Gone Without Goodbye

Chapter 23

Stella woke up the next day on the couch, looked around and smiled while stretching.

Mackenzie walked in and seen her awake, "Morning sunshine."

Stella looked at her, "Good morning. What time is it?"

"Almost 11, you must have been tired because you fell asleep around 10 last night."

"Oh wow, well it was much needed sleep. I haven't slept that good in a while. Tony still asleep too?"

"He went to LA Plata."

"The high school?"

"Nope, the city."

"Why?"

"Apparently that's where Aiden is. Detective Johnson called earlier this morning saying that they found out that, that's where he is. He said he was going to meet some officers down there and bring him home. Tony, of course, insisted on going."

"What?! And why didn't he wake me." Stella exclaimed as she sat up.

"He said that you looked peaceful sleeping, so he didn't want to wake you because you needed your sleep. Now don't worry, your dad went with them."

"Oh...okay. So, why are you so dressed up already?"

With that Mackenzie smiled big, "Lucas and me are going to Washington D.C to go shopping."

"Ah yes, that boy loves to shop. I remember the first-time hearing that he does, I actually laughed because he was the first guy that I knew that loved to shop as much as a female does. So, who brought the subject up first? I bet it was him huh?"

"Actually no, it was me. We were talking and I mentioned I wouldn't mind going there to go shopping. I didn't expect him to offer to take me, but he did. Of course, I wasn't going to turn down a day to spend with him."

"That's awesome. So, when is he going to be here?" Stella asked as she stood up and began folding the blanket that was covering her.

"Any minute now actually. You know, I figured that since I'm spending the day together with him, that it would be a good chance to get to know each other better." She had winked.

"Yeah, it is." She agreed, "Plus D.C is a good place to shop. I used to go there a lot."

"Cool, well I can't wait. So, what are you going to do all day?"

"Sit around here, might clean house a little bit while I wait for the family to get here. I miss my brother so much and I can't wait to see him."

"Oh I bet." Mackenzie stated as there was a knock on the door, "Yay, Lucas is here." She giggled as she clapped her hands while walking to the door then opened it.

Stella shook her head while grinning and walked into the kitchen to find her something to eat. She decided on having a peanut butter and banana sandwich, her favorite since she was a kid. She cut up the banana and as she was putting peanut butter on the bread a set of arms went around her waist loosely then a soft kiss was planted on her shoulder. She jumped a little but didn't turn her head to see who it was because she figured it was Mackenzie or Lucas messing with her.

"Ha ha, very funny Kenz or Lucas."

"It's not neither one of them." He said without removing his arms.

With that she instantly turned around in his arms, "What are you doing here Shane?" She couldn't help but smile at him.

"Well Lucas and me were talking earlier, thought I needed to get my mind off this crap with Kelly, so he invited me to go with him and Mackenzie. At first I declined but once he mentioned that he was going to see if you wanted to go also, I decided to change my mind and come along."