"Richie, remember what I told you. My son better not come home tattooed or pierced." Stacy said pointing to her brother.
"I won't sis, I promise." He smiled looking down at her as they left the apartment.
"So what are you up to today?" Stacy asked looking up at Roger.
"Me and Mark are going over to hang out with Collins. So you have the day all to yourself." He smiled leaning down to kiss her.
"But I don't want the day all to myself." She whined looking up at him.
"Maybe you can get some writing done." He smiled caressing her hair.
"I'll try. I love you." She smiled looking up at him.
"I love you too Stace." He smiled kissing her again before leaving the apartment. As she looked around the apartment there was a knock at the door. "Mom, what are you doing here?" she asked as she opened the door.
"I was wondering if you were busy today?" she suggested smiling at her daughter.
"You know what mom, I'm not. Do you want to spend the day together?" Stacy asked smiling at her mother.
"I would love to sweetie." Mrs. Bukovinsky answered as Stacy opened the door wider to let her in.
"Mom, I'm glad you're here." Stacy smiled as they sat on the couch.
"This is a beautiful apartment Stacy. I love all the pictures you have of Roger and RJ." She smiled looking around.
"Yeah, they are my photogenic boys." She smiled looking around with her.
"So Stacy, how come you and Roger only had one child? Is it because of your HIV?" Mrs. Bukovinsky asked as Stacy folded her hands on her lap and looked up at her mother with tears in her eyes.
"Mom, about 4 years ago I was pregnant, but when I was a little over 3 months I had cysts on my fallopian tubes and I miscarried. It did so much damage, I had to have a hysterectomy. We were so devastated mom. It almost tore me and Roger apart. But we got past it and we're stronger now than we've ever been. That's when I decided to go back to performing. I hadn't performed since RJ was 5 months old. I never loved it as much as Roger did and raising RJ was what I wanted to do. And then when I had the miscarriage, I felt like I needed to do it again. I mean, RJ was older and I thought it was about time I got a life." She said looking over at her mother. They both had tears in their eyes.
"I'm so Sorry Stacy." She cried looking over at her.
"I'm fine mom. I mean, it was really tough for me to get past, but I did. With Roger's help. He never gave up on me. No matter how many times I sent him away. No matter how many times I yelled at him that I didn't need him to take care of me because I could take care of myself, he was there. He never let me push him away. He's incredible mom." She smiled wiping her eyes.
"He's a good man Stacy. I'm so glad you have each other." Mrs. Bukovinsky said taking Stacy's hand.
"He really is mom. Since the night we met, he's done nothing but respect me and protect me." Stacy said smiling up at her mother.
"Good sweetie. Because you deserve the best." She said smiling at her. "So tell me about Mrs. Davis." She said changing the subject.
"She's amazing mom. She always accepted me for who I was. HIV and all. You would really like her mom. I was thinking maybe next weekend since me and Roger don't have a show, we can have a little get together in Jersey." She smiled wiping her eyes more to dry them.
"That's a wonderful idea Stacy. I would really like to meet her. I want to thank her for taking such good care of my daughter until I came to my senses." She said as Stacy leaned over to hug her.
"Mom, you really hurt me when you and dad threw me out after I told you about my HIV, but I found an amazing group of people who served as the best family I ever could have asked for. They've always treat me as if I've always been here, you know?" she asked looking over at her as she leaned her elbows on her legs.
"I'm glad Stacy. You did not deserve to be turned away. We were just so scared for you and didn't understand much about it when you first told us. Obviously we looked it up and learned more about it." She said holding her hand.
"I know mom. Life is too short and valuable to dwell on things like that. We have now and that's all that matters. Roger and our friends taught me that." Stacy smiled looking into her mother's eyes.
"Thank you for forgiving me Stacy. I don't deserve it." Mrs. Bukovinsky said as Stacy hugged her again.
"Everyone deserves it mom. It's never too late." She said smiling at her.
"Sweetie, that would be incredible." Mrs. Davis said smiling at the phone.
"Really? You wouldn't mind?" she asked sitting on the bed.
"Of course, I'd love to meet your family." She smiled sitting on the couch.
"Maybe Joey, Ree and Janet can come too. I could use all the support I can get." She said nervously.
"Sweetie, everything is gonna be OK. I promise you that." Mrs. Davis said smiling at the pictures that hung in the Davis living room of Roger, RJ and Stacy.
"I know it will be. I love you mom." She said laying back on the bed.
"I love you too my sweet girl." Mrs. Davis smiled before they hung up the phone. As Stacy laid down on the bed she thought of the family that she had acquired. They had been so supportive of her over the years and now with her real family back in her life, she wanted to make them a part of this family too. She began looking around the bedroom at all the pictures of the family, when Roger walked into the bedroom.
"Hey Baby. Are you feeling OK?" he asked seeing her laying down.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just thinking." She smiled looking up at him as he laid down next to her.
"About what?" he asked putting his arms around her.
"Everything. We have a great family, don't we?" she asked turning over to look at him.
"Yeah, we really do." He smiled leaning in to kiss her.
"Where's RJ?" she asked raising her arms to run her fingers through his hair.
"Mark took him and Sammie to a film festival, so they should be gone for hours." He smiled leaning in to kiss her.
"Oh really? I like the sound of that." She smiled looking up at him as she held him tight.
"I figured you would." He smiled caressing her face as he began to kiss her again.