Allona had surprised herself. Just in time, the timer went off. "Hey look, pizza's done!" she jumped up, grabbing a pot holder and pulling the steaming food from the oven as Howie and AJ crowded behind her. "Hey you two...ladies first," she said, pushing them back and letting Maya join her.
After grabbing some for herself, Allona turned to Maya. "I better go back there and finish that reading while I eat if we are going to goof off later," she sighed. "I've GOT to have this stuff done so I can give that guest lecture I promised."
"Allona, can't it wait until tomorrow? We could watch a movie or something while the champagne chills," Maya fussed. She saw Howie from behind Allona motioning for her to let her go.
"No, it can't! I'm almost done anyway. By the time I'm done eating and you guys are done with the movie, I'll be finished. I promise if I'm not, I'll put it aside anyway," she crossed her heart like they used to do when they were younger before turning to head to the quiet room in the back of the bus.
"Howie! Why did you want to let her go turn into a hermit back there?" Maya groaned. "I have a hard enough time with her as it is...."
"It's all part of a grand scheme," he grinned mischievously. "You and AJ can have yourselves a little party out here. Meanwhile...." he trailed off, looking towards the back room where Allona was quietly working. "I'm hoping to knock a particular southern belle off her feet and get a little response if it kills me...." he trailed off.
Maya and AJ looked at each other and smiled. "With Brian McKnight, champagne, and those beautiful locks Howie, I don't think you'll have too much of a hard time...the girl is itching, whether she admits it or not..." she said slowly, smiling to him as she wrapped her arm around AJ.
"So what're WE going to do?"
"Well..."
"Oh, c'mon, you think I'll find a medusa out here?"
"Well... what did I say before?"
"Give you time"
"Uh huh"
"Give you kisses...."
"Uh huh...." a smile flirted with the edges of her mouth "and..."
"Um.... behave in class?"
"Right! It's classtime, whitebelt, go put on your uniform."
"You're joking."
"I'm not. Hup hup!"
"Don't we even get to eat first, Warrior Princess?" AJ teased as Howie stood back laughing at the two of them.
"Oh all right," Maya sighed. She went to the video cabinet and pulled out Enter the Dragon and popped it into the VCR.
"I should have known," he rolled his eyes at her playfully as he and Howie settled on the couches and began inhaling their pizza. The movie went by quickly as did the food.
"Well now, looks like it's time for the bubbly and a little fun," Howie said to the two as he stood and stretched. He went over to the refrigerator and pulled out the two bottles Allona had put in to chill. "I say a bottle for the two of you," he said handing one over to AJ, "and one for me and Allona," he grinned.
"Works for me!" shouted AJ, jumping up and unwrapping the foil from the neck of the bottle before popping the cork with a resounding WHOOOP.
"And time to go rid Allona of her urge to work," Howie continued as he
reached up and pulled the elastic from his hair, freeing it to fall down
past his shoulders as he reached for two champagne flutes. He stuck the
Brian McKnight cd into the player and flipped the switch that piped the
music into the other parts of the bus. "Have fun you two," he winked as he
turned and headed towards the back of the bus.
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