Patience

22

February 14, 2020

She was wearing black stilettos to work and it wasn't normal. Usually, it's wedges, her boots, or Sandals but she was wearing black faux leather skinny jeans and a black peplum top with lace sleeves. Her makeup was slightly bolder today, as she had done an eyeliner wing and a bright red lip. The boots or the wedges just didn't look right and there was no way she was going to wear sandals in the middle of winter even though sixty isn't that cold by New York standards. 

She quickly organizes everything and then she pops her head out. "Daniella." 

A very timid young girl, her mother, and another girl walks into the little room. "Hi I'm Tori Buckingham, what are your names?" She questions.

"Wait...you're Tori?" The girl with dark waves very similar to hers asks.

"I am. Yes." She nods.

"Oh my god, this is my sister." The girl says.

"Wait, you are Stella's sister?" The blonde in the chair questions. 

"Yes. I'm her oldest sister." Tori sighs.

"This is so cool, my best friend's sister is doing my modeling makeup. I'm Daniella Dennison. This is obviously Stella Buckingham she's my best friend and this is my mom Cathy." 

"Well, it's nice to meet you. What are we going for today?" Tori inquires.

"Whatever you see as fit but like don't go overboard. She's only fourteen." Cathy jumps in.

"Alright." Tori grins and she gets to work. 

"Are you with dad this week?" Tori questions.

"I am. He's in the studio so I'm hanging with the Dennison's." Stella shrugs.

"Well, It's a Friday. When do you go back with your mom?" Tori questions.

"I don't go back with her until next Friday. That's how they set up the arrangement-Friday to Friday." Stella explains.

"Well, would you like to go to dinner with me. I'll bring you back to Dad's tonight? I get off at eight." Tori questions. 

"Um...sure, let me go and call dad." Stella smiles walking out of the room. 

***

Tori and Stella were equally nervous as they were walking out of LA Models. 

"So where would you like to go?" Tori asks plopping into the driver's seat.

"Honestly. I'm fine with Wendy's." Stella shrugs.

"Honestly, me too." Tori nods as they make their way to the restaurant.

Tori was eating a spicy chicken sandwich and the fries and Stella was eating a burger but she didn't order fries instead she was picking at Tori's. 

"So...I didn't think I would ever meet you," Stella says after a minute.

"What do you mean?" Tori asks popping a fry in her mouth.

"Dad told us about you. We knew that he had another kid and we knew the story. Leelee and I would sit up and talk most nights wondering where you were and what you looked like. Dad told us at Christmas that they had found you and I was hoping that I could meet you soon. I didn't think I would just stumble into you." Stella shrugs.

"Well. I think we should take this time to get to know each other. My name is Tori it was Cryderman and now it's Buckingham. I'm divorced, my ex-husband was slightly abusive. There's not much else to know about me. I was born on September 16th. I'm not that fascinating. I mean you know what I do for a living." Tori starts.

When Stell divulges information about herself they finally make their way back to Lindsey's house. As February started and she started hanging out with Lindsey more he gave her a key to his condo. He even paid the fine when she broke her lease. And she'll never admit it, but she does feel slightly safer living with two other women then she did by herself.

"Hey, how was dinner?" Lindsey asks when the girls walk in. He's laying on the sofa drinking a beer. 

"Is this what you do when you're alone here all week," Tori asks putting her purse on the counter in the kitchen. 

"Maybe." He rolls off the couch and goes to greet his daughter's. "I'm sorry that you met the way you did. Stevie and I have been talking trying to figure out the best way for you guys to meet but I guess you did that by yourselves." 

"Yeah. It was nice." Stella nods hugging her dad.

***

When Tori gets home, the TV is on in the well there's a sitting room, a family room, and a living room. The living room is where the TV is and even though the house is dark in the entryway she can see the TV and the dim lights coming from the Livingroom. She kicks her heels off and hangs up her coat and purse in the hall closet before venturing into the kitchen. She grabs a bowl of blueberry yogurt then heads to where she knows someone is. Both Lori and Stevie are in there watching a home makeover show on HGTV. Lori's on one of the armchairs and Stevie is curled up against the arm of the couch and Tori plops right next to her mother and lays her head on her shoulder. 

"You're home awful late. Is there a boyfriend I don't know about. It is Valentine's Day and that is a really bold lip." Stevie smirks as Tori shoves her spoonful into her mouth. 

"Well, I was at work and a client came in. A young girl, fourteen. She had an entourage with her. It was her mother and her best friend who just so happened to go by the name of Stella Buckingham." Tori looks at her mom.

"You met Stella, that's exciting so you were at your dad's?" Stevie clarifies.

"I took her to dinner then I went to dad's for a little while yeah." She nods. 

"Where'd you go to dinner?" Lori questions.

"Wendy's. I asked her where she wanted to go and that's what she settled on." Tori nods. 

"I haven't had Wendy's in a very long time," Lori tells them.

"Did you know that dad told them about me?" Tori questions.

'No. Is that what Stella said?" Stevie asks.

"It is. I guess Dad's told them about me from the beginning." Tori nods.

"I wonder how Kristen took that," Lori smirks.

"Lori," Stevie warns.

"I'm just saying." Lori shrugs.