“Brian!” yelled Rayanne, running toward him.

“I thought you’d never get here!” he said as he embraced her in a hug.

“Man, me neither! I was the one on that plane this whole time!” she said as they pulled away.

“Nicky is gonna be so happy you’re here...let’s surprise him.”

“OK.” she smiled at him. “What should we do?”

“Let me go in first, and I’ll pretend nothing’s up, just talk to him. You wait out here and I’ll come out and get you.” Brian proposed.

“Sounds good.” Rayanne said, with a smile plastered across her face she couldn’t seem to get rid of.

They began to walk down the hall toward Nick’s room. They were about halfway there when Brian stopped. Rayanne took a couple more steps before she realized that he was no longer next to her. She stopped to turn around and look at him.

“What’s wrong Bri?”

He walked towards her and took her hands in his. He looked her in the eye.

“Ray, I just want you to know how happy I am that you’re here. I see how happy you make Nick, and you know that I want nothing more than for him to be happy. You bring that out in him, and I just wanted you to know how much you mean to him. And for what you are to him, how much you mean to me.”

“Aww...thanks Bri. Nick means the world to me, and I’m glad I can be what I am to him.” Brian let Rayanne’s hands drop from his and pulled her into another hug.

“Now let’s go let little man know you’re here.”

“OK.”

They continued to walk down the hall.

They reached Nick’s room and Brian held out his hand to remind Rayanne not to go in with him. She stayed put, although it was the hardest thing she ever had to do, knowing Nick was ten feet away and willingly staying out of the room.

Brian knocked on Nick’s door and disappeared inside without waiting for Nick to invite him in. He left the door open a crack so Rayanne could hear what was going on.

“Hey Nicky.”

“Hey Bri. You haven’t seen Michael?”

“Nope, he should be here soon though. I just came to see what you were doing.”

“Just waiting. I don’t know what else to do. I took a shower and tried to clean up a little.”

“Well, good, we wouldn’t want Rayanne walking into a messy room with you smelling the way you do after dancing for two hours! Ouch man! That hurt.” yelled Brian. Rayanne was guessing Nick punched him.

“I just hope she’s not too late.”

“I’m sure she won’t be. Oh hey. I forgot something out in the hall. Be right back.”

“Alright.” said Nick.

Brian appeared in the hallway and smiled at Rayanne. “Ready?”

“Yup.” she said with butterflies in her stomach. He took her by the hand and led her into Nick’s room.