What Could Have Been

Love Is A Ruthless Game

Happy Monday! Sorry for the delay, things have been getting busier and I wasn't done in time.

For context, this chapter is in line with the poison oak episode. Enjoy!

Ps. Pls read the notes at the end!
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New York, 2003

Stacey was packing up her things after choir rehearsal. She was drinking from her water bottle when she heard her name being called.

"Stacey?" Colleen's blonde head poked into the doorframe. "Your dad's here." she said before leaving.

Her brows furrowed as she screwed the cap of her water bottle back on. Her dad? She had seen her dad that morning which meant that he probably wouldn't be coming home until tomorrow. Who did Colleen see?

She slung her bag over her shoulder. She said goodbye to her teacher and left the room curious to see who was there. Was it really him?

She turned the corner and at the end of the hall, in his signature leather jacket was her Uncle Mark who also looked like he was flirting with her English teacher. She shook her head before approaching them.

She cleared her throat to get their attention. "Hey dad. I'm ready to go." she smirked at him. She turned her head to flash a smile at her teacher. She was new so she hadn't met her parents yet. "Hi Ms. Thompson."

"H-hi Stacey uh, this is your dad?"

She shot her Uncle a look and he shook his head amused. "Yup. He sure is."

"Okay okay," he said, putting an arm on her shoulder to steer her out the door. "we'd better get going, kid. Anne, it was nice meeting you." he flashed her a sideways smirk and a wink before finally turning away.

"You, little girl, are going to be the death of my sex life. Dad? Really?"

She fastened her seatbelt in the passenger seat and rolled her eyes. "Please. We both know that you could find another woman in the next hour if you wanted to. And I would really appreciate it if you kept my teachers out of your radar. I don't need that awkwardness after you ditch them, thank you."

He scoffed and he pulled away from the sidewalk. "Fair point." he conceded with a nod. "But dad? Are you kidding? Do I look anything like your father to you? I'm far more good looking."

She giggled and sighed as she leaned back. "I don't know, you tell me. I'm pretty sure you see him more than I get to nowadays." she shrugged. She felt him shoot her a look but she kept her face neutral.

"He's just been busy, Stace, you know that." he sighed.

"Yeah..."

She did know that. He was busy. He had work. He had surgery. He was in a meeting. She knew that, it wasn't anything new. It had gotten to the point that she would only get to see him a couple of times a month, but yeah, she understood.

She took a deep breath in through her nose and turned to her Uncle with a grin. "Can we get ice cream before we go home?"

"Ice cream? Didn't you just come from choir? Don't you guys have a performance or something coming up?"

"It'll be fine. I'll handle it."

"You forget I'm also an ENT and not just a plastic surgeon."

"Come on, please? You picked me up. You can't tell me we're going straight home just like that?" She had her hands clasped together and was looking at him with wide puppy dog eyes that she knew he could never say no to.