Gen 1- Lacey: Chapter 11

“Please mom? It would be so fun!”

Famous last words right? Well that was the argument I heard when Cherry Blossom returned home from school with a pamphlet on the exchange student program. She ran through the front door and headed straight for the art room, where I had been working on a very important painting. According to Cherry Blossom, they would even receive a large extra credit bonus. To make a long story short, I talked it over with Bubbie and we decided it might be fun!

So Cherry Blossom and I got online and looked at all of applying students profiles until we found the perfect one.

The following week,which just happened to be Bubbie’s birthday, Mango Eclair arrived from her native land of Chambéry France. She was an odd looking thing, but sweet as honey and thankfully for us her English was quite good. She was a little shy at first, I introduced myself, but before I even had a chance to call Cherry Blossom over, she was half way out the door to meet our new housemate.

In her usual Cherry Blossom style, she greeted her with a giant hug. I was relieved to see that Mango was OK with this. We didn’t want her feeling uncomfortable before she even had a chance to unpack her things. Cherry Blossom took Mango by the hand and gave her a tour of the house. It was quite amusing to see her getting such a kick out of this.

It did not take us very long to realize that we had indeed picked right girl. She was goofy and down to earth and she immediately fit into our little family. She was a pure delight to have around. Not even a couple hours had passed when she and Carmine were already making silly faces and acting completely off the wall.

Bubbie and Tea Rose were just a little too involved in their recent projects to even notice that Mango had arrived. I assured her that she would get to meet everyone at the party.

Later that night that after all the guests had arrived. We all gathered in the kitchen for Bubbies big night. He looked so handsome and I couldn’t help but stand there looking at him and thanking my lucky stars for everything he had done for me and our family. I really was a truly blessed woman.

Sure he was getting a little older, but to me that same charm that I had fallen in love with, that first time we met was still emanating all through out his being. I sincerely loved that man with all my heart.

After the party was over Roz walked out side with Nikisha. They walked to the far side of the house and that is where Roz swallowed his pride and threw everything on the line.

“Nikisha?”

“Yes,Roz?”

“Ever since we were kids I have loved you. With all my heart, and I know the timing just wasn’t right.”

“Oh Roz.”

“There is no one in this world I love spending my time with more than you. Will you make me the happiest man alive and be me girlfriend? ”

He waited on pin and needles for her reply.

It was then that they finally shared their first kiss, that first kiss they had both been longing for, much longer than either of them would ever care admit.

After everyone had gone home, little miss cleaning crew went straight to work. It was certainly a load off my mind, but I worried she was going to over do it. You see there is clean… and then there is Misty Rose Clean… and just thinking about her methods exhausts me.

The next morning I found Roz in the kitchen getting some advice from Misty Rose about Nikisha. It sounded to me like it would not be too long he would be proposing. He had recently gotten a sizable payout from his latest book, and he had planned to use the money to buy Nikisha an engagement ring. The whole house was a buzz from the excitement of the impending proposal.

We sat Tea Rose down and told her not to say anything. That poor girl could not keep a secret if her life depended on it.

Mango and Cherry Blossom had become fast friends and the two girl spent a lot of time together. Mango was quite educated in the mathematics department, which was great for Cherry Blossom, because she hated math with a passion. After only a few study sessions together, things started to fall into place for her, and to her and my delight, Cherry Blossoms grades began to improve dramatically.

Now that Bubbie was retired, he had gotten back to his first love. Cooking. He bought about 15 different recipe books and every night we got to sample something new. My favorite had to be the Goopy Carbonara.

Misty Rose had this obsession with the toilet in the main the bathroom. Since it was the most used toilet it needed extra attention, according to her anyways. I don’t think it ever really had a chance to get dirty, but even so she checked on it at least twice a day and refused to use the dang thing if it wasn’t to her standards.

After Bubbie retired, our relationship got even closer. We were practically glued at the hip. The boys thought it was gross and girls thought it was adorable.

Carmine had gotten himself into an online game, which was causing a major problem for Roz, because he was using Roz’s computer 12 hours a day sometimes! I still have no clue what a person could possibly do on a game that would take 12 hours ,but some how he found a way. It finally got to a point where we had to ban him from the computer completely.

When Carmine and Cherry Blossom’s birthdays neared, I struck a deal with the two of them. If we threw the party on the same night, I could rent out the Peppermint pier and have their party there. They both seemed to be cool with the idea, so I called the owner and put a deposit down, that gave us access for the whole night.

Carmine was first…

No surprise to me, he was just as handsome as I had imagined he would be.

Cherry Blossom was up next…

She looked so much like her Daddy it was amazing. I swore the only thing she inherited from me was my complexion.

Mango made sure to congratulate Carmine after everyone had eaten their cake. I had never seen a girl so smitten before. She had this girlish smile plastered on her face and spent the rest of the evening hanging out with her hunky crush. Unfortunately for her, Carmine was completely oblivious to what was going on.

That didn’t stop her from trying though. Every chance she got, she found some way to be close to him. She even got him to help her out with her homework, which I knew for a fact she did not need. I told you she was smart!

Captain oblivious was too busy training for his new job to notice anything. He had been carb loading and working on his physique. He was working out almost as much as I painted and that was a lot. I know a certain someone who didn’t mind and could often be found on the couch getting a front row seat.

I will leave you with this shot of Cherry Blossom, our newly chosen heir to our little sweet rainbowcy.

Stay Tuned!!