Chapter 8

     Joce sat at the patio table in the back yard of Gina's house. Leaning back she took another sip of her water in order to down the anti-lactose pill she had just taken. All that damn cake sampling was doing a number on her stomach. And also on her sister's as well from what she could see with Gina's sitting across from her looking like she was ready to hurl.

     "OK, you know what, I don't think we will go with the ones that were so rich." Gina moaned as she tilted her head back. Her long black hair hung in soft Waves as it dangled behind the back of the chair.

     "That would be all of them, GiGi. I never thought that a sugar overdose was possible."

     "So which one did you like the most?"

     "Grr, I don't know. I am thinking...."

     "THE WHITE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE LAYERING AND WHIPPED FROSTING" The sisters said at the same time together, then doubled over laughing.

     "The cake is light, the whipped cream frosting is smooth and not harsh in flavor." Gina nodded.

     "Oh shut up you only like it because of the cheesecake," Joce laughed at her sister. As she took another sip of her water she pulled out her cellphone and sent out a text message.

      **We need to talk ASAP. Private. Alone. Text back with location and time.**

     "Whatcha doing Joce?" Gina asked curiously.

      Flipping close her phone she looked at her sister, "Checking to see if I had any voice messages from China. So when did Howie and the guys say they were going to be back with the children?"

     Raising her eyebrow at her sister, Gina knew she was lying but chose not to press the issue, "Howie said that after the park they were going to take the boys grab something to eat, so probably about 6ish, they should be back." She answered, the paused, as she watched her sister brush her hair from her face, "I guess Kolas is staying at either Nick's or Kevin's place till the tour starts from what Howie said. Supposedly Kolas and Kevin seemed to hit of off well after we left."

     "That's good. I think Alex is going to be the same way towards Kolas that Joe was." Joce sighed as she pulled her hair pull into a clip high at the back of her head.

     "Well after this morning's lil altercation that you told me about, I can see why. But Joce, I have to ask, why didn't you tell Alex ahead of time that Kolas was coming on tour with the guys and you as your body guard?"

     Shrugging she answered, "I don't know, I guess it slipped my mind. Don't give me that look Gina." Joce winced under Gina's infamous glare that could turn the strongest willed person into stone. "Look, I didn't honestly think it would be that big of a deal. I mean, Alex doesn't know about Kolas and I's past together. I haven't told him and I have no intention to, it doesn't effect Alex and I. What happened between Kolas and I is in the past."

     "Well what is in the past for you two, Alex might think still could affect you now. Plus, sometimes the past has a habit of coming up and biting us in the ass." Gina reminded Joce.

     "You have no idea," Joce muttered under her breath as she popped another tums into her mouth.

     "What did you say?" Gina asked, having not heard what had been said.

      "Hmmm? Oh nothing. My stomach is disagreeing with that buttermilk frosting," Jocelynn blew it off as she chewed the tums, and swallowed it. Suddenly her cellphone vibrated in her pocket alerting her of an incoming text message. She opened the phone, under the table and read the text.

     ***House. When u can. Whats wrong?***
 
     "Yea, Joce. That buttermilk frosting was too, rough for me on that one with lemon filling." Gina agreed.

     Quickly Joce text back, *** I will tell u then I get there. ***, while nodding. Looking back at her sister, Jocelynn stood up, "Yea, that one did a number on my blood sugar level. But, hey, is it okay if I borrow your car. I would like stop at China and Nick's and see if she wants to run to a few stores and pick up somethings for the boys and ourselves. Plus driving always calms my stomach down."

     "You always did prefer driving," Nodding, Gina tossed her the keys to the Blazer, "Yeah, no problem. I am going to go lay down for a while. You know how to use the GPS and everything?"

     "Considering I am the one who taught you to use it the last time I was out here, I would like to think so. I'll be back soon, " Joce laughed as she headed into the house, grabbing her purse and heading to the Durango.

     Sliding in, she buckled up and turned the SUV on, she could feel her stomach turn over like the engine. Shacking her head she quickly punched in the location into the GPS navigation, and headed for the freeway to take it north. Following the direction she pulled off an exit 20 minutes later, finding the subdivision that she was looking for.  She wrapped her fingers tightly around the stiring wheel as she made a final left thru suburbia she felt bile rise in her throat. Fear encircled her heart as she saw her destination in front of her.  As she pulled into the driveway she hit the button on intercom outside the gate, her hands started to tremble.

     "Who is it?" A deep voice asked.

     "It's me." She said, followed but a buzz that released the gates to open as she drove up to the house.  After parking the car, she put on her sunglasses, slipped on a hoodie and pulled the hood over her head. She stepped out of the car and quickly  headed to the door which opened right as she came to it. Neither Joce or the other person ever noticed the black Sudan that sat across the street from the house as the door closed behind them.

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     China stood in front of the sink cleaning off Brennen who had somehow managed to get into Nick's freezer and find the fudge bars. Now she was stuck cleaning him up, since the 21 month old decided to try not just to eat them but wear them as well. She whipped off her forehead with her forearm when she finally got the rest of the fudge out of the lil boy's thick brown hair.

     "You know what, I think it's time to buzz your hair off, Bren." She sighed as she lifted him to stand up in the sink as she pulled the plug to let the water drain. From behind, she heard Nick clear his throat.

     "You know, you could have just taken him to the bathroom down here and use the tub." He softly chuckled as he handed her a fluffy green towel for her to wrap Brennen in.

     "I didn't want to make a mess all over your carpet," Nodding her head toward the white plush carpeting that covered the hallway and living room downstairs. She sighed as she wrapped the towel around Brennen lifting him up in the air, "Come on lets go get you dressed."

     The 3 went upstairs in the house into the room next to the master bedroom. Standing in the doorway, Nick watched as China attended to her son. He paid attention to how she put on his diaper as she spoke to Brennon, and how she helped him into a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt. Somehow, it felt right. In some way, having her and Brennen with him in his home felt, perfect. Leaning back he looked down the hallway, remembering how he was as a child, he realized that his house wasn't exactly child friendly. Suddenly an idea popped into his head.

    "Chi," He said trying to get her attention.

     She turned around an set Brennon on the ground, "What babe?"

     "How about we go to a Home Depot and order some new carpeting, and stop at a child store and order a toddler bed and furniture for Brennen's room. I mean, this room is more of a guest room then a 2 year olds room. This way whenever you are out here, Brennen has his own space to play and destroy."

     China tilted her head and gave Nick a gaped look, "Are you serious?" She asked bewildered. This was a slight shock to her system, she had known how nervous Nick was about Brennen now being with them 24/7. He had admitted last night when they came home from Howie and Gina's that he had been having some fears and was afraid that he would over step boundaries with her when it came to Brennen. But looking up at him, she could see the sincerity in his blue eyes. And she knew that he was doing this because he wanted to make them feel at home, somewhere deep with in her soul a new found deeper love for him started to grow.

     "Yes, I am serious. Come on, why don't you get ready and I will take Brennon downstairs and put his shoes on and we will met you at the truck." Nick said, quickly picking up Brennen and heading downstairs in a thunder, making the child squeal with delight.

     As China sat on the bed, tying her shoes, her cellphone vibrated. She flipped open the phone after seeing it was Gina, "Hey Gigi, what can I do ya for?"

     "Hey China-Doll, I've been trying to get ahold of Joce for the past half hour to let her know that Howie and Alex came back with the boys. She said she was going shopping with you to pick up a few things. Can you put her on for me? It's seems the pain in the ass turned off her phone once again." Gina asked.

     China raised her eyebrows. Joce lied to Gina? And was using HER as an excuse? Where the hell was she? China quickly came up with a lie to hold Gina over till she herself got ahold of Joce and wringed her a new one. "Her phone for some reason gets in and out signals so she turned it off for a while hoping that would work. But actually she is in the bathroom right now, she had scoop of custard and it killed her stomach. You know her with dairy." China lied with a cringe hoping that Gina would buy it.

     "Go figure, ha ha. Well just tell her Drogyn is napping and we are making pasta for dinner."

     "No problem, I'll let her. Bye" China promised and then hung up the phone. "I'll tell her as I am knockin' her upside the head with my purse." She muttered to herself as she hurried downstairs to meet Nick and Brennen.