Is a Dream Just a Dream?

Reunion

***A/N uncork your wine bottles folks she's back***

"Derrick, honey maybe you should go lay down for a while. You're falling asleep in your eggs" my son's head snaps up and he shakes himself as if just realizing he's got a cheek covered in salsa "Man you're such a light weight dork" he scowls at Bryce digging into his food "Shut up". Stevie wipes the sauce off his cheek with a napkin and he smiles at her in thanks. "I'll never drink again..." sitting back in my seat I chuckle at my son "I've said that before. I think I was your age too" Stevie takes my hand finishing her fruit salad. When she gets to the last blueberry in the bowl she spears it with her fork and pops it into my mouth kissing the juice from my lips. A ritual that goes back to our days in Fritz.

Bryce in his oh so mature fashion groans "People can see you guys".

He's got a long way to go before he grows up, but at least now he's willing to try. I wonder how much of his behavior was influenced by mine and Kristen's toxic relationship. And for like a second I ponder if that was even a major factor...of course it was.

"What time is our plane mom?" Will scrapes the last of his cereal from the bowl. Stevie stumbles over her response "I-It's in four hours hon" I pull her against my side kissing her hair "Boys, you don't have to start calling me mom if it makes you uncomfortable. I'm-" Will pushes his bowl back and grabs Stevie's other hand "Maybe I just felt like calling you mom, does it bother you?" she shakes her head quickly "Of course not sweetie I just don't want you or your brothers to think I'm taking Kristen's place. She's your real mother-" Groaning Derrick grabs some ice from his water glass rubbing the cubes over his eyes.

"It's weird to call you Aunt Steph when you're married to our dad...it sounds like he married his sister. It's awkward to call you Stevie cause we've never called you that before and it seems forced, mom just sounds right" Will, the little charmer that he is has Stevie wrapped around his finger as usual. "I don't think any of us want you to be like our mother. We love her but she's...not really all that maternal" that's an understatement, for Kristen the boys were like decorations. In public she adored them, in private she used them to manipulate me but otherwise ignored them.

"So mom it is then, great. Anyone got any freakin aspirin." I chuckle taking Derrick's sunglasses off his eyes, they're rimmed red and blood shot. "I hate to agree with Bryce kiddo but he's right, you only had five beers" he pulls the glasses back over his eyes leaning back in the booth "And some Jell-O shots...and a Jager bomb" Stevie looks up in shock "Jeez...no wonder your out of it" I pat my sons arm laughing

"Well that's two life lessons. First, you're not old enough to have liquor in this country only beer and wine. You should have stuck to that. Second, and more important never, ever, ever, ever, mix liquors when you drink unless it's in a cocktail. Otherwise you're headed straight for a hangover"

One of the waiters drops a serving tray and he cringes from the sound, I smirk at his hang dog expression "Dully noted dad"

***

Why do parties always make me so nervous? I'm introverted by nature but I'm not afraid of people or having a good time. I just feel like having so many people around is in one room is a recipe for some sort of social faux paux on my part. I finish buttoning my dress shirt and sip my scotch, watching as Stevie adjusts her jewelry in the mirror. It takes her a few minutes to decide which of her necklaces she likes best but once she does she lays the other carefully back in it's case sliding it into a drawer on the vanity "You almost done Linds?" I grab my cane and stand, my limp still present in my gait. According to Dr. Patel I may never fully regain my mobility which sucks.