Author's Note: Stacey chapter woo! Hope you like it and leave me some feedback. The next chapter will be a bit of a check up and maybe meet some of the guys the girls marry and some bonding while getting wedding things done. Enjoy!
Stacey had Charlotte with her helping her pick out some maternity clothes at her mother's clothing shop, The Unique Wardrobe, before it was about to close. She was only two months along but it was never too early for a shopping trip. Although Charlotte's style more jeans and tee shirts but at least it was easy to find.
"You know it's kind of hard to believe that you're getting married. I remember sitting for you when you were about eight and I read you A Cricket in Times Square for the first time together," said Stacey hanging something up. "And you're at wedding dress fittings and finding maternity clothes. I will be able to babysit right?"
"Only if you come in from New York more," said Charlotte picking up an orange top and putting it down, orange wasn't her color. Then decided on a green shirt. "I can't believe that I'm two months along already. I'm glad that we started closer to the wedding rather than later. I won't be showing yet even though only like ten people know."
"It'll be wonderful once the baby is here," she said thinking of her own family in the past decade or so, it really had gotten bigger since the divorce "I remember meeting my son for the first time. And my half-sister, Jade, and my step nephew."
Charlotte just laughed before Byron came to pick her up. She just watched as they held hands to walk to the theater. Stacey just remembering the day her own family grew so much. Starting with meeting her future step family. Smiling she went over and found her son, Alexander or Xander, helping her mom clean out the dressing rooms and she just hugged her four year old close.
I love planning wedding's and being able to help with Charlotte's is so much fun! Part of me really wishes to be in the wedding party but I know that she wanted me to be able to come and relax. Nevertheless, just talking with her about her family made me think of my own. I couldn't help but remember how embarrassing that it was to meet my future stepbrother for the first time.
Sophomore year was just kind okay, I thought, walking home with Claudia. It had just started and not much different from freshman year. Claudia was telling me how her schedule would lighten up some with more art classes.
"Did hear about the game?" asked Claudia. "Trent Wright helped us when that big game against Circleville."
"Yea, the football teams doing great and I can't wait for homecoming, I have my dress picked out. I kind of wish I could go with Trent," I said confiding with her. "Anyway, don't forget I'm still helping you with math."
Numbers just fascinated me just as much as clothes. Like for example today I had on black boots, black tights, and a black short sleeve dress with a white collar. My hair twisted into two French braids that met in the middle and combined down the back. I had on silver earrings, and a simple silver bracelet on my left wrist. I always get dressed up for school, that's what made it fun to go to class sometimes.
"Please," she said. "Later okay? I have to sit for the Rodowsky's," said Claudia before I waved her off.
Humming to myself I walked up the front path to see my mom's boyfriend's car parked. I have met him a few times never really got to know him much. Between math club, pep squad, dance committee, baby-sitting, and spending time with my friends I didn't have much time to spend with him.
I could hear them laughing in the dining room and I paused outside the door. There was a new voice that sounded familiar.
"Stacey!" called out my mom and I had to go in now.
That was when I felt my jaw practically drop. The star football player and basketball player was in my living room. Trenton Wright was in my living room.
"Hi," I said trying to keep my voice cool not looking at him for too long. "Mom, Douglas…"
"Hi Stacey," said Douglas from his spot. Mom's boyfriend is pretty cool, he's an electrician that works with the city. Douglas makes my mom happy which makes me happy and he always dresses nice too, which is a bonus. "This is my son Trent, you might know him from Stoneybrook High School."
I just nodded and looked at Trent who just smiled at me. He had a really cute smile and slightly floppy hair that he brushed away from his face.
"Yea, I heard the football team won last night," I said still not freaking out too much. One of the most popular seniors at Stoneybrook High School was sitting my living room. "I'm Stacey."
"Nice to meet you," he said looking at my closely. "I think I've seen you around before."
He saw me before? Oh my gosh that didn't freak me out or anything.
"Anyway, we're going to go out to dinner here shortly Stacey," said my mom and I barely heard her. I was going out to dinner with my mom, her boyfriend, and Trent. I needed to get into something cute quick and mom for that matter.
I hurried up and changed into something nicer than usual in hopes of impressing him. Plus, I had to call Claudia once I reached my room safely. She was excited for me and then added something that I never thought of before.
"What if your mom marries him?" asked Claudia. "I mean then you'd be related to him and you couldn't go to homecoming with him. What if he's not as nice as we think he is?"
Oh I hadn't thought of that before slowly nodding along. I had to be careful around Trent more then I thought I would. That way mom wouldn't get hurt and my reputation wouldn't be damaged. I really did like Douglas though and I wouldn't want to ruin my mom's happiness because I messed something up.
After some thought I decided on a pair of dark washed jeans, a white boatneck top, kept the braids in my hair, and switched jewelry to colorful earrings that Mrs. Walker (my neighbor in New York) gave me. I went from being excited to nervous then I should be. Slowly we had made our way across town to Friendly's for dinner.
Mom and Douglas were talking about something or another. Trent doing his math homework on the car ride and I wondered how he did that. I had to make a good impression and I had to make sure mom was happy too.
"You want to sit next to me Stacey?" asked Trent as we were being led to a booth. Then he lowered his voice. "I want to make sure that my dad sits next to your mom if that's okay?"
"Fine with me anything to push them together," I said and quickly added. "I'd like to sit next to you anyway…"
Trent looked at me a little puzzled and I just turned a little pink. Oh no. This was going to be ruined before he gestured for me to get in first next to the window. Yikes, what if someone saw us? Still flustered I sat down next to him.
"So, Stacey," he said. "How well do you think my dad and your mom are getting along?"
"Good, she really likes him," I said looking at him closely, he seemed nervous. "You really want them to hit it off I guess?"
"Yea, I'm going to college next year and I don't want to see him alone. My dad's really important to me and your mom makes him happy." That was when I gave him a real genuine smile. They had to be close and my crush on him pretty died during dinner. He was more focused on his dad and learning about him was interesting.
He wasn't a geek or anything outside of school. Trent was just normal and not a bad guy or anything special. Huh. Trent did have a lot of neat stories and interesting things to say. Not only that but watching my mom and Douglas was sweet. He would crack those terrible jokes that my mom liked so much.
Later when they left, I had sat down with my mom while she worked on some paperwork for her store. I had homework sprawled out in front of me. Both of us working quietly and quickly since my math was already done. I had already read the chapter in The Wave for English. Now I had history and a worksheet in front of me looking up the answers.
"Stacey," said my mom looking at me and nervous. "How do you feel about Douglas and Trent?"
"Oh my gosh mom are thinking about getting married to him?" I asked sitting up straight my mind going straight to wedding bells. She looked startled at me and flushed herself.
"Well, kind of maybe, we had discussed it," she said stuttering. "Stacey…."
"I know that you'll always love me and just because you're getting married doesn't mean that I will be pushed out of your life," I said getting to the gist of it. I never had to worry about my mom getting remarried like my dad. My dad was a little standoffish and wasn't around as much where I did worry a little there. Mom was always here, and we knew each other best.
My mom just hugged me tightly and brushed back a piece of my hair. "You do really like him?"
I thought about Douglas, there was a lot to like about him. He was funny in a dad way, gave good advice, and he dressed nicely. "Yea and he makes you happy, which is just as important as my own happiness."
"Then we have things to discuss," she said kissing me. "Would you like some popcorn?"
I nodded and focused on my homework and silently added in my mind, I'd get a neat brother too.
So that's my story for this journal entry. I don't know if this is the greatest gift her. Are we giving this to her? If we are I have my piece of advice added right here: from my experience go with what makes you the happiest and I look forward to the expanding family Charlotte.
Stacey had picked up her son about ready to drop after helping his grandmother clean up the shop. Xander had yawned and promptly fell asleep in her arms. He was just so cute with his dark hair freshly cut earlier that morning. She had just gotten off the phone with her assistant at work about some new medicine going on. She worked at a pharmaceutical company that worked with diabetes advancement, in the finance department.
"Hey Alex?" she asked looking at her husband who had just picked her up.
"Yea?" he asked holding Xander himself.
"What do you say about adopting?" she asked knowing that she could have children of her own, but the pregnancy more difficult then she imagined it would be.
"I'll start the paperwork," said Alex kissing her head. "If that's what you really want, I know I've been thinking about another baby."
"Really? Well then I think you, Alexander Leighton Ellison the fifth, and I share the same brain," she said kissing him lightly running her hand through his black hair. Maybe it was now time to add a new baby into the mix.