Chapter 73

Again, I don't own any of these characters

It was close to 8 AM when they landed back at Logan Airport. And of course, there to meet them was Carey and Ellie. After gathering their bags and Porkers, they all climbed aboard the Tipton Airport Shuttle and headed back to the hotel. Again, they got the keys to their suite and all crashed to get some sleep. About 4 PM, they were all up, showered and dressed again.

Instead of fixing dinner, they had reservations in the Tipton restaurant that year. Mr. Tipton had comped all of his employees and their families Christmas dinner. So, at tables surrounding them were Esteban, Francesca, little Mario and Mother Ramirez; Norman and his family, Skippy and his family, and a surprise none of the expected – Maddie and her family.

"Maddie?"

Maddie looked up and saw Arwin, Carey, Bailey, Cody, Zack, Cassie and Ellie. Immediately, she got up and hugged them all.

"I was wondering if I was going to see you guys today!"

Carey smiled. "They just got back in from Kettlecorn this morning..."

Maddie smiled. "It so good to see you all again...Its been a while...I think since spring break of your junior years of high school..."

Bailey laughed. "Yeah, a lot has happened since then..."

Maddie winked at her. "So, I hear...I would like you all to meet someone special...Everyone, this is Trevor..."

Zack turned to Cody. "Why does he look familiar?"

Cody shook his head. "I know, but I can't place him..."

Maddie continued. "Trevor, this Zack, his girlfriend Cassie, Cody, and his fiance Bailey. Zack and Cody grew up in the hotel here while I was working the candy counter..."

Treveor nods and shakes their hands. Maddie turns back to them.

"You know, Cody, I should be angry with you!"

Cody was surprised. "Me? What did I do?"

"You're getting married before I am!"

Cody was confused. "You're getting married too?"

Maddie looked at him. "No!...Not yet anyways. I just mean that you are actually getting married!"

Cody smiled. "Well, if you want to blame anyone, blame Bailey...She's the one who said yes..."

Bailey playfully poked him in the ribs. "I wouldn't have been able to say yes if you hadn't asked first..."

"Touche..."

Maddie smiled. "Alright...I'll let it slide as long as I'm invited..."

Bailey smiled. "Of course you are...Just keep June 26, 2014 open on your calendar..."

"Will do. Where will it be?"

"The S.S. Tipton. London is taking care of everything for us..."

"London? You two are letting her have control over it? Oh boy..."

Cody laughed. "No, we've kept control over everything. She agreed to pay for it in return for letting her broadcast it on a special episode of Yay Me!..."

"I see...Well, rumor is London is supposed to be back here at the Tipton sometime this week. I hope I get to see her before I head back to school..."

Cody looked confused again. "I thought you were at NYU?"

"I am..."

"But London is at FINY...I would think you two see each other all the time..."

Maddie laughed. "We've tried, but it hasn't worked out. Plus, the security at the New York Tipton isn't as nice as the ones here...They've actually laughed me off and escorted me out when I said I was there to see London..."

Remembering the security guard when they visited her, Cody and Bailey nodded in understanding.

"Speaking of colleges, how are things going at UCONN and Yale?"

Zack nodded. "Good. We have an apartment there with our friends Woody and Addison, and this past semester, Cassie and I declared majors..."

"Oh, this I have to hear..."

Cassie laughed. "I'm music education and Zack's sports management..."

Maddie nods. "Sounds good. Good luck with both of those..." She turns to Cody and Bailey. "And you two?"

Cody smiled. "Good...We'll both graduate in 2014 with double majors in economics and biology..."

Maddie sighed. "So, I'm three years older than you both, but I'll only graduate college one year before you do?"

Bailey smiled. "What's next after college for you?"

Maddie shrugged. "I don't know yet. I'm still trying to figure that out..."

Finally, Maddie returned back to her table with Trevor, but she made the others to promise to keep in touch. Zack, Cassie, Carey, Arwin, Ellie, Bailey and Cody made their way to their own table and sat down for a good Christmas dinner. After eating way too much, everyone returned back to Carey's suite to exchange gifts.

Cody, Bailey, Zack and Cassie first gave Ellie her gift. She opened the gift and wasn't quite sure what it was. They explained to her that it was a digital picture frame that changed pictures every so often. While in Kettlecorn, the four had pooled the pictures from their laptops and digital cameras to load it with numerous pictures of them all together or as couples. There were even a few pictures of Porkers thrown in.

Ellie laughed. "Well, I guess he is the closest thing I have to a great grandchild right now..."

Next was Carey and Arwin. Zack looked at his mom and her boyfriend. "We remember how much you two said you enjoyed your trip to Martha's Vineyard from last year, so we figured we'd send you two someplace fun again..."

Carey smiled. "Awww...That's so sweet of you guys..."

Zack nodded and handed her an envelope. "Cody and Bailey thought you two would enjoy a trip to Vermont to see the maple syrup operations..."

Carey paused. "Oh...that's nice..."

Zack laughed. "But I overruled them..."

Carey opened the envelope and eyes bulged when she saw what it was. "Atlantic City?"

Zack smiled. "Cassie and I figured you two would have a lot more fun there..."

Cody turned to Bailey and whispered. "I don't know what was so wrong with Vermont. I thought it sounded like a lot of fun..."

"I know! I would love to go up there..."

Next it was time for the gifts for the teens. Carey turned to them. "Alright, I know you guys probably know more about what you want and need, so we figured you all could get them yourselves. So, again, we got you all some gift cards. Have some fun with them and get what you want. But, we do have a gift for all of you to open..." Ellie passed out a box to all of them.

Inside the boxers, all four of them found a pair of warm memory foam slippers to wear around their apartments. Carey did have to turn to Bailey.

"I know you can't use both of them right now, but I've hear you will be able to soon..."

Bailey smiled. "Trust me, I don't think anyone here is looking forward to using these anymore than I am..."

As it was getting late, the teens headed back to their own suite so they could exchange gifts between themselves. They gather the gifts up and everyone sits around the two couches in the living room area of the suite. First up were Zack and Cassie.

Bailey turned to them. "Alright, we thought these were things you both would like or maybe need..."

Cody spoke up. "First though, I think you might be wanting this..." Cody handed his brother an envelope.

Zack opened it up and smiled. "Thanks guys..." He turned to Cassie. "Its another year subscription to XM/Sirius..."

Cassie smiled. "Thanks guys...You both have no idea how much we've enjoyed that. We absolutely love it..."

Bailey smiled. "You're welcome." With that, Cody and Bailey hand two gifts to Zack and Cassie. Zack's is rectangular in shape while Cassie's has a very unusual shape.

Cassie opens it and begins to laugh. "My very own acoustic guitar...Thanks guys..."

"We figured it might come in handy in your music classes..."

"I really appreciate it..."

Cody smiled. "Well, give Zack some credit. He's the one who gave us the idea..."

Cassie leaned over and kissed Zack's cheek. "Thanks, Babe..."

"You're welcome..." Zack opens the gift in front of him. Like Cassie, he began to laugh too. He looks up and Cody and Bailey. "My very own smoothie machine?"

"We figured you were missing making them..."

Cassie laughed. "Ohhhh...I can't wait to make them at home!"

Zack got up and handed an envelope to Cody and another one to Bailey. "Codes, open yours first..."

Cody opened it and smiled at what he saw. He turned to Bailey. "Looks like we have XM/Sirius now too..."

Cassie smiled. "And it will come in handy after you open Bailey's envelope..."

Bailey opened hers, and she too grinned. "A weekend in Vermont!"

Zack laughed. "See, we actually knew you two would like that!"

"I know we will..."

Cody nodded. "I can't wait to go..." He paused. "Should we start again with youngest to oldest?"

Cassie shrugged. "I guess that's me..." Zack got up and placed a large box in front of her.

"Here you go, Babe..."

Cassie opened it and inside found a brand new keyboard along with a stand to set it on. "Zack..."

"I figured this would help with your music courses too..."

Cassie leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you so much...I absolutely love it...and I love you..."

Zack smiled. "You are very welcome..."

Bailey spoke up. "I guess I'm next, but I already know what Cody got me..."

Zack and Cassie look at her. "Oh?"

Bailey smiled. "We went in together to book ourselves a week in Washington, DC next spring break. We're taking the train down and staying at the Washington Tipton. And we've already requested passes to the galleries, a White House tour, and an all access pass to the Smithsonian..."

Cassie nodded. "That sounds like fun..."

Zack mumbles under his breath. "For them..."

Bailey continued. "And from each other, we went ahead and bought each other a set of custom golf clubs. They'll be ready in a few weeks..."

Cody smiled. "You do have something to open though..." He pulled out a small gift bag and gave it to Bailey. "I hope you like it..."

Bailey smiled at him and looked inside the bag. Immediately, she began to laugh. Inside were barnyard animal covers for her woods – a pig, a cow, and a rooster. She turned to Cody. "Those are the most adorable things I've ever seen...other than you of course." She leaned over and kissed him. "And since you're next, you have something to open too..." Bailey hands him a similar gift bag.

Cody opened it and looked inside. He too began to laugh as he saw that he and Bailey had thought alike once again. He too had covers for his woods, but they were Red Sox ones. "I love them, Bails...Thank you, Sweetie..." This time, he leaned over and kissed her.

Zack looked around. "I guess that leaves me, the old man of this outfit..."

Cassie nodded. "I guess so..." She gets up and drags over a long box in front of him. "Merry Christmas, Zack."

Zack opens it and get the biggest grin on his face. "My very own hammock! This is the best Christmas ever!"

To be Continued...