Changes: A Year in the Life

You never know when you're life will change forever. You just have to live as if every day could be your last and accept the sad fact that the day before your life changes is just like any other day. However, together we can climb every wall, kick in every door. We will make it.

Preface: Home Sweet Home

Now entering Mission Hills. She was starting to think she would never drive past that sign again. She had left home as soon as that high school diploma touched her hand. She ran off to Ohio following a star stuck boy with dreams of playing in the NFL. Everyone told her she was nuts. That there was no love that strong. That he would be cut from the team before spring training. She just smiles as she looks over at him sitting in that driver's seat. They proved everyone wrong. He played center for the Bengals for five years. She went to the University of Cincinnati and graduated with honors with degrees in accounting and art history. Now that he had been traded to the Chiefs they could go home with their heads held high. "You know this is our first fourth in KC." She said as she looked over at him as he pulled into her parent's driveway.

"If you want we can repeat last year's Christmas party." He said with a laugh as she looked at her. She just smacked his chest.

"Keep it up Conroy and I will never light your world up again." She said as she smiled at him. She was leaning in to kiss him when her brother's voice came out of nowhere.

"THERE HE IS!" Toby yelled causing Tank to get out of the car. She just followed suite and before she knew she was hugging her brother for the first time in a year. "Victoria did not believe me when I said that the Tank Conroy was going to be here." He said to her. Victoria was Toby's girlfriend that he meet at Washington University. Much to everyone's surprise they had been together for almost a year now. It looked iffy for a while when she found out that he was a divorcee, but they seemed to work through it. They also were in the process in moving back to KC.

"Hello, Bay. I have missed you so much. Sorry I missed your graduation. How have you been?" She said as she looked at her brother. "Forget caring about me you just want to impress your girlfriend with my boyfriend." She said with a sigh as she walked away.

They set up a table in the front yard. It was an old fashioned block party. She laid out all the vegetarian meals that she could think of making and greeted old friends. Sometimes it feels like nothing changes in East Riverside. But, in moments like this she sees that as a good thing. She looked over at her husband and she knew that having him in her life made her realize the importance of this day. He was in the army. He enlisted when he was nineteen. It wasn't until he got back from his first tour of duty that they feel in love. Then when he was called to go back they eloped. She was barely eighteen and still in high school. But, it's been six years and they still love each other, so that must mean something. "You're mother has lost her mind." He said and signed for her as he watched her mother pull veggie burgers off the grill. "Wearing a Bengals jersey and a Conroy one at that. Adrianna can play better than he does." He said as he referenced her grandmother.

"She is only doing it to bug you. She couldn't tell you anything about that jersey beside the guy's name." She replied as smiled at him. "This is where you say. Yes, you're right. No one is as smart as you Daphne Mendoza."

A/N: A very short preview of a story in which the switch was not revealed until the girls are older. They are 23 at the start of this. I came up with this ideal when I noticed a demand for stories in which Bay is not pregnant in high school. I hope you enjoy this story.

-Willow