We Are Here and Now

CiCi Barsi stood on the pedestal, the trifold mirrors behind her as she showed off the satin, A-line gown with cap sleeves and a sweetheart neckline to her friends Maria and Julia.

"It's perfect! That dress looks amazing on you!" Maria gushed. Julia nodded her head in agreement, a large, toothy grin on her face.

"Where's Care? She needs to see it." CiCi strained her neck to look for her oldest and closest friend and caught a glimpse of her wandering through the window displays admiring the different lace and tulle on the variety of wedding dresses. She turned just as CiCi was about to whistle to get her attention when she came rushing over to the group.

"Yes! That's perfect Ci! Color and all," Caroline gushed making CiCi relieved to know she pleased her. "Mom! Come check out CiCi's dress! She looks amazing!"

Within seconds an older woman, who looked much like Caroline, was standing next to her daughter grinning at CiCi. "I love the navy! And the subtle sparkle along the neckline and sleeves. CiCi you picked out a winner. All you girls did!" Caroline's mother said excitedly.

CiCi spun around to admire her selected bridesmaid dress and smiled sadly at herself. She was happy for Caroline and Tom, but she was hoping to be a bride and not a bridesmaid.

*****
Sidney swore he recalled the furniture delivery man say he would be at the house between 12 and 2. It was nearly 3:30 and the furniture he had picked out to outfit CiCi's studio wasn't delivered yet. But every time he called the number listed on the purchase order sheet he never got an answer. He was hoping that with CiCi being out all day doing bridesmaid things with her girlfriends that he could have her studio set up with all the new pieces he selected, with the help of her mother of course.

He tried calling the number one more time when he heard the buzzer sound indicating someone at the front gate. He looked at the television monitor in the kitchen to see it was a delivery truck and he instantly felt relieved. He knew CiCi would be home before dinner. She had said she would be. Which was the perfect time to reveal his little surprise to her. He opened the gate and went to the front door where the truck was able to park and unload through. He was happy that the room he set up as her private studio was right off to the left of the entrance, so these men wouldn't be going far.

"We are so sorry Mr. Crosby," the truck driver said, "There was a wreck on the parkway and we came to find that we didn't have a number to reach you at."

"Oh it's okay. I was worried that my girlfriend would come home before you got here and it's a gift for her."

"We can have everything unloaded and put together in twenty minutes."

"Great, let me show you where everything is going," Sidney said as he showed the three men where in the house everything was going. And they were just as quick as they had promised Sidney they would be. After the furniture was set up to Sidney's liking, he chatted with the men for a few minutes about the current season and his new coaches, signed a couple pieces of paper that the guys scrounged from the truck and said their goodbyes. He saw them off and went back into the studio. He was pleased to see the new workstation, easel with stool and chaise lounge to compliment the array of color she splashed all around last fall. She hadn't gotten further than the color and shelving for her supplies because of both their busy schedules.

But now it was furnished to her liking, he hoped, and in a matter of months she will be free to work as much as she wanted in there. He quickly shut off the lights and closed the door behind him. He hoped that the new furnishings will help boost her from whatever funk she had been in lately. Something he knew he had a part in causing.

*****
"Okay, so I know this is Caroline's day and we are making plans for the wedding of the year, but I need to tell you girls something," Maria said. CiCi was sitting across from her friend and next to Julia at the large corner booth at Vincent's. They opted to go for pizza after they selected their dresses and placed their orders for the late summer wedding.

"What? It's not going to make me a bridezilla is it?" Caroline asked making the girls laugh.

"Maybe."

"You're pregnant!" Julia declared making the entire table hush. CiCi watched Maria to see her reaction to Julia's assumption. The grin that spread across her face only confirmed it.

"I'm really early. Like eight weeks right now. But I wanted you girls to know!"

"When are you due?" CiCi asked, a feeling of dread forming in the pit of her stomach. Her friends going off and having families made her undeniably sad and often times jealous. But she never voiced this to anyone because she didn't want them to think she was being selfish or jealous. Because she knew that she was.

"The end of October. We don't have a definitive date since we haven't had a proper exam yet. But our doctor is pretty certain it will be early fall," Maria's excitement was evident on her face.

"Well, you picked the best dress for a pregnant belly!" Caroline exclaimed making the group chuckle again. CiCi was lost in thought as the rest chatted excitedly about the upcoming wedding and baby. And all she wanted was to curl up under the blankets in her bed and sleep through the events that would be approaching before she knew it.

*****
Sidney was jogging on the treadmill in the finished basement gym when CiCi wandered into his line of vision.

"Hey," he said breathless.

"I told you to take it easy today. One day off and you're here running a marathon."

"Not a marathon. Five miles. That's light!" He started to slow down and began to walk in order to cool down. "Hand me that water."

CiCi walked further into the room and handed Sidney his bottle. "Did you have a good time? Did you get your dress? Did you tell the girls I said hi?" Sidney rattled off.

"It was nice, I got a dress and they all said great job at the all-star game." She never thought she'd get used to talking about her famous boyfriend, but with the girls she had no problem doing so. It probably stemmed from her need to show how even though she felt that she was a mess that nothing could stop her from showing off just a little.

"I thought you'd be home later, that's why I hopped on here. I figured I'd have time to fit in a workout and clean up." He stepped off the machine and reached for a towel to wipe his face.

CiCi watched him and nodded. Then asked abruptly, "Why haven't you asked me to marry you yet?"

Sidney was stopped mid-wipe and slowly lowered his arms. "What?"

"Why haven't you asked me yet? Do you not want to get married now? Are you no longer sure that I am who you want to marry? I don't get it." She crossed her arms and studied the floor. She noticed Sidney's reeboks in her line of vision and knew he was right in front of her. His finger lifted her face so that they could look at each other.

"Of course I want to marry you, that hasn't changed. So don't question it. But it is supposed to be pretty special, and I want it to be done just right."

"But you were set to do it last summer! I was expecting it," she looked away and was warding off tears. She knew she sounded like a whining kid.

"Yeah, but things got in the way like best friends getting engaged, and holidays and your birthday. And we both got busy with things like my new season and your new job. And I don't want this to be overshadowed by them. Please, just know I am waiting for the perfect time." All of this had been true. He had the ring already. It was burning a hole in the safety deposit box at his bank. It had been there for nearly six months now. He intended to propose just before the start of the season, but literally the night before CiCi's friends announced they got engaged. He couldn't go through with it then. He didn't have the heart to steal some of Caroline and Tom's limelight.

"Yeah, okay," she turned and walked back upstairs leaving Sidney in the basement. He walked around shutting off lights and followed CiCi back upstairs.

"Babe! Where did you go?" Sid asked as he got to the top of the stairs.

"In the kitchen drowning away my sorrows with my good friends Ben and Jerry!" Sidney turned towards the kitchen but rolled his eyes. She was being exceptionally dramatic today. When he entered the room he saw her sitting at the island eating directly from a pint of chunky monkey.

"Hey, what's going on?" Sid asked as he stepped close to CiCi.

"Nothing, just friends getting married and having babies!" She exclaimed as she scooped another bite into her mouth.

"Let me have a bite," Sid asked trying to distract her a bit.

"No. No sweets during the season. That's why I hid this from you to begin with," CiCi said as she tried to hide the pint under her arm.

"Come on! One bite!" Sid demanded, but decided to take matters into his own hands when she still refused. He managed to grab the container from her and draw back away from her in order to get a taste of the sweet treat.

"Hey! Give that back!" CiCi exclaimed as she leaped from her seat and across the kitchen towards him. He laughed and kept her at arm's length.

"No. I can't. You eat all this and you'll get fat. It's only right that I share some," Sid argued.

"I'm already fat! Let me have it!" She fought against his hold, but his strength was outdoing hers.

But what she said instantly changed Sidney's mood and he stopped the playful fighting, turned towards the trash and threw away the ice cream.

"Hey! You just threw away four dollars worth of ice cream!" She pouted, trying to play it off lightly. She knew what she said upset him.

"Well you think you're fat, so you don't need it around here." He turned to leave her in the kitchen and try to calm his anger down when her arms wrapped around his waist and her cheek pressed against his back.

"Sidney!" CiCi pleaded with him, her grip slightly tighter than before.

"Ci, talk to me. What the fuck is going on? You've been so moody lately and you're almost unbearable to be around. Is it really because we aren't engaged?" He fell against her embrace and covered her hands with his own.

"No." It was muffled, but he could hear it.

"Then tell me what's wrong. Are you not happy with me? And why are you putting yourself down? You're far from fat." He turned around in her embrace and threw his hands on her shoulders, his fingers playing with the silky strands of her shoulder length hair.

"I'm extremely happy with you. My hormones are all out of whack. I go to the doctor in a couple days. I think the medicine I am on is making me gain weight. I have an appetite like Geno's." She lifted her head to try and get a kiss from him, but Sidney wouldn't budge.

"You've been extremely careful with your diet since last year. And I don't see any weight gain. I think you're just making excuses for something."

CiCi knew Sidney would say something like that. But she prided herself in being thin and here she was feeling like her stomach was softer and her arms were flabby. "You're just saying that to be nice."

"I'm saying it because it's true. You're more beautiful to me today than the first day I met you. But if you think otherwise we can work something out to keep you toned up."

"I hate exercise."

"I know. What do you say?"

"I guess so." She looked down at his sweaty shirt and bit her bottom lip.

"That's not all though." CiCi knew he would catch on and that what was bothering her was not completely a weight issue.

"No."

"Then what?" His fingers were tickling her neck making it hard for her to focus for a moment.

"Maria is pregnant." And a light clicked on in Sid's brain. It made sense to him now.

"And Care is getting married. Of course," Sid threw in to show CiCi he was getting her behavior.

"And I've been feeling jealous and I shouldn't feel this way because I have an incredible life!"

"You do. One hell of a life. And can I just say that you don't think your friends aren't the least bit jealous of you? You have an amazing teaching job allowing you to develop into a full fledged artist, your very first and highly anticipated show is coming up and you get to travel like none of them do."

"But..."

"No. If it's a matter of being parents I can call my lawyer tomorrow and we can have a baby before Maria and Derrick."

That actually made CiCi smile. Of course she wasn't looking for that and she knew Sid wasn't either, but she loved him for considering it if it would make her happy. "I'm sorry for being so crazy, you still love me?" She rested her head against his shoulder and squeezed him close to her.

"You know it. I can't imagine this life without you. Just be patient." She felt him press a kiss to her head.

CiCi nodded and pulled away from Sidney. "I'm going to go finish up something I was working on this week."

Sidney watched as she retreated towards her studio and waited patiently in the kitchen to hear her reaction. He heard the door creak open and an audible gasp. "Sidney Patrick, what did you do?" CiCi yelled.

He ventured down the hall towards her studio when he was met halfway by CiCi jumping into his arms. "It's perfect!"

"I did good?" He asked as he held her bottom, her legs wrapped around his waist. She nodded with a huge smile across her face.

"You're amazing!" CiCi squealed then pushed her lips against his. A happy sigh escaped her lips, but she didn't pull away. Sidney walked them back into the studio and as he did CiCi gave him a questioning look.

"Well, we can't leave the furniture unchristened. That's not like us!" He exclaimed before falling onto the lounge with CiCi straddling his lap laughing all the while.

Notes

And their back! I couldn't hold out any longer on this pair. I'm a fan of them. Comment, subscribe, vote! Get the word out people that If you loved Collide that CiCi and Sidney are back!