Welcome to the Family

🇺🇸 Freedom- Part 2 🇺🇸

STEPHANEE'S POV:

Cole led me to the large oak wood front door of the house that I had lived in for as many years as I have lived. I turned around to face my love, before our hands parted once more. Passing him a small smile, before I turned back around to face the door.

When we do get married, everything will be different- we won't have this teenage love. It will just be us with rings instead of our youth, and possibly a kid. But I don't want one with Cole- he's still my best friend, but I guess he could be my one love.

Knocking ever so slightly on the door, my mom answered. At 48, she still has her bat ears. My father, on the other hand, is practically deaf. He's always forgetting his hearing aids- so there's no point in trying to argue with him.

She and I both smiled before she embraced me in a smothering hug. Cole was probably getting uncomfortable, just standing there.

"I missed you, Stephanee.", my mother's soft and soothing warm voice filled my ears. But there was a small tanginess to it- she's always had a bad side. Just like everyone else in this world.

Cole cleared his throat as my mom and I parted from our hug. "Sorry, Cole.", I told him without looking at him.

"I just needed to get changed before we headed out for dinner, Mom. If that's okay with you.", I spoke to my Mom without breaking eye contact with her.

Her lips pressed into a large smile, mine doing the same, "I see you two are really hitting it off. I haven't seen Coleslaw in years, Stephanee."

Ignoring what she had said, I rushed passed her and into the front foyer. My parent's messy habits showed through my one day of not being home to help. There were piles of books and papers everywhere.

I've always enjoyed cleaning- especially the dining room. My parents have had a baby grand piano near one of the walls that has been passed down for 3 generations already. Next, it's mine. I can still remember the years and years of piano classes that I had been forced into.

FLASHBACK~

"Now, let's play Midsummer's Dream.", Mrs.White said. She started her part and I began mine- both starting slowly. As the tune played and played, we started getting faster and faster.

The last note was always my favorite- not just because it meant that the song was over, but because Mrs.White always lets me draw it out for longer.

Cole sat in the corner of the room, in my mother's armchair and he clapped his hands wildly as me and Mrs.White finished.

"Great job, Stephanee! You know how they say, 'you can always do better'? I never heard anything wrong with your part. It was perfect."

RETURN~

I'd always hated piano lessons because I was never good at it. And because my mom wanted me to play a song everyday before dinner started. And at that point, I had forgotten everything from my morning lessons.

My room was just as I had left it- my bed made and in the center of the room up against the wall, dresser full and partially overflowing of clothes,

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So... I forgot where I was going with this chapter but I thought you guys would all want to know how far into this chapter I am. It's only about 520 words, a lot less than my usual. I am sorry for making everyone wait, and if you guys have any ideas as of what should happen in this chapter, it would be great!

Again, sorry for the inconvenience.

                       - Lauren