((Takes place right after the live session on 2/14/08 ))

Jade walked briskly from the tea shop, cell phone in her ear. As the phone rang on the other line, she took one last look in the tea shop window. A soft heavenly sigh slipped from her crimson lips as she caught a glimps of Damien's raven hair. She was startled when she heard Casidy's voice on the other line. Jade stumbled a bit, nearly running into a wall.

"This is Casidy."
"Oh! Hey, Cas!~ You'll never guess!"
"Hey, hun. Guess what?"
"Guess!"
"Uh... Claira learned to count to one hundred?"
"No! ...But that would be nice..."
"Then what is it then?!"
"Eeeee!" she squeeled a bit with a small skip as she walked in the marketplace, CZK house bound, "Damien asked me to marry him!!"

There was a few moments of silence on Casidy's side of the phone. Then there was... "WHAT?! OH MY F*CKING GOD!!"

Jade pulled the phone away from her ear at the shout, stopping dead in her tracks. A hand moved to rub her ear. Second time in less than 15 minutes that her ears were shot out in yells. First Ly, now Cas. She brought the phone back to her ear after a second or two.

"Uh, Jade?"
"I'm still here, surprisingly."
"Oh my GAWD!"
She winced at the shout again, but it wasn't as bad as the first, "I know I know! It's soooo romantic! On Valentine's day!"
"But but! It's sooo soon! It was only like, what? Two months?"
"I know! But Cas, he's the one. I can feel it. Believe me."
"Jade-Baby, how many other guys have you said that about then turn out to run away before the wedding even came? Plus, he cheated on you once. Once a cheater, always a cheater."

Well, there went all hopes for a "Oh congrates! I'm so proud you finally found the one!" Jade made a face at the phone as she sat down on a bench in the market place close to the Chi house. She wouldn't go up there just yet, she had to get this phone call out of the way first.

"Cas, he changed and you know it. He cheated and came out with it. He changed for me... because he loves me."
"No, he cheated, lied to you about cheating, then only came out with it because he was caught in a lie."
"Casidy Stackhouse!" She groaned, "The past is the past. I told you, he changed. For me. That's saying something."
"Still..."
"I thought you liked him, Cas."
"I do. He's hella better than that Gabe anyday."
"See... Then what's the problem?"
"I don't know. It just seems too soon."
"Yea, I know. But we're both immortal. We can get married at anytime. There's no rush."
"Yea, okay. You have a point," there was a pause on the other line. "Jade-Baby, Congradulations, sistah. I'm sorry I'm uppity about this. I'm jus used to not believing you when you say a guy has changed. You say they change and then they'll still be dicks to you."
"I understand, hun. I really do."
"I'm happy if you're happy, hun, as I've told you a million times. You're my sistah, babe, I love ya. But if he breaks your heart I'll break his face. Make sure and tell him that."
She gave a light laugh, "You already told him that before, hun."
"Well, damnit, tell him again!"
"Will do, sugar. Oh, Cas?"
"Huh?"
"Could you watch Claira tonight?"

There was a stream of giggles from the other side as if Jade had asked the stupidest question in the history of man. Jade just sat there blinking in silence as she let Casidy laugh.

"Me? Watch Claira tonight?"
"Yea.... What?"
"It's Valentine's Day, babe! I have plans! And I know you want me to watch her for the same reason I'm not going to."
"God Damnit!"
"Sorry, hun. Call Rhy... or Eric... or something."
Jade grimaced, "Rhy's with Dean." She'd leave out the fact that Rhy was engaged too, for that was another conversation in itself.
"Then call Eric."
"Do I have to?"
"What about Ly?"
"With Brandon."
"Then yea, you do. Or... do without all together."
"Fine," grumble, "I'll call him."
"I knew you'd see it my way, babe."
Sigh, "I'll talk to ya later then, hun. I still gotta call people. Love ya girlie."
"Love ya, sistah. Try not to break nuthin' tonight."
"Doubt it, sistah. You know how we roll."
"Damn straight."

They both laughed a moment before Jade clicked shut the phone. She made a face as she stood and rounded a curve to the Chi house. She'd call Eriv after she talked to Claira a while. So with the phone still out, she dialed Rhy's number.

It started to ring.
And ring... And ring...
And ring. Click. The answering machine picked up.

" 'Ey, this is Rhy. Sorry I couldn't get to the phone... I'm just that rad. So, jus leave a little message after it like beeps and I'll try to get back to you! Thanks!"

Beep.

"Hello, lovely. Too good to answer my call? Niiiice. Kiddin, hun. But I have a BIG shocker fer ya, so like, call me back soon. Love ya, Sweet Cheeks! Talk to ya soon, hun!"

With the phone clicked shut and the drive way of the CZK house behind her, she climbed up the house porch steps. Jade opened the door, stepping in, the house oddly quiet. Quick steps took her to the main living room where she was greeted by a mass of wild curly black locks that was her daughter on the floor coloring in a coloring book.

Jade yelped as the cell in her hand started to ring. She bounced it in her hand before she finally got a grasp of it and flipped it open as she set it to her ear to hear Rhy's voice stream in. All the while, Claira just stared at her.

"Eh? Oh! Rhy!" giggle bounce as she held up a finger in a 'one moment' pose to her daughter, "You'll never ever ever guess!!! Oooooo! Damien asked me to marry him!"

Claira looked up at that as she stilled her coloring, "Mommy is getting married? What is that? Like what Gabey wanted to do with you?"

She grimaced, mumbling, "Amung other things..." her tone grew to speak to her daughter, "Yes, sweetie. But I'm going to marry Damien now." She nodded.

Claira sat up, looking up at her mother with matching lil jade hues, "Oooo, the demony? Wif the metal all in his face?" she giggled, "I like him! He makes me giggle!"

She sighed at her daughter before she took a seat on the arm of a couch as she waited for Rhy's reply through the commotion of her talking to Claira.

Jade bounced as she talked into the phone, "Holy hell! That's soooo the bomb!"

Score, she wouldn't have to bring Claira to Shiverport to see Eric just yet! She did a little dance as she counted the hours on her hand. They'd be set til Ten the next morning! More dancing. Claira began to dance too, but only because her mother was.

Claira tilted her head up at Jade, "Mommy, Why are we dancing?"

She beamed at her daughter, " 'Ey, ya wanna sleepover at the boy's house tonight?!"

Claira stopped mid-dance, looking up to her mother in wide eyed disbelief, "Reaaaaallllly?"

"Yep! Well, yer gunna 'stay with the nanny', but you can pester the boys if ya want," she nodded sagely before waggling her finger, "Jus not Deany and Rhy, mmmk?"

"MmmmmOkay..." Claira gave a half frown before brightening up again, "Is Ty Ty there?!"

Jade shrugged, turning her daughter towards the stairs that led to her room, "I dun know, hun. We'll see. Now go up to yer room and pack fer the sleep over!" Giggle.

Claira dashed up the stairs as Jade turned and leaned against a wall, talking into the phone again, "Yer a life saver, sugar. I'll be over there in a few, K, hun?"