Charlie headed to the patio to find Sully and Alex grilling the meat and Lola making party favor bags. She was glad that they had come down from New York with her son for the celebration in Norfolk. It made things complete.
“Are you finished working?” Lola asked, offering a beer to Charlie.
“Thanks,” Charlie said, sitting down beside her. “Yeah, I’m finally finished.” She looked over at her husband telling Alex about the family sauce that went in his steaks and laughed. “Look at them,” she said, shaking her head. “You can’t tell either one of them anything about food. They both think that they are master chefs.”
“We are,” Alex said, turning around. “Well, I am.”
“Shit, I am too,” Sully said, laughing. “Just watch. These steaks are going to be…”
“No, my steaks are going to be the bomb,” Alex said, pulling his Ziploc bags of meat out.
“No he didn’t bring his own meat,” Charlie said, throwing her hands up.
“He prepared them last night,” Lola laughed. Her son, Nicky, ran passed her with Charlize and Hanson, screaming wildly and playing.
“Slow down,” Alex said, opening his bags. “We don’t want to celebrate your birthdays at the hospital.”
Sully walked over to Charlie and bent to kiss her lips. “Hey beautiful,” he said, rubbing her face. “My sweet Charlie.”
Charlie couldn’t help but smile when he said that. Rubbing his leg, she stood up so he could sit down. Sitting on his lap, she ran her hands through his hair and then turned to Lola and Alex. “So, are you guys finished planning the wedding?”
Alex shook his head. “Don’t even bring it up. This woman has been driving me crazy with wedding plans.”
Lola giggled. “We’re almost done. It won’t be as big as yours. We’re going to use the small cathedral in our old neighborhood.”
“It’s going to be beautiful, I’m sure,” Charlie said smiling at Alex. “Make sure this one shows up on time. At our wedding, he was thirty minutes late.”
“It was my brother’s fault,” Alex explained. “Don’t listen to her, baby.” He kissed Lola’s head.
Sully looked around and felt like his life was complete. Pouring a glass of wine for everyone, he moved his wife off his lap and passed them around.
“Let’s make a toast,” he said, pulling Charlie close.
They stood up and raised their glasses.
“To a contingency plan,” Sully said, winking at Charlie. “May none of us ever have to have one again.”
The End
About the Author
Latrivia S. Nelson is a national bestselling author of 13 novels to date, including The Medlov Series and The Lonely Heart Series. A graduate of LeMoyne-Owen College and Strayer University, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the President of RiverHouse Publishing, LLC and a publicist for a major public relations firm, she prides herself most on her children and the opportunity to lead such a unique life.
The Contingency Plan (The Lonely Heart Series) Page 20
