Dreams

20

"Watch it," Carolina laughs as she roots herself to the ground, fighting against Stella pushing her in the pool, "push me in and I'm calling in a noise complaint and getting this whole thing shut down!"

"You wouldn't. Stevie wouldn't let you," Stella taunts her sister, but she stops trying to push her and wraps her arms around her waist instead. "Thank you, Caro. Really. This has been such a good night."

Carolina presses the palm of her hand against the side of Stella's head and kisses her on the temple, still in disbelief that her baby sister has graduated. "You're welcome, Gracie. I'm proud of you, kid." Carolina stares out at the moonlight over the pool, still clinging to Stella as she hears Stevie in the house, singing through one of those obnoxious karaoke microphones.

"Oh no," she shakes her head and laughs, "now I'm never gonna get her upstairs."

"Let her party with the kids. Go to bed, grandma," Stella laughs as she releases her sister, "it's still cool if Amelia and Bryce spend the night?"

"Yes - but no sneaking out, and no drinking," Carolina says seriously. She frowns when Stella rolls her eyes. "I'm serious babe. Our actions don't just affect us now. They affect Stevie too - and this is her house. She'd be the one taking all the crap if something happened."

"Caro," Stella looks up at her, barely refraining from rolling her eyes over the lecture, "I know. I know how serious it is. We're just going to watch movies downstairs and probably fall asleep in the theatre."

Part of Carolina hates how easily and quickly Stella has taken to Stevie's things, until she remembers she's not even eighteen yet. She'd probably be overwhelmed and excited by the house and the money too, if she were still a kid and didn't have any of her own. "Ok," she nods, "I'm going to go upstairs and try to coax Stephanie away from the microphone and your friends. I'm pretty sure she's forgotten we are filming promos first thing in the morning."

Stella leans forward and kisses her sister on the cheek, "ok. Tell her I love her and I'll see you guys in the morning. I love you."

She's not sure she's heard Stella say that to Stevie herself, so she's surprised when it comes out of her mouth. "Have fun. Be safe. No more kids over - and everyone but Bryce and Amelia out by one. If you need me come wake me up."

"Yes, mother," Stella rolls her eyes and laughs, then does a cannonball back into the deep end of the pool as her older sister disappears inside the house.

Carolina saunters through the house, eventually landing in the living room where Stevie is dueting "I Got You Babe" with a kid who looks like he might fall over he's so star struck. When Stevie looks up and winks at her she laughs.

"Ok, I think that's my last one," Stevie grins as the song comes to an end, "time for me to retire." The small group of kids protests, which makes Stevie and Carolina laugh harder. "Talk to this one; she's the boss," she shrugs, pointing at Carolina with one finger.

"It's bedtime," Carolina nods, reaching her hand out to take Stevie's and lead her up the stairs.

"Bedtime huh? It's ten o'clock, you filthy liar," Stevie laughs in her ear as she follows her up, as close to her as she can get without knocking her over.

Carolina throws her a mischievous smile and shrugs. She hasn't forgotten Stevie's request from earlier in the week. She remembered it well, leaving Stevie at home on Friday to go shopping on her own.

Once they're in the bedroom Carolina locks their door and disappears into the bathroom, leaving Stevie by the bed as she strips out of her dress, down to the black lace body suit she had holding everything in place. Stevie is slipping the straps of the bodysuit down over her shoulders when Carolina walks out of the bathroom and directly behind her, pressing the tip of the strap on carefully between her girlfriend's thighs.