Special Thanks: To my support crew Stoley and AJ who never waiver in their friendship and to Mary and Laura who offered their advice which I used in this update and in the next update…I really appreciate it! To Monica for giving me love and support as well as your heart! J

Comments are happily accepted at Cruise1313@aol.com.

Part IX

"It's okay honey. What ever you two want is what you both shall have and we will all be happy with your decisions." Mrs. Morgan replied with a reassuring smile much to Rayne and Lark's relief.

"That's right Taylor. We are just very ecstatic that you both have decided to commit yourself to each other and allow us to share in that wonderful moment." Maria answered a soothing smile donning her face and saw the tension leave both Lark and Rayne's faces.

"Thanks mom…we appreciate it. Now, that the cat's out of the bag…let's eat!" Rayne answered chuckling sitting back down followed by Lark.

Everyone continued to express their congratulatory wishes to Lark and Rayne throughout dinner and they both informed everyone as to when the ceremony would take place. Rayne asked her nephew's Brandon and Cole to be her best men for their ceremony and Lark asked Holly to be her matron of honor which everyone gladly accepted their roles for the ceremony.

Everyone finished dinner and headed in to do their usual Thanksgiving ritual of watching football and taking many naps before waking up and having another snack. This Thanksgiving ritual repeats itself until well into the wee hours of the morning...I might add!

Rayne slipped into the nursery and quietly approached Matthew's crib watching him sleep peacefully. She smiled and lightly smoothed out his disheveled short dark hair thinking how excited she was about her and Lark preparing to have a baby of their own. He moved and began to whimper scrunching his face to let out a loud cry. Rayne reached into the crib and gently picked her nephew up into her strong arms. "Hey, handsome, what's wrong…huh?" She asked softly holding him closely to her chest and wrapped his blanket around him. Rayne sat in the rocking chair and smiled when she noticed him quickly fall back to sleep.

Rayne softly kissed his head and slowly rocked the chair gently rubbing his back. Rayne lifted his tiny hand to her mouth and softly kissed it amazed at how tiny his hand looked. She smiled and noticed how much his fingers resembled her own, in fact, it totally amazed her as it did when she saw the same features on Brandon and Cole when they were babies.

Lark stood in the doorway her green eyes watering her heart filled with so much love and adoration at the way her strong, high tempered soulmate could be so incredibly gentle and caring. She had forgotten how gentle she could be with infants and remembered how Rayne was with Brandon and Cole when they were first born. She loved Rayne so much and she couldn't wait to give Rayne her own child…their child.

Lark quietly moved towards Rayne who caught the movement out of the corner of her eye and looked up to see the object of her desire's reflection highlighted in the darkness from the light behind her in the hallway.

Rayne smiled and gently tossed her head back moving her long, raven hair off her shoulders, which ventured close to touching the baby and tickling him as Lark knelt before her. "Hey." Lark whispered smiling adoringly and leaned forward softly kissing her nephew's head who slept contentedly and undaunted by the gesture cuddled up closely to his aunt's chest. Lark rested her hand on Rayne's arm and drew light circles on her forearm sending a warmth throughout Rayne.

Rayne leaned over and captured the woman's lips that consume her every waking thought desperate to make a connection to her lover. Lark lightly stroked Matthew's dark hair and leaned back captivated by Rayne's sphinx like gaze. "You're not having second thoughts about us having a baby of our own are you?" Lark asked in a whisper hoping that wasn't the case and searched Rayne's blues for any doubts, but found none.

"I've never wanted a child more Lark. I can't wait to hold our baby in my arms knowing it was created out of our love for one another." Rayne answered sincerely and honestly her voice thick with emotion.

Lark felt a catch in her heart and she was totally blown away by what Rayne had just told her. She clutched her chest with her hand and drew in the air that escaped her. Rayne's profession meant the world to her and she was at a loss for words by it. Her tears of happiness trickled down her cheeks as she attempted to form the words she wanted to say to her sexy lover. She was filled with so much love for the woman sitting before her but was so overwhelmed that she was speechless.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Rayne asked nervously searching Lark's tear filled eyes for any doubts.

"Ahh…oh, no…no…I'm sorry. It's just that what you said to me meant so much that I was blown away and couldn't speak." Lark stammered and chuckled with Rayne breathing a sigh of relief.

Rayne smiled lovingly. "I'm sorry. I thought you knew how I felt Lark."

"I do Rayne, but it's different when I hear it from you. Listen…aah." Lark stammered still overwhelmed by everything and absently wiped away her tears. "There's nothing I want more in this world than to have our child…nothing. I am so ecstatic about this that I want our baby here and now." Lark answered passionately and adamantly.

"But, I want to do the alternative method for Artificial Insemination." Lark explained looking deeply into her lover's blue eyes.

Rayne was now thrown for a loss yet, completely enamored by the fact that Lark wanted to conceive their child that way. "You mean…like…aah your friends Mary and Laura were telling you about how they conceived their child?" Rayne asked surprised.

"Yes, I think it would be so romantic and so much more personal. Besides, I want you to be a part of the conception…an active part honey." Lark answered excited at the thought of Rayne making love to her on the night that she is to conceive, actually at the thought that it will seem as if Rayne is the person responsible for impregnating her with their child.

Rayne's heart raced with excitement and stood up before walking to the crib gently placing her nephew back to bed. She pulled the tiny blanket up on him and made sure he was tucked safely and securely in his bed before sitting back down before Lark. Rayne settled into the rocking chair and inhaled then exhaled deeply before replying, "Lark, you're serious about us…aah…you conceiving the child this way?" Rayne stammered nervously still stunned by Lark's revelation which meant so much to her.

"I've never been more so honey." Lark answered confidently sealing her statement with a loving smile and a soft, tender kiss.

"Well, aah…okay. I guess we have to start charting your…well, you're you know." Rayne bashfully stammered finding it hard to say what she wanted to because of her embarrassment her blue eyes shifting nervously from Lark to different items in the room then back to her lover when she spoke.

"You mean menstrual cycles?" Lark asked with a chuckle noting her tall lover's embarrassment and lovingly stroked Rayne's strong arms to put her at ease.

Rayne rolled her eyes at the words and replied, "Yeah, that."

"You're too funny Rayne Donnovan." Lark laughed at her response. "It's a natural occurrence that every woman…including you." Lark answered with a raised eyebrow and a mischievous grin before continuing. "Has to go through every month." Lark replied laughing.

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean I like it or feel comfortable talking about it." Rayne answered in a grumpy tone regarding the issue.

"Well, get used to it sexy…we will be discussing them quite frequently." Lark informed her uneasy lover.

"Yeah, yeah." Rayne answered sarcastically flashing Lark a smirk. "So, we have to chart your…menstrual cycles." Rayne emphasized the latter with a raised eyebrow and a chuckle from Lark. "To see when the best time for you to conceive will be…right?"

"Well, yes but there is no need to do anything more than what I already do now. I know exactly when the optimum time for me to conceive will be as I always keep tabs on when my cycles occur." Lark answered settling herself comfortably in Rayne's lap.

"Why would you keep a tab on when those things come?" Rayne asked in disbelief wrapping her arms around the beautiful blonde's waist.

"Because, I like to know when I'm going to have my cramps so, I can nip those things in the bud before they happen unlike someone else I know who wakes up whining 'I'm in pain…I hate these cramps!' Lark mockingly answered teasing Rayne.

"Very funny. I just don't like thinking about that stuff. I have better things to think about."

"Oh, yeah…like what?" Lark asked chuckling and tightened her grip on Rayne's neck.

"Like thinking about how much I love and adore you." Rayne answered with a sexy smile and captured the slightly parted lips before her for a deep, moist, passionate kiss.

Lark broke the kiss and held Rayne's hands in her face before kissing her once again. "I love you with all my heart Rayne Donnovan and I always will baby." Lark professed sincerely sealing it with a soul-searing kiss.

Rayne smiled lovingly breaking the kiss and asked, "So, miss 'I chart my menstrual cycles'…when will the best time for us to conceive our child be?" Rayne asked pulling her beautiful lover closer in her arms.

"Well, let's see." Lark answered looking up at the ceiling and figuring the math in her head before looking down at Rayne with a look of disbelief in her eyes.

"What?" Rayne asked in wonderment seeing the disbelief in the emerald green's before her.

"The best day will be Christmas!" Lark answered excitedly.

"Very cool…ooh, that means I don't have to buy you a Christmas present because I can just give you our child right?" Rayne asked and mischievously grinned at Lark.

"Oh, you are such a Diablito!" Lark answered and pinched Rayne's cheeks with a chuckle. "You are going to buy me a lot of presents and give me our child too you little devil!" Lark demanded with a laugh and kissed Rayne who shared the laugh.

"Well, this little devil had better start shopping then huh?" Rayne asked laughing and hugged her smaller lover tighter lightly placing a kiss on Lark's cheek.

"Yes, you should like maybe tomorrow?" Lark asked with a gleam and a twinkle in her eye at the thought of a shopping trip with Rayne on the busiest shopping day of the year…the dreaded day after Thanksgiving.

Rayne's horrified look on her face made Lark laugh knowing there was no way in hell she was getting Rayne into a store tomorrow. "Have you gone absolutely freaking mad woman? There is no way I'm stepping one toe into a Mall the day after Thanksgiving! You know what happened last year when I foolishly agreed to shop with you on that evil day. Hey, I still haven't paid you back for that one by the way!" Rayne answered tickling Lark.

Lark giggled and remembered that fateful day of shopping. "Oh, I remember all too well how you were stuck…well, pinned by the shopping carts in the ladies lingerie section and threatened to pull out your gun and clear out the store so, you could move from that area." Lark answered laughing along with Rayne.

"It was pretty funny huh?" Rayne asked laughing harder remembering the day very well.

"Oh, it was hysterical especially when you started shouting 'Look it's Lark Morgan! Can I have your autograph?' and crawled under the clothing stands to get out of the mob that ensued for my autograph!" Lark answered miffed at the memory and poked Rayne in the chest to emphasize her point.

Rayne laughed and grabbed the small finger that incessantly poked her chest. "I had to get out of there and you wouldn't let me start firing my gun so, I had to go to plan Beta…I guess I did pay you back for that one huh?" Rayne asked with a laugh noticing the scrunched up displeased face Lark possessed.

"Oh, yes…you got me back on that one already! I spent a friggin hour signing autographs while you sat in Barnie's coffee shop sipping your 'Joyous Eggnog' iced coffee! Those crazy women nearly tore my clothes off trying to get my autograph!" Lark exclaimed horrified at the unpleasant incident.

"Ooh, 'joyous eggnog' my favorite. I'll have to stop by there and buy a few bags of that coffee and get stocked up on it." Rayne answered with a fond look on her face at her favorite Christmas coffee and saw that Lark wasn't too pleased. "Oh, honey, I wouldn't have let them tear your clothes off…well, too many of them." Rayne teasingly laughed.

"I can't believe you left me there to the wolves like that for 'joyous eggnog' coffee!" Lark answered pouting and struggling to get away from her strong lover who wouldn't allow it.

Rayne chuckled and tightened her grip on Lark. "Lark, you know how good that stuff is and how much I love it" Rayne teased noting the blue smoke coming out of Lark's ears from her anger. "Oh, come on honey, I did save you after an hour when I started yelling that Tom Cruise was in the men's underwear section." Rayne answered laughing and gently shaking her upset lover. "Admit it…it was pretty funny seeing all of those women and those two gay guys running across the store screaming that Tom Cruise was in men's underwear!"

Lark laughed and looked at Rayne. "Yeah, it was pretty funny!" She conceded remembering the event and both laughing harder.

"Hey, let's go home and let Matthew sleep in peace." Rayne replied and kissed Lark before standing up.

"Sounds good to me baby." Lark answered slapping Rayne's firm backside with a chuckle and followed her tall lover out of the room who reached back grasping Lark's hand.

The pair said their good bye's to everyone and headed home. Rayne and Lark entered the darkened house exhausted from the holiday events and quickly headed off to bed both falling into Morpheus' grasp cuddled closely in one another's arms. Rayne woke to Lark's incessant snoring and rolled onto her side propping her head up in her hand her elbow resting against the bed.

She smiled when she saw the peaceful, angelic look on her lover's face as she slept soundly, oblivious to the surrounding world. Rayne lightly and lovingly stroked Lark's soft cheek and leaned closer placing a tender kiss on her forehead. Lark didn't stir and Rayne chuckled knowing how much Lark loved to sleep and could sleep through a hurricane blowing the house down. Rayne slipped her hand over Lark's bare abdomen and snuggled her face against Lark's neck content to stay right where she was using Lark as a pillow for a change.

Rayne placed soft kisses along Lark's neck whispering, "I love you sweets." And felt Lark squirm closer to her. She chuckled and lifted her head up to see if her sleeping beauty was awake yet. 'Fat chance!' Rayne thought with a silent laugh and lightly smoothed out Lark's blonde eyebrows with her thumb repeatedly thinking about how much she loved the woman sleeping before her. Lark meant everything to Rayne and always had ever since the day she first laid eyes on the blonde hair, green-eyed beauty.

She remembered the day as if it was yesterday and kissed the lips before her remembering how elegant Lark looked that evening. She remembered how her heart stopped momentarily and her breath escaped her when Lark's beautiful green eyes met hers from across the crowded room. The only thing she could think of at that moment was how incredibly beautiful Lark was...and still is. She was (and is) the most exquisite woman she had ever seen.

Rayne thought about how she gasped to catch her elusive breath and how damn hard she tried to calm her heart that didn't listen to her and raced faster with each step Lark took closing the distance between the two from across the room.

Rayne remembered how her gaze was fixed on Lark who elegantly sauntered across the room never breaking eye contact with her. It seemed to her as if time had slowed down and everything around them stopped...except them. The magnitude of Lark's beauty was nowhere near as close to what Rayne had imagined it was when she spied her across the room until Lark stood before her and she realized how her beauty was far more magnificent.

She chuckled remembering her nervous reaction was to snap into her cocky, 'can't show I'm interested, have to play hard to get' mode when she heard Lark's sweet, sexy voice so confidently profess that they should go out on a date because she was positive they would make a great couple. Rayne didn't want to make it that easy on the blonde beauty...she couldn't let her know she lost her heart to Lark the moment their eyes met that day...no way...she wanted to play hard to get. 'Yeah, I played hard to get alright! Anxiously waiting by the phone for her to call me, sweating nervously when the phone rang.' Rayne thought with an embarrassed chuckle at the fond memory.

"You are so incredibly beautiful." Rayne whispered in Lark's ear and softly kissed her cheek while she lightly stroked her opposite cheek with her thumb wondering how she was so lucky to have such a beautiful, caring and loving woman so in love with her. She wondered how she was so lucky to have that same woman accept her offer of her heart for all of eternity. Someone who wants to give them both a child and someone who wants to be hers and only hers through this lifetime and in all of the next one's.

Her blues eyes welled at the thought of Lark wanting her for all of eternity and that she was going to give them a child. The love she felt for Lark was immeasurable. The way Lark made her feel when she looked at her, held her, and touched her was the most incredible feeling in the world to her. She wanted Lark to know how much she loved her and pressed her lips against Lark's in an attempt to rouse the slumbering beauty from her dreams with her kiss.

Lark was finally able to break Morpheus' hold on her and opened her eyes greeted by loving blues. "Hmmm." Lark moaned happily and smiled reaching up and kissing her lover. "Morning." She greeted hoarsely from her sleep and wrapped her arms around Rayne.

"Same to you beautiful." Rayne answered smiling and kissed Lark again.

"Do you know how much I love waking up like this every morning?" Lark asked excitedly snuggling closer to her warm, sexy lover.

"Yes, actually I do. I feel the same waking up next to you every morning babe." Rayne answered sexily and lightly kissed Lark's lips.

"I am one seriously lucky woman!" Lark retorted happily and stretched to wake her compact body out of its sleepiness.

"Well, it just so happens that it's your lucky day too. We have a lot to do today." Rayne answered with a chuckle kissing Lark's cheek before rolling onto her back.

"Aah...noooo.." Lark whined and wrapped herself around Rayne's body. "Can't we stay right here all day?" She asked in a whimper snuggling her face against Rayne's neck.

"Sure, but we would have to reschedule our commitment ceremony then." Rayne teasingly answered lightly scratching Lark's back.

Lark's head shot up and her green eyes widened. "I'm up see...completely awake and ready to go." She excitedly replied sitting up next to Rayne who laughed at her excited lover.

Rayne crawled out of bed with Lark directly behind her heading towards the shower. They both scrambled into the hot shower glad they decided to enlarge the bathroom to include a larger shower area along with a separate Jacuzzi/bathtub next to the shower stall. Lark wet her short, blond hair and lathered plenty of shampoo through her golden locks as Rayne tended to her own grooming needs. "Okay, so, you're picking up the rings and taking the boys to be fitted for their tuxedo's right?" Lark asked anxiously, as the million things they had to do ran through her mind.

"Yes, dear." Rayne teasingly answered and chuckled at her nervous lover.

"It's not funny...now, that I think about it. We have way too many things to do!" Lark frantically answered applying shampoo again to her hair.

Rayne grabbed Lark's hands and stood before her. "Calm down sweetheart and stop washing your hair so many times before it falls out." Rayne responded with a laugh. "We have paid people a lot of money to help us get everything ready for the ceremony." Rayne explained calmly kissing Lark's hands to ease her anxiety.

Lark sighed deeply. "I know...but, I'm just nervous about everything and I want our ceremony to be wonderful Rayne." Lark informed Rayne showing her nervousness and concern that all the details be just right for their special day.

"It will be perfect baby." Rayne soothingly reassured her anxious lover leaning her forehead against Lark's and wrapped her arms comfortingly around Lark. "As long as you're standing with me at the altar in our garden archway professing your undying love to me nothing else matters. Even if you're standing there in gardening clothes with me and no one attends our ceremony, it will be perfect. What matters is our love for one another." Rayne explained reassuringly kissing her shorter, worried lover and wrapped her in a tight, warm embrace the hot water splashing down on them.

"You're right honey…I'm sorry. I just got a little overwhelmed by all the plans for the ceremony. Our commitment ceremony would be beautiful even if everyone was eating beanie weenies and we were dressed in our shorts and tank tops." Lark answered with regret for acting so freaked out and chuckled at her latter statement shared by Rayne.

"Beanie Weenies huh?" Rayne asked with a laugh leaning back to look at Lark. "It might not be so beautiful with Jayce eating those things…they don't sit well with him if you know what I mean?" Rayne teasingly asked sharing a heartier laugh with Lark.

"Thanks." Lark answered gratefully smiling and gazing into the blue eyes she loves more than life itself and kissing Rayne to show her tall lover her gratitude for having that special knack for putting her at complete ease.

"Anytime…especially if you kiss me like that babe." Rayne answered smiling sexily and wiggling her dark eyebrows suggestively.

The pair finished their showers, dressed and headed off in their separate directions to complete their errands and prepare for the ceremony. Rayne met Shayan and her nephews at the Tuxedo shop for the final fittings for their suits. Rayne asked her nephews to fill the best man duties for her and that Matthew be the ring bearer despite his age. She asked Shayan to carry her tiny nephew to the altar with the ring on the pillow in his lap. The hard part would be getting the shop to finish the alterations on his tuxedo outfit.

Rayne paid handsomely for the inconvenience and short notice for all the outfits which the shop owner was more than happy to fulfill considering the amount she paid, the status of both father's occupations and Lark's popularity as a celebrity. "We are one good looking family." Shayan boasted cockily with a laugh shared by his sister.

"Mom and Dad will be so proud." Rayne chuckled checking the fit of her black tuxedo on her tall, well-toned body in the mirror.

"I'm so glad you decided on the shirts without collars Rayne. I hate those friggin bow ties."

"I know…they never stay straight." Rayne answered with a laugh straightening her black with white paisley designed vest underneath her waist length coat. "Fits me perfectly." Rayne informed her brother turning and checking all the angles of the outfit in the mirror.

"Yeah, mine too. How about you two?" Shayan asked kneeling down to check Cole and Brandon's suits.

"Well, Dad let's just say the chicks will definitely dig us!" Brandon cockily answered shocking his father who glanced up at Rayne.

"Did you teach him that?" He asked displeased.

Rayne held her hands up. "Not me! No way…must have been that wretched brother of ours." Rayne answered pretending as if she knew nothing about what her nephew had said flashing her brother an innocent look.

Shayan held his stare trying to figure out if his sister was pulling the wool over his eyes, which he thought was the case, but couldn't be sure because it was also something that Jayce would say. But, then again Jayce would have gotten it from Rayne. He shook his confused thoughts out of his head and tended to Cole as Brandon sidled up to his tall Aunt.

"Thanks for selling me out buddy." Rayne teasingly whispered lightly pushing her nephew in a joking way.

"I couldn't help it…it just slipped out. I think Dad bought it about Uncle Jayce telling me that though." Brandon answered with a laugh blues locking with blues when Rayne knelt before him.

"Good cover and I think you're right just don't say that in front of your mom, and grandma or I'm dead meat!" Rayne teased with a laugh and a wink. "Oh, just to be safe, you probably shouldn't do it in front of Auntie Lark either." She added warningly straightening his cumber bun.

"Yeah, you're right." He agreed with a laugh.

"You are one handsome little dude!" Rayne exclaimed proudly with a cocky smile and kissed Brandon's cheek.

"You're not so bad yourself." He answered laughing and blushing.

"Make sure you don't lost the ring tomorrow from the time Matthew gives it to you until the time I give it to Auntie Lark. I'd hate to see what she does to you if that happens…it wouldn't be pretty." She instructed him teasingly.

"Are you kidding? No way am I going to lose it and face Auntie Lark's wrath!" He answered laughing when Cole approached and stood next to his taller brother.

"How do I look Auntie Rayne?" He asked with a smile holding his arms out away from his body eagerly waiting for her approval.

"You look incredibly handsome buddy." Rayne reassuringly answered with a proud smile.

"If Brandon's job is to hold the ring what's my job?" He asked in a curious wonderment not feeling very important.

"Your job is a very important one making sure that your brother gives me the ring when he's suppose to and this is the extremely important part…to make sure I don't fall over from my nervousness when your Auntie Lark first appears." She informed him with a chuckle and tickled him eliciting a loud giggle from him.

"Okay boys…go get changed so we can get going." Shayan replied with a laugh watching the boys run into the changing rooms.

Rayne stood up laughing and looked at her brother who stared at her. "What?" She asked curiously and self consciously as to what he was thinking.

"I'm really happy for you and Lark. I hope you love and cherish each other every day for the rest of your lives." He answered with a sincerity that Rayne had never seen in him before.

"Thanks…it means a lot to me that you feel that way Shay." Rayne answered smiling gratefully and hugged her big brother.

"You're welcome. Now, let's get changed." He answered breaking the hug feeling uncomfortable with all the mushiness even though he initiated it.

Everyone changed, checked out at the register and exited the shop with their suits in hand ready for the big day. Rayne slipped her dark Oakley sunglasses on over her crystal blue eyes when they met the bright Florida sun. "Don't forget…Jayce has a little get together planned at your place for you tonight." Shayan reminded his sister.

"Yeah, how can I forget? It's all he's been talking about since dinner yesterday. Just make sure there are no strippers…Lark will kill me and Holly will probably do the same to you considering how she reacted when she suspected you had one at your bachelor party." Rayne warned with a laugh.

"I'll make sure to do that sis. Let's hope the party Holly has planned for Lark doesn't have strippers at it." He answered with a chuckle.

"That's right…it wouldn't be fair would it? But, then again, what strippers are they going to get? A chick and a dude? Or either or?" She asked with a hearty laugh shared by her brother.

"I guess they would have to do both huh?"

"Naw, they'll sit there talking girly stuff about shopping or something." Rayne chuckled discarding the stripper notion for Lark's party. "I've got to run and get the rings before Lark has a stroke that I didn't get everything finished in time. I'm on a schedule don't ya know? I'll see you tonight…bye boys!" Rayne replied slapping high fives with the little fellas before climbing into her convertible BMW and heading off to finish her errands.

"See ya!" They all exclaimed following Rayne's lead and heading off as well.

Rayne picked up the rings and stopped by the Florist to insure that Lark's order would be filled without any problems. The Florist assured her the order would be delivered early tomorrow morning for their afternoon ceremony. Rayne finally finished all of her errands and steered the luxury vehicle towards home. She punched in Lark's cell phone number into her car phone and waited for someone to answer.

She was surprised to hear Holly's voice on the other end of the phone. "Hey Rayne…Lark's a little busy at the moment." She informed her sounding slight irritated.

"Okay…is everything alright?" Rayne asked worriedly.

"Well, let's just say Lark's a freaking nervous wreck and is driving us nuts!" Holly answered in an agitated yet chuckling voice.

Rayne laughed. "What's left to be done on your end?" Rayne asked checking the traffic around her before proceeding through the newly turned green light.

"As soon as Lark stops fretting over how the friggin button is sewed on her dress we can head over and pick up the guest book finally completing our chores! Hold on." Holly asked agitatedly. Rayne waited patiently hearing the conversation between Lark and Holly in the background. "Lark…forget the damn button it looks fine!" Holly shouted her irritation mounting.

"Holly…it's hanging too far down it needs to be sewed on again." Lark shouted back angrily.

"Just take the dress off and I'll fix the damn button!" Holly answered curtly watching Lark storm off in a huff. "Hello? I'm back."

"I'm here" Rayne answered with a chuckle at the hilarity of the situation.

"You've got to do something to calm her down." Holly informed Rayne exasperated with Lark.

"I will. When you drop her off make sure no one else comes inside with her. I'll have something special planned for her…okay?"

"Thanks." Holly answered relieved. "Just make sure she isn't late to her party that starts at 8:30 and please make sure she'll be in a better temperament." Holly asked pleadingly.

"Yes ma'am and Holly? I seem to remember a certain other nervous bride who fretted over the same thing." Rayne reminded her with a chuckle hearing Holly's embarrassed laugh.

"You're right…I'm sorry. I should have been more considerate." Holly answered regretful for her short-tempered demeanor.

"It's okay…I'll handle that sexy blonde of mine. Just get her home in one piece please and dial #13 into my phone when she's on her way home." Rayne answered with a laugh and clicked the phone off.

Rayne laughed harder and shook her head at Lark's nervousness. She was surprised she wasn't nervous…actually, she was as cool as a cucumber…so far. Rayne made an unexpected stop to pick up something she needed to set her plans for Lark into action before heading home. Rayne called Jayce to confirm the party time was at 9 and that he wouldn't be at the house until 8 to set up. Everything was falling into place nicely and Rayne's plans for Lark were all set.

Now all she had to do was set up the house for the surprise she had in mind for her nervous wreck of a lover got home. She hurried home and began her task of readying the house and coordinating the house staff to be out by the time Lark returned. Rayne double checked the house assure it was satisfactory to what she wanted and poured herself a cold Jack and coke as she waited for Lark to return.

She clicked the remote and flipped the channels to ESPN to catch Sports Center for the football coverage. Rayne heard the phone and saw the code #13 in the display of her phone meaning Lark was on her way home. She finished her drink figuring she had about ten minutes until Lark returned home and turned the TV off preparing herself to fulfill her plans for Lark's surprise.

Continued in Part 10.

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