Disclaimer: Characters are owned and produced by The Disney Channel and It's A Laugh Productions. I am just borrowing them for these stories. Original characters are owned by the author of this story.
Author's Note: For those of you who are fans of my stories and have read my London and Maddie sequel, Search for Tomorrow, you are going to ask yourself as you read part of this chapter, "Wait a minute! Haven't I read some of this somewhere before?" Well, you have. Part of this chapter is lifted directly from chapter five of that story. Since the timelines of the two stories parallel at this point in time, I thought this important little nugget of a scene from the other story could be included in this one as well. You'll see me do this again later on in this story so get used to it! ENJOY!
By the way, a couple of new characters…
Christian Scott – Julian McMahon (Christian Troy from Nip/Tuck. I named my character before I thought about the actor portraying him.)
Jessica "Jess" Scott – Joanna Levesque (pop singer JoJo)
Okay, here's the thing… I age progressed all the main characters in this story but I chose to keep JoJo at her natural age. She just looks to me like she could be Ariel and Christian's child, so please suspend your disbelief for me. In this story, she's 12 years younger than Miley and Lilly.
Back to the Future
Chapter 11
Cry Me a River
Friday, April 13, 2018 – 4:27 am - Lilly and Miley's house, Belle Meade, Tennessee
There was a deafening silence that lay over Lilly and Miley's house. It was just before 4:30 in the morning on the early spring morning. They had decided that after two months of pushing themselves to the limit, they would take a richly deserved day off. The plan was to wake up around 11 and do absolutely nothing but become human vegetables, sit in front of the television in their media room and watch movies all day.
But as the Robert Burns' poem, To A Mouse, says, "the best laid schemes of mice and men, go often askew." On this early April morning, Miley and Lilly's plans for a rest day went as far askew as they possibly could. And it all started with one middle-of-the-night phone call.
The cordless phone on Miley's side of the bed came to life, its computer generated warble of a ringer sending uncomfortable vibrations into their ears.
"You've got to be kidding me." Miley grumbled with her face buried in the pillow.
"Don't answer it." Lilly said lightly, still half asleep.
"It's… four-thirty in the morning. It must be important." Miley growled again. She fumbled in the dark, slapping at the phone with her left hand and hitting the corner of the nightstand. "Oww! Shit." She finally found the phone and picked it up on the fifth ring, one ring before it went to voice mail. "Hello."
"Miley, it's Raven. There's an emergency. London and Maddie are in trouble and they need our help."
Miley shot straight up in the bed and turned the lamp on beside her. "London and Maddie? What's wrong?" The urgency in Miley's voice caused Lilly to sit straight up beside her in bed. Miley reached over and put the phone on speaker.
"Look, I really can't explain right now. They're not hurt but they really need us. We're on a charter plane on our way to Nashville now. Pack an overnight bag. We'll pick you up at your house. We've got the address. I'm sorry, I gotta go. Chels and I will see you around seven."
"We'll be ready." Miley said.
"Be safe!" Lilly said.
"We will. Bye." Raven said before hanging up.
"Oh my god, Miles! What's going on?" Lilly said with genuine concern laced with fear in her voice.
"I don't know, Lil. But we've got to get ready. They'll be here at seven." Miley said with worry thick in her voice.
Lilly and Miley sprung into action. Miley grabbed two overnight bags and began packing for herself and Lilly as Lilly went to hop in the shower. When Lilly finished in the bathroom, Miley went to clean up. They dressed and straightened their room up before heading downstairs around 6:15 to wait.
"Are you hungry? Do you want me to fix something?" Miley asked.
"No. I'm too nervous to eat. I'm worried." Lilly said.
"Sweet niblets, I know you're worried if you're not eating. Come here." Miley stepped forward and embraced Lilly who was sitting on the stool in the kitchen. "Look, we have to try to put something in our stomachs. God knows where we're gonna be and for how long."
"I feel like we should be doing something." Lilly said.
Miley thought for a second. "Here. Gimme your hands." Lilly placed her hands in Miley's just before Miley closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Lord, I realize that we don't pray to you often, and we wouldn't blame you turned a deaf ear to our prayer. But our friends are in need. Mamaw always says that we should be specific in our prayers. So Lord, please bless Maddie Fitzpatrick and London Tipton today. Whatever situation it is that their going through, please deliver them through it Lord. They are our friends that we love dearly and we don't want to see anything bad happen to them. Bless Raven and Chelsea to help them all they can until we see them, then Lord, let us do all we can for them. In your name we pray… amen."
"Amen." Lilly said. "Thank you babe. That made me feel better."
"Prayin' always does." Miley said. "Now, I'm gonna fix us a bagel and some juice."
Miley and Lilly spent the next forty-five minutes eating and talking. At precisely seven o'clock, the intercom chime for the main gate sounded in the kitchen. Lilly got up and went over to the panel to open the line.
"Hello?" Lilly said.
"Lilly, it's us open up!" Raven said. A moment later, Lilly hit the button for the gate allowing it to slowly open for them to drive through.
Lilly and Miley scooped up their bags and headed for the front door. After making sure they had everything, they opened the front door just as Raven and Chelsea walked up.
"Hey sweetie." Raven said rather solemnly as she stepped forward to embrace Miley.
"Hey Rae." Miley returned the greeting.
"Hi Chelsea." Lilly said as she hugged her. Chelsea said her hello before switching over to embrace Miley.
"Sorry to wake you guys up. We didn't know what else to do." Chelsea said.
"It's okay." Lilly said. "We're always here for you guys."
"Come on. We better get going." Raven said as she and Chelsea took Miley and Lilly's overnight bags to load into the rented minivan.
"You didn't tell me on the phone… what's going on?" Miley asked.
"We'll explain it to you in the van." Chelsea said. Miley looked at Lilly, her concern building by the second.
As they reached the van, Lilly had another question for them. "Where are they right now?"
"Well…" Raven said. She then slid the van door open revealing the two mystery guests. "They're right here."
Lilly and Miley's hearts began pounding as they were shocked to see two of their best friends beaming from ear-to-ear as they lunged forward. "Whose up for a wedding today?" London bellowed as she and Maddie thrust their diamond-laden hands forward for the Tennesseans to see.
"Ohmigod! Ohmigod! Ohmigod!" Lilly exclaimed.
Miley shook her head from sided to side, her mouth wide open enough to catch flies. She looked at the look of relief and joy on Lilly's face. She then scanned the faces of the four women that had duped them.
"I am gonna kill the four of you for worrying us like that!" Miley exclaimed. She then paused. "But after I hug you! Congratulations!" Miley lit up like a Christmas tree as she and Lilly exchanged hugs, kisses and tears with the other four women.
After finishing the exchange of hugs and kisses, Lilly spotted Raven and Chelsea's children sitting in the back of the van.
"Tonya! Richie!" Lilly exclaimed as she waved to the children. Recognizing their Aunt Lilly, the two cuties enthusiastically waved back. Lilly then turned to Miley, giving her a look of complete relief, as if the world had just been removed from her shoulders. "OHHH!" Lilly grunted as she threw her arms around Miley. "I was so scared!"
"Me too!" Miley said as she hugged her wife. "I guess our prayers were answered."
"Yeah. Thank you Lord." Lilly said as she looked toward Heaven. Miley smiled and repeated the thanks Lilly had just given.
"Pile in. We've got to pick my mother up at the hotel and then it's off to get married!" London said.
"Where are we going anyway?" Chelsea inquired.
"Yeah! You never told ME where we're going! And I'm your bride-to-be!" Maddie said.
"We're gonna hit the beach. We're headed… to Miami!" London announced.
"I knew there was a reason I liked you!" Raven exclaimed.
"Mmmm. Lilly in a bikini? Mama like!" Miley purred.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Lilly exclaimed.
Raven cranked up the car but not before pulling out a forty-year old classic – the Miami song from The Golden Girls. "I have to say what I feel, Miami has so much appeal, A great place to get a seafood meal… Hit it Chels!"
Chelsea took it home. MIAMI… Miami, Miami you've got style. Blue skies, sunshine, white sand by the mile.
Raven: When you live in this town, each day is sublime.
Chelsea: The coldest of winters, are warm and divine
Everybody: MIAMI, you've got style!
Monday, April 16, 2018 – 7:30 pm - Lilly and Miley's house, Belle Meade, Tennessee
Lilly and Miley just came back from the airport after spending the weekend in Miami for London and Maddie's wedding. To say that they were exhausted was the understatement of the year. That Friday off that they were planning was going to be pushed back to the next day if it was the last thing they were going to do.
"UHHH! I am so tired!" Lilly said as she dropped her bags at the front door and ran over to the couch, leaping up into the air and coming down with a thud. "I'm not moving from this spot for exactly 24 hours."
"Uhh, Lil? The TV's downstairs and the bathroom is… over there." Miley said.
"Nobody said this was a well thought out plan!" Lilly said.
"I had so much fun! I'm so happy for them." Miley said.
"I know. They make an awesome couple." Lilly smiled.
"So do we." Miley beamed.
"Yeah, except when people are hitting intercoms, broadcasting our lovemaking all over the house!" Lilly said.
"I still say you don't put an intercom that close to the damn bed!" Miley exclaimed.
"Whatever. They heard us. Big deal." Lilly said flatly. "It would have really been embarrassing if they had seen us."
"Well, at least we're in great shape." Miley said. "Who knows? It probably would have turned them on seeing us."
"Are you a closet exhibitionist?" Lilly asked.
"No. I'm just saying that seeing two hotties getting it on would have flipped their switch. I know it would have done it for me." Miley said.
"So if you had your choice and could sleep with one of our friends, who would it be?" Lilly asked.
"Come on Lil!" Miley said.
"No, I'm serious!" Lilly said. "Just between you and me. Say you get one free pass and it would be all right with me and their partner. Who would it be?"
"You're really gonna make me do this, huh?" Miley said. She then paused for a minute in thought. "All right… Chelsea."
"Why?" Lilly asked.
"Why? Because… she has sexy hair… the kind that you can pull." Miley said.
"Okay. I can see that." Lilly said nodding.
"Well what about you? Who would you choose with your free pass?" Miley inquired.
"Oh, that's easy." Lilly said. "In order, for me it goes Raven, then Maddie, then London, then Chelsea."
"Okay, I'm gonna humor you. Why Raven first?" Miley asked flatly.
"Have ya seen the body? I mean damn! It would take me an hour just to take it all in and another two to do all the things I'd wanna do!" Lilly exclaimed.
"Okay, you've put a little too much thought into this." Miley said. Lilly never responded. She just continued her rundown.
"And then Maddie… I've always been intrigued by the whole blonde-on-blonde thing." Lilly reasoned. "And then London with the thighs, I mean WOW!"
"Uhh-huh." Miley said flatly again, choosing to let Lilly burn herself out.
"And with Chelsea, well, she just has one of those bodies that you just draw breath between your teeth and go OOH!" Lilly said. "Yeah, that's how I'd run it down."
"Well what about me?" Miley asked with a loaded look on her face.
"You are just sexy period. I mean that think-about-the-things-she-does-to-you-and-get-soaking-wet sexy." Lilly said. "And you've got that seductively raspy, ice cube melting, panty disintegrating, could-make-you-come-just-by-talking-to-you voice."
"You think my voice is that sexy?" Miley asked.
"Remember the first night we spent together?" Lilly asked.
"Of course." Miley said.
"You asked me to do you a favor. You said, 'Don't be gentle.' GOD! I swear I thought I was gonna lose it right there!" Lilly recalled.
Miley walked over to Lilly and squatted down in front of her, leaning close. "What would you do if I asked you to take me downstairs to the media room and… not be gentle with me?" Miley said in such a way that her words practically dripped off of her tongue.
"I'd wonder what we're still doing sitting here. Let's go." Lilly said as she leaned forward to kiss Miley, setting off yet another round of their passionate brand of lovemaking.
Friday, August 31, 2018 – Lilly's new charter school – the Green Hills section of Nashville
Lilly, Miley and Ariel stood in the main lobby of Lilly's new charter school, taking in the surroundings. It was four days beforethe first day of classes for the 150 students that were enrolled. The newly-christened Green Hills Academy would be the home of 150 kindergarten through sixth graders. To ensure the proper teacher to student ratio, Lilly hired 10 full-time staff members and had a list of six substitutes.
Lilly had tears in her eyes as she looked at the renovated school building.
"When I left Bay Laurel, I never thought in a million years that I would see this." Lilly said choking back her tears. Miley and Ariel were near tears themselves as they watched Lilly's reaction. "The last few years, all I've wanted to do is teach. Now… I'll get to do it my way."
"I'm so proud of you, Lil." Miley eked out as she wiped away her tears. "This place looks beautiful."
"I am gonna love teaching here." Ariel said.
"Are you gonna love being Vice Principal too?" Lilly said.
"Say what?" Ariel exclaimed.
"School starts Monday and I still don't have an administrative staff. I know we're all gonna pitch in to do the job but there's no one else I can think of that would be better." Lilly said.
"Vice Principal? Me?" Ariel asked incredulously.
"Vice Principal Ariel Evangeline Scott." Lilly said, remembering her middle name from her application.
Ariel dropped her head and started weeping. "You've got to stop making me cry." She eked out as Miley smiled and put her arm around the diminutive blonde.
"She has that effect on people, touching their hearts and all." Miley said.
"I learned from the best." Lilly said as she smiled at her wife. "Okay! Enough of this sappy fluffiness. Let's go grab a little dinner and get some rest this weekend. We've got a long semester ahead of us."
Friday, September 21, 2018 – 7:15 pm - Lilly and Miley's house
They were less than a month away from attending London's big cancer benefit in Boston but on this night, Miley and Lilly had a party of their own to host. It was their first big dinner party in their new home. They invited family and friends. They were expecting Robby Ray and Kylie, Luanne and Jennifer, who was making monthly trips to Tennessee and was seriously considering moving to the East Coast to be closer to Luanne, Jackson and Tamera and Ariel along with her husband Christian and their daughter Jess.
"Is everything set?" Lilly asked.
"Yes. Can you sit the tray of hors d'oeuvres on the counter? They're on the bottom shelf of the fridge." Miley said.
"Sure." Lilly jogged into the kitchen, her heels clicking on the marble floor. Seconds later she came back into the dining room. "This is gonna be so cool!"
"I know. I wish the Divas could be here." Miley lamented.
"Yeah. But London has her hands full with that benefit and Raven and Chelsea wanted to spend some time with their kids." Lilly said.
"That's all right because the bunch we have coming is gonna keep us busy enough." Miley said.
"I saw a picture of Ariel's husband on her desk… DAMN, DAMN and DAMN!" Lilly exclaimed.
"He looks that good?" Miley asked.
"Remember that show Nip/Tuck?" Lilly asked.
"Yeah." Miley said.
"He looks just like the real sexy one on there with the dark hair, Christian! And HIS name is Christian!" Lilly exclaimed again.
"You're not gonna leave me for him are you?" Miley asked playfully.
"Let him make a pass at me. I'll drop your butt like a hot potato!" Lilly joked.
"Oh yeah?" Miley said as she closed the distance on Lilly. "Can he do this?" Miley then began nibbling on Lilly's earlobe.
"AAAAGGHHHH! I… don't know. But I'll… check when he gets here." Lilly said as Miley hit her spot. Just then the door bell rang as Miley pulled back and swatted at Lilly chuckling.
"You are sick!" Miley joked as she went to answer the door. When she opened it, she faced a smiling Luanne and Jennifer. "Heyyyyyyy!" Miley said as she opened her arms to embrace her cousin. "You are a good-lookin' woman, you know that?" She joked to her look-alike. Luanne had let her hair grow out a little more and more closely resembled Miley.
"You're kind of a looker yourself." Luanne said smiling.
"Hey Loser!" Jennifer joked as she hugged Miley.
"How ya doin', Pop-Tart?" Miley shot back.
"She's just like the filling in a Pop-Tart, hot, sweet and oh so tasty." Luanne purred.
"Wow! And I thought we were bad!" Lilly said. "Hey you!" She said as she hugged Jennifer. She then released the hug and stepped forward to Luanne. Their relationship had vastly improved since Miley and Lilly had moved to Tennessee. "Hey LuLu!" Lilly said as she embraced Luanne.
"Evening, Skater Girl." Luanne said with a smile. "You treating my cousin right?"
"Look at the smile on her face and you tell me." Lilly said.
"Hello? You know you left the gate open for any ol' Daddy to come wanderin' in." Robby Ray said.
"Hey Daddy!" Miley jogged up to her father and threw her arms around his neck. She broke that embrace and stepped over to Kylie to hug her. "Hey Kylie!"
"How are ya, Miley?" Kylie asked.
"Fine!" Miley responded. Seconds later, Jackson and Tamera stepped inside.
"Hope you got one of those for us!" Jackson said as everyone greeted each other.
"You bet! Hey Brother!" Miley said as she hugged Jackson. She then stepped over to Tamera. "Hey Sis!"
"Now didn't I tell you to knock that off! She's not your sister-in-law… yet anyway." Jackson said, his last two words trailing off.
"I heard that!" Miley said.
Tamera leaned over to whisper to Miley. "I heard that too." She said with a smile.
"Well, we're just waiting on three more…" Lilly said above the talking.
"You mean us?" Lilly looked to the front door to see Ariel and her family standing just inside the door.
"Hey! You made it!" Lilly said as she stepped forward to hug Ariel.
"I thought we had the wrong address at first! My god Woman! This place is huge!" Ariel said.
"Wait'll you see the closets! EEP!" Lilly exclaimed.
"Well, let me introduce you to my family!" Ariel said. "This is my husband Christian…"
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Christian said as she took Lilly's hand and kissed it. "Ariel talks about you all the time."
"I can say the same about you." Lilly said with a broad smile.
"And this… is our daughter Jess." Ariel said.
"Jess, it's so nice to meet you! You are a very beautiful young woman." Lilly said.
"Thank you. And thanks so much for the autograph. I was so excited when Mom told me she was working with you. I think it sucks what they did to you out there." Jess said.
"Well I appreciate that. But if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have met your mom. She's a great teacher from what I've seen so far." Lilly said.
"You know, Jess actually dyed her hair pink once just like Lola's wig." Christian said chuckling.
"Dad! I was like eight!" Jess exclaimed. "I didn't realize she wore a wig!"
"Don't sweat it. I used to put all sorts of colorful streaks through my hair. How long did you keep it for?" Lilly asked.
"Mom made me keep it in for the whole day as punishment. But she wouldn't stop laughing at me. I think that was worse." Jess said. Lilly, Ariel and Christian laughed.
"Well, let me introduce y'all to everybody else so we can mingle and eat!" Lilly said.
Lilly concluded the introductions and everyone went into the living room for appetizers and before dinner conversation. After about thirty minutes, they all went into the dining room for dinner. Conversation went back and forth for about twenty-five minutes and everyone was getting along well.
"So Christian, what do you do for a living?" Robby Ray asked.
"I'm a corporate attorney; acquisitions and mergers." Christian said. "It pays the bills so I'm all right with it. I gotta tell you, I'm a big fan of yours. I think I have all of your albums."
"Well that's nice of you to say." Robby Ray replied.
"I was even at that concert you did in Dallas back in '88…" Robby Ray started laughing at the remembrance. "With the streaker…" Christian started laughing as well.
"Daddy, you never told me about that one!" Miley said.
"Well honey…" Robby Ray paused to laugh again. "I was on stage, singin' my guts out, I mean it was the best performance of the tour… when all of a sudden, this girl hopped up on stage from the front row, yanked her t-shirt and shorts off and started runnin' back and forth across the stage! I swear, it was the funniest dang thing I'd ever seen!"
Everyone started laughing. "That's hilarious!" Lilly exclaimed.
"You know what made it even funnier for me was, the girl… was my ex-girlfriend!" Christian said. The whole table exploded in laughter.
"Didn't you try to get that girl's number after the show?" Kylie asked playfully causing everyone to laugh again.
"Nobody asked you!" Robby Ray joked as he bear hugged Kylie at the table and tickled her ribs causing her to howl.
"You two are too cute!" Ariel said.
"Aren't they?" Miley said. "They need to just go ahead and tie the knot and stop playin' around!"
"You know darlin'?" Robby Ray said. "That's a good idea." Robby Ray then stood up and pulled his chair back away from the table, reached in his shirt pocket and pulled out a five-carat Princess-cut diamond ring. He then dropped to one knee. Gasps could be heard all around the table. "Kylie, I shoulda done this a long time ago, but I was hurt and scared. But I'm not hurt or scared anymore. I'm in love… with you and I want to be in love with you forever. Will you marry me?"
Kylie looked down at Robby Ray and smiled with tears streaming down her face. "Well damnit Rob it took you long enough! Yes. I'll marry you."
The whole table applauded and cheered as Robby Ray stood up, picked Kylie up, bear hugged and kissed her. The two started receiving congratulations from all around the table. When Robby Ray got to his son, Jackson stood up and looked at his father in frustration.
"Dang flabbit, Dad!" Jackson exclaimed.
"Son, what's wrong?" Robby Ray asked. Everyone at the table froze, not knowing what to expect.
"You just had to pick tonight to propose to Kylie!" Jackson said. "The one night…" Jackson then reached inside his pants pocket to reveal a four-carat oval-cut diamond ring of his own. He then turned to a shell-shocked Tamera. The gasps and quiet exclamations started again. "The one night I wanted to do the same thing." Jackson then dropped to one knee. "One year ago tomorrow, my life changed for the better. That's the day I met you…" Tamera had tears in her eyes but laughed at Jackson's remembrance of their one year anniversary. "Remember that day? Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland. The first time I laid eyes on you, you were layin' some poor kid out for not setting up some microphones." Everyone chuckled at that recollection. "But I knew as soon as I saw you that you were special. And the more I've gotten to know you…" Jackson now had tears in his eyes. "The more I realize that I don't want to live the rest of my life without you." Tamera was now in silent sob mode as tears streamed down her face. Her eyes flashed back and forth between Jackson's eyes and the ring that was shaking in his hand. "Tamera Jenae Carson, will you do me the honor of being my wife?"
With big brown eyes that were full of love and acceptance, Tamera nodded her head quickly as she started to break down. "Yes. Yes I'll marry you!" She exclaimed softly. The table erupted in cheers as Jackson engulfed Tamera in a tearful embrace.
"See Son, I told ya dual proposals would work!" Robby Ray said smiling.
"You! You two planned this?" Kylie exclaimed as she playfully hit Robby Ray.
"Jackson and I have always made a good team!" Robby Ray proclaimed. "Congratulations, Son." Robby Ray said as Jackson turned and gave his father a strong tearful hug.
"You too Dad." Jackson said through his tears.
Tamera stood and walked over to Kylie who stood. "Well, I guess you're gonna be my stepmother-in-law! Congratulations!" Tamera embraced Kylie.
"You two are gonna be great together." Kylie said as she embraced Tamera.
"I get a stepmother and a sister-in-law at the same time! Am I lucky or what?" Miley said.
"Now THIS is a party!" Lilly exclaimed.
"Everybody! Everybody!" Miley said as she clinked her water glass with her knife. "Raise your glasses! Let's toast BOTH new engagements! Daddy, Kylie, Jackson, Tammy, I know that I speak for everyone at this table when I say that we are in shock that both of Daddy and Jackson proposed tonight but we are not in shock as to why. I don't know of two couples that deserve a lifetime of happiness more than the two of you. May God Bless all of you. We love you guys. TO THE STEWARTS!"
"THE STEWARTS!"
No one is spared the walk down the aisle in my stories! But seriously, Jackson and Robby Ray deserve just as much happiness as Miley and Lilly, and now they have it. There's more to come. Chapter 12 is next! PLEASE REVIEW.