O: Ur Owen?

N: Y, I've decided to keep you.

O: I'm a lucky man.

N: Wanna come over? I'm watching Signs and then The Village.

O: Only if you have snacks.

N: I have ice cream with ur name on it.

O: I'm in my pajamas.

N: Ooohhh, even better.

I got there and true to my word I was in my blue flannel pants and grey t shirt. She opened the door with a huge bowl full of ice cream and everything else she could think of.

"What? Don't judge. I only have one more bout. I can eat what I want."

"I've never seen you eat that much. You look like me."

"Ugh...come on, how long is it going to take for you to kiss me?"

I leaned down with every intention of simply teasing her with a peck but her lips tasted like vanilla and chocolate and cherry and my intentions soon were forgotten. She broke away soon after and offered to make me a sundae just like hers.

She made me one that was somehow bigger than hers and sat on the edge of the couch to put Signs on. Then she turned and lay down on the couch and didn't think anything of putting her feet in my lap. I only made it through half of the sundae she made me without starting to go into sugar overdrive. I put it down and scooted a little closer so that every inch of those legs were draped over me, even though they were covered with pink striped pajama pants. Without taking her eyes from the screen she laced her fingers through mine and at that moment I felt as content as I've ever experienced.

Her phone vibrated and she looked at it, groaned and threw it behind the couch.

"What the h.e.l.l? You almost took my eye out." I told her.

"I did not. And it was my mother. I'm allowed to throw the phone when it's her."

"Ahhh..."

Then her phone started singing Barracuda.

"Oh Lord, now she's calling."

She got up and answered the phone.

"Yo! Nellie's funeral home. You slice 'em, we ice 'em. Whatcha got?"

She was quiet for a second while she listened to the answer. She walked into the kitchen but was so loud that anyone could hear her.

"Ugh, no. I'm not going."

"I don't care if she's having her thirty third baby. I'm not going. And how many showers does the girl need?"

"Yes Mom, I know that I'll never find anybody who loves me with blue hair. That's why I dyed it pink.

"I could give a fat rat's a.s.s about what people think. You should know that by now."

"Mom, I love you but I can't listen to this anymore. Ok? Bye."

She hung up the phone and went straight into her bedroom and shut the door behind her. As tough as she tried to be, I knew she was probably crying and those icy blue eyes filled with tears was a thought I couldn't bear.

I went into her bedroom without knocking and sure enough she was sitting on her bed wiping tears from the corners of her bloodshot eyes. I sat next to her and threw my arm around her shoulders and pulled her to me.

"You mixed it up." I said.

"Huh?" Another tear rolled down her cheeks.

"Girls cry first and then eat ice cream, right?"

"I know right? Ugh, I'm so a.s.s backwards."

"I'm liking your mom less and less."

"Join the club."

"What can I do?"

"Just be you. That's all I need."

It killed me to see her react that way to her mom. Especially since her mom continued to flood her with untruths and bullying. Who tells their daughter those things?

I held her until she quit crying and then I convinced her to watch The Village with me. I didn't know anything about that movie, but maybe it would get her mind off of her mom. I felt her relax more and more next to me until she completely slumped her entire weight against my torso. I moved a little to see if she was comfortable and she snuggled in closer and let out the most contented sigh I had ever heard.

I needed to tell her how I felt soon. I wanted to tell her tonight, but after her Mom told her that she couldn't find anyone to love her, telling her now would only cheapen it and she may not believe me. But as she lay here next to me, I couldn't think of anything but how much I loved her and how precious she was to me, ever after a week.

I picked her up and put her in bed. It wasn't the first time I had done this and as I looked down at her, I couldn't ever imagine it being my last. And one day when she and I were ready, I would get in next to her and hold her while she slept.

I closed her door and intended to leave when I remembered that if I left, her door would be unlocked. So I cleaned up her monster sundae mess and crashed on her couch. I woke up a few hours later to Amber and Dylan getting in and had Amber lock the door after me.

N: Next time wake me up. It's not nice to leave me like that.

O: Like what? You were sleeping.

N: Even in my sleep I want to kiss you goodnight.

O: What about me? I didn't get a kiss either.

N: True. Then it's my turn to make it up to you.

O: Can I see u today?

N: Y.

O: When?

I never got an answer. I waited for a while but eventually I fell back asleep. I woke up a few hours later and ran to shower and get dressed. I came back and she was there in my room and more importantly on my bed.

I knelt down in front of her so that we were face to face and without restraint pulled her to me. Her mouth met mine in a hungry, desperate collision. Her fingers knotted into the back of my hair and when she wrapped her legs around my torso I nearly threw her on the bed and got lost with her. We stayed that way, holding on and pressing ourselves together until not even air could penetrate the s.p.a.ce between us. She pulled away slowly and placed softer kisses on my chin and along my jawline and made her way to my earlobe. So I decided to beat her at her own game. I ran my open mouth slowly across the base of her neck and hearing the swift intake of her breath let me know that I was onto something. I made my way up to her jawline and then to her ear.

"I love you Nellie." I whispered into her ear and waited. I expected a laugh or a slap, but what she gave me back was nothing short of amazing.

"I've loved you since you asked me for gum." She said as her right cheek was pressed against mine.

I pulled back swiftly not expecting to hear those words. I looked from one eye to the other making sure there was no deception in her confession. And in those eyes I realized-how could I ever doubt this woman in front of me?

"Say it again." I whispered and my top lip brushed hers as I spoke.

"I love you Owen." She smiled as she said it and I could see the beginnings of a tear forming in the corner of her eye.

Out of pure relief I rested my forehead on her chest at the base of her throat and released a sigh that I swore I had been holding since the day I saw her. She ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of my neck and scratched my scalp with her nails.

"Can you do that every night when I'm having trouble going to sleep?" I looked at her and smiled.

"I would have last night but you were too busy leaving me."

"Won't happen again."

"Promise?"

25. Nellie.

"Is that what you've been all pensive about?" I asked him.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" He looked shocked.

"'Cause I know you like the back of my own hand." I answered as we both stood up.

"OK, I'm taking you somewhere to meet someone special to me." I told him enthusiastically.

We left a little while later after Owen put his shoes on in record time. I laughed and raised my eyebrows at him.

"What?" He said.

"Do you do everything super fast?" We walked as we talked.

We reached my car and suddenly he had me pinned to the driver's side door and his mouth was on my ear.

"No, not everything." I gasped and it made him laugh.

I slapped his chest and said "You love to shock me don't you?"

"Yup. And I have some really bad news." He looked downright sullen.

"What?" I looked around for the problem, but came up short.

"I'm never gonna fit in that little a.s.s car Nellie. Let's go in mine."

"Ugh, fine, ok."

We walked over to his Bronco and I pointed here and there to the place I wanted him to go. Cindi knew we were coming and she was as excited as I've ever seen her. He followed me through the store and into the back office. I poked my head around the office door and cleared my throat. Cindi turned around. She had paired her black tank top and jeans with pink Doc Martens and pink earrings and lid to brow pink eyeshadow.

She waved me in and simultaneously did a little happy dance. I tugged Owen in the office holding his hand and when he came into full view Cindi screamed and I squeezed my eyes shut at the piercing sound. She did a knees to chest dance and fist pumped until Owen took a step back.

"Oh my G.o.d Nellie, he is one h.e.l.l of a fine specimen. You were right."

Owen turned his head toward me and laughed.

"I did not say that Cindi. Tell the truth." My hands were on my hips now.

"Ok, ok, ok, you said," and she put both fists up to her face and batted her eyes, "Oh Cindi he's so gorgeous and he's sweet and he spends time with his Mom and the way he kisses..."

"Alright, alright, jeez. Don't tell him everything. I'm so humiliated. For this I could've taken him to see my real parents."

Cindi visibly shuddered, "Ugh, h.e.l.lie, don't give me the heebeegeebees talking about your Mom."

Owen interrupted our goofiness, "Cindi, it's so nice to finally meet you."

Cindi ran over to him and hugged him around the middle and he smiled at me over her head. We both showed him the store and Cindi went on and on about me making changes when I take over. I hadn't even told her that I wanted to take ownership and she a.s.sumed I was.

Eventually, Cindi threw us out but not before she hugged the life out of Owen again.

We got back into his Bronco and went to eat. Then we went to the movies. It was a romantic comedy but Owen never complained once. He even laughed at the goofy parts right along with me.

Before I knew it, it was time to go back home and get ready for our next bout. Owen stayed with me and drove me to the skating rink. We were up against a really rough team this week and it was our last bout of the season. I came out of the locker room and looked out at our opponents. Owen came up beside me with Amber and Dylan and they looked concerned.

"What?" I asked.

Owen spoke up first. "Nellie these girls, have you seen them? Two of them were fighting each other during warm ups and they're on the same team. Please, please be careful."

Amber and Dylan were having their own conversation and Owen began to whisper to me.

"What's the protocol here? Can I kiss you in front of your team or does that make you look like a wuss? 'Cause you look hot as h.e.l.l in those little black shorts."

"If you kissed me right now, I would almost guarantee that the whole room would be jealous of me. Single, married and otherwise they would all get a taste of the green monster."

"Hmmm..." He stalled and acted aloof.

So I made up his mind for him. But then my skates had a mind of their own. In my greed my lips went one way and my skates went the other. He ended up having to catch me half way down. Then he lifted me the rest of the way so that my skates dangled and kissed me until I didn't think I could stand up, much less skate.