~* Chapter 86*~

Blane awoke the next morning and found Nick's side of the bed empty. "Nick?," she called out,and when there was no answer,she got up,pulled on a robe,and walked toward the kitchen..There she found a note from Nick:'Hey my baby girl:got a surprise for you.I'll be back later with it.I love you,Nicky." She smiled and went to pour herself a cup of coffee.About an hour later,she was finishing up her breakfast when the kitchen door opened and Nick walked in. "Hey baby," she greeted him,and gave him a kiss as she wrapped her arms around him."Where have you been?" He gave her a huge grin."That's for me to know and you to find out," he remarked.He reached into his pocket and pulled something out."Close your eyes and hold out your hand.And no peeking!" She smacked him gently on the arm."Nickolas Gene Carter,what are you up to?," she teased,grinning at him. He shrugged."You'll find out soon enough.Now close your eyes," he told her. She did,and a second later she felt him place something in her hand.She opened her eyes and looked.A small key.She looked up at him. "A key?I don't get it," she told him. He smiled at her."Close your eyes again,and I'll show you," he said. She closed her eyes,and he took her hand and led her outside.When they stopped,he said,"Ok,you can look now." She opened her eyes and gasped. Sitting in the driveway was a blue convertible.She screamed and threw her arms around him. "Oh Nick!Is this mine?," she exclaimed,jumping up and down like an excited child on Christmas morning. He nodded."Sure is,baby girl.Do you like it?," he asked. She kissed him."I love it!And it's my favorite color too," she told him.She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him again."I don't deserve such an extravagant gift though." He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed the tip of her nose."Of course you do." He gave her a sly smile."There's more," he said. Her mouth fell open."More?!Nick,you're gonna have me spoiled rotten," she remarked. He laughed."Look in the glove compartment," he told her. She walked over to the convertible and got in,then opened the glove compartment.Inside lay an envelope.She ripped it open,and unfolded the piece of paper inside and began to read: 'You are cordially invited to the wedding of Nickolas Gene Carter and Blane Elizabeth Alexander,Saturday,the 10th day of July,in the year 2000,at the Church of the Angels,Tampa Bay,FL.' Blane looked up at him as tears began to fall down her cheeks."Nick,that's the same day and place as when Erica and AJ are getting married.And it's only 3 days away," she replied. He nodded as he pulled her out of the car and into his arms."I know.Me and AJ and Erica have been planning this for awhile.We thought it would be nice to have a double ceremony."He ran his finger across her cheek"I want us to get married,Blane.I can't wait any longer.I want to spend the rest of my life with you.I love you so much,baby girl." She was crying openly now,and she reached up and pulled his face down to hers.They shared a deep,intense kiss,and when they pulled apaert,he wiped her tears away with his finger. "So what do you say?Can we get married?," he asked. She nodded."Definitely," she whispered.Then she thought of something."What about my dress?" He grinned."Check out the trunk," he replied,and when she looked,she found a box that contained the dress she had had her eye on at the mall.She turned to him."How did you..?," she questioned him. "Erica and I went out the other day,and she told me that's the one you liked," he explained to her. She put the dress back in the box and wrapped her arms around him."I love you so much Nick," she murmered,as he kissed her."I can't wait to become your wife." He picked her up and carried her toward the house."And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you," he replied
******************~*Chapter 87*~**************
2 nights later...Erica turned on the radio and music pounded through the beach house.She turned to Blane,who was sitting on the couch. "Get your ass up off that couch,girlfriend!," she scolded her playfully."This is our last night of freedom!Let's have some major fun!" Blane had no time to answer,for before she knew what was happening,Lisa,Erica,Kelly,and Kari pulled her to her feet and they all began dancing to,"You Can't Touch This." After a few minutes,they all fell onto the couch,laughing loudly.Erica blew her hair out of her face and took a drink of her beer. "AJ's a nervous wreck.You should've seen him this morning~he was climbing the walls.He actually poured orange juice in his cereal instead of milk," she told them. Everyone laughed,and Blane reached for a pretzel."I can tell Nick's nervous too~just by the way he's acting.He hasn't called me 'baby girl' in two days," she said. Lisa shook her head."Men try to hide their feelings.They try to act all macho and shit," she replied. Kelly turned to Kari."So,are there any wedding bells in the future for you and Howie?," she asked. Kari took a sip of her wine cooler and shook her head."We've talked about it,but decided we're going to wait awhile," she said. Just then there was a knock on the door,and Erica went and answered it.She returned a moment later following a guy in a policeman's uniform,who was carrying a radio. The girls all exchanged looks and grinned.The "policeman" stood in front of them and looked them over. "Which one of you lovely ladies is the bride~to~be?," he asked. Erica and Blane stepped forward,and he looked them over before turning on some music and starting to dance,slowly removing his clothes as he did so. Blane turned to Erica."I feel so guilty for enjoying this," she whispered. Erica turned to her."Live it up while you can.Besides,the guys probably have some floozy stripping for them over at AJ's.They are the five horniest guys I've ever known," she shouted above the music. Blane gave her a huge grin as she began to dance with the stripper."Shake it baby!," she exclaimed.
******************~*Chapter 88*~**************
Meanwhile,at AJ and Erica's place,there was as rockous a party going on as there was at the beach house.Just a few minutes earlier,a blonde~haired woman had shown up wearing nothing but a plastic raincoat,and the fun had begun. AJ strutted up to her and stuck a $20 bill in her bikini bottom.She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek,and the guys howled.AJ hooked his fingers in the waistband of her bikini bottom and slowly started to inch it down. Brian whistled."AJ my man!What would Erica say?," he threw at him,laughing. AJ turned to him."Erica isn't here,B~rock.I'm gonna enjoy the moment while I can," he told him. The woman moved over to Nick,who was leaning against the table.She began to run his hands up and down his chest,as she began to move against him. He grinned and began to dance with her,moving his body in rhythm with hers. Kevin soon joined them,and pretty soon they were all dancing. After about an hour,the woman left,and Nick grinned from ear~to~ear. "Oh man!I've never had so much fun in my entire life," he remarked,and downed an entire cup of beer in one gulp. Howie patted him on the back."Slow down on the beer Nicky.Tomorrow's your wedding day;you don't want a hangover," he told him. Nick set the cup down and turned to him."I wonder how the girls are doing," he wondered,and picked up his cell phone and dialed the beach house. A second later,Blane picked up.He heard loud music in the background. "I'm having so much fun Nick!," she exclaimed. He ran his fingers through his hair."Same here.You gals didn't happen to have a male stripper drop by,did you?," he asked,grinning slyly. The guys had hired a stripper and sent him to the beach house,and he knew the girls had hired the female stripper to come entertain them. She laughed."Nah.Why do you ask?," she teased. He laughed also."Like we didn't have any unexpected visitors either," he said. They talked for a few more minutes.Finally,Nick said,"I love you,Blane.I'll see you tomorrow." She smiled at her end of the line."I love you too,Nick.I can't wait until tomorrow," she told him. They hung up then,and the guys all gathered around and talked for the rest of the night.
******************~*Chapter 89*~**************
Blane sat quietly as Nick's mom,Jane,put the finishing touches on Blane's makeup.Blane looked up at her. "I'm so nervous,Jane," she admitted,and Jane gave her a hug. "You'll do fine," she reassured her,as Erica came into the room,already in her veil.She glanced around frantically. "Has anyone seen my diamond earrings?," she asked. Angel,who was sitting in the corner,pointed to the makeup table.Erica scooped up the earrings and put them on. Jane turned to Blane and smiled."Now,for the finishing touch," she said,and placed the veil on Blane's head.Blane sttod up and admired her reflection in the mirror.She had to admit she looked beautiful~her hair was done up in a bun,and she wore a pair of silver hoop earrings Jane had lent to her.Without warning,she began to cry,and Jane wrapped her arms around her. "Why are you crying,hun?," she asked. Blane smiled at her."Because I'm so happy right now.I love your son with all my heart,Jane," she told her. Jane handed her a tissue."I'm glad you're going to be my daughter~in~law,Blane.You're my favorite out of all the girls he's ever dated."She gently patted Blane's slowly expanding tummy."And you're making me a grandma," she said,and smiled. Blane snorted."I'm getting fat," she complained,and Jane laughed and pulled her into a warm hug. She pulled away and gazed at Blane."Take care of my little boy,OK?," she asked,her eyes filling with tears. Blane nodded,afraid that if she spoke,she would start crying again."You bet I will," she managed to whisper. There was a knock on the door,and Nick's dad peered into the room and said,"It's showtime." Erica walked over to Blane and they hugged."Let's get this over with so we can quit being such nervous wrecks," she joked,and Blane laughed. She took a deep breath."Let's go get married," she declared.
~*Chapters 90-92*~
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