A Second Time Around

Chapter Three

Since Jenna's mom has work until 5pm, Jenna and Stacey decided to stay at Jenna's house while they're waiting for Jenna's mom to come home.

They watched some rom-com movie on Jenna's flatscreen tv, eating a bunch of chips and other junkfoods from their kitchen.

When the movie ended, they retreated to Jenna's room where the duo, sleepy from all the junkfoods they consumed, took a nap in Jenna's comfy bed.

By 5:00, they are still sleeping, and so they didn't hear a car stopping by the driveway.

But Mrs. Tremaine had arrived. She let herself in, and when she found the empty potato chip bags, a tub of ice cream, and other stuff littering her living room, she sighed and headed towards Jenna's room.

Jenna is still snoring softly when her mother gently shook her awake. "Jen, mom's here." She whispered in her ear. "Better get ready. We'll be going to the grocery in a few minutes." When Jenna rubbed her eyes, Mrs. Tremaine proceeded to wake Stacey up as well.

"Hello, Aunt Meg." She greeted, yawning. She sat upright on the bed and looked up at Jenna's mom.

"You should get ready too." She told Stacey.

After Jenna and Stacey had prepped themselves, and after they had cleaned the mess they had created downstairs (on Aunt Meg's orders, of course), they were ready to leave.

When they arrived at the grocery, Jenna dragged them both to the desserts and sweets section. Jenna loves sweets. Stacey often wondered how Jenna never gained too much weight even if she likes to eat chocolates and candy bars.

When Jenna piled their cart with Hersheys and Aunt Meg urged Stacey to take some as well, they proceeded to the meats and vegetables section.

Stacey was having a wonderful time. Jenna's mom is so cool. She let them take anything they want and insisted to pay even Stacey's purchases.

After they had shopped for groceries, they went to the nearby bistro to eat dinner.

"Wow, I've never enjoyed a day quite like this." Stacey mused.

"You sure about that?" Jenna asked, raising a brow. They both knew Stacey's morning hadn't gone well.

"Yeah," Stacey replied. "After all, my breakfast, lunch, and dinner have all been paid for." She laughed.

"Don't get used to it." Jenna huffed.

"And I didn't get to spend my whole afternoon in my dorm room with Jessica!" Stacey said happily. "Hopefully by the time I get back, she's already asleep."

"It must be unpleasant to endure having that girl in your room, sweetheart." Aunt Meg said sympathetically.

"Oh, I can manage." Stacey said airily. "Sure, most of the time I just want to strangle her while she sleeps or stab her on the back with a kitchen knife or put cockroaches in her bag- er, sorry Aunt Meg." She blushed.

"It's okay, dear." Aunt Meg laughed. "You've got um, excellent imagination."

The three of them laughed.

"Oh by the way, has Jenna told you we met her boyfriend earlier?" Stacey asked Jenna's mom innocently.

Jenna glowered at her. "He. Is. Not. My. Boyfriend!" She said angrily, enunciating every word.

"Who, Clifford?" Aunt Meg asked curiously.

"Mom!" Jenna whined.

"Oh honey, Cliff seems like a nice boy. It's very clear he's in love with you." Her mom said, drinking her soda to hide her smile.

"Well, I don't like him!" Jenna said vehemently. "I've done everything I can to turn him off, but he just doesn't give up!"

"Well, if you ever change your mind, you should know he has my blessing." Aunt Meg winked. "Just putting that out there."

Stacey laughed.

Jenna glared at the both of them. "Can we please change the subject now?"

Aunt Meg and Stacey gave in and talked about something else. Stacey talked about how their first period will be free for the next two days and hopefully, until next week.

"Yeah, I bet Stacey really likes that." Jenna smugly. "At least she won't be late for the next two days."

"As long as you keep bringing me free breakfast, I'll gladly be late again." Stacey said cheerfully.

After eating, they chose to go home then. People are still milling about on the sidewalk near the grocery. Apparently last minute shoppers, Stacey thought.

As they were in the parking lot walking back to Aunt Meg's car, they passed a woman who's carrying a few paper bags in her arms and even some shopping bags dangling from her elbow.

She was simultaneously talking on her cellphone which was placed on the crook of her neck while also adjusting her bags to keep them from falling. Her long, disheveled auburn hair concealed her face, but to sum it up, she looks stressed.

"I'm sorry Trisha, I won't be able to help you this time. I've got enough on my plate as it is... No, that won't do... Yes... Can I call you later? I'm preoccupied at the moment." The woman was saying on her phone.

She sighed, and then she tried to extract her phone from her neck. But when she moved her arm to get it, her paperbag slid out of her arms and the contents scattered on the ground.

With a stifled cry, she crouched down to retrieve them. Stacey took pity with the woman and helped her gather her things. Even Jenna and Aunt Meg helped too.

When they had put the contents back, the woman raised her head to look at them. "Thank you guys so much." She was saying, and then stopped short. She was staring at Stacey disbelievingly.

"Stacey?" The woman asked, awestruck.

Stacey stood up from crouching on the ground. She stared at the woman with equal wonder.

"Diane?"

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Hey guys! Sorry for my atrocious sentences. I'm not much of a genius when it comes to phrasing some paragraphs. Hopefully, you forgive me about that. English is my second language so please bear with me. Lol. :D

Xoxo. :*