Hola! Here's a new chapter (finally), I hope that everyone likes it. Its the big reveal! Thanks so much for all the great reviews that you've all been leaving. Please continue to leave them, I greatly appreciate it!
"Hi Troy!" Liza and Lisa exclaimed upon seeing their boss's very handsome husband.
"Ladies," Troy greeted the two women as he walked up to the front register. "And how are you?"
""Great," Liza replied with a smile.
"Wonderful," Lisa sighed dreamily.
Troy fought the urge to laugh at the two. "So, where's the love of my life?"
"You are just too sweet Troy Bolton," Lisa gushed.
Liza rolled her eyes at her friend, "She's in the back, working on the computer."
"Thanks ladies," Troy gave a slight wave before heading into the employees' only portion of the boutique. "Hey you!"
Sharpay looked up from her laptop and grinned happily at the sight of Troy. "Hi honey," Sharpay stretched out her arms for a nice hug.
Troy scooted closer and returned the hug, adding a sweet kiss too. "You ready to go baby?"
Sharpay nodded, "Yeah, I can just finish this work at home sometime over the long weekend."
"Here I'll take it," Troy offered to grab Sharpay's laptop but she shoved his hands away.
"I am perfectly capable of carrying it myself," Sharpay rolled her eyes as she stuffed the wide device into its own personal engraved red leather Italian case.
"Its kind of heavy isn't it?"
"No its not," Sharpay picked the bag up and grabbed her small brown hobo bag with the other hand. "Just because I'm P-R-E-G-N-A-N-T doesn't mean that I'm an invalid, so stop treating me like one."
"I'm not treating…wait, did you just spell it out?"
"I don't want them to hear," Sharpay whispered motioning to Liza and Lisa who were still out in the showroom.
"Um honey, can't they spell?"
"I'm sorry, have you met them?"
"Good point," Troy chuckled. "Let's go. And you can hold your own bags honey, hell if you're up to it; you can carry me out to the car too."
"Cute, Troy, very cute."
"I thought so."
Sharpay ignored him as she walked away. "Bye girls, Happy Thanksgiving!"
"You too Sharpay," Liza replied.
"Yeah Happy Turkey day guys," Lisa giggled.
"Thanks," Troy smiled his famous heartbreaking smile. "Don't eat too much turkey now!"
Lisa laughed uncontrollably and rather obnoxiously before she let a snort escape her lips, "I'll try not to Troy."
Sharpay rolled her eyes, "I'll see you both on Monday and please don't forget to lock up."
"We won't," Liza responded quickly.
"Yeah that only happened once," Lisa nodded.
"Lisa," Liza nudged the young woman in the back, smiling bright for Sharpay and Troy, hoping they wouldn't notice.
"Ow," Lisa scowled at her friend.
Sharpay just shook her head at the two, wondering why she and Taylor hired them in the first place. "Well goodnight," Sharpay led her husband out of her boutique. "Could you not flirt with my employees?" she glared at Troy as soon as they stepped outside.
"What? I wasn't flirting."
"Oh don't eat too much turkey…hehehe…oh please!"
"Pay if you think that's…"
Sharpay interrupted him, "Where's your damn car?"
"Just up the street."
"God could you park any further away?" Sharpay sneered as her heels clicked down the sidewalk. "I can't wait until my car gets fixed."
"Me too," Troy mumbled behind her.
"What was that?" Sharpay turned around at an alarming speed to face Troy.
"Nothing baby, just wondering what you want to eat for dinner."
"Hmmm, I was actually thinking about burgers."
"Works for me," it wasn't often that Sharpay chose fast food, thank god for cravings.
Troy drove them to his favorite diner as a child, his favorite place for bit fat juicy burgers. He'd dragged Sharpay there a few times before and each time she ordered a salad. This time was quite a different experience; both Troy and Sharpay had the bacon mega burger, large fries, milkshakes and apple pie for dessert. Sharpay even ordered a mega burger and fries to go when they were finished. Throughout dinner, Troy was amazed that the woman scarfing down the burger in front of him was the same woman that he had married. Normally Sharpay was always on Troy's case to eat healthier foods and here she was inhaling a burger.
"I still can't believe that you ate all of that," Troy said cautiously, hoping that he wasn't offending her, which had been happening a lot because of Sharpay's hormones.
"Neither can I," Sharpay replied as they pulled into their garage. "But what I really can't believe is that it hasn't come back up yet."
Troy chuckled as he put his BMW in park. "Well that's definitely a good thing, right. Its been what…two days since your last bout with morning sickness?" Sharpay nodded. "Maybe its finally subsiding, you're already nearing the end of your third month."
"God I hope so," Sharpay sighed as she hauled herself out of Troy's car.
"What time is lunch at your parents' house tomorrow?"
"Um noon, I think."
"Ugh, that's so early," Troy couldn't help but groan as they walked into the house. 'It should be later, who eats that early on Thanksgiving anyway?"
Sharpay rolled her eyes, "Don't be a baby, it won't even last that long. Their flights at like 3:30, you'll still have plenty of time to watch football with your dad."
"But I'm going to…What the hell are you doing here?" Troy stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the surprise guest sitting at his and Sharpay's kitchen table.
"Now Troy is that anyway to greet your little sister?" twenty year old Tara Bolton smirked from her position at the table.
"Hi sweetie," Sharpay smiled as she walked over to her sister-in-law to give her a nice hug.
"See now that's a proper greeting," Tara, the female version of Troy, smiled as she hugged Sharpay back and glared at her brother.
"Again, what are you doing here?" Troy questioned as he joined the two giving his sister a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug.
"Kate dropped me off," Tara replied.
"Shouldn't you be at home?" Troy asked.
"Mom has book club. Dad's coming to pick me up after basketball practice. Oh you went to Paty's."
"Yeah for dinner," Troy placed Sharpay's leftover bag on to the table.
"Mmm it smells so delicious," Tara glanced at the bag, practically salivating at the sight.
"Are you hungry?" Sharpay asked.
"Like you wouldn't believe. I'm practically wasting away eating dorm food. Can I?" Tara questioned as she reached for the bag in question. "Do you mind Troy?"
"Why would I mind?"
"Because its your food," Tara replied. "Duh!"
"Actually its not…" Troy began.
"Dig in Tara, your brother doesn't need the extra burger anyway. He ate plenty at dinner," Sharpay glared at Troy for effect.
"God Troy, you're such a pig," Tara scolder her big brother, pointing her finger at him.
"Yeah that's me, I'm a pig," Troy glared at his wife who shrugged sheepishly.
"Want something to drink?" Sharpay asked Tara, moving away from her husband's disapproving glare.
"Sure anything will do," Tara smiled happily before taking her first bit of the mega burger.
Sharpay grabbed a diet Pepsi for Tara, a bottle of juice for herself and a beer for Troy (for going along with her 'cover story'). "Do you want ice?"
Tara shook her head 'no', "No the can is just fine."
"Here you go," Sharpay and Troy sat down at the table with Tara. "So what's new?"
Tara shrugged, "Not much," she said and continued on with her burger.
"How are your classes going?" Troy asked as he opened his beer. "Is statistics still kicking your ass?"
"Ugh, all I can think of is that there are only like four more weeks of school left before winter break. And I'm so tired of Kate and her boyfriend drama; it'll be nice to get away from the roomie for a while too during break. But enough about me, what's going with you guys? You never call me anymore; I'm beginning to feel obsolete."
"Sorry Tar, we've just been so busy lately. I've got a lot of new patients, especially with basketball season just starting. And the boutique is bigger than ever, we just haven't had a lot of time for anybody," Troy answered his sister, feeling a little guilty about not spending so much time with her.
"Yeah," Sharpay nodded in agreement. "Just super crazy! Just you wait until after school and you have a real job."
"Well anything else, anything you want to tell me?" Tara smirked as she glanced at the two.
"No," Troy replied. "And what's with the look?"
"This is my I don't like being lied to look," Tara countered.
Troy rolled his eyes, "I wasn't aware that I was lying to you Tara."
"Cut the crap you guys, were you ever going to tell me that you're pregnant!" Tara exclaimed causing Sharpay to choke on her juice.
Troy hit her on the back to help her out, "Ow! You idiot," Sharpay smacked his hand away.
"Answer me!" Tara exclaimed once again.
"No, you answer a question for me," Troy turned to his sister. "Have you been snooping around our house?"
"Oh please," Tara rolled her eyes dramatically. "I've got better things to do than to look at all your crappy sports memorabilia. I was minding my own business, watching a lovely made for T.V. movie when the phone rang. Since I was minding my own business, I didn't bother to answer it so the machine picked it up. It was Taylor, saying that she bought some sort of special ginger tea that she thought might help with your morning sickness!"
"Oh," Sharpay nervously glanced at her husband.
"Sorry," Troy mumbled.
"So its true? You're really pregnant Sharpay?"
"Guilty," Sharpay nodded. "Its really true, I'm three months, due in May!"
"Oh my god! This is great!" Tara was on her feet in an instant giving her sister-in-law a great big hug. "I'm going to be an aunt! Although why am I the last to know? You guys always forget about me, ever since I've been at school. I've been so out of the loop!"
"You're so not out of the loop, Tar. In fact you're one of the first to know," Troy explained to his confused younger sister. "We're planning on telling both of our families tomorrow."
"So I know before Mom?" Troy nodded. "Awesome! Its going to kill her that I knew first," Tara laughed as she sat back down.
"Don't say anything, we'll never hear the end of it from her," Troy could already imagine his mother's nagging, he'd heard it many times before.
"Oh its going to cost you big brother," Tara stuck her tongue out at him before turning to Sharpay, wanting to hear everything about her pregnancy so far.
Troy took the opportunity to watch a game while his wife and sister chatted to their hearts were content. An hour later Sharpay was exhausted after a very long day and excused herself to bed. She said goodnight to her sister-in-law and headed up the stairs, leaving Troy alone with his little sister.
"Do we have to watch this?" Tara groaned as she plopped down next to Troy on his couch. "I hate basketball!"
"You know you kill me slowly every time you utter those blasphemous words!" Troy made his point by patting the left side of his chest gently. "I don't know how Dad puts up with you. Where did you come from?"
"The same place you came from, Lucy Bolton's womb." Just like their mother, Tara really didn't care for the sport that her father and brother lived for. Instead she was a dancer, just like her mother, and had a passion for art. And also like her mother, Tara always showed her support and cheered on the Wildcats when she was younger. "Speaking of wombs, I'm really happy for you."
"Thanks Tara, I really appreciate it, it means a lot to me."
"I know I didn't always make your life easy but you were still a great big brother."
"I know."
Tara rolled her eyes and scrunched up her nose, I'm trying to compliment you here, you ass."
"Oh, oh please continue."
"You've ruined the friggin moment now. All I want to say now is don't fuck it up!"
"Mmm, everything smells delicious Mom," Sharpay remarked as she and Troy walked into her parents' ornate dining room.
"I did most of the cooking," Ellen Stone quickly spoke up . "Its about time you two got here."
"Sorry grandmother," Sharpay fought the urge to roll her eyes at her 82 year old grandmother, she wasn't exactly the nicest person.
"Sorry Ellen," Troy smiled apologetically as he kissed the elderly woman's frail cheek before helping her to her chair.
"Its alright Troy, everything is already forgiven. Lets just enjoy this lovely meal that's before us," Ellen smiled at her granddaughter's husband, and this time Sharpay did roll her eyes as did her mother, father, and brother. For some reason, Ellen was beyond smitten with Mr. Troy Bolton.
"Lets all sit, shall we," Vance announced to his family.
"I'm so hungry," Ryan reached for a dish full of mashed potatoes when Ellen slapped his hand away, making him drop the dish, and luckily it didn't shatter.
"Don't you dare boy, its time for the blessing," Ellen scolded her grandson.
"Sorry," Ryan rubbed his sore hand and turned away from his grandmother.
"Mother, why don't you do the honors this year," Phoebe Evans suggested.
"Well I was going too, no one else is as well suited as me dear," Ellen smiled at her daughter.
Vance took a quick sip of his glass of wine, this was clearly going to be a long meal and alcohol was definitely needed. He was already wishing that they'd taken an earlier flight and skipped this meal or better yet, they should have left his mother-in-law at the retirement home. Ellen blessed the food and continued a long prayer, which included world peace, heathen souls (especially the ones at the table which was said with a quick glance at Ryan and Vance). They ate their early Thanksgiving lunch and engaged in lively conversation. The family chatted away as if they hadn't seen each other for years.
"Ry, can you pass the stuffing?" Sharpay asked her bother reaching her hand out to receive the big dish.
"Sure, here you go Shar," Ryan grabbed his mother's expensive dish and handed it across the table to his twin.
"You're supposed to pass around the table, not across ducky," Phoebe glared at her children, they should have known better. When they were younger, Sharpay and Ryan were forced to attend etiquette classes.
"Sorry Mom," Sharpay and Ryan mumbled with their heads held down.
"Sharpay, dear, simply put, you're going to pack on the pounds with all of that on your plate," Ellen pointed out to her granddaughter before taking back a huge sip of her merlot.
It took great restraint for Sharpay not to throw her dinner roll at her grandmother. It was moments like these that she missed her father's parents, they were muck kinder people but had passed away years ago. "Thank you for the tip grandmother," she replied calmly as Troy's hand squeezed her own in reassurance underneath the table.
"Oh Ellen, you know Sharpay she'll hit up the gym the second she gains a pound," Vance smiled warmly at his daughter. He couldn't stand his mother-in-law's snide comments, especially when they concerned his children.
"I don't know dad, you're starting to look a little puffy in the middle there Shar," Ryan smirked and quickly took a bite of turkey to stop himself from laughing.
Sharpay gave him a menacing glare, she was so going to get him back for that. He knew that they were planning on telling everyone about the baby today, "Sorry we all can't do yoga everyday, some of us have real jobs."
"Hey I have a real job, two real jobs. Teaching is very rewarding," Ryan began with a smile. "And I keep many a lady satisfied with my yoga techniques."
Sharpay interrupted him, "Ok, you have a job, two jobs. What I meant to say is that some of us have busy lives, you know paying our own bills…like a mortgage for our own houses, not living in our parents' guest house."
"Ok, ok you two," Phoebe stated, "that's enough. You two can do this for hours and I for one am not in the mood to see my grown children bickering like little children. Can we please talk about something more pleasant?" Phoebe questioned as she glanced around the spacious table at her family, who all nodded. "So Troy, we ran into Mike Richards at a charity event over the weekend."
"Oh really?" Troy's interest was piqued, he had a very close relationship with Mike Richards, his former U of A basketball coach.
Vance nodded, "Yeah we talked about the upcoming season, its not looking so good is it?"
"Unfortunately no, I've already got Burns and Peterson coming in next week, back injury and a torn ACL already," Troy replied.
"Hopefully they'll get their act together, last year was such an embarrassment," Vance sighed, thinking about his alma mater and the horrible basketball season the previous year. "If they could get their act together when they're playing defense they might just have a shot."
"That's great dear," Phoebe interrupted her husband before the remainder of their lunch conversation was all about sports. "Shar, guess who I saw at the market the other day."
"I have no idea Mom, who?" Sharpay asked.
"Joan and Missy Sangler, actually its Missy Steel now. Did you know that she's been married for six years?" Phoebe asked her daughter before casually taking a sip of her wine.
"No mom I didn't know that, how lovely for her," Sharpay rolled her eyes as she responded to her mother.
"Whose Missy Sangler err Steel?" Troy asked.
"Oh just Sharpay's ballet rival from like first grade to junior high," Ryan explained to a clueless Troy. "They always fought for the best roles."
"Obviously there was no competition honey," Sharpay smiled triumphantly as she looked to her husband. "I was always the lead dancer."
"Except that one year when Missy was Clara in The Nutcracker," Ryan replied.
"She pushed me down a flight of stairs!" Sharpay exclaimed, fuming at the memory.
"Oh she did not, stop exaggerating kitten," Phoebe continued on, "As I was saying little Missy's been married for six years now and she's pregnant with her fourth baby!"
"Four babies in six years, I guess her husband keeps her busy," Ryan chuckled.
"Oh Ryan," Phoebe glared at her son. "That was certainly uncalled for. She just found out she's having a girl, now she'll have two and two. Isn't that wonderful Shar?"
"Swell mother," Sharpay could care less about Missy, she had never liked her.
"What is with the attitude? I'm just talking about one of your friends dear," Phoebe stated.
"Oh come on Mom, Missy and I were never friends, you know that," Sharpay rolled her.
"I was just making pleasant conversation dear, that's all."
"Sweetheart, I think its pretty obvious what you were trying to do," Vance joined the conversation again. "And I'm sure that Sharpay and Troy do not want to hear it."
Phoebe put her fork down in defeat, "Is it so wrong that I'd like to have grandchildren? All of my friends have grandchildren and I just feel like I'm missing out. I'd just like to know if Sharpay and Troy have thought about it."
"Can I just say that I'm offended that neither of you said my name," Ryan frowned at both of his parents.
"Oh please, ducky, you know we love you but…," Phoebe began but was interrupted by her husband.
"Lets face it, by the time you have kids, we won't be able to change their diapers because most likely someone will be changing ours," Vance put in causing Sharpay and Troy to laugh and Ellen to snicker.
"Ryan we will be equally excited for your children to arrive," Phoebe smiled at her son, "Its just you're not even married and it seems as if you have no plans to be. Your sister on the other hand is happily married and ready for children." Sharpay and Troy shared a knowing smile as Phoebe continued to speak. "We already had the two of you when we were your age."
"Well Mom, times have changed, I run my own successful business. No offense but you were a housewife, you had way more time than I do," Sharpay responded.
"I'm very proud of you honey, all of your hard work….but its just so embarrassing when everyone whips out pictures of their precious grandbabies and I have nothing to show for it," Phoebe explained.
"Oh Phoebe just lay off the kids, they'll have a baby when they're ready. Having grandchildren isn't all that its cracked up to be," Ellen downed the rest of her wine.
"Hey," Ryan glared at the older women.
"Not you dear, your cousins Maxwell and Marguerite are nightmares," Ellen replied as she poured herself another full glass of wine. "Its embarrassing that we share the same gene pool."
"Oh mother," Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Haven't you had enough?"
"I'm a grown woman and I am more than capable of deciding if and when I've had enough wine. I don't get to do much, you keep me locked up in that so called retirement community which is like living in a prison and I for one…"
"Ok we get it, have as much wine as you'd like, and now back to the baby issue," Phoebe smiled sweetly at Sharpay and then Troy. "Troy, you've been awfully quiet."
"Um…." Troy didn't know what to say, he wasn't so good at being put on the spot, especially with the eager Evans.
"You want kids, don't you?" Phoebe asked her son-in-law.
"Of course, more than anything," Troy answered his mother-in-law honestly.
"Well, then you two should get right on that," Phoebe replied.
"Oh god Mom," Sharpay rolled her eyes.
"You two should go away for a little bit, use the house in Hawaii or the penthouse in New York…call it a little romantic retreat or something like that. Our treat darlings," Phoebe told the two.
"For god sakes Phoebe, leave them alone," Vance said from the other head of the table.
"Ok, ok…just one more question and then I'll leave you alone, I promise. Deal, Shar?" Phoebe looked across the table to her daughter for confirmation.
"Fine, whatever," Sharpay always gave into her mother, it was just easier that way.
"Can you at least tell me how long I have to wait for grandchildren?" Phoebe questioned. "Should I take up knitting booties or keep showing my friends pictures of our dogs?"
"Phoebe," Vance just shook his head at his wife. "That's kind of personal isn't it?"
"She's my daughter, we're way past personal," Phoebe answered her husband, he would never understand the close relationship that mothers and daughters shared. "Shar?"
Sharpay squeezed Troy's hand under the table and he immediately squeezed back, adding that extra bit of reassurance that she needed to speak. "Well Mom do you think you can wait until May 23rd?"
"May 23rd, what's May 23rd?" Phoebe asked rather confused as was Vance. "Is that when you plan on trying for a baby?"
Sharpay shook her head and smiled brightly, "Actually that's my due date!"
"You're due…oh my god!" Phoebe exclaimed, feeling completely overjoyed at the very unexpected news. "You're pregnant!"
"Congratulations guys!" Vance stood up to give his daughter a hug but his wife beat him to it, practically sprinting from the other end of the table.
"Thanks Vance," Troy smiled wide as the two men shared a very manly hug.
Phoebe was already in tears when she hugged and kissed her daughter and Vance had to pry her away so he could give Sharpay a hug and a kiss as well.
"I'm so happy for you princess," Vance said genuinely as they hugged.
"Thanks Daddy," Sharpay kissed his cheek as a few tears rolled down her own.
Ryan joined his parents in congratulating Sharpay and Troy, even though he'd known about the pregnancy for some time now, "Congrats Shar, Troy!"
"Well its about damn time you two!" Ellen announced from her sitting position still at the dining room table.
"Oh really?" Phoebe cast her eyes on her mother. "Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you just say that…"
"Forget what I said," Ellen replied quickly. "As I was saying, you two have been together for six years now! Its about damn time you popped out a baby, I was beginning to think that Troy's little swimmers weren't able to get the job done."
"Grandmother!"
"Mother!"
"Ellen!"
"What?" Ellen questioned innocently. "I was beginning to think I wouldn't have a great grandchild before I bit the bucket. …not unless Ryan had an oopsie and knocked up one of his weekend hussies."
"Gee thanks grandmother," sarcasm dripped from every word out of Ryan's mouth.
"Ellen why don't you bring out those delicious pies you made for dessert? We don't have very much time before we need to catch our flight," Vance suggested, wanting to savor the special family moment without his crazy mother-in-law.
"Do I have to do everything in this house?" Ellen muttered under breath as she exited the room.
"Oh I can't believe that my baby's having a baby," Phoebe sniffled as she held Sharpay in her arms once again. "I can't believe that you're already three months along and didn't say anything!"
"We're sorry Mom but we just wanted to make sure that everything was alright," Sharpay explained to her parents.
"Everything's alright though, isn't it?" Vance questioned.
Troy nodded, "Yeah everything's great. We've seen Rebecca twice now and everything's checked out and we've got a strong, healthy heartbeat."
"Oh Rebecca! Oh I could just kill her for not saying anything to me," Phoebe laughed loudly.
"Doctor-patient confidentiality Mom," Sharpay replied with her signature pout.
"This is so exciting! I think I'm even more excited for this new baby than I was with the two of you. I'm going to be the best grandmother that this world has ever seen! Oh well besides your mother, Troy. Do they know yet?" Phoebe was hoping the answer was no, she hated to be on the outs.
"We're telling my family at dinner later today," Troy explained and Phoebe smiled internally.
After more gushing over Sharpay and Troy, they finally had dessert. Ryan was given the wonderful task of driving Ellen back to her retirement community. Sharpay helped her mother with the dishes so her parents could leave for their trip without a messy house. Although there were a few moments when Phoebe thought they should cancel their Caribbean trip because Sharpay might need her. Both Vance and Sharpay were able to convince her otherwise. Once the dishes were done, Sharpay and Troy said goodbye to her parents and wished them a safe and happy trip. The young couple drove back home for a little before they had to head over to Troy's parents' house for their second Thanksgiving meal and baby reveal. Sharpay took a nap for a little over an hour while Troy started watching the first of many games on T.V. During halftime, Troy woke Sharpay up so they could head to his parents' house for dinner (and also so Troy could watch the second half of the game with his dad).
"Boys!" Lucy Bolton called from the dining room.
"What?" Troy, his father, and grandfather all shouted back.
"Its time for dinner," Lucy responded.
"Hold on honey, there's like only three minutes left in the game," Jack announced from his position on the edge of the couch.
"And you know that will probably take up to another twenty minutes. You have your butt in here in thirty seconds or you don't eat!"
"Nice Mom," Tara took a seat next to her Aunt Shannon, her mother's youngest and thrice divorced, now single sister.
"Agreed," Sharpay laughed as she took her seat at the nicely decorated dining table.
The boys all sauntered into the dining room, a little disheartened at missing the end of the game. Although Jack had left the TV. on and turned the volume up, hoping they could at least hear the rest of it while they dined. Troy of course sat next to Sharpay, Grandpa Stewart sat on his other side while Lucy and Jack took the heads of the table.
"Lets eat, I'm starving" Tara sighed rather dramatically before reaching for her favorite, green bean casserole.
"Ditto," Troy added, despite the fact that he had feasted at the Evans' house earlier in the day. Troy's bottomless pit of a stomach was already ready for more.
"Have you two lost your heads?" Lucy glared at her children. "You know that we always go around the table and say what we're thankful for, it's a family tradition guys."
"Mom, aren't we a little too old for this archaic tradition now?" Tara questioned as her mother grabbed the green bean casserole. Tara frowned quickly, "Last time I checked I'm not ten and Troy's not a loser wildcat anymore."
"Hey!" Troy exclaimed, ready to defend his captain and champion status from high school.
"Watch your mouth Tara, never say losers and wildcats in the same sentence, ever," Jack declared, his rare authoritarian voice coming out in full force.
Tara rolled her eyes, her signature trait, "Sorry Daddy…los…Troy."
"You'll start this year Tara," Lucy smiled at her less than cooperative child.
"Me?" Tara questioned. "What did I do to deserve that?"
"I can start Luce," Shannon said softly, finally speaking up.
"No she will and she'll do it with the lovely smile that we all know is somewhere deep inside of her. You can go next Shan and then we'll continue around the table. Tara now!"
"Fine Mom, god," Tara glared at her mother. "I'm thankful to live away at the dorms for most of the year."
"Can I just add that I'm very thankful for that too," Jack smirked.
"Jack!" Lucy glared at her husband. "No interruptions please and Tara say something nice for a change."
"Alright, alright, alright. I'm thankful for the sun and the moon and the stars and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah," Tara replied. "Is that good enough Mom?"
"You know back in my day, children respected their parents. A smart alec mouth like yours, young lady, would be getting the brunt of a belt right about now," Grandpa Stewart stated as he shifted in his chair, about ready to take his own belt off.
"Don't worry Dad, we'll wash her mouth out with soap later," Jack chuckled.
"Shannon go ahead," Lucy ignored Jack and his father.
"Thanks Luce. Well I'll just keep this brief everyone, I know how anxious everyone is to eat this finely prepared meal. I just want to say how thankful I am to have such a kind, caring and loving family. Without you I wouldn't have been able to make it through this last divorce," Shannon said emotionally.
"Or the other ones," Tara whispered to Troy across the table, only to receive a vicious glare from her mother.
"I'd…"
Jack cut his sister-in-law off, knowing that they'd have to endure a five minute pity party if Shannon continued any longer. "That was beautiful Shannon. My turn now, I'm very thankful for my wonderful family. I'm blessed to have each of you in my life. Finally, I'm so thankful that the cowboys are number one and heading into the playoffs next week!"
"Amen to that one!" Grandpa Stewart and Jack high fived. "Yeah!"
"Stewart why don't you go ahead," Lucy suggested before they had the opportunity to break out their happy dance.
"Sure Lucy, my pleasure," Stewart smiled at his daughter-in-law. "I'm most certainly thankful for my family. Ditto on the Cowboys. I'm thankful that my family has always been prosperous, both in work and in their hearts."
"Stewart that was just so beautiful," Shannon dabbed her eyes with her red-orange cloth napkin.
Stewart just shook his head at Lucy's unbalanced younger sister and continued his 'thanks.' "Last but certainly not least, I'm thankful for my hot little girlfriend. She's 70 years young, certainly a little younger than me but boy can she move."
"Troy your turn," Lucy said so fast that she cut the old man off. She had a feeling that Stewart's thanks was about to turn R rated and although everyone at the table were now adults, no one wanted to hear the rest.
"Sure Mom," Troy answered his mother but gazed at his beautiful wife. Sharpay smiled back at him, reassuring him that she was ready for what he was about to say. "I think I speak for Sharpay when I say that we're both we're very thankful…
"Oh hold up!" Tara's hand shot up like she was in school. "He can't go for her, sorry Sharpay but we all have to go through this torture."
"I'm not going for her, I was just saying…" Troy began but was cut off by his baby sister again.
"Mom this isn't fair," Tara huffed back in her chair.
"Mom tell her to shut up," Troy replied. "I'm trying to speak here."
"Can both of you shut up and stop acting like children?" Jack glared at his children.
"Can I just go? My thanks is very important," Troy looked to his mother.
"Are you saying that your thanks is more important than everyone else's thanks?" Tara questioned, "Because that's so not cool. What gives you the right to think you're above everyone else?"
"Jesus Tara put a sock in it," Lucy sighed causing Tara's eyes to bulge.
"Well I never," Tara crossed her arms. "Mom, I can't believe that you would speak to me like that, I thought that we were…"
"Tara, seriously, I'd like to eat dinner in this century and if you continue to run your mouth, it aint gonna happen. Son please say whatever it is that is so important," Jack spoke to his children.
"Thanks Dad," Troy smirked at Tara who juvenilely stuck her tongue out at him. "Now as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. Sharpay and I are very thankful to be having a baby."
Lucy's heart nearly beat out of her chest at Troy's declaration, "You're having a baby? I'm going to be grandmother?"
Troy nodded and smiled happily at his shocked mother, "Yes Mom, you're going to be a grandmother!"
"I'm going to be a grandmother!" Lucy screamed and clapped her hands before jumping out of her chair. She rushed the tight space that separated her and Sharpay and wrapped her arms around her daughter-in-law for dear life. "Jack, I'm going to be a grandmother!"
Jack laughed as he made his way over to Lucy and Sharpay, "I heard dear. Congratulations guys!"
"Yeah Congrats!" Tara exclaimed as she joined in on the hug fest.
"Put 'er there partner," Grandpa Stewart extended his hand to Troy and shook his grandson's hand with such enthusiasm, Troy's hand began to hurt.
"This is just wonderful, wonderful news," Shannon began to cry. "I'm just so happy for you two."
"Thanks Aunt Shannon," Troy smiled nervously as his aunt latched onto him.
"When are you due sweetheart?" Lucy asked Sharpay as she let go of her.
"May 23rd," Sharpay announced.
"May…almost the end of May, that doesn't give me a lot of time," Lucy looked lost in thought. "We've got so much to do. I'll have to start knitting booties and making quilts. Oh and I've still got some of the kids baby clothes in the attic. And their cribs! They'd be so perfect for your nursery."
"Troy," Sharpay whispered over his mother's overboard planning.
"Don't worry Mom we'll take care of all of that in time," Troy smiled at his mother.
"Oh come here you," Lucy gushed over her son, kissing his cheeks fervently. "I'm so happy for you honey."
"We've got ourselves a new Wildcat!" Jack exclaimed as he hugged his son.
"That we do!" Troy replied only to receive glares from his mother, sister and wife.
"Or artist," Lucy added.
"Not to mention dancer," Tara put in her two cents.
"And lets not forget singer," Sharpay responded.
"You're all getting ahead of yourselves," Stewart said. "At least wait until this child is born to plan its future. Now I say that we all eat, we've got a new Mama here who needs all the food she can get so we can have a nice healthy baby, that's what's really important."
Thanks for reading guys! What did you guys think? Did you like the added family members? Thanks again, I'm already working hard on the next chapter so hopefully it won't take a month like this one did. I'm almost done with a chapter with my Holiday Sparks one-shot so look out for that soon too. Have a good weekend!