Chapter 103

Jon watched the emotions play across her face, he could see the inner turmoil of her thinking.  Something told him, his oldest daughter was a reason for some of that inner turmoil.

“My hour meeting with Thomas turned into a four hour meeting and it was all about Stephanie did she have a wild party?  I told him no they were on their best behavior, he asked how long that will last? I got really upset with him and that is what took the other three hours.  It’s just a small part of my problem.”  She took a deep calming breath before she went further.  “I overheard something, that maybe I shouldn’t.”

Jon sighed, “What has she done now?”

“Jon, am I a cool mom?”  She looked him dead in the eye and asked.

“Of course you’re a cool mom, the boys think you’re the best.”  He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.  “You’re the best mom to the trio.”

“I heard Sarah and Steph talking by the pool, Sarah said she had the cool mom, because Dorothea lets them smoke pot, what could it hurt.  Stephanie didn’t fall to temptation.  I just don’t understand what I did wrong.  I think it about it all the time, should I have done this differently, should I let her smoke pot?”  She looked up at Jon.

Jon could see that she was looking to him for all the answers and he didn’t have them.

“I don’t approve of drugs of any kind, so I don’t want her to do drugs and I’ll be the one to put the parental boot down. Don’t worry about this Lex, seven out of eight are great odds.”  He leaned forward and gave her a kiss.

They split the list and were soon checking out Sally smiled at the pair at the end of her line.  That must be the message on her phone, she thought as she moved her line along.

“I thought you two would be on a beach somewhere.”  Sally said as she started to scan their groceries.

“We were planning to, right up till last night, then the kids changed their minds.” Lexie said as they unloaded their two carts on the belt. 

“I guess I need to get my messages off my cell on my break.”  Sally told them.  “I read that Jon was going out on tour and you’re taking a break from writing.” 

“I have too, if it’s out there I need to do a chat.”  Lexie looked at Jon.

“Yeah, sounds like a plan Lex. And yes we’re doing a few weeks in Europe, then coming back here.” Jon told Sally.  He really hoped something would happen between Sally and Jesse, she was the best thing to happen to him so far. Once he got to Notre Dame, he needed would be the small fish in the big ocean with a popular dad, that and the women will use Jesse to get to him.

They made it home and got all the kids to help unload the groceries and Lexie started dinner.  She had the stuff out to make salad when Stephanie came in and started to wash her hands.

“I’ll make the salad for you, something smells great.” Stephanie said as she went over to the kitchen island to toss the salad.

“Don’t tell your grandfather, but I made Lasagna.”  Lexie laughed, Stephanie joined in. It got quiet, Lexie started buttering the Italian bread to make garlic bread, and she couldn’t take the silence.  “Thanks”

Stephanie didn’t look up, “You’re welcome.” 

“Steph, can I talk to you?”  Lexie asked popping the bread in the oven as she took out the bubbling dish of Lasagna, then put on the broiler.

Steph stopped mixing the salad and looked up at Lexie.  “Sure.”

“I wanted to tell you how proud I am of you, Graduating High School and going to College.  You’re stepping into the rest of your life with a plan set, you know what you want to do and you’re taking the steps to make those plans your future.  I went to college with no plan in place, I was like a fish out of water.” Lexie told her, as she went to the fridge and got out the dressing bottles to set on the counter.

“I always wanted to go into fashion since I was a little girl.  I got tired of the paper doll clothes and started drawing my own,” She took the salad she had made and put it by the dressing bottles. “Then daddy got all these designers wanting to send him clothes, Uncle Kenneth invited mom and I to his runway show.  I even got asked to model some, but I want to go into design.”  Stephanie knew that Lexie was beating around the bush, that something else was bothering her.  “Is there anything else you need me to do?”

Lexie watched her for a few minutes, then she decided to get it over with.  “Yeah Steph, do you like me?”

Stephanie stopped short, this wasn’t what she thought Lexie was going to ask her.

“Yeah I like you.”  Stephanie told her.  “Have I done something to make you think that I don’t like you?”

“When we had the meeting on Christmas, and you all wanted me to adopt you and your brothers, you seem to want this.”  Lexie said to her.

“I did,” Stephanie went over and sat on the corner of the cabinet.

Jon chose that time to come down to see when they were going to have dinner, he’d been with the boys playing video games.  He heard some of the conversation but stopped short when he heard Stephanie answer.

“Did, not do, so you would rather I not be a part of your life.  I’m not a cool mom like Dorothea, I don’t let you smoke pot whenever, you don’t want to be my daughter?”  Lexie asked her.

There is was, out in the open.  Her words that night by the pool with Sarah, had come back to bite her in the ass.  She didn’t know Lexie had overheard her, granted they didn’t go anywhere private and anyone could have heard them talking.

“I do, I want to be your daughter, but I also want to be able to be with my mom.  When I went and met her that day for coffee, I saw how much I missed her.  I know she and daddy will never get back together, they don’t love each other anymore.  But she will always be my mother, but you’re my new mom.”  Stephanie was quick to explain.

Lexie was quiet for a few seconds.  “Okay, can you call me mom now?”  She watched Stephanie face for a reaction, when she smiled then Lexie smiled.

“Okay, Mom.”  Stephanie walked over and gave Lexie a hug, which Lexie returned.

Jon sighed, they seemed to come to an agreement, which he hoped Stephanie wasn’t just talking out her ass.  He backed up and started to make noise before walking into the kitchen.

“Something smells great, we men drew straws to see who would come down and check on dinner.”  Jon leaned on the doorframe and watched his girls move apart, Stephanie grabbed a potholder to get the bread out of the oven, as Lexie blinked back tears and smiled at Jon.

“It might not be as good as your dad’s but it’s ready if you want to call the boys.”  Lexie finally got out.

“Okay,” He gave her a quick kiss and then went to the stairs and yelled up at the boys to wash up and come down for dinner.

That night as they lay cuddled in the big bed with the Trio, for a little after bath snuggle party.

“You and Stephanie seemed to settle things.”  Jon asked as he got Cullen to giggle by tickling his chubby tummy.

“How long were you eavesdropping in the hall?”  She asked as she put the girls into their Minnie Mouse sleepers wiggling their toes getting their slipper socks on.

“Oh, from when you asked her if she liked you. I was there to step in if it got sort of violent.”  He finally got a wiggling Cullen into his Mickey Mouse sleeper.

“Don’t think that would happen, but I think we’re on the right foot now.”  She passed Livie over to him while she took care of Maddie. 

“So you’re going to start a new book?”  He put Livie on his chest beside her brother.

“I told you I was taking a break.”  She held up Maddie and kissed her tummy and handed her to Jon.

“Why are you taking a break?”  He moved all three kids to the bed and turned to Lexie.