What Could Have Been

Special Chapter: Here Comes the Sun pt.1

It was my birthday today so I'm giving you guys a gift!
———————————————————————————

One of Stacey's favorite movies when she was a kid was the 1998 remake of "The Parent Trap". Part of the reason was because redheaded Linsey Lohan reminded her of herself with the addition of freckles. The other reason was that she was an only child and the idea of having a secret sibling on the other side of the world was something she fantasized about. Of course she knew that that would have been impossible. Her parents were still together that time and she knew that her mother would have rather she got run over by a bus than give one of her children away. Still. It was a fun fantasy to get lost in.

She had always wanted a sibling. Someone to share secrets with under the covers after their parents turned out the lights. Someone to fight with over how long they took in the bathroom. Someone to share clothes and swap styles with.

She loved her parents but that didn't make growing up an only child any less lonely.

Having a sibling was one of Stacey's childhood wishes. She never thought that wish would come true in the form of her college roommate.

...

Stacey was headed back to her dorm from the library. She still had a few more topics to go over before tomorrow's class but she hadn't slept well in days and it seemed to be catching up with her tonight. She decided she was just going to go back to her dorm and finish whatever she could in bed so that she could just fall asleep right after. It was her roommate's birthday and she was supposed to be out with her dad for dinner so that meant Stacey had the room to herself for the night. Maybe the quiet could help her focus.

Oh who was she kidding, without Anj to bounce information back and forth with she was going to be out like a light the first paragraph in.

She was already stifling back a yawn when she reached the door to their room. Looks like tonight was going to be cut short.

Stacey opened the door expecting to find an empty room, instead she found a man seated on her roommate's bed. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was.

"Dr. Reilly?"

The man looked up at her surprised and offered her a delayed smile. "Stacey, hi."

"Hey Stace," Anj says, turning away from the mirror to look at Dr. Reilly. "How do you know my roommate?"

"I didn't know she was your roommate," he replied. "We met at the practice. She's the daughter of one of the doctors I work with."

The two were sharing a look and Stacey felt like it was time for her to intervene. "Yeah... and how do you two know each other?"

Anj gave her a funny look that made Stacey furrow her brows.

"He's my dad."

Stacey's eyes widened and her mouth fell open. She suddenly felt so stupid. Of course! Angela Reilly. Jake Reilly. Her eyes darted towards her friend's desk, specifically to the framed family photo that stood at the far corner next to Anj's books. Her eyes traveled back and forth from the picture to Dr. Reilly in front of her.

"This is... quite the coincidence, huh?" she heard Dr. Reilly ask but she was still stuck on the fact that the guy that her mom almost left with for a two week trip to Fiji also happened to be her roommate's dad.

Anj smiled at her a little uneasily. She waved her hand in front of Stacey's face with a light laugh. "Uh... Stace? You still good?"

Stacey blinked herself out of her stupor. She closed her mouth and shook her head to regain her bearings. "No-no I'm... I'm fine. I was just... surprised is all."