"Roger, I'm so happy you're back from touring." Mrs. Davis said hugging her son as he and Stacy walked in the house.
"Hi mom." he said smiling as he hugged his mother.
"You must be happy Roger's home early." Rita said hugging Stacy.
"You're not kidding. I come home from walking the kids to school with Janie and I go in my room to get my laptop and he's laying in our bed." Stacy said smiling at her.
"What a nice surprise." Mrs. Davis said hugging Stacy.
"What time is Joey bringing RJ over?" Roger asked smiling at them.
"Not until later. He took him to the boardwalk to show him where you used to play." Rita told him laughing.
"Oh lord. He didn't show him those tapes, did he?" Roger asked as Stacy laughed.
"Are you kidding? They had a special screening last night." Rita said laughing with her.
"Oh man." he said covering his face embarrassed.
"He wanted to see his dad in his glory." Stacy said smiling up at him.
"Oh yeah, my glory. Wearing my Springsteen headband trying to play the harmonica." he said laughing.
"Honey, you were 15. That was the Jersey rocker look." Stacy said patting his chest.
"I am never gonna live it down now." he said as he picked up their bag.
"Oh Roger stop. That boy worships the ground you walk on. He thinks the sun rises and sets by you." Mrs. Davis said smiling up at him.
"He does, you know." Stacy agreed smiling up at him.
"I just wish I wasn't missing so much with him being on tour." he said looking serious.
"Roger, like I've told you. It doesn't matter how much time you spend with him. It's what you do with the time that matters. He's growing up fine." Stacy told him leaning up to kiss him.
"I know. I'm gonna put the bags upstairs." he said caressing her face before going up stairs.
"Is he OK?" Rita asked watching him go up the stairs.
"Yeah, he just gets hit with regret for following his dream sometimes. I just have to tell him he's doing it for RJ and he's fine." Stacy said smiling at them.
"How are you guys doing with him being on tour?" Mrs. Davis asked looking at her.
"We're great. I'm so proud of him, you know? He's doing what he loves and he's so incredibly talented. But when he's gone, I'm a mess. But I have RJ and he calls me all the time. And when he comes home everything is amazing. I just hate when we have to say goodbye." she told them quietly trying not to cry.
"I know sweetie." Mrs. Davis said hugging her.
"Don't tell him, OK? Please. He's feeling enough guilt over RJ. I don't want to add to it." she said pulling away to look at her.
"Don't worry sweetie. But you really should talk to him about it. He would hate it that you were hurting so much over him being gone." Mrs. Davis said looking at her.
"What good is that gonna do mom? It's only gonna make him feel guiltier and he doesn't need that. I don't want him to give it up for me. He's too good, you know? No, I'm OK." she told her as Roger came down the stairs.
"What'd I miss?" he asked smiling at them.
"Nothing. Just girl talk." Stacy said smiling up at him as Mrs. Davis and Rita looked at each other.
"So what do you wanna do until Joey, Janet and RJ get here?" Roger asked smiling down at her.
"How about we just stay here and catch up with mom and Rita?" Stacy suggested smiling up at him.
"Sounds good to me Baby." he said leaning down to kiss her.
"Why don't you two go out? I don't think Joey and Janet are bringing the baby until later. I know Jack's been waiting for you to come home." Mrs. Davis told them smiling.
"Are you sure mom?" Roger asked looking down at her as he wrapped his arms around Stacy's waist.
"I'm positive sweetie. Go. Have fun." she said smiling at them.
"OK. Thanks mom." he said as they kissed them goodbye before leaving the house.
"Someone needs to talk to Roger." Rita said looking at her mother.
"Rita, you heard Stacy. She doesn't want him to feel more guilty than he already does." Mrs. Davis told her going into the kitchen.
"But mom, you saw how upset Stacy was getting." Rita said following her.
"I know honey. But it's between them." Mrs. Davis said putting on some tea.
"That's just it mom. It's not between them. Stacy is keeping it to herself. If Roger knew how she felt you know he would stop touring." Rita said sitting at the table.
"And that is exactly what Stacy doesn't want. You know what your brother's been through to finally realize his dream. If she told him how she felt, she would be taking it away from him. Would you want to do that to him after everything? I know I wouldn't." she said looking at her daughter.
"But mom..." she started before being cut off by her mother.
"Rita, no. Nobody is telling him anything. It's up to Stacy and she doesn't want us to tell him." Mrs. Davis told her as Rita looked down.
"Mom, I'm just worried about her." she told her quietly.
"Me too honey. But all we can do is be here for her when she needs us and help her like a family." Mrs. Davis told her caressing her cheek.
"I know mom." she said smiling at her.