Parents? Not as you expected...

Chapter 3 || What happened?

This chapter was not planned and neither is any of these chapters that will be coming up or the ones already wrote. I feel I may have rambled a little...okay a lot! Pre-warning, if you're looking for Nochelle there isn't any. Sorry! There will be some next chapter though

Michelle's PoV
"So Riley...where's James?"
I asked politely, turning to stare at a rather fidgety Riley sitting on a leather sofa in front of us. At the sound of my voice she turned to stare at me with wide eyes.
"Oh! James? James is..umm James is..upstairs-changing. Yes! He had to change."
She replied with a smile, looking around the room. I don't know why Riley is so nervous? She was never like this when we were younger. Well...I suppose people change over time.
"Would you like some more wine?"
She asked, getting up and grasping a bottle of alcohol in her hand.
"Oh no, I don't think I could."
I told her, holding up a glass full of a red liquid. Then it was back to the silence again. The same awkward silence that filtered into the room as soon as we entered.
      I couldn't help but stare around the room. With running the Next Step, I knew James and Riley wouldn't be living in a small house. But this? This is far more than I anticipated. With high ceilings and detailed arches, the room could be easily mistaken for one in a mansion. As I looked around further, it was hard not to notice the picture frames which littered the walls and the top of furniture. Photographs from all stages of Riley and James life. Their wedding day. The birth of Noah. Noah graduating. The most spectacular and largest though I noticed was one of A troupe at internationals back when we were in it, hung proudly over the fireplace.
"What do you think? I had it printed a few years back"
Huh? I turned to see Riley staring at me with a gentle smile. She glanced towards the picture I was staring at mere moments ago.
"The one of A troupe!"
She exclaimed, carefully getting up and walking over to it.
"I came across the picture one day while clearing up and-and..I don't know. I just had this feeling. This feeling of warmth and happiness. I knew that I had to frame it! It's such a shame to imagine that some of the best times of my life were with these people and now..now I could walk past them on the street and they wouldn't bat an eyelid"
She said in sorrow, glancing her eyes over the picture. She's right you know. After internationals, everything seemed to go down hill. Every member of the troupe was hit with difficult decisions. Especially Riley.
      One day, it just came unannounced. The pain. And the screaming which followed. For hours, she screamed in pain and then she wept in silence. She..she umm...had a miscarriage. Twelve weeks into the pregnancy the doctor announced as we held onto her. She lost the baby and..and then she was changed. I expected she would. No one can go through so much pain and torment and not be changed even in the slightest bit. From that day on, although she tried to act normal we knew she would never be the same again. More sensitive, more reserved, more protective. That's what she became. She became not like herself. She was no longer the Riley I knew. The news changed everything. The studio felt broken. It felt no longer safe. It was there when the pain started. It was there that really changed her. She left the studio for a bit after that. It really shook me. Made me think. And so I made a choice. I decided to focus on my school studies instead of dance. I put all my effort into getting the best grades I could to further my education. And it worked. Look at me now! I sit here before you today, the manager of one of the largest companies in Canada. Although...I have achieved so much I can't help but feel like there is something missing in my life. Dance
"I miss them too, Riley.."
I replied to her softly. She turned her gaze from staring at the photo to stare at me, a small smile grazing her lips.
"Do you know what happened to some of them?.."
She asked, nodding her head over to the photo. Yeah, I do. Even though..I left the studio, I still kept in contact with most of them. I placed my glass on the coffee table and detached my fingers from John. He gave me a slight nod as I did so, rubbing my knee lightly. Giving him a small smile, I carefully lifted myself from the sofa. I walked over to Riley, nudging her arm to let her know I was there.
"Well...Giselle-"
I spoke pointing to a person with flaming ginger hair.
"-after internationals, she decided to audition for a professional dance tour that traveled around Canada. Far as I know, she could be still there...but a little birdie told that she and Max-"
I pointed to a fall figure in the back.
"-recently found each other again and are now happily engaged"
Riley looked at me with wide eyes-shocked at the news.
"Really? Who told you that?"
She asked inquisitively. Oh I have my sources...
"I get to hear about things Riley."
I teased.
"When you have a teenager daughter with friends in very high places, you tend to hear the gossip."
She looked at me confused. Oh Riley! I'll explain it later. I turned back to the photo, in search of another person. Oh yes! This one will be easy.
"Now Thaila. She went back to Poland to discover her roots. She explored everything- the monuments, the museums however the one thing she didn't think that she would find in the middle of Poland was West."
I stopped to catch my breath and let Riley gather the information and process it.
"Anyways, I'll give you the short version. Thalia and West decided they had feelings for each other, so they became a couple and traveled around the world. Eventually they came back to Canada and settled down. We met again a few years back and now we're practically inseparable. They have a daughter too! The same age as Richelle. Sloane's her name."
I watched as Riley, indulged the information before looking towards me.
"Wow! Thalia and West? You sure? I never imagined them as a couple before"
I was about to pipe up and answer her but was cut off by John.
"Oh I'm sure! Michelle's never off the phone with Thalia. The phone bill is through the roof!"
He announced with a laugh. Oh shush! It's not that bad. But yeah Riley, I'm sure! Sloane's practically at my house nearly everyday. Her and Richelle are so close, they could nearly pass as siblings.
"Who else do you know?"
She asked calmly, although I could notice a little excitement building in her voice. Umm..lets see.
"Well...far as I know, Eldon went to a ballet company-met some ballet girl and got married. And oh umm Cierra, I believe she teaches now. Oh who else? Emily! I'm sure you know what happened with Emily. Be surprised if you didn't! Her and Hunter were destined for each other. And..and I think that's it.."
I rounded. Remembering how everyone has gone of in a different path has really made me miss them more. I do! I really miss them. I watched as Riley turned to me again, her mouth opening up and down. I'm sure she was wanting to say something but didn't know what. Suddenly, when I'm sure she is about to finally start talking now again-the door slammed open with a bang!
"Oh sh-shiitake mushrooms! Don't even worry about it! The doors fine!"

Okay crappy ending but I'm tired and want to finish it. OMG. I'm totally in love with the idea of Sloane being West and Thalia's daughter. I know they don't really look the same, but the hip hop connection is so true.