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The Triumph Of AJ Quartermaine
Chapter Twenty Six
Out in the Cold.
Bobbie and Jerry drive back to the HF house with Carly and Lucas in the backseats.
"Anyone for hot chocolate?" Carly asks before whispering to Lucas, "I've got the kind you can drink too."
"I want hot chocolate!" Lucas demands.
"Carly..." Bobbie says warningly.
Carly just shrugs. "You know Lucas, you could be ready to compete by summer if you want. They have a beginner meet according to your instructor."
"Will I be as good as you?"
"Not by summer, but you're starting younger than I did so you keep at it and you'll be better."
"Why did you stop?"
"Lucas, you shouldn't ask..." Bobbie interjects already knowing the answer.
"It's okay, Bobbie. I didn't own a horse; I borrowed one from a friend. When she was killed her horse was sold. I could have kept riding, but it wasn't fun anymore.
"Not like now, right?"
"Yeah, today was fun." Carly looks down at her nails before announcing. "You know Emily is going to be at the house when we get there. We, AJ and I, were planning on making a snowman for Michael."
"I want to make a snowman for Michael too!" Lucas automatically demands just as Carly knew he would.
"CARLY!!!" Bobbie turns around.
"What?" Carly retorts her tone sullen at Bobbie's rebuke.
"Carly and I have some paperwork to go over at the house anyway, Bobbie." Jerry backs Carly up. Bobbie reaches over to take Jerry's hand. Jerry sort of squeezes it warningly and looking over at Bobbie mouths silently, "Jason might be at the house."
The light dawns for Bobbie. "Oh." She pauses consideringly. "Did Hassan fax you the information on the estate sales? I think I have a day off next weekend. I might want to check some of them out myself." Jerry gives Bobbie's hand another squeeze then lifting it to his lips kisses the back of it.
"EW mushy stuff." Lucas exclaims turning to Carly. "They're like that ALL the time."
Jerry pulls through the gates and around to the front door. "Classic." He whistles pulling in behind the Bentley.
"Guess Emily and Reginald are still here." Carly looks around for Jason's cycle or car then sighs in relief not seeing either. Rushing out of the car she hollars at Lucas. "Last one in doesn't get any marshmallows!"
"NO FAIR!" Lucas fumbles with his seat belt and races after Carly. Both back doors are shut with a slam.
"Thanks Jerry. I should have picked up on it." Bobbie says. "But I'm not used to Carly EXTENDING our visits."
From a field across from the house, Jason observes Carly's return with Bobbie and Jacks. He settles in to wait for them to leave along with Reginald and Emily.
The kitchen of the HF house.
"And this AJ, is a toaster... see how easy it is you put bread in... and toast comes out. May I suggest that you put it on the lightest setting until you figure it out?" Reggie reminds in a smug tone. "If you'd like I can teach you to boil water next."
Carly comes into the kitchen in time to hear the last. "Great idea. I've got a hot chocolate fiend on my tail." Lucas comes racing after Carly running into her back.
"You cheated!"
"Did not."
"Did to."
"Did not."
"TO!"
"Jerry and your mom aren't here yet." Carly reminds Lucas settling the arguement.
"No marshmallows for them." Carly offers Lucas a quick high five at his gleeful retort.
Carly easily finds the hot chocolate mix that she had stashed the night before as well as the marshmallows and the cups. She looks over at AJ. "Well get with it!"
"With what?"
"Boiling water. For hot chocolate?" Carly goes over to Michael who sits on Emily's lap and makes a face. "Is AJ being silly?"
"No, Mama's being silly, right Michael." AJ goes for his son's support on the issue and only a babble is his answer.
"Well my vote is for the both of you." Emily inserts ruefully laughing. Going over to the tap she settles Michael on one hip while she fills the tea kettle and then with a significant gaze at AJ places it on the burner and turns it on. "AJ, this is the way that you heat water for drinks... if you need hot water for something else you need to use a pot. Cause it is really hard to get the pasta noodles in the tea kettle and impossible to get them back out."
"Lucas, Are you going to let them keep picking on me?"
"Yeah. Mama didn't raise no fools." Lucas sits at the table and smiles smugly at his proclamation as the room groans. "I thought that we were going to make a snowman for Michael?"
"He's right. I'm going to have to get home soon." Emily reminds. "Church only counts for so many hours even if Reggie and I agree that we went to a brunch afterward." Reggie nods at the cover story.
"I'll have the chocolate ready for you if you want to make Michael's snowman." Reggie offers.
"Where are Bobbie and Jerry?" AJ asks "Weren't they suppose to be right behind you?"
"They're probably sucking face in the car-- Mushy stuff.... constantly; I'll be warped." Lucas replies putting on his winter gear again.
"Let's throw snowballs at the car!"
"Carly!" Emily is shocked.
"Hey I didn't say put rocks in them or anything. A little snow never hurt anybody!" Carly shrugs. AJ makes note of the comment as a plan forms.
"Come on lets make a snowman!" AJ herds everyone out to the front yard where the expanse of pristine snow is irresistable. AJ sets everyone to their tasks: Lucas for the smallest ball, Emily for the middle and he and Carly set out to make the base. With much grunting and groaning the basic for the snowman is quickly erected. When Reggie sees that the project is nearing completion he brings Michael out in his snowsuit as well as a few items that he had scavenged from the house to decorate it. One of AJ's ties instead of a scarf, some buttons that he had pulled off of one of AJ's jacket coat for eyes and a larger one for a nose. He hands Emily her bag knowing that she is carrying a disposable camera.
"Thanks Reggie. " Emily realizes after a second why Reg has handed her bag to her. Tossing it down she searches through it until she hold aloft the camera.
Lucas tosses a snowball at the car where Bobbie and Jerry have been 'talking' garnering their attention. As they wipe the condensation from the interior of the car they see that the project is nearly done.
"It's only missing one thing." Bobbie insists to Jerry's bewilderment as Bobbie goes tossing through the glove box.
"What are you looking for?"
"GOT IT!!" Bobbie pulls a stoagie out of the glove box. Jerry just shakes his head. "Did you really think I'd let Luke smoke in my car? He's lucky I didn't break the darn thing." Bobbie and Jerry climb out of the car and walk over to the group that is standing back looking at the decorated snow man. "Here." She hands the cigar to Carly. "It's not a Spencer snowman without one."
"Thanks Mama." Carly takes the cigar and looking the snowman over inserts it at a jaunty angle. "You're right every other snowman can have a pipe....ours needs a cigar! There it's done! Michael's first snowman in our new house." She stands back and crosses her arms considering the whole snowman. "Not too bad."
"OKAY Everyone around the snowman time for PICTURES!" Emily explains. Everyone gathers around as Emily takes a step back to get them in frame.
"Miss Emily, you should be in the picture." Reg holds out his hand for the camera.
"Really?" Handing the camera to Reggie she moves into the shot. "Use it up, Reginald. I'll get it developed tomorrow." Soon combinations of family are sorted and shot by the snowman: Bobbie, Carly, Lucas and Michael, then add Jerry, then sub Jerry and Bobbie, then add AJ, then add Emily, then sub Lucas, then sub Carly (for the quartermaine picture.), add Reggie under protest. After the family pictures are taken it breaks down into various combination of duos.
"Last Picture." Reginald says looking at the camera. Jerry directs Carly and AJ to positions by the snowman. They end up sitting on the ground at the base of the snowman with AJ's arm around Carly. Reggie mutters under his breath. "This shot is going to turn Monica's hair white...er." Then returning to his normal voice he calls out. "Okay, say cheese or something!" AJ and Carly laugh and Reg quickly snaps their picture. AJ scrambles to his feet offering Carly and hand up as well. Carly comes up with a handful of snow that she tosses in a surprised AJ's face.
"That's it! This is war! A battle of the sexes-- Lucas, are you with me?" AJ demands wiping away the frozen moisture.
Lucas hollars "YEAH!!!" Moving to his prearranged stash, Lucas starts tossing snowballs at Carly and Emily. Even Bobbie catches a stray one. Reggie rolls his eyes and gathering up Michael takes him back inside out of the line of fire. Lucas' preemptive strike is soon exhausted and the battle ensues. Bobbie and Jerry retreat to the porch claiming neutrality. (except for the handful of snow that Jerry secrets away to drop down the back of Bobbie's shirt at an opportune time.) AJ advances on Carly's position putting her in full retreat. He's coming at her too fast to actually form snowballs and she is resorting to scooping and tossing snow at him. She slips and falls into the cushion of the snow, laughing. AJ kneels over her blocking Carly from getting away a huge handful of snow over Carly's face.
"Don't you DARE!" Carly gasps as she can't stop laughing.
"Come on, Baby, A little snow never hurt anyone." AJ teases.
"You planned THIS!"
"You poor Florida gals don't know the snow rules. First the snowman and then the snowball fight, it's a tradition. Lucas was just waiting for you to take the first shot. Which you did. Now you have to pay the piper."
"But it's going to be so cold." Carly whines. "What do you want instead? Come on, AJ. Be reasonable!"
"A kiss." AJ suggests. "A kiss like you mean it."
"First put down the snow." Carly reaches up to AJ her gloved hand at the back of his neck pulling him to her. Hesitantly she kisses him, her lips part with an exhaled breath. AJ deepens the kiss. Carly's eyes close as she gives into the feeling that threaten to overwealm her. It had been so long. And he was being so tender. AJ runs a thumb along Carly's jaw threading his fingers through her hair to bring her closer to him. All thoughts of breathing flee. The distant rumble of a motorcycle starting goes unnoticed.