A/N: Thank you all so much! I am so glad that you're enjoying this. I have so many plans for this story that I am so excited about. As always, please let me know what you think!

Chapter 32

Sam carved the turkey. Deanna kept offering Steve food first and insisting he take more than he did.

"You're a growing boy! Eat, Steve. We have enough."

"Leave him alone, Dee," Debbie said. "He'll eat if he's hungry." She smiled at the kid across from her. "Tell us, Steve. What are you looking forward to most about being done with senior year?"

Steve's eyes went wide. "Uh.."

"Can we not talk about the future?" I asked. "That's too stressful for Thanksgiving."

"You can't avoid it forever," Deanna said.

"I'm not avoiding it, I just don't think that being seventeen is the prime time to be forced to decide your future. Who I am now is not who I was a year ago and who I am when I'm thirty won't be me now either. Why should the choices I make now decide my fate? Today I want to go to Nashville, tomorrow maybe I'll decide to open an ice cream store."

"An ice cream store?" Deanna looked surprised.

"I don't know," I said with a shrug. "That's my point. We're seventeen. We shouldn't have to have our futures planned out now. Things change. We're young and not done learning. We have to be adaptable."

They were all looking at me in surprise except for Debbie.

"You're raising an intelligent young woman," she said, winking at me. I gave her a small smile back. It was odd to see her be so blasé about losing her niece.

"I know," Deanna said softly. I glanced over to see her staring at me with a gaze that seemed almost sad. Maybe because she still thought I was actually going to race off to Nashville. I needed a plan for that. At least I wasn't expected to actually accept any of the schools that I might get into. Was that still a major thing in the eighties? Being forced right into university after school?

"This turkey is delicious," Steve's voice cut through my thoughts. "Thank you again."

"Oh, you're very welcome, Steve. I'm glad that Tammy found you. It wouldn't be right to let a boy eat alone on Thanksgiving. Not in this house, right Sam?"

The man in question looked over at us and nodded, his mouth full of food. He swallowed before he spoke. "Deanna's right. You're welcome any time."

"Oh," Steve sounded stunned. "Uh, wow. Thanks."

Tammy's mom smiled back but what caught my eye was the look Debbie was giving us. She grinned widely as her eyes met mine. She took a sip of the wine in front of her, still watching us across from her. She looked far too amused for my liking.

"What type of ice cream are you selling at this store of yours?" Tammy's father asked, looping the conversation back.

"Chocolate," I said instantly. "And coffee."

"Like a diner?" Steve asked.

"No, coffee flavoured ice cream." They all looked at me, their expressions ranging from disgusted to intrigued. "Or a mocha-flavoured one. Like a dark chocolate espresso flavoured ice cream." God, I missed the ice cream back home. I doubted they had Ben and Jerry's half-baked now.

"That sounds delicious." I looked at Deanna who spoke. "What?" she asked. "It has the best two flavours."

I burst out laughing. There was still so much I didn't know about these people.

Washing dishes was tedious work with the number of pans that were involved. Thankfully, Steve demanded that he help since we fed him. I didn't mention that I had basically kidnapped him over for dinner since I didn't really give him a choice. Who was I to complain when someone wanted to make less work for me.

"So, that's your family."

I paused at scrubbing some dried cranberry sauce off of a plate and looked at Steve. "Yup. They're alright," I tried to tease, mindful still of the fact that his parents left him. Even if it was just for a weekend, it was Thanksgiving.

"They really care about you," he said. "It's nice."

I gave him a small smile, turning back to the dish I was washing. My stomach churned slightly. He was just trying to be kind, but even with Debbie's reassurance, I couldn't stop feeling like I was going to be ill at the reminder that it was Tammy they cared about. I still wasn't her.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked quietly.

"What? No." I shook my head. "They're good people. I'm just...thinking about what they said earlier. The whole future thing."

"Oh yeah, that's…"

"Terrifying?" I offered, handing him the now clean plate.

"Yes, exactly!"

"Don't worry. It's not the end of the world and what happens at the end of high school is just the beginning of actual life. Who knows what will happen." Especially in this town.

"Like owning an ice cream shop?" he asked dryly.

"Hey," I pointed one soapy finger at him. "Don't knock it until you've tried it. Besides, can you imagine? The gloriousness of coffee with the deliciousness of ice cream? Absolute fire of a combination."

"Like syrup in coffee?"

"Yes," I said in all seriousness. "Once you try a really good mocha, it'll change your life."

"What's in a mocha?"

I felt my eyes light up as I turned to face him. "Okay, so it's coffee, right? But it's mixed with...basically hot chocolate. There are different ways to make it, aside from just ratios of coffee to milk. It all depends on the chocolate you use and if you add in any other sweeteners."

He paused for a moment, taking another dish from me to dry before he asked, "what was the best one you ever had like?"

I grabbed the pot that was used for the green beans and started to wash it as I considered the answer. It wasn't definitely wasn't from any of the chain stores. "It had a higher amount of coffee compared to milk, but the chocolate was this swiss chocolate and it was amazing."

"Swiss? That's a thing here?"

"Switzerland is famous for their chocolate. If you can find a source here, you should try it."

"Huh, okay. Don't know where I'm going to find swiss chocolate…"

"Ask the mayor," I said without thinking.

"What?"

"Nothing, sorry. I was just thinking about the connections he's gaining with that mall. If anyone knows where to find it, it'd probably be him. Maybe he needs it for bribes."

Steve stared at me for a moment before he laughed. "That would involve knowing the mayor. I think I'd have a better chance of asking my dad."

"Probably," I agreed.

"Thanks for inviting me," he said suddenly.

"You're welcome. Like I said, the more the merrier."

I walked Steve out. Tammy's dad was going to drive him home. Deanna packed up a variety of containers that she sent Steve home with. He tried to argue with her and failed spectacularly. He never stood a chance.

Debbie ushered me to the couch once the men were gone and I suddenly found myself bracketed by Tammy's mom and aunt. It reminded me of my friends when any of us had gone out with a crush. I never felt more like a seventeen-year-old than I did now.

"So, Steve…" Deanna said teasingly.

"It's Steve," I responded. "He's just a friend."

"Leave her be, Dee," Debbie said. "You might scare her. What I want to know is what are your plans for the future?"

"Our girl has dreams for Nashville, Debs, you know that."

"Actually," I cut in. "I'm working on setting up a backup plan. Just in case." Both of the women looked at me.

"What?" Tammy's mom asked. "Since when?"

I shrugged. "I can't exactly go to Nashville and expect to be famous instantly. It doesn't work like that. I need a plan in case it doesn't happen...just to be safe instead of sorry. Besides, I have to save up some money to make it out there in the first place and get a place to stay. Jobs don't happen instantly when people don't know you."

"That is...very mature of you, Tammy."

I gave her a smile. "I learn from the best."

"Like I said," Debbie threw an arm around my shoulders. "Your girl takes after you. Smart and beautiful." She winked at me before grinning at Deanna. "So what are you going to do? Go to school?"

"Maybe?" I shrugged. "I figured I would get a job first, save some money. I can always go to college later." Considering how expensive school was, it was a good idea regardless. I was pretty sure university was more expensive here in the States than it was in Canada. Though that was in my time so I needed to look into that.

"In that case, we should find you some pamphlets so we can find a school that interests you. Maybe something close? There's Notre Dame or Purdue."

I had no clue what those schools were, though the name Notre Dame sounded familiar. I wasn't sure if that was because of France though. I needed to look up universities. That shouldn't be hard since we were in the last year. There should be information everywhere you look in the school.

"You could always come up to Detroit," Debbie offered.

"We'll see." It was the most I could promise and judging from the look Debbie gave me, she knew what I meant.

Deanna wrapped an arm around my shoulder and pulled me in closer to her. I had to stop myself from pulling back automatically. My head rested on her shoulder and in a second I felt myself relax against her. If anyone was the epitome of a mother, it was Deanna. "Whatever you decide, you know we'll support you."

"I know," I said softly. "Thank you."

She kissed the top of my head. "Always."

I closed my eyes and let myself sink into the embrace. I missed my own mother but Deanna was a wonderful replacement. I hoped Tammy knew how lucky she was. I hoped she was okay.

Somehow it was not any easier to go back to school. Spending the long weekend at home and having an emotional, slightly existential, crisis really threw things into perspective. Now that I gave Tammy a backup plan, I had to make sure we could follow through on it. That meant actually trying to pay attention. At least in the classes that were fairly new to me. Like Statistics.

I caught sight of Robin as she entered the class and headed for the opposite side of the room. I really needed to talk to her. The idea of telling her the truth was daunting, but Debbie seemed certain it was the right direction and Bob told me that I needed to trust people. He was right about Joyce. I had to have faith that it would work out. The idea that it wouldn't was terrifying. All it would take was telling the wrong person and I would be in that lab faster than I could blink.

So how did one broach that topic without coming off as insane? I dropped my chin in my hand, propped up by my elbow as I considered it. I had to figure something out.

"Morning, Princess."

I tried not to groan. I looked at Billy who had settled himself in the seat behind me and threw his feet up on the desk next to him. "Billy," I greeted. I was trying not to be as much of a bitch as I wanted. Despite his obnoxiousness, he did help me out and I was certain that a lot of his personality was due to dealing with his dad. That asshole. "Good Thanksgiving?"

He dropped his feet and leaned forward with a leer. "Miss me?"

"Not in this lifetime."

"Aww, don't be like that, sugar lips."

"Sugar lips?" I scrunched up my face. "That has got to be the worst pet name so far." He grinned at me and I instantly regretted what I said. "Forget I said that." I had a feeling he was going to come up with worse ones now.

"You know pet names are generally used by couples," he teased.

"Only when they're reciprocated. Go away, Hargrove. Class is starting."

"Now, pudding, don't be like that. I can show you a good time."

This time I did groan. "We've been through this. Not interested."

"Because of the boyfriend?"

"You have a boyfriend?" A girl whose name I couldn't remember spoke up, turning from in front of us to ask. I knew her face. I had spoken to her before but the memory itself was gone. Maybe it was Heather. That was a popular name in the eighties, wasn't it? LOL

"Yeah," I said confidently. It wasn't true but none of them needed to know that.

"Who is it?" she asked, leaning forward slightly. I stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out who she was.

"Someone I met in Detroit," I said. "Ted."

"Ted," I heard Billy scoff from behind me.

"Don't be jealous," I remarked. "It's not a good look on anyone."

"As if I'd be jealous of anyone named Ted."

Thankfully, the higher powers deemed at the moment that the teacher finally arrived and demanded we settle so I avoided any further interaction.

I booked it out of class, trying to catch Robin on the way to the next class. I fell into step beside her, despite the fact that she was trying to avoid me. I had years of experience maneuvering through city streets. A high school hallway had nothing on me.

"Hey," I said.

She looked over at me and gave me a small half-smile. "Hey."

"Good Thanksgiving?" I asked, trying to test the waters.

"It was alright." It felt oddly tense between us. I didn't want us to be fighting though. Robin was a good person and it wasn't her fault that I couldn't tell her everything. Or at least that I hadn't so far.

"That's good. You think we could talk sometime? Try to...sort this out a bit?" I winced as soon as I said it.

Robin sighed. "Yeah."

"Good! Great!" I wasn't sure what exactly I was going to say, but I wanted my friend back.

"Hey! There you are!" Steve ran up to us in the hall. "I was hoping to run into you. I brought your Tupperware. " He handed me a bag. "I gotta get to class. Tell your mom thanks again." He waved at both of us before running off down the hall. He made a good point, we were going to be late.

"You're welcome!" I called out. A few people looked my way. I turned back to look at Robin. She was staring at me incredulously. "What?"

"You had Thanksgiving with Steve Harrington?"

"I ran into him while walking Buster. He was going to spend it alone," I explained.

"So you invited him?"

"Why not?" I asked with a shrug. "Beats being alone, don't you think?"

Robin stared at me for a moment. "I really don't get you." She turned and walked away from me.

"Robin!" I stood there, confused. She didn't exactly seem like she wanted to talk. Especially as she turned and headed in the opposite direction of our class. I sighed. That was not how I wanted that to go.

[tbc]