After the Loss

by melanie.campbell.3348

This is my sequel to my story, "The Loss." I always felt bad adding more to the original story, but felt that was what my readers wanted. I decided to make us both happy, and leave the original where I wanted and a sequel where they would like it to continue. Everyone is happy. So, this is a JE, Babe, taking place after the loss. Enjoy!

10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

A/N: Text are in bold and internal thoughts are in Italic.

"Grandma?"

"Stephanie? I've been so worried. How are you, sweetheart?" I could hear the relief in her voice.

"Is that Stephanie? Give me the phone!" I could hear my mother demand in the background. I smiled and sipped my morning coffee while I listened to the struggle for Grandma's cell phone.

"She called me!" Grandma fought back.

"Is she alright? Has she been eating? Tell her to come home. She needs us." My mother pleaded.

"I'm sure Stephanie knows what she needs, Helen." I heard a door slam, then a whisper. "Okay, I've locked myself in the bathroom. It's just you and me now."
I could hear my mother pounding on the door and threatening grandma with no dessert or bingo for a month. "How are you, hun?"

"It's good to hear your voice." My chest filled with warmth. "I've missed you."

"Of course you have." She laughed. "What are you waiting for? Come get me and we can drive to Atlantic City."

Yep. That's my Gram. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for a roundtrip just yet. How about we start with me coming by for lunch?"

She hushed me. "You better not let your mother hear that. Better to just show up. If you give her time to prepare, you'll arrive to a full house and a holiday dinner."

My eyes widened with horror. "I'm definitely not ready for that. Thanks for the advice. Tell Mom I'll call her tomorrow and I had to go lie down."

We ended the call with a plan. Now, to follow through with it. I needed to see my family and I was ready. I love them, but sometimes it's a bit overwhelming. They like to take control and my mother never understood why I didn't want her life. It was her dream for me to marry, have kids, and live in the Burg. We would be over every Sunday for dinner just like my sister, Valerie, does. It's not a bad dream, it's just not mine. I crave adventure and would make a horrible housewife. My mom does it well. She runs the house, is a great cook, and is a pillar in the community. Unlike me, who is known throughout the Burg as a screw up and the extent of my cooking is making a PB and olive sandwich. Before Carlos, I didn't even own a toaster! I sighed. "I'm going to need lots of mascara for courage today."

Thanks for reading!