Chapter 4:
Stephanie went back to her hotel room before the party. When she arrived her phone started ringing.
"Hello mom."
"Hey Steph, someone here wants to say hello."
"Ok put my baby on." Stephanie says smiling
"Mama I miss you." Stephanie's two year old daughter Emily whined.
"I know hunny I miss you too but mommys gotta work." Stephanie said about to cry hearing her daughter
"Me come to work with you."Emily says
"Maybe next weekend Grandma could bring you to work to see mommy alright. Now you be a good girl and mommy will see you soon alright Emmy . I love you sweetheart." Stephanie says wiping a tear from her cheek.
"I wuv you too mama. Muahh. I gave you kiss over the phone." Emily giggles.
"Put grandma back on please Em."
"Mom could you bring Emily down to see me next weekend?" Stephanie asks
"Yes dear. Get some rest and relax." Linda says and then they hang up.
Paul why did you divorce me before I got the chance to tell you about her? Stephanie asks herself looking at a picture of her and Emily from her 2nd birthday party.
Stephanie got up and left to go to the party.
"Hey I didn't think you were coming." Paul says greeting her at the door.
"Well here I am." Stephanie says holding back tears.
"Whats wrong you look like your gonna cry." Paul says
"Nothing is wrong alright.' Stephanie says looking down at the floor.
"Steph I know you too well, I know when something is wrong with you." Paul says sweetly.
"What do you want from me? You fucin divorced me now you want me back Paul I don't get you at all." Stephanie screams and then walks out of the party.
Stephanie went back to the hotel and cried herself to sleep. She missed being married to Paul and wished she could tell him about Emily.
The next morning at work Paul knocked at Stephanie's office door about 10 minutes after she had gotten into the room.
" Who is it?" Stephanie called through the door not really wanting to see anyone.
"Can I come in?" Paul asked
"What do you want Paul?" Stephanie asks opening the door
"Look Steph I know we aren't together anymore but I would like to be friends with you. I was worried about you last night. You looked upset." Paul says handing her the dozen of red roses he bought for her.
"Why did you buy me these?" Stephanie asks wanting so much to kiss him.
"Because you're my friend." Paul says touching the side of her face softly.
"You still have such a way with words Paul." Stephanie says and smiles putting the roses in a vase on her desk.
"I know, so what was wrong yesterday?" He asked
"Well my friend came to visit yesterday and I wasn't too happy." Stephanie says
"What friend, oh never mind I get it." Paul says and laughs.
"Well sorry to disappoint you but I got work to do so you gotta leave." Stephanie says
"Alright I'll talk to you later." Paul says and then leaves.
"I gotta talk to Chris I stood him up yesterday." Stephanie says to herself. She takes out her cell phone and dials his number.
"Hello Chris speaking." He says picking his phone up.
"Hey Chris it's Steph do you think you could stop by my office so I can talk to you?" She asks
"Sure I'll be right there." Chris says and hangs up.
A few minutes later Chris walks into Stephanie's locker room.
"Hey Steph what do you need?" Chris asks sitting down on her couch
"Look I'm sorry about last night." Stephanie says sitting next to him.
"It's no problem. We'll go out some other time no big deal." Chris says smiling.
"You are so sweet do you ever get mad?" Stephanie asks moving closer to Chris.
"Sorry Steph I don't kiss on the first date so your gonna have to find someone else what do I look like a whore?" Chris asks laughing
"I wasn't going to kiss you Chris." Stephanie says starting to move down away from him.
"Wait Steph I got to tell you a secret come here." Chris says pulling her closer to him.
"What?" She asks before he kissed her. She kissed him back it had been a long time since she has kissed anyone. But after a few minutes she pulled back.
"Chris we shouldn't not here." She says putting her hand on his lips
"I have wanted to do that for so long Steph. It was just like I imagined it." Chris says and pushes stephanies stray hair behind her ear.
"You mean you liked me all this time?" Stephanie asks
"Yeah but I never got the chance to tell you, I was going to right after you and Paul got a divorce but you left before I got the chance to." Chris says
"Wow I never knew it. I don't know what to say." Stephanie says
"You don't have to say anything your eyes say it all." Chris says and kisses her softly on the lips.
"I'll see you later?" She asks as he gets up from the couch
"Yeah tonight." He says walking out of the room.