#ninaposting

What nobody knew was that whenever Nina talked about Hawaii, she got homesick for the home and family she had left behind.

So, when some of her family members had called her and ask if she could help them with a cafe that they were building, she took this as a sign to make the decision to return home.

It was after the appreciation party that The Movers threw that Nina broke the news to The Movers, Flora, Claudia and Olivia that she was returning to Hawaii.

"What? But Cherry Tree Lane is your home!" Olivia stated, and as Nina, Flora, and Olivia were talking, Claudia took the opportunity to go over to The Movers, who were still shocked by Nina's news.

"You're The Imagination Movers, right? So fix this!" she explained, pointing to Nina.

"It's not an Idea Emergency, storm cloud." Scott stated gently, and Smitty nods.

"Yeah, we can't force her to stay."

"One of my best friends is moving away, and I might not see her again: and that's not an Idea Emergency?" Claudia asked, and when The Movers said nothing, Claudia just glares at them, and as she was walking away, Smitty calls her back.

"Rich might be able to make her stay."

Claudia turns around.

"What do you mean?" she asked, and Rich looks at Smitty.

"I don't know, Smitty. What if she still wants to leave, even if I do say it? Like you said, we can't make her stay."

Claudia looks at Rich then.

"Rich, if you don't say something to her--"

Rich cuts off Claudia in mid sentence, blushing.

"I love her. That's what Smitty means when he says I can make her stay by saying how I feel about her."

Claudia was silent, and then she turns around, looking over her shoulder at Rich.

"Come on, drummer boy."

"What, you mean now?"

"Yes, now!"

Rich turns to look at Smitty, Dave, and Scott for help, and Dave looks at him.

"This might be your one chance to tell her, Rich."

Rich nods, knowing that Dave was right as he follows Claudia over to Nina, Flora, and Olivia.

Nina, Flora, and OIivia stop talking when they see Claudia and Rich walking over to them, and Claudia looks at Nina.

"Nina, Rich has something to tell you."

"What is it?" Nina asked, and Rich could feel everyone's eyes on him.

"Do you think we could talk? Alone?" he asked, and Nina looks at him.

"But my flight.."

"It won't take long, I promise."

He leads her to the hallway that was closest to The Think Tank, and just as he was about to say something, Nina beats him to it.

"I know what you're going to say: but, my mind is made up. I miss Hawaii and I miss the family I have there."

"You have us as your family: you have me." Rich explains, reaching for her hand, and Nina backs away, but she gives him a small smile.

"I'm glad to have you as one of my best friends, Rich. That means a lot." Nina replies, giving him a hug, and Rich kisses the top of her head before letting her go, and Nina looks at him.

"'Bye, Rich. See you later."

Rich gives her a soft smile.

"'Bye, Nina. See you soon."

Nina gives him another smile, and then she was gone.

Rich was alone in the hallway, and he sighs.

He couldn't convince Nina to stay, and eventually he had to let her go.

"And I never got to tell her that I loved her since day one: always have, always will. It won't be the same without her."

Just as he was about to leave the hallway, something (make that someone) in a flash of pink and red was coming at him, almost tackling him to the ground.

It was Nina, with tears with her eyes.

"I heard what you said: and I realized you were right. You guys are my family, but it took me this long to realize that."

She leans in to kiss him on the lips, and when she pulls back, her face was tear-stained, but she was smiling.

"And I love you too."

Rich only smiles as he kisses her again.

Nina looked out into the main part of The Idea Cafe with Olivia, and was surprised to see Flora and Smitty getting food orders from customers (Nina already knew Rich and Dave were in the kitchen, making the food without one of Dave's inventions), and she could see Scott and Claudia working at the kitchen counter.

She looks at Olivia.

Olivia must have been tasked with keeping Nina company, and Olivia's gentle presence always calmed Nina down whenever she got overwhelmed, like today.

Before she got to reply, she was cut off by Claudia's harsh tone.

"...because Bernie would be really disappointed if he saw how you guys have been treating Nina lately."

Nina watched as Scott tried to (unsuccessfully) defuse the situation, and Nina realized she might have to be the one to defuse it.

With Olivia following behind her, Nina made her way to the to-go counter, and when Claudia looked to see who it was, her stormy expression soften when she saw it was Nina.

Nina gives Claudia's hand a gentle squeeze, and Nina smiles.

"Thanks for sticking up for me."

She looks past Claudia to give Scott a smile.

"And thank you guys for helping out."

Scott smiles back.

"We noticed how overwhelmed you've been, so Rich came up with the idea to help you out here."