Trouble in Paradise!

“Ok, we’re at the hotel guys…” Brian looked out the window at the huge building, amidst the falling snow.
“Cool…ok..gloves, beanies, coats…” Becca rugged up.
“Check..” Kirstie giggled from under her pink beanie.
“Let’s go….” Cassidy took Kirstie’s hand as they happily stomped off the bus.

“Wow….” Cassidy breathed a cloud of white air as she looked up and admired the grand old hotel.
“Hmm….is this too easy??” Kirstie said as she reached to the ground and gathered a small lump of snow and pointed to AJ.
“Do it…” Cassidy giggled.
Kirstie threw the snowball and it hit AJ smack bang in the back of his head.
“What the…” He turned around and saw a guilty looking Cassidy and Kirstie, trying not to laugh.
“Oh…you’re gonna get it…” He grinned.
AJ then gathered a big snowball and hurled it in the direction of the girls. Both Cassidy and Kirstie ducked and it hit Nick, who was busy talking to Howie…right in the butt.
A look of shock registered on his face and AJ tried to hide but it was too late. Nick came running over to AJ and tackled him in the snow.
“This is war buddy…” He laughed.
“Hey! Wait for me!!” Brian yelled as he poured a big bunch of snow on Nick and AJ.
“BRIAN!” They yelled as the cold snow came over them.

“Don’t even think about it Kevin…” Becca warned as Kevin stood a little distance away from her with a large looking snowball in his hand.
“What….think about what Becca?” He grinned as he walked slowly closer to her.
Just then two snowballs hit Kevin in the back and he dropped his snowball in surprise.
Cassidy and Kirstie looked at each other triumphantly.
“Yeah baby!” They said giving each other a high five.

“Guys…come on inside…you’ll catch something!!” Denise called from the steps of the hotel.
Everyone obeyed and they walked inside to warm up.

Howie walked into his and AJ’s room and dumped his bags wearily. He kicked off his boots and lay on the bed. He looked at the phone, then rolled over and picked up the receiver, dialing Holly’s number.
“Hey Baby girl….” Howie smiled at the sound of Holly’s voice.
“Hey Howie….I was just thinking about you…” She smiled.
“Good things I hope..” Howie grinned.
“Always……How’s the tour going?”
“Great, we’ve just arrived in Salzburg……..I’ve missed you…” He replied softly.
“I miss you too….”
“There’s no way, you could come over?” Howie asked hopefully.
“Not really, it’s kind of hectic…I wouldn’t be able to take a holiday now, and at such short notice..”
Holly replied sadly.
“That’s ok……it was just a thought…” Howie smiled.
“Well it was sweet…and I’d love to, it’s just..” Holly started.
“Not a good time….I understand…” Howie chuckled softly, “Trust me, I understand…”
Holly yawned loudly, “Excuse me….” She smiled.
“Oh we’re you asleep when I rang?” Howie asked.
“No, just about to…” She yawned again.
“Well I’ll let you go to sleep…….goodnight sweetie…” Howie smiled.
“Goodnight Howie…oh Howie, could you stay on the line till I fall asleep..” Holly asked.
“Sure….” He sighed as he listened to the rise and fall of her breath.

“Hey you’re hands are freezing…” Brian said taking Becca’s hand on the way to his and Nick’s room.
“Well you know…the best way to warm up is with body warmth…” Becca grinned.
Brian laughed, “I thought the only way to warm up was by getting naked in a big plastic bag…”
“Who told you that?” Becca laughed.
“Dunno, probably AJ!” Brian smirked as they stood outside the door in the hallway.
“Well I don’t know about a plastic bag, but how about this?” Becca smirked and pulled Brian in for a passionate kiss. Brian responded quickly, pulling Becca in close to him and rolling his tongue inside her mouth. They were both so caught up in each other that they did not hear the two people get off the elevator.

“Brian?!?!” A older woman said shocked.
Becca and Brian quickly broke apart and turned around.
“Mom??” Brian said confused.
“Err….hello sweetheart….” Mrs. Littrell said embarrassed.
“Oh my god….when did you get here!” He rushed up and gave her a hug.
“Just now…I wanted to surprise you….we..uhh..decided to go for a little holiday..” Mrs. Littrell replied flushed, still trying to comprehend what she had just seen, even though Brian hadn’t told her he’d found a new girlfriend.
“We? Who’s….ohhhh…” Brian looked around and his jaw dropped open as Leighanne, his ex-girlfriend stepped out from behind his mother.
“Hello Brian…” She said holding out her hand.
“Leighanne….hi..” Brian said blankly, although there were a thousand thoughts and emotions running wild inside his body.
Becca, who had been in absolute shock this whole time…cleared her throat. Brian spun around and his features softened when he looked at Becca, standing shyly in front of the door. He took her hand and brought her forward a little.
“Mom, Leighanne, this is my girlfriend Becca….Becca, this is my mom and Leighanne..” Brian introduced them.
“Nice to meet you honey…” Mrs Littrell smiled warmly.
“Hi.” Leighanne managed a smile.
“Hello…” Becca smiled sweetly, shaking hands with both of them.

“Uhh…so, mom…what room are you guys in?” Brian asked tentatively.
“356…next floor up…actually, we’d best go get settled…dinner’s in a hour so we’ll see you then alright sweetie?” She asked Brian.
“I can’t wait…I’ve missed you…” Brian said sincerely. “I’ve missed you too…” Leighanne said seductively, pecking him on the cheek before her and Mrs. Littrell walked back into the elevator.

“Woah…” Brian breathed as the elevator door closed. He looked at Becca who didn’t say anything, but walked into the room slamming the door behind her.
“Umm…” Brian said confused and opened the door cautiously, looking in at Becca, who was busily organizing her suitcase on the bed.
“Becca?? What’s the matter?” Brian asked nervously.
“You didn’t even tell her about us did you? You didn’t even tell your mother about us!” She exploded.
Brian immediately hung his head.
“I’m sorry…it’s just, she’d want to have met you straight away and everything…” Brian tried to explain.
“And what the hell is wrong with that?? Are you embarrassed or something?” Becca put her hands on her hips.
“What? No! Of course not!” Brian said incredulously.
“And then maybe, if she knew you had a girlfriend….you EX-GIRLFRIEND wouldn’t be here…with obvious intentions to make up for lost time!” Becca let all her emotions come out.
“Becca….my mother and Leighanne have always been close friends…even when we broke up, they often take holidays together…” Brian tried to explain.
“And how often do you go on those?? Come on Bri, look at it…..look at the way she cut in on you before….she wants you back!!” Becca was close to tears.
“So that’s it….you’re jealous?” Brian said naively.’
She looked at him dumbfounded…and then the tears did roll.
“No, Brian….I’m hurt…I feel betrayed…and I’m angry….and for you to do all that and not even realize it makes it so much worse..” Becca said fighting back the tears.
Brian felt like a knife had ripped through him. He couldn’t stand to think that he had hurt Becca and just wanted to make it all better. He rushed over to her and held her in an embrace as she let the tears flow.

“Becca…baby, you know I love you more than anything….you know that baby girl, cause I tell you everyday, from the bottom of my heart. I am so sorry that I didn’t tell my mom about us….but I realize I should have now..and I am so sorry. Please Becca. And Leighanne…what we had never even came close to the way I feel when I even look at you, or the way you make me feel….the way you love me, and how much I love you….” He whispered in her ear.
“I’m sorry Brian…” She sniffled.
“Hey..don’t be sorry! You have nothing to be sorry about! Just remember Becca, all we need in this whole crazy thing, is you, and me..and our love for each other…that’s all…if we have that, and we trust each other, than no one can take this away from us, no matter what they do ok?” He said, wiping her tears away.

“Ok..” She kissed him lightly.
“Let’s get dressed…we’ll show them....” He kissed her again and headed for the shower.

“Howie….” Nadine said quietly as she knocked on his door. There was no answer.
She knocked again confused, still no reply.
Nadine gently pushed the door open and walked inside. The room was dimly lit and it took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.
“Ohhh….” Nadine breathed quietly as she saw Howie, cuddled up asleep…fully clothed on the bed, holding the phone in his arms as if it were someone. She walked over to him and shook him lightly.
“Howie…Howie its dinner time..” She said quietly.
Howie’s eyes slowly opened and he looked at the phone confused. He then smiled and hung it back up, looking at Nadine questionably.
“Hey Naddy…” He smiled sleepily.
“Hey D….dinner’s up, you wanna skip it or come down?” She asked sweetly.
“Nah I’ll come…just give me a second ok?” Howie replied getting off the bed.
“Ok…” Nadine smiled.

The group took up two big tables in the restaurant as they sat down with their meals and began to eat.
Mrs. Litterell, who was sitting next to Brian looked around the feasting table horrified.
“What? No grace??” She asked Brian hurriedly.
Brian looked around. “Uhh…mom…”
“Brian..I am not…” Mrs. Littrell began but was interrupted by Denise who stood up slightly and chinked her glass to get everyone’s attention.
“Hey! Stop that….now tonight we’re going to have grace….” She looked around the table.
“Are you joking me…” Kirstie asked with a mouthful of pasta.
“Kirstie!!” Cassidy nudged her as Mrs. Littrell gave them a disapproving look.
“I don’t care….you know I hate all that stuff…” Kirstie hissed.
“Can you just TRY?” Cassidy laughed softly.
“Would you like to do the honours?” Denise asked Mrs. Littrell politly.
“Oh, no…I could never….in front of…” She began flustered.
“I’ll say grace Mrs. Littrell….” Leighanne said angelically, almost as if on cue. She stood up, looked at Becca, then Brian smugly and took a deep breath as everyone bowed their heads.

“Uhh….Dear God, We thank you very much for our meal tonight. We are very thankful for this food when other poor people only have lice to live on…” Everyone looked up shocked. “Uhh…I mean..uhh…rice…rice to live on…” She blushed. Nick cracked up laughing and Cassidy kicked him.
“Shutup and pray…” She hissed.

“We thankyou for all of our friends here tonight, for without their guidance and love…we would probably strip and fall along….”

“I knew she was a stripper…” AJ whispered and Kirstie laughed.

“I mean trip….TRIP…and fall along the way…” She said flustered. “So, uhh..in the name of the father, and the son and the holy goat…Amen…” She said quickly and sat down.

Everyone was trying so hard to keep a straight face as Leighanne sat down and grabbed her napkin.

“That was lovely…” Kirstie nodded with a innocent face. The rest of the table nodded in agreement, giving each other knowing smirks.