As Long as There is Love - Chapter One
After a long day of work in his personal studio, Justin left the room with a rumbling stomach and a healthy appetite. He entered the kitchen where his wife to be sat eating a sandwich. He smiled to himself before making his presence known.
"Hey sexy." Justin greeted while taking half of her sandwich.
Rolling her eyes, Michelle groaned and secured her honey-blonde hair in a loose ponytail. She picked up her sandwich afterwards. "Hey to you too." Nodding towards the other sandwich on the counter, Michelle started up their usual conversation.
She crossed one leg over the other. "So what did you do all day?"
Justin stood to retrieve the sandwich before returning to his seat. "The usual. Song writing, producing, studio time."
"Oh." Michelle took a bite of her sandwich, chewed and swallowed it. "Did you get anything done?"
"Oh lots of stuff. I wrote a song for you." Justin grinned when her eyes lit up as expected.
"Really? Can I hear it sometime?" She asked quietly.
"Sure." Justin nodded and bit into his sandwich. "So, your turn. What did you today?"
"Oh." Michelle paused, grinning as she wiped her mouth with a paper towel. "Since you don't have the time right now. I started planning for our wedding. I called a few coordinators, caterers, and dress designers. Oh and-"
"Wait, wait, wait…" Justin cut in, slowly halting her enthusiastic explanation of her day.
"You did all that?" He waited until she nodded before continuing.
"But," He just couldn't believe it. "Shelly, I just propose to you last night!" Justin exclaimed in total awe.
Michelle on the other hand glowed with pride and satisfaction. "I know. Isn't it amazing?" She grinned while Justin stared back blankly, which made her want to explain herself.
"Well, it's just that…I can't wait any longer. I want to be married to you as soon as possible and starting early is the easiest way." Michelle frowned as a thought crossed her mind. "Don't you want to be married to me too, Justin?"
She instantly regretted asking the question as Justin glared at her. However, she knew her reasons for asking. Unfortunately enough, Justin hadn't publicized their relationship yet. Sometimes she felt as if he didn't want anyone to know about him seeing her. Morever, it had taken much convincing on her part to get him to mention it to his mother and close friends.
Justin didn't want to rush into marriage, but she did. Knowing each other since before they could walk hadn't matter prior to the beginning of their five-year relationship. They hadn't started dating until college because Justin lingered to recognize his feelings for her and those she possessed for him since childhood. Therefore, it had taken Justin a while to ask for her hand in marriage. Now they were finally together, and she intended for it to remain that way.
"Of course I want to…be with you. Baby, you know that. But I just think you're moving too fast for me." Justin replied quietly. "I mean we're still young, ya know. We have plenty of time, okay?" He managed to finish off with a smile and make her smile at the same time.
"Okay then…I'll set aside the caterers and the coordinators. And I promise I won't call the designer until next week." Michelle fronted a bright smile of pearly white teeth.
Justin couldn't help but smile at her charm and wit. Michelle stood with him as he placed a kiss on her forehead and a lingering one upon her lips. "Okay." He kissed her lips again. "As long as you keep your promise."
Michelle jumped into his arms, her silky blonde hair whisking over his face as she lowered her head for a long kiss. "Of course."
Justin grinned pulling one arm away from her to glance at his watch. His smile suddenly enlarged as he gazed back at her. "Well, Shelly, we have an hour before your lunch break is over and you have to go back to work. What the hell should we do with all that time?"
Knowing exactly what he was hinting at, Michelle raised her brows as she allowed her small frame to slide along the length of his until she reached the floor. "I think I have an idea." She quickly ran into the bedroom and Justin followed.
~*~*~*~*~
Nina Evans fell back in the center of her bed as soon as she got home. Before she could close her eyes for a nap, the telephone rang.
Nina groaned and snatched the phone off the hook. "Talk to me."
"Nina?" Her older sister's voice answered back breathless. "Oh thank God. Where've ya been? I've been trying to call you." Cameron explained quickly.
Nina immediately pushed herself into a sitting position. "Ronnie. What's wrong? What happened?"
Cameron sighed. "The principal called me cause they couldn't reach you."
Nina rolled her brown eyes knowingly. "Let me guess Neece, right?"
"Ya know it."
"What did she do this time?"
"She punched one of the boys in her kindergarten class." Cameron laughed. "So do ya want me to go down there? I hear she's still heated up."
"I bet. My little girl is such a tomboy I don't know where she gets in from." Nina laughed.
"Humph. You were the same way when you were little. Fighting all the boys in the neighborhood."
"Shut up, Ronnie." Nina huffed. "Yeah so…could ya do that for me, I appreciate it. Oh ya might as well bring Nikki too because she won't stay the rest of the day if Neece's coming home."
"Okay, but you owe me. And I'll give you all the details when I get there. Peace." Cameron hung up.
Laughing to herself, Nina placed the phone on the receiver as she flicked on the television. "What am I gonna do with that child." She giggled referring to her five-year-old daughter, the terribly charming at times but unpredictable tomboy, Neece.
The child never failed to get into a fight in order to protect herself or her sister. She liked football, basketball, and any male sport. Putting her in a dress was like a wrestling match between mother and daughter. Neece was an all around boy, but looked like a girl.
Nina laughed at that thought before drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
~*~*~*~*~
Justin cautiously pushed a sleeping Michelle off his arm as he reached for the phone. "Hello?"
"Hi Justin sweetheart." His mother, Lynn, voice cooed into the phone.
"Hey Mom, what's up?"
"How are you? How's Michelle?"
"She's great. She's sleeping right now though. Oh mom I forgot to call you last night to spread the news." Justin grinned, running a hand over his brown hair.
"N-news?" Lynn stuttered, her mind already jumping to conclusions. "Is Michelle pregnant, Justin? How long have y'all known? Justin?"
"Mom." Justin snickered. "No, no babies here. Probably not for a while anyways. I was going to tell you that I proposed to Michelle last night."
"Oh." Lynn smiled, relieved. "Whew. That's wonderful. I knew Michelle was going to change your bachelor ways. I just don't know why you two didn't get together sooner. Anyway what did she say sweetheart? Did she say yes?"
"Of course. You know Michelle is all about this wedding stuff. She even started calling designers and things, it's ridiculous." Justin laughed lightly as Michelle began to stir in his embrace.
Lynn frowned slightly. "Okay. Well can you do me a favor?"
"Sure. What is it?"
"Do you mind picking your little brother up from school. He's sick and needs to come home." She explained.
"Yeah sure. Jon goes to that school down the street from the house right?"
"Mmm hmm. Thanks so much Justin. Well since I'm on my break I'm going call Michelle's mom and share the news. Bye."
Justin looked at the phone and laughed before hanging up. As he crawled out of bed to dress, Michelle awoke.
"Hey Justin where are you going?" She wiped her eyes and pushed herself up on her elbows.
"Oh." He hadn't notice she was up. "I have to pick up Jon from school early. He's sick."
"Aww poor thing." Michelle frowned with sympathy. "Do you think you can bring him by here after I get off? I haven't seen him in a while." She smiled.
"No problem." He smiled back at her. "As for you…you should be getting ya ass out that bed so you can go to work." Justin suggested pointing to the clock. When she looked at it, he swatted her bare thigh to grab her attention again. "Come on baby up!"
"Darn you Justin. I'm getting up okay." Michelle huffed, blowing strands of her long hair away from her eyes. She wrapped the sheet around her fair-colored frame as she slid to edge of the bed to a standing position.
Before she could make it to the bathroom, Justin snatched the sheet away. "You won't be needing this. We have plenty of towels. Go on, take a shower." He summoned.
Michelle shot him an evil glare as she entered the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.
"Damn look at that ass in motion!" Justin shouted afterwards as he left the room.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Okay have a seat we'll bring her right in." Cameron did as the principal told her.
In a few moments, the door cracked open and a small chubby face with dried tears and a scowl appeared.
Neece slowly but cautiously walked over to her auntie with her hands balled into tight fists in the pockets of her jeans.
Cameron curled an arm around the girls shoulder. "Now you know ya have some explaining to do when we get home, don't ya little Bit?" She used her nickname sternly.
Neece nodded. "I sorry Auntie Ronnie." She wrapped her short arms as far around her auntie's expecting form as she could.
"Mmm hmm." Cameron placed her hands on both armrests and pushed herself up. "Where's Nikki?"
"Outside in the sandbox."
"Oh not in the pretty new dress." Cameron sighed, covering her eyes. She looked up at the principal. "I'll be taking them both home early. Their mother already knows."
The principal nodded as they left the room.
"Auntie Ronnie." Neece reached up to grab her hand. "Will mommy beat me? She said to fight no more."
Cameron ruffled her curly brown locks. "No I don't think so." She laughed. "But why'd you have to punch him?"
"Cause he stepped on ma new kicks Auntie. And he kiss me right here!" Neece exclaimed pressing her finger to her cheek. "Two times. I let ‘em slide the first time tho."
Cameron laughed aloud as she spotted Nikki in the sandbox. For a small age, the girl definitely had a sense of humor. "Come on girl let's get Nikki."
"Nikki!" She called out to her.
The girl immediately stood, brushed the sand off her pink dress and ran to greet her favorite auntie with a big hug. "Auntie Ronnie!"
"Oh." Cameron winced, as Nikki's short-framed crashed into her belly. "How ya doing Short Stuff?" She fondly tousled her hair as she hugged her back.
"Fineee." She replied excitedly. "Ooh Auntie, ya know what Neece did? She hit a boy cause he kiss her." Nikki placed her small hand over her mouth and giggled.
"Shut up Nikki!" Neece reached to push her but her Auntie pulled her back.
"Now, now girls." Cameron smiled. Nikki was girly and delicate, unlike her sister, despite the fact that they were identical twins. Nikki enjoyed wearing dresses and looking pretty. She always played dress-up with her mother's make-up and house with her Barbie dolls.
But not Neece. She wouldn't dare step foot near a Barbie doll. Her thing was video games.
They looked so much alike, but they were so different.
"Hey Auntie Ronnie is Neece going home? Auntie!" Nikki screamed to get her attention.
"Auntie?" She tugged at her shirt.
"Oh I'm sorry Short Stuff, what is it?"
"Neece going home?"
"Yeah. You can come too if you want."
"Okay." Nikki paused to think as she put a finger to her chin. "On one ca-dition tho."
Cameron laughed at her wit. "Okay what?"
"We go to McDonalds." Nikki ordered sweetly.
"Yeah!" Neece added excitedly.
"Hold on." Cameron opened her purse to see how much money she had. There were a few dollars. She figured that was enough. "Okay I got enough for three meals."
"We need four. One for mommy." Neece said. "I have money." She pulled three dollars from the back pocket of her jeans.
"Where did you get that Little Bit? Granny and Poppy don't give you money until Saturday."
Neece tensed and frowned. "I took it from the boy who kissed me. I sorry." She apologized pitifully.
Cameron thought, damn, my niece is a bully and a thief. "It's okay. Just pay him back tomorrow."
"Okay." Neece excitedly handed the money over and grabbed her auntie's hand.
"Aight girls let's go." Cameron grabbed Nikki's hand and they walked to the car.