Epilogue

July/August, 2039

Rina's recovery was a slow and frustrating process. She was frustrated most by physical therapy and not being able to walk properly.

Jeremy all but moved into the house that Rina, Helene and Jaime shared to help her with her physical therapy, her schoolwork once school started again, and solidify their relationship. Northwestern was very understanding about Rina's predicament, and allowed her to study at home and to come to classes when she felt up to it.

Rina was still confused about the man who came to visit her after her surgery weeks before. She swore he sounded like, but looked nothing whatsoever like, her father. Maybe she imagined the whole episode due to the strong painkillers she was taking. It still bothered her, but she wouldn't have a solution to that dilemma for several years.

She had a rather belated 17th birthday, but it was nothing like the extravaganza that Helene and Jaime envisioned. They were just happy she was alive, and they tried to take up the slack that her being incapacitated caused. They did it gratefully because Rina was their friend, and they loved her like a sister.

===

The nagging sixth sense that someone was following her disappeared soon after Rina's surgery. Jaime was glad that was over, because her main priorities now were school, work, and helping Rina recover from her accident.

Jared started classes at Northwestern that fall, and moved in with Jaime and her housemates. He shared the fourth bedroom with his cousin Jeremy when he came to visit Rina.

"You really love that girl, don't you, Jeremy?" Jared asked him one night after he moved in.

"Jared, you have no idea what almost losing her did to me, especially since it happened so soon after my parents' deaths,"  Jeremy said; "I would run through walls of fire for Rina. She is the one that is meant for me. I can't really explain it."

"I understand completely," Jared said; "Jaime does the same to me. I'm sure that Alexei feels similarly about Helene."

"I wish that the jerk who did this to Rina had the balls to come forward," Jeremy said. "He better hope the cops find him before I do, because I won't be responsible for what I'd do to him if I find him."

Jared only nodded. Jeremy was his favorite cousin, and they would become closer as time went on.

===

"Honey, I'm so sorry you had to find out about Rina's relationship to you they way you did," Christian DeWitt told his oldest daughter when he came out to Chicago to help her find a car; "It wasn't my place to tell you. Rina found all the evidence and she wanted to tell you herself."

"But you knew, Dad," Helene said, not disguising the hurt in her voice; "I should have known as soon as you found out."

"Leenie, Rina asked me not to say anything to you until she had a chance to tell you herself," DeWitt said; "I know you're hurt that I didn't tell you, but perhaps Rina told you when she did because she thought she wouldn't get another chance."

Helene thought about that, then said, "You're probably right. Rina hasn't mentioned it since. Maybe she doesn't remember telling me."

"Then cut her, and me, a little slack. Okay Helene?"

Helene hugged her father and said, "Okay, Dad... just this once. But don't keep secrets from me if you think I need to know. Especially about Mom."

"You have a deal, kiddo," DeWitt said; "Now, young lady, let's go out and buy you a  car."


===


August/September, 2039


"He's going to WHAT?!" Jaime said to her mother on the phone; "Uncle Jere is going to run for President?! Of the UNITED STATES?!!"

"It's kind of exciting, isn't it?" Julia asked her. "He's always had that charisma and knowledge to get his message out. Uncle Nik is going to be his campaign manager. Adriana and Arielle are working for them, too. I'm thinking of taking a leave to help out as well."

"Mom, no offense, but you'd be better off taking care of patients than trying Uncle Jere's patience on the campaign trail," Jaime said. "I know you, and you'll try to run the whole show."

"You're probably right, James," Julia said, laughing; "Always looking for ways to annoy my big brothers. But I don't have to let anyone know for a few weeks. I'm still thinking about it at this point."

"Personally, I think Uncle Jere should wait four years," Jaime said; "The field is already too crowded with Presidential wannabes."

"I'll pass that along to him," Julia said.

"Whose brilliant idea was it for him to even consider running for President?" Jaime asked.

"Apparently, a lot of people in Washington think Jere would make a great President."

"Yeah, right," Jaime said; "I think Uncle Jere could do it, but maybe it's not his time. That Richard Pike has a lot of people excited. Let him do it. He's just slimy enough to convince people to vote for him."

"He is a lawyer, after all," Julia concurred; "Now I know why Granpa David didn't want any of us to consider law or politics as a career choice."

"Granpa David is pretty smart," Jaime said; "Smart enough to stay out of both. How are he and Nonna Jordan doing?"

"Enjoying their long deserved vacation in Israel," Julia said. "Nonna Jordan thinks that John might be home soon after they return to Austin."

"I thought Uncle John liked it there," Jaime said.

"He did until his wife left him with a new baby and a mountain of debts," Julia said.

"I can't wait to see the little guy,"  Jaime said; "And Uncle John as well."

"Maybe at Thanksgiving, James," Julia said. "Concentrate on your studies now."


===

"Wait, you have a kid?"

"Two actually, but they don't know I'm not dead."

"Who would be willing enough to give you kids?"

"Their mother is a slut, that's for sure. But my issue with you is the girl you hit near Northwestern University. She is my daughter, and you fucked up. Even though she'll eventually recover, your life is essentially over. Can't leave any witnesses to my past."

"You don't have the balls to kill me, Pike!"

"Maybe not," Pike said, "but that's what I hire assassins for. Say goodbye to your miserable life."

Pike turned and walked away. As he got to his car and opened the door, he heard the gunshot that undoubtedly ended the other man's life. 

He had no idea that many years later, his past would come back to haunt him. A girl on a horse would see to that.

===

May, 2042


It was graduation day.

Three girls would get their degrees in an overly long ceremony that would have Rina becoming impatient.

They had been through a lot together, and their friendship was strong and unbreakable. Jaime and Helene had gotten married to their respective beaus, and Rina was about to.

If she could just get through the ceremony before her baby arrived.

Jeremy was excited to become a father, and the little girl his fiancee carried was due in five days.

Jaime had just learned that she was expecting, and Helene and Alexei decided that they'd wait another year before trying to have one of their own.

Their families were in attendence, and Rina thought she heard her niece, Carolin, chattering in the stands.

"Reen, you okay?" Helene leaned over and asked Rina. Rina was looking very uncomfortable.

"I think the baby wants to be center stage today, Helene," Rina said. "I've been having contractions all day. Nothing significant, just uncomfortable."

"Try not to have the baby come now," Jaime said; "While Helene and I would be thrilled, not everyone is on board with this."

"It's not really up to me, is it?" Rina said.

"Let's just get through this ceremony, then we'll take you to the hospital to meet the Little Miss," Helene said.

"I'm with you on that, Leenie, but Aida might have other plans," Rina said.

The ceremony went without incident, but as soon as it was over, Rina announced that she needed to get to the hospital.

"She's not going to wait, Jeremy!" she said to her fiance.

"Jaime's mom is here if Aida Giulietta just can't wait," Jeremy said. "I can't wait to meet her, but this isn't the place for that."

"Well, then," Jaime said, "it's off to the hospital with you, Audrina. Helene and I will be there soon."

"Promise?" Rina asked.

"Promise, promise, promise," Helene said; "A three times promise can't be broken."

===

"I'm glad I didn't run last time after all," Jeremiah Donovan said. "Jaime's pretty smart about those things."

"Indeed," Nik San Marco said; "But this time, we're going for it."

"Yes, we are," Jeremiah said. "And fuck the naysayers who say that a mixed man can't be President. It's been done once. Why can't lightning strike twice?"

===

"Well hello there, Miss Aida," Jeremy cooed to his hours old daughter. "You had us worried there for a minute that you'd ruin Mamma's big day."

Aida only yawned. Jeremy smiled. He then looked at the mother of his child, and her two best friends.

Never sell those three short, he thought. They're going to set the world on fire.




                                                                                                                                                   ~*fin*~

Chapter 20

June/July, 2039

Julia's phone rang and she fished it out of the pocket of her lab coat. Seeing it was from Jaime concerned her because Jaime knew not to bother her mother at the hospital unless it was an emergency.

And it was an emergency.

"Dr. Summers," Julia said when she answered the call.

"Mom," Jaime said trying to keep her voice calm, "Rina's been in an accident and they're taking her to University Hospital here in Evanston. Helene is driving my car because she worked today and I had the day off, and she came upon the accident and recognized Rina's scooter."

Julia  tried to process the information so that she could give Jaime some sound advice.

"Jaime, first of all," said Julia, "take a deep breath. Then, tell me if you're going to the hospital and or contacting Rina's brother."

"As soon as Helene gets here, we're going to the hospital," Jaime said; "I'll try and get a hold of Vito before we leave. But Mom, Jeremy needs to be here, too. Rina will be asking for him. I'm sure of it."

"The doctors at University will not tell you or Helene anything about Rina's condition because you're not family," Julia said. "Insist that they give you enough info so that you have something to tell Rina's brother when you get a hold of him. As far as Jeremy is concerned, I will contact his grandfather and tell him what's going on. Ben will make sure Jeremy gets to Rina's side. I'll stop in on my way back to Belvidere if I can."

"Okay, Mom, thanks for the advice," Jaime said; "Helene just drove up and she'll be a mess. She was barely holding it together when she told me about the accident. We're going to try and get Vito on the phone before we  leave."

"Okay, James," Julia said; "Keep me updated."

Jaime hung up and Julia sighed. All three of those girls are too young to have all this drama. I wonder if the accident was meant as a warning to me, Nik and Jere. But why target a 17 year old girl that isn't related to any of us?

Juila then called Ben Walters to tell him that his grandson's girlfriend was in the hospital and to  take Jeremy there right away.

===

"Victor Alexander," Vito said as he answered the call from the main number of his business.

"Vito, it's Jaime Summers," Jaime said; "Rina has been in an accident and is in the hospital."

He felt all the color drain from his face. Audrina, in hospital? That can't be. To Jaime he said,

"What happened, Jaime? How bad is it?"

"We don't know how bad it is yet," Jaime said; "Helene and I are on our way to the hospital now. We've been warned that they might not tell us anything because we're not Rina's family. We'll try to get as much information for you as possible. Call me at this number in about an hour; I may have something to tell you then."

"I want to speak to the doctors if I can," Vito said; "I'll make plans to be on the next flight to Chicago."

"Okay," Jaime said; "But call me back."

Vito said he would and hung up the phone.

His mind was going a million miles an hour. His little sister was hurt and in the hospital, and she needed him. First Papa, now Audrina, he thought. Rina had done nothing to deserve to be injured.

"Why couldn't it be that bitch who claims to be our mother?" he said aloud.

He contacted the secretary in the reception area. "Find me the first available flight to Chicago, dear. My sister has taken ill suddenly."

Within fifteen minutes, he not only found out when the next flight was, but was booked on it. It was scheduled to leave at 10pm, two hours from now. That means, he thought, it's 7pm in Chicago. Rina's accident must have happened within the last two hours.

He called Carrie to explain what was going on, and that he might not be home for several days.

"She's your only family, Vito," she said; "Go to her, and I'll fly out as soon as I can."

He hung up the phone and put his head in his hands. Carrie was right. Rina was the only family he had.

Mio Dio, don't take Audrina from me. She's all I have!

===

Rina arrived at the hospital and the news was not promising. She had a collapsed lung, four broken ribs, a broken femur and a concussion. As Julia had warned her daughter, the doctors were not going to tell Jaime or Helene anything.

It was at this point that Helene got indignant.

"You WILL tell us something about Miss Alexander's condition so that we can tell her brother something before he flies all the way out here from Boston," she said angrily; "Miss Summers and I are her closest friends, and you'll have to deal with us until her brother arrives. Got that?"

The head doctor on Rina's case was not impressed.

"Listen here, young lady," he said; "I don't make the rules. You're not Miss Alexander's family, and I'm NOT going to tell a couple of demanding brats anything."

From behind them, they heard, "Doctor you will tell me."

Seeing Julia, the doctor said, "You don't have priveledges at this facility, Dr. Summers. I'm not going tell you anything either."

"You will because your license depends on it," Julia spat back at him. "And for your information, I do have priveledges here. This is the closest trauma unit to my home, and I am trained to take over in any trauma situation. Unless you want me to take over your case, you will tell me everything about Audrina Alexander's condition that you know so far. Her brother, her only family I might add, is undoubtedly on his way here from Boston. My daughter will have made sure of it."

The doctor only sighed. He knew better than to argue with a doctor who specializes in emergency medicine. Especially this one.

"Dr. Summers, if you will follow me, we'll discuss Miss Alexander's condition."

All Helene could do is stare after them as they walked down the hall.

"Well, damn..." she said aloud to no one in particular.

===

"You were supposed to be following a a redhead with short hair, not a dark haired girl on a scooter!"

"But she is the redhead's housemate, and I'd lost her. I thought she would lead me to the redhead."

"Instead, your inattention may cost this girl her life! I should kill you now! But, let's see if she survives before I decide your fate."

===

Jaime and Helene sat in the rather uncomfortable chairs  that were provided in the emergency room area, waiting for any word on Rina's condition.

Vito had called Jaime back in an hour's time. He was just boarding a plane to Chicago and thought he would be there before midnight local time.

"I hope Rina is doing okay," Helene said fretfully. "Your mom really took control of the situation. That doctor is a prick."

"Some doctors think they're God," Jaime sighed; "That guy is one of those. Mom's setting him straight, no doubt. Good job on getting mad at him, Leenie. I'd hate to be on the wrong side when you get your dander up!"

"I think I get that from my dad," Helene said. "Sometimes, all he has to do is look at someone and they're jumping through hoops. I don't have that kind of pull yet. The DeWitt name doesn't guarantee me shit."

"Oh, I know," Jaime said; "I try not to play the Julia Summers Daughter card too often."

They were interrupted by a nurse, who said, "Miss DeWitt, Miss Alexander wants to see you. She said she had something to tell you that is very important."

Helene and Jaime looked at each other, then Jaime said, "Go on and see what Rina has to say, Leenie; She might just tell you to contact Vito and Jeremy. Tell her I've taken care of that."

"Okay, James," said Helene; to the nurse she asked, "Where is she?"

"If you'll follow me," the nurse said. Helene followed behind her until they got to a room in the very back of the corridor. Before she was allowed in, the nurse said,

"I can only give you five minutes, and please don't upset her too much. She's going to surgery as soon as you leave her room."

Helene nodded and the nurse opened the door to let her inside. Once the door was closed, Helene heard,

"Leenie, is that you? I have something to tell you before it's too late!"

===

Jaime was on the phone with Jared while Helene was talking to Rina.

"She asked to talk to Helene," Jaime said; "Why not me, too?"

"Maybe she has something to say that only Helene would understand, Jaime," Jared said.

"Like what?"

"Jaime, I don't know," Jared said; "Maybe she wanted to assure Helene that she'd be okay. You   yourself told me that Helene was the most emotional of the three of you."

Jaime had to concede that was so. Helene was by her very nature an emotional person. It was made her a wonderful dancer. She could channel all those emotions in to her dancing.

"Jaime, Grandpa is on his way to Evanston with Jeremy," Jared said now; "Is Vito coming out from Boston?"

"Yes," Jaime said; "He called me just as he got on the plane. He should be here before midnight."

"Did they find the jerk who hit Rina?"

"Not that I know of," Jaime said; "He was long gone before the police and the EMTs showed up."

"Coward," was all Jared had to say about that.

===

"Helene, I need blood," Rina said in a hoarse whisper. Helene was taken aback by Rina's appearance. She simply didn't look like Rina to Helene.

"Jaime and I gave blood and it was typed," Helene said; "We haven't heard if either of us is a match for you. But you're going to get what you need and you'll get better."

Rina struggled to say what she needed to tell Helene before the anestesiologist came in to put her under.

"Helene...you have a half-brother named Charles, right?"

Helene seemed surprised. "Yes, but my dad told me he died several years ago in an accident." Helene didn't understand why Rina, of all people, was asking her about the younger of her father's two adult sons.

"Charles married and had two children-- a boy and a girl."

"How do you know this, Reen?" asked Helene, even more confused. "My father has two grandchildren he doesn't know about?"

"Yes."

"My dad doesn't even know that as far as I know," Helene said; "How do you know?"

"I knew Charles DeWitt," Rina said; "When I lived in Italy."

"But how? Was he a family friend? A friend of your father's perhaps?"

The anestesiaologist came in and emptied a syringe into Rina's IV line, and she know she had only a few minutes to tell Helene what she had found out.

"Helene," she said now, fighting the urge to close her eyes; "Charles DeWitt wasn't a friend of my father's. He WAS my father. Leenie, we're related by blood. I'm...I'm..."

Rina couldn't hold her eyes open any longer and Helene was having trouble registering what Rina had just told her. If she's Charles' daughter, then I'm... no that can't be right. Wouldn't her name be...

"Miss DeWitt, we need to take Miss Alexander to surgery now," the nurse who has brought her back to Rina's room said; "You'll need to go back out to the waiting area with your friend."

Helene was almost to the waiting room when it finally came to her: if Charles was Rina's father, and Charles is my brother, then Rina is...

"Oh, my God!" she cried out as she reached where Jaime was sitting.

"Leenie, what's wrong? Rina's okay, isn't she?" Jaime asked.

"Rina..." Helene said; "I'm her aunt! Oh, my God!"

She then started to cry. She half felt Jaime's arms around her, leading her back to the uncomfortable chairs, and sobbing against Jaime's shoulder.

===

This was the scene that Jeremy Schuykill came upon when he arrived at the hospital with his grandfather.

"Rina!" he said excitedly to Jaime; "Where is she?"

"She just went into surgery, Jeremy," Jaime said; "She's got several broken bones and other injuries."

Jeremy sat heavily in the chair next to Jaime. Helene still snuffled against her friend's shoulder. She looked up and saw Jeremy sitting there.

"You look like hell, Helene," Jeremy said; "You okay?"

Helene just sat there, and Jaime said, "Helene came across Rina's accident on her way home from work. She's still a little shaken by it all."

"Her brother's coming, right?"

"Yes, he should be here soon," Jaime said, amazed how calm she sounded. She was still trying to wrap her head around Helene's announcement that she and Rina were related and how random life seemed to be.

Just then, Jaime's phone vibrated in her pocket. She got it out and saw that it was Vito.

"Hello?"

"Jaime, it's Vito Alexander. I just landed at O'Hare and I realized that I have no idea where I am to go from here."

"University Hospital in Evanston," Jaime said; "It's an hour's drive or so."

"I don't think I am able to drive right now," Vito said; "Any more news on Rina?"

"Just that she's in surgery," Jaime said; "Jeremy just arrived here about five minutes ago with his grandfather."

"I am glad that Jeremy is there," Vito said.

"Jaime," Ben Walters said; "I'll drive to O'Hare and pick up Rina's brother if you'd like."

Jaime relayed this to Vito and he thought it might be a good idea. "What does Mr. Walters look like?"

"About six-one, stocky, all white hair, glasses," Jaime said; "He's wearing a blue shirt, jeans, and cowboy boots."

"I'll be looking out for him then." Vito then disconnected the call.

"You realize, Jaime you just described damn near every man over 65 in rural Illinois to him, right?" Ben Walters asked. "I'll make a sign with Vito's name so he knows that I'm the old coot coming to pick him up."

Jaime grinned for the first time since arriving at the hospital. Helene seemed to have calmed down some; to the point of falling asleep on Jaime's shoulder.

===

By morning, Vito had arrived at the hospital with Ben Walters, and Jaime and Helene went back to the house. Vito and Jeremy would stay to hear any news about Rina's surgery. She had been in surgery for nearly five hours, and had just been taken to intensive care before Jaime and Helene left. Walters stuck around in case Jeremy or Vito needed a ride somewhere.

Once at home, Helene had gone to bed, but Jaime was still wired. She turned on the television to see if there was anything on. The morning newscasts all had a story on the hit and run accident near the Northwestern campus.

"...police have identified the victim as 16 year old Audrina Alexander, a student at Northwestern. She is an international student from Italy who just moved into a house off campus with two friends. The car that hit Miss Alexander on her scooter and the person driving it have yet to be found. Once found, that individual will be charged with attempted vehicular homicide..."

I wonder where they got their information, Jaime thought. I thought they had to contact the family first, and I know Vito would have never consented to having his underage sister's name broadcast by the media.

"Well, we were all declared independent minors in order to attend Northwestern," Jaime said aloud. "But we're all still under 18."

She made a note to call her Aunt Kimber later to ask about that.

Jaime then fell asleep on the couch.

===

Vito got to talk to the doctors and the surgeon who operated on Rina. She would be out of commission for a while, and she would make it, but she was not completely out of the woods yet. He was not yet allowed to see his sister, but he did ask the surgeon to let her know that he was there.

Jaime had invited Vito to stay over at the house with her and Helene while he was in town, an invitation he gratefully accepted. He was headed over there with Jeremy and his grandfather. Ben Walters would then head back to Belvidere.

It was morning, and neither man had slept since finding out about Rina's accident. They walked into the house and Jaime had breakfast ready and waiting for them. Helene was still sleeping. Jaime knew that she had been on the phone with her parents until about an hour before Vito and Jeremy arrived. Jaime only heard Helene's side of the conversation, and one of the first thing she asked her father was if he knew that Rina was her niece. Apparently, he told her the truth, because Jaime could hear Helene's anguished voice shortly after, followed by, "Dad, don't you think I should have KNOWN this?!"

Now, however, Jaime was serving breakfast to Rina's brother and boyfriend, and they would sleep in the fourth bedroom to rest from the long night.

Jaime thought she might go back to bed herself.

===

Rina was finally taken to a regular hospital room, though she was barely aware of it. She had no idea what day it was, or whether anyone other than Helene and Jaime had come to see her.

I'm so tired, she thought. I just want to see Jeremy and tell him I'm okay.

She became aware of a presence in her room. She thought it was one of the nurses, but a man came into her line of vision and said, "Audrina, I am so sorry you have to go through this, my darling."

Since she couldn't speak because of the tube down her throat, she looked at the man. He didn't look like anyone she knew, but he sounded so familiar to her.

"Rina, you're going to be all right," the man said; "I will make sure of it."

Who are you? she thought. Are you a doctor?

And, as if he could hear her very thoughts, he said, "I'm not a doctor, but I have always had your best interests at heart."

Rina was confused. If he wasn't a doctor, then who was he?

She didn't have the strength to figure it out, and was soon asleep.

The man who came to see her would see that the man who put her in the hospital was punished.

===

As he left the hospital undetected, he had the answers he came all that way to get.

It was Audrina who was Jaime Summers' other housemate.

It was Audrina who owned the blue scooter she had been observed riding in the Northwestern University area.

It was Audrina who came all this way to get away from her mother.

And as Richard Pike got into his rental car,  he knew one thing.

Getting to his pet will be infinitely more difficult for him because both his half-sister and his daughter were her best friends.

But now, he had a man to get rid of.

The one who caused the accident that put Pike's daughter in the hospital.

I wish, he thought as he drove towards Chicago, that I had taken Audrina with me when I had the chance.

Because he knew that Rina would fight tooth and nail for her friend, even if the man who was obsessed with Jaime Summers was her father.

Chapter 19

April 30, 2039


Jaime and Helene were taken aback by all the friends and relatives that were in the room. Rina only smiled.

"So THIS is what you've had going on in your head all this time!" Helene said, still a little surprised; "You sure had me fooled!"

"Me, too!" Jaime added; "I had no idea about this. Not one clue!"

Without saying another word, both girls hugged Rina. "Thank you," Jaime said; "I'll never forget this, ever!"

Helene looked at the guys, saying, "You all knew about this, of course."

"Guilty," said Alexei; "But when Rina called me to help out, I couldn't say no. It was for you."

Helene kissed him on the cheek. "You're so sweet and I love you."

Alexei just had a silly look on his face. His Helene was happy. That's all he wanted. And he would spend the rest of his life trying to do just that. Make Helene happy.

"Jared, you must have had a hand in this, too," Jaime said.

"Jeremy and I both did," Jared said; "My best girl deserves all this and more."


The guests of honor thanked everyone for coming, then dinner was served. They mingled among the guests after dinner and before the cake was served.

The cake itself was a huge creation. It appeared to have been two large sheet cakes frosted on atop the other. The top of the cake had pictures of Helene and Jaime as babies, with their dates of birth written in blue gel.

"I almost hate to cut this cake," Jaime said; "It's so clever. Sandy, was this your doing?"

Sandy Springer looked at her cousin and said, "I just suggested ideas, James. Looks like Rina ran away with ideas of her own."

"Everything's edible," Rina said, "even the pictures."

"It's very nice," Kathryn DeWitt said; "I know I wouldn't have thought of that!"

"I'm absolutely floored," Helene told her mother; "I never in a million years expected this!"

"You're blessed to have friends who care about you, Leenie," Kathryn said. "I hope you and Jaime will do something similar for Rina on her birthday. By the way, when IS Rina's birthday?"

"End of June," Helene said; "June 30th."


"This is so cool, Jaime!" Rachel exclaimed; "I've never had a surprise party. You're so lucky!"

"This is just the warm up to my birthday, you know," Zach said. He would be 15 the next day, May first.

Jaime laughed, "Think what you want, brother mine, but it's actually Helene's birthday. We're four days apart in age."

"I think I knew that," Zach said, laughing.



Julia was talking to Helene's parents about the big surprise that Rina pulled off for her friends.

"I had a surprise party  when I turned 30," she told Kathryn DeWitt; "I kind of knew what was going on because Ryan couldn't keep a secret to save his soul! I was suprised, though, by the amount of people who showed up. All for little ole me. Ryan died the following February, so it was the last time he did something of that scale for me."


Soon the party was winding down and the guests were either going home or staying over in the hotel. That's when Jeremy got Rina alone and said, "I have a surprise for you, Rina."

Her brows went up as if to say, yeah? Instead, she said, "And what might that be?"

"I got a room here in the hotel," he said; "And I would be honored if you'd spend the night with me."

For the first time that evening, Rina was surprised. "Jeremy..." she began, "I don't know what to say... except yes."

"I promise, sweet Audrina, to be gentle, loving, and considerate," Jeremy said; "I'll let you decide how far you want to go."

"Jeremy," Rina said, knowing that she would allow him to take her all the way, "Please? Please love me. I'm ready to take that next step with you."

Without another word, he led her to the elevator and kissed her while they waited for one to arrive. Jaime and Helene saw this, looked at each other, and said at almost the same time, "Go on, Rina. You deserve this."


===

Jaime and Helene were headed back to their suite at the dorm, still flabbergasted that Rina had put this entire party on for them and they had no idea she was doing it.

"I can't believe all the people who showed up!" Helene said; "We have to do something for her when her birthday comes around in June."

"Definitely," Jaime agreed as Jared drove the girls home. "Something she will always remember about going to college here in  the States."

"Do you think she'll go back to Italy after she gets her degree, Jaime?" asked Helene.

"I really don't know Leen," she said; "Her brother is here now, and she really has nothing to go back to except that stupid title she'll get when she's 21."

"But it's just a title, James," Helene said. "It doesn't really mean anything to hear Rina talk about it. Just something to be handed down from one generation to the next."

Jared interrupted their discussion by announcing that they had arrived back at Mathison Hall.

"I don't know about you ladies," he said as they got out of the car, "but I'm beat. If I hadn't been driving, I'd be sacked out in the back seat like Alexei."

"You're staying the weekend, right?" asked Jaime.

"I'd planned on it," Jared said; "I don't know Alexei's plans."

"He'll probably head back to Chicago in the morning," Helene said. "I'd like him to stay, but he has a job to do."

Jared nodded and woke Alexei up and told him that they were at the girls' dorm and to say his goodbyes to Helene.

"Wh-when did I fall asleep?" he asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"About ten seconds after we left the parking lot, dude," Jared said. "You were out like a light."

Alexei smiled sheepishly at Helene. "I guess this is goodbye for now, sweet Helene," he said as he took Helene into his arms; "I'll try to come back for part of the weekend. It was a lovely party that Rina put on for you and Jaime. It was good seeing your family again. I even got to chat up Rina's brother Vito. He's a nice guy, and Carrie is a lucky girl."

"I agree," Helene said, trying to stifle a yawn; "I guess I better get to bed. If you can come back later in the weekend, that would be wonderful."

"I'll see what I can do, Leenie."

Helene smiled. She loved it when Alexei called her by her childhood nickname.

Soon, she and Jaime slipped inside and went up to their suite. They sat on the sofa and talked about the party. Within a few minutes, they had both fallen asleep where they sat. 


===

"My God, Rina!" Jeremy gasped as he loved on Rina; "You're incredible!

She had climaxed several times before Jeremy let go, and each time, he was amazed that Rina was so loving, so passionate, so into her lover that he felt that he didn't deserve the beauty that was Audrina d'Alessandro.

"Ah Jeremy, my love my heart," Rina said, breathlessly, "you are perfect for me!"

Later, as they lay together in each others arms, Rina had no words for what she felt. She knew she was happy. This is how she always wanted to feel when she met her soulmate.

"Rina..." she heard Jeremy sigh as he traced the curve of her hips with his hands. "I've dreamed of finding someone like you, and here you are. You know I love you with all my heart, don't you?"

"Yes, Jeremy, I know," Rina said against his neck; "I feel the same way about you..."

They just lay together without a care in the world. In a months time, though neither of them knew it just then, he would be there for her in the worst crisis in their young lives.

The idea that he could lose her never crossed his mind.

===

June, 2039

Once again, Jaime was being watched, and she didn't like it. She decided that she wouldn't go after the person who was tasked with watching her every move.

She was a little busy moving into her Aunt Kimber's rental house with Helene and Rina.

They were almost done getting things into place, hooking up the six computers (four of which belonged to Rina), and planning an informal housewarming get together.

Or at least that's what Rina thought.

Just like she had done for Helene and Jaime for their birthdays in April, her housemates were planning a party for her under the guise of a housewarming party. The guests were asked to bring a gift for the house, and another for Rina, who would be 17 at the end of the month.

On this day, Jaime was putting the internet network together so that the girls could use it for their various pursuits. Once the network was secure, and all the computers named on the network (Rina's, for example, were named Rina1, Rina2, etc.), Jaime installed Summers Tech Systems protection software on the "home" computer to cover all six units on the network. It would take an expert hacker to crack the network, and two such experts lived in that house: Rina and Jaime. Jaime also added her father's trademark layers of passwords and security questions. Short of someone having her father's talent and skill as a reformed hacker, no one would be able to crack the security of Jaime's network.

And that's how she wanted it.

Helene was working at the florist and Rina was becoming reacquainted with riding a scooter she had recently purchased ("We had several Vespas at home, and was thrilled that I could find one here!" Rina had said the day she brought the Italian Vespa scooter home from the local motorcycle dealership), so Jaime had the house to herself. The trio had recently acquired a cat, a black and white American shorthair that Rina named "Pazzo" after the comment made by Helene that the cat was as "crazy as a bedbug".

"Why call him Pazzo?" asked Helene at the time.

"Because 'Pazzo' is the Italian word for crazy, and you said you thought he was crazy," Rina replied.

So that what the 8 month old kitten was named.

The cat sat on the desk as Jaime went about configuring the network, seemingly interested in what she doing.

The others were due home any time, so Jaime got up and went into the kitchen to get things ready to prepare dinner.

Dinner wouldn't get prepared that night because something else would take presidence.

===

Rina was stopped at the stop sign, waiting for traffic to clear so she could ride across.

Rina was really enjoying her Vespa and the ease of getting where she needed to be without asking Jaime for a ride everywhere. Helene was looking into buying a car later in the summer, when her father would come out and help her pick one out. Rina was looking forward to seeing Christian DeWitt again. Perhaps, Rina thought, while he was in town, they'd try to explain to Helene that they were related.

Traffic cleared and Rina started across the intersection. She saw a car coming up the street she was crossing and knew that he had to stop at the sign to allow her to complete her crossing of the intersection.

The driver of the car, however, never saw the dark haired girl on the bright blue scooter cross his path. He ran the stop sign and hit the girl on the scooter at 35 miles an hour.

Rina felt the impact of the car on the rear wheel of the scooter and knew she was in trouble. Time moved in slow motion as she felt herself flying in one direction, and the scooter she'd owned for less than a month fly off in another direction.

She then landed hard on the grassy side of the road, and realized that she was hurt. How badly, she had no idea. All she knew was that it was suddenly very difficult to breathe. At almost the same time, she saw her scooter fly over her head and land about one thousand feet away in the street.

Almost before she knew it, she was surrounded by people. She knew they were paramedics, and they would take her to the hospital. She then lost consciousness.

Helene was driving Jaime's car and came upon the accident. As police waved traffic past the wrecked scooter, Helene realized with a shock that the scooter is one she saw everyday for nearly a month.

She pulled her car off to the side of the road. A police officer approached her and asked,

"Miss? You'll have to move your car. There's been an accident."

"I know," Helene said. "That scooter belongs to my roommate. I have to find out if she's okay!"

"She's about to be taken to the hospital," the officer said; "She's in bad shape. We don't even know her name."

"Her name is Audrina Alexander," Helene said.

"I think you need to speak with the EMTs, Miss..."

"DeWitt," Helene said; "Helene DeWitt."

Helene went over to the ambulance just as Rina was being placed inside. The officer explained to the EMTs that Helene knew the girl they were about to transport to the hospital.

"Rina!" Helene said when she saw Rina; "Rina, it's Helene! What happened?"

"Leenie..." Rina said weakly; "I have something I have to tell you..."

"They're going to take you to the hospital and take care of you," Helene said; "You want me to call Vito?"

"Helene...we're..."

"You can tell me later, Rina," Helene said, shaken up by how Rina looked. "I'll call Jaime and we'll get in touch with Vito, okay?"

"Okay, Helene..."

===

Jaime looked at the clock on the kitchen wall. Helene got off work  about an hour ago, and I know it doesn't take that long to get home from the flower shop, she thought.

And, where was Rina?

The phone ringing startled Jaime. She went into the living room and answered the phone.

On the other end was a freaked out Helene.

"Jaime, Rina's been in an accident and she's being taken to University Hospital," she said as Jaime listened, trying to process the information. "I'm coming home to get you and we'll go see Rina. We have to call her brother!"

"I'll be waiting, Leenie," Jaime said in a voice that almost didn't sound like hers. "Please hurry!"

As she hung up, Jaime realized that Rina's birthday was only two days away. God, Jaime prayed, don't take Rina from us!

Jaime then called her mom.

===

Chapter 18

April 26, 2034 -four days until surprise party

"You're the SpineSplitter?!" Kendall gasped as he laid eyes on Julia for the first time.

"It's never been proven that I was the assassin known by that name," Julia said; "My business with you, Mr. Kendall, has to do with my daughter Jaime and the fact she caught you following her."

"I was paid to follow her," Kendall said lamely.

"I know that, you dunce!" Julia said angrily; "You think I had you come out here for shits and giggles? Now, you will tell me who hired you to intimidate a 17 year old girl, or..."

"Or what?" Kendall interrupted, finally finding his voice and becoming defiant.

Julia walked right up to Kendall, who stood maybe five inches taller than she and grabbed his shirt and said in a low, threatening voice, "...or I will make life very difficult for you."

"And how is a tiny thing like you supposed to do that?" Kendall said.

It was the wrong thing to say.

"On the roof of the house is my 15 year old son," Julia said; "He, as of three days ago, is one of the youngest certified archery experts in the United States. He also handles high powered weapons rather well. And in case you don't already know, I am a weapons expert and have been since my teen years. I've treated plenty of shooting victims to know the kind of weapon that was used just by looking at what's left of the bullet. I'm the only one in the tri-state area who has this expertise. So don't push me, Mr. Kendall, or that man who initially contacted you in your hometown will be making a return visit. All I have to do is make a call."

"So you're going to kill me, is that it?"

"You keep up that bad ass attitude, I'll make you wish you'd never heard the name Jameson Summers."

"I'm still not scared of you."

Next thing he knew, he was laying on the ground next to his rental car. When he recovered enough to attempt to stand, he saw Julia holding a hunting rifle; and it was pointed at his head.

"I may not look too intimidating," Julia said, "but I wouldn't push your luck. I could take care of you right now and no one would find you. I took a pledge to do no harm, but I'm a mother first. You threatened one of my daughters. Suppose you tell me who hired you, why they wanted you to follow a teenage girl, and I want answers, Mister. And now would be a good time to tell me, because I have someone you need to meet."

Kendall got up and leaned against the car to steady himself. Shit, he thought, if she's not the SpineSplitter, then I'm Abraham Lincoln.

"Shall we go into the barn?"

Kendall saw that he had no say in the matter. After all, the doctor was now armed with a rifle and not afraid to use it.

As they walked into the barn, Kendall could hear the stamping and snorting of a very pissed off animal.

When they rounded the corner, Kendall could see it was a massive bull. And it was not happy.

"Mr. Kendall, this is Sarge," Julia said; "He's eight years old, weighs in at about fifteen-hundred pounds, and can run to the fence in eight seconds. How fast can you run to the fence?"

"Are you fucking serious, lady?" Kendall said; "It would be suicide for me to race that thing!"

"Then tell me everything you know, and you won't have to find out if it would be suicide or not, will you?"


===

Jared showed up at Mathison Hall and asked to see Jaime. He had a bouquet of flowers and a box wrapped in colorful birthday paper under his arm.

"I'll call up to her room, okay?" the Residence Assistant said.

Jared nodded and waited in the lobby.



"Jared's in the lobby," Jaime said as she hung up the phone.

"Maybe it has something to do with your birthday, James," Helene said.

"When I talked to him the other night, he said he would be here Saturday," Jaime said, a littled confused.

"Maybe he just couldn't stay away," Rina suggested. "I wish he'd brought Jeremy with him."

Jaime grabbed her key and her wallet and headed down to the lobby, where Jared waited.

"Ahh, there's my flame haired goddess," he said when he saw her. As she reached him, he gave her a hug and said, "Happy birthday, Jaime. I brought you a gift."

He handed her the box and she opened it right there. Inside was book about horses. It was one that Jaime almost bought for herself.

"I almost bought this!" she said, laughing; "Now I'm glad I didn't! Thank you so much, Jared. It was sweet of you to think of me."

"A good man gives his best girl a gift on her birthday," Jared said. Jaime knew that he got that from his grandfather, as Ben Walters always referred to his wife, Sarah, as his "best girl".

"I thought you were coming Saturday, though."

"Your mom gave us all the day off, and Jeremy and his sisters went into town for their grief couselling session," Jared said; "Then he was going to buy a new pair of dress pants for the big party on Saturday."

"Oh, okay," Jaime said. "Rina got this idea that she was going to treat me and Helene for our birthdays. Alexei just told Helene that he can make it Saturday. So the six of us will find out what Rina's got up her sleeve."

"It's not some real fancy place, is it?"

"It's the restaurant at the Hilton in town," Jaime said; "It's kind of dressy, but not overly so. You won't have to wear a suit or anything."

"Good, because the only suit I have no longer fits me," Jared said. "Grew too much."

"The flowers are pretty," Jaime said, changing the subject; "You get them from where Helene and I work?"

"Yeah, and it didn't cost me anything! I just said I wanted to get my girlfriend some flowers for her birthday, and the owner said to me, 'You must be Jared!', and handed these to me. 'Those are her favorites', she said," replied Jared.

"Sherry is good like that," Jaime said; "She really takes care of her employees, since most of us are college students."

"It's always nice to have a great boss," said Jared.

"Speaking of my mom," Jaime said, "why did she give you guys the day off?"

"She told Grandpa that she needed to do some manual labor and recruited your brother to help her."

"We did all that so-called manual labor when we lived in Wyoming," Jaime said; "Maybe she wanted Zach to remember what that was like."

"I really don't know the details, James," Jared said; "Anyway, I thought I'd take you out to lunch if you don't have a class coming up."

"This is my light day," Jaime said; "We were upstairs studying for finals. I should tell Helene and Rina that I'm leaving."

Jaime called up to the suite and told Helene when she answered that Jared was taking her out to lunch. Helene told her to have a good time and be home in time for dinner.

"We're going to attempt to make cheesy enchiladas, remember?" asked Helene.

"Wouldn't miss it, Leenie," Jaime said; "See you in a little while."

After ending the call, she turned to Jared and said, "Shall we go?"

"Yes, we shall," Jared said, laughing.


===


Kendall talked.

Julia was pleased. She let the man leave with his body intact. His sanity, however, she was sure she had messed with.

She got what she wanted. It was A.R.M. who hired Ryan Kendall to spy on Jaime, though Kendall swore he had no idea the name of the man who contacted him.

"Tell you what, Mr. Kendall," she had said, "next time they call you for a job following a member of my family, you call me. I can pay you double what they'll offer you, and you'll get into my good graces. Does this mean I trust you? Hell, no. It just means you'll be a double agent. I want to know who within A.R.M. thinks it's funny to follow young ladies named Summers around."

She saw that Kendall was thinking really hard about it. He then said, "Dr. Summers, I have a daughter, and I haven't done right by her or her mother. If I found out someone was intimidating her, I would be pissed off enough to kill. I think I know how you feel about your daughters."

"You do right by your daughter, and I might have a little respect for you," Julia had said. "Get involved in her life if her mother will allow it. Be a man and face up to the responsibility of being a father. That means paying your child support on time, helping your daughter's mother out if she asks, and getting help for your gambling addiction. I've been a single mother since my husband died in 2031. Fortunately, I had the resources to take care of my children and family who would bend over backwards to help me. You keep that in mind, Mr. Kendall, and we'll get along. I'll be watching."

She walked over to Sarge's pen and saw that the bull had calmed down since Kendall's departure. "You did a good job, ole boy," she told him. "I think we scared the shit out of him. I don't think he'll be back to bother us anymore."

All she got in response was a low moo.


===


April 27 -three days before surprise party


Jaime had forgotten all about the enchiladas.

While she and Jared had been at lunch the day before, they talked about their future. They knew they had one, but a lot of things had to wait on Jaime being of age.

Like marriage.

"If I were to ask you to marry me, Jaime, who would I speak with to get their blessing?" asked Jared. "One of your uncles? Your Granpa David? Zach?"

"Zach?!" Jaime laughed; "I think not! I'd think you could just ask my mom for her blessing. If not, she'll tell you who to contact. I'd err on the side of Granpa David personally."

"Wow," said Jared, "talk about intimidating! Asking the Voice of the Resistance for his granddaughter's hand."

"He tends to have that affect on people," Jaime said; "He's really a big softie. Forget who he is and just ask away. He likes you, Jared. That's an advantage right there!"

It grew later than Jared liked, and he was feeling too tired to drive safely. He called his grandfather to tell him he'd be staying in Evanston overnight.

Jaime directed him to an inexpensive motel just off the highway that was pretty safe. It was on the university's list of safe lodgings.

After Jared paid for his room, he and Jaime went to get him settled, with the idea that he would take her back to the dorm.

"Stay with me tonight, Jaime," Jared said.

"Jared," Jaime said in half protest, "Helene, Rina and I had plans tonight. I can't bail out on them."

"Tell them where you are and let them draw their own conclusions," Jared said.

Jaime got out her phone, but before she dialed the number to the phone in her suite, she said,

"I'll stay under one condition."

"Name it."

Jaime looked at him and said in all seriousness, "That you rip my clothes off and make love to me."

While Jared was recovering from that, Jaime made her call.

Then he did as she asked all night long.


===


Rina hung up the phone.

"Jaime won't be home tonight," was all she said.

Helene was not really surprised to hear that. "We'll do the enchiladas tomorrow night instead," she said; "I'm kinda tired from studying. I think I'll take a long, hot bath."

"That sounds like a great idea," Rina said; "I'm almost kind of jealous of Jaime right now."

Helene turned to her and asked, "Why's that?"

"We both know what she and Jared will be doing, and it isn't sleeping."

Helene wasn't surprised by that comment, either. They both knew that Jaime and Jared was the most active of the three of them. Helene had only the one time with Alexei; Rina and Jeremy hadn't gotten that far in their relationship for that yet.

She went off to run her bath while Rina noodled around on her computer. Once she was alone, Rina seriously contemplated telling Helene that they were related.

How do I go about it the right way without freaking her out? Rina thought. Is now the right time to tell that? Could it wait a few more weeks or months?

Rina had no way of knowing that in a few weeks, that decision would be taken out of her hands. She would tell Helene her secret because she thought she wouldn't get another chance.

Rina decided that she needed sleep more than she needed to do research or fret over when and how to tell Helene they were blood relatives, so she went to her room, readied for bed, and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.


===


April 30- day of the party


Rina's phone rang off the hook all afternoon long with people saying that they were in town or on their way. She gave the location of the hotel with the instructions to be there an hour before the guests of honor were to arrive.

Fortunately, she wasn't in the suite during the time she was getting all these phone calls.

Vito and Carrie arrived the night before and checked into the hotel where the party was to take place. Helene's family did the same, but they kept missing each other.

Sandy and Lexie were staying with Kimber and Jamey, where the toddler was fascinated by Kimber's daughter Joanna. Kimber was going alone because Drew was sick. Jamey would stay home and watch the kids.

Jaime was working and Helene had the suite to herself.

She sat on her bed and went over in her mind all that had happened between her last birthday and this one. It came to quite a lot. In a few weeks, the girls would move out of Mathison Hall and to the house that Kimber Duncan was renting them. Kimber and Jamey were thinking of selling the house, then decided that they would put it up for rent. Before they could even post a "For Rent" sign in the yard, Kimber mentioned to Julia what she was going to do. Julia suggested that maybe Jaime and her friends would like to rent it.

The sign never went up.

Helene thought about how far her relationship with Alexei had come since she left New York the previous July. I'm not a virgin anymore, she thought. Maybe I could have waited, but I know Alexei is the one.

Most of all, she thought about the friendship she had with Jaime and Rina. They were almost as close as sisters; they shared secrets and dreams, goals and aspirations. She couldn't imagine the last year without either one of them.

So possibly being faced with a disaster never even crossed her mind.

But soon, Helene would be faced with not only a disaster, but a revelation by one of her two closest friends.

It would change how she saw things, but it would be for the good.


===

Two hours before the party


Everyone who had arrived for the party were getting into place. There were seventy-five people in attendance. Rina spoke to them in the lobby of the hotel before she went back to campus to get ready.

"Thank you all for coming," she said; "I know a lot of you came from great distances to be here for Helene and Jaime, and I greatly appreciate it, and they will as well. I just wanted to tell you that as the guests of honor, our dates and me are entering the hotel, someone will knock on the door of the banquet room. At that time, everyone should be silent. Especially you little bambinos," she finished.

"What's a bambino?" asked Eric Hope as innocently as a three year old could be.

"It means little guys like you," Rina said. "We don't want Helene and Jaime to know you're here until they walk in the door. Can you do that for me, Eric?"

Eric bobbed his head up and down enthusiastically.

Rina smiled and said, "Very good."

Christian leaned over to Kathryn and said, "Rina looks like the pictures of my mother when she was a young woman when she smiles."

"You're sure that she and her brother are related to you?" Kathryn whispered back.

"My research tells me that it's true," Christian replied; "She really is a beautiful girl."

Kathryn said nothing. She only hoped that Christian was right. She had no idea about the visit Rina made to Christian just a few weeks before confirming his suspicions.

"I'm going to leave now and get ready," Rina told everyone; "Please be in place in by 7pm."

Rina took her leave and went back to Mathison Hall to dress and await Jeremy's arrival.

The guests were milling around the lobby. Christian was about to take his family back up to their rooms to change when a young man approached him. Christian had Kathryn take the kids upstairs saying he would follow later.

"Signore DeWitt? I'm Vittorio d'Alessandro, Rina's brother," Vito said. "Rina tells me that you are our grandfather. Is this true?"

Christian looked at Vito, and noticed that he and Rina looked very much alike.

"Yes, Vittorio, it is true. Rina found out the same information I did about your parentage," Christian said.

"Please, call me Vito," Vito said; "Rina told me she was going to see you. After her visit, she only said that she had met you, but didn't confirm that you were our grandfather until I pressed the issue. She swore me to secrecy because she had to figure out a way to tell Helene about being related to her."

"I understand that," Christian said; "It's really for Rina to decide how, when, or if she should say anything at this point. Not to change the subject, but Rina tells me you run the company your father started in Italy and brought it to the States."

"Yes, that is so," Vito said; "I guess that the pears don't fall far from the tree. Or is that apples?" He laughed.

I'm going to like this young man, Christian thought to himself.


===


"I love that dress on you Jaime!" Helene said; "Is it new?"

"Not really," Jaime said; " Just haven't had the occasion to wear it much before now."

"Rina didn't have to go to all this trouble," Helene said; "We could have just had cake here and I'd be happy."

"I think this is Rina's way of showing how much she cares about us," Jaime said. "We should do something for her birthday at the end of June. Take her somewhere fun where there are no computers to distract her."

The phone rang and Helene answered it. It was the reception desk in the lobby of the dorm saying that Jared and another young man had arrived and requested to see Jaime and Rina.

"Rina's not here yet, but I'll send Jaime downstairs," Helene said and hung up. To Jaime she said, "Jared and Jeremy are here waiting in the lobby. Alexei is due in about twenty minutes."

Jaime went downstairs to greet Jared and his cousin. Just as she got to the bottom step, Rina sprinted in the door.

"Jeremy!" she exclaimed when she saw him. "I'm not ready! You look very smart. Let me get ready and we'll go when Alexei arrives."

Just then, Alexei walked in the door. Rina looked and said, "Or not. I'll tell Helene you're here Alexei."

She then took the three flights of stairs two at a time. Once she was at suite door and opened it, the first thing she said was, "Helene, Alexei's in the lobby. I'll be about ten minutes."

Helene just watched as Rina went to grab a quick shower and said to herself, "Okay."

She then headed downstairs. As she looked at the ornate clock on the far wall of the lobby, she didn't know why Rina was in such a hurry. Their reservation was for 8pm, and it was barely seven.

"That was Hurricane Audrina that just streaked through here," Helene said; "She thinks she's late if she's not ready when the guests arrive."

"I wonder what Rina has up her sleeve," Jaime mused.

The guys just looked at each other. They knew what Rina was up to, but they couldn't let on to Jaime and Helene that they knew.

As promised, Rina was ready to go in ten minutes. She came down the stairs wearing a green dress that hugged her in all the right places. Jaime thought it looked like something Aunt Natasha would wear. Rina had the same kind of figure.

"Wow, look at you!" Jeremy said; "Definitely worth the wait!"

"We should get going,"Alexei said; "Traffic from Chicago was crazy! Like everyone was going to the same place."

Jared offered to drive as he had the largest vehicle, and all three couples fit comfortably. They all chattered at each other while he was trying to get directions from Rina. At five minutes before eight, they arrived and parked. The parking lot was packed.

"Must be some party or convention here tonight," Helene said; "I've never seen so many rental cars!"


Inside the hotel, the head waiter saw the group coming and had someone knock on the door. The guests inside knew their wait was almost over and the party would begin.

"Looks like Lexie's not going to make it," Sandy said to Rachel. The little girl was fast asleep in her mother's arms.

"We shouldn't spoil the surprise," Rachel said to her; "Shhh..." she added, laughing quietly.

"I can't wait to see the look on Helene's face when they walk in and see us all," Erin said in a whisper to her mother. "It'll be epic!"

Just then the doors opened and Helene and Jaime were the first through the door.

"SURPRISE!!!!"