Chapter 4

Nicole smiled as she picked out colors she liked. It would be for their wedding.

They were going to marry a month after graduating. And she was so excited!

"Are you sure?" Joseph said, looking a the marroon color she had liked.

"What's wrong with it?!" she asked defisively.

"Nothing... just... Its the color of blood," he made a grimace

"Oooh!" Nicole looked back at the beautifully rich red. But felt disliking at once. "Your right! That would be bad luck!" she took out a pretty light purple.

Joseph persed his lips together.

"What!"

"Nothing! That's a... a... gorgeous color," he said in a gaging voice.

"Fine mister picky!" she laughed and smiled. She looked at the purple, it almost looked like the color of barney. She put it back, and took out a lush green.

"That's nice!" Joseph said, nodding his head in aproval.

Nicole screwed up her face looking at the color thoughtfully, "Nope" she said shortly and took out a baby blue instead. She gasped, as she knew she wanted that one. "This one! I'm sure!"

"Then you shall have it my love!" Joseph exclaimed dramiticly.

Nicole laughed giddily, "Shh! Your making people look!" she hissed with a laugh.

"Who cares! I would tell the whole world of my love for you!" he said, but this time not so loud.

She laughed again. And kissed him lightly.

"Now what?!"

****

"Tawnia!" Nicole yelled out for her roommate.

"What!" Tawnia yelled back rudely.

"Could you get the door!" Nicole asked, as she had heard a knock at their door.

"Why can't you get it!"

Bump, bump,

"Because I'm getting dressed! PLEASE!"

"Fine!" Tawnia moaned childishly.

A little time passed, where Nicole could only hear mutterings. She put a over shirt, over her red t-shirt, to make it look less plain, and went out. Putting in some earings.

"Hi Nicky!"

Nicole gasped, and stood gaping at KATRINA!

"Katrina?!" Nicole said breathlessly. "What are you doing here?"

"I can leave!" Katrina said worriedly.

"No!" Nicole exclaimed, and ran to hug her.

They both huged. Then Nicole broke apart, looking at Katrina's face, as she held her at arms length.

"Come in!" Nicole said excitedly, turning around and walking deeper into her apartment, but she gave one look around the living room and turned back around. "Never mind! Lets go!" she picked up her coat and purse and went out side.

Katrina breathed in the fresh air.

"You okay?" Nicole asked looking at her, as they walked quitely on the side walk.

"Yep!" Katrina said simply, "I'm very okay!.. You?"

"Yeah! Absolutely!" she smiled thinking of Joseph.

"Well... I'm guessing your wondering why I'm here," Katrina said with a sigh.

"Yes!"

"I wanted to meet Joseph! And see you! And... I'm on way to New Zealand, and my flight leaves from London, so I had to travel here from train," Katrina smiled. And huged Nicole again, in a one arm hug.

"Oh!" Nicole said simply, as they both walked into a nearby cafe. "When's your flight leaving?" Nicole asked after a while, waiting in line.

"Forty four hours. But-" Katrina was cut off by her cell phone, "Ooops! Sorry," she said apogiletictily, and answered her phone. "Hello?"

Nicole smiled.

"Leandra! How are you! I haven't heard from you in a while!"

"Two coffees please!" Nicole said to the chasher.

"No!" Katrina said, "I'll have a chia tea please, with a squert of rasberry syrupe!"

"Hot or iced?" the chasher said.

"Hold up Lean!" Katrina said into the phone, "Iced, please!" she opened up her purse and took out her wallet.

"No Katrina!" Nicole said, "I'll pay! My treat!"

Katrina made a grimace, "Only this once!" She said playfully, and went back to her conversation with 'Leandra'.

They walked over to a window table, where the sun was shining comfortably in.

It was nice and warm on Nicole's cold hands. She then sipped her coffee, as she watched Katrina's face contort and smile, then frown monotinously.

"He did!" Katrina argued with the other person, "He really, really did! I'm telling the truth!"

Nicole smiled and turned to her phone, where she called Joseph, "Hi Sweety!" she said.

"Hi Honey" he said with a smile in his words.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to the bathroom."

"Oh I am so sorry! Let me call you back latter!"

"Sounds good!"

"Bye" she said with a laugh.

"Bye."

Katrina was now off the phone, staring at her with a develish grin.

"Who was that?" Nicole said smiling back at her.

"My older friend Leandra!"

"You were friends with her before Elly and Me?!" Nicole said with shock. "And you didn't tell me!"

"NO! no,no.no! She's an elderly lady, I met on the bus."

"You meet a lot of people on bus's," Nicole said jokingly.

Katrina made a pretend grimace, "Ha-ha!" she said sarcasticly, then she did laugh.

They both Laughed for a while, till Nicole's cell phone rang, she held up a finger to Katrina, indecating to wait, "Hello?"

"Hi Honey! You wanted to see what I'm doing!" Joseph said.

"Yeah!"

"Well I'm bouncing a ball, thinking of what I'm going to write in my assay." He laughed.

And she heard a bouncing sound, she smiled, "Well do you think you could come done to McTerr's Cafe? My friend Katrina is here and wants to meet you!" Nicole got excited over the words she had just said.

"I'd love to! I'll be down there in a couple of minutes!"

"Okay be careful!"

"Will do!"

"Love you!"

"Love you more!

"Bye!"

"Farewell me love!"

Nicole shut her phone, with a foolish grin.

"Well?" Katrina said expectently.

"He's coming down in a couple of minutes!"

"Great!" Katrina smiled, "I'm so, very happy for you!" Katrina said with all sincereness in her face and words.

"Thank you! I hope you go through my happiness soon!" Nicole answered, also sincere.

Katrina smiled pleasantly, "I hope so too!"

There was an opening and closing of a door, and bells ringing.

Joseph came striding over to them.

Nicole got up and hugged him, whispering in his ear, "I love you!" she kissed him gently on the cheek. He smiled at her.

"This is one of my best friends!" Nicole said introducing Katrina to her fiencee.

They shook hands. Katrina glowering at him, like tridtion.

Nicole was fighting back a smile, bitting her lip.

Joseph looked concerned, and looked to Nicole for guidance.

"Nice to meet you!" Katrina said through cleenched teeth. Though it was all an act. Katrina herself was really trying to keep her face into lines of consentration.

Joseph leened over whispered in Nicoles ear, "What did I do?"

Nicole now felt her heart in her throat at how funny it was, "I have no idea! Act nice!"

"I am nice!" Joseph said with a grin.

She smiled at him.

Katrina burst out laughing, and she was rolling on the floor.

Joseph looked down at her with frustration and concern. He looked up at Nicoles glowing face.

And they all started laughing.

Chapter 5

Dear Katrina!

Oh thanks so much!

OMgoodness!That really happened! I can't believe it! Again the faithful knight comes to rescue his lovely maiden from the grasp of staying out in the cold! LOL!

Jaqueline is sooooo excited! LOL! I was happy to see it too! Its always happy to see my children happy! I hope you get that experience!

Kathy's here! Poor thing, her fiancee broke up with her, when she said that she didn't want to move with him to Austria! Well... She broke up with him, actually.And now the poor thing is a mess of dry tears! I feel so bad! And I've tried everything to cheer her up!

I'm sorry to ask, but... You seem to be the only one I know who isn't in a realationship... sorry! I hope you don't take offence to that. But any way... do you think you could help me? What do you do by yourself when your feeling alone?

You know its rather odd that your the last to love! You were the one making all your stuffed animals marry, and making every one have a match.

Thanks so much! I swear I felt "it" last night! Today, we're going to the hospital for a check up! Yippy! Ha-ha! Richy is going to watch the kids, while I'm doing the altrasound. Their so neat!

And I hope you can make "its" birth this time! *sigh* But its fine if you can't!

Well better go! Need to wake the girls up and get them washed and dressed, and out the door by... SEVEN AM! Too early! my oppointment is at 8:30, but its nice to be early on such things! "Just in case."

Love yah!

Elly

She smiled and sent the email, she was feeling excited, and she couldn't wait to be off to her ever waited oppointment with the dreaded evil docter.

She woke up the girls gently.

Jacqueline moaning and groaning, "But I don't want to go to the doctors!"

Eleanor striped them both of their cloths, and put them in the bath, starting to run the water. She rushed out of the bathroom, hearing some one come into the house.

It was Richard, shaking off a wet coat.

"Its raining!" Eleanor said despairingly.

"Sadly, yes!" her husband said with a smile.

They kissed.

Then Eleanor remembered the bathwater. She rushed into the bathroom, it was almost to the top with water. And Annalee was starting to slip, her head went under water. And Eleanor grabed her before to much damage was done. Annalee was crying and screaming now, choking up water as well. Eleanor felt terrible, she had suddenly panicked as she saw her daughters head disapear in slow mow.

She quickly dressed the girls in pretty matching cloths and hats, boots, and coats. Eleanor had refused to match her daughters, but had finally given up when she had seen the most adorable outfit, that would look good on both girls.

"The cars running honey" Richard called out to her, from the forier.

"Thanks," she said bending down and tieing Annalee's little boots on. She savered the moment, thinking of how she could have lost her a couple of minutes ago.

"Mommy! I can't-" Jacqueline yelled, putting on her boots, she burst into tears. She grunted and pushed against the boot to slide the rest of the way on her foot.

"Don't cry! Its alright! I'll help you! There is no reason to cry over this." Eleanor leaned down and helped her shoes on.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Richard said next to her.

Kathy came around a corner, "I could babysit!"

"No I'm meaning, should we go out in this kind of weather?" Richard siad agitatedly.

They all looked out the window into the fearce gusts of cold wind and rain.

Eleanor frowned, feeling let down, "We probably shouldn't!" she sighed, "I'll cancel for a more convenent time."

Eleanor turned and called the hospital.

They told her that they were'nt even open in that area of the building, because of the bad weather.

The weather was surprising for Germany, but it seemed that everwhere had storms like this.

She went over to her computer once again and answered Nicole's email.

Dear Nicky,

CONGRADULATIONS TO YOU!!!!!!! IN CAN"T BELIEVE MY FRIEND IS GETTING MARRIED!!!

Thanks so much! I just had to cancel an altrasound, my first !!! I was sad ,But I guess its fine? I'd rather drive safely then get to the hospital for a doctors oppoinment.

Wow! Finally one of my friends is getting married! I'm so happy for you! I Am so coming to your wedding! So what do you have planned for that? Are you going to wait after collage? Or during?

OH I CAN'T WAIT!!! And I can't wait to meet him! He sounds perfect for you! YAY!

Its funny, its sort of weird to have some one living inside you!

Ooops! Gotta go! Jacky is jumping up and down, and I need to tell her to go to the bathroom, LOL!

Love yah!

Elly!

Eleanor turned around.

Jacqueline was dancing up and down.

"Go potty please!" Eleanor said, standing up from her chair.

"But I don't have too!" Jacky lied, crossing her legs.

"Can you just go for me?" Eleanor said.

She ran to the bathroom.

I couple minutes latter she walked out smiling.

"Did you wash your hands?" Eleanor asked smiling suspiciously.

"Yep!" Jacqueline said, hiding her hands behind her back.

"Can I smell them?" Eleanor asked getting closer to her.

Jaqueline looked frightened and stepped back a couple of steps.

"Jacqueline! Let mommy see your hands!" Eleanor said warningly.

Jacqueline, franticly ran back to the bathroom.

To Eleanor's satifaction, she heard the sink running. And Jacquelines sweet little voice, singing the ABC's.

****

Eleanor looked unto the big movie screen. Kathy and Her, were on a girls night out. They had dicided to watch a movie.

It was a romance movie (picked by Kathy). And Eleanor was afriad of inapropriate things. Yes she was an adult, but it had never really changed her veiw of some things, that shouldn't be on screen.

"I'm so excited!" Kathy said, a big smile on her face.

Eleanor smiled, whatever the movie might be like, it's worth it to see Kathy so happy! she thought. "I know!"

Kathy took the bag of popcorn they had bought and stuffed a large amount of it in her mouth.

Eleanor rolled her eyes, "You never will change will yah?"

Kathy gave an amused glance at her, and started chewing with her mouth open, just to annoy Eleanor.

Eleanor looked down at the printed list that Katrina had given her. A whole list of things she liked to do by herself. It was a dreary list. And each one, made Eleanor feel ever more sorry for her beloved friend.

First of the list was : Watching a movie.

That they were doing.

Second : Get a tea from a nice coffee shop, and sit and watch the cars go by. Maybe have a conversation with my mother on the phone.

That they had done, except they had, had a conversion with each other.

Third: Write.

Of course, Kathy wasn't a big fan of writting, so Eleanor had exed that one out.

Fourth : Read a book.

That Kathy had done. But all of the books were love stories. And each one made Kathy more, and more sad and dismal.

Fifth : Go for a walk, or run.

They had not done that.

Sixth: Meet some one on the bus (Wink, Wink)

Eleanor knew this one had been a joke. But it might not be as bad as she thought.

Seventh: Go shopping, something chalenging to find and use is always a good choice!

They had not done that, but Eleanor was looking forward for that.

Eighth: Email a friend.

Eleanor had smiled. But Kathy didn't have an email account. So that wouldn't be very helpful.

Nineth: Drink tea and watch the news, intill they talk about silly things, then I do a crossword puzzle.

Kathy had done that by herself, after Eleanor had sudjested it.

Tenth: Travel.

Eleanor had sighed. Yes that is the top thing that Katrina did when she was lonely, travel, travel, travel. Everything was about traveling and buying things and sitting around doing nothing, and writing, and typing, and reading, and drinking tea! Why was it, that over in Ireland and England, everything was better when you drink a cup of tea! Why?! It didn't make sense? Oh some one had a broken bone! Lets give them tea! Oh I just had a heart attack, I need tea! Oh I'm lonely, I must have a cup of tea! TEA! TEA! TEA! It angered Eleanor a lot, for some reason. It might have been that when she was over at Katrina's, and she had gotten a pregnant pain, Katrina had instintly made a cup of tea for her. It had not helped the cramp she had, had in her side. But Katrina thought it had. It was annoying, and just plain out confusing!

"Its begining!" Kathy whispered excitedly.

Cutting Eleanors annoyed thoughts. "Yay!' Eleanor said in mock happiness.

Kathy glared at her, with a smile, "Elly!"

"Sorry!"

Chapter 6

Katrina

Three days before leaving Ireland

Katrina looked up and down the very busy airport. She was there to buy her plane ticket.

People walked too and frow, bussling about like bees in a honey comb. She walked over to the ticket desk, where a lady in a uniform, and sparkling teeth stood waiting for her next customer.

Doo, doo, doo, bang, bang, la,la, do do, da, fa, lee, mo la doo doo!

Her phone rang. She quickly reached into her purse.

"Hello?"

"Hello Katrina! Its Racheal Hottle, you worked for me this year in Greece."

Katrina gaped in surprise to hear her boss's voice, "Yeah! Hi! How are you?"

"I'm good! Listen, I was wondering if you would be interested in coming to Paris?"

"Paris?!" Katrina breathed in shock, she had not quiet yet been able to go to France, and this would be a very good opportunity.

"Yes, we need you for an expedition we're having. To find out what building's they had back when the romans rulled."

"Hasn't that already been discovered?" Katrina asked.

"Yes... but there's this little place right outside of Paris, that looks really good for a dig!"

Katrina gave a side long glance at the ticket counter. "When?"

"This week would be nice, but we can wait an extra week if we have too!"

"Can it be the week end after this one? I'm going to my family's house this week for my birthday and for my brothers going to collage party, and I don't want to miss that family time!"

"Absolutely!" Racheal said excitedly, "What time would you be expected?"

Katrina looked at the flight menu. Thankfully there was one coming from New Zealand to Paris France.

It was leaving the seventeenth. Which would work perfectly,

"Expect me the eighteenth! But if I don't come then, I'll probably be there the next day!"

"Sounds good!" Racheal said.

Katrina heard the sound of pen on paper.

"Okay! Have a fun time with your family! And Happy Early Birthday!"

"Thanks! Bye!"

"Bye!"

Katrina flipped her phone shut. Then suddenly remembered in a panic, that she had promised Pansy that week. She quickly dialed up Pansy's phone number. It rang for a little. And Katrina was afriad, that she might be on a flight over to South New Zealand herself.

"Hello? Fredick Camder here can I help you? Looking for a Rugby player? Well I'm not interested!" Said Pansy's husbands voice.

"Fred! Thank Maui your not on a plane!"Katrina exclaimed.

Fredrick, gave a chuckle, "What did you say?"

"Thank Maui?"

"Yeah!" he laughed. "You know that's not very funny!" he said serously.

"Sorry! I was talking about Maui-of-a-thousand-tricks, you know! From the Maui myths.. Nevermind! sorry to bring that up!"

"Its okay!"

"Anyway! Can I talk to my sister?!"

"Pansy?"

Katrina sighed in exaperation. "YES!"

"Here she is!"

"Hello?" Pansy said.

"Pansy!"

"Hi Katrina! I'm sort of busy... What do you need?"

"Uh... Well... I got this job offer, the week your planned to come over!"

"Oh you forgot." Pansy said simply, "I thought you might forget."

Katrina frowned. She hated that people thought her so untrust worthy and forgetful. "Well, yeah! But It doesn't mean we have to cancel our sister time together!"

Pansy humphed.

"How do you feel about going to Paris with me?"

Pansy gave a shout of excitment, "Really! You mean it?"

"Yep! I'll pay for your stay and everything, your plane ride, and we can be on the same plane!"

"Hold up let me talk to Fred about it!" she said, then Katrina heard mute silence.

Pansy had covered the phone with her hand, she came back, "He said it would be okay!" Pansy said excitedly.

"Great! I just hope you won't mind when I have to go off for my job?"

"Oh no!" Pansy said, "We'll be fine! We'll probably go have fun around Paris while your doing that!"

Katrina heard a kissing sound, it made her want to gag. "Pansy?" Katrina said into the phone. There was no answer for a couple of minutes "PANSY!" Katrina almost yelled into the phone.

She heard them gasp a little, apparently suprised by the interuption of their warm embrace.

"Sorry!" Pansy's breathless voice came back.

"Well, I'de better go! See you soon!"

"Yeah! Be careful!"

"You too!"

"Bye!"

"e noho rā ," Katrina said goddbye in Maori.

She hang up. Happy at her success. Everything was working out perfect.

Now she just had to go shopping!

****

two days before leaving Ireland

Katrina looked down at her list of things she needed for the trip.

It was a three week trip.

She needed:

Suitcase-three or four new big ones

Shampoo- big bottle of it

Conditioner- huge bottle!

Flashlight- and batteries to go with it.

Sunglasses-if any are sold.

Tooth paste- three toobs!

Lighter- long lasting.

Gloves- last pair are wearing away, need strong ones.

Tooth brush- remember to get three extras.

Deoderant- two things of.

Movie- perferable one of the five dollar ones.

World Atlas- mine has a page missing.

Bible (Enlish and Aramaic) - mine droped into a pool.

French dictionary- just in case.

New Tent- three just for saftey.

Deck of cards- lost my set.

Parachute- just in case.

Ear plugs- Extra set for Fred as well, but maybe he's used

to Pansy's chatter by now?

Socks-twenty pairs, almost all of my socks have vanished.

Lamp- battery using.

Blanket-extra warm one.

Book bag- stronge one!

Bear trap- just in case.

Pocket knife- just in case the men on the dig forget! Again!

Scarf- thick and tough one, strong enough.

Camera memory disk- good one!

The list went on for another page, more stranger then the next.

Katrina walked out finally. Her arms full of bags, and a cart full too.

She suddenly heard a ripping sound, and the bag she was holding, with the bear trap

and other misalanian things fell apart. Sending its contents all over the parking lot.

Katrina growled, and put the other bags into the very full cart. She leaned down and started

picking up the different things.

She looked up, to see a car comingly slowly at her, as she reliezed that she was right in

the middle of the road.She put things into the cart, and went back

picking things up. There was a clattering noise, as the cart overflowered unto the pavment. She sighed in exasperation. She looked up again.

The car seemed to be going faster now. Inside a lady was drinking coffee and talking on the phone.

Ofcourse it had to be a dangerous driver coming towards me!

Now she was franticly trying to make everything fit inside the cart. The car coming closer and closer. She was bending down, on her hands and knees picking up things, now she could hear the engine of the car. All that was in her head, was panic stricken horror, and getting all her belongings out of the way.

A pair of loafer's skidded to a halt right in front of her eyes. but she had no time to look up. The car was nearly upon her. The helping hands were grabbing load fulls of things and putting them into an extra empty cart.

Katrina looked up and the car which was a foot away. And all of a sudden, she felt a strong and forceful pull on her arm and waist.

When she opened her eyes she was standing up, panting, and shaking vigoriously.

She looked up from her feet, and saw a man. He was bent over, his hands on his knees panting like a dog.

"Don't..." he said breathlessly, "Do...That again!"

She shook her head, agreeing with him, and shaking her head in bewilderment, "Thank you!" she said, her breath now controled.

He grunted, still panting. He straightened.

And Katrina got a strange feeling that she knew the man.

He leened on a car, looking into her face.

"Thank you so much! You..like, saved me!" Katrina said smiling.

He strugged, "I wouldn't say 'saved' ."

"What would you say?" she asked.

"Helped."

"Helped?"

"Yeah!"

"What's the difference?" Katrina said with a laugh.

Katrina laughed, "Helped is when you help some one find a lost dog or help them find their way out of a town. But saved, is when you spare a life, or save them from an injury!"

He pursed his lips in consentration, "I just helped you out of the road!" he argued.

"You saved me from being hit!" she argued back.

"Any one would have done that! What makes it so special when I do it!"

She frowned lightly, trying to think of an answer, "Well... I would have thanked any one else if they had saved me like you did," she answered, "And I would have said that they saved me as well!"

He smiled, "Fair enough."

She smiled too, "Well I better get going!" she said looking down at her watch. The bus was coming in a couple of minutes.

"Yeah." he said with a shuffle of his feet.

He shrugged.

It made Katrina a little angry, but she pushed the feeling aside."Bye!" she turned around taking the two carts in hand.

"Be careful!" he called out to her.

She turned and smiled, "I will! Thanks!"

The man watched as Katrina walked off. In the very middle of the parking lot driveway.

He sighed in exasperation, and jogged after her.

Katrina looked back, and was surprised to see, the man was only a couple of feet away from her.

"I'll walk you to the bus stop." He said.

She smiled a thanks.

He took one of the carts from her. The more heavier one.

He pulled lightly on her cart, pulling her over to the side of the road.

She smiled at him, just realizing her mistake.

And they walked side by side.

"I'm Katrina!" Katrina said suddenly.

The man hesitated, "Larry."

"Larry?" Katrina cocked her head. She wondered for a second if the man was telling the truth. But shrugged and excepted his name.

His shoulders rose and fell.

All too soon they were underneath the bus stop roof. The bus waiting for them to hop on.

"Well..." Katrina said sighing, "Thanks."

"No problem." He said smiling at her.

"Bye!" she said regretfully.

"Bye! And..." he paused, looking a little awkward, "Please be careful!"

She smiled, "I will!" she said, "And you too!" she added quickly.

He grinned, "I'll try!"

"Bye!" Katrina turned and went aboard. Not quiet ready to leave the nice man.

She looked longingly out her window. As she watched a tall figure fall away into the distance.

Eleanor

Eleanor smiled, as her husband played an arcade game with Jacky her four yeared daughter, in a pizza place. It was like the only american style place in Germany.

"Elly, your awesome!" Kathy said beside her.

Eleanor jumped a little in surprise, "Aw, your so sweet! I'm just..."

"Awesome!" Kathy said with a smile.

"Just, normal!" Eleanor said with play announce. She rubbed her sister's arm reusheringly.

As Kathy sighed, watching a couple playing Shoot'em up. Kathy's shoulders started to shake as she started to dry cry. She had cried so much, that she had no more tears to shed. She ran away, and burst into the girls bathroom.

Eleanor wanted to run after her, but knew she would only make it worse, and right now Kathy needed to be alone.

"Poor thing," Richard said coming up to her.

"I know!" Eleanor sighed sadly.

"Mommy, mommy! Come play this with me!" Jacqueline cried happily.

***