So Close Yet So Far

"Ramona, wake up." Bianca says as she shakes her step-daughter awake.
"Why?" Ramona moans as she rolls over.
"I have to teach a class before we go shopping today." Bianca says as she leaves Ramona's room. Ramona pulls herself out of bed and into the shower. She gets dressed and heads down to the kitchen where Josh is sitting eating a bowl of cereal.
"Good morning." She mutters as she gets some pop tarts out of the cupboard.
"G'morning," he says as he shoves a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.
"Where's mom?"
"In the bathroom." Josh says as he carries his bowl to the sink then runs off to watch cartoons. Ramona sits in the kitchen and eats her pop tarts as the buzz of cartoons is heard in the background.

"Are you almost ready to go?" Bianca asks as she puts the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher.
"Yeah, where's Dad?"
"He left this morning for some interviews and stuff." Bianca says casually.
"Then what about Josh, I thought you said it was going to be a girls' day."
"We have to drop him off at his grandparents before we go to the dance school."
"What? That's like two hours away!" Ramona exclaims.
"No, not those grandparents, my parents." Bianca says rolling her eyes. "Josh are you ready to leave?"
"Yup!" Josh yells from the family room.
"Okay, let's go then."

They piled into the car and drove to Josh's grandparents.
"C'mon Joshey." Bianca says as she takes her son out of his car seat. Ramona gets out of the car and the three of them walk up to the house. Josh runs ahead and rings the doorbell.
"Hi-ya Josh." His grandfather says as he opens the door.
"Hey grandpa, I got new sponge bob toys! Do you want to see?" Josh says excitedly as he points to his backpack.
"Sure kid, just let me talk to your Mommy first."
"Hey dad." Bianca says as she hugs her father.
"Hey so how's that husband of yours." He asks laughing.
"He's good; he has a day of interviews today actually."
"So they just toured for the summer?"
"No, they're going touring again next week for two months." Bianca says getting a little stressed just thinking about it.
"Ramona, is that you?" he says happily, "You're so tall."
"Thanks." Ramona says as she gets trapped in an awkward hug.
"So where's May?" Bianca asks looking around.
"She's out for the day. So that means just you and me buddy." He says as he messes up Josh's hair.
"Alright, we have to get going." Bianca says as she and Ramona head back to the car.

"Why don't you just call May mom or something?" Ramona asks as the drive to the dance school.
"Why don't you call me Mom?" Bianca asks laughing.
"My real mom is still alive."
"Well maybe my Mom is still alive in spirit."
"You said you didn't believe in that stuff." Ramona says raising her eyebrows.
"I don't, I just feel like I'm abandoning my real mother by calling her mom." Bianca says shrugging.

They pull up to the dance school a few minutes later. Bianca walks ahead and unlocks the front door.
"So what kind of classes are you teaching today?" Ramona asks as Bianca makes her way straight to the office up the stairs.
"Umm women's interpretive dance." Bianca mutters as she selects a few CDs. "They all come for the weight loss purposes."
"So can I just stay up here and surf the net?" Ramona asks pointing to the computer.
"Sure, just help me set up the yoga mats first."
"Yoga mats?" Ramona asks quizzically.
"Yeah, some people have trouble doing the warm-up stretches on hard ground." Bianca says shrugging as the two of them head down to the studio part of the building.
***
"That was an aggravating class." Bianca mutters as they get into the car.
"Why?" Ramona asks shrugging.
"There was this new woman who thought she knew everything there is to know about dance and complained whenever we did something that caused the slightest muscle twinge."
"So basically she was telling you how to do your job?" Ramona says as she changes radio station.
"Yeah, if they don't like being instructed ten they shouldn't take a dance class." Bianca mutters.
"Honestly, I hope you told her off."
"I did, subtly though. I should've done a full fledged hysteria like your father does on aggravating interviews."
"That would be awesome, mind you would lose quite a few clients." Ramona says laughing. They pulled into the driveway of Mike and Cassie's house. "I'll get them." Ramona walks up to the house and rings the bell. Moments later Cassie and Estelle come to the door and walk over to the car. Ramona and Estelle sit in the back as Cassie takes the passenger's seat.

"So what did you do with Travis?" Bianca asks casually as she starts the car.
"He's over at his little friend's house." Cassie says adoringly. "So what's the plan?"
"Well I guess we can buy their school books and stuff first, go to lunch then spend the rest of the day clothes shopping."
"Sounds good." Ramona says happily as the two women continue chatting.
"So what does your dad think about you and Joey?" Stella asks intrigued.
"Well at first he was giving him the third degree but now he accepts that I have a boyfriend and that boyfriend happens to be Joey." Ramona says casually.
"So no more forbidden love?"
"No, guess not. Jeez you're such a sap." Ramona says laughing. "So what about you? Any forbidden love with a certain Jakob Danger?"
"Why does everyone keep bugging us about that?!" Stella says exasperated, "It's all you and Joey's fault for sneaking around!"
"You aren't denying romance with an Armstrong, so it must be true."
"Shut-up." Stella mutters as we near an Office Depot.

"Let's just make this store quick and painless." Ramona says as they walk up to the store.
"Stop being so dramatic, it's just school supplies." Bianca says rolling her eyes. After buying all the school books, pens, pencils, and other stuff that weren't necessarily on the school supply list they head out of the story and make there way to the mall.

"I want to get some awesome army print pants." Stella says enthusiastically.
"I need new stripped socks." Ramona says as they make there way to the main entrance of the mall.
"Umm yeah, calm down we have the whole afternoon." Cassie says calmly.