Prosperity Shores - Chapter 2

At the end of the first chapter, Tasha Cartwright had just been told that her mother had been killed in a car accident. She has begun a serious relationship with Steven Mitchell. Can she take care of herself and her baby brother Drake? Here is the next part of the Prosperity Shores Saga.

Hey there! Even under all that snow I'm sure you can see that the Mitchell family home has undergone a lot of changes in the last year and a half!

I can't believe that it has been that long since my mother's accident. So much has happened since then! Most of it is a blur but I will fill you in on the most important things that stand out in my mind, okay?!

I really don't remember much after the officer left my house that awful afternoon. I remember the funeral, and standing at the graveside afterwards just crying and looking at Steven.

He was so wonderful through all of those days. I remember him just being there for me. He never pushed or told me what to do. I knew he had been through all of the same stuff with BOTH of his parents. While we were sitting in the quiet graveyard he asked me what my plans were for myself and Drake.

I told him that I honestly didn't know yet. I told him that I had a meeting with a Social Worker the next day and that would help me know what my choices were.

In a way the meeting did help and in other ways it made me more confused than ever. I could keep the house and gain custody of Drake, or I could let Drake be placed in foster care while I moved on to college....blah blah blah. Too many choices, I told her that I needed time to think and that for now I would stay put and keep Drake with me.

I threw myself into taking the best care of Drake that I could. Teaching him nursery rhymes and how to talk.

I knew I couldn't really replace Mom, but I didn't want him to feel abandoned. It was bad enough that I had to leave him with a Nanny while I was at school and at my new after school job.

I'm afraid my grades slipped a little during that time and I had to give up my membership to the private school that Mom had worked so hard to get me into. That made me feel even worse. But worst of all...

I had been getting sick in the mornings! A home pregnancy test told me my worst fears were true! I was pregnant! For a while I was just numb...then I knew I had to tell Steven.

I was so nervous that evening, Steven knew something was wrong the moment Drake and I got to his house. He took me outside where we could talk privately and asked me what was wrong.

I couldn't face him and I just knew he wouldn't want to see me anymore once I told him so I took a few steps away and just blurted out that I was pregnant with his baby! He was silent for a moment then he sighed and said that it was a good thing that he had already come to a decision.

A decision? He was going to dump me! Then I turned to face him and he was down on one knee and holding up a ring.

"Will you marry me Tasha Cartwright?"

I was so relived I couldn't say a word! I just jumped into his arms and cried. He held me a long time and then when I could talk again I told him I would love to marry him.

After that, and with Steven's help I wasn't confused anymore! Drake and I moved in with Steven and his brother and sisters. I sold my mother's house and put most of the money in savings for my college and Drake's schooling too. I did take some of the money to help properly renovate the Mitchell family home, we had done our best on our own, but we had made mistakes that should be fixed. Things settled as the construction was finished.

Drake was adjusting well. He had plenty of playmates, that's for sure!

I had hoped that he and Christa would play together a bit, but she was in her own little world.

I remember some of the crazy things Steven would do to try and save a few dollars. We had discussed the possibility of getting a car but just hadn't found a good deal yet. Then one Saturday morning he called me outside...

And there he was standing so proudly next to a pile of rubbish!!

WHAT IS THAT?? I asked him. He told me that he had gotten a great deal on it and that all the parts were there, he just had to get it back together! I just shook my head and went back inside. At least he was making an effort to save money. He's good that way!

Once the stress of caring for Drake alone was over I was able to get my grades up and go back to my Private School. I got Steven's siblings in too. Steven wasn't interested since he would be graduating soon and has no interest in going to College. I didn't tell the Private School that I was pregnant, they might not have let me attend if they had known. I still had terrible morning sickness, but if I skipped breakfast and ate light at lunch I seemed able to manage. At least until...

It was Christa's birthday and we had a fun little party for her that evening. Just a store bought cake from SimCo and party favors from the Simolean Store.

The whole family had a great time and Christa grew up well!

The next day was Sunday and the morning sickness was worse than ever! I decided to go back to bed. Steven was sleeping late from his night shift and I was so tired.

I snoozed for an hour or so then the queasiness came again. As I jumped out of bed the nausea changed.

Into PAIN! I screamed for help and Steven took me to the hospital. I was losing the baby! I was so scared!

They were able to save the baby but the doctors told me if I was going to carry the full term I needed to stay in bed. No school..No work..No lifting..No chores. Just stay in bed!! I was so glad that I was still pregnant, I followed the doctors advice to the letter. Steven moved our bedroom to the ground floor and moved Alice & Marsha to the top floor. That way I could still join the family for meals and the bathroom was closer.

It didn't take long for staying in bed to get BORING! It didn't take long for me to get BIG either! I looked forward to my doctors visits hoping that I could be let off my restrictions with the pregnancy further along.

It was bad enough that I had missed Edward's birthday party.

The doctor let me have a little bit more mobility once I reached my third trimester. The danger to the baby wasn't so bad if I went into labor a bit early at that point. I enjoyed my new freedom and would sit in the living room and watch Drake play with his new toys.

I was napping on the couch when I realized that we had forgotten Drake's birthday. Everyone had been so concerned for me that poor Drake was forgotten. I called Steven at work and had him pick up a cake on the way home. We had a belated birthday party for him and he seemed content.

Meanwhile I was getting restless. I could see the yard work needed to be done, Steven & Edward going to work each afternoon. Steven insisted that we have a Nanny even though I was home. I wasn't to exert myself at all! But I was so bored.

It was nice when Drake and I could share lunch together. He would ask to rub my belly and always wanted to know how much longer until the baby came! He had been so excited when Steven told him that my baby would make him an uncle!

Edward invited the headmaster to get Christa and Drake into our Private School. He did the tour before he had to leave for work.

I made the dinner and Steven Schmoozed his butt off when he got home from work to find the headmaster there.

The team effort paid off and everyone is now going to the Private School. Steven was accepted, but he won't be going.

Then he had another surprise for me. He rubbed my baby belly and told me he wanted to be sure his son or daughter had his name. He wanted us to get married immediately.

So I became Tasha Mitchell that very night!

He kissed me and talked to my baby belly, telling the baby that there was nothing to worry about and that Daddy was waiting to meet him or her!

The baby must have heard him because the next evening my back started to ache after dinner. I went and laid down on the bed and tried to read to distract myself from the pains.

Steven and Edward were joking around in the kitchen.

The girls were playing Cops & Robbers.

And I could hear Drake playing a computer game.

Then my water broke! Steven rushed me to the hospital for the second time, and at 2 am January 8th, little Amber Mitchell was born!

Steven was thrilled to have a daughter and so glad that I was alright after the birth of his baby. The doctors told me that I would probably not have so much trouble in the future. As long as I waited a couple of years to get pregnant again. I had only had so much trouble this time because of my age and the stress of losing my mother. Steven was content to wait for a while before trying for a son!

He told me to go relax while he fed Amber. I didn't really feel like relaxing... I had had seven months of that. So I decided to study for a while so I could go back to school the next day.

I joined Christa and looked forward to seeing my friends at school the next day and to challenging my mind with all I needed to learn...

THE NEXT MORNING was a SNOW DAY!!!

I decided to let everyone sleep in.

Christa had been half awake, but dozed off again quickly enough when I told her school was canceled for the day.

Meanwhile I was wide awake, dissapointed and bored...again!

Amber woke up and I filled a few hours with feeding, bathing and cuddling my sweet little daughter.

Steven had been bucking for a promotion so he spent the morning practicing a speech in the bathroom mirror.

He had actually been able to turn the junk heap into a rather nice car and was very proud of it.

Snow days don't stop the car pool from running. I watched as Edward went off to work that afternoon. I decided that it was time for me to go back to work too. As soon as possible.

That night I watched Amber sleep in her bassinet and wondered what the future held for her and me... for all of us? I hated to leave her with a Nanny, but I needed to get back out of the house, to school and a job! And what about college...no I can't do college now can I?

I climbed into bed and lay for a long time thinking that night. Could I leave my husband and daughter to go to college? It would be such a long time to be away...but I could visit on the weekends and holidays...maybe...

Time goes on and Spring was just around the corner. Everyone was doing good at school, Amber was healthy and happy despite the Nanny, and Steven had gotten the promotion he wanted. I think his boss found out that Steven was a family man and gave him the promotion to help him out. Whatever the reason I'm glad, since it means we don't have to touch mine and Drake's college money.

The biggest suprize was that Edward had a girlfriend!

I honestly wasn't impressed with her. She just seemed a bit shallow to me, but I held my opinion and was polite for Edward's sake. He is only 13 so I doubt he is serious yet.

Things were going really well for a while there. We had our schedules so well planned that we only needed a nanny for an hour each day. Steven would get home at the same time as the younger kids so the Nanny only had to charge us for watching Amber.

Marsha and Alice are starting to settle down a bit. They used to be so wild when I first met Steven. They are a good example for Drake now...or is it the other way around? Edward came home with his first promotion one afternoon and we were all very happy for him.

I wasn't so lucky. I had been distracted, worrying about Amber with the Nanny and got fired from my job!
What would I do now? I didn't have any real skills. I would have to start all over again at the bottom of some grunt job. I didn't even want to go inside the house to tell Steven.

That's when he came out and saw me. I didn't even have to tell him, he could tell from my face what had happened. He softly touched my cheek and said the sweetest words I've ever heard him say...

"You have to go, it's your last chance and I know you really want to."

I knew exactly what he was saying and I loved him all the more for it. It's going to be hard, but if I can manage it...it's worth it! I thanked him and went inside to call the college admissions office.

I was eligible for a handfull of scholarships and wouldn't need my savings to start. Orientation was in two days, I had to leave right away.

Steven and I stood in the dining room...The same one where we had our first kiss! This wouldn't be the last, but we would be apart for a while. I gave baby Amber a kiss and tucked her in, then packed my bag.

I didn't dare look at the house as I got in the taxi and left. I will miss my little family. But Steven is a strong man and he will take good care of everyone. I have to trust to that.

One thing's for sure. He adores his daughter! She loves her baths when Daddy does it.

I'm sure she will be a Daddy's girl as she gets older.

She even has his eyes and my mother's hair...I think.

And here I am in a tiny little dorm room writing in my diary and hoping my classes and dorm mates won't be too bad! I got to the dorm first and chose a room with a computer in it! I won't have to wait in line for a public computer at the library!

I locked my door so no one else can bogart my computer! I need the privacy!

The first study group was nice...

Until some fraternity prankster came in and hula danced NAKED for the mascot! This is going to be a very interesting few years...

Questions to ponder until the next chapter:

Will Tasha be able to graduate college?

Can Steven handle the baby and the separation?

Will the rest of the family continue to thrive?

Thanks for reading, hope you liked it and comments are welcome!