The Second Time Around (Read 7,683 times)

[unavitasegreta]

Philip and Stephanie's date goes forward despite Ava's interference.
Kayla finds out that Stephanie is dating Philip again.
I am still editing some things (so don't hold me to this one just yet!), but it is looking like we get a visit from Victor this week too!

[unavitasegreta]

Aug 1, 2015 22:39:44 GMT -5 villa281 said:

Jul 31, 2015 18:22:08 GMT -5 Kpatch said:

Okay, this line shocked me. "He was way out of my league. I never imagined he’d be interested in me.” Made me wonder what Ash looked like, because she had been engaged to Philip with his good looks, status and loot. Just goes to show what kind of man Stephanie goes for.

I got the feeling she was talking more about character, than looks or money.

Yes, that's how it was intended.  I didn't like how Stephanie was sacrificed for Melanie, thus I've tried to "rehab" her by making her realize that her behavior in Salem was kinda crazy and ridiculous and she's grown up and moved past childish antics to hold on to a man who wants to date a little girl like Melanie.  (Sorry to anyone who likes Melanie!)

[Kpatch]

Sounds like a great week. Very excited for everything mentioned. Edit faster!

Thanks for the previews!!!

[heroicmuse]

Ooh im looking forward to what Ava does. I have a soft spot for bratty kids lol

[fluffysmom]

Thanks for the previews unavitasegreta. It's going to be a great week.

[unavitasegreta]

Aug 2, 2015 14:28:29 GMT -5 heroicmuse said:

Ooh im looking forward to what Ava does. I have a soft spot for bratty kids lol

Then at least one person won't completely hate her after Monday, lol!

[unavitasegreta]

Chapter Sixteen

“I lied?” Stephanie asked, confused.

“Ava, when did your mother lie?” Ivy asked.

Stephanie looked over at her mother-in-law. She always had the calmest tone of voice, even when Ava was about to throw a fit.

Ava pointed at Stephanie. “She said it was just gonna be us!”

“But you love when Gramma comes over,” Stephanie argued.

“No, forever!” Ava insisted, stomping her foot, stepping on the skirt of her princess dress. She wobbled and Ivy reached out to steady her.

“Gramma won’t stay forever. Grandpa would be sad if I didn’t come home.”

“I don’t want a new daddy! I only want mommy!” she yelled.

Stephanie knelt next to Ava, tugging her skirt down as it slid up her thighs. “I’m not getting you a new daddy. Your daddy was special. No one will ever replace him.”

“I heard Gramma!” she insisted, crossing her arms again.

Stephanie sighed. “Sweetheart, I might one day want you to meet someone very special. And you might even get to be a big sister one day. But that day is not going to happen right now.”

Ava continued to frown. “No.”

Stephanie reached out and held onto Ava’s forearms. “Ava, this isn’t your choice.”

“No,” she screamed, jerking away from her, the tiara on her head sliding to the floor.

“Why don’t we sit down and talk about this?” Ivy suggested. “Mommy has to go, but maybe you and I can talk about your daddy? I’ll tell you stories about when he was your age.” She bent down to pick up the fallen crown.

“No!” she repeated.

“But you always like that…” Ivy reached for Ava’s arm to move her away from the door.

“No!” she yelled, trying to pull away from her grandmother.

Ignoring the refusal, Ivy tugged her away from the door as Ava continued to yell "no". She looked at Stephanie, seemingly unnerved by the screaming child. “Honey, just go. She’s going to have a meltdown whether you are here or not. In fact, I think it might be better if you aren’t here.”

“I can’t leave you when she’s like this …”

“I raised all boys. I can handle this,” Ivy insisted.

“I doubt your sons were ever as petulant as this one,” Stephanie pointed to her screaming child who had just decided to go limp and fall to the ground in a heap of multi-colored taffeta, lace, and chiffon.

“It’s all right,” Ivy assured her. “I’m older and stronger. I can also yell louder. I’ll win this fight.”

Stephanie couldn’t help but smirk at Ivy’s confidence. Picking up her purse, she reluctantly opened the door. Ava screamed louder.

“She will calm down once you’re gone,” Ivy told her. “Go.”

“Okay,” Stephanie agreed, hesitant, but knowing that her mother-in-law was likely right.

*

“I’m sorry,” Stephanie stated, rushing across the lobby of the John Hancock Building to where Philip was standing by the elevator.

“Why?” he asked, clearly confused by her apology. The elevator doors opened and Philip waited for her to step in first.

Stephanie tucked her purse under her arm. “I’m late.”

Philip waved his hand dismissively. “It wasn’t even five minutes. That doesn’t count as late. I haven’t been here long.”

“Okay, but I still feel bad,” Stephanie stated, trying to reach her hand down to tug on her dress without making it obvious.

Philip slipped his arms around her waist. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll let you kiss me to make up for the wait…”

Holding her clutch in one hand, Stephanie ran her free hand up Philip’s toned bicep. “If that’s what it takes,” she sighed in mock defeat.

“You do the crime, you do the time,” he joked, leaning in to kiss her, but stopped when Stephanie laughed. “I know, I know, corny. But you make me forget that I’m a grown man rather than some bumbling guy in his 20s trying to say the right thing.”

"That was so not the right thing to say," she joked before kissing him.

One kiss turned into two and before they knew it, the elevator dinged and the doors opened onto the 93rd floor of the building. 

[heroicmuse]

Aww what a sweet scene between Stephanie and Philip.

Ivy is great with Ava! I was a little jealous. I'm not nearly that good when my nieces and nephew melt down.

Great chapter unavitasegreta!

[Kpatch]

Ivy is awesome. I'm so glad the women didn't let Ava have the upper hand.

Loved that elevator ride. I don't think Philip was ever bumbling at any age, but it's cute that Stephanie makes him a little nervous. What's on the 93rd floor? Hotel rooms? LOL. Or a restaurant?

Loved every word of this chapter.

[fluffysmom]

I'm glad that Ivy didn't let Ava's tantrum ruin Stephanie's date.

The Philip and Stephanie scene was cute. I hope to see more of their date.

[unavitasegreta]

Chapter Seventeen

Philip nodded at the hostess, who smiled politely in return, and guided Stephanie around a corner, his hand on her elbow.

Stephanie gasped at the view before them as they stepped into the empty lounge. The entire side of the room was a floor-to-ceiling wall of windows that looked out over Navy Pier and the night skyline.

“This is incredible,” she remarked, walking up to the window, absently tugging on her skirt again.

Coming up behind Stephanie, Philip pulled her hand away from her skirt and crossed her arms over her stomach. “If you keep tugging it down, I can’t enjoy the view as the fabric rides up your legs,” he noted, pressing himself against her backside.

“Since we’re the only ones in here, I’ll leave it alone. But I’m feeling incredibly self-conscious,” Stephanie admitted.

“You are pretty damn hot in those tweed old lady suits, but this dress is far superior.”

Stephanie leaned back against Philip, feeling better about her choice of wardrobe. “Old lady suits?” she laughed. “I’ve never heard anyone refer to them that way!”

“Chanel is the competition. Do you expect me to compliment them when the reason Titan doesn’t make even more money is because they do?”

“Titan doesn’t make clothes. We don’t compete in that market.”

“Fine. You look hot in your senior citizen clothes,” Philip conceded.

Stephanie gasped, avoiding turning to look at Philip so that he wouldn’t see the smirk on her face. “That’s just as bad as calling them old lady suits!”

“No, it isn’t,” he insisted.

“Yes, it is! Senior citizen is just a nice way of saying old lady!”

“Then why did you smile?” he asked, letting his right hand drift down Stephanie’s hip to where the fabric met her thigh.

“I didn’t!”

“I can see your reflection in the window glass…”

“Damn,” she muttered.

“I can’t believe you’ve never been up here,” Philip mused.

“Me either,” Stephanie agreed. “But I’m surprised it’s empty on a Saturday night.”

“Want a drink?” he asked, deciding not to mention that he’d paid to have the entire space to themselves for the evening.

Stephanie turned around. “I could use one,” she noted.

Philip watched as she absently tugged on her dress. “Bad day?” he asked, reaching for her hands.

Stephanie looked down at their joined hands. “I had a hard time leaving tonight. Ava had a bad reaction to me going on a date.”

“She knows what a date is at 4 years old?”

“Not really. I told my mother-in-law about you and she apparently heard us talking. Of course she again assumed that she’s going to get a new daddy.”

“Again?” Philip asked.

“Remember her meltdown at the drug store?” Philip nodded. “She didn’t like that I was talking to you.”

“Oh.”

“I’m giving you a horrible impression of my daughter,” Stephanie realized. “She sounds like a nightmare.”

“No,” Philip insisted.

“She’s really not,” Stephanie told him.

“You don’t have to convince me.”

“I understand if you want to go.”

“Go where?” Philip asked.

She looked down, avoiding looking up at Philip. “Not see me again, I mean. Or just be friends. We could be friends.”

“No, we couldn’t,” Philip replied quickly.

[fluffysmom]

I'm enjoying their date. LOL at Philip teasing Chloe about her old lady suits.

I like Stephanie's honesty about Ava. I agree with Philip's statement that they can't be friends.

[heroicmuse]

Aww poor Stephanie is feeling so awkward and self-conscious it's hard for her to enjoy this beautiful evening. I love that Philip doesn't give up or give in to her giving up!

[fluffysmom]

I ate at that restaurant when I was a kid. I wouldn't sit by the window.

[unavitasegreta]

Aug 4, 2015 21:40:05 GMT -5 fluffysmom said:

I ate at that restaurant when I was a kid. I wouldn't sit by the window.

The Signature Room?  It's such a cool place!  My first time there was at a table by the window, but someone else sat directly beside the window.  The next time, though, I was totally fine with being by the window.  I find it especially amusing that the best view is in the ladies bathroom, lol!  I played around with the exact floor (since the real restaurant is on 95/96th floors) to give the story its own twist, thus I'm glad you caught the reference!