Oliver climbed out of the fountain, wet from head to toe and looking utterly pissed off. And why wouldn't he be? He had dressed up so smartly yet once again, to try and seduce Elli, but of course this plan had to be ruined too by none other than a flying suitcase dropping on top of him so that they could drown hand in hand into the fountain. How predictable!

Oliver could feel water droplets dripping down his eyelashes, nose and chin. His new, body fitting t-shirt that the boy in the mall had said - would show off his sexy muscles - was wet now, so was his perfectly gelled up hair as well. Thick strands were messily pasted to his forehead. 

"What have I ever done to you, Evan?" Oliver bellowed. "Had I teased you sister? Kidnapped your son? Stole your boxers?" He pointed a finger at Evan and shook it crazily.

Evan didn't have time for this, from his peripheral vision he could see Ramona eyeing the suitcase and the gate. "It was a damn accident, Oliver. Stop over reacting and go to where you were going, I've other severe things in hand right now."

"An accident?" Oliver looked stunned. "My foot. I know you were aiming to break my neck, what I don't know is why."

Evan controlled his rising temper and thought to ignore Oliver. Turning back he faced Ramona who had just made up her mind to leave that damn suitcase behind, she didn't want to go fishing for that in the fountain. Her passport and money were in handbag safely, and that was all she needed to go back home.

"Hey, hey..." Evan grabbed one edge of her handbag now. He was planning to throw it off too, anything to stop her.

"Just let me go, Evan." Ramona sobbed in frustration now, one angry tear made it's way down her left eye.

Evan felt like a wave of deep pain hit him at the sight of that tear. It was much like that one day back in Montpelier where Ramona had so hilariously accused him of kidnapping his own son. That was the very first moment when this woman had begun worming her way into his heart. 

"No, Ramona. It's not happening. I can't let you go, please let's just go inside and talk." Evan was about to gather her up in his arms. But...

Oliver groaned still standing in the sideline. He threw his hands up in disbelief. "Come on! What is this? The twilight saga - eclipse of the moon!! First you hate the very sight of her, yet you romance with her in a bloody tornado, then it's her who doesn't want to see you, but then you guys wake up the neighbors being were-hyenas in the middle of night, and then again you want her to leave you alone and the very next day when she's trying to do just that - you don't want that anymore and throw suitcases around on innocent people! Make up your mind, people."

Ramona tried to push away Evan's hand from her handbag but his hand didn't loosen. Evan glared at Oliver, hard.

Oliver pointed at Evan's hand again. "And see, now you want to throw that handbag on me."

Evan had had enough finally. He bellowed in rage. "Oliver! I want you gone in three seconds or..."

"Or?" Oliver challenged.

This would have turned into a bloodshed of some sort but Elli's booming voice made everyone pause and turn their heads to look at her. "ENOUGH!"

"Do you guys even remember that there's some kids inside the house? And no... I don't even want to know what the freaking hell is going on over here." Elli bounced baby Julius in her lap who was glancing at everyone with wide eyes, deer caught in headlight look in his sleepy orbs. He was too surprised to even decide if he wanted to begin crying or not. And when his eyes fell on Ramona, he lifted a hand up wanting her to carry him away from all the shouting.

The sight made Ramona now sob with her eyes closed. This was what she feared, one look from Julius, one apology from Evan, and she would never want to leave again. But she had to, because she knew that whatever Evan was doing right now was out of pity. She didn't dare to think anything other than that for she was scared to be hopeful of something that would just prove to be some delusion. 

Right next to Elli, another figure appeared out of the house. Brandan was watching from a window, he didn't want to interrupt Evan and Ramona in their very personal issue that they needed to figure out by themselves. But clearly nothing was so personal anymore. The moment that suitcase landed on Oliver, Brandan knew it was going be a war zone if not interrupted. And now, even the kids were out here watching the drama unfold. 

Time to put an end to it.

Brandan spoke in a calm but very serious tone as all the eyes stopped on him. "Guards... close the gate this instant. Everyone, inside the house, right now." 

From the corner of eyes, Brandan saw Oliver strip off his wet t-shirt and put on a sexy pose - flexing his muscles in front of Elli. What a looser! Elli shared the same opinion apparently and left with the kids swaying her hips arrogantly with an angry - "HUH."

Evan and Ramona were still standing there, tension palpable in the air around them. Brandan sighed. "Ramona, may I have a word with you? A storm is coming, all the flights are cancelled for the night anyways." Brandan slowly approached Ramona while giving Evan a meaningful look. A storm was truly coming but about all the flights cancelling - that was a lie for a good cause - Brandan kept telling himself.

Evan let her go, to have her back - later but soon. He watched as Ramona walked back inside the house ushered by Brandan. She was furiously wiping her swollen eyes.

Someone tapped on Evan's shoulder and he was forced to remove his eyes from Ramona's retreating form. Turning his face he saw Oliver next to him. 

Evan sighed in frustration.

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Brandan watched Ramona from his peripheral vision as they sat on the terrace, there was a gazebo in which he and Emma enjoyed having evening tea or coffee sometimes, it was a place of some of their very romantic moments too. Brandan smiled as Ramona calmed Julius on her lap. He knew she had not stayed back because of the storm or the cancelled flights, but for that little kid that seemed to have her wrapped around his cute little finger.

The click-clack noise of heels on marble floor made Brandan turn his head to see Emma walking down towards them. He stood up to greet his lovely fiance with a passionate kiss.

Ramona watched as Brandan and Emma kissed, anyone could see how much they loved each other. She carefully sighed silently and hugged Julius closer, the boy was speaking all the incoherent things existing under the sky and beyond. 

Emma looked empathetically at Ramona as Brandan sat her by his side snugly. 

"Ramona..." Emma began unsurely only to have Ramona cut in with a sigh.

"I've made my decision, Emma. I can't take your brother's pity, not that. I'll leave in the morning."

Emma didn't know what to say, she knew Evan loved Ramona as much Ramona loved Evan. But it wasn't her place to make her see that. It didn't mean that she wouldn't do whatever she could to help this troubled couple a little. And also, Emma didn't want to see Julius motherless once again, and she also knew Ramona wouldn't be happy without Evan and Julius. 

"At least, stay until my wedding." Emma pleaded. "I really want you as one of my bridesmaid, Ramona. If you want, I'll have a separate room arranged for you here in my home and a separate living arrangement in Hawaii. You won't even have to share a room with my fool of a brother. Please, Ramona, don't say no."

The saddened look on Emma's face caught Ramona in a very tricky position. It would be impossible to avoid facing Evan, separate room or living arrangement would hardly be of any help. But Emma, she had been so nice to her, Ramona could already tell her as her new found best girlfriend ever. How could she break her heart, thwart her request? Damn, Emma was basically begging now!

Another truth was that, for baby Julius, Ramona wanted to stay some more. Every moment with the little boy who called her mama was very special, he was going to be the only one to call her mama in her whole lifetime. And selfishly she wanted to soak it in. A part of her maybe also wanted to stay near Evan, selfishly, for some little more time. But she was wise to push that part away and lock it into one dark corner of her mind. She wouldn't allow it to interrupt her logical thinking.

Emma's soft touch on her hand made Ramona come out of her thoughts. "Ramona, so... would you stay?"

Sighing in defeat, Ramona nodded in positive.

Emma beamed. And someone might have cheered from behind a pillar and kicked off a jar of money-plant accidentally. But it was brushed away as meow - the kitten's tantrum. 

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That's it for now. Tell me how it was. Did you guys enjoy the chapter? 

Brandan !! After so long. I really enjoyed writing Oliver's dialogues in this chap. Did you guys liked them? Oliver's own story's going to be a romantic comedy, feeling a bit nervous about it. Anyways, what do you think will happen in the future, how will Evan win back our Ramona?

Any suggestion for me?

Take care, see you soon with the next chapter.
Lots of love!
- Lara.