They wanted to tell Melanie and Elka in a way that they could understand. Victoria knew in her heart it was time to tell Mel the truth. She was in love with Joy, the most beautiful best friend she ever laid eyes on. At five foot nine and three quarters, Joy was only slightly shorter than Victoria, but she felt that Joy was the best thing that ever happened to her. And Victoria wanted to tell Melanie how happy she and Joy were. She and Joy only hoped that Melanie would take the news well. One day, the two of them sat down and talked with Melanie and Elka, and finally, told the honest truth.

Victoria took the reins, as Joy had suggested. She decided she'd only chime in when necessary.

'Mel, Elka… there's something we've been ready to tell you, and Joy and I brought you here so we could finally get it out there, in the open.' Victoria says, biting her lip. It was one of her nervous habits.

Joy nods, adding, 'We didn't want you guys finding out until it was the right time, but we feel that it's the right time that you two should know…' she trails off, her eyes misting with tears.

Melanie looks at her two friends and smiles. 'Guys, you know you can tell me anything…secrets don't make friends, you know that.'

Victoria smiles sweetly, agreeing with Melanie's statement. 'I know, but this was so hard to tell you both, and it took us a while to come to terms with things. We didn't want you to think differently of us, or judge us.'

Joy had to agree with that point made. They were so worried that Mel wouldn't be okay with the fact that the two of them were dating and in an intimate relationship with each other. Now, as the women were getting more serious as a couple, Joy herself felt it was time they told the other two.

Victoria smiles at Joy, and then looks at Victoria and Elka.

'Joy and I are in love with each other. We've been seeing each other for six, almost seven months. She's made me the happiest woman I've been in a long time…a really long time.' Victoria takes Joy's hand in her own, lacing her fingers between Joy's fingers, gently giving her hand a squeeze. Joy exchanges a smile with Victoria, then turns to look at the other two women. Melanie was the first to say something.

'I had a feeling there was more to you two than just being my best friends.' Melanie smiled. Joy breathes a sigh of relief. Maybe Melanie would be supportive after all.

Elka smiled, holding out her arms. 'Come here, you two. Joy, I know we have our moments, but I too had inkling. It will take us time to be used to it, but I think we'll eventually get to a point, where Mel and I, will be used to it.'

Victoria grinned. 'I hoped you two would understand where Joy and I were coming from.' They each hugged Elka, and Elka smiled.

'Give it time to sink in, ladies!'

Melanie nodded. 'It will be a lot to get used to, but I'll be there, and won't just leave you two. You're my family.'

Joy and Victoria cooed simultaneously in awe.

'That's sweet of you to say.' Victoria says, hugging Melanie. Joy gets her turn to hug Melanie, and smiles.

'Thank you for the kind words.'

Melanie smiles sweetly. This relationship between Victoria and Joy would take her a lot of time to adjust to.

'Is there a chance either of you two is still into men at all?'

Victoria smiles sweetly at Melanie. She expected there to be questions.

'Just a bit,' she says holding her index and thumb close enough to signify a tiny interest. Joy chimes in, 'Same as Victoria,' holding her fingers in the exact same way as Victoria's.

Melanie nods, and exits to the kitchen. 'I should be getting us dinner, which do you two prefer, Chinese or that new Thai restaurant on Lake?

Victoria looks at Joy, and then smiles. 'Chinese, dear…just the usual, noodles. No meat.'

Joy chimes in, adding, 'I'd like some sweet and sour pork.' Victoria scrunches her nose.

'Ew gross…honey, why pork?' Victoria was a vegetarian; she ate no red meat or chicken.

Joy smirks. 'You're so cute when you scrunch your nose up like that.'

Victoria comes up from behind her arms wrapped around Joy's.

'It's just I don't eat meat, dear. You know that.'

She kisses Joy gently, and Joy smiles.

Melanie laughs, raising an eyebrow. "Guys, you're totally acting like you're a married couple.''

Joy and Victoria exchange looks, sharing a mutual smile between them both.

'Tonight's the fireworks show at the lake. And since we're near the lake anyway, and have a pretty good view…would you…uh, like to watch them with me?'

Victoria smiles excitedly. 'Is this…a date?'

Joy leans in to kiss her against her soft lips.

'Well, I guess you can call it that.'

Victoria smiles sweetly and nods, knowing quite well that it had been a while that she's ever had a date. But, unlike before, she didn't have to worry about how she looked too much. It was Joy. She knew her more than anyone else did. Joy knew her inside and out back to front. She probably knew more than all five of her ex-husbands combined. Victoria had to admit the last part was true. But Joy was special. She was more special to her than any other person in the entire world. She would move mountains just to be with Joy. She would do anything just to be with her, simply just anything. Vitoria enjoyed seeing Joy happy. In their years as friends, she seldom saw Joy this happy on the outside.

Joy grabs a blanket to use outside, and Victoria runs and grabs some wine. A part of her was hoping for action, that is, besides the fireworks. Rick told them all earlier how usually Cleveland goes all out for this holiday, and to expect it to be all over amazing. Elka and Melanie wouldn't be there, they had dates for the evening with Max, and Mel's new boyfriend she met on an Ohio dating site. So, for the first time, it would be Joy and Victoria…alone.

It felt weird for Victoria to think of that. She figured they'd probably cuddle under the stars, sharing one bottle of wine, and just enjoying the time together. There were times she missed how LA celebrated…on the beach. Joy always reminded her that Ohio had beaches too, so they could still enjoy beaches just as much as they did back in California.

She walks outside on the porch, admiring the sunset. As she stands there, she feels arms wrap around her waist gently.

'Hey, sweetheart…' Joy says, pressing a kiss against Victoria's cheek. She glances at Victoria, giving her outfit the once over. She wore a beautiful summer dress, hugging all the right places. Joy bit her lip.

'You look amazing.'

Victoria looks at her, smiles smugly.

'You look gorgeous too, my love.'

They head to the backyard, setting up the large blanket across the freshly mowed grass. Victoria sighs, and smiles at Joy.

'It's nice out tonight, isn't it? 'She lightly touches her hand, and Joy grasps it, smiling.

'Sure is…blanket under the stars, a good bottle of wine, and my favorite woman.'

Joy smiles as she leans into Victoria, and subconsciously, without much thought, she puts her arms around her waist, holding her close to her. Joy lays gently on her shoulder, as Victoria strokes her long chestnut brown hair, which was so beautifully curled as it fell down her shoulders. Her eyes swept with smoky brown eye shadow, which accented her hazel brown eyes beautifully. She did her lips a pale pink, which made her look very natural.

Victoria grabs a wine glass and the bottle, and pours a glass. Grabbing the other glass, she pours a second glass for Joy. She hands Joy the glass and Joy smiles, mouthing a thank you as she took a sip.

'This is great, our first real date. And we didn't have to go fancy or anything.'

Victoria smiles, putting her glass down, 'That's true. Being romantic in a less expensive way shows that you really care without breaking the bank.'

Joy looks at her, stunned. 'Victoria Chase, thrifty?'

Victoria shrugs, 'I had to, sweetheart. With all my assets being frozen, and then unfrozen again, I decided that if I want to have a great extravagant life, I've got to stop the obsessive shopping sprees, unless it's going to the Big N Easy for bulk purchases of food and such.'

Joy nodded, 'But it's a lot of stuff for insanely cheap prices.'

Victoria smiles sweetly at her girlfriend. 'Exactly!'

She lets Joy snuggle against her again, as she strokes her hair. As she strokes her hair with one hand, she hears the crackle and pop of the fireworks show.

'Oh, it sounds like its starting.'

Joy looks up with Victoria as they watched and admired the beauty of the fireworks. Victoria pours another glass of wine, and refills Joy's glass.

'Let's make a toast…to us.'

They hold up their glasses toasting each other and smiling.

'To us,' Joy says as she takes a drink. Victoria does the same.

Setting the glasses down, Victoria remarks, 'Rick was right when he said it was really well done.'

Joy snuggles against her, and looks up, 'I agree. It is gorgeous.'

Victoria presses her lips against Joy's, kissing her gently. Parting, she says, 'And you, my lady are breathtaking.'

Joy blushes, her face turning pink.'Aw, you're so sweet.'

She returns the kiss, throwing her arms around Victoria's neck, and Victoria holding her at waist.

Parting again, she whispers, 'I know where we can go and finish where this began.' She presses a few kisses against Victoria's neck. Victoria shudders and looks at her, smiling.

'Let's pick up everything, and go inside, I will lead the way.'

Victoria takes the wine bottle, Joy the blanket. They fold the blanket nicely, as Joy carries it in one arm inside, and Victoria's one hand carries the bottle. Her other arm was holding Joy close as they walked inside together, as the fireworks popped and fizzled outside over Lake Erie.

…and now, they'd maybe have their own fireworks.