CHAPTER 39

~When in Jersey...Strip & Have Heart2Heart~

-The Next Month-

It is now August and that means it's the last month at the Jersey Shore but judging from past experiences and occurrences, a lot can also happen in the last weeks spent at Seaside.

However, things have been calm in the house. Besides Paula's stalking Mike nothing out of the ordinary of partying has happened. Everyone is sitting around the front room now talking.

Jenni, "This is like one of those lazy dog days of summer."

Nicole, "I know. What do you guys wanna do before we leave?"

Vinny, "Well I have an idea."

Everyone looks at him and he continues.

Vinny, "How about we have a Bond Fire on the beach?"

Mike, "Word…"

Pauly, "That's dope."

Vinny, "I mean, I've neva done that in my life but we're not strangers in this House anymore. We have shared and experienced things, so I can't wait."

Jenni, "Can we invite friends?"

Vinny, "Oh hell yeah!"

There is a pause and Mike speaks up.

Mike jokes, "Should I invite Paula?"

Everyone laughs not being able to keep a straight face at the ridiculousness.

Pauly responds, "That's like asking if I should invite Deena."

The girls don't really laugh at that. Ronnie gives Pauly the cut signal and he responds.

"What? Too soon?"

It's serious but not really that serious. It's sadder than anything. Nicole is the one to speak up.

Nicole, "I talked to her today."

She is really having a conversation with the girls. Jenni responds.

"What'd she say? Is she coming back?"

Nicole, "She didn't really mention much except for the fact that she is enjoying her time at home around her family and 'Leena."

The girls nod and Pauly is acting like he is not listening but he is somewhat around what the guys are saying.

Their Mediation was a week ago, the first week in August and it didn't really go any kind of way. Deena was extremely defensive for no reason according to him. He doesn't know why but it pretty much went the way he expected it, no surprises.

Back with the girls Sammi speaks.

Sam, "She didn't want to go but at the end of the day, I think she knows now it was the best thing to do."

Nicole, "Yeah, she needs to be a Mommy right now. It's what's best for 'Leena."

Jenni, "It'll probably help calm her down too, bein around Family and away from this madness."

The girls do want her to come back but they agree with her being home for now.

Nicole sighs, "I miss my Meatball still!"

Ron hearing her, "Enough with this Meatball talk already. Deena's gone, she's gettin her shit together, so just move forward. We all do."

Mike, "Yeah-yeah. What are we doin tonight?"

Nicole, "Mike's gonna strip."

Mike falls to the side and everyone laughs. The night before at Sunday dinner, Mike made mention that he used to be a Stripper and everyone teased him about it but they seriously wanted to see a routine from him.

He weaseled his way out of it saying that it takes a certain mental preparation for days for him to come up with a routine. So he couldn't do it on the spot but tonight…the housemates are not having it.

Pauly, "Yeah Mike, make it rain up in here. I got the whole set up. I'll deejay and Vinny you get the smoke machine."

Vinny, "We got a bubble machine too."

Nicole, "I've got lights!"

Sammi, "We can handcuff Jenni to a chair and let Mike strip for her!"

Nicole's eyes get big and Jenni looks at them.

Jenni, "Why do I have to be the guinea pig?!"

Nicole, "…because you just do."

Mike, "Roger's gonna kick my ass yo."

Ron, "Okay so it's settled. Tonight we meet at the Shore House Strip club."

Mike, "Lap dances are twenty, messages are ten…"

He can't even finish before everyone bursts out laughing.

-The Next Day-

The night before was a blast. Mike ended up stripping and there were bubbles, smoke, flashlights, and fake money everywhere. Jenni kept to the deal and voluntarily got handcuffed to a chair in the middle of the room.

Pauly hosted and deejayed the music on his laptop and Mike did his thing all to the alias he made up for himself, Vito Dorago. He didn't live up to the expectations he set out there but Mike did what he could considering whom he was stripping for. It was a nice change of pace to set the tone for the remainder of their time in Seaside.

Today, everyone is in talks about their huge Bond Fire they plan to have at the end of the summer. They would have to start inviting now just so everyone out of town can get time off and so forth. The girls want to go shopping for different things within the next week and the guys are already talking about what food would be appropriate.

Pauly, "Yo can we have smores?"

Vinny, "Hell yeah but I doubt that takes a lot of effort to do, like three seconds. We're talking about real food."

Mike, "How many people are we allowed to bring?"

Vinny, "I don't know. I don't think it matters, we're gonna be at the beach."

Ron, "I would say no more than six or seven each."

Mike nods because that gives him an idea how much food they might need to prepare.

Ron and Mike talk while Vinny and Pauly go outside on the patio. Pauly hits the punch dummy they bought at the sport's store, which they have dubbed Torso-Bob, before sitting down. Vinny takes his glasses off and rubs his eyes before placing them back on. He looks at Pauly sit.

Vinny, "It's been a wild ride overall at this House."

Pauly, "I can't believe it's coming to an end so soon."

Vinny, "I mean, this time last summer I was just coming back to the house after my blow up."

Pauly laughs a little, "Yeah… and we ended up getting into one."

Vinny laughs. Once again, both feel good they can laugh about it.

Pauly, "I don't know how to ask this but…have you…do you…?"

Vinny, "What, have a boyfriend?"

Pauly, "Thank you."

Vinny slightly blushes and then he looks away. Pauly smiles.

Pauly, "Oh my God, you do!"

Vinny silences him, "Shhhh…I haven't told anyone because I'm not sure what we are yet."

Pauly, "It's not the guy from Merge we saw you checkin out is it?"

Vinny, "Hell no. It's someone back home. However, I haven't given it a title because I want to take that part of my life slow. I'm still getting used to my dating scene."

Pauly jokes, "I know, we been together for so long. You don't know how to be with anyone else."

Vinny laughs, "Shut up Pauly. I'm serious. I'm getting there though."

Pauly, "Will you let me know? I'll help you pack your stuff when you're ready to move out."

Vinny nods, "I'll let you know."

Pauly nods too.

"So it's official, I'm the only single one in the house…wow."

Vinny, "Well, I think Deena's done. Did you forget about her?"

Pauly, "I was trying to."

Vinny shakes his head.

"You never told me how the Mediation went."

Pauly, "Nothin to tell. Before, I could only see 'Leena at her parents' house. She had her most of the time. Now, I get her every other week or weekend if I want. Not every weekend because I don't know how my schedule will work out when I leave Jersey."

Vinny, "How'd Deena feel about that?"

Pauly, "I don't know. She was acting weird, like real defensive about everything. I don't know…I think it's probably because of her gettin arrested and goin off the deep end, havin to leave."

Vinny nods and responds, "Do you think she'll ever try to keep Pauleena from you?"

Pauly, "I think about it sometimes. I mean, with this last argument, I thought that was it. I just knew for sure we would end up in court."

Pauly shakes his head after thinking for a second.

"I mean, I live a busy life but I can't see it without my daughter. No one's goin to deny me of that…she's my world."

Vinny smiles, "You see her when you were there?"

Pauly, "Mm-hm, she brought her."

Vinny, "You got new pictures of her?"

Pauly, "Yeah, she gave me a set her Mother took of her while we were here this summer."

Pauly reaches in his wallet and pulls out two of the pictures he has. Vinny looks at them and laughs.

Vinny, "Oh my God bro! She looks just like you."

Pauly smiles, "I know. It's weird seein that."

They finish looking at the pictures and Vinny hands them back to Pauly.

"I can't wait until the 'Fam sees her back home."

Vinny, "Your Mom is gonna flip."

Pauly, "She already loves her to death and she hasn't even seen her in person yet."

Vinny, "Yeah, that's crazy she hasn't even held her."

Pauly sighs, "That's how crazy things have been…but I can see it gettin better."

Vinny agrees and the conversation goes back to Deena.

Vinny, "I know you were joking before but do you want Deena to come back?"

Pauly, "I mean I don't care if she does or if she doesn't. Honestly, I think she does need this time to be with Pauleena. Neither one of us has been around this summer that much and she is six months now. She's gotta get back familiar with being a Mother…"

Pauly thinks and continues.

"I need to do the same…bein' a Father that is."

Vinny, "I know what you meant. Well you've got the time now."

Pauly, "Yep but as far as Deena's concerned, I'm willing to compromise with her but she's gotta control the crazy, you know what I mean?"

Vinny, "I do. I really do."

They sit for a moment and Vinny responds.

"…but we all go crazy every now and again at the Shore House!"

Pauly, "Of course! It wouldn't be normal if it were any other way."

A/N: Multiplying Monday everyone! As of today, I will be posting multiple times a day. We are looking at the light at the end of the tunnel :-( So, catch up with your reading and do whatever you have to do; hold onto your seats b/c this will be a fast ride. Comments are welcome as always.