Chapter Nineteen part one Getting Adjusted May 16th 2003 “God Vanessa what do you have in this thing?”  Groaned Marshall as he carried in a large cardboard box from Vanessa’s car. Vanessa laughed.  “Just some different odds and ends.” “These are some pretty heavy olds and ends.” Vanessa shook her head and followed Marshall into the house.  “Where are Hailie and AJ?”  She asked looking around the empty living room. Marshall sat the box down on the floor and stretched.  “Hailie wanted to go to the store and get some treats to take to Kim’s this weekend, so Aje suggested he would take her.” “It’s a good thing those two get alone so well.”  Commented Vanessa as she picked up the stack of clothes she was carrying into the house.  “Come on, and show me to my room.” *****@***** “Hailie do you have everything packed?”  Called AJ as he walked into the little girls room. Hailie looked up when she heard her papa come into the room.  “Yup, just gota pack Tiger.”  She said hopping over to her bed and grabbing the stuffed tiger. AJ smiled and picked up the duffle bag with the things Hailie would need to go to Kim’s.  “Come on girly girl.  Mommy’s going to be here any second.” AJ was right.  He barely got to finish his sentence when Marshall yelled from the bottom of the stars. “Hailie! You’re moms here!” Hailie giggled and skipped out of the room.  She loved living with her daddy and papa, but it was always fun to go over to her mommy’s house. AJ followed the happy girl down the hallway but stopped to look into one of the guest bedrooms where Vanessa was setting up her stuff. “Need any help?” Vanessa turned around startled when she heard AJ’s voice.  “My goodness you scared me.” AJ laughed.  “Sorry, but do you need any help?” Vanessa looked around the room at the piles of boxes she had yet to unpack.  “I wasn’t planning on finishing these right now, actually I’m meeting my mom for lunch in a few minutes.” “Have you told her about the engagement?”  Asked AJ before he sat down on the bed, holding his back. Vanessa noticed this.  “You’re back is really bothering you isn’t it?” “Only when I’ve been standing up for too long.  I guess I should be considered lucky because Justin has been having a lot harder time then I have.” “Yeah, that poor boy.  At least he only has a little over a month to go.”  She said looking down at her watch.  “I’m sorry to do this, but I need to get going now.” AJ got up off the bed and smiled.  “You never answered my question.” Vanessa stopped in the doorway.  “No I haven’t but I’m going to today.” *****@***** Once Hailie and Vanessa both left Marshall walked up the stairs in search for his missing fiancé.  They were supposed to get together that afternoon to discuss wedding plans.  When he walked into their bedroom he found AJ talking on the phone. “Yeah, that sounds like an awesome idea Kev.” Marshall walked over to the bed and sat down.  “Nope, I’m sure he will love to go along with it.  Have you talked to Nick and Justin yet?”  Continued AJ with a huge smile on his face Marshall was getting really interested in this conversation.  What could Kevin be telling AJ that would make him that happy? “Yeah, don’t worry I’ll talk to him about to today and get back to you first thing tomorrow morning.”  AJ paused for a second listening to what Kevin was saying.  “Ok, talk to you tomorrow.  Tell Kris good luck at the doctor.”  With that he hung up the phone and looked at Marshall.  “That was Kevin.” “I kinda figured that when you said Kev, and commented about Kris.”  Laughed Marshall. AJ rolled his eyes. “You knew what I meant.” Marshall scooted father on the bed so he was sitting with his back against the headboard and his hips and shoulders touching AJ’s.  “What did he tell you that you thought was a good idea?” AJ smiled and turned so his body was facing Marshall’s.  “You know how we are scheduled to do that ‘Baby Story’ show in July?” Marshall nodded. “Well, TLC was also wondering if the whole group and their significant others wanted to a double episode of Trading Spaces.” Marshall looked at AJ in confusion.  “What’s Trading Spaces?” AJ groaned.  “You don’t know what Trading Spaces is?” Marshall shook his head.  “You know I don’t watch that much TV.” “Well, Trading Spaces is a show were neighbors get two days to decorate a room in each other’s homes.  Each team doesn’t get to see what goes on in their rooms, and each only gets a thousand dollars to spend.  Also each team gets to work with one of the professional designers that the show has.”  Explained AJ, almost jumping up and down with excitement. “So they want us to do this show, along with the baby story thing?” AJ nodded.  “Yeah.  This is going to be so cool Marshall! I think they should redecorate Hailie’s room.  You know kind of like a big sister gift thing. I think we owe it to her after the crib fiasco.” Marshall couldn’t help but laugh, and started to almost fall over he was laughing so hard. AJ looked at Marshall with hurt in his eyes.  “What are you fucking laughing at?” Marshall shopped right away when he heard the hurt tone in AJ’s voice.  “I’m sorry baby, its just you are so cute when you’re excited. You ramble like no tomorrow.” AJ tried to stay mad but found himself giggling too.  “You think I’m cute?” “Totally.” “Even with the belly?” Marshall smirked.  “Oh I love the belly.” AJ giggled again and jumped off the bed.  “How much do you love the belly?” Marshall just smiled and got up off the bed. “You gota catch me.”  With that AJ waddled as fast as he could out of the bedroom and down the stairs. It took Marshall a second to notice that AJ had left the room. Shaking his head he ran out of the room and down the stairs.  “Alex!  Where are you?” He called. AJ giggled again.  He knew he probably sounded like a twelve-year-old girl, but he didn’t care.  “You’ve gota come find me.” Marshall followed the sound of AJ’s voice and ended up in the kitchen, but AJ was nowhere to be seen. “Alex?” “Looking for me?” Marshall turned around and his breath caught in his throat.  AJ was standing there naked, large pregnant belly and totally erect cock standing out in front for all to see. AJ smirked at the stunned look on Marshall’s face.  It has been almost two weeks since the two of them had made love, since AJ’s back had been bothering him.  But now he could care less if his back hurt, he needed to be with his fiancé in the worst way.  His eyes draped down Marshall’s body and he couldn’t help but shiver when he noticed how hard the other man had gotten in a matter of seconds. It still amazed him of how affected her got in his presence. “Like what you see?”  He said teasingly. Hearing AJ talk to him finally broke him of his trance.  AJ had to be the most beautiful thing in the world, and a naked, hard and pregnant AJ was even more intoxicating. Licking his lips he tired to speak but nothing would come out.  Trying again he was successful.  “You’re so beautiful.” AJ blushed and looked down at his feet.  He didn’t understand how anybody could think he was beautiful looking the way he did.  It was almost impossible to see his feet and stretch marks could be seen on his sides.  If he had anything to say about it he would say he was ugly, but he again this meant that there was a beautiful baby inside him, and that made things all right.  He would take the huge stomach and stretch marks any day if it meant there would be a healthy baby in their family in the next three months. Marshall understood AJ’s silence and walked towards him.  “You really are baby.  The most beautiful thing I’ve seen, and I love you so much.” AJ looked up into Marshall’s eyes and saw the love and heat there, that was when he remembered that he was standing there naked and hard.  Not to mention the huge tent in Marshall’s once baggy sweat pants.  Smiling he walked so he was only inches from Marshall.  “Make love to me, right here on the kitchen table.  We haven’t done that in way too long baby.”  He whispered huskily into Marshall’s ear, biting it a little has he trailed kisses down his chin and neck. Marshall moaned and pulled AJ to him as far as he could without swishing AJ’s stomach too much.  That was one thing he wouldn’t miss about AJ being pregnant.  He couldn’t get the man he loved close enough to him.  Taking AJ’s chin into his hand he moved it so his lips were on his own and placed a long, loving and passion filled kiss on his lips.  A kiss that left both men breathless and needing more. AJ pulled away and looked into Marshall’s eyes. Without saying anything he moved his hands to his shirt and tugged on it singling that he wanted it off.  Marshall raised his hands in response and watched as AJ removed his oversized t-shirt and pulled his sweats and boxers down his legs. Now both naked they just looked at each other in admiration.  The love they felt for each other shown through their eyes. Taking AJ’s hands into his own, Marshall guided both of them over to the kitchen table. He helped AJ scoot onto it before he climbed on himself and settled his body between AJ’s open legs.  He looked down at his lover, fiancé and father of his baby and could almost feel tears coming to his eyes. His life was finally perfect. He had everything in the world.  Scooting up so his body was resting gently against AJ’s he trailed kisses along his neck and upper chest, just relishing in the noises AJ was making underneath him. Hearing AJ moan like this was almost enough to get him off, but he held on.  AJ didn’t need him loosing control right now. He needed it to go slow and loving.  AJ laid back and clung to the place mats underneath him as Marshall worked his tongue and lips on his sensitive chest and stomach.  He could feel Marshall’s erection straining against his leg and knew it was probably talking all the other man’s power to take things this slowly.  He moaned again as he felt Marshall getting close to his hard member.  This was getting to be too much.  He needed Marshall in him, and he needed that now.  Taking all his will power he took Marshall’s head and forced it too look at him. Marshall jerked his head up, expecting to see pain in AJ’s eyes, but when he didn’t he was even more confused.  “What’s wrong?” AJ smiled.  “I want you inside me when I cum, and that wasn’t going to happen if you kept that up.” Marshall sighed.  He was afraid AJ was going to chance his mind and not want to go through with this. He loved AJ to death but if he stopped him then he didn’t know what he would do. “The lube is upstairs…” “Screw it, I’m so turned on right now I doubt it would matter.” Hearing AJ like this had always been enough to do Marshall in, but again he kept his composer and positioned himself over AJ and right before he was going to enter him he looked down into AJ’s eyes and whispered, “I love you baby.” AJ groaned in pleasure and in pain as Marshall started to inch his way inside him.  He tired to hide the pain in his eyes, because he knew how much it worried Marshall to see him hurting. Marshall looked down at AJ and could tell he was trying not to show he was hurting.  He was going to comment on this but AJ beat him to it. “I’m fine honey, I just need a second.” Marshall nodded and sucked in a deep breath trying to regain the little composer he had left while he waited for AJ to be ready for him to move. A minute later AJ could feel the pain leave and the pleasure and great feeling of his lover in him.  “Marshall…Make love to me…move now!” That was all Marshall needed to move almost all the way out of his love and slam back into him, hitting AJ’s prostate on the first try. *****@***** Vanessa sat at a booth at the local dinner as her mom told her about something her niece had done the day before.  She tried to act interested but deep down she was to worried about what her mom would say about her engagement. Tammy Morgan wasn’t blind he knew her daughter was worried and hiding something. After twenty minutes of her pretending to be listening she had to say something.  “Vanessa, honey. What’s wrong?” Vanessa jerked her head up and looked at her mother’s concerned eyes.  “W…what do you mean?” “Vanessa Veronica Morgan, I’ve known you for twenty-one years, I’m your mother.  You cant expect me not to notice when my own daughter is worried about something.”  Exclaimed Tammy. Vanessa sighed and looked down at her lap, suddenly the little pieces of fuzz there was very interesting.  “I’m not really worried about this one thing, I’m more worried about how you are going to take it.” Tammy shook her head. Her daughter had always had a confusing way of putting things. Reaching over she took her hand in hers.  “Whatever it is, you can tell me.” Vanessa looked up and put on a fake smile. Taking a deep breath she said,  “Howie proposed to me last week, we’re getting married.” That was a shock to say the least.  Tammy wasn’t expecting that one.  But she loved the idea.  Her baby girl was getting married. Smiling she held on the Vanessa’s hand tighter.  “This is really sudden, I mean you’ve only known Howie for what four months now.” Vanessa nodded. “You’re not pregnant are you?” It was Vanessa’s turn to be shocked. She couldn’t help but look at her mom like she had two heads.  “Why does everybody keep asking that?  Is it totally not thought of that a person may just love another person and can’t wait a year to get married?” She yelled defensively. Tammy laughed.  “Honey, calm down and stop freaking out for just a second. I was only kidding. I knew from the first time I met Howie back in March that you two loved each other very much. I knew it would only be a matter of months before I heard you were getting married.  Howie is a great young man and you’re a really lucky girl.” Vanessa could feel tears coming to her eyes and got up off her seat and walked to the other side, before saying anything she threw her arms around her mom and whispered.  “I love you mommy.” *****@***** “Oh God Marsh I’m so close.”  Moaned AJ as Marshall continued to move in and out of him. Marshall groaned as he fought off his impeding orgasm.  “Me too… I need you to cum with me Alex.” *****@***** Vanessa unlocked the door and walked through the living room. She was on top of the world and in a daze that she didn’t even bother but call out to see if anybody else was home.  Practically skipping she made her way to the kitchen.  What she really wanted right then was a nice cold mountain dew that she could take out on the deck and look out at the beautiful yard Marshall and AJ had.  Walking into the kitchen she almost tripped on her own feet at what she saw.  Marshall was on top of AJ, slamming one last time into him before they both came.  Marshall inside of AJ and AJ in between their bodies.  No matter how bad she wanted to, she couldn’t bring herself to look the other direction. Taking a deep breath she knew she had to say something to the men laying exhausted in front of her, but nothing would come out, so she settled for clearing her throat.  Marshall and AJ’s head snapped up to see a very red Vanessa standing in the kitchen doorway.  “Oh fuck Vanessa.  We…we…oh fuck.” AJ closed his eyes and willed himself to be any place but there.  This had to be the most embarrassing thing. Vanessa tried to regain her composer and walked over to get both men their pants so they could slip them on. Finding Marshall’s in the middle of the floor she handed them to him.  Looking around on the floor she couldn’t seem to find AJ’s. AJ cleared his throat.  “They’re over behind the counter.” He said pointing towards the island counter in the middle of the kitchen. Vanessa nodded grabbed the lost article of clothing and handed it to his owner.  “I’m…I’m going to go upstairs and read a book or something.”  She spit out as she dashed from the room.” Marshall and AJ looked at each other and let out a sigh of relief.  They would all have to talk about that a little bit later. *****@***** That night everybody met over at Marshall and AJ’s house to talk about the possibility of doing the Trading Spaces shows and talk more about weddings. “So, they want us to pair off and redecorate each other houses?”  Asked Justin taking a sip of his ice water. Kevin nodded.  “From what I understand we will be paired off with our own partners.  Kris is with me, AJ and Marshall, Nick and Justin and so on.” “It’s a good thing Howie is buying you’re old house Aje, other wise this wouldn’t have worked out.” Said Nick. Vanessa turned to look at Howie in shock.  “You’re buying AJ’s house?” Howie glared at Nick.  “Yeah, I was going to tell you later tonight, but I guess now works.” “Yeah, Howie came to me a few days ago asking about it. Of course I wasn’t going to turn him down.  It sure beats having to put the blasted thing up for sale.” “So, you guys are going into the studio starting Monday morning?”  Asked Aaron. Nick nodded.  “We’re supposed to be in the studio until at least the middle of next month.” “Does that mean I get to stay at home?”  Aaron asked hopefully. Vanessa looked at Nick and Justin in shock.  “You haven’t told him yet?” “Haven’t told me what? Please don’t tell me you are sending me home or to some stupid summer camp.” Nick laughed.  “We never thought of summer camp.” Justin laughed too.  “No, you will be coming over here every day and hanging out with Vanessa and Hailie.” Aaron jumped out of his seat and glared at Justin.  “I don’t need a fucking babysitter.  I’m fucking fifteen years old.  You can’t fucking do this too me!” Nick jumped up and grabbed Aaron by the arm and turned him around to face him.  “I don’t want to hear you talking to him or anybody like that ever again, do you understand me!” Everybody in the room looked at Nick in shock.  They still weren’t used to the parental side of Nick and it took them off guard every time he was like this. Aaron didn’t want to back down, but by the look in his brother’s eyes he knew he meant business, and if he didn’t want to be sent away to summer camp he would shape up.  “Fine whatever.” Nick walked back over to his seat trying to forget that he just reminded him exactly of his own father a second ago. The though was slightly unnerving. Thinking now was a good time to change the subject he turned to Vanessa.  “So, what do you plan to do this summer to keep yourself occupied?” “Hailie told me she had this fantasy of having a tree house in her own backyard.  So I told her we could make one.” Nick had just taken a drink of his water, which he spit all over Leighanne across the table.  “YOU are going to make a tree house, by yourself?” Vanessa wasn’t sure why Nick sounded like he didn’t believe she could do it.  “Why is that so hard to believe?” “I think Nick is trying to say that he doesn’t believe a GIRL can make a good tree house.” Said Brian, helping Leighanne whip her face and shirt off from Nick’s impromptu shower. Vanessa glared at Nick.  “Is that what you think Nicky?”  She said making sure to use the nickname that she knew he hated the most. It was Nick’s turn to glare at her but didn’t put his foot down.  “I bet you a hundred bucks that you can’t build a tree house in the next two weeks.” Vanessa stood up and walked over to where Nick was sitting.  She held her hand out to him. Nick looked at Vanessa confused.  “What?” “You just made a bet, now we’re going to shake on it.” Nick looked at Vanessa’s out stretched hand and took it in his own, shaking it hard.  “It’s a bet.” *****@***** May 22nd 2003 “Hailie can you hand me another nail?”  Asked Vanessa. Hailie grabbed a nail from the jar and handed it to her.  Aaron walked over to where Vanessa was sitting and watched her hammer the nail into the boards being used as walls of the tree house.  “Do you think we’ll get this done in two weeks to win Nick’s bet?” Vanessa smiled.  “Oh you bet we will. I wont give that little snit the gory of winning.” Hailie and Aaron both laughed.  It had been a great week and a half.  All three of them were getting alone well.  Aaron was actually really handy to have around.  Vanessa could go to the grocery store for a few minutes and know Hailie was safe back at home with Aaron.  Things were working out great. “Oh crud.  Hailie can you go inside and get me that level that I have sitting on the kitchen table?”  Asked Vanessa. Hailie nodded and climbed down the latter that was put up next to the half finished tree house. “Aaron can you hand me the plans for a second. I need to make sure I’m doing this right.” Aaron grabbed a pile of papers sitting on the floor.  “These?” Vanessa looked up and nodded.  “Yeah those are them.  Can you bring them over here?” Aaron walked the short distance to were Vanessa was sitting on the floor whipping her brow.  It was a record high spring in Detroit temperature wise. It was only May but it felt like the middle of July.  “Is it turning out like you wanted it to?” He asked as he placed the plans down next to Vanessa and he sat down too.  He couldn’t help but stare at the older woman as she looked down contently at the plans.  The way her tongue stuck out of her mouth ever so slightly was giving him a reaction he knew he should be getting.  This wasn’t the first time in the last week and a half that he noticed he had feelings for his friend’s fiancé. Vanessa felt like somebody was sitting and watching her so she looked up to find that Aaron’s face was only an inch away from her own. She was about to pull back when all of a sudden Aaron’s lips were on her own.  Trying to protest she let her mouth slip open. Feeling Vanessa’s mouth open against his for what reason he didn’t care he took advantage of it and slopped his tongue into her warm mouth and started kissing her deeply. That was all it took for Vanessa to pull away abruptly.  This wasn’t right at all.  Once far enough away from the younger boy she finally looked up and had to swallow at the look she saw there. She couldn’t believe it who she considered her fifteen-year-old friend was lusting over her.  “Aaron, you know that was a mistake right?  That wasn’t supposed to happen. I’m in love with Howie, we’re getting married.” Taking a deep breath she tried again.  “You’re only fifteen, I’m twenty one, what exactly where you expecting to happen?” Aaron shrugged his shoulders.  “I dunno, I just felt like it I guess.” Vanessa stood up and walked over to the door.  “Well, let’s make sure that doesn’t happen again.” *****@***** Meanwhile Hailie skipped back to the tree house with the level Vanessa had asked for under her arm.  Once she got to the point she could see inside the tree house she stopped. Aaron was kissing Vanessa.  Yeah, she may only be seven, but she knew that wasn’t supposed to happen.  Looking back at the house and back at the tree she turned and ran back into the house. Not exactly sure what she was doing she just knew she didn’t belong in the tree house at that moment. Running through the sliding glass doors into the kitchen she was stopped by a solid wall, and almost feel backwards. “Whoa Hailie, slow down there girl.  Where’s the fire.”  Laughed Howie, as he made sure the little girl could stand on her own again. Hailie looked up at Howie, and all of a sudden felt really guilty.  Her mind kept going back to Vanessa and Aaron in the tree house. Howie noticed Hailie fighting some inner struggle.  “Is something wrong, Hai?” Hailie swallowed and nodded.  She had always been told to tell the truth.  “Aaron and Vanessa kissed.” Howie laughed.  “Were they playing house with you again?” Hailie shook her head.  “No, they weren’t playing.  They kissed like Daddy and Papa do.”  Looking outside she sighed.  “And like she kisses you.” Howie searched the young girl’s eyes to see if she was lying.  From what he saw there he only saw fear.  Why she was scared he had no idea.  Part of him wondered if this had to do with the fact that her mommy and daddy had broken up because of a kiss.  “Hai, why don’t you go upstairs and get your swimsuit on. I’m sure Vanessa wouldn’t mind taking a break on the tree house and letting you go for a swim.” The kiss was totally forgot as the little girl squealed and ran out of the room chanting.  “I get to go swimming…oh yes I do…I get to go swimming…how about you!” Howie was just about to head outside when he heard the door to the garage open and Vanessa walked in carrying a large pile of plywood. Vanessa stopped in the tracks when she saw Howie standing there.  Taking a deep breath she put a smile on her face.  “Hey baby, I wasn’t expecting you here until later.” Howie didn’t even try to put on a fake smile.  He wasn’t happy and didn’t care if Vanessa knew it.  “Is that a problem?” The tone in Howie’s voice didn’t go unnoticed by Vanessa. She didn’t like the way he was looking at her, like he was trying to look into her sole.  “Of course not, I’m glad you are hear early.” “Where’s AC?” Howie asked looking outside. Vanessa shivered slightly at the mention of the younger boy’s name.  “He’s still out in the tree house. He’s waiting for me to come back with these boards for the roof.” Howie could see Vanessa perfectly in the glass of the door, so the shiver didn’t get past him.  His heart was in his stomach now. It was true, Vanessa had kissed Aaron.  Turning around he glared at the woman who was supposed to be his fiancé.  “Why’d you kiss him?” Vanessa was taken back by the question.  How would he know that?  “W…what do you mean?” “Oh don’t play this stupid shit with me.  I know you kissed the little bastard.” Vanessa felt two feet tall.  She didn’t like Howie when he was mad. It wasn’t something she saw often and never before was it directed at her.  Now she was sure smoke would have came out his ears if he was one of those Loony Tune characters.  She wasn’t going to let him know he was getting to her though.  She walked up to him and got right in his face.  “Howie Dorough you listen to me and you listen good.  I have a feeling Hailie saw what happened between Aaron and me, but if you haven’t noticed before seven year olds tent to throw things way out of proportion…” “So you two didn’t kiss?”  He interrupted. “Would you just shut up and let me finish.”  Exclaimed Vanessa.  Howie didn’t say anything else so she continued,  “Yes, HE kissed ME.  I didn’t kiss him; he’s fifteen years old for crying out loud. That’s not just sick its illegal.” Howie looked at Vanessa skeptically, he hated the jealously running through his vanes be couldn’t help it.  “You expect me to believe that?” Vanessa threw her hands up in defeat and picked up the boards she had put down on the floor.  “If you don’t believe me, then I don’t think this marriage is going to work.”  With that she stomped out the door.  All of a sudden not feeling to worried about being alone in the tree house with Aaron. *****Author’s Note**** I found when writing this chapter that it was way to long. So, I’m making it a two-part chapter. So stay tuned for the second part.  Hope you’re liking it so far. Title:  Strange Relationship Rating: PG-13 to NC-17 for a few chapters. (slash) for sexual male, male relations. And language.  So if this is not your thing, or feel you are not old enough to read this kind of stuff, then this is not the story for you. Summery:  Members of the pop and rap culture come together when careers and love put to the test. Paring:  Eminem/AJ,  Nick/Justin Disclaimer:  I don’t know any of the celebrities mentioned in this story.  So, this means I don’t know anything about their sexuality.  This is all made up for my writing and your reading entertainment. Chapter Nineteen part two Making up May 24th 2003 “Come on Vanessa he wants to talk to you.  You can’t have us making excuses for you for the rest of your life.”  Exclaimed AJ as he held the cordless phone out to her. Vanessa shook her head.  “I don’t want to talk to him right now.” “God you are more fucking stubborn then Marshall.”  He said before stomping out of the room, but leaving the phone behind. Vanessa looked down at the phone lying on her bed. Part of her wondered if Howie was still on the other end.  She had tired her hardest over the last two days to go one with life normally, but failed terrible.  She needed up most of the time in her room chatting with Stephanie online.  It was uplifting hearing about the younger girls building relationship with Josh Chasez, as she liked to call him.  Howie had been calling at least twice a day, but she couldn’t answer the calls and that was what she was doing yet again.  Fighting with her inner self she picked up the phone and pushed talk against her better judgment. //Howie on the other end of the phone was more the surprised when he heard somebody pick up the phone.  “Vanessa?”// Vanessa took a deep breath.  ‘You should hang up on him.’  Her mind screamed but her heart was telling her something totally different.  “Hi Howie.” //Howie smiled the biggest smile he had smiled in two days.  Vanessa at least said two words to him.  “How are you?”// Vanessa snorted.  “How can you even ask me that question?”  She said not carrying to hide the hurt in her voice. //”You were the one that was caught kissing another man, I should be the one not returning your phone calls.”  Howie snapped back.// “Aaron would be happy to hear you calling him a man. He hasn’t been getting that a lot lately.”  Said Vanessa sarcastically. //Howie didn’t want to fight anymore; he wanted to work things out with the woman he loved.  “Can we get together for dinner tonight?”// Vanessa was taken back by the request.  “You…you want to have dinner with me?” //”Howie couldn’t help but laugh.  “Don’t sound so shocked, how about I pick you up around eight?”// Vanessa nodded before she remembered that he couldn’t see her through the phone.  “Yeah, eight.” //”Ok, see you then.”// With that Howie hung up the phone to leave a confused Vanessa sitting in the middle of her bed.  Taking a deep breath she looked at the clock to see it was already almost six O’clock.  Sighing she got up off the bed and walked out the door and across the hall to take a shower. *****@***** Downstairs AJ was sitting with Marshall watching Trading Spaces reruns.  AJ was very concerned that Marshall wouldn’t understand enough of what was going to happen when it came time to do the show, so he had him watching episode after episode to get him ready. AJ jumped almost ten feet in the air when he felt his cell phone buzz in his pocket.  He turned to Marshall and laughed.  “I forgot I still had it on.”  Taking it from his pocket he answered it.  “Hello?” //“Aje I need your help.”  Came Howie’s desperate voice.// “Is she till not talking to you D?”  //“No, that’s not the problem.  I’m picking her up for dinner in two hours.  The problem is I was going to ask her to marry me again, you know more properly.  But I don’t have a ring yet.”// AJ had to laugh at Howie’s rambling.  “Then you better get your ass in gear and go out and buy her one.” //Howie sighed.  “That’s where I thought you might be able to help me. Has she talked to you about what kind of a ring she would want?”// AJ thought back to his conversation with Vanessa at her graduation.  “She doesn’t like diamonds. She would rather have a birth stone that would have some sentimental value to it…” //”Thank you so much Aje.  See you in a few hours.”// AJ held the phone out in front of him like it was supposed to do something else.  “He practically hung up on me!” Marshall laughed.  “Howie’s in love, who would have thought they see the day.” *****@***** AJ took the steps two at a time as he tried his hardest to make it up them and to the bathroom in time.  He was going to have to remember to call the plumber first thing in the morning and get the downstairs bathroom toilet fixed.  He wasn’t thinking when he charged to the guest bathroom and threw open the door to find a very naked Vanessa standing in the middle of the bathroom drying off from her shower. Vanessa turned around in shock when she heard the door swing open.  She was in such a daze over her date with Howie she hadn’t thought about locking the door.  Now AJ was standing there with an almost desperate look on his face.  “AJ!  Don’t you know how to knock?” AJ shook his head to clear his mind.  “I’m…I’m sorry I didn’t mean to…the downstairs bathroom…toilet…broken…had to really pee.”  He stuttered. Vanessa grabbed her robe from the back of the door and couldn’t help but laugh at the look on AJ’s face.  “Go ahead and use the bathroom, I was almost finished anyway.”  She brushed past him and across the hall to finish getting ready. *****@***** Two hours later Vanessa was sitting across from Howie in an almost too fancy restaurant.  To say things were awkward between them would have been an understatement. Howie was he first one to speak.  “Nessa, I’m sorry I didn’t trust you.  I was being a selfish son of a bitch and didn’t even think that you wouldn’t have been the one to kiss him.” Vanessa wasn’t going to give up so quickly.  “Do you really think that I wanted him to kiss me?” Howie looked down at his plate and sighed.  “I wasn’t sure what to think.  All I kept thinking was that another guy had been kissing my fiancé, the love of my life, and I didn’t know what to do about it.”  Sighing he looked up into Vanessa’s eyes and took her hand across the table.  “I was so scared that I was going to loose you, and I didn’t want that to happen in a million years.  But that’s exactly what I almost did wasn’t it?” She wasn’t expecting that.  “I was mad at you, but I wasn’t going to let you get away with out talking first. I was just being stubborn.” She laughed.  “AJ even compared me to Marshall today.  Saying I was even more stubborn then he is.” Howie laughed too and looked down at Vanessa’s hand remembering the ring he had picked out just a few hours ago.  It may have been a sudden thing, but there was no doubt in his mind that this was the perfect ring for Vanessa. It wasn’t a diamond like he knew she wouldn’t want. Instead it was amethyst, which was February’s birthstone.  He thought it would be perfect considering that was his and Vanessa’s favorite color, purple.  Also February was the month they first met. Vanessa wasn’t sure if the silence between them was a good thing.  “Howie?” Howie looked up and sighed.  Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the ring box and pushed it across the table.  “I should have done this weeks ago, its just things have been so busy and then…this whole thing the last few days, I didn’t get the chance.” Vanessa looked down at the box in front of her. She knew this was going to happen but her stomach was still tied up in knots. “Go on open it?  I want to see what my fiancé thinks of her ring.”  Smiled Howie. Vanessa smiled and grabbed the little box.  Pausing for a second she opened it and gasped. It had to be the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.  It was white gold with a single purple stone in the middle and exactly what Vanessa had been looking for in a ring.  She could feel tears coming to her eyes as she looked at the ring, and then up at Howie.  She was speechless.  After a few minutes she looked back up at Howie and smiled.  “You have no idea how much I love this ring, and how much I love you.” Howie sighed a sigh of relief.  “Oh baby I think I do.” *****@***** It was well past 1am before Vanessa walked into the house.  She was shocked to see a light coming from under the family room door.  Walking over to it she walked in and found Marshall with a sleeping AJ sitting on the couch.  “What are you still doing up?” Marshall turned around and smiled.  “Waitin for you actually.” Vanessa looked at Marshall strangely.  “Last time I checked I wasn’t a teenager, and you weren’t my father.” Marshall rolled his eyes.  “We wanted to talk to you about a few things.  Nothing bad but I think we need to work out a system if we are all going to live in this house.” Vanessa looked down at AJ.  “I don’t think there is a WE in that equation anymore. I think you’re partner in crime has fallen asleep on you rap boy.” Marshall tried to act mad at the use of his nickname, but couldn’t keep a straight face. His laughing though made the man sleeping on his stomach wake up and yawn. “Is she home yet?”  Said a sleepy AJ. “Yes I’m home.” AJ turned his head so he could see Vanessa and smiled.  “We wanted to talk to you before tomorrow.” “Yeah, that’s what Marshall said.” Marshall cleared his throat.  “AJ told me about the run in with the bathroom this afternoon. Vanessa blushed.  “I should have remembered to lock the door.” Marshall nodded.  “Yeah that would have been helpful, but this wasn’t all you’re fault.  AJ and I aren’t used to have to worry about another adult running around the house.  Hailie is more careful and normally always tells us when she is going to the bathroom, so we have never had the problem with her walking in on us.” “Yeah and not to mention you walking in on us the other day in the kitchen.”  Added AJ blushing remembering that day. Vanessa couldn’t help but giggle.  “Yeah that was a little awkward.” “That was totally our fault though.  We should be doing things like that, but since Hailie was gone we totally forgot about you, and we apologize.” Vanessa nodded.  “Apology accepted, but what are we doing to do about this in the future?” “Well, we will keep our privet things to our bedroom, and we expect you to do the same.”  Said AJ. Vanessa laughed.  “You don’t have to worry about me AJ.” Marshall laughed too.  “And I think as long as we remember to lock bathroom doors we should be fine.” AJ and Vanessa both nodded. And while doing so AJ noticed Vanessa’s ring and got a huge smile on his face. “Old Howie did a good job picking out that stone.” Marshall looked down to Vanessa’s ring finger and smiled too.  “That is a beautiful ring Vanessa, you are one lucky girl. Vanessa smiled back and nodded.  She was very lucky. She has a loving and forgiving fiancé and a group of the best friends a person could ever have.