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Chapter 7:

"I’m so glad you guys came over before you left for the honeymoon Howie has been chatting about!" Paula exclaimed as she set out some more plates on the picnic table. Nastasia smiled as she watched Alexandria in the playpen. Chase was at her side making faces through the net.

Nastasia and Howie were invited to Howie’s parents house for a picnic type of thing. Lauren, Denise, AJ, and Chase were also invited since they were close to the Dorough family. Nastasia made Howie accept the offer from his parents, she wanted to make sure that they liked her and approved of her. Since she had no family of her own.

"Hey Staz and Lauren! Howie and AJ are talking about you two." John, Howie’s brother, grinned as he walked over and placed a kiss on Nastasia’s cool cheek. She smiled as she hugged him.

"They’re talking about us?" Lauren laughed as Hoke and Paula were laughing. Hoke was cooking some burgers on the grill as Paula gave him a tender kiss. Nastasia knew they were in true love, she hoped Howie and her would be like that years from now.

"Something about after the Carribbean or something..." John laughed, "Stazzie you’re in for a real treat tomorrow."

"Yeah, the dork still won’t tell me where we’re going."

"He’s being romantic!" Pollyanna chimed in with a laugh as she walked past with a bag of chips.

"Isn’t that a scary thought?" John teased.

"Sort of..." Lauren laughed, already knowing Howie’s plans. She knew Nastasia would love the whole trip.

"I just feel bad about leaving Alexia." Nastasia frowned.

"Please! Don’t worry, Alex and I have it under control." Lauren grinned.

"Don’t tell me that." Nastasia groaned as she adjusted one of her bikini straps. Paula had told the girls to wear their bathing suits so they could swim. Nastasia wore her bright green one with tying straps and boy-cut shorts. Lauren had her black bankini on, flattering her figure beyond belief.

"Why?" Lauren laughed, thinking of the episode from two days ago. Everyone already knew. Pollyanna, Angie, and John continued to give Howie a rough time about it. Hoke teased his son while Denise and Paula went so far to buy baby powder and diapers for the boys.

"You know why!" John laughed as he wrapped his arm around Nastasia’s hip. She invited the warm touch, knowing his was being brotherly. She was glad that Howie’s siblings accepted her so lovingly, she was just worried about his parents now.

"One diaper incident and we’re branded for life!" AJ moaned as he and Howie walked over to their wives. Nastasia laughed as Howie offered her a sip of his soda. She smiled as she held the can and took a long swallow.

"One? You lost Lexie too!" Lauren laughed.

"So?" Howie answered, a blush creeping to his cheeks.

"I didn’t even do that bro." John snickered.

"No, but I do remember that Johnny happened to lock his first child in the car. He called us having a bird. I thought he was going to have a heart attack right there." Paula answered as she walked into the group with Denise. John blushed as Howie started to burst out laughing.

"I totally forgot about that!" John shrugged.

"No, don’t even think about it!" Nastasia answered suddenly as she looked at the glimmer in Howie’s eyes. Howie looked at Nastasia confused, "Don’t think about locking my daughter in the car. I’d have to kill you!"

"Then I’d be getting seconds." Lauren laughed.

"Your daughter?" Howie asked after a few moments.

"MY daughter. You lost the right to her when you let her bare bottom get away from you." Nastasia teased, knowing no one would ever let them forget that episode.

"Jezz, I never-"

"Why don’t us girls go swim while dad finishes with the burgers?" Pollyanna suggested as she came back to the groups. Denise and Paula nodded at Nastasia and Lauren, telling them to go on.

"No work for the soon-to-be honeymooners." Paula grinned.

"I’ll go." Howie smiled.

"No, I said girls Howard." Pollyanna objected, wanting to have some time alone with her sister-in-law.

"But mom said honeymooners." Howie whined.

"She meant Staz."

"Yeah, you get to watch Chase and Alexandria again. You think you can manage to not lose her in the playpen?" Nastasia teased.

"Nastasia-" Howie growled.

"Go Stazzie, we’ll make sure these two boys are busy." Paula laughed shooing Nastasia and Lauren away to the pool.

"Thanks Paula." Nastasia smiled.

"MOM!" Paula yelled loudly after her.

******

"Hey Staz! Come to join the pool crowd?!' Angie laughed as she swam over to where Lauren and Nastasia were lounging in the shallow end of the in-ground pool which was at the end where she was closet to Alexandria‘s playpen and everyone that wasn‘t in the pool. Nastasia smiled as Pollyanna swam back over also.

"Yeah, figures Paula would kick me in here." Nastasia joked as Pollyanna hopped onto a raft. Lauren squealed as Angie gave her a little splash.

"MOM!" Pollyanna and Angie both shouted.

"Sorry." Nastasia laughed, "Figures MOM would kick me in here."

"Better." Lauren laughed, "So are you all packed up for tomorrow’s flight?"

"I think so..." Nastasia laughed, "Alexia’s all packed up. I hope she’ll be okay."

"I think Alexia’s only problem will be missing her mommy and daddy." Pollyanna smiled.

"Don’t, you’re gonna make me cry." Nastasia sniffled.

"Me too." Lauren teased, Nastasia glared at her.

"I heard you got a hot little bikini for Howie for the honeymoon!" Angie whispered as her dark eyes flamed with a deep burning. Nastasia gasped as she looked at Lauren, nobody was supposed to tell.

"Who told you?"

"AJ was telling mom and Denise." Pollyanna laughed.

"LAUREN!" Nastasia moaned. Lauren shrugged sheepishly as she laughed.

"AJ was begging me to tell him what we did." Lauren laughed, "He promised he wouldn’t tell."

"You know him! He doesn’t keep secrets!"

"He didn’t tell Howie." Lauren promised.

"You better hope!" Nastasia laughed as her friend gave her a giant hug. Lauren, Pollyanna and Angie began to get into a conversation as Nastasia glanced back up at the group who were still dry. She smiled softly at the picture.

Hoke had taken Alexandria out of her playpen. Paula was minding the meal while Hoke played with Alexandria. He had a squirt gun and playfully squirted Alexandria’s arm. Alexandria squealed out with surprise as she looked at the cold water on her arm.

"Pappy got you!" Hoke cooed as Alexandria broke into a smile. Nastasia felt herself get lost in the moment as Hoke picked her up into his arms and hugged her tightly. Lauren noticed where Nastasia’s eyes were as Pollyanna and Angie jumped out of the pool.

"I never had a real grandfather." Nastasia whispered softly as she looked at Hoke giving little Alexandria a horseback ride. Alexandria’s cries of happiness rang out as Nastasia remembered her past. Her father’s parents had both died before Nastasia was even born. Nastasia’s mother’s parents never accepted her marriage of Nastasia’s father and refused to see the child that had emerged from the relationship.

"I know Stazzie." Lauren whispered softly as they watched Howie approach Hoke and Alexandria. Hoke looked up as he stood up with Alexandria in his arms. She cooed as she saw her father approach.

"You playing with Pap-Pap?" Howie laughed as Alexandria let out one of her adorable coos. Hoke grinned as he picked the water gun out of the back of his pocket.

"Yes, she’s playing with her pappy. Guess what we’re playing?" Hoke grinned as Howie looked at his father carefully. Seeing the spark in his eyes made him worry.

"What dad?"

"Cowgirls and Indians!" Hoke shouted as he pulled the water gun out and started to fire at Howie. Alexandria let out a surprised laugh as Howie yelled.

"Cut it out dad!" Howie laughed as he started to run. Hoke grinned as he held onto Alexandria tightly. He started to chase Howie around the yard. Howie kept a good distance, yelling out for his father to quit. Howie might of kept a good distance, but the water sprayed even farther. Everyone started to laugh as Howie continued to squeal.

"Get him Alexia!" Hoke shouted as they sprayed the gun harder. Alexandria let out a howl of laughter as Hoke gave another good squirt, but the water had ran out. "Shoot!"

Howie stopped running as he looked at his father, who stood there dazed. No more water. Howie grinned like a devil as he started to walk towards his father.

"Come here dad..." Howie grinned.

"No way! RUN ALEXIA! RUN!" Hoke shouted as he retreated in the other direction. Howie let out a whoop as he chased his father and daughter. Alexandria seemed surprised in these turns of events.

"I never really had a dad either." Nastasia sighed as she watched Howie call out for Alexandria with a laugh. She knew the bond between her husband and daughter was extremely close.

"Oh Staz..." Lauren sighed.

Nastasia’s father had been abusive and an alcoholic from the start of Nastasia‘s life. He would beat Nastasia for no good reason at all. One time he had said he was never even her father to begin with. The beatings would always drawl blood and major scares.

On Nastasia’s back was a scare between her shoulder blades where her father had struck her with a knife when she was about fourteen. All she had asked was to go out on a date. The scar was a painful reminder of what she had suffered. Howie had never asked about it, and she hoped he wouldn’t for a long time to come.

Her mother had always denied the beatings too. He never really touched her mother, only assaulted her with words. Nastasia’s mother was always quiet and never stood up for Nastasia. She sat there and watched the abuse and crying. That’s why Nastasia had always wanted to be a better mother than what she was given.

"Forget it." Nastasia whispered as she saw Hoke run towards her with Alexandria in his arms. Nastasia plastered a smile on her face as Hoke quickly gave Nastasia her daughter. Alexandria smiled widely as she was put into her mother’s arms.

"You playing with pappy?" Nastasia cooed as she watched Howie quickly come after her father. He bumped him hard and sent him flying into the pool with a big splash, soaking Nastasia, Alexandria, and Lauren. All the girls shrieked as Howie grinned. Hoke surfaced and glared.

"Come here son!" He yelled loudly as he reached at Howie’s trunks and gave him a hard tug. Howie went flying quickly into the pool. AJ and Chase laughed loudly as they ran over. Lauren jumped out of the pool and started to laugh.

"Daddy’s wet!" Nastasia cooed in Alexandria’s ear as Howie swept back his drenched locks of hair. Hoke grinned devilishly as he placed a kiss on both Nastasia’s cheek and Alexandria’s cheek, then he jumped out of the pool.

"Daddy is all wet Alexia." Howie grinned as he placed a slobbery wet kiss on Alexandria’s neck, making her squeal out with laughter. Nastasia laughed as Howie looked at her, something was different in her eyes this time. He couldn’t place it, "You okay sweetheart?"

"TIME FOR LUNCH LOVE BIRDS!" Paula yelled loudly.

"Fine." Nastasia lied as she placed a tender kiss on Howie’s lips, "Perfect."

"You sure?" Howie asked, not accepting her lie.

"Fine. I promise." Nastasia answered as she hoisted her child out of the pool. She knew she could never have the father she always wanted. And that left a hole in her sorrow-filled heart, but Alexandria having the father and grandfather Nastasia had always dreamed of made her heart a little lighter.