Stephanie completed her high school education, graduating at the top of her class. During her spare time, she helped Hector prepare to write the GED and HiSET tests when he turned sixteen. He had to pass the GED and other state-required exams before taking the HiSET.
They had nearly sixteen months before he was old enough to write the first test. Stephanie applied to Wilson College of Textiles for a Bachelor of Science in Fashion and Textile Design. She couldn't wait to get started. Stephanie could live with her grandparents and remain closer to Hector, which affected her father's plan to move to Miami. Hector needed Stephanie around to stay on the right path.
Vulnerable teens like Hector are susceptible to gang recruitment. Hector avoided them in Trenton, though it led to his family's untimely death. Stephanie was worried the gang would search for him or Hector would seek retribution. It was the latter situation that frightened her the most. When he was deep in thought, Stephanie could see the hint of the danger lurking behind his brown irises.
It was nearly impossible to protect him forever. Eventually, Stephanie would have to leave Raleigh, NC, for LA or New York to launch her clothing line. She could make a name for herself in Milan. Stephanie wanted to make clothes for the average woman, not the elite in high society circles. Clothing should be affordable. LA and New York were among the top ten locations where Stephanie wanted to live. New York had a stronger pull than LA, where her pregnant half-sister lived with her cheating husband, Steve.
Stephanie didn't know for sure that Steve cheated on Valerie, but Grandma Mazur caught him kissing the skank Joyce Barnhardt the night before he married Valerie. If it walked like a duck and quacked like a duck, one could assume it was a duck. Stephanie wanted to feel bad for Valerie, who made her bed with lies and deception, but that sympathy would never come. It would be a cold day in hell before Stephanie trusted Valerie again. The pregnancy test swap ruined Stephanie's reputation and initiated her exile, which was a blessing in disguise. Stephanie had the freedom to explore her options. She could attend the college of her dreams.
That freedom was slightly tainted by Helen spreading lies that Stephanie had an abortion after Frank proved she was never pregnant. People believed the lies, the tall tales. Nobody considered Valerie to be the pregnant Plum child. The Burg bitches would never learn that Valerie was a pregnant bride. Helen claimed Valerie gave birth to Angie a month early. With Valerie and Steve living in LA, the only people who would know the truth were Steve's parents. The Donatellos and Helen would do anything to prevent the Burg women from learning the truth.
During a recent conversation with Frank, Stephanie learned he ordered Helen to change her name to Mazur. He didn't want Helen to keep his name after getting divorced. Helen blamed Stephanie for her troubles, but everyone knew Helen had created her own toxic environment.
Frank and Helen haggled over the wedding expenses. Helen got to keep the car, house, the money he deposited in her savings account, and alimony. He promised to drop the claim for half the wedding expenses if she agreed to leave his pension alone. Richard Orr calculated the amounts and told Helen she was getting a good offer. Helen signed the paperwork. She never noticed the caveat that the alimony payments would stop if she remarried. Frank only had to appear in court for the judge to rule on the divorce.
Because of her high grades, Stephanie received scholarships for her college program. She had her pick of colleges. Not all applications were for Fashion and Textile Design. Stephanie applied for science and English literature. She carefully weighed her options and accepted the Fashion and Textile Design program with the scholarships provided to cover most of her tuition expenses. All Stephanie had to do was maintain a minimum of 3.0 GPA. Stephanie aimed for at least a 3.8 GPA.
Hector accompanied Stephanie when she toured the college. Stephanie loved drawing and creating clothes. Everything she made was carefully hand-stitched to learn how everything went together. Stephanie made stuffed animals for the pediatric ward at the children's hospital. Hector laughed when Stephanie entered the lab, which contained tables and sewing machines. "I don't know how to use one," Stephanie whispered.
"Michelle or Tia Ella will teach you," Hector said. "Sewing by hand takes too long."
"Some fabrics require hand stitching," Stephanie reminded him. "But you're right; I must learn how to use the machines."
On their way home, Stephanie stopped at a craft store. She selected fabric and various types of thread for the sewing machine. After paying for everything, they left the store.
Hector watched in amusement when they got home. Stephanie grew increasingly frustrated with the machine. Michelle had to step in to show Stephanie what she was doing wrong and how to troubleshoot. It wasn't a machine problem. Stephanie never realized the bobbin had to hold the same type of thread as the one on the spool pin. She couldn't believe something so simple could mess up so badly.
"You'll get a handle on it," Michelle promised. "I have scrap fabric in the closet." She went to the closet inside the sewing room and opened the door wide. Stephanie stared in shock.
"Why didn't you tell me you had all this available?" Stephanie asked, standing to walk closer to the display in the closet.
"I purchased the fabric bolts during sales and stored them until you needed to make something. The only fabric I don't have is the type needed to make stuffed animals," Michelle replied. Stephanie wrapped her arms around Michelle's waist.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Stefania, I believe in your dream. I will help you however I can, even if it means teaching you how to sew on the machine. Your hand stitches are immaculate, and I can barely tell you have never used a machine to sew the pieces together," Michelle said.
"Thanks, Nonna. I love how you believe in me even when I don't and guide me without making me feel bad," Stephanie replied.
Michelle giggled and kissed Stephanie's forehead before releasing her. "You are an intelligent and talented woman. I can't wait to see some of your drawings become a reality. Your Nonno could use a new dress shirt. Could you make something out of this fabric?" Michelle asked, removing the blue bolt of fabric from the closet. Stephanie felt it and nodded.
"I'll have to make a pattern out of newsprint," Stephanie said. "Not newspaper; it's the cheap paper I use to sketch my designs. I'll use the cheap fabric to make a proper pattern and the mock shirt."
"Let me know if you need help. Ella is a remarkable seamstress," Michelle said, leaving Stephanie staring at her in surprise.
"Did you know?" Stephanie asked Hector, who nodded.
"The factory in Newark closed. She had to move here for a job. Nobody in Trenton or Newark wanted to hire her," Hector replied.
"Which factory?" Stephanie asked, trying to figure out where Ella used to work.
"Night Blooms; they used to make lingerie, loungewear and nightgowns primarily for E E Martin," Hector said. Stephanie furrowed her brows. She remembered hearing that E E Martin had found a cheaper factory in Indonesia to make its products, forcing Night Blooms to declare bankruptcy and close. Stephanie wondered if Ella had some patterns they used or remembered how to make them.
"Did Tia Ella tell you what she did at Night Blooms?" Stephanie asked.
"Seamstress," Hector replied. "I don't know what she did."
A seamstress could be someone who sewed the clothes, completed alterations, or cut the fabric. "I'll ask her tonight," Stephanie said.
Hector and Stephanie went outside to practice self-defence. They took martial arts lessons together. A veteran, who knew Francis Plum, started a new self-defence class, Krav Maga. Stephanie and Hector were curious and went to the studio to watch. They exchanged a look and decided they wanted to try. Since Mr. Parker wanted to attract the youth, he offered Stephanie and Hector six months of free lessons. Other teens and young adults watched how much Stephanie and Hector enjoyed the classes and decided to join. The lessons promised to help the young men who enlisted in the military. Stephanie and Hector learned more from Mr. Parker than from the other instructors for the different martial arts.
Krav Maga was more demanding than the typical martial arts. Hector and Stephanie had a better workout and quickly learned to use the other person's weight against them. Stephanie had struggled with this concept until Mr. Parker taught her. Everything fell into place. In the backyard, Hector and Stephanie used rubber knives in their practices. This taught them to be more aware of the other person's hands and random motions.
Exhausted, Stephanie collapsed on the grass, rolling onto her back to look at the clouds forming in the sky. Hector and Stephanie pointed to the clouds and named the animal or thing they resembled. They had fun combining animals and shapes to create a new name for the cloud. "I'm going to miss seeing you at school," Stephanie confessed.
"You will see me on the weekends," Hector said. "School won't be the same without you there." Hector was elated that she wasn't leaving Raleigh, but it wasn't enough to assuage his fear of attending high school without Stephanie, who he counted as his sister and best friend.
"Hec, I'm living at home. You'll see me during the week. I don't imagine I'll be too busy to visit," Stephanie replied. Once their heart rates returned to normal, Stephanie said, "We should go inside to make dinner. Nonno and Nonna want your infamous fish tacos."
Hector laughed and sprung to his feet. His excitement was infectious. He offered his hand to Stephanie and pulled her upright. Stephanie brushed the grass and dirt from her clothes. She laughed as Hector shook himself like a dog would to dispel water from its fur. "I'll meet you in twenty minutes," Hector said. Stephanie knew he wanted to shower before cooking dinner. She thought it was a brilliant idea.
Showered and wearing clean clothes, Stephanie answered the door when Hector knocked. He was allowed to enter the house whenever he wanted, but Hector used his manners and waited for someone to let him inside. Hector had his damp hair combed back, resembling one of those greasy-haired men on the Sopranos. Stephanie giggled and stepped aside for him to brush past her. He carried a box with the ingredients for the tortillas.
Once a month, Michelle and Francis asked Stephanie and Hector to make fish tacos. The tacos were delicious the first time the children made them, and Michelle enjoyed the delectable meal every month. Michelle often helped with the preparation. She chopped fresh garlic or onions to assist, freeing Stephanie to help fry the breaded fish. Frequently, Stephanie asked her to make fries and salad as side dishes. She'd laugh and make the coleslaw, which complemented the fish. Hector made the mini tortillas for the meal. The change made Michelle help them cook the meal since the tortillas consumed too much time.
Stephanie loved cooking dinner with Nonna and Hector. On the rare occasions, she would barbecue burgers or ribs with Nonno. She always cheered when she flipped a burger without causing a fire to erupt through the grill, which amused him. Her favourite cooking encounter was baking cookies and cakes with Hector, Ella and Nonna, while Nonno stole their baked goods as they cooled on the racks.
As promised, Stephanie helped Hector study for the exams. He was prepared to write them and scored high enough on the practice tests, but the state needed him to complete some requirements in the public board to write the official exams. Hector registered for the courses and wouldn't know which semester would hold the three he needed to pass before writing the GED. Stephanie worried about her brother. Something inside of him was unsettled. She suspected it had to do with the men who killed his family.
During the summer, Stephanie and Hector had fun designing clothes for Nonno and each other. Although Stephanie had much to learn about textiles and clothing design, she felt that practicing and creating remarkable clothing that not only fit but was also comfortable, proved she was in the right college program.
Designing clothes wasn't her only interest. Stephanie wanted to make a purse with compartments for her new mobile phone, sketch pads, pencils, and other school supplies. Her backpack had separate compartments, most of them outside the main compartment. She wanted pockets and compartments inside, opening only one zipper to access everything instead of the multiple ones on the newest backpack design.
"What's wrong?" Hector asked as Stephanie examined the backpack she had purchased for school.
"I like the overall design of this backpack," she said, trying to find the words to explain what she didn't like. "The outer pockets are water resistant, and so is the inside. It will prevent anything from getting wet or damaged from the weather. However, I can't fit a small lunch box or bag inside. These pockets are too small, and I risk squishing my lunch." Stephanie unzipped the largest of the external pockets to show him.
"Draw," Hector said. Stephanie rolled her eyes and created what she envisioned. Then she tossed that design in the trash. It resembled a messenger bag that left no room for a lunch box, proving the dilemma was impossible to solve with limited skills.
After several failed attempts, Stephanie sighed, "I'll eat lunch at the college or carry a separate lunch bag," as she tore the last design from the sketchbook and tossed it in the trash. Stephanie rested her head on the table and closed her eyes. She never heard Hector stuffing the drawing of her latest design into his pocket.
Hector kissed Stephanie's cheek before leaving. She raised her head and watched him exit the kitchen. He disappeared. She heard the front door closing a few minutes later. When Hector didn't return, she assumed he had gone home.
Stephanie shoved her sketchbook and drawing pencils into the backpack. She carried it through the house to her bedroom, depositing it on the desk beside her bed. Having nothing better to do, Stephanie lay on her bed in her thinking position. She closed her eyes to think. The latest design would work if she changed a few things, like making a leakproof lunch bag to go inside. Eating lunch at the school seemed more logical. However, Stephanie needed daytime snacks. Ideas flooded her mind as her eyes closed. She fell asleep, dreaming of purses and clothes.
Several hours later, she heard someone knocking on her door. She groaned, swung her legs off the side of her bed and stood. The person knocked again. "Hang on, I'm coming," Stephanie said as she yawned. She opened the door, finding Ella and Hector standing outside. Fear gripped Stephanie's heart. "What's going on? Are my grandparents hurt?"
"I'm sorry to startle you, dear," Ella replied. "Your grandparents are in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Michelle said I could come upstairs to deliver a present."
"But it isn't my birthday," Stephanie said, wondering if she slept through the summer and first six weeks of school. Hector chuckled. Stephanie narrowed her eyes at Hector and asked, "What's behind your back?"
With the biggest shit-eating grin, Hector presented Stephanie with the messenger bag she designed. "It's waterproof and mould-resistant," Ella said. "I created zippered pockets inside to hold your snacks and pencil case. It's wide and deep enough to hold your 13"x11" sketchbook."
"You made this?" Stephanie asked in shock.
"Yes, and I used your design," Ella replied. Stephanie looked at Hector, who shrugged. He knew Stephanie wouldn't be mad. If anything, he started her career.
"Thank you," Stephanie gushed. She hugged Ella before Hector. "You are the best little brother ever. Ella, how did you make this so fast?"
"When Night Blooms closed, they sold the machines to repay their creditors. I managed to buy two commercial-grade machines and a heavy-duty serger. You are welcome to borrow my machines," Ella replied. Stephanie didn't know what to say and hugged Ella instead. Those machines and Ella's expertise would come in handy.