Lainey

Spring 2007

Lainey was nervous as hell that first day she got to know Brooklyn. She expected the teenage girl to hate her- on principal alone. Lainey figured she was the enemy because she was dating Ned.

But Brooklyn was not a typical teen. She had her own sense of style, her own moral code, and her own agenda. She was the perfect mix of scheming Quatermaine and outrageous Cirello. She wanted Ned happy, and her goal was to make sure he did not mess up his chance for that this time.

"I'm moving home for the summer," Brooklyn told them as they all ate lunch that day at the Metro Court.

She looked at her father and added, "Don't freak. I won't be living with you at the gatehouse. Alice already fixed up a suite for me in the mansion."

"I thought you had club dates in New York?" Ned asked.

"I will commute. You're hiring me a driver."

"I am?" he asked

Brooklyn looked at Lainey for back up.

"Sounds like you are, Ned."

Brooklyn said, "And I will also need a tour bus now that I am a up-and- coming rock star."

"Don't get me wrong," Ned said "I love the idea of having you here. But wouldn't it be easier to just live in New York?"

"But you are here," she smiled and cast a glance between her dad and his girlfriend " and I think you need me."

He patted her hand, "I do need you. I need you to get to know Lainey and for you two to get along. You think you can do that for your dad?"

"She seems a lot more sane than your usual type. Mom excluded, of course." Brooklyn said "So, yeah, I think I can."

Lainey, inwardly, let out a sigh and thanked God. She shared a look with Ned that said, This is really happening. The start of the rest of our lives. The start of us as a family.

Lainey had dreamt of marriage and family but those dreams seemed like something that would be in the distant future, they seemed hazy and unformed and like they might never happened. But now they were. Ned was making one dream after another come true- he was breaking down her walls until she was open enough to really believe in him, in love, in happy ever after.

Ned reached over and took her hand, under the table, he squeezed it and silently told her he believed in them just as much as she did.

(If I told you it was all meant to be

Would you believe me?

Would you agree?

It's almost that feeling

that we met before.

So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy.

When I tell you love has come, here and now.

A moment like this!

Some people wait a lifetime.

For a moment like this.

Some people search forever.

For that one special kiss.

Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me.

Some people wait a lifetime

for a moment like this...) ( Kelly Clarkson)

Fall 2007

"Oh my God," Ned muttered over and over as he paced outside of Lainey's apartment door.

At his age, after so many marriages, he found it hard to believe that he could still be this nervous over a woman. But this was not just anyone. This was Lainey. She brought light and grace and love into his life after what felt like a thousand cold bitter winters of pain and loneliness. He wanted to do this perfectly.

Sweat dotted his brow, his stomach rolled in apprehension. "I can do this!" he told himself.

Suddenly her door flew open, and Ned spun around to see Lainey standing there looking radiant in a burgundy colored gown.

"Gorgeous," he breathed out, as his eyes drunk her in.

"Thank you. So... you can do what?" she asked with a smile.

He walked inside. "Hmm?"

"You said 'I can do it!' right before I opened the door. What can you do, Ned?"

"Oh."

She studied him, noting how pale he looked. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

She felt his forehead. "You look sick? Or like something upset you."

Ned took her hand from his head and held it. "Actually, just the opposite. But lets talk about it after dinner."

He had invited her to the Metro Court where he had rented the whole dining room just for them. He hired a band to play her favorite love songs and told the chef to make her creme brulee for dessert, because he knew she considered it 'to die for'.

"No, Ned, lets talk now. I don't want you spending hours upset." She eased close to him and dropped her voice, "I hope this isn't... about us.. There isn't a problem between us, is there?"

"Do you think there is?"

"No." Her eyes searched his. "I love you more than any other person on earth. You know that, sweetie."

He let out a short breath. "Good." he smiled slightly then dropped down on one knee.

He pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket, one big enough to rival any worn by the women in Beverly Hills.

Ned's eyes got teary as he said "I should know how to do this. What to say. The perfect words. I should know but I don't. All I know, Lainey, is that I love you. I love you being my woman. I don't know what ever made you decide to ask me to The Charity Ball...maybe God took pity on me and sent me an angel...because I know it wasn't just luck. I am not that lucky. You are more special to me than I can ever tell you. You gave me hope and a future to look forward to. I thought I had messed up all my chances and then you asked me out and all of the sudden I had another chance and a ... heart that had something to beat for, someone to ache for, someone to love again, you. You are irreplaceable to me."

She covered her mouth with her hands and cried. "You are to me, too, Ned."

He held the ring up towards her and said "I want to spend everyday of the rest of my life with you, Lainey, and even that won't be enough for me to show you all the love I have for you. But it's a start. Will you grace me with that? I know I'm not worthy..."

She pulled him to his feet. "You are worthy. You are amazing. I love you." She started kissing his cheeks over and over, kissing away his tears. He wiped away hers.

"Is that a yes?"

She kissed him, soft and sweet, and then cried " Yes!"

LATER, they danced at the Metro Court, their eyes locked on each other. Together they were moving toward a life that would be spent in a noisy mansion with family that would have something to say about everything they did, and with children that would bond them all together and give them all a future to build their lives around.

Those children that were yet to be born were on their mind that night. She could see them in Ned's eyes, and he could nearly hear their laughter in his mind. He knew they would be beautiful, like her, she knew they would be smart and quite possibly devious, like his side of the family.

There were so many good times to look forward to, so many more moments like this night, where they would both feel like love saved their lives, and healed their souls.

(Everything changes

but beauty remains.

Something so tender

I can't explain.

Well, I may be dreaming but till I awake

Can we make this dream last forever?

And I'll cherish all the love we share.

A moment like this!

Some people wait a lifetime

for a moment like this.

Some people search forever

for that one special kiss.

Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me,

Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this...

Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this

Oh like this) ( Kelly Clarkson)

Next chapter- Kelly