~~Flashback-3 months prior-Eastern Europe~~
Chris was the first off the plane and was greeted by a mob of girls, begging for an autograph, picture, or some sort of memory of the five men that had stolen their hearts. He smiled and waved at the girls, stopping to sign autographs as he was ushered along by the new bodyguards hired to protect them from the screaming fans.
Joey smiled as he stepped off the plane into the large crowd of screaming, crying and giggling girls. He stopped to sign a couple autographs, but was quickly pulled away by the bodyguards, urging him to follow them to the limousine. He looked around at the crowd of girls and had to laugh.
“If Stacy could see me now.”
Joey eyed the small airport terminal, his eyes finally landing on his family. His heart beat faster and his eyes filled with tears as he walked up to them, seeing them for the first time in almost a year. They embraced him with tears in their eyes and ear to ear smiles on their faces, before flooding him with the millions of questions he had expected them to ask.
“So, Superstar.” Steve laughed. “Meet any girls you wanna send my way? What’s this I hear about you being mobbed at the airport in Germany? Is it true your album sold that many over there? When is it gonna be released here?”
Joey’s mother kissed his lips and broke away, heaving a sigh of relief. “I was so worried about you Joseph. So, let me feel this new beard you have growing. It’s very handsome. When do you guys start touring? Did Europe treat you good?”
“When can we hear your songs?” Joe Sr. begged, putting his arm around his son. “I’ve been bragging to all my friends, I gotta back myself up here Joe.”
Joey chuckled. “Don’t worry Dad. You’ll get the CD when I unpack.”
“Joey, have you talked to Stacy yet? Does she know you’re back?” Joey’s heart stopped when his sister mentioned Stacy’s name after hugging him. “She misses you, ya know.”
Joey nodded. “I haven’t talked to her. I know something’s wrong so I was giving her time.”
Joe Sr. shook his head in disappointment at his son. “In laments terms your avoiding her because she hasn’t talked to you. Bull Joseph. You’d better go see her…”
“Before she leaves for work.” Phyllis added, pushing her son towards their car.
“Work?” Joey asked confused. He allowed his family to rush him out to their car while waving goodbye to the other guys, promising to call them later.
Joey slipped his key into the lock and turned it slowly, being careful not to make any added noise. The doorknob turned slightly and he stepped inside. A soft glow emanated from the small living room. A smirk appeared on his face as he fell down to his knees, creeping up behind the couch and peeking his head over the top of it. The sight caught him by surprise.
Instead of a tired looking Stacy, a small, almost tiny body sat in front of the glowing television, her back to Joey. Her long, auburn hair fell down her back and stuck out in all directions. Her body gently swayed back and forth to the music and dancing of the cartoons on the television as she tried her best to sing along.“We’re animanwiacs. We’re cwrazy maxes…”
Joey smiled lovingly and dropped down so he was on all fours as he crawled up beside Annie, still unnoticed by her. He sat down behind her and swayed along to the music with her.
“Animany, totally insany…” he sang along in a whisper.
Annie’s small body froze as she tried to recognize Joey’s voice. Realization hit a second later as she turned around, squealing in delight. She threw her arms around Joey and hugged him tightly.
“Uncle Joey!” She whispered into his ear. “What you doin here?”
Joey chuckled pulling her closer to him and sitting down, placing her on his lap and running his fingers through her soft hair. “I could ask the same of you lil’ bit.”
Annie giggled softly. “I’m waitin fa sissy to get up and do ma hair fa scwool silly.”
Joey’s brows furrowed in confusion. “School ya say?”
Annie nodded proudly. “We’re gonna finga paint today.”
Joey’s eyes grew wide as he plastered on a fake smile and looked down at her. “You are! Can you paint a picture for your uncle Joey? PUUULEEEAAAASEEE.” He whined.
Annie laughed. “Okay.”
Joey smiled down at her again as he rocked her back and forth in his lap. “So, are you goin’ to school here while you visit Stacy?”
Annie laughed and playfully smacked Joey’s chest. “No silly. I wive here.”
Joey froze in shock. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He was totally and utterly confused. His head jerked up as he heard a door close from down the hall. He stood up quickly, pulling Annie into his arms as an exhausted Stacy strolled into the living room, wiping the sleep out of her eyes.
“Annie sweetie, it’s time for…”
Stacy’s eyes widened when she saw the person standing a few feet in front of her Annie smiling in his arms.
Tears pricked Stacy’s eyes as she stared at Joey, frozen in place.
Joey smiled tenderly at her, placing Annie on the floor.
Annie pointed up at Joey once she was safely on the floor. “Wook who’s here sissy!”Stacy nodded. “Yes, I can see that.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, her eyes never leaving Joey. “Go get dressed for school sweetie, okay?”
“Otay.” Annie waved at Joey and ran down the hallway to her room.
“Joe…Joey, what, why, what are you?” Stacy swallowed quickly, not quite knowing what to do, but knowing that the site of her best friend, tired face and all was about the best thing she had seen in a very long time. Her eyes brightened the moment she realized that her best friend, her lifeline was standing in front of her in her living room, a new, older look, goatee and all, but her best friend nonetheless. “What are you doing here?” She finished quickly and took a deep breath to calm herself down.
“We came back to re-release our album here and tour.” God she looks exhausted. She looks like she’s lost all the life in her. He gulped and stepped closer to her angry at himself for upsetting Stacy and making her feel uncomfortable in her own house. “I wanted to surprise you.”That step forward was all she needed. She couldn’t take it anymore. She threw herself into his outstretch arms and buried her head in his shoulder, crying out all her frustrations and grief.
Joey ran his hands through her hair, trying to provide her with any amount of comfort he could.
“Shh. It’s alright. I’m back, for awhile at least. I promise.”Stacy smiled into his shoulder. “I have to tell you something.”
Joey nodded. “It can wait.”
Stacy shook her head and backed away from Joey, wiping the tears from her eyes as Annie skipped back into the living room, now dressed in jeans and a “My Little Pony” T-shirt, and carrying a brush in her right hand.
“Sissy. I need ma hair bwushed.”
Stacy nodded, sniffling up her tears and wiping the rest away with the back of her hand as she turned towards Annie, getting down on her knees so she was level with her and picking up the brush out of Annie’s hand, brushing through her hair.
Joey watched on in interest as Annie smiled up at him, cringing now and then when Stacy brushed through a tangle.
“Joey, you don’t understand.” Stacy continued, not daring to look up at Joey. “I’m not the same girl you left.”Joey took a deep breath and nodded. “No. I guess not.” He shrugged. “But what does that matter?” He took a step forward and sat down next to her, crossing his legs.
The brush left Annie’s hair as Annie ran back down the hallway, grabbing her backpack.
Stacy stared at the floor. “I don’t know. See, when you were gone…”
The ringing of the doorbell interrupted her. She glanced at Joey quickly, before standing up to answer it.
“Stace, hey! Sorry I’m so late, Matthew would not take his bath this morning and…”
Joey stood up and walked to the door, staring at curiosity at the dark woman standing in the doorway, holding a small boy in her arms. She smiled at him. “And you must be the Joey that Stace is always telling me about.” She glanced at Stacy and then smiled back at Joey. “Well hot damn, I guess she wasn’t lying about you then!”The little boy in her arms widened his eyes. “Momma you said daaaayuuuum.”
The woman rolled her eyes. “Hush Matt. Don’t listen to me.” She let herself in and set the little boy down on the carpeting. He smiled and ran down the hallway in search of Annie.
Stacy smiled absently at her friend. “Megan, this is Joey. Joey, this is Megan. I, uh, I met her when I was taking my practice bar exam, uh, a while ago and turns out she lives a few blocks over…” she laughed nervously.
Joey smiled and held his hand out to her. “Nice to meet you. Practice bar exams huh? Wow, you lawyers…” he chuckled, trying to break the thick tension in the room.
Megan nodded, walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge, sticking her head into it. “I take Princess Annie to preschool. I teach there. Matt is my son.” She stood up and faced Stacy and Joey, laughing at their awkward faces. “I failed the practice bar, so I figured what the hell, kids are better anyway, so I started teaching. Stacy didn’t tell you I guess about her…”
Stacy grunted loudly and glared at Megan, motioning for her to shut up with her eyes.
Megan’s eyes widened as she bit into her apple, and glanced down at her watch. “Looks like I was interrupting something so…well um, I’m running late anyway. I’m just gonna take the kiddies to school now and leave you two to um…” She cleared her throat. “Talk or whatever you were doing.” She flipped back one of her braids and walked back over to the door, opening it and calling for the kids. Seconds later Annie and Matt raced into the living room and towards the door.
Stacy kissed Annie’s forehead and waved goodbye as she pranced out the door. Megan grabbed the door handle, closing it, but not before winking at Stacy and smiling.“See you two laterz!” She called, slamming the door behind her.
Stacy glanced awkwardly at Joey. Her eyes lowered when they met his and she stared at the floor as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Finally, after what seemed like forever in the awkward silence they both shared, she gently took his right hand in hers and started to lead him down the hallway.
“Joey.” She paused. I can do this. “I want to show you something.”
Joey nodded, allowing himself to be led down the hallway.
Stacy stopped in front of his room, or at least what used to be his bedroom. She opened the door slowly and led him in, turning on the light.
He looked around the room in shock. His posters were gone, his sheets were gone, and even his clothes hanging in the closet seemed to have disappeared. He looked to Stacy for an answer.
She nodded. “This is Annie’s room now.”
Joey nodded, letting go of her hand and exploring the room. His eyes darted from one wall to the next, finally landing on a small pile of boxes in the far corner of the room with his name on them. He took a deep breath.
“I guess things HAVE changed.”
Stacy approached him slowly, his back to her and reached out to touch his shoulder.
“I wanted to tell you so badly, but I knew how you would react and I couldn’t bear to stand in the way of your dream. It’s just that, it all happened so fast. You going away, this and now you’re back and I know you must be upset but…”
Joey turned around to face her and she searched his face for some kind of emotion.
Compassion and hurt dripped from his eyes. He clasped Stacy’s hands in his and smiled tenderly at her.
“Just tell me what happened.” His voice was barely above a whisper, but Stacy heard his stern tone loud and clear.
She sighed loudly and finally broke down, telling him what she had wanted to confide in him for months. She told him about her mother, about how Paul couldn’t take Annie, her new job, her decision to quit school and work full-time and her decision to keep Annie there as long as she needed to. She hated her new job, but she wouldn’t trade her new life with Annie for anything.
Joey nodded now and then in understanding and let Stacy tell him what she needed to. He knew it had killed her to keep this from him and it hurt him as well that she felt she couldn’t tell him something this important, but he understood her reasons. He realized that she was absolutely right. As soon as he would have found out he would have left Europe to help her out and if he had done that, then this new life, his dream would not be possible...
More Coming Soon...
