Meghan
By Misha

Disclaimer and Notes in Prologue.

Part Thirteen

"Happy birthday, sweetheart." Carly told Meghan, giving her a warm hug. It was the morning of Meghan's sixteenth birthday.

"Thank you, Mom." Meghan said with a smile. "I can't believe I'm actually sixteen."

"Neither can I." Carly said wistfully. "My baby girl."

It seemed like only yesterday that she'd held Meghan in her arms, but that had been many years ago. That ten-month old baby had grown into a beautiful young woman, one any mother would be proud to have.

"I'll always be your baby, Mama." Meghan assured her.

Carly smiled. "I know." She looked Meghan in the eyes. "My beautiful baby girl, grown into a beautiful young woman."

Meghan might not be the child of her body, but she was her child none the less, and more that she was her baby. Her sweet, beautiful baby girl who was growing up much to fast.

Meghan smiled again and hugged Carly tight. "I love you Mom."

"I love you too, Meggie." Carly assured her daughter.
-

The day dragged on for Meghan.

Her sixteenth birthday. She had waited for this day for years. To her, sixteen had always been the magical, mythical number that opened the door to adulthood.

She didn't know if that was true, but she did know that sixteen meant more freedom. Or at least it had for Michael and Morgan and she assumed the same would be true for her.

As she exited the school after the final bell and went to meet Michael, who was picking her and Morgan up that day, her cellphone rang.

"Hello?" She answered and stopped walking for a moment.

"Happy birthday." A familiar voice told her.

Lawrence! Meghan couldn't believe it, she'd barely thought about him at all this past week.

"Thanks." She answered. "I'm sorry I never rescheduled our date, things have been hectic."

"It's okay." Lawrence told her. "I understand you being busy, I just wanted to wish you a happy sixteenth birthday and see if you were free next weekend. I know you have birthday plans with your family this weekend."

"I'm totally free." Meghan answered promptly.

"Wonderful. I'll get back to you with details." Lawrence told her and then disconnected.

Meghan was smiling as she made her way to the car.

"You look happy." Michael commented when she reached the car.

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked with a grin. "Today's my sweet sixteen!"

"Yes, I know." Michael commented with an indulgent grin. "I can't believe it, my little Meg-pie is growing up so fast."

"Well, that does tend to happen." Meghan told him with a smile.

Michael sighed. "Yeah, well, you're my baby sister, remember? You're not supposed to grow up."

"Ah, is poor Michael feeling old?" Morgan asked, as she approached the two.

"Just a little." Michael commented to his sister. He laughed. "You two ready to go? We have a birthday to celebrate."
-

"Happy birthday, Princess." Sonny greeted when Meghan got home.

"Thanks, Daddy." Meghan said, accepting a birthday hug.

Sonny looked at his daughter, finding it hard to believe that she was sixteen. Where had the time gone?

"So when do I get my presents?" Meghan asked mischievously.

"After dinner." Carly informed her, with a smile. "You know that."

Meghan pouted. "Can't I have just one now?"

Sonny shot a look at his wife, but she shook her head.

"No, you'll wait until after dinner, when everyone's here." Carly told her, since they were having a big family dinner to celebrate.

Meghan sighed. "Okay." She gave Sonny another hug and then headed upstairs, to follow her brother and sister who'd already headed up.

Carly shot Sonny an amused look. "You were going to let her, weren't you?"

Sonny smiled a little sheepishly. "Yeah." He admitted. "Well, it is her sixteenth birthday."

"And you've never figured out how to say no to your little girl." Carly said, wrapping her arms around him. She smiled. "Don't worry, it's one of the things I love most about you, the fact that you're really a big softy."
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