"Shit! Fuck! Shiiiiiiiiit! God! Veronica! Suck that off!! Suck on that!" I yelled at Veronica seeing as this bottle of champagne was bubbling over miserably and making a mess of the counter. "Veronica!!!" I yelled again.

 “Well, that’s not something you hear coming from the kitchen everyday.” Freddie said lighting a cigarette. She immediately took the bottle shoved it in her mouth but quickly choked on the champagne spewing out. She spit half of it in the sink and I took over were she left off because this stupid thing had been under an immense amount of pressure and apparently jolted around. I took a huge gulp and it stopped. Freddie was smiling like a jack o' lantern after he had retrieved John and Veronica's champagne glasses. He puffed on his cigarette and just kept staring stupidly at Veronica and me.

 "No! Don't you even say anything!" I pointed a finger at him and lined the champagne glasses up. I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand.  It was a good thing there were five bottles tonight because part of this one just disappeared onto the counter and into the sink.

 "Lydia! Darling! I wasn't going to say anythin’...to you! God, are you kidding me!? You swallowed that like a pro!" He added at the end. Freddie batted his eyes as me innocently.

 "Veronica! I am disappointed in you!" He took another puff on his cigarette and watched her wipe her mouth off after she had spit all over the sink. She looked up at Freddie. "Nice girls swallow!" Freddie shook his head. I shoved a champagne flute in his hand to shut him up.

 "Well, Fred, I usually have a little bit of a warning!" Veronica smiled and scowled at him at the same time. Naturally, Freddie indulged on that response and kissed her. I handed a glass to Chrissie.

 "Here, take this to ya' dreamboat over there." I nodded toward the couch indicating that she really, really needed to go sit with Brian. Freddie went into the living room, carrying a plate with him. Veronica, Chrissie and I had jammed all the food onto the kitchen table. It was overflowing: corn chowder, Salisbury and potatoes with green beans, a buffalo chicken pizza, some bread that Veronica had heated up from the night before, some cheese…because it’s cheese, leftover tetrazzini that Veronica had made the night before. John loved her tetrazzini. She also had a mountain of cookies that Veronica always kept around because John ate them constantly. In addition to that, we were starting to cram the counter full of champagne, vodka, southern comfort, Guinness, and Jager. We would probably regret making Jager bombs the next day, but this was New Years’ Eve and come hell or high water, Freddie and I were goin’ head to head with Jager bombs.

 Brian, Chrissie and Freddie would be on the couch with the table in front of them. John already announced he was giving up his recliner to Veronica; which would leave he, myself and Roger in the floor. Everyone had gotten a plate full except myself, Chrissie and Veronica. Roger was already goin' on and on about how wonderful the pizza smelled. I had loaded that stupid thing with hot sauce. I knew he’d love it.  I was so very happy in this moment but I didn't want to show it too much. I’d never had a New Year’s Eve like this one. I kept it cool and classy…the way I knew best. I didn't want Veronica thinkin' I was a big softie...even though I think she already had me figured out. Roger had gotten out of the floor to get me a plate of food. Well, I sure as hell couldn't hide the fact that I thought that was a grand gesture and so Veronica saw my face gush a bit. She didn’t hold it against me.

 Chrissie had gone over to the couch. I watched carefully as she got as close to Brian as she could without ending up on his lap. I also watched him snake an arm around to her back. He put his hand at the base of her neck, rubbing his fingers back and forth. I knew she was ready to faint. It made me think of when Roger would do that to me. I always knew what it meant. I knew Brian probably didn’t mean the same thing…but maybe I coerce him. An idea popped into my head.

 "Veronica." I said softly.

 "Hmm?" She took her champagne glass and looked at me. I motioned for her to come over to me.

 "When we toast, kiss John." I said softly.

 "Why?" She asked. I don't know why, but it struck me as funny.

 "Because, if you kiss John, and I kiss Roger, I'm hoping to set off a chain reaction." I answered her and nodded my head toward Brian and Chrissie. Veronica looked over me.

 "Ooooh, good call, Lydia...think it'll work?" She asked.

 "We'll find out." I said both prematurely and quietly tapping my champagne flute into hers. We snuck a drink before anyone could see. What? Make a toast and not drink to it!? That would jinx this plan entirely. We left the kitchen and joined everyone else in the livin' room. I handed the champagne flute over to Roger while Veronica took John his.

 ‘Thank you babe.” He up looked at me all aglow.

 “You’re welcome. Do you want anything else before I sit down there?” I asked.

 “No! No, Lydia! God! Don’t baby him! You just sit down and make him deal!” Veronica fought me. I laughed at her.

 “I’m so lucky!” John laughed at her and looked up at her.

“Chrissie? Veronica? You want me to get you a plate?” I asked them.

 “No, thanks, I’ll get it after we toast.” Veronica winked at me.

 “Yeah, I’ll do that but thanks, Lydia.” Chrissie said.

 "Alright.” I said, preparing to sit down beside Roger. “My god! Are you feedin' me for a month!?" I laughed as I plopped down beside him noticing a plate load of food far greater than I could eat.

 "I'm gonna' eat whatever you don’t. " Roger said. I smiled at him.

 “Alright, lovelies! To…”Freddie began to raise his glass.

 “No! No! No! Not yet! No!” Roger yelled at him. Veronica laughed stupidly.

 “What are you laughin’ at?” Roger asked her.

 “It’s just…I swear…when you get a little bit worked up, your voice…it’s just…” Veronica laughed again. Roger gave her a look that turned me to a puddle of goo on the inside.

 “Lydia and I have an announcement before you make a toast.” Roger reached over and grabbed my hand when he said it. I turned blood red and looked down at the floor, putting my head on my forehead. Turns out I had a little bit of Chrissie in me.

 “Oh my god! You’re pregnant!” Freddie stood up and pointed at me.

 “What the!? No!” I looked at him laughing.

 “No, no, no. That’s definitely not it!” Roger insisted. “Me an’ Lyd’…” Freddie cut Roger off again.

 “You’re pregnant with twins!” He said pointing at me again.

 “No! No twins!” Roger insisted. “Me an’…” Freddie cut him off again.

 “You’re pregnant and it’s John’s!” His eyes grew wide.

 “FRED! Lydia and I are movin’ in together.” Roger said quickly so Freddie couldn’t interrupt again. He beamed when he said it and squeezed my hand. I was chewing on my lip and looking away. Veronica gasped. John and Brian had a look of shock on their face.

 “You’re…you’re what!? You’re moving in together!? Oh my god…you’re gonna’ get laid every damn day.” Freddie said putting his hands on his hips.

 “Wh…what? I do now, stupid!” Roger threw his hands out to the sides. I still hadn’t said anythin’ because I was fightin’ the lump in my throat. At Christmas, Roger had given me a key in a box and he asked me to move in with him. It had been the most shocking thing that had ever happened to me. So shocking, I didn’t answer him at first. No one had ever asked me to live with them before and I worried it would take away some of my independence. I can remember how he looked at me as we sat on the floor in front of the Christmas tree. He had so much hope in his eyes. I finally shook my head yes and did the unthinkable…I cried. I hated….hated cryin’ in front of a man…but I had.

 “Oh my god!” John said. Brian blinked several times. I had finally looked up, a smiled plastered across my face.

 “It’s true.” I said.

 “Are you going to live in his horrible place or your amazing place?” Brian asked.

 “Neither! We’re gonna’ rent a house! Gonna’ look at some places Wednesday.” Roger still couldn’t contain himself.

 “Oh my god! Oh my god! Will it have a room for me!?” Freddie demanded.

 “Yes…it will have a room for you.” I assured him. I managed to work my arm around Roger.

 “Oh my god! You know what this means…” Veronica paused.

 “What?” Roger asked. I looked at her peculiarly.

 “OVERNIGHT DRUNKEN HOUSE WARMING PARTY AT YOUR PLACE!!!” she said excitedly. At that moment, the cheers in this room couldn’t be quieted.

 “Okay, okay…here we go. To the best cooks ever…the three sweetest girls I know! The housewife…”Freddie looked at Veronica “…the honey…” he looked at Chrissie “…and the heartthrob.” He looked at me. “Cheers darlings!” Freddie raised his glass. This was it. I shot my eyes over at Veronica who reached down and clanged her glass into John’s, pulling his lips into hers. Shit! That wasn’t hot enough…I was gonna’ have to make up for Veronica’s sweet and simple kiss.

 “Come here, sweetheart.” I said softly to Roger, pulling his face into mine. I kept my eyes shot sideways because I wasn’t gonna miss a moment of this if Brian got the hint and kissed Chrissie. I made it a point to get my tongue in Roger’s mouth, still watchin…

 Chrissie had tapped her glass into Brian’s, a huge smile spreadin’ across her face. She didn’t immediately take a drink. Brian’s hand was still on her back Chrissie leaned in a little closer to Brian. Her nose was almost touching his. Her brown eyes burned in to his. He could feel his hand slide down her back. Chrissie swallowed hard. Brian barely leaned his head forward, long brown-black curls touching Chrissie’s face. She could see the big black pupils of those angelic eyes very closely.

 “Chrissie…” Brian said very softly to her.

 “Huh?” her voice was very breathy.

 “Thank you…for makin’ all this.”

 “Uh huh…” was her incoherent response. I was still watchin’ very carefully. And then…like clockwork…they took a long drink of champagne. ‘Shit. So, close.’ I thought to myself. So damn close. I knew….this was far from over.