Chapter 28—
A/N: Thank you again for everyone's reviews and suggestions. Actually your suggestions have given me some ideas… hopefully you will like them.
"I think so… my mother pretty much told me that I was the biggest disappointment in her life, and that did not want me in her life." At this point, the words stung deep into her soul and tears streamed down her face.
"Stephanie, I am so sorry…"
"Thank you… I am really glad that you all are here. I am not sure as to why that you are all here though." Stephanie said through her tears.
"Stephanie… I told you at the mall today, that I want to be here to support you. In the short time that I have known you, I feel like you are the daughter that I never had." Denise said, knowing that this would touch Stephanie.
"Thank you… you have been more of a mother to me in the short time that I have known you than my mother has been in the last five years." Stephanie said.
"Stephanie… you have taught me a lot, and I am not sure how I would have gotten this far without you. But what can I do for you?" Jeremy asked with a sincerity that touched Denise.
"I really do not know what to say… thank you." Stephanie said stunned by the emotional generosity that the entire Sherwood family had showed.
Stephanie's cell phone rang at that point. It was her dad.
"Did you get Mom on the plane?" Stephanie asked being relieved that she was no subjected to her mother's abusive words.
"Are you coming back here?" Stephanie continued.
"OK, I will see you soon… thanks." Stephanie concluded and flipped closed her phone.
Stephanie just sat in her wheelchair for a few moments to collect her thoughts, as it had been a very long hard day. Denise, Frank and Jeremy allowed her those moments to reflect on the day's events. Finally Stephanie broke the silence,
"If you have not guessed that was my dad… he is on his way back here. I am not sure why, because he will eventually have to go home to her anyway." Stephanie said bitterly.
"He is still your Dad, and it still says a lot that he did not get on the plane with your mother. Steph, he really does care about you." Frank said cautiously; as he was not used to getting in the middle of other people's family business.
"Sir, I know that you are right! He was the only person that ever supported me when I decided to go into the Army. I will never understand why that my mother never supposed me." Stephanie said sadly.
"I have been in the Army for almost twenty years, and I have seen solders that have all the support in the world from their families, and I have seen others with no support… I know it is hard, but you are a survivor, and you have gotten strength from yourself." Frank stated.
"I just do not understand why my mother hated me so much. I know that I did not live the life that she wanted. Heck, I am not living the life that I wanted… I never wanted to be in wheelchair, but what did she want from me? For me to sit in a corner and rot? I just do not understand." Stephanie started crying again. Frank never could stand a woman crying. He went over to her and gave her a hug, and the next thing that she knew he was picking her up out of her chair and carried her to the couch, where he just held her. When Stephanie was growing up Bill would hold her, and reassure her that life would be ok. Stephanie continued crying, and finally looked up to find that Denise and Jeremy were sitting right next to her and Frank.
"I am sorry that you all have to be subjected to this… this is my problem, not yours." Stephanie said wiping her tears away from her eyes.
"Stop it… there is nothing to be sorry for… we all need friends." Denise said.
Then there was a knock on the door. Denise got up and opened the door it was Bill. He came rushing in, not saying a word. He sat down next to Stephanie where Frank had put her on the couch. He looked at his beautiful daughter. He marveled at the inner strength and beauty that she has, and wondered how she had managed to grow up so smart and confident with the way her mother often treated her. Finally, he spoke…
"Steph, I am sorry that she hurt you… I will never let her hurt you like that again. What she said to you was uncalled for and very wrong. I want you in my life, and you will always be my daughter. I will support your decisions." Bill said wiping away Stephanie's tears.
"Thank you, Daddy… but what about mom? You are going to have to go home at some point in time." Stephanie said.
"Honey, which is why we came here… we wanted to tell you that we are in the final stages of getting divorce." Bill finally admitted.
"What?!" Stephanie said in complete shock.
"Your mother and I never really loved each other. The only reason that we got married was that I got your mother pregnant… and now that you kids are all grown we decided that we did not have to keep up the charade any longer. I am sorry that we did not tell you sooner, but that is why we came out here… to tell you in person. I never expected it to end like this… I am sorry." Bill was very angry at himself for allowing the charade to go on this long and not telling Stephanie sooner.
"Dad… you and mom are getting a divorce?" Stephanie just could not fathom the concept. Actually, she had known for her entire life that her parents were not happy. It was not anything that they said or did, it was feeling she had. Usually the feeling occurred when she was around married couples that loved each other. The feeling was non-existent when she was around her parents.
"Yes, Stephanie, we are getting a divorce." Bill reiterated.
"I am not sure what to say… Congratulations for getting rid of the wicked witch?" Stephanie said trying to be understanding, but it came out completely wrong.
"Wow that is not the reaction that I expected out of you." Bill said with amazement.
"Sorry… it has been a very long day… and…" Stephanie did not know how to finish her sentence.
"We are sorry to interrupt, but perhaps we should not be here." Denise said.
"No… please stay…" Bill and Stephanie said at the same moment.
"You have acted more like family for Stephanie, than her mother and I have. I intend to change that." Bill said.
Over the next few hours the Sherwoods, Stephanie and Bill talked about life, starting over, and finally they ordered dinner. The pizza delivery guy showed up with two manly pizzas, and one salad. Bill paid for the pizzas. He put them on the coffee table. As everyone was eating the conversation continued to flow,
"So Bill, what are your plans for when the divorce is finalized?" Frank asked stuffing another bite of the manly pizza into his mouth.
"Well, I am not sure yet… I have been living in a rented townhouse for the last couple of months or so… I will probably stay there. I still have a job at the insurance company. At least now I can come see my daughter more often. Maybe eventually I can move here to South Carolina… I do not know." Bill said.
"Dad I would love for you to move to South Carolina. But what about your job?" Stephanie asked excitedly. The prospect of her father moving to be closer to her was exciting, but she knew there were a lot of logistical issues that would have be figured out first.
"That would be the reason why would not move. It is just I have not been single for almost thirty plus years, I do not know how to be a bachelor. Perhaps Jeremy could help me, and teach me how to be a bachelor." Bill said trying to be funny, and keep the mood relatively positive.
"Mr. Sanders, though I would like to help you in that department, there is a small problem… it is difficult to teach something that I have do not have a clue about… or have the vision to do so." Jeremy said trying to be funny.
"After what we have all been through tonight, please call me Bill." Bill said to Jeremy.
"Ok… I will try." Jeremy admitted.
After dinner was finished the Sherwoods went home, as they knew that there was a lot that Bill and Stephanie needed to talk about. Bill was sitting on the couch looking at his daughter in the kitchen making coffee. He was very proud of his daughter for overcoming a lot of obstacles in her life. He imagined that life was a challenge for her, but she never seemed to complain. She handed Bill a cup of coffee, and they started talking.
"You know… Denise and Frank are very nice. They seem like good people." Bill commented.
"They are… they are wonderful. And so is Jeremy." Stephanie replied with a smile. Frank, Denise and Jeremy were great friends, but after tonight they turned into a surrogate family or sorts.
"I am really glad that you have someone to turn to… I am just sorry that it has taken so long for me to come to visit you." Bill regretted not spending time with Stephanie.
"Dad, just promise me one thing…" Stephanie said.
"What is that?" Bill asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That you will never let Mom or anyone dictate you coming to see me!!" Stephanie said beaming from ear to ear.
"Deal. So tell me about Jeremy?" Bill wanted to know a little more about the guy that Stephanie considered such a great friend.
"What would you like to know?" Stephanie had a special little twinkle in her eye when ever anyone mentioned his name.
"Anything you would like to tell me!" Bill commented.
"Jeremy is a good guy… umm… he has struggled to accept his limitations, but he has come a long way. He has a big heart, he is smart…" Stephanie said.
"Steph, I may be out of line here… but are you two more than friends?" Bill asked like any overprotective father would. Normally this question would have annoyed Stephanie, but this was coming from her father, not her mother.
"No, we are just friends, nothing more, nothing less. Besides we are both at strange places in our lives. He is learning to cope with the loss of his sight, and letting his knee heal. I am trying to move on. Why do you ask?" Stephanie asked wondering why he was so curious.
"I was just curious. Any time that his name is mentioned you get a special twinkle in your eyes, and I just thought that there was something there." Bill commented.
"It has meant so much to me to have Jeremy and his family has friends. Denise and Frank are very special people." Stephanie replied. This answer seemed to satisfy Bill.
"Ok… just being a nosy father."
"I have missed you, Dad. So anyway how did Sarah and Alan take the news of you and mom getting a divorce? And why did you wait so long to tell me?" Stephanie pondered.
"I have missed you too. Actually Sarah and Alan took it about as well as you did… fortunately for them they did not have an explosion of words with your mother before we told them. We waited so long to tell you because we have rarely spoken to you… for that I am sorry." Bill was truly sorry for not telling Stephanie sooner.
Stephanie and Bill were up until almost 2 AM talking, laughing and sometimes crying. They knew that when they woke up they would start a new day.