Our Last Dance

16.

When the next Friday came along, Ireland was ever so happy to be back spending the night with her grandmother because she wasn't a fan of being away from her or being with her other grandparents, and as of recent, her new obsession was Shelly. And of course, she did not forget about the promise she was told about going to the movies; it was all she had talked about. 

"We'd love to join you for dinner, but I'm exhausted and Leo has an early flight," Shelly yawned as she melted into Leo's side. 

He pressed a kiss to her head as he wrapped his arm along her shoulders.

"Ah, no worries, sweetheart, as I said, you're sleeping for two now..." Stevie replied. "You gotta get your rest especially while handling school and the wedding..."

She nodded.

"I keep telling her she's gonna wear herself out," Lindsey assured.

"I know, I know... But there's just so much to do," she whined, followed by a sigh. "I'm trying to rest but there is a lot to stress about, y'know?" she looked around, hoping somebody would agree. "Stevie, you have to know what I'm going through?"

"Of course I do, honey. I was older when I had Trevor; I was stressed about having him so late, was stressed about the school and stressed something would happen every time my husband left town," she shrugged. "We're women, we worry. Let me tell ya, it only gets worse. Especially when our children start going to school, but as you age, you learn to digress. I spent my twenties being upright, my thirties always worried, my forties is when I started to find who I was as a person; and by my fifties, I started to not care about what people thought of me... Then my late fifties, I reverted to a vulnerable stage when I lost my husband and now I don't care what people think again. Things that used to stress me out, they don't stress me out anymore... What I'm really working on now is being seventy to see where that brings me in life but I'm betting I won't be stressed," she chuckled.

Both Lindsey and Shelly were rather stunned by her life lessons; it seemed the responses came so natural.

"What I'm getting at is, things will calm down. I can't say you'll rest once you're married and settled because you're pregnant. Once that baby comes, life will move even faster... So, take it from us and slow down. Give yourself a break and rest."

"I will," she nodded.

"Awe we still going to the movies 'morrow?" Ireland cut in, hoping their plans weren't changing considering all the talk about resting.

"Yes, my love," Stevie chuckled.

"Shelly too?" she wondered.

"Yes, I'm coming tomorrow too," Shelly knelt down. "We're gonna see the movie with Rapunzel just like you wanted," she spoke of the film, Tangled, "and if you're so good; I'll make sure we get a good treat for dessert tomorrow."

Thr girl gasped with excitement.

"Sound good, girlfriend?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"Alright, give me knuckles..." she held her fist out.

The little girl gently bumped her fist against the younger gal's.

Shelly chuckled, "I'll see you tomorrow, sweetie," and stood tall once more and gave her fiance a knowing glance that told him she was ready to go.

Leo acknowledged it.

"We'll have dinner next week then," Lindsey mentioned to Stevie.

She nodded.

"Well, you guys should go..." Shelly assured. "Just because we're not doesn't mean you can't..."