When I Met Her....

One Big Happy Family

*THE SONG PLAYING AS LAUREL'S ALARM IN THE MEDIA*

One Big Happy Family

Laurel's POV

"Laurel, I didn't get to see you yesterday when I came home or today before I left. I've been meaning to ask you how the shopping went." My father says, stabbing a piece of pasta with his fork.

"Yea. It was great. Steph and I found some really cute stuff." I smile across the table at Steph.

"That's good," my dad nods " but I forgot to tell Stephanie to take you to AT&T and add you to the family plan."

"I don't need a phone." I assure him.

"Nonsense. I went to AT&T after work and got you a phone and upgraded our plan so we have unlimited data."

He reaches under the table and pulls out a box. It has the Apple logo on it and it looks like an iPhone6. Setting it on the table, he slides it to me and I catch it before it falls off the edge.

"Thanks daddy." I get up and kiss him on the cheek before sitting down again.

"Your welcome princess." He grins, " I don't know how to set it up, so you'll have to ask Stephanie to do it if she doesn't mind."

"Of course I don't mind." Steph says, putting her wine glass up to her lips.

The rest of dinner was full of meaningless conversation. When the grandfather clock strikes 8, I stand up and excuse myself, grabbing the cellphone box.

"I'll come in to set up your phone in a bit. The tardy bell at Knightingale rings at 8:45am." Steph says, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"Okay." I reply as I walk down the hallway to my bedroom.

In my room, I hop in and out of the shower and I'm just about finished rolling my hair when Steph walks in. Her shoulder is leaned up against the frame of the bathroom door.

"Ohh, rollers for the first day of school. Did you peek at a few of the Knightingale boys at the mall?" She teases.

"No." I shrug, "I just want to make a good impression. That's all."

"That's nice. I'm sure you'll make a lot of friends."

"You think?" I ask doubtfully, snapping the last roller in place.

"Your beautiful personality is sure to draw people to you. The hair, however, is a nice touch."

There it is again: the motherliness.

"You would've made a wonderful mother." I compliment.

Steph smiles and hops onto the sink counter, taking the phone box in her hand.

"So..." I say, spraying volume spritzer on my hair, "We've been talking all weekend and I realized I don't know very much about you."

"What do you want to know?" Steph asks, plugging in the iPhone charger into a wall outlet.

"Stuff, you know, details."

"Details, you say." Steph grins.

"Yea, details are what make a person." I say, wiping down the counter around the sink.

"Well my favorite color is green. If that's what you mean." Steph smiles, attaching my phone to the charger.

"Mine is gold." I say, slipping on a tank top.