Chapter 33
Again, I don't own any of these characters
About 8 AM local time, the four finally landed in Boston. And there to meet them were Carey and Ellie. In fact, the four would have been disappointed if Ellie hadn't came back for Christmas. They all hugged each other and gathered everyone's luggage. Afterwards, they all headed back to the Tipton airport shuttle to begin the trip back to the hotel. Once there, they got the keys to their suite and everyone took their bags up to their room. Carey and Ellie told them all to get some sleep, and they would meet later for Christmas Dinner in Carey's suite. That sounded just fine to everyone.
Around five o'clock, everyone had slept and showered, and they headed for Carey's suite. With everyone more refreshed, they were actually able to catch them up on their finals at their respective schools. Carey even suggested they check her computer to see if any more grades were up. Zack and Cassie were in no hurry to find out, so they let Cody and Bailey go first. And after checking, their final two grades were up – again, two more A's for each of them. They logged out of the Yale website and let Zack and Cassie have the laptop. Zack sighed as he logged into the UCONN website and clicked to open his grades. But, he had no reason to worry – he had 3 A's and 2 B's. He was pleasantly surprised by that. Seeing that Zack had done so well, Cassie took the laptop from him and checked hers. And like Cody and Bailey, she and Zack were an even match grades wise. With everyone doing so well, it was decided there was another reason to celebrate. About that time, Arwin finally showed up after finishing a last minute maintenance emergency.
Well, soon dinner was served. And to Zack and Cody's surprise, it was actually pretty good. As if reading their minds, Carey smirked and told them Ellie had made it. Zack and Cody just looked at each trying to feign their innocence. And Cassie and Bailey could only look on trying keep from laughing. Ellie, amused as well, decided to try to change the subject to get her daughter's glare off of her grandsons.
"So, what else is new in both of your lives?"
Zack decided to think fast. "Well, Woodchuck and I were both initiated in our fraternity before we left, so we are both full fledged brothers now..."
But this backfired on him. Carey just looked at him. "I better not hear any stories about you participating in any binge drinking escapades..."
Zack sighed. "I promise..." He paused and turned to his brother and gave him a look asking him for help.
Cody smirked but decided there was something to tell everyone. "Well, Bailey and I do have some news for everyone here..."
Zack sighed in thanks as Carey shifted her attention to her youngest son. "What's that? Is it wedding related?"
Cody nods. "Yeah. We've made some important decisions about it..."
"Well, let's hear them."
"We've decided to wait until we graduate to officially get married."
Carey nods and does some figuring in her head. "So, are we talking Summer of 2015?"
Cody and Bailey both shake their heads. "More like Summer of 2014..."
Carey was confused. "But...That's only two and a half years away...I thought you just said after you graduate..."
Bailey nodded. "We did. Thanks to our AP credits, we both already have close to 50 credit hours. Our adviser and landlord, Bill, said we are on pace to graduate in three years..."
As this is the first either Zack or Cassie had heard of this, they both turned to Cody and Bailey. "Let me get this right...You both are going to graduate with double majors in three years?"
Cody shrugged. "Yeah, but its not like we will be done with school. We'll just enter grad school a year earlier..."
Cassie just shook her head. "Wow..."
Zack paused to think. "Well...you'll still be 21 by then, so Vegas is still a go..."
Cassie sighed. "I won't be though..."
Bailey smiled at her. "Don't worry about it. Besides, where we'll be getting married, it won't matter..."
Carey was confused by that. "Where are you getting married?"
"On the S.S. Tipton..."
Carey was surprised. "Really?"
"Yeah, Mom...We figured it appropriate as its where we met and fell in love..."
Zack grinned. "Another chance to see and torture Moseby again..."
Cody smiled at his brother. "Don't do anything to him. We've asked him to officiate the ceremony."
The rest of the evening was spent with them discussing more and more details about what they had planned. Finally, it was time for the exchanging of gifts. Cody pulled Zack aside wondering if that would be safe to do that around their mother and grandmother. He hadn't forgotten Zack's gift from the year before. Zack just laughed and said it would be fine.
First to go was Ellie. The four teens had chipped in and bought her a spa treatment weekend in Seattle. She thanked them and said she couldn't wait for to use it. Next was Carey and Arwin. Again, the four had chipped in and got them a weekend away at Martha's Vinyard. Of course, all three got sweatshirts that said UCONN and Yale as well.
Finally it was time for the teens again. Like the day before, Carey and Ellie had just given them money to let them do with what they wanted. Of course, there were also four tickets to a Celtics-Heat game after the first of the year. Zack couldn't wait to call Woody and tell him he was going to see Lebron play in person.
Next, were gifts to each other. Cody went to a closet and carried out two very large boxes with a small envelope on top of the small one.
"This year, Bailey and I got you presents for you both. You might want to start with the small one first..."
Zack opened it up and looked inside. After reading it, he looked up at his brother and soon to be sister-in-law. "Is this what I think it is?"
Cody smiled. "Yeah. On the drive back home at Thanksgiving, you said you wouldn't mind having this..."
Cassie turned to Zack. "What is it?"
Zack laughed. "Its a year subscription to XM/Sirius...Our SUV has it built in, but we haven't activated it yet..."
Cassie smiled and turned to the other two. "Thanks, Guys..."
Bailey smiled back. "You're welcome. We thought you could use the other two as well..."
Cassie took the smaller of the the boxes while Zack took the larger. Both opened them and were surprised to find a microwave and a dorm sized refrigerator. Both turn to each other in surprise and then back to Cody and Bailey. "Wow..."
Cody smiled. "Well, we figured you two could use these so you didn't always have to eat on campus..."
Zack smiled back. "Thanks, Bro..."
Cassie smiled too. "Yeah. These will make life so much easier..."
With that, Zack went and grabbed two boxes as well. He gave the larger one to Bailey and the smaller one to Cody. "These are from the both of us as well..."
Bailey opened hers and was surprised to find inside a copy of Wii Fitness Plus and two balance boards.
Cassie smiled at her cousin. "We figured since you two were so health conscious, this would let you two keep fit without leaving the house during the winter..."
Zack nodded. "Yeah, and they've finally made it where you can use two boards at the same time..."
Bailey smiled. "Thank you, both...I know we'll both use these in the upcoming months..."
Cody began to open the small box in front of him. When he saw what was inside, he looked up at his brother and laughed.
"You didn't..."
Zack grinned. "Well, I remember you telling me how you two got lost in New York City. I figured this would take care of that problem..."
Bailey turned to Cody. "What is it?"
"Its a GPS system for the Escape..."
Bailey laughed. "Okay, I know we can use that..."
After that, both couples decided they wanted to exchange their gifts for each other in private. So, after calling it a night, both retired to their bedrooms in their suite.
As they got ready for bed, Zack turned to Cassie. "Do you regret us agreeing not to give each other gifts this year?"
Cassie smiled. "No, I don't. While they may be nice, saving our money for an apartment next year is much more practical and grown up..."
Zack laughed. "Who would ever thought that I would do something practical and grown up?"
"I did. I knew you had it in you..."
Zack smiled. "Well, between us two and Woody and Addison, I know we can find a nice, furnished two bedroom apartment..."
Cassie nodded. "Splitting it four ways, it might actually be cheaper than what the dorms cost..."
After Porkers was settled for the night, Cody and Bailey went into their bedroom. Cody brought out 3 boxes and an envelope. Similarly, Bailey brought out 3 boxes of her own and an envelope.
Cody smiled. "Why don't we alternate?"
"Sounds good..."
"You go first..." Cody hands her the envelope.
Bailey opens it and smiles when she sees what's inside. "Cody...A weekend at our bed and breakfast whenever I choose? I love it..."
"I know how much that place means to us..."
Bailey nodded. "Now open your envelope."
Cody did and smiled when he saw what it was. "A gift certificate to Victoria's Secret? Trying to tell me something, Sweetie?"
Bailey smiled at him. "Its for you. I will try on whatever you want me to and we can buy your favorite..."
Cody leaned over and kissed her. "Bails, I know you will look extremely sexy in anything you try on. I may not be able to pick a favorite..."
Bailey laughed. "Tough!"
Cody laughed too. "Open up your next one..."
Bailey did and was surprised by what was inside. "Cody..." She pulled out a very expensive bottle of perfume.
"I know in the past I've only been able to get you cheap perfumes because it was all I could afford. But, I wanted you to have something nice for a change. And I remember you saying how much you liked how this one smelled..."
This time, it was Bailey who kissed Cody. "Thank you, Honey. I love it. Open your next one."
Cody picked up a box and opened it. "Bails! A cappuccino machine? I love it!"
"Good. You can make us your special recipe now..."
Cody smiled. "Anytime you want..."
Bailey picked up her next gift and opened it. Inside was a new pair of cross-trainer shoes and a runners watch. "Wow..."
"I remember you saying your old pair was getting a little worn. And that watch will track how far you ran, how many calories burned, it will remember your past times if you want to race against yourself..."
Bailey smiled. "I love it. Thank you, Codykins..." She pauses to laugh. "I think we were both thinking along the same lines this year..."
"Yeah?" Cody opened his next gift and understood what she meant. "My own dumbbell set for home...Thank you, Bails..." Cody chuckles. "Looks like neither of us has an excuse not to keep working out this winter, huh?"
"I guess not..."
"Before you open your last big one, I do have another small one that is kind of a continuation of a gift..."
Bailey looked on in confusion as Cody pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket and handed it to her. She opened it up and saw three new charms for her bracelet. "Cody! They're beautiful!"
Cody scooted next to her. "One is a pig. Well, that's for Porkers. The next one is a bouquet. Every time you look at it, know that I can't wait to marry you. And the last one is a lamp of knowledge. It for the most brilliant person I know who always encourages me to to my best..."
Bailey looked at Cody with tears forming in her eyes. "I love them...And I love you...so much!"
Cody smiled at her. "And I love you so much too, my little hay bale...And you have one more present to open."
Bailey wiped away her tears and reached for the last box. She opened it up and just shook her head and laughed at what she saw inside. "You remembered..."
"Yes, I did...I remembered how much you loved it. When we left the store and you went to the bathroom, I ran back in and asked them to put it away for me..."
Bailey laughed again. "I didn't exactly go to the bathroom...Open yours and you'll understand..."
Cody opened his last box and realization hit him when he saw what it was. "You were calling the store to ask them to put this away for you..."
"Yes, I was..."
Both laughed at each pulled out their new winter coats from the other.
Cody smiled. "Should we be concerned with how much we are starting to think alike?"
Bailey reached over and kissed him again. "Nah...I think its a very good thing..."
To be Continued...