*Saturday Morning*
Alicia woke up at 6 am to the sound of clanging iron until she got out of her bed and put on her robe before she headed downstairs to the weight room and found Cody doing deadlifts as he lifted over 300 pounds and set it down after his last rep until he looked up and saw Alicia.
Alicia: You're up early for a Saturday.
Cody: Yeah. Couldn't sleep so I decided to train a little early.
Cody re-racked his weights and took off his shirt before wiping off all the sweat from his face with a sweat towel when he sat down in a nearby chair.
Alicia: Is everything alright with you Cody?
Cody: Well..... not really. I've been having nightmares lately.
Alicia: What kind of nightmares?
Cody:......... When I saw my biological mom getting killed by that car she got hit by when I was a kid. The day you adopted me it had been ten years since she died. I had been having that same nightmare since then. After my dad left me and her, she was the only parent I had and after that...... I had no one.
Alicia put her hand on his shoulder and pulled up another chair when she sat next to him.
Alicia: I know that brought on so much trauma to you, but it's obvious that it's not out of your head. I can tell she was great mom and she really cared about you. No matter what you went through, she's always looking down on you and smiling on how far you've come. You're in your last year of high school, you're the star in the school play, and you've got a date with Ella tonight. She would be so proud of you like I am now.
Cody looked at her and smiled until the both of them stood up and held hands.
Cody: I'm so happy that you adopted me. I called you mom a few days ago because you and the other women in this house showed me more love than anyone else had these last ten years of my life, other than Aiden and Ella. Hell, I spent those last ten years doing drugs and life had been a complete shit show during those years that it all wasn't worth taking those drugs.
Alicia: I guess that's another story for another time. Here, I'll go run upstairs and change and we can do a little yoga. Mommy and me style.
Cody(Playfully): Oooookayyyyy.
Alicia lightly giggled and kissed Cody's cheek before running upstairs and changed into her workout clothes and coming back down to the dance studio before her and Cody did some yoga.
*Later*
After Cody showered and put on his outfit for the day, he came downstairs and found that Constance wasn't up yet and decided to take matters in his own hands by making breakfast for himself and all the girls. After a few minutes, Cody heard steps tromping down the stairs and sure enough there was Constance who was surprised to see Cody making breakfast.
Constance: Well this is a surprise. I didn't think you'd know a thing or two around the kitchen.
Cody: I was one of those last few kids in middle school to learn home-economics so it was one of those things that stuck with me. Here, you can help me with getting everything else set-up for when the others wake up if you want.
Constance smiled and started helping Cody get everything ready for breakfast until the food was ready when Cody made plates that consisted of egg white omelets, mixed berries, turkey bacon, and a stack of wheat toast. Once Cody and Constance got everything set up and made plates of the food for everyone the rest of the girls came downstairs.
Latisha: Looks like ya got yourself a little helper today Constance.
Constance: Actually, Cody made most of it. I just helped him set the table because I got up late.
The girls were all impressed by Cody when he shrugged his shoulders.
Crystal: Such a sweet boy. I'm so happy Alicia adopted you Cody. You've been a blessing in disguise since you came in.
Crystal kissed Cody's cheek when he smiled until Meghan, Latisha, Katie, Josette, Constance, and Kym also kissed his cheeks before they sat down and Alicia soon came in.
Alicia: Looks great Codes. You and Constance make a great team in the kitchen.
Cody: Thanks mom.
Alicia smiled and hugged him and nuzzled herself into Cody's side before she kissed his cheek also and the two of them sat with the other girls and ate.
*Later*
Cody was in the middle of fixing Nita's guitar and re-stringing it until he did the finishing touches on it and the gaping hole in the back of it was gone. Cody smiled at his work and re-stringed the guitar until it was in tune and he played on it a little bit.
Cody: Perfect!
Once Cody finished, he smiled and texted Nita that it was ready and she responded immediately that she'll send someone to pick it up in a couple of days when Cody set it aside on the guitar stand and went to designing a new guitar for Lzzy. Cody had finished making the wooden outer layer of Lzzy's new guitar until he heard the door open, it's Katie.
Katie: Hey Cody, aren't you supposed to be meeting with Ella soon?
Cody: Crap! That's right! What time is it right now?
Katie: 12:15 pm. It's still enough time for you to get ready.
Cody: Alright. I'll paint and restring this guitar for Lzzy tomorrow before she sends one of her crew members to pick it up on Monday. For now, I have a lovely lady to meet up with.
Katie giggled as Cody covered the new guitar with a sheet and headed into the house to get ready. After he cleaned himself up and put on his outfit and sprayed a bit of cologne on, Cody made himself look decently presentable before he went downstairs and saw Crystal who was adoring Cody and how handsome he looked.
Crystal: Look at you looking presentable for that lucky lady!
Cody: *chuckles* It's not much, but it's something.
Alicia then hugged him and kissed his cheek before lightly pressing the palms of her hands on Cody's cheeks.
Alicia: Good luck Cody. Hopefully she treats you well today and maybe she'll be more to you than just a friend in the future.
Cody: We'll see mom. We'll see.
Alicia then got on her tiptoes and Cody bent down to her level before she kissed Cody's forehead and he grabbed the keys to the car before heading out the door and he got in the car and waved to Alicia and Crystal before Cody drove to the theater.
*A few minutes later*
Cody parked the car outside the movie theater when he got out of the car and looked around for Ella until he heard his name being called and he looked over to see her.
Ella: Cody! Hi!
Ella walked up to Cody as the two hugged. Ella wore a black skirt with thigh highs and high heel boots along with a top that had skulls and flowers on it and a denim jacket over her top. Ella had her hair down and flowing and not too much makeup which made her look more beautiful. She looked stunning.
Ella: So good to see you! I'm so ready for this scary movie!
Cody: Me too. I'm all into horror and thrillers.
Ella: Promise you'll protect me throughout the jump scares?
Cody: I promise. Those demons on the screen won't get you. I've been doing that for you you since we met.
Ella smiled before her and Cody went into the theater to see a scary movie in which Cody was holding onto Ella and vice versa during the scary parts.
*Later*
After the movie, Cody and Ella were holding hands walking out of the theater together until they saw a nearby Dutch Bros and looked at each other and excitedly nodded. Once they ordered their drinks, Ella got a Dutch Freeze and Cody got a Golden Eagle Dutch Classic, the two of them sat at a nearby bench and talked while having their drinks.
Ella: So how do you feel about the play we're doing?
Cody: My mom and aunts are excited about it. They've been wanting to here me sing for a while since I told them.
Ella: Oh you did end up getting adopted?! That's great to hear! Who are they?
Cody: The Cherry Bombs. They're a rock and roll dance group.
Ella: Really?! I'm a huge fan of them too! That's so cool they adopted you just before the orphanage could legally kick you out.
Cody: Yeah. I was lucky enough to even get adopted. I'll be 18 next month and it seems that they want me to stay around a little longer.
Ella: Can't really blame them really. It seems to me that they're really good to you. You will be free to do whatever you want after your birthday, but it's all your decision to stay with them longer or not.
Cody: Yeah. Then again they just adopted me and I would love to spend as much time with them as long as I can. In fact, I trust and appreciate them so much that I called Alicia "mom" yesterday because she was the first one who wanted to adopt me.
Ella awwed at Cody saying that as the two kept talking until unexpectedly, Ella put her hand on top of Cody's before she sheepishly pulled back.
Ella: Sorry. I got carried away.
Cody: No No No Ella. Here. I like that actually.
Cody and Ella then held hands until the two friends stared into each other's eyes until they lightly kissed each other on the lips.
Cody and Ella then shortly broke the kiss and looked into each other's eyes again and were both a little surprised by what they just did, but lightly smiled.
Ella: We've known each other for a long time........... what are we?
Cody: How about the next time we meet, it'll be for a date date? You choose where you wanna go.
Ella: I'd like that. I um....gotta be honest and say that I've liked you for a while Cody.
Ella lightly brushed a strand of her hair out of her face as the two held hands again.
Cody: I kind of figured that out after last year. I didn't wanna day anything because I didn't know if you were dating anyone at the time.
Ella: I am now.
Cody and Ella smiled until they finished their drinks and headed to Cody's car and gave Ella a ride back to her home.
*Later*
After Cody dropped off Ella at her house, he pulled the car up into the driveway at the Cherry Bombs's home and walked up to the house before going inside when he didn't see Alicia or any of the other girls, but heard music blaring from the dance studio. With his curiosity, Cody went downstairs to the dance studio and his predictions were correct when he saw them all practicing their dances and acrobatic stunts for their upcoming show when Alicia called for break and she turnt down the music and walked over to Cody and the two hugged.
Alicia: So how was the date?
Cody: Hehe. Fun. We saw a scary movie and got Dutch Bros afterwards.
Katie: Did anything... you know?
Katie smirked and wiggled her eyebrows at him which made Cody start chuckling a bit.
Crystal: Go on, you can say it!
Cody: Hehehe. We kissed.
Alicia: Oh stop! My heart can't take much more excitement Cody!
The girls were all happy for him and they all interacted with Cody and were begging when they were all going to meet Ella before they went back to practicing their dances and Cody went to paint Lzzy's guitar.
*Night-time*
After Cody had finished designing Lzzy's new guitar and messaged her that it was ready. Cody sat in his room playing his acoustic guitar after putting the new strings on it. After tuning it, Cody played the opening riff of "She Talks to Angels" by the Black Crowes and lightly sung the lyrics.
Cody didn't know it, but Constance was nearby and she watched him play until Cody felt her presence and looked up at her, but didn't stop as he kept playing.
Cody didn't break eye contact with Constance as he sang to her and she sat on his bed with him until he finished playing and looked at her.
Constance:....... beautiful.
Cody smiled as Constance lightly applauded him and he took a small bow to her before the two hugged and kept hugging until Kym found them.
Kym: Everything ok Cody?
Cody: Yeah. I was just serenading Constance a bit.
Constance: He sounds really good. Really can't wait to hear him sing in the play.
Cody: By the way, Ella and I are going on another date. If it's approved by mom, do you think we could have her over for dinner one night? We could even give you all a preview of what the play is gonna be like.
Kym and Constance thought about it for a minute until they made their decision.
Kym: We'd love to. All we need to do is wait and see where this goes. You know?
Constance: Yeah. Who knows if you and Ella actually do really like each other. If I were you Cody, I'd wait and see what this comes to. Ella could be your actual girlfriend or just another date.
Kym: Yeah. And just because you're both co-stars in the play doesn't mean she's all butterflies and rainbows backstage. Hell, she might be just trying to get at ya because you're the star.
Cody: I don't know about that. I've known her for a while and she's really nice. I don't know what you two have been thinking, but Ella has been nothing, but kind to me. I think she'll make a good girlfriend.
Constance: Hmmm. Only one way to find out. Whenever you feel the time is right to introduce us to her, we'll try not to be too judgemental. All we want is what's best for you Cody. And not all the girls out in the world are nice.
Cody: I know. I've had my fair share of them over the last ten years.
Kym: Ain't that the truth. Anyway, how about play some more for us?
Cody: Why not?
Cody then picked up his acoustic again and started playing another song which happened to be "Heroes" by David Bowie as Cody sang to them.
Cody didn't notice, but Alicia happened to be listening in to everything they were talking about until Cody finished signing when he played the final chord and Kym and Constance applauded him before they let him alone and closed his bedroom door until they saw Alicia standing by the door.
Alicia: So he wants her to meet us?
Kym: Yeah. He seems to like her a lot.
Alicia: Only one way to find out if this girl is worthy of dating my son.
Constance: It's only been one date so far Alicia. Give it some time. It may take more than this one date until we're able to meet her.
Alicia smiled and agreed with Constance before the three women went to get ready for bed before they all went to their rooms and went to sleep.