If… 11A

With two weeks to the much awaited yacht trip, Steph had important fashion work to attend to and Peggy, her ever ready plus one was with her. A fashion event that took the thirteen year old back stage to see the enchanting designs her mother had created dawned on waiting models to walk down the runway in. Steph had strategically taken her to a few to keep her daughter's interest up. She'd done it to the boys too. Of course at fourteen they just wanted to see the ladies and maybe hopefully talk to them without being shy. But the moment they were fifteen, their only access to her work was at functions that required them to wear ties and suits. Making them even better conversationalists.

Sherry was almost always a definite attendee of the events. So Peggy had the option of bringing along a friend. Today however, she was all for her time with Sherry. Aida had said something mean to her two days before and she had no intention of letting her come to this. A fight was brewing between the best friends.

Back stage, while music blared and guests waited for the show to begin, she watched her mother work with the models while Sherry took selfies she intended to post the moment the event was over. "Hey Pegs." Sherry called and Peggy came into view of the camera for a selfie with her self dubbed sister. "Amazing." Sherry commented.

"Sher. I told you." Steph warned.

"Don't worry. I won't post it I promise."

"You guys go watch."

"I'm fine here mom. They look amazing by the way. Can I have the-"

"Show time!" Her request was interrupted but her excitement grew. She perked up and ran to where the girls were lined up, watching them walk out into the light where loads of applause waited for them. It was always magical to her to see her mother's work be praised. And Steph kept her eyes on the beautifully enchanted look her daughter was giving to her work.

"Sherry! Come see this!" She called in a loud whisper. Sherry clicked over in her heels and they both peeked out from behind a wall, watching the models catwalk perfectly and pose and turn and pose and catwalk back with stone cold looks on their faces. Yes she loved seeing this. The applauses continued and before they knew it, the girls were coming back out of the light. "You were awesome!" She couldn't help saying excitedly. And to her own astonishment, three of the models turned to her with smiles, it was so hard to believe they were stone faced just a minute ago. "Can I draw you." She blurted to one.

Meanwhile someone had gotten hold of a mic on the other side, commenting on the beautiful outfits.

Sherry burst into laughter and hit Peggy on the shoulder. "What?" The model asked.

"I just- you looks so- can I draw you?" She repeated.

"Well it is a form of modeling." Sherry defended. Like her request needed to be defended.

"Umm…" The model flashed a smile and looked at Steph who was smiling at them.

"It will be really quick I promise."

Peggy's eyes followed the model's every move. It was cute, like she was pouting. How can she say no? "Sure." She put out her perfect looking hand and Peggy took it. Peggy's other hand looking for her drawing pad in her bag.

She stopped where the other models were clustered, looking up from her search- "Can I draw all of you?"

"Hey! So I'm not special?" The model with her teased.

"Of course you are." She was saying the truth. "I just want all the special."

Sherry walked up to Steph and folded her hands. "She's so adorable. Look at her go. Can she really draw them all?"

Steph looked at her watch. "We got some time."

Are they going to pay them for this as well?"

"It'll be for charity."

Sherry looked at her in shock. "Really aunt Steph, you're not going to make her give it up for some charity thing are you?"

"I didn't say that." Peggy's pad was out and the drawing of ten models lined up in classy poses was underway. A picture of the models in their poses was taken. It gave Steph an idea. "Maybe when it's truly finished we'd send copies to them."

"Steph." She was called and she looked up. "The male models are ready."

Peggy was deep in her self assigned work. Making note of the colors of the dresses as she drew them and tiny details of the models individual features. She would go back home and paint them. No color pencils would be better. Her mind was flooding with ideas. Pleased and excited about the work she'd taken on.

After three hours plus at the fashion event, they finally got home with bouquets of flowers packed in their hands. Peggy's at least. Sherry had been dropped off and Steph was too tired to carry anything other than her purse. Peggy and the driver did the lifting. Peggy still had energy to burn. Eager to get back to her room and get out her larger drawing pad to make her models bigger in it and color it. She dumped the flowers on the table in the living room and ran upstairs. Only to stop in front of Shane's door. Her eagerness shifting from drawing to her older brother. She knocked. Three quick knocks that everyone knew was hers. "Yeah." He answered and she went in.

Meanwhile, Travis emerged from their shared office with a smile on his face. Seeing the look of exhaustion on Steph's face, "What happened to this evening's excitement?"

"Everything was going smoothly until your daughter decided she wanted to draw the models." He burst into laughter. "It put us behind by five minutes and we had to rush them to get changed and... It became chaos."

"You didn't stop her."

"I didn't think it would be an issue. Then it was."

He shook his head. More at his daughter than at his wife's exhaustion. "Come on, let's go for a drive." He took her hand.

She gave him a serious look. "Travis. I just got home. I'm not going for a drive. It's almost eleven."

"Did I say you're driving?" He pulled her close. "Just you and me. Before we're cramped on a yacht with three children for a month."

Tempting offer… "One drive wouldn't make all that worth it."

"We'll think of something else. Possibly while I drive. Come on." He started for the door, pulling her along. She followed reluctantly.

Sitting on his bed like they'd both done so many times, Peggy excitedly reported all that had happened at the fashion show. Showing her drawings to Shane. She'd managed to make quick sketches of all the models she'd drawn in a group. Grabbing more details to add to her work to make them each as unique as they are while still being together. Shane was impressed. He even knew a few of the models. "So in summary, you had fun." He concluded.

"Yeah. Mom even said she'd make copies of my art and send to all the models in gift baskets."

"Did you draw the male models too?" Peggy looked confused. "Male models?"

He chuckled. "Did you not know there were-" His chuckle turned into laughter.

"I didn't- I was busy with the- how did you know?"

He forced himself to stop laughing. "Sherry told me. After you guys dropped her off."

She palmed forehead. "I didn't even notice. No wait I- I saw them but I wasn't paying attention." She sighed, taking in the fact that she'd been too caught up in one thing and missed that. Then she shrugged. "So you talked to Sherry?"

"You know we talk. Don't make it a thing." He warned.

"Too late."

"Don't." She was visibly restless, itching to ask. "Sid."

Her eyes widened in disbelief that he dared. "Just for that, you have to answer."

"You already know the answer."

"No. I know what you both agreed to tell us. Not what really happened."

"Nothing 'really' happened. It's high school we just… broke up."

"Come on. But you guys were supposed to bring the families together."

"Why did we even think that?" His question was both rhetorical and not.

"I guess it's going to be Trip and I then." He looked right at her and smiled. "Sure."

"But you still like her right?"

"She's my friend so... Yeah."

"Are you jealous of her boyfriend?" He assessed her, smirking. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for bed?"

"Shouldn't you be answering my question?" "Shouldn't you be leaving?"

"Shouldn't you be…" she trailed off. "Oh come on, just tell me."

"I'm not." He smiled.

She sighed, disappointed. "Well that sucks."

He chuckled again, this time, shaking his head. "Go to your room Pegs." He laid down.

She stood up, bent over him, planted a loud kiss on his forehead and went for the door. "Good night."

Less than ten minutes after their drive began, Steph had fallen asleep. It didn't help that Travis had not said anything in that time. And the serene atmosphere which included the music and the wound down windows that let in the cool breeze didn't help. With her out of it, he decided the drive should take them to a hotel. The best, which would be White Mist or Cosmos. White mist is relatively closer so… Cosmos it is.