Just One Kiss

Mow Down

The next morning everyone greeted each other in the kitchen for breakfast. Nick walked in sniffling and sneezing. Everyone turned to look at him and he froze in place.

"I'm not sick! I wake up like this every morning." He looked at everyone and stared out the window.

Someone was outside in the bare fields painting white lines and putting up little flags. "Uh...what's going on today?" He asked curiously.

"Good morning my ladies!" Henry greeted each of the women in the kitchen with a kiss on a cheek.

Something that made Nick's blood slightly boil. "That out there is Peter...he's getting everything ready for the big races this afternoon. I'm sure you will be participating?"

Nick looked around at all the expecting eyes. He cleared his throat, dreading the thought of another country game. What could they possibly be racing? Turtles? Horses? He didn't know how to even look at a horse.

"What exactly are we racing?"

Annie and Abby couldn't help but snicker at Nick's question. Henry also smiled, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He wandered the place like he owned it; which made Nick really jealous.

"Nothing out of the ordinary. It's just a bunch of folks racing on lawnmowers." Henry wiggled his eyebrows and walked out of the house.

Nick was still silent when he left and he turned to look back outside. Watching as they pushed the lawnmowers out into the field.

"You are shitting me!"

Annie joined him at the window and laughed. "No. Last year Abby won!"

He turned back to look at the pregnant girl scarfing down a pile of pancakes her mom had set at the table.

"What? I'm eating for two!"

"Huh? I didn't say anything."

Abby went back to cutting her stack of pancakes and Annie leaned over to whisper into Nick's ear. "She's knocked up! Sensitive. Hungry. Grouchy. Remember that." She walked away, while Nick nodded confused.

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"I'm not sure I even know how to work a lawnmower." Nick was trying to make up all kinds of excuses to avoid having to participate, but his excuses were going unheard or more like ignored.

He was dreading that he would ruin yet another outfit and that he'd really make a fool out of himself this time. "It's pretty basic city boy...you just push the pedal and then it goes...of course, it's much slower than a car."

"No shit!" Nick retorted.

The place was crawling with people once again. Which Nick found a bit unconventional since it was Thanksgiving day.

"Are you ready?" Abby asked with a smile.

Nick returned the gesture, "Don't have much of a choice. Got my number..." he held up the white paper with the number seven.

"Ow!" Abby's hand flew to her side and she doubled over.

"What is it? Are you in labor?" Nick bent down.

"No! Nick Carter, I can't be in labor I'm only four months! The baby kicked me."

Nick scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "Uh...kicked you like it's kicking your ass...kick or it's moving around...kick?"

"Are you serious?" Nick shrugged his shoulders innocently waiting for Abby's response. "It was more of a flutter, but it was pretty strong. Ugh."

They were interrupted by her mother who was now announcing the lawnmower race. The contestants finished putting their numbers on and went off to pick their rides. Nick looked around and settled onto a blue one. He had no clue how to even turn it on.

"Key in the ignition." Henry pointed and smirked. The man was sitting with his mower already on, it was shaking right under him, but he looked cool and calm.

Nick mocked him under his breath and turned the key. He was startled as the machine started to rumble and shake between his legs.

"Crap!" He muttered looking around at the rest of the contestants. He pushed the pedal once and the mower rumbled and shook.

A pretty petite girl stood in front of the mowers and raised a handkerchief. "On your mark...get set...GO!" She let the handkerchief fall to the ground and slowly moved out of the way.

Nick pushed the pedal as far as he could, but the mower moved at its almost snail pace. Some were already rounding the corner ahead, others were crashing into the hay stacks and some hadn't even made it past the line. He was excited his was even moving.

"See you at the finish line, city boy!" Henry teased passing him slowly.

They rode side by side taunting each other and taking turns inching forward and backwards. Nick did well on the first couple of turns and was getting the hang of his mower, when someone crashed into his back end and sent him swerving towards the hay. He fought to control himself.

"So, how long are you going to have that boy doing dumb things?" Annie questioned Abby as they stood watching the race.

Abby shrugged. "I don't know, Annie. Would these dumb activities really count as taking Nick seriously? I mean, we are going to be parents. What if we are too screwed up already?"

"You are one dramatic momma!" Annie swung an arm over her little sister's shoulder. "You two are not screwed up. You met in a weird way...you fell in love with each other and went on instinct...people got hurt. People get hurt all the time when it comes to love. It's the game." Annie shrugged.

Abby giggled. "You sound so smart sometimes."

"HEY! I'm just saying that he came all the way out here to find you. Yes, I know it took him a while, but we can blame that on the smoker bitch and dad. Plus, he's a moron for not finding out...oh shit...your boy is going to crash into a tree."

The two girls watched as Nick swerved missing Henry by an inch and headed towards a tree. Nick was in panic mode and he wasn't sure what to do next. So he thought about saving himself and sacrificing the lawn mower. He jumped off the thing and rolled around the grass and watched as it slowly hit the tree and continued its way into the woods.

Everyone went silent as they looked on. Seconds later there was a loud explosion and then a loud thump.

"Shit!" Nick muttered, unable to turn to look at anyone.