Chapter 143

When the SUV pulled up in front of the house, Brie jumped out before Nicole had the opportunity to even put it in park. She moved graciously, but deadly, toward the house. "I hope David got his surprise pulled off in time", Kristen said as she climbed out if the SUV. "He's a dead man if he didn't."

"I've never seen her this pissed at him. Hell, I've never really even seen them fight. They might disagree and one of them will concede until the other figures out their wrong or the one that conceded discovers that the other is right. But I've never seen then really fight, like 'say shit they don't mean' fight", Nicole said.

"Me either. For David's sake, I hope he got it done too. She looks ready to kill." This from Tina. Tina watched the woman that she had started to consider a sister now seven years ago as she stormed into the house on a mission: to rip David Draiman's head off.

--------------

Brie froze once she was on the other side of the door and sniffed the air. Chinese? Not possible. She was the only person in the house that could cook Chinese, especially what she was smelling... Shrimp Stir fry. She followed her nose to the source of the smell. As she started to walk into the kitchen, Malachai appeared in her way. "You don't wanna go in there, Mama. Dad's made a HUGE mess trying to fix me something to snack on. It will just, as he put it, piss you off."

"I can't imagine why a little mess would piss me off worse than I already am, Malachai. Tell your Dad that I said he's in deep shit. And you can quote me on that and say shit. He's on my shit list. I'm going to go kiss your brothers and sisters good night and you need to take yourself to bed here soon, too, Aaron. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be in bed as soon as Dad doesn't need me in the kitchen to help him clean up the mess he made."

"The mess he made fixing you a snack?"

"Yeah. He said I did such a great job onstage today that he wanted to make me something special."

"So, then he made a mess and you're helping him clean it up?"

"Yeah. It was MY snack. It's the least I can do."

"You're a terrible liar, Malachai Aaron. What is your father REALLY up to in there?"

"I told you, fixing me a snack."

"Malachai Aaron Draiman, move out of my way, now, or you're going to be in so much trouble you're going to wish I took your Guitar Hero away from you."

"It's ok, Malachai. I'm done in here. Let her on through", David said. Malachai stepped out of the way and let his mom through. David hid beside the refrigerator and as Brie walked past, he grabbed her around the waist. "Happy Anniversary", he whispered in her ear.

She turned in his arms, then looked at him oddly. "I thought you forgot."

"How could I forget the day you became mine? That's the day my life became complete. There's no force on this planet that could make me forget that." He kissed her softly.

Her hands cupped his face as her eyes welled up with tears. "I love you, David. I'm sorry I doubted you."

"I'm sure I can think of a way for you to make it up to me."

---------------

They sat out on the back patio eating a moonlit dinner. Forget candles. Nothing was more romantic than having dinner under the moon and stars. She had eaten her fill, and she was laying against his chest. "The perfect ending to the day", she sighed contently.

He brushed her hair from her face. "Take a swim with me", he said.

"I'm not in my swim suit."

"Neither am I. Will skinny dipping kill you?"

She sat up and pulled her shirt off. "Ok, skinny dipping it is. Last one in the pool is on bottom tonight."

"Deal", he said as she peeled his shirt off. The both went for their boots, then she was on her feet pulling her jeans and bra off as he struggled with his boots. She got a little tangled in her jeans, as his came down in a smooth motion. They both took off running toward the pool and jumped in at the same time, connecting with the water at the same time.

When she came up, he was already floating there, waiting for her to swim over to him. "Let's call that one a tie", he laughed as she tried to find her way to him with her wet hair over her eyes.

When she reached him, she dipped her head back in the water to move her hair out of her face and then moved into his arms. "Ok, it's a tie", she said and kissed him.

"What the hell just happened out here?" Dan said as everyone else ran out to see what was going on.

David used the water and his arms to hide Brie's nudity from his brothers. "We're celebrating our anniversary", he said. "We decided to take a competitive dip in the pool, and now we're going to swim for a while, and from there, I have no idea."

"Do you have towels out here for you?" Nicole asked.

"Towels, our robes, and a big blanket in case we decide to pass out here under the stars on that air mattress over there." He motioned toward it with his head.

"Ok, we'll go back in and let you guys have fun", Tina said and dragged Mike back in the house.

"But what they do is better than porn..." he complained as she pulled him in.

"They don't need you watching, Michael. Get your ass in the house."

Once they were all back inside, David turned Brie in his arms. Her legs wrapped around him automatically. "Are you happy now?" he asked.

She smiled. "Of course." She pressed her lips to his.

He spoke in between kisses. "Good... because... that was... my ultimate... goal. I... wanted... to give you... the best anni.. versary... I could."

"David, shut up and make love to me."