When I woke up the next morning I found myself in my room and not in the living room on the floor. The moment of truth had officially taken over.

"She beat me! I lost! I hate orange!" I said as I slammed my face back into my pillow in defeat.

I didn't mind in a way. I really like Regan. Her and my dad would make an awesome couple. She seems like the mom type and she doesn't have the permanent scowl on her face like my dad's second ex wife. After admitting my loss to myself I got out of bed and shuffled my way to the bathroom and did my girl business. I think I spend maybe less than a minute in the bathroom when there was a knock on my door.

"Yo! I'm on the crapper!" I shouted from my bathroom.

"That's gross Carly!" I heard Joey yell from my bedroom door.

"Well I'm not gonna hold my badder! Ya want me to die?"

"NOOOOO!" I heard Joey giggle.

"Ok then! Don't rush a girl when she has to pee!"

Joey was laughing so hard I almost felt like he was gonna per on himself!

"Your funny Carly!" He said still in his fit of laughter.

I flushed and washed my hands then met him by my door.

"What's up little dude?" I asked patting his bedhead.

"Dad said breakfast is ready."

I was confused that he said dad was even awake. Double checking the clock I noticed it was only 8:27AM.

"What's he doing up this early?" I asked Joey confused as he walked to the door to leave.

"Dad and Regan made breakfast this morning. Chocolate chip pancakes with powdered sugar and syrup! Mmmmmm!"

My eyes popped wide open almost instantly.

"What what did you say?" I asked him.

"Chocolate chip pancakes?"

"No before that."

"Dad and Regan made breakfast?"

The smile on my face was so huge that if my smiled any harder my brother could probably see my wisdom teeth.

"Are you ok?" Joey questioned.

"Yeah! You go ahead I'll be right down!"

I led Joey out and before the door hit the threshold I was overly ecstatic.

"She stayed the night!" I said to myself.

I screamed like a school girl and jumped on my bed several times letting my cartoon excitement take me over. This was the first step in rekindling their relationship. Maybe he just might take my advice and marry her after all! I leaped from my bed and to my door flinging it open happily. I was running so fast down the hallway it didn't even feel like I was running at all. I felt like I was flying! Oh I couldn't wait to get to breakfast! Once I got downstairs I was greeted by the receptionist and my uncle Andre.

"Good morning little lady!" I heard uncle Dre say once I reached the bottom.

"Hey uncle Dre! What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see your old man and you guys. I have some late gifts for you. Where's Joe boogie?"

"He's in the kitchen having breakfast with my dad and my dad's old flame."

"Aw hell Mayte's here!" He said throwing up his arms.

"No his other old flame."

"Manuela?"

"NOOO! The other old flame."

He thought hard for a minute and after a while he couldn't figure it out at all.

"I give up mama. You got me stumped."

"Are you serious? Come on uncle Dre you know who I'm talking about. Carmel skin curly dark brown hair very pretty? She said you've always had a thing for her until my dad 'stole' her away from you?"

He soon began to get the picture.

"She's back! Why didn't Skip call me? Come on mama we got breakfast plans!" He said excited as he dragged me back to the kitchen with him.

When we got there we found Regan and Joey sitting at the table. She watched in delight as Joey stuffed a huge amount of pancake in between his cheeks. She noticed ups out of the corner of her eyes and quickly stood to her feet.

"Good morning beautiful. Welcome home." Uncle Dre said to her in his soft 'time to get me a woman' voice.

"Hello Cymone. It's good to be home." She said as she smiled at him.

"Hi uncle Andre!" Joey yelled as he chewed his food.

"Hey little man! Merry Christmas! I got you something that I know your gonna like!"

"You did? I got more presents?" He asked excited.

"You sure do! You and your sister! Finish up and we'll go open them!"

You couldn't tell Joey to eat fast enough. He started scarfing down his breakfast without taking the time to chew it. My dad came in from behind us and reprimanded Joey to slow down and chew his food before he choked.

"Yo Skip! Good morning!"

"How are ya Cymone. I see you ran into your girlfriend." My dad giggled.

"Really? I'm still in the room!" Regan snapped as her head shot up from the text she was sending.

"Baby you still trying to deny all of this?" My uncle retorted.

Regan rolled her eyes and went back to her texting.

"Oh god." She whispered in disgust.

"Uncle Dre. You know that's daddy's girl your mackin' on right?" I asked him crossing my arms.

"They ain't together anymore! She's all mine." He said as he rubbed his palms together.

"Ugh. Gross. Regan was right you are a creep!" I said to him before going over to the table Timmy breakfast.

Uncle Dre didn't seem to like that.

"Really Mouse? You think I'm creepy?" He asked her.

She raised her eyes to him and smiled.

"Yes Cymone. I've always thought you were creepy." She giggled.

My dad and Andre stood side by side and were shocked to hear Regan bash Andre.

"That was cold as outside Mouse." Uncle Dre said.

"Yeah Mouse stop being so mean." My dad said with a little chuckle.

Joey got up from the table with his plate and handed it over to the kitchen staff.

"I'm done daddy! Can I go with uncle Andre and open more presents with him?" He asked my dad with sticky lips.

My dad looked at his face and giggled.

"Go ahead buddy. I'll come watch in a second."

"Yaaaaaay! Come on uncle Andre! Let's go!"

Joey grabbed uncle Dre by his coat and used all of his 6 year old strength to pull him out of the kitchen.

"I'll see y'all in there. Let's go little man." He said as he followed my anxious brother.

My dad sat next to Regan in Joey's spot with a smile on his face as he watched her text.

"Unbelievable." He laughed as he watched her.

"What?" She asked looking at him confused.

"Why can't you just call the person you're texting. It's a lot faster than using your thumbs."

"Oh stop being such an old man and get with it. Everybody texts these days. You are the only person I know that doesn't own a cell phone. Well you and.......Patti LaBelle." She giggled.

"Hey Patti's smart just like me." My dad said as he softly touched her arm.

As I sat and watched their exchange I began to smile and eat in hopes that he would pop the question. He was just as gitty and flirtatious as she was. God just get married already! After their playful argument she got up from the table and placed her plate on the counter for the staff. I guess she knew that if my dad saw her washing her own plate he would make her leave it.

"I'm gonna go watch the little guy open his stuff. I'll see you later troll." She said as she ran her hand down his back as she walked out of the kitchen.

He looked up and watched her leave and his smile was apparent. I looked at him and then look back to see if she was out of earshot. Turning back to my dad I gave him his own side eye. He felt me looking at him and his eyes met mine.

"Don't give me that look little girl." He said to me.

"Mmmmmhmmmmmm. I saaaaaw that." I exaggerated.

"Saw what?"

"Come on dad you can't say that you don't have a thing for her when you obviously do."

He sat at the table and folded his hands.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well you can't stop staring at her, you're watching her every move, whenever she touches you your face turns pink, AND you let her stay the night. CLEARLY you love her."

"You got all of that from your thinking that I still have a thing for Regan?" He giggled.

"Uh yeah! Daddy stop denying it. Tell her! I'm sure she feels the same way. Don't let her get away again."

I got up from the table and sat my empty plate on the counter on top of Regan's. I went over to my dad and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll love you no matter what you do daddy. I just want you to be happy. Don't be afraid to trust your heart. Mani isn't around and you need to be with someone who we both know loves you for you. That some one his Regan!"

With that I left him in the kitchen to think about it. I really hope he considers it.