennis-"

"Moosey!" Riley interrupted and Dennis rolled his eyes without even bothering to punch Riley.

"Yes, we call him Moosey, and his girlfriend Brandy. Her little girl is Brittany, affectionately names Brit-Brat," Hope said as the little three year old girl smiled and waved at Nick. She was the spitting image of her mother, with long blonde hair with the biggest brown eyes and button nose. "And Dennis' two sons Dennis Jr. Jr., otherwise known as DJ, and Neil." The boys were bi-racial, and obviously the sons of another woman, Dennis' first wife Rose. But the boys looked practically identical, save the fact that the youngest, Neil, was a bit chunkier than Dennis.

"Are they twins?" Nick asked and Brandy smiled and ruffled her 'sons' hair.

"Nah, they're two years apart, five and seven...they just look alike." She replied and Nick nodded. "And I'm five months pregnant with a little girl."

"Bella Anne Curtis...go me!" Dennis said proudly and puffed out his chest. Brandy rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the smile on her face.

"It takes two to tango buddy."

"Congratulations." Nick smiled and Dennis and Brandy smiled back.

"You can get preggers by doin the Tango?!" Neil asked in shock causing everyone to laugh.

"Anyway, this is my third oldest sister Debbie, and her husband Frank, you met him last night." Hope replied and Nick nodded. "And their oldest girl Tabbitha and her husband Brian, and their kids, Ariel, James, and Samuel. She's also five months along with their little boy, Jackson Michael Klies."

"Congrats." Nick complimented again and they nodded their thanks.

"Then Debbie and Frank's boy Will is next, along with his wife Betsy, and their kids Karen Sophia, and Trenton, and Betsy is four months along with their girl Angelina Marie Baker. Next is my fourth oldest sister, otherwise known as the Kodak-Addict, Faye Clemens and her husband Jon. Now, that's Jon without the 'H', and my father and Libby and Artie's boy have the 'H'." Hope explained and Nick nodded. "Their oldest is Nikki, with her two kids Evan and Jenny. Faye and Jon's second child is Jessie, and her boyfriend is Niles and their child is Cindy. My fifth oldest sister is Joy McTide-"

"Porsche's mother." Riley whispered and Nick nodded.

"And her husband Doc, with their oldest boy Noah, and his wife Amy. Amy's son is Brady, but she's six months along with their first kid...um...what name did y'all decide on?" Hope asked the couple and Amy smiled.

"Sarah Elyse McTide." She answered and Noah grinned and put his hands on his wife's shoulder proudly.

"Right, then Noah's little brother Josh...where's Porsche? I think you already know her, right Nick?" Hope asked and Nick nodded.

"Porsche went out on a beer run and to go pick up more paper plates and napkins." Josh informed them while clinking his lip ring against his teeth.

"Someone call her and let her know we need more ice as well." Hope ordered and Josh pulled out his cell phone to call his little sister. "Where were we? Oh, right, then my kids. You already know my oldest boy Russell and his wife Candice, and her two girls are Bailey and Camryn. Then their little girl is Parker, and Candice is about six months along with their first little boy, Nicholas Bradley Turner. then my second oldest boy, Ryan, and his wife Amber...where are your kids?"

"Out in the front scamming neighbors into giving them money for the ice-cream truck." Amber replied and Ryan smiled proudly.

"That's my kids."

Hope scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Lord help me..." She drawled. "Anyway, their kids are Jordan-Logan, Patricia, Kaydence, and Nicholas, and then Amber is about seven months along with Alison Corrine Turner."

"My family has nothing better to do than screw endlessly." Riley whispered and Nick chuckled.

"Next is Logan and his fiancé Victoria, and their kids Aviana, and Drew-Anne." Hope continued. "And they are also four moths along with their first boy, Nicholas Timothy Turner."

"I just realized we have way too many people with the name 'Nick' in this family..." Riley pointed out and they all laughed. "I think y'all should reconsider that baby name."

"No! I love that name! Make Nick change his name, he's the newest to the family." Victoria defended jokingly, and Nick and Riley blushed beat red and shifted uncomfortably at the insinuation of Nick being 'part of the family'.

Hope looked between the two for a moment before breaking the silence. "...Alrighty then...next is Paige and Tom...but I'm pretty sure you know them all..."

Nick nodded.

"We settled on a baby name." Paige announced. "Since it's a girl...we're naming her Bryn Dawn Oakley." She replied and Riley and Hope both smiled because she had used Hope's middle name and Riley's first name.

"Aww...Paigey-Kins..." Riley replied and smiled at her sister. "I'm honored."

Hope sniffled and smiled while fanning herself. "Oh..." She sniffled again and wiped her eyes. "This is just so..."

Riley laughed and rolled her eyes. "Don't mind Mama Nick, she's crazy menopausal." Riley replied, earning a slap upside the back of her head from her mother. "You see my point."

Nick laughed and shook his head.

"Alright..." Hope sniffled again. "On we go...Next is Ricky and Cynthia and their baby girl, Jenna."

"Actually...we have news..." Cynthia began. "We're two months pregnant with a suspected little girl..." Everyone awed and congratulated them and Riley laughed.

"But what else is new?" Riley joked and everyone laughed. "I mean seriously, someone announcing they're pregnant is like saying 'Hey, I breathed today...'." Everyone laughed again.

"Which brings us to our last pregnant couple...Ronny and Julia. Julia is five months along with William Jack Turner." Hope finished and Nick nodded slowly and looked around the room.

"...Have you come to a decision on that whole name-tag thing?" Nick joked and everyone laughed and Riley kissed his cheek and squeezed his hand.

"Don't worry...just two more days and you'll be free of these crazies." Riley pointed out and Nick laughed.

Paige looked around at her sisters-in-law and smiled as she turned back to Riley. "Hey Bryn...do you realize if y'all were one moth pregnant, we'd have an entire line of pregnant women, from 8 months to 1 month...?" Paige asked and Riley chocked on the bottle of water she was sipping. Nick and she blushed profusely as Nick patted her back and tried to ignore the insinuation.

Hope looked around the room and cleared her throat at the growing tension enveloping at the accused statement...the fact that Riley's father had just entered the room didn't help things either. "Wasn't there a football game to be played?" She asked and Larry caught her hint.

He cleared his throat and nodded. "Alright Gang, let's go play some football!"

"Blue forty two, blue forty two...hut! Hut! Hut!!" Ricky exclaimed and quickly passed the ball to Riley, who cradled it close to her and ran as fast as she could down the "field". Tom began gaining on her, but Ryan tackled him down, keeping Riley's tail semi-cleared. John and Michael were tag-teaming her by gaining on her from either sides. Riley tried to ignore them and ran faster, praying that someone would get them off her back. Surely enough, Larry came up quickly and took them both out with one shot (something not hard for a man his size).

Riley squealed and tried to run faster, but was finding it hard to do so. Dennis was gaining on her...and fast! In the blink of an eye he had her around the waist, and pulled her to the ground, hard enough for the group of woman and Riley's father and grandfather to hear the smack when she hit the ground. Everyone ooohed, before rushing over when Dennis climbed off of her lower portion of her body, and seeing that she wasn't moving. Nick, Keith, and Hope all knelt down around Riley as Nick put a soft hand on her back and let out a sigh of relief when he felt his hand rise and fall with her back. "She's breathing." He stated.

"Roll her over gently." Hope instructed calmly, having dealt with this before, but never use to the feeling of worry, she knew how to keep her cool. Keith gently rolled his baby girl onto her back and brushed the hair off of her forehead.

"Hey...Bryn...wake up Bee-bop." Keith instructed softly. Riley's face scrunched up and she groaned and rolled her head to the side.

"Ow..." She moaned softly and Nick took her smaller hand in his.

"Open your eyes Sweetheart..." Nick instructed. Keith looked up at Nick and sent a glare his way, feeling as though his turf was being invaded by some hot-blooded, unreasonable horn-dog, unworthy of his baby girl...

Riley slowly opened her eyes. "Ugh..." She moaned and let out a soft chuckle. "Mama..."

"Yes Baby Girl?"

"Do me a favor..."

"Yes..."

"Get me a beer." She asked and Hope threw her hands in the air and rolled her eyes.

"Figures that would be the request."

In no time at all Dennis handed Riley her beer. "Sorry Bryn..."

"Eh, don't sweat it Dennis, I've had worse falls than this." Riley shrugged and Keith sighed and pulled his lighter out of his pocket.

"Hold still Bryn." He instructed and brought the lighter to her eye to make sure her pupils dilated appropriately.

"Am I good to play?" She asked and Keith nodded.

"You'll be fine. Just take it easy." He said ruffling her hair.

She smirked and rolled her eyes. "I think you should sit this one out Bryn." Hope said.

"I agree." Nick added and Riley huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Of course you would, if you had your way you'd have me permanently wrapped in bubble paper and kept in a 'Fragile' box." Riley joked and Nick sighed and shot her a look.

"Please, just sit this next one out." Nick pleaded and Riley shook her head and stood up.

"No. I'm fine." Riley said stubbornly and stood up with a little help from her father.

"Riley-"

"No." Riley said firmly and Nick growled frustrated.

"You are so damn stubborn." Nick growled and shook his head. Riley just narrowed her gaze and shot a glare his way while shaking her head.

"Look whose talking." She grumbled and stomped back over to line up on the field. The woman began lining back up on the porch and the teams filed back to their starting lines.

The game continued to go on, Riley's team jumping to the lead because Nick refused to tackle her or even run past her too quickly. Halfway through the second half of the game Riley stomped over to him after he let her pass him. She shot him a glare before turning sharply and going to sit on the sidelines. Nick raised a brow. "Where are you going?" He called and she shrugged.

"To the sidelines considering I'm more likely to get tackled over here than if I was actually in the game." Riley snipped and Nick scoffed and shook his head.

"Quit it Riley..."

"I am." She said and plopped down in the chair next to Paige, and reached over to grab a beer from the cooler. Nick shot her a look and the two set off in one of their practically daily 'stare-downs'. The family sat off to the sidelines around them and shifted uncomfortably.

"So um...third down?" Brian asked and Logan nodded.

"Yeah..."

"Is Nick still in the game?" Noah asked uncertainly and Niles raised his brow and shrugged.

"Let's play around the ol' Chap." He suggested, his warm British accent standing out like a sore thumb around all of the obvious Texans, Floridians, and New Yorkers.

Russell smirked at the sound of the accent and laughed. "Dude, your voice is the best."

Niles raised a brow. "Come again dear Fellow." Niles requested, earning another laugh from Russell and Candice to roll her eyes.

"Alright Ladies, I say we go shopping and leave the boys to their games..." She suggested and all the women agreed. Riley sighed and looked over at Nick, who was still miffed about her not playing the game just because he refused to give her his best efforts. She sighed again and looked back to the girls. "You comin Bryn?" Candice asked and Riley shook her head.

"Nah, I'm gonna stay here and chill for a while."

Candice's eyes flickered to Nick, but she nodded and filed back into the house with the other women.

Whew! Sorry that chapter took so long. I'd just like to say that writer's block is a bitch! So, review and let me know what y'all think...there aren't many chapters left of this book, and I wanna get a hundred reviews on this...

I know it's unlikely, but, -crosses fingers- here's hoping.

-Futuremisscsi60