I disclaim… Please review and tell me what you think…

XOXOXOXO

Stephanie rolled her eyes as they arrived at their house beside the lake. None of the good memories she had when she was a little girl can replace what she was just seeing right now. Trish came from behind her. “Don’t mind her.”

Stephanie grabbed her bags from the truck of the car. “How can I not mind her? Their wedding plans are almost done! In a matter of weeks, she’ll be a part of the family!”

Trish shot her a glance. “Then get over it.” She climbed up the stairs up the porch.

“Wait! I got an idea!” Stephanie called out. But Trish hardly even heard her for the moment she opened the door, she ran to Lilian who was carrying their little bundle of joy in her arms.

“There she is!” Trish cried. “She’s so cute. She looks like you, Lil.”

John approached Stephanie who wasn’t at all happy for the fact that she was there. “She’s sitting in the balcony, trying to get a tan, isn’t she?” she raised an eyebrow.

“Aw, Steph, will you cut it?” John said. “You haven’t been here for over a minute and you’re already complaining about her!”

“I can’t help it!” Stephanie raised her hands in defense. “She’s the first thing that I saw when we went out of the car.”

“Where are my beautiful daughters?” Linda came walking from the kitchen, still holding a ladle that was covered with tomato sauce.

Stephanie hugged her first. “Oh, mom, you’re cooking! Where’s dad?”

“He’s out with Randy, gathering some woods,” Linda said.

It was Trish’s turn to hug Linda. “Wood?”

“We’ll be camping outside tonight,” Lilian stood up, still carrying Jessica. “I mean, just you guys because obviously, I’m not included.”

“Well great!” Stephanie suddenly felt the excitement rush over her. “When are we gonna get going?”

“Maybe you didn’t hear us right,” John told her. “We’ll just be camping outside tonight. Maybe we’ll go in the mountains someday this week.”

Stephanie and Trish dropped in the sofa. “And I thought we’re in for a hell of a fun.”

XOXOXOXOXO

Ashley remained in the balcony for the whole afternoon. It was not until Vince and Randy came back that she decided to be with the rest of the family. “There she is!” Trish faked a smile. “And I thought you wanted to burn yourself!”

Ashley tried her best to smile. She sat on a chair beside Randy. “You’re really fortunate that you have a house like this. This place is so peaceful.”

“Lilian’s family has a manor in Spain,” Stephanie said cockily.

Lilian just blushed at the information given, holding Jessica’s milk that she had just prepared. “It’s nothing really. It’s not even like a manor when you look at it.”

“It’s humongous!” Trish exaggerated it with her hand. “Say, Ashley, have you ever been in a ma – “

“Ashley, dear, will you come with me?” Linda cut off Trish’s cruel intentions by asking Ashley for help setting up the tents. Growing up in an orphanage that never went our camping, Ashley had no idea what to do.

Trish and Stephanie appeared out of nowhere. “You know they say that anyone can put up tent out of instinct.”

Stephanie turned to Ashley. “How much do you enjoy camping?”

Ashley was still struggling with the tent. “I – I don’t – “

“You don’t?” Stephanie looked surprised. “Randy loves camping. In fact, when he was in Fourth Grade, when they were told to draw their favorite place – “

“Ashley, I don’t think you’re fit to do that,” Linda interrupted again, saving Ashley from their wraths.

When Stephanie and Trish were left alone outside, they burst out laughing. “Are we still on the same page trying to make Ashley’s life miserable?” Trish asked.

“Of course we are,” Stephanie smiled. “We’re sisters and that’s what sisters do. Come on; let’s finish these tents so we can go after Ashley.”

XOXOXOXOXO

Linda was dragging Ashley by the arm in order to get her inside the house. “Mrs. McMahon, I can really try to do the tent. I mean, could that be really hard?”

“I just realized how good my daughters are in building the tent and they won’t need any help,” Linda answered.

After a few minutes of doing nothing because Linda won’t allow her to, Ashley almost fell asleep on the couch. Her eyes were really closing when Jessica started screaming and crying.

“Holy – “ Ashley was startled.

Lilian ran upstairs as fast as she can. “I’m sorry if she woke you up Ashley. She might’ve woken up when I was in the kitchen helping Linda.”

Ashley rubbed the sleep off her eyes. “No, no, it’s okay. I’m just not used to hearing a baby crying.”

“Well if you weren’t sleeping and if you were doing something productive you won’t be startled by Jessica,” Stephanie smiled sarcastically. “Why don’t you try peeling these onions and then after that, chop them?” she threw an onion towards Ashley.

Ashley caught it but not with ease. “Do you really need this? I mean, right now? Don’t you have a food processor of something?”

Trish rolled her eyes. “We’re in a house beside the lake. Not in New York where you have to do things quickly.”

Linda noticed the tension building up between them so she tried to break it. “Okay, okay… Ashley, you don’t have to peel and chop the onions if you don’t want to. And for God’s sake Steph! Onions?!”

Stephanie’s jaw dropped. “I wasn’t obliging her to really do it. Ashley, can’t you handle a little joke?” she faked a laugh and stared at Trish so that she would join her. Trish joined in laughing. “If you’re going to be a part of the family, then you should learn how to laugh at some jokes.”

Ashley smiled confusingly. “Okay…”

Lilian came down carrying the baby in her arms. “I have to finish cooking. Can you guys please take Jessica for a walk?”

“Oh, I’d love to!” Stephanie exclaimed. She took Jessica from Lilian’s arms and went outside. She sat at a bench along the lake, admiring the view she’s seeing.

“I didn’t know that you have a child,” Stephanie gasped when she heard a voice. She hadn’t heard that voice since her last visit in the lake. She turned around and saw the blonde-haired man she used to be friends with.

“This is Jessica, my niece,” Stephanie said. “She’s John’s daughter.”

The man moved closer. “Would you mind if I sit with you?”

Stephanie smiled. “I wouldn’t but I don’t know about Jessica.”

He sat beside Stephanie and smiled to her. “Well I think she wouldn’t mind too.”

“Suit yourself,” Stephanie said. “So, what have you been up to lately? I mean, are you going to college?”

He just nodded his head. “I’m not even taking the course that I want.”

Stephanie stroked a strand of hair off Jessica’s forehead. “So you mean I won’t be able to call you a doctor?”

He sighed. “I guess so.”

They continued sitting and noticed that the sun was already setting. “I think we need to go back to the house. It’s getting cold out here and it’s not good for the baby.”

He stood up. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Stephanie smiled. “I’ll try. Nice seeing you again Hunter.”

XOXOXOXOXO

Happy Halloween, please review, lol.