Dancing in the Rain

Chapter II

The drive to Whitwick was a five hour drive. To Stacey, it felt like it took an eternity to arrive there. She felt anxious to start a new, fresh life away from the drunk of the neighbourhood, also known as her father.

The hurt he had placed upon her inside her chest was still there, and it was agonizing. Marshall Russell was all too difficult to figure out. He could feel guilty for drinking until he was wasted, or not feel bad at all. In this case, it seemed like he wouldn't miss Stacey at all, for he made no effort to grant her a goodbye hug, or at least tell her he would miss her.

"Nervous?" Anne asked, dragging her away from her gloomy thoughts.

Stacey's eyes darted to where her mother sat, driving with her eyes glued to the road. "No," she lied.

"Really?" Anne cocked a pencil-shaped eyebrow. She didn't look convinced. "I was when I first moved there. But when I got there, everyone was so welcoming. You're gonna make friends easily."

"Mmm... sure," Stacey hummed. "Why didn't Frank come with you?"

Frank McClain was her stepfather, Anne's husband. He was a pleasant man, though Stacey had only met him once near Christmas when he and Anne went to visit her and Marshall.

Frank was a fairly handsome fellow, his hair a slick jet-black and his eyes a kind cinnamon-brown. That day he and Anne came for a visit, he was kind enough to buy her a gift. Knowing her love and passion for piano and classical music through her mother, he had bought her a thick book containing the most famous classical songs by Bach and Beethoven... Stacey loved it. Anne had given her the latest Elton John album, remembering how much she talked about him, claiming he had "the voice of an angel".

Marshall... He never gave her anything for Christmas.

In fact, Frank acted more fatherly to her on that one day than Marshall ever did since the divorce.

"He stayed home to set your room up," Anne responded. "He's excited to see you again. You're like a daughter to him."

"Well, technically... he is my father," Stacey said sheepishly.

Anne chuckled. "Oh, I suppose you're right."

"How much longer?" Stacey inquired, pressing her face up against the window to stare out at the wonderful scenery standing before her, her breathing fogging up the glass. The sky had become more blue and cloudless, leaving it clear for the robins to fly freely with the warm summer wind dripping against their feathers. The grass was still glistening with the morning dew, covering the grass blades and the soil with the gentle liquid. The lilacs and snow-white carnations blossomed gloriously underneath the fiery bright sunlight, their leaves shining with an astounding amount of green. Definitely a fresh sight for a fresh start...

"Give it fifteen more minutes, and we'll be there in no time," Anne replied after briefly checking the watch bound tightly around her wrist.

Stacey sighed, proceeding to bounce her leg continuously, her anxiousness clearly showing from the little action. "Don't think I can wait another minute," she mumbled after a few minutes of pure silence.

"Ah, so you are nervous," Anne chortled.

"Eh... no," Stacey denied with a shake of her head, her dark blonde strands of hair bouncing on her shoulders. "I've been sitting here for about five hours. I need to stretch my legs."

"Well, get ready then," Anne said with a small exhale of breath. "We're nearly there."

Stacey leaned back against the passenger seat and closed her restless eyes. "Excellent," she murmured softly.

True to her word, Anne began to slow down the car ten minutes later, and soon, she pulled up on the driveway of a cozy-looking home. It wasn't big, yet it wasn't small either. And standing on the front porch was a familiar face with a large smile lighting up his handsome features.

"Hey girls!" Frank McClain called cheerfully as Anne and Stacey hopped out of the van.

"Could you give us a hand, honey?" Anne asked, pulling two of Stacey's bags out of the open trunk.

Frank practically skipped towards the car, much to Stacey's amusement. Before he grabbed any one of her bags, he pulled her in for a tight embrace.

"How've you been, Stace?" he asked quietly in her ear, his warm breath tickling the side of her cheek.

"Fine," she replied.

"You're not taking it too hard, right?" Frank asked softly.

"It was hard... But I'm surprisingly ok," she said with a small smile.

"I'm glad," he grinned. "I don't want you to regret moving here, so we're gonna make you feel as welcomed as possible. Right, Annie?"

"Course," Anne laughed. "But we can do that once we unload the trunk. Help me out, will you?"

"Sorry, sweetness," Frank said cheekily, releasing Stacey from their hold and reaching over to help Anne with Stacey's belongings.

Once they had unloaded the car of all the bags, Frank pushed the trunk shut with a dull slam, and gestured for Anne and Stacey to follow him. They obliged and stuck closely behind him as he kicked the door open with his foot. Then, he stood aside to allow them in.

"Ladies first," he winked.

Stacey went in first and glanced around her new home in awe. The hallway was lit with brightly lit lamps, brightening up the family photos hanging up on the walls, which were a mild shade of beige. When she entered the living room, she was greeted by a crackling fireplace and a small television standing in front of the couch and the armchair. A coffee table stood right in the middle with the TV remote and several coasters neatly piled at the corner.

"What do you think?" Anne, who stood behind her to watch her reaction, asked anxiously. "I know it's not much, but-"

"No," Stacey shook her head and fondly smiled around the comfortable living room. "No, Mom, it's perfect. I hope you didn't think I expected some sort of mansion."

"Well..." Anne bit her lip to prevent the smile the nearly stretched upon her painted red lips.

Stacey giggled softly. "I like it... It's cozy. Better than a mansion, if I dare say so myself."

"Well, let's hope you like your bedroom," Frank piped up. "Come on, I'll show you..."

Stacey turned after taking one last quick look at the living room and followed Frank and Anne out, approaching the staircase that lead to the bedrooms. Once the three were upstairs, Frank turned the knob of one of the bedroom doors and pushed it open.

Slowly, Stacey stepped inside and took in the sight of her new bedroom. The walls were painted a lovely tint of periwinkle blue, matching the blankets on her bed and the soft carpets beneath her. The view outside from the window perfectly showed the backyard, which contained a lovely flower garden with yellow roses, daisies, and bluebells. A nightstand with a long mirror stood far right of the room, while a small night table stood beside the bed. Everything in the room seemed so put together, like the rest of the house.

"I remember you saying that you liked this colour," Frank spoke up after Stacey turned to face him and Anne. He thoughtfully brushed his fingers against the lightly coloured walls. "I figured you might like it. Do you?"

"It's nice," she replied with a nod of her head. "Thank you. I like it."

Frank beamed. "I'm glad to hear that. Do you need any help unpacking?"

"You've done more than enough for me," Stacey declined. "I can take care of it myself. Thanks for the offer."

"Well... just yell for us if you need anything, Stace," Anne said.

"Sure. Now get out of my room."

Anne and Frank chuckled at the cheeky remark and exited the bedroom, leaving Stacey to unpack her things.