May 30th (One More Crash Landing)
Stella wasn’t fond of either look she got from Jenny or Abby. Neither woman could understand why she was having dinner with Dean. Stella couldn’t really understand it herself, but all she knew was that she had to see him before he moved and she left. They had Noah to talk about if things got to heated and he always made people happy. And now Dean could probably feel him which would be strange to say the least.
She drove to Vista Romantica having never been there before. She told Noah not to worry and that no matter what happened he’d always have her and his family. He didn’t need a dad, he had plenty of good male role models. She knew that Dean wanted to be Noah’s dad but she knew that once he was gone there was a good chance he wasn’t coming back so she tried not to rely on his guarantees.
She parked and got out of the car, grabbing her purse. She tugged at her dress, hating that she was wearing it. It was beyond comfy, but she always felt off in dresses especially when she wasn’t at work. She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear as she headed for the entrance.
She walked up to the hostess and smiled friendly opening her mouth to say she was meeting someone when she saw Dean with no surprise, the best table in the house.
“I’m with him,” Stella said motioning towards Dean. The hostess nodded and Stella walked the short distance to the table noting the gorgeous view Dean had gotten them. She stood for a moment smiling at him, holding her bump at the top of it.
“Hi,” Stella said having come off with nothing else clever to say, she smiled at him though and was glad she’d came.
Dean had made the reservations nearly two weeks before their date. Though he knew it wasn't that. In reality it was a goodbye dinner. In less than a month Dean would be on his way to Brown and Stella would be leaving in a day for New York. This was the parting of the ways, but they would still remain attached. He called that little string, Noah. He was overjoyed by the coming of his son into the world. He had already planned to come back the week of October that Stella was due. He would walk through hell in order to be there.
If anything, Dean was caring. Yes, he had a funny way of showing it and difficulty expressing it, but he loved the people around him. He loved Stella, he always would. He loved their son, even though he wouldn't be able to be present in his life as much as he would like. Hell, he even loved all the people still on this island that hated him for what he'd done.
His palms were sweating. It wasn't nervousness per se. More the idea that this was a goodbye. It felt serious, somber, a little ridiculous in his eyes. It was mostly likely his defense mechanisms popping up to make him look like a tough guy. He waited in the restaurant, arriving about fifteen minutes early and sitting at the table shotgunning glasses of water.
He looked up just as she walked in, baby bump showing with her hands resting at the top of it. He smiled, standing up to give her a hug, "Hey, Stells."
Though he guessed it probably annoyed her, he put a hand on her baby bump speaking to Noah, "Hey little guy."
He walked over to her chair pulling it out she could sit, "So how's stuff?"
