1 year later......
******************
Sweet
Sweet
Sleep.
It just seems like the covers are more soft, the mattress just engulfs her and causes her warmth, seems like the pillows are cool and fluffy enough making her head comfortable. It better be, she bought this king sized bed for herself with a memory foam mattress and pillows for a reason, to just get the better experience for the sleep. She sleeps soundly in her own content, in her own sweet dream of sitting out on a beach sipping on Hawaiian Punch.
Or maybe it's Hawaiian alcohol.
Amberlee jumps up from her bed when the door slams open hard, her door knob hitting the wall causing a loud slam, her heart almost jumping out from her chest due to the loud sound.
"OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"
"Auntie Nancy!" Amberlee scolds, going to put her pillow over her face, putting the covers more on her.
"And momma!" Max reveals herself, her still being in her night clothes.
"And me!" Annalise exclaims cutely, making herself visible.
"It's the wonderful wizard the wonder wizard of Oz!" They all sing in union.
"And daddy!" Lucas exclaims.
"Lucas you're late." Max rolls her eyes.
"Well you both were running to fast and I didn't feel like running after you guys for the moment."
"Get up!" Annalise says, her going to try and get up on the bed but she cannot reach it. Max chuckles lightly, her going to help her off the bed. Annalise just slumps down on Amberlee's stomach, Amberlee grunting a little from the action. "Get up LeeLee." Annalise calls her by her nickname.
"Please sunshine, just five more minutes." Amberlee calls her by her nickname as well.
"No! Get up, time to get up!" Max says.
"No mom-"
"Get up!"
"Mother!"
"Daughter!"
"Ahhhh!" Amberlee tries to clutch onto her bed while Max and Nancy both grab her ankle and pull her out of bed, the comforter going down on the floor with her. "Must you ruin my precious sleep time!"
"No time to sleep! You're eighteen now!" Nancy exclaims.
"Woooo!"
"Yeah!"
"Yay!"
Amberlee can't help but smile, yes today does make the day that she is eighteen years old and truth be told she is excited. This year has honestly been a great year, ever since Amberlee got out of school when she was seventeen she went on and went full fledge with starting her painting business. Of course to start a business at first you have to put in more money then you make so of course Max and Lucas helped her financial wise but after her great work was revealed, especially her 'We are a village' painting she made years ago her business blew up.
So from there she started the business of course with Amir. Amir handles the requests made online and he gives Amberlee the request and of course set up interviews for her to meet with the person or people or a phone interview for people out of state and far away. Amberlee loves her business, she is able to do it at her own leisure and hours and it is what she loves to do, plus it keeps her busy and it makes her good money as well as Amir, them doing a fifty fifty percent partnership.
"Well I guess that is a good reason to wake up." Amberlee shrugs with a smile.
"Uhh hell yeah it is." Lucas says making them laugh. "Alright let's go."
"No wait Dad!" Amberlee exclaims when Lucas goes to pick her up, him carrying her out of the room. "Wait I haven't even showered."
"You can eat then shower." Lucas says before putting her on the middle couch.
"Hey!" They all exclaim.
"Oh Jesus everybody is here." Amberlee mentions while glancing at all of them.
"We sure are." Amir smiles. "Happy birthday."
"Thanks hedge hooker. Now that I am a adult now like you I can actually start hitting you again." Amberlee smiles.
"That's never stopped you before!" Amir says back making them all laugh.
"Alright alright!" Lucas says while making his way to the couch with a plate in his hand, Max pulling up the table more closer to Amberlee. Lucas puts down the plate in front of her. "Two soft fluffy pancakes with bacon and eggs and sausage with syrup all around and light pepper."
"Then after you eat and shower we are going to go to the mall to pick out a nice little swimsuit." Erica mentions with a smile.
"Swimsuit? Why do I need a swimsuit?" Amberlee questions.
"Because later today we are going to the community pool to see a show, a show made just for you." Lucas replies with a smile while he sits on the arm of the couch.
"By other people?" Amberlee questions.
"It'll be a good show Ambie." Max laughs lightly.
"But we go to the mall get a swimsuit then we all have lunch at the restaurant there, then later tonight we go to the community pool play around a little then we get to see the show later in the evening then come back and open presents!" Erica says.
"Oh yes I'm actually really excited! Oh but I have to go by my office because I have to look at the-"
"Noooo!" Amir drags out while waving his hands. "Absolutely nothing work related Ambie, today is your day."
"It's just the request I am working on I just need to add a couple-"
"NOOOOOOOO!" They all drag out.
"So Amberlee here is the thing." Robin starts while clasping her hands together. "Have you ever heard about a little something called relaxation? Or unwinding?"
"Haha very funny." Amberlee rolls her eyes. "Fine I won't touch my work." She puts her hands up.
"Good. Now eat Angel." Lucas tells her. "Princess come on I'll make you a plate."
"Okay daddy." Annalise says, going to take Lucas hand and them make their way to the kitchen.
"So Ambie what are your plans for eighteen?" Vicki questions while sitting down, them all beginning to eat.
Amberlee shrugs her shoulders. "I mean I don't know, all of my plans really got accomplished with my business-"
"Our business." Amir corrects with a smile.
Amberlee sends Amir a sarcastic smile. "Yes our business." She mentions. "But I have good work people are recognizing me as the awesome painter, I have you guys even though you guys can be annoying at times but I have everything and everyone I need."
"Thinking about..." Lucas starts while putting down his plate and going to sit besides her. "..moving out?" He questions in between coughs.
"Say what?" Amberlee questions.
"He's trying to see if you are moving out or not." Max answers.
"What do you want me to?" Amberlee directs at Lucas.
"No!" Lucas quickly says, turning his body to hers and taking her hands. "Please don't move you're still my Angel I don't want you to go please!" He begs.
Amberlee laughs. "No dad I had no plans with moving out."
"YES!" Lucas exclaims happily, him breathing out of relief while leaning back on the couch. "Man that's a relief."
"Yeah it is for me too." Steve mentions while pointing at himself. "This guy was on the phone with me all last night panicking thinking that you were about to move out."
"Well I needed advice!" Lucas defends.
"From what from me?!" Steve motions towards himself. "Both of my kids are still at home Summer is only ten."
"I don't know!" Lucas defends back.
Amberlee laughs while shaking her head, putting her hand on Lucas shoulder. "Keep calm dad I am staying."
"Man thank goodness." Lucas breaths out in relief again.
"And thanks for breakfast." She nudges his arm.
"You're welcome Angel." Lucas smiles. "Oh and I have something I want to show you. I know you will be opening presents later tonight but there is something I want to go on and show you."
"What?" Amberlee questions with a smile.
"Well you have to finish eating and ready ready first." Lucas says with a smile.
Amberlee squeals excitedly, she always loves Lucas gifts, granted she loves all of their gifts that she gets during the years of her birthdays but Lucas gifts are always so meaningful and it has meaning for every single one that he gives to her. After she gets done eating she goes to make her way into her room again, her going to get in the shower.
She feels excitement rush through her, a bright smile going on her face. She goes to shave her body before she grabs her shampoo, going to wash her hair that goes to the middle of her back. After she is done shampooing her hair multiple times and washing it out she goes and applies her conditioner, letting it sit while she bathes and going to wash out her conditioner, her going to make her way out of the shower after she is done.
She goes to dry off and blow dry her hair, going to flat iron her hair to where it is bone straight. She goes to moisturize then brush her teeth and wash her face, going to make her way to her walk in closet. She goes to put on her undergarments, her looking around her closet while thinking, slapping her index finger against her chin while looking around. She goes to pick up her light purple romper with silver buttons that comes to her upper thigh, it fitting her petite body perfectly. She goes to put on her silver scandals, going to make her way back to the bathroom.
She goes to apply her makeup, her mascara on her top and bottom lashes and going to put red lip gloss on her lips, going to pop her lips. After she is done looking at herself in satisfaction she goes to grab her purple purse and put on some of her perfume before she make her way out of the room, closing the door behind her.
"Oooo lala!" Nancy wiggles her shoulders.
"LeeLee looks pretty." Annalise smiles.
"Well thank you sunshine, you look pretty too." Amberlee says while picking her up, going to put her back down after she hugs her.
"Okay." Max smiles while clasping her hands together. "You ready?"
"Yes." Amberlee mentions in excitement.
"Okay come here." Lucas motions, her going to make her way to Lucas. "I'm going to put my hands here." Lucas says while covering her eyes. "Max can you open the door?" Amberlee hears the door open, her walking out of the door and holding her hands in front of her since her eyes are covered. "Okay are you ready?"
"Yep!"
"One!"
"Two!"
"Three!"
"Surprise!" They all exclaim, Lucas taking his hands from away from her eyes.
Amberlee's eyes slowly begin to widen, her seeing a dark purple shiny dodge challenger right in front of her. Amberlee yells out in happiness loudly, her going to jump up and hug Lucas tightly, him laughing while hugging her back. She squeals while she hugs Lucas tightly. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!" She chants out happily.
"You're welcome Angel." Lucas responds, them going to pull away after a minute.
"How in the hell did you find this?! Like seriously I have been looking for this exact car for years!" Amberlee says.
"Yeah we know." Max smiles.
"We found a seller in Maryland." Lucas mentions.
"Wow you guys! Thank you! Thank you so so so much!" Amberlee says gratefully.
"And now since you have your license you can give it a go." Holly says.
"Wait really?!" Amberlee exclaims happily.
"Why not?" Holly smiles.
"Uhh then yeah! Who's driving with me?!"
"Lucas!" They all say at the same time while stepping back, Amberlee giving a look of confusion.
"We just feel since your father bought it for you and found it for you you know....he should be your fellow passenger." Mike shrugs.
"You know what Uncle Mike you're right! Come on dad to the automobile!" She chants while marching to her car.
Lucas giving a nervous breath.
~
Lucas head almost hits the front of the car when Amberlee parks in a parking spot at the mall, her putting a car in park and turning it off. "Jesus Angel you drive just like your mother."
"Nuh uh." Amberlee defends.
"Yes huh." Lucas says before he gets out of the car, him putting his hands in front of him while he does, trying to steady himself.
"Oh don't be so dramatic." Amberlee says as she closes the car door, pushing the button on the keys to lock the car. "Man this thing drives smooth."
"Looks smooth too." Amir says while looking at the car
"Alright who's ready to get some good looking swimsuits for the big show?!" Erica questions.
"Me! Let's go!" Amberlee cheers, all of them making their way into the store.
After walking around trying to find the right store they eventually go inside of one, Amberlee looking around at the different swimsuits. She goes from every clothe hanger, just trying to find the perfect swimsuit.
And she thinks she very well did when she looks in one specific aisle, her picking up a light purple one piece swimsuit, having a V in the middle that will definitely show off cleavage and the top part of her back being revealed. There is a purple string and silver hole buttons she can tie to either make it tighter or loose. Amberlee nods her head after a minute, going to take it in her hand. She loves the style of it and it is purple, her favorite color.
"Find anything good?" Max questions, Amberlee holding up the swimsuit, Max smiles while nodding her head. "Very good choice, your dad might flip out but very good choice."
Amberlee laughs. "Thanks mom, which is why I just plan on wearing a throw over over it then just taking it off when we get there that way he won't put up any rebuttal."
"Oh my goodness you guys!" Robin exclaims while running over to them. "Look! It's a freaking glow up light bouncy ball! It changes colors!" She exclaims happily and holding it like it is royalty. "Its mesmerizing." She says dramatically while looking at it.
Both Max and Amberlee share a glance with each other. "Yeah Robin, those are cool balls." Max shrugs.
"Who needs men's balls when you have these? Their balls cannot light up." Robin states.
"Robin!" They both scold.
"What they don't." Robin shrugs.
"Okay I'm going to go over there and pay for my suit." Amberlee says before she goes to walk away.
"Hey." Lucas says while putting his hands in his pockets while standing besides Max. "What are we talking about?"
"Robin is wondering why men don't have light up balls." Max states simply.
"Yeah like seriously it would be so cool right?!" Robin questions with a smile.
Lucas pretends to slowly look up. "Oh look that, let me go see more of it." He says before he walks away.
After they all get done getting themselves some swimsuits they go to sit in a sit down restaurant, them all sitting around at a large rectangular chair.
"And for the birthday girl?" The waitress questions with a light smile.
"I will take..." Amberlee trails off while looking at the menu. "...the chicken and shrimp Cajun pasta with the garlic stick not garlic bread. I like the sticks better, in the most cleanest way of course." Amberlee says with a smile, going to hand the waitress her menu with a smile on her face. The waitress eyes kind of widen, knowing what she meant.
The table falls into a fit of laughters, really the girls laughing and the boys just shaking their heads while trying to hide their faces and the kids having no idea what the joke means. "Okay, no problem, I'll have that right out." The waitress mentions.
"Thank you!" Amberlee says, her going to shrug her shoulders while drinking her drink.
"You are something else." Lucas comments.
"Well it's true! When a boy and a girl loves each other very much they-"
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"
"No please dad has been trying to have that talk with me and I hate it!" Sarah mentions.
"Well sooner or later you are going to have to know it." Mike reasons.
"Sex is not a bad word you guys." Eleven mentions simply.
"AH!" Both Erica and Sarah exclaim. "No please not that word I hate it!" Erica says.
"Me too!" Sarah mentions.
"Can we not talk about sex while we eat?" Amir questions.
"Don't say it again you twat!" Erica slaps his shoulder.
"Ow!" Amir grabs his shoulder.
"Okay so what is this show all about? Is it a show where people dance type show or is it like a light up show or something?" Amberlee questions.
"Kind of like talent show and light up show, no dancing." Max explains.
"Thank goodness. The only ones I want to see dancing is me and Auntie El!" Amberlee says while they point at each other and smile.
"What about me?" Mike questions.
"Uncle you dance like a hockey stick." Amberlee comments making the whole table laugh in response.
"That doesn't even make any sense!" Mike defends.
"Yes huh because you know how they hit the hockey sticks against that puck that's how you move when you dance you just go like..." Amberlee trails off before suddenly jerking her body forward.
"It is kind of true Mike." Dustin shrugs.
"Is not!"
"Okay here is the food!" The waitress says, going to give them all of their food.
All of them begin to talk and have conversations about anything while they eat. Amberlee smiles while she eats, looking around at everyone and having a content smile on their face. It makes her happy because they do this all of the time, gather together to eat and spend time so it doesn't feel any different.
And that is what she likes.
~
Annalise laughs as she kicks her feet in the water, her squealing more when Max picks her up and puts her back into the water, her wearing floats on her arms to keep herself up in the water, her and Lucas play with her while she swims, the others being in the community pool as well as everyone else as well.
Well except for Amberlee Holly and Erica. They both sit in the sun loungers, Amberlee being in the middle while Erica and Holly sit besides her, them all looking at magazines while letting the sun hit their skin.
"I don't understand how they can swim and have fun with so many people in the pool." Erica says.
"Yeah seriously, I would end up punching someone so it's better if I just stay here." Amberlee mentions while turning a page in her magazine.
"Yeah this drink is really really good and...oh my god! Oh my god!" Holly suddenly says while raising up.
"What?" They both question.
"Hottie alert! Hottie alert!" Holly says.
"Coordinates?" Both Erica and Amberlee question.
"Uhh....oh you guys know I'm never good at that." Holly rolls her eyes.
"Oh wait I think I see him." Erica says.
Amberlee goes to turn to the side to look at who they are talking about, her eyes slowly widening in realization when she sees who they are regarding to. His arms holding guns and roses, a specific girl on his arm, along with various other patterns that covers his hand all the way up to his arm and shoulder. His long shoulder length black moves about as he shakes his head while slowly stepping up the stairs to make his way out of the pool, the way his hands go to pull up his swim shorts over his large frame, his fingers filled with rings.
It just all seems like slow motion when he makes his way out of the pool, him running a hand through his wet hair to pull it away from his face, him wearing sunglasses. All of the girls that pass by look at him, some even looking at him from the pool. His eight pack is fully visible, him having sword tattoos on each ab on his stomach. He still wears the two cross earrings on his ears, a necklace being around his neck. It seems like slow motion when he begins to walk, him still looking dead ahead of him while girls and others look at him and whisper to him while he walks.
Amberlee looks at him while he walks, seeing the straight expression on his face while he does. He's gotten...larger, more muscular in size. He passes by their sun loungers, his covered eyes setting on hers. Amberlee looks at him straight directly, him eyeing her for a second before he turns off, making his way to the snow cone concession across the community pool.
"What do you know the guy?" Holly questions.
Oh...she very well does.
Ryder Parker.
It has been a minute since she last saw him. She always saw him during their Sophomore Junior and Senior year together and he has always been his same joking annoying jockey self. Of course, given the circumstances of what happened freshman year Lucas did not make Ryder's high school years easy for him, but Ryder was still the same person towards Amberlee. But after senior year...
He vanished.
Vanished for one year and no one knew where he went. It was sudden but it is not like it was not expected either, most people have plans for college but truth be told Ryder doesn't seem like a college kind of guy. Amberlee noticed his switch in behavior close to the end of senior year, and since then...
Her curiosity has been running wild.
"Ambie." Erica snaps her fingers while looking at Amberlee.
"Yeah?" She questions.
"What you know him?"
Amberlee looks back at Ryder, seeing the large skeleton tattoo that covers all of his back, the eyes being red on the skeleton. "Yeah, we know of each other." Amberlee mentions in response, looking back at her magazine. "We just use to go to school together."
"Him?" Holly questions with raised eyebrows.
"Long story." Amberlee dismisses.
"Strawberry flavored correct?" The man questions at the snow cone machine, Ryder going to nod his head in response. "Okay just a moment I have to get more strawberry flavor." Ryder goes to pop a lollipop inside of his mouth, him lightly sucking on it while playing with it with his tongue.
"Ranger." Amberlee greets, her going to stand by him, looking at the different flavors.
Ryder takes off his sunglasses, her looking at his hazel eyes. His expression remains straight, him going to turn back to look ahead of him. "How's business life been treatin you Am?"
"Business life is good." Amberlee responds back. "How's life been for you?"
"That out of concern or curiosity?" He questions while turning to her, an eyebrow quirked.
Amberlee's eyebrows furrow a little, him upholding no smile on his face. "Definitely the latter."
"Why so curious?" He questions again, his eyes staring right into hers.
"Alright back!" The man mentions, going to put the strawberry flavor on the ice before handing it to Ryder, Ryder giving him some money.
"I'm always curious, that is what makes me Amberlee Sinclair." Amberlee responds.
Ryder hums while he nods his head. "So what's your real question?"
Amberlee looks at him for a little bit, seeing the neutral expression on his face while he licks from his ice. "Where have you been for the past year?"
Ryder nods his head. "That ain't nothin but my business." He responds.
"Ambie! Hey Ambie!" Amberlee turns around, seeing Amir making his way over to her with a smile. "Hey someone handling the show wants to know what your favorite shape is." Amberlee gives a slight look of confusion, her going to turn around and not see Ryder there anymore. "You alright?"
Amberlee turns back to Amir. "Yeah, I'm good."
"Okay well I told them star so hope that is it. Ooo snow cone." Amir says while getting in front of the machine, beginning to talk to the man.
Amberlee goes to look around, her not seeing Ryder anymore, going to turn back to look ahead of her at the snow cone machine.