Chapter 33: Valentine's Day

"I don't know why I'm here," Bray entered the lounge. He'd gotten a note under his door telling him to be there. He thought maybe Salene was done avoiding him so he showed up only to find Jack, Slade, Ved, Ram, Trader, Jay, Lex, Darryl, Lefty, and Ryan.

"It seems here that Ram is a big romantic. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and with Ved proposing everyone's just kinda in a romancing mood," Lefty explained.

Bray was further confused "And I don't have a date so you need me to...?"

"We could use a hand decorating, and we thought maybe you could show Liv a good time or you know Salene, she's been kinda down these past two days." Ryan said.

"Look, I'll help...with the setup that is, but I think I'd rather be alone tomorrow."

"Fine, we'll sick KC on the blind wonder, but I thought you'd be a better friend to Salene," Lex said.

Bray scowled at him, "Sometimes Lex, people just like to be alone, especially on a day where they can't be with the one they love!"

Lex glared at Bray before backing down, " Whatever, who's gonna cook?"

Everyone stared at one another blankly then Jack slowly raised a hand, "I can cover a main course, but we'll need dessert. Preferably something special…"

"No problem, leave it to me," Darryl stepped up to the plate.

"Great let's talk details, " Ram mused.

They deliberated for an hour, talking details. Each man offering up his own romancing tips until finally it was time to start the preparations.

"It is going to be tough keeping them out of the cafe, especially those with little ones."

"We can use the Mariana, it's got seating, and a few other luxuries," Lex smirked, "My uncle knew me well."

"Well as I told you, I can help decorate tonight, but Toc and I are finally taking that romantic cruise, so let's get this started!"

Ram was beaming with glee, "Gentleman I think this is going to be the best Valentine's Day ever! Let's get to work."

~0~

Ebony had learned as a new mother that you didn't get any sleep, especially not when the father of the child slept like the dead. Therefore she found herself taking more naps than she was used to it. Imagine her surprise when she woke up from a midday nap to find a rose on the pillow besides her with a note attached. She read it aloud, "A beautiful rose for my special lady! Don't worry about Thunder, freshen up and meet me on the pier. Happy Valentine's Day."

It wasn't signed, but it was written in Slade's elegant chicken scratch. She smelled the rose and tried to stop smiling. Valentine's Day? She hadn't looked at a calendar in so long she forgot there were holidays. I wonder what he's got planned. She hadn't felt this special in a very long time. Perhaps Slade was 'the one'.

~0~

Ram had kept Trudy guessing all day as to what he was up to. He had given her a bouquet of orchids, breakfast in bed, and left Brady in the care of Bray. His instructions had been clear, slip on something special, and to meet him on the pier.

She had fussed for an hour in the bathroom with her make-up before realizing she had nothing special to wear. She hadn't been able to grab many things when they left the city.

"Delivery!" a knock on the door drew her out of her tears.

She opened it to find Mikhail holding a purple party dress, "Ram thought you'd be needing something special to wear."

Trudy hugged her tight before pulling her into the room, "You're right on time! I was just balling my eyes out thinking I don't have anything, but rags to wear."

"Well he offered babysitting services for this dress, so she's all yours. Besides this shade of purple never looked good on me. Now go try it on, we're going to be late."

"Ryan planned a surprise too?" Trudy questioned.

"Did Ram say anything to you about guy stuff last night?"

Trudy grinned, "As a matter of fact he did. I thought he was going to play with tools."

"I thought Ryan was too, but this morning there were flowers, my favorite purple and violet ones, and he told me we had a babysitter so to dress nice and meet him on the pier. I ran into Ruby and Amber on my way here, they're all dressed up too. And Rayne is still fussing in the mirror."

"Those sneaky devils! " Trudy emerged from the bathroom wearing the dress. It was a perfect fit. It stopped mid-thigh and had a ruffled front and a big belted bow at the waist.

"You look amazing! But we've gotta fix that make-up!" Mikhail shoved her back into the bathroom to help her.

When they arrived at the docks, on the jetty all the women were standing there, confused, waiting on their mates to appear.

"Well we're all here and accounted for," Trudy looked around, "Where are the guys?"

Just then the Mariana began to cruise into view, there was a banner made from several different pieces of paper that read, "Love Boat." The kids must've helped because there were scribbles and sloppily drawn hearts surrounding the words.

~0~

KC helped each woman onboard the Mariana when she docked, "Welcome ladies to the Love Boat. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day."

Each man stood waiting for their respective mates. Slade was blown away when he saw Ebony. Not only had she taken out her braids, but she had paired one of her red and black corset tops with a black skirt that showed a great length of the legs he loved so much.

"Excuse me miss, I'm looking for my girlfriend, perhaps you've seen her?"

Ebony slapped his arm playfully, "You clean up nicely too! Though you're still wearing those stupid boots!"

"I'll let you take them off later," he smirked.

"That's not all I'll be taking off," she kissed him.

"So this is what 'guy stuff' entails?" Tai-San wondered, looking around. She had began feeling a bit better with Jaffa gone.

"Well yeah, we had some help with the table settings, Gel was adamant about helping hence all the pink, and we had to let her since she has all the music," Jay explained, "I personally think she did a fantastic job."

"I agree," Ruby kissed his cheek, "Thanks for my bracelet," she held up her wrist for all to see.

"Anything for my special valentine."

"Before you get all mushy, allow me to show you to your seating," KC quipped, "Your server Liv will serve you drinks and the main course."

"Oh there's food?" Rayne giggled.

"Prepared by our head chef Jack! Followed with dessert by our sous-chef Darryl."

When they were all seated Liv served them champagne with a little pineapple wedge on the glass. They were all nervous that she would spill something, but she was obviously good at seeing with her other senses.

"I'm curious Jack, what are you poisoning us with?" Lex asked.

"Lex!" Tai-San glared at her husband.

"No it's alright Tai-San, I'm a little worried myself," Jack smiled as Liv re-emerged plates of his meal.

Ellie sighed; relieved to find it was only Tuna with rice and salad. He couldn't have gone wrong with it.

Once the main course was cleared, KC returned with dessert.

"Bananas Foster? And Ice Cream? Where did you get milk for ice cream, not out the café fridge I hope," Khail looked worried. That's where she and Ebony kept Rylan and Thunder's milk.

Darryl laughed, "Of course not. I had to milk a goat, it wasn't easy…but this is the only dessert I know how to make."

"A goat? Where the heck did you find a goat?" Ram choked on his bite of ice cream. Trudy laughed, patting his back.

"Well Ruby and Bray let me in on this little secret. It seems when they were combing the jungle looking for Jay and Ved they stepped in some manure."

Ruby nodded, "We knew it had to be some sort of cattle."

"Yeah so last night I went looking. I found a goat. Luckily it was a female. She was mean too. Discovered she has kids. Alice helped me get them to the farm."

Mikhail was amazed, "They must steer away from the resort. I've never seen anything, but birds."

"Interesting, well I've lost my appetite for dessert," Ebony pushed the plate away from her which Ved and Lex fought over.

"KC queue the music," Ram clapped. He stood up, "Everyone to the beach!"

While they had been eating, someone had set up candles in the sand along the beach and Gel's pink cd player was playing some techno -pop sounding song. It was the perfect setting, as the sun had just begun to set.

"You were the mastermind behind all this weren't you?" Trudy asked Ram as they tried to keep up with Gel's music.

"We all needed a pick-me up and what better day to celebrate than Valentine's Day? Besides Ved started it with his surprising Cloe like that yesterday. "

"Thanks for my dress," she squeezed closer to him now that the music was slower, "Rylan's gonna love hanging out with uncle Ram."

"Well you needed a dress, and I'd do anything for the woman I love."

She paused, pulling away, "What did you just say?"

Ram colored, "I just meant…well…Sorry…I"

"Relax," she told him, taking a few deep breaths. She moved back into his arms, squeezing him tight, "I love you too!"

Ram relaxed kissing her, "I love Brady too."

Trudy smiled, "Good because you can't have one without the other. So cupid, you wanna get out of here while we still have a babysitter?"

"Woman, I like the way you think," he allowed her to lead him by the hand back up to their hotel room.

~0~

Salene lay on her bed staring at the ceiling for a long time that day, trying to figure out why she hadn't been more careful. Bray didn't love her; he never had, not like a lover anyhow. Yet she had let one stupid drink, ok well a few, stupid drinks make her forget that. Now she was pregnant with his child. She was sure of it now. There were no more days left to wait for her cycle to start. In fact she was a week late. There was no other explanation except the fact that she was pregnant.

"Salene?" a knock on her door prompted her to get out of bed finally. The sun was setting and she had no more tears left to cry.

She opened the door a crack, just staring at the man who had done this to her, "What do you want?" she asked him.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay," Bray looked at her, his expression held genuine concern.

"I'm fine Bray. I just…I'm not into this whole Valentine's Day business alright? Besides I thought Alice and May agreed to help you babysit."

"So you did get my note."

"You slipped five of them under my door."

"Do you remember in the mall, when you first told me you loved me?"

"What about it?" She didn't see where the conversation was going.

"I was scared Salene. Afraid of my feelings for you, especially with Trudy the way she was."

"So? You were feeling things for Amber too, obviously. And when she was out the picture there was Danni."

"I won't lie, I loved Amber, Danni too, but you were my first real friend at the mall. You helped take care of Brady even when Trudy was nasty to you. You were someone I could talk to; someone who understood my need to just be independent."

"The point Bray…get to the point!" she rushed him.

"The point is Salene that that drunken night wasn't just another night to me…I wasn't taking advantage of a drunken friend and you know that."

"Do I? Because I seem to remember you having a girlfriend. I am just some girl you hooked up with because you hadn't had any in a long time! You knew you couldn't go back to Amber because there's too many strings attached there. But here I am stupid Salene, drunk, lonely, and wanting it as badly as you! "

"You aren't stupid and you aren't just some girl," he began, but she shushed him.

"No let me finish, the thing is Bray I loved you back then, at the mall. Through Trudy, Amber, Danni, even Ebony's scheming to get you, I wanted you. I turned down Ryan's proposal at first because I wanted you. I made a fool of myself in front of you," she blushed remembering the robe incident, "and I married a man I loved only second best to you because I knew I could never have you because you Bray, you don't know what the hell you want!"

"I do!" he said defensively.

"No you don't! Think about it. What about Danni?"

"What about her?"

"You said you loved her, did you even try to look for her once we had Jaffa. No because Amber was back in the picture, isn't that right?"

"The Guardian told me Danni was dead!"

"You also thought Amber was dead, and she turned out to be alive!"

"Yeah well we all know Jaffa had no problems killing anyone, I had reason to believe him. And I couldn't leave Amber, she was pregnant!"

"So you only stayed with her because she was pregnant?"

"No I truly loved Amber…"

"And now you truly love Kyra, is that right?"

"Yes," he said defeated.

"And where does that leave me?" she asked.

"Sal, I'll never see her again, I already told you, wherever my son is that's where I'm staying. I am not going to go off looking for Kyra."

"So I'm second best. You see Bray, you don't love me, you never have, so just go!" she yelled at him, "Leave me alone!"

"What if I can't do that?" he asked.

"Here let me make it easy for you," she slammed the door in his face. Then she returned to her bed, where amazingly, no tears fell from her eyes, as much as she willed them to come.