Generation 2 Chapter 10:For Whom the Bell Tolls

Things moved so fast with Bubbles and B. Foster that before Mom and Dad were able to even cope with the fact that their little girl was getting married, B. Foster had asked Bubbles to move in with him.It was strange because the two of them had never really set a date.

I think it can go without saying that she had said yes faster than my parents were able to process it and the two of them packed up her things and were out that day.

I on the other hand was the only child still left officially unattached. Things were still hot and heavy between Juniper and I. My work was keeping me so busy as was his and he was becoming somewhat more distant emotionally. Maybe not as much distant as just...strange. I had to admit that our small Sugar Valley had not been exactly enthused about our relationship. I mean, he's not that much older than me but you'd think the man had robbed a cradle the way folks acted sometimes. I guess small towns can sometimes lead to small minds.

A few days following Bubbles shocking move, I was working out hard, preparing for my next battle with a banshee when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Candy...it's me, Juniper. Listen....I"

"Hey babe! Oh my gosh you will never guess what..."

"Candy" he interrupted me. "Can you come over?"

"Sure, what time?" I said slowly into the phone. What is going on with my boyfriend?

"Lets make it 3pm. See you then."

As I hung up the phone I kind of looked at it confuzzled like. Wonder what that's all about...

A few hours later I jumped in the car and headed down the street. I was a little anxious about seeing Juniper but also excited to see how Bubbles was adjusting to living with 3 men.

When I got there I was surprised to hear Bubbles call me in through the door.
"Hiya sweet sis! How's it going" she said sounding a bit winded.

"Hey Bubbles! Whatcha makin'?"
"Trying...to...get...these peaks...stiff!" she said turning redder in the face before setting the bowl down heavily on the counter and huffing. "Sorry, darn meringue just won't turn out quite like I want it, and we are supposed to do it by hand for class...but nevermind that. How are you?"

I think she noticed me peering around the room distractedly.
"Have you never been here before?"

"No. This is the first time Juniper has ever had me over...."

She murmured "Well that explains the orders he was barking at us last night"
"What?"
"Nothing. It's just that three young adult males living in the same house together can = big mess."
"Oh."
"I think I hear your lovkins car pulling in the drive now."

Juniper walked into the kitchen and smiled at both of us. "Afternoon ladies."
"Afternoon Juniper...I'll let you two alone" Bubbles said wiping her hand on her apron and throwing the failed meringue into the empty sink.

I smiled at Juniper as he looked back at me. No matter how many times I looked into those eyes, it still felt like a thousand flutterbys were trying to escape.
"So what do you think of the place?" Juniper asked.
"It's nice." I replied. Awkward silence...what is with him this evening.

"Well as I said on the phone, there's something I'd like to talk to you about Candy." He put his arm around me and pulled me in a little closer. The flutterbies were at warp speed now.

"Listen, I know things have been a little difficult between us and....well everyone else, but I care for you deeply Candy and I am very much in love with you, but...."

My mind raced. Oh no. Oh no. A but?

"But" he continued, "I want more."


"You want more? What exactly do you mean like that?"

"I mean I want you...all of you...forever."

"Juniper...." my voice was barely audible.

"Candy Tea, would you make me the happiest man alive and marry me?"

I looked up into those beautiful eyes and answered.

"Yes"

"Yay! OMB! Yay!" Squealed Bubbles. We had not even noticed she was in the room. Juniper gave her a look and she looked apologetic and practically leapt up the stairs "Sorry!" she called out her voice diminishing as she headed upstairs "I couldn't help myself!"

Juniper and I looked at each other amused.

"May I kiss the bride to be?" he said in his best sultry gentlemen voice.
"Of course you may" I said reflecting his tone in my own voice.

We kissed a long, deep kiss and as he pulled away, he scooped me up in his arms and we both laughed as I hugged him tighter.


I'm getting married. I thought happily. To the man of my dreams.

Generation 2-Chapter 9: Falling in Love

A strange fog loomed around the outskirts of the house as I approached. What have you gotten yourself into Candy Tea? I could almost feel the negative energy pulsing throughout the property as I lifted my hand to ring the doorbell. My hand was shaking and I hoped that my new employer wouldn't notice. You see, for the past few months I had been interning at Ghosts 'R' Us but this was my first solo gig as a Ghost Hunter-In-Training.

To my surprise, the door was opened by a beautiful and familiar face.

"OMB Candy! I didn't know you did this for a living!"

"Hi BarbieQ. I didn't know you were still in town."

"Yeah sugah! I teach the little ones ballet at the dance studio down the road. You know, "Sugarplums", but enough about silly ole' me! Can you get rid of these dreadful ghosts!?"

"I'll do my best!"

The hand-held ghost detector I used sensed 4 entities in the house but as I closed my eyes and listened, I could almost feel their presence in the home and I sensed a 5th, angry ghost.

I spotted a young ghost as it appeared on the porch and I raised my ghost ridder machine up but with BarbieQ watching, my nerves were getting the best of me and I almost lost the ghost before it was captured. But to my relief, and BarbieQ's, the ghost was eventually trapped in a crystal container which I placed in my pocket. I was about to enter the house when a second and third ghost appeared on the porch. BarbieQ ran into the house screaming and closed the door.

With her gone, I aimed and quickly evaporated the next two into identical crystal containers. 3 down, two more to go. At least that's what my gut was telling me. The ghost counter was still claiming only 1 more ghost was on the property.

I found the 4th ghost in the attic and as I added his crystal container to my collection I heard a high pitched shriek and saw a black shape come at me. I quickly dove out of the way and as I did so I felt an evil, powerful entity shift by me and then leave. Although I was relieved as I stood up and dusted myself off, I had a strange sensation that I would be crossing paths with this powerful entity again.

I arrived home to smell something delicious wafting from the kitchen. I soon found the source and as I set down to a piece of Mom's famous bubbleberry cobbler. I was joined by Blood Orange who was already working on a piece of the cobbler.

"Hi Blood Orange! What in the world are you doing here?"

"I'm...uh...I'm well, I was invited over." He was avoiding my gaze.

"By whom?"

"Um....I'd rather not talk about it." He gobbled down more pie and looked like a kid stuck with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Well fine then, don't tell me. How's your brother doing? We are supposed to go to the movies tomorrow afternoon but I haven't got to see him since the party."

"He's well. He has been talking my ear off lately. About you."

I felt my face burn. He ate his last piece of pie and quickly put it into the dishwasher. "Well it was good seeing you Candy, I better be headed out"

"Wait a minute! You never told me who you came to see!"

At that moment Honeydew came walking into the house, home from work, grinning and humming to herself. She spotted me sitting at the table and then Blood Orange and her eyes became as big as saucers.

"Hi Honeydew. Bye Honeydew" said Blood Orange as he hurried out the door.

"Hi. Bye." I noted a hint of disappointment in her voice. Had he been here to see Honey? No. He couldn't have been here to see Honey, she isn't interested in him. In fact, I thought she pretty much had made it clear that she couldn't stand him at work. 
 
"Hi sis! You're home early" she said to me.

She sat down beside me and began asking me about work and then Juniper and before I knew it, it was time to head to bed. Oh well, I guess I'll just ask her about the whole Blood Orange thing later I thought as I headed to bed.

Needless to say I woke up extra early, got ready so fast that I ended up having to wait around antsy before it was time to go meet Juniper at the movie theater. He was waiting for me when I got there. We stood there awkwardly for a moment before he looked up at me with those eyes.

"I was thinking we could see a rom-com if you'd like"

"I'm more of a suspense girl actually"

He laughed which made the flutterbies in my stomach start up and went to go by the tickets.

The movie was pretty good, what I watched of it. I was all too aware that I was sitting next to the man that I had had a crush on for a very long time. I was a little disappointed after the movie ended, that he hadn't even bothered to reach for my hand or even put his arm around me. I guess he really wants to take his slowly, snails pace slowly.

We chatted and flirted a little a bit when all of a sudden he broke out into a huge grin.

"Candy, look behind you"

"Oh my. Well that explains a lot. I thought my sister had sad your brother was a macho-man jerk if I remember correctly."

Juniper moved in closer and laughed "More like big ole teddy bear...Just like his brother."

"Oh really, how very interesting" I said with a raised eyebrow.

He put his arms around me and said "Candy, I'd really like it if we could spend some more time together tomorrow. Maybe meet at the park beside your house?"

"Sure" I said a bit surprised, "I'd love that."

"Great, I'll meet you tomorrow after lunch."
With that he gave me a huge hug. I was half afraid he'd feel my heart pounding but also a little disappointed. I had kind of been expecting a kiss. A kiss that I had been thinking about for almost two years!

When I got home, I saw that Honeydew's light was on in her bedroom. I walked into the room and saw this.

"Oh my!" the sound of my voice startled to two lovebirds.

I quickly back out of the doorway and snickered to myself as I went to my room. Well I guess I know who he was here to see last night.

I was sitting on my bed reading a book when I heard the front door close and a light knock on my bedroom door.

"Sis?" 

"Come in Honeydew"

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not telling you about Blood Orange soon. We weren't really sure at first where things were going between us but Candy, we are in love and I think we are going to move in together. So I thought it'd be only fair to tell you first beings you walked in on us."

"My goodness...has everyone in this family hooked up with someone but me?"

"Candy!" Honeydew said with an amused smile on her face, "You just went on your first date with Juniper! Give it time. I'm a lot older than you and Bubbles is just...well that's a different situation."

"Yeah, I know I just was hoping to get a kiss tonight."

"Just be patient sis, you have a lot on your plate with work, college and dating someone. Let things develop naturally."

With that she left the room and I heard her talking to Mom and Dad in the living room. Mom and Dad were happy for her. I guess they were used to their children leaving at this point.


The next day, after my morning classes, I went home and ate a quick lunch before I met Juniper at the park.

"Hello beautiful girl! I thought we might take a walk around town today and then maybe head towards the beach. I have a favorite spot I'd like to take you."

"Sounds perfect! It's such a pretty day."

We walked about town, stopping in at the bookstore to browse, fishing at the park for a little while. Talking the whole time and holding hands as we walked. We saw a few familiar faces, a few disapproving ones, but there seemed to be a repeating theme about town....

There was a lot of love in the air.

As we made our way towards the beach, it was getting close to sunset. Juniper decided to challenge me to a race towards the north end of the beach and I was a little peeved when he took off way ahead of me.

When I finally caught up with him he was standing in a beautiful little bay area that I had never noticed before.

"This is my favorite spot" he said.

"Its absolutely beautiful!" 

"You're absolutely beautiful Candy Tea."

He moved in closer. I felt the flutterbies kick up full speed in my belly. "Th-Thank you Juniper. That's so sweet of you to say."

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this."

"Do what?" before I even knew what was happening he leaned in and kissed me. I kissed him back.

When he pulled away, I felt almost dizzy. He smiled at me and I smiled back at him. The only thing I could think was...

 

I can't wait to do that again! So I did. 

When he finally walked me home that night, I felt as though my feet were floating. He kissed me good night and I walked inside knowing that for once, I had been absolutely right in following my heart with something. Who care's if it took so long to get here and who care's if we aren't the same age. This is the way I've always dreamt of feeling.. When I laid my head down on my pillow that night, I couldn't stop smiling....

Generation 2-Chapter 8: Triple Birthday Bash

"I swear if the clock could tick any slower it would" I announced to no one in particular as I sat in the kitchen while Mom put the finishing touches on the birthday cakes and Bubbles and B. Foster played the "I love you more" game on the sofa. Gag me.

Things with mom had gone surprisingly well after Dad had broken the news that I had an old 'suitor'. Lol, silly Dad. If you ask me, it seemed almost as if she had already had a sneaking suspicion that I was at least interested in him. She kind of alluded to that fact while we were gardening one day. After that I felt like the air was cleared between the two of us. It wasn't long before the house started filling with guests, one of them being my heart-throb. But there wasn't much time for small talk or catching up. Dad and Mom quickly ushered me toward the table. It seems I was up first.

Hmm...what to wish for?

How do you wish for something that you may or may not already have?

I soon as I blew out the candles, I actually felt a little older. I'm a young adult now. Soon to be on my own, sort of. I didn't have much time to speculate inwardly on that as I was immediately handed presents. My sister wanted me to put hers to immediate use and had me try on two outfits she had bought. The first one was cute but not really me anymore.

The second one was perfect. Mostly because I wasn't going to try on anymore.

It was B. Foster's turn to blow out the candles.

He's actually growing up to be pretty handsome. Not that astonishing really, when you look at who he has for an older brother. Speaking of older brothers....where did Juniper run off to?

I looked around for him but I didn't see him. I didn't want to leave to search for him because everyone was singing happy birthday to Bubbles.

Bubbles was beautiful as always. But back to my earlier task.

Where did that  boy run off to? I grabbed a piece of cake before the mobbed ate all of it, and headed through the back door to see if he might have escaped the crowd by heading outside. I didn't see him but I noticed Dad sitting down on the bench. I joined him and he must have noticed my disappointment because scooted closer and said "Hey kiddo, I know I might not be a handsome young 'whippersnapper' but I'm proud of you."

I laughed at the whippersnapper comment. "Thanks Daddy"

"You know that no matter how old you and your sisters get, you will always be my little girls, my princesses."
I nodded and smiled at the man who used to sing me lullabies and tuck me in at night.
"Of course Dad. It's just, well.....I was kind of hoping that Juniper would stay true to his word and ask me out after I turned 18."
He gave a gut jiggling laugh, "Sweetheart, you just turned 18 less than an hour ago, give the poor fellow time! Besides, I have a feeling that he came for the important part of the party and only left because he had too. For all you know he had some emergency to deal with at home or something."
I chuckled at that too. He did have a point, but patience had never been my best virtue--and I had waited long enough as far as I was concerned.

I wondered back through the party. Mom and Dad had decided to let B. Foster stay the night due to the fact that he had had a bit too much nectar. I don't know if that was such a smart idea on their part knowing how those two are all over each other. I guess it doesn't matter now that we are adults.

Wait a minute, is she doing what I think she's doing?

"Bubbles?"

Well at least he said yes. I guess Mom and Dad will have a little more to worry about in the morning than me and my older 'beau'.

As I crawled into my new bed that both Bubbles and I had received from Mom and Dad as birthday presents, I couldn't help but let the feeling of doubt settle in despite Dad's warm words. I think the not knowing what was going to happen bothered me more than anything. Before I went to bed, I checked my phone to plug it in and noticed that I had a new email. Juniper.

"Candy, sorry I had to leave so early but I had some things I needed to take care of at home. I don't know if B. Foster told you, but we have moved into a little nicer place. Actually not too far down the road from your house. As soon as I have everyone settle in, I'll have you over. Just know that I'm thinking about you and can't wait to see you.

-Juniper"

Well, I'm not really sure how I feel about that. I mean, I didn't really expect us to get married and move in right away or anything but a goodnight kiss would have been better than nothing. Even a hug. Oh well....beggars can't be choosers I guess. We'll have to see what tomorrow brings....probably lots of yelling. Silly Bubbles. With that thought I drifted off to sleep.