Chapter 25—

The next morning started fairly early for Stephanie. She awoke about 5 AM, which was about 4 hours after she fell asleep. She wanted to take care of her morning hygiene issues before her parents needed the bathroom. It always took her more time in the morning than most. Stephanie recalled the days before her injury that she could be up, showered and dressed in less than twenty minutes. Now what would have taken twenty minutes takes at least an hour.

About 615 AM Stephanie emerged from her bedroom dressed and ready to go for the day. She rolled into the kitchen where she made a pot of coffee. She knew that her Dad would be waking up within minutes of the aroma of the coffee filled the air. As she poured herself a cup, she saw her Dad emerge from the guest bedroom. Of course, Bill was a morning person, and it did not matter if he got eight hours of sleep or four he was always very happy in the morning.

"Good Morning." Bill said grabbing a cup off the counter.

"Morning, Dad. Is sleeping beauty still sleeping?" Stephanie said referring to her mother.

"Come on Stephanie; be nice, she is your mother." Bill said with his morning perkiness.

"I will try if she does." Stephanie replied with a yawn

"How did you sleep last night?" Bill asked trying to change the subject.

"I slept fine… just not enough of it." Stephanie replied with another yawn.

"Then why are you up so early?" Bill questioned.

"Because I wanted to get my morning routines out of the way before you and Mom needed to use the bathroom. It takes me a lot longer now to get ready in the mornings." Stephanie replied casually.

"Stephanie, are you sure you are doing ok medically?" Bill asked with concern.

"Yeah, I got a clean bill of health about a week ago, why?" Stephanie said curiously.

"I just want to make sure. You know what… I think I am going to head into the shower before your mother wakes up." With that Bill headed into the shower… and twenty minutes later he was shaven, clean and dressed.

Stephanie was sitting at her desk reading her emails and talking on the phone to Jeremy. She had called Jeremy to talk about the transportation issues. Then Denise got on the phone and said that Frank would pick up Bill to go golfing at about 845 AM, and then she would meet Beth and Stephanie around 1000 AM at the mall.

"Well, do you suppose I should wake your mother up?" Bill asked.

"You can if you want." Stephanie said snidely.

"Do not bother, I am awake, is there any coffee around here?" Beth asked.

"Help yourself it is on the counter." Stephanie replied without looking up from the computer screen.

"Stephanie what are you reading so intently?" Beth asked.

"It is the national schedule for the MCAT exams. I know that I would like to take them in a couple of months, I just want to know when." Stephanie replied.

"Oh… you are still planning on taking them?" Beth asked.

"Mom, I will make you a deal… I will not make any snide comments to you, and you will do the same. We are going to meet Denise around 1000 AM at the mall, and I would very much like to have day that we try to be nice to each other. Can we agree to that?" Stephanie asked cautiously.

"I just asked a mire question… but I do agree with you that we need to be nicer to each other. Perhaps, I need to start over this morning…. Good Morning." Beth said trying to be pleasant.

"Good Morning to you." Stephanie replied in the same try to be pleasant tone.

The three of them sat around talking for a few minutes. Beth and Stephanie were taking great pains not to harass each other, but every so often one of them would spout something. Around 830 AM, Beth announced that she was going to get cleaned up. Beth was in the shower when there was a knock at the door, it was Frank and Jeremy. Stephanie answered the door and Frank led Jeremy in the door.

"Good Morning." Bill said with a cheery voice.

"Good Morning, Sir." Stephanie replied.

"Stephanie, are you ever going to get past the Army formality of addressing me as Major or Sir?!" Frank laughed. Frank had gotten to know this very bright and articulate woman, and she had also gotten to the point where Frank almost considered her the daughter that he and Denise never had.

"Sorry, force of habit. When I am tired I seem to revert back to the Army things." Stephanie replied.

"Huh… yes… the Sleeping Ugly rises again." Jeremy said with a laugh.

"Very funny Sherwood… I have seen you first thing in the morning… I would not necessarily consider you a beauty either." Stephanie quipped with a laugh.

"The difference is that you have seen me… at least I only get the audio portion of you first thing in the morning." Jeremy had everyone laughing pretty hard.

"Not that this was the conversation that I thought that we would have this morning, but you two bring up a question. Knowing that neither one of you are morning people how did you two ever get through boot camp?" Frank asked knowing full well that this would have been a struggle.

"Well… its all kind of fuzzy right now… as I choose to block out my memories of boot camp." Jeremy replied.

"Ok. Ok. Enough is enough. If we are going to make it to our tee time, I think the men should go. Stephanie please send regards to your mother, and I will give Denise calls later letting her know what our plans are for dinner." Frank relayed.

"Have a good time… and please DO NOT let Jeremy drive the golf cart." Stephanie said as they walked out the door. She was not sure that Jeremy would have a good time on the golf course since he could not play, but she was sure that a good conversation would be had by all.

Denise immerged from the bathroom dressed in a pair of blue jeans and collared shirt. The color of the shirt was pink; and actually was a nice color on her. Denise also wore a pair of very fashionable flip flops.

"Mom, you look nice. I like that color on you." Stephanie said.

"Are you kidding or are you being serious?" Beth asked not knowing the intent of the comment.

"I was being serious. Not everything that I say to you or about you is rude." Stephanie replied.

"How did we get to this point?" Beth continued.

"Get to what point?" Stephanie said still not looking up from her email.

"The point where we cannot hold a civil conversation with each other." Beth pondered out loud.

"Honestly, it started the day that I came home and told you and Dad that I was joining the Army to pay for college." Stephanie said looking up from her computer.

"I guess… I thought it was the worst decision that you could make, and frankly in your current situation it still was the worst thing you could have done." Beth replied trying not to sound condescending.

"Mom, I totally disagree with you. I still do not know how I would have paid for college otherwise." Stephanie said trying very hard not to take offense to the previous comment.

"Your sister and your brother found away to pay for college without joining the Army." Beth pointed out.

"Yes, they did, but each of them has over $50,000 in student loans that they will need to pay back." Stephanie stated.

"I understand that, but they also do not have sit in a wheelchair for the rest of their lives either." Beth continued.

"Mom, which is a good point. But I cannot look back, I have to look forward. I have said this more than once I never wanted this to happen, but it has and unfortunately I cannot change that, the only thing I can do is make the best out of this as I can." Stephanie continued.

"This is not the life I wanted for you. The day you came home and said that you had joined the Army, I thought you were nuts." Beth said with a coy smile.

"Mom, I know that this is not the life that you wanted for me, heck this is not the life that I dreamed of, but this is the life I have; and I will not just sit here and let it pass me by. I have a lot of respect for the Army. The Army has taught me a lot, and I would not trade what I have learned…" Stephanie stopped and looked at her mother. Beth had a very strange look on her face.

"What's wrong… you have a strange look on your face." Stephanie continued.

"Do you realize this is the first civilized conversation that we have had in years that did not have to be mediated by someone like your father, Sarah, or Alan?" Beth commented.

"They would be very proud of us." Stephanie commented realizing the gravity of that statement.

"Yes, they would." Beth replied.

"So where do we go from here?" Stephanie asked wondering how this conversation would change their relationship. Even as Stephanie grew up their relationship was one of extreme sarcasm.

"I do not know. I still do not agree with a lot of your decisions. I still think that you should move home, and let us help take care of you. The last thing I want to see is you getting hurt any further. And I do not mean getting hurt physically… I mean getting hurt emotionally." Beth said realizing that she was open a can of worms that she had not intended.

"What do you mean, getting hurt emotionally?" Stephanie asked truly not knowing what Beth meant.

"Look, I am not sure that we should have this conversation right now." Beth replied.

"Why? What are you thinking? You have never missed telling me what you think." Stephanie answered.

"Look, I am concerned that you and Jeremy are getting too close." Beth stated being fearful that this is not something that Stephanie wants to hear.

"Mom, Jeremy and I are just friends, again nothing more and nothing less." Stephanie reiterated for the second time in 24-hours.

"That is what you are telling me now. Look there is so many reasons why a romance with him is not going to work." Beth continued.

"Mom, neither Jeremy nor me having any intentions of having that kind of relationship. And we are friends. I do not know what I can say to convince you otherwise… WE ARE FRIENDS." At that point before Beth could respond, Stephanie's cell phone rang.

"Hello." Stephanie answered.

"HI, Denise"

"Oh that would be great… Thanks… we will see you about 10…ok see you soon." Stephanie clicked off the phone.

"What was that all about?" Beth asked.

"Well… Denise is on her way. Instead of us meeting her at the mall, she is going to come and pick us up. She finished her appointment early, and she is close by… so she volunteered to drive." Stephanie conveyed.

"Ok that is awfully nice of her… and she will be here in about fifteen minutes… I best go touch up my make up." Beth said knowing that the Jeremy discussion was going to have be tabled until later.