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Chapter Nine: The News


"This is unreal! You're for real?!" Kevin ranted, grasping Brian by the shoulders as Ana and Howie walked back into the living room.

"Oh shit, it's worse than we thought! Maybe Nick and Brian confessed to not only being gay lovers, but drag queens!" Ana yelped, hiding behind Howie in case of bloodshed.

"Where the Hell do you get off?" Nick exclaimed bluntly, leaning to peer behind Howie's broad shoulder. He seemed to forget Kevin launching his heavy body on top of Brian, continuing to curse in disbelief. Instead, Nick arched his light brows at the bizarre accusation, fully prepared to defend his sexuality. "I'll have you know--"

"All the signs were there," Ana stated matter of factly, moving with Howie as he neared the couch to eat his meal. "You two were sitting close together on the couch, finishing each others sentences, smiling at each other, hugging one another, classic psychosocial anaylsis, Nick..."

"In other words, you and Brian acted like a gay couple," Tierja translated, watching Nick's eyebrows furl in confusion at Ana's reply.

"Hey! We did not act--"

"Actually..." AJ trailed off with a smirk to intagonize the younger man.

"Oh, don't even start or I tell Howie what you said about his fiance!" Nick exploded.

"That's blackmail based on false facts!"

"I'll tell him, I swear to God--"

"Will someone just spill this news that Kevin is ranting about? I don't want any blood stains on my brand new carpet!" Tierja interrupted with a groan.

"Told you to get stain resistant," Ana mused, easing herself down onto the couch and pushing the button to release the rest stand to elevate her aching leg.

"You're no help, Gimpy."

"Hey--"

"AJ, tell us what's going on," Howie turned to his best friend.

"Well, I read on the Internet that Minnesota has the best chapels for marrying homosexual couples, so Nick and Brian decided that we had to move here for good so he can finally live without shame," AJ stated simply.

"THAT'S IT!" Nick growled, tackling AJ onto the loveseat.

"Shit!" AJ yelped before getting crushed under Nick's weight.

"Maybe next time you should just tell us what's really happening," Tierja clicked her tongue in disappointment.

"She's like Kevin Jr without the nutsack!" AJ squeaked beneath Nick.

"Maybe so, but I'm not the one getting squashed like a bug by Nick, am I?"

"Happens all the time!"

"And yet you still haven't learned from it."

"Will someone please tell us this news?" Howie grunted in annoyance.

"WE'RE MOVING TO MINNESOTA! HOW MANY DAMN TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY IT BEFORE YOU STOP SHAKING THE SHIT OUT OF ME?!" Brian roared from beneath his older cousin, breaking the squabble between the two younger men as the puppy began barking hysterically at the excitement.

"WHAT?! Are you serious?!" Howie actually screeched, launching off the couch to jump on top of Nick and AJ.

"And I thought girls freaked out about these kind of things," Tierja shook her head with a smirk, leaning down to scoop Spunky into her arms.

"Didn't you know that Howie's the female in this relationship?" Ana laughed with amusement, noticing Mattie's long tail poking up between the spacing of her foot rest. So, gently, she bent her good leg to lightly pinch her kitten's tail between her toes.

"I know that now," Tierja rolled her eyes, scratching Spunky behind the ears as she watched the grown men tackle each other. "And stop teasing your kitty."

"I'm not teasing her," Ana contradicted as Mattie immediately lept up onto the foot rest, hurrying to cuddle against Ana's chest for a nap.

"Well it looked like it," Tierja retorted, jumping slightly when Spunky began to bark again as he watched the group of guys fall into one big pile on the floor. "NO BLOOD ON THE CARPET!"

"We'll buy new carpet!" Nick hollered.

"Lord, I can already tell these guys are going to drive me crazy."

"You've already reached crazy. Try for another city that isn't so populated," Ana answered, clicking her tongue softly as Mattie settled just beneath her chin.

"Thanks for the advice, Dr. Phil--"

"I am not an over-weight balding man that needs to critique other people's lives in order to make himself feel better, Tierj."

"I didn't say--"

"BABY! The guys are moving to Minnesota!" Kevin interrupted, crawling out from the dogpile.

"So I heard," Tierja laughed, glancing sideways to see Ana simply close her eyes as if she were cat-napping with her kitten. But, Kevin didn't seem to care as he prepared to attack her. So, she quickly released Spunky, allowing him to jump onto the pile of men to deliver his own playful nips of delight.

"Do you know how great this is? I mean, it's just... Great!" Kevin grinned, gently pinning her down on the couch.

"I have a feeling how great," Tierja continued to laugh as he covered her neck in kisses.

"My best friends, Tier!"

"I know, Baby. I know! I'm very happy for you."

"I promise you're going to love them!"

"I'm sure I will, but I could never love any of them more than I love you."

"Well, obviously!" Kevin scoffed, pressing his face into the crook of her neck to regain his composure. It just seemed too surreal. Before, Kevin considered himself to be the epitomy of bad luck. He had ruined the entire bond between all five men and actually scared Howie into going upstate. Only, now he had found Howie, met a wonderful woman, and got his friends to move to Minnesota to get back what they had lost. The whole idea actually made him giddy.

"Everything's really falling into place," Tierja smiled, running her hands through his silky raven locks. She didn't think things could get any more perfect than what they were, but it had happened. Howie and Kevin were happier than ever, which made Tierja and Ana happy.

"Finally," Kevin breathed in agreement.

"Thank God for--"

"BUM'S RUSH INTO THE POOL!" Nick screeched, somehow dragging Brian, Howie and AJ by the shirt. He ran towards the deck with a grin.

"It takes adjustment!" Kevin immediately blurted when Tierja tensed as a large splash echoed throughout the household.

"They're cleaning up their own messes!"

~*~*~*~

"I still can't believe the guys are actually moving here," Howie sighed with a silly grin, crawling their large bed. He and Ana had just dropped the three former Florida men at a hotel and immediately craved for sleep. It was a long day and Howie knew it was just the beginning.

"Yeah, now you might not bitch so much about me having so many guy friends. After all, you may be caught up after they offically move here," Ana teased, reaching to rest her crutches against the wall. She then stretched her tired body before adjusting the straps along her heavy brace. Howie had been so absolutely thrilled the entire day, which just seemed to make Ana laugh harder. She had never really seen Howie so pleased with himself before.

"I think I'll still be bitching about it... you need to have more girlfriends besides Tier. She can only do so much," Howie teased back, pulling down the covers so she could slide in.

"Chicks are entirely overrated," Ana sighed dramatically, carefully picking up her leg to settle it against the mattress. Only, she instantly made a face at the straightening while the muscles pulled with raw pain. Though, Howie seemed to quickly anticipate her discomfort, helping to ease several pillows underneath her leg to elevate. Releasing the softest breath, Ana eased back against the headboard, closing her eyes as the pain started to dissipate. "Why do you think I strongly urge you not to have any girlfriends?"

"I know, that's why I have a fiance instead," Howie retorted, reaching up to rub her shoulders. An idea was brewing in his mind, and he hoped that she would go for it.

"A damn good fiance and a damn good best girlfriend. That's all you're allowed to have until I marry you. That way I know I'll always be the first and last woman in your heart... Besides your mother and sisters, of course," Ana mused, leaning up slightly so he could offer a better massage.

"Speaking of marriage and being the woman in my heart... what would you say about getting married tomorrow night?" Howie blurted, pressing a kiss to the side of her face.

"Excuse me?" Ana laughed in surprise, sitting forward as Howie actually fell behind her. She instantly turned her upper torso to face him, staring down at him with her beautiful blue-green eyes.

"You heard what I said. Let's get married tomorrow night. Y'know, eloping. I waited three years to propose, I don't want to wait for the next step," Howie fumbled to sit up on the bed, cupping her smooth cheeks.

"Couldn't you have reversed the two then?" Ana questioned with a smirk, unable to honestly believe this was her fiance sitting in the bed beside her.

"You're--"

"Are you serious about eloping?"

"When am I not serious about something like this?"

"Howie, this just doesn't sound like you," Ana explained, shaking her head in an awed disbelief. "You've always been careful and cautious. That's why it took you three years to propose in the first place..."

"Almost losing you and my friends in that tornado has changed my perspective in life. I don't want to be cautious when it comes to love. I want to dive into it without asking questions or wondering about the consequences."

"Howie... I..." Ana was honestly speechless as Howie shifted to face her. She just glanced at him with a sweet wonder, unable to believe that the path of her life had finally met this very fork in the road. She always joked with Tierja that she'd end up being the little old spinister, cursing up a storm, drinking her wine coolers from a spiquet, and raising about fifty homeless cats. Only, Howie was looking to make a serious commitment by tomorrow evening and changing her entire life.

"Ana, I love you. I want to get married," Howie said simply, bringing their lips together for a gentle kiss.

"But we are getting married," she laughed, gently biting down on her bottom lip when she pulled away.

"Tomorrow night."

"I never said--"

"You don't want to elope?"

"Howie--"

"It's a rush of adrenaline to elope..." Howie tried to entice.

"Howard Dwaine!" Ana groaned with a laugh, pushing on his chest. Only, she grew serious after Howie started to pout. Gently, she grasped his tank top to pull him close. "Nothing would make me happier than to marry you tomorrow night... But we better be having one kickass honeymoon when I'm actually allowed to walk."

"We'll go anywhere you want," Howie promised, immediately bringing them together for a deep kiss filled with excitement and passion.

"Somewhere far away from our friends," Ana decided with a sly smile, resting her forehead against his before inviting another kiss.

"Far, far away."

"So, you already have everything planned? Or at least that's what I'm assuming..." Ana trailed, wrapping her arms gently around the back of Howie's neck. Carefully, she started to brush her fingertips against the nape of his neck, eliciting a shiver. She smiled with approval. "Because, you might want to be wreckless and implusive... But you can't change all your characteristics in a day."

"Well... you know when I went out to buy food for the barbeque today? I... um... got everything we need," Howie admitted with a firm blush settling on his tan cheeks.

"Everything, huh?"

"Like you said, I can't change all in a day--"

"Anything special for after the ceremony?"

Howie's dark brows furled in confusion. "For after the ceremony?"

"Baby..."

"Oh! Yeah..."

"Care to share them with me?"

"Nope, it's a surprise."

"Baby, please?"

"But, it's a--"

"Baby..." Ana trailed again, grasping the collar of his tank top. She gently pulled him toward her, starting to suckle against the side of his neck.

"N-No fair," Howie whined with a shiver.

"Tell me. Please?"

"Can't I just have a surprise for my soon-to-be-wife?"

"Where's the fun in that?" she purred, pulling away just to blow a soft air against where she had been nibbling.

"Ana..."

"What?"

Howie turned his head and brought their lips together for a deep kiss. He held back a chuckle as he heard her moan gently, tanging her fingers into his curls. "No matter what you do to me... there's still going to be a surprise tomorrow night!"

~*~*~*~

"I don't think I've ever seen you this frisky before! Those boys really do bring out a different side of you!" Tierja giggled as Kevin chased her up the stairs with a grin on his slightly sunburned face. He had been hyper and more affectionate while everyone was around, but it seemed to double since they all left.

"Well, it'd be a seriously different side of me if you'd just let me catch you!" Kevin squawked, nearly tripping against the last step.

"It's more fun this way... unless you're too old to catch me," Tierja stopped and grinned at the ego stab she delivered to her boyfriend. It bothered him so when people made fun of his age.

"Alright, Anna Nicole," Kevin growled, diving toward Tierja to tackle her to the floor.

"Yikes!" Tierja yelped as they fell to the floor with a soft thud. "No fair!"

"No fair to call you Miss Smith, hmm?"

"No, it's not. I'm not a dumb blonde!" Tierja huffed, squirming under his pin.

"Yeah, just a fiesty brunette that can't keep her mouth shut," Kevin tormented, reaching to gently brush his hands down her cheeks as he straddled himself on top of her.

"Mm-hmm, that's more like it," Tierja gave a sly smile, reaching up to brush their lips together.

"But if you dare call me old one more time, I'm going to start calling you Anna Nicole," he threatened, leaning down to meet her half way.

"I won't dare call you old anymore," Tierja promised, kissing him again. "You're too cute to be old--"

"Yeah, and you're too..." Kevin trailed to figure the correct terminology to compare her against Anna Nicole.

"Don't you even try."

"Try what?"

"Just hush," Tierja rolled her eyes, pushing him down on the floor and straddling his hips.

"Am I a hush puppy?"

"No, that's Spunky--"

"Real funny," Kevin scowled.

"Oh stop. You know I love you," Tierja shook her head, leaning down to suckle on his neck.

"Of course I know you love me, 'cause I love you, too."

"Good, and that's the way it will always be," Tierja looked up to gaze into his emerald eyes with a smirk. "Even if we end up having a bunch of kids."

"How many would that be?"

"At least three?"

"That's a bunch? Oh, Lord, you've never been to the south have you?"

"Not that I recall... why?"

"Because three is just an itty bitty bunch."

"An itty bitty bunch, huh? How many kids were you thinking?"

"I wasn't really set on a number persay."

"So you have the mindset of whatever happens, happens?"

"Just about, yeah."

"That sounds good... I hope our boys look like you. Those beautiful emerald eyes, the raven hair--"

"I know, I'm gorgeous."

"I was trying to be sentimental!" Tierja groaned, climbing off his hips.

"I was letting you!"

"You drive me cra--"

"With love," Kevin declared, reaching to grab her.

"With love!" Tierja grinned as he swept her into his arms, crushing their lips together for a steamy kiss as he walked towards their bedroom.