Chapter Three

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2 Months Ago

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A month and a half ago

After the fire burned down half of the kitchen, Emma immediately began writing two books and each one ended up being published by the same publisher. Each of the books were also of a different genre, one was a Drama novel titled, Kiwis of Peace, and the Humor novel is titled, It's Called a Sense of Humor. The Humor novel earned Emma much more money than the Drama novel did, but they both helped out in getting the financial crisis under control. With these two extra royalty checks coming in for six weeks, Emma has made over one thousand dollars a week, which put her nerves at ease. They had been just lucky enough to have the necessary amount of money to replace the stove and the two counters that were burned up in the fire. And now Emma could now afford to pay the initial joining fee for Zoey to be in the Music Club (just as Emma had promised her the year before), as well as treat her daughter to some much needed time out and about. One place that they went to was Mick's Master Karaoke, sure they weren't the best singers in the world, but this mother/daughter duo didn't care, they were just happy to be spending quality time together and doing something fun at the same time. 

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Even after the tragedy of the fire, and having to replace half of the kitchen furniture, things had finally started looking up for Emma and her daughter. The checks from Emma's writing had started to add up and gave them enough money to begin to live comfortably. Emma even became a little more sociable, and went out to the park to meet some new people, and that's when she met Chance Newman. He had just moved into Starlight Shores with his twin brother, Chase. Emma and Chance hit it off wonderfully, and after a few weeks of phone calls and a few friendly hang out sessions, Chance became a frequent visitor at the Radcliffe house.

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Now

The day starts out like any other morning in the Radcliffe house. Emma and Zoey sit down to eat breakfast together, except today they decided to have leftovers from the dinner that Emma made the night before. After a few moments of silence after the initial good morning greetings, a smile flashed across Zoey's face, as she looked at her mom, excitement growing in her eyes. 

"So, mom... When are you and Chance going out on a date?" Zoey asked as she waited patiently for a reply. 

"Um.. Uh.. I --" Emma choked out the words as she tried to swallow a mouthful of macaroni and cheese, while trying to get over the shock of the question that just came out of her daughters' mouth. "I don't.. know, sweetie.. Wh-what makes you think that I even like Chance like that?" Emma questioned. 

"He's just here a lot and I figured things must be getting serious if he is coming over at least four nights a week." Zoey said, confident that she is correct about her suspicions regarding her mother's relationship status with Chance.

"We're just friends, Zoey." 

"Mhm, sure mom.. Keep telling yourself that and maybe pigs will fly.. You're into him and he's into you too! I have a sixth sense for these things.. There's no denying it really, and besides he's totally your type mom.. So when are you guys going on a date?" 

Silence was all that followed Zoey's last statement, as Emma sat there still in shock from her daughter's questioning. How does this child always know more than she should? Emma thought as she spooned another mouthful of food into her mouth. Slowly she chewed it and then swallowed it, before returning her gaze to her daughter. 

"I guess you'll just have to wait to find that out Zo." Emma replied slyly as she stood up to begin clearing the dishes from the table since both of them finished eating at the same time. 

"It should be very soon, mom. You work so hard, you deserve to have a great man and be happy." Zoey teased as she started heading for the bathroom to go take a shower and get ready for the day. 

"We'll see Zoey, we'll see.." Emma smiled as she put the dishes into the sink as her daughter went to go take a shower. Even as a young child Zoey had always been such a caring individual, and now as a teenager she was still showing that trait of her personality off and a lone tear couldn't help but push it's way out of the corner of Emma's right eye. Quickly she finished washing, drying, and putting the dishes away. It was now time to go work on a new book, but Emma just couldn't get the motivation to actually go over to the computer to sit down. Zoey is right, Chance and I need to go on a date Emma thought as she went inside her bedroom and sat down on the edge of her bed to make a phone call to set up some date arrangements. 

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After making the arrangements for a date with Chance, Emma decided that she should get some painting in to calm her nerves since she had planned the date for later in the evening that day. Ever since that morning when Zoey had asked her when Chance and her were going to go on a date, Emma couldn't get the thought of Chance out of her head and especially now that they were about to go on a real date. The past few weeks that Emma had been hanging out with Chance at her house and had him over for dinner she did start to feel a connection with him, but the fear of falling into another bad relationship had held her back from expressing her fondness for him. 

With each stroke of the paint brush against the canvas, Emma seemed to calm down a little. But the time seemed to fly by as Emma was lost in her world of painting and before long there was less than an hour left before Chance would arrive at her house. 

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Zoey invited her best friend, Alora Platt, over to keep her company while her mom went on a date with Chance. The two friends ended up playing an intense game of hopscotch shortly after Alora came over. 

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But just before the sun went down for the night, Chance arrived at the house. Zoey immediately put the hopscotch game on hold so that she could go greet Chance, and tell her mother that he was here. Zoey loved Chance, they got along perfectly which made it even easier for Emma to build up a small crush on the guy which she refused to really acknowledge until now. Quickly Zoey shook Chance's hand and then invited him inside, as she opened the front door and poked her head inside. Emma was still working on her painting, focusing solely on each gentle stroke of the brush, and the different colors coming together to form a pretty work of art. 

"MOM!!!! CHANCE IS HERE!!!" Zoey yelled into the house, before turning and smiling at Chance. In the background of the house a loud, slightly annoyed sigh could be heard. Emma had just accidentally gotten a large glob of purple paint all over part of the picture she had been working on. She was shaken from her completely focused state when her daughter's yelling broke the silence that filled the house. "Hope you guys have fun on your date tonight." Zoey said as she then walked down the steps of the porch to return to her hopscotch game with Alora. 

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Emma quickly calmed herself down and looked at her painting, it would be fixable, but now the picture would take even longer to complete. However, she couldn't be upset with Zoey for just letting her know that Chance had shown up. Slowly she placed the palette and the paint brush down and cleaned them off before putting them away for the night. 

Then there were footsteps, and Emma paused momentarily, and took in a deep breath and let it out quietly. Never in her life had she been so nervous to go on a date with a guy, this was proving to be a little more serious than she thought it would be. In moments she had regained her normal confidence and went to go greet her friend. 

"Hey you!" She said sweetly as she smiled, giving him a big hug. 

"Hey Em! It's nice to see you again." He replied, embracing her for a few moments before they both broke away. 

"You too. So.. Are you ready to go on our date?" Emma asked. 

"Yep. I sure am. Where are we going?" 

"Dinner and then karaoke at Mick's Master Karaoke." Emma replied. 

"Karaoke? I'm a terrible singer Emma...." Chance said as his eyes grew in size almost instantly as soon as the words had left Emma's mouth. 

"It's okay, I am too. We'll give everyone a show they'll never forget!" Emma laughed as she grabbed his arm and started walking towards the front door. "It'll be so much fun, and it's not like you'll be on stage by yourself. Tonight is just about letting go and having a good time." Emma's voice was gentle, yet confident enough to have a chance at getting him to agree to go with her to karaoke. 

"Okay, Em, you win! I'll go. But this is the first and last time, okay?" Chance replied as he followed Emma toward the door. Emma just smiled happily at him as they exited the house and waved bye to Zoey and Alora who had started a new game of hopscotch. 

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Emma and Chance got into the "new" used car that Emma had just purchased only a week ago, and within moments the pair were on their way to dinner. 

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After dinner was over, it was time to head out to karaoke and Chance was less than thrilled to be going. But he had agreed to go with Emma after dinner, so there was no backing out of it now. 

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Once they arrived at Mick's Master Karaoke, Emma led Chance on stage and pressed a button on the karaoke machine to access the section that held all the duet songs, and then pressed another button selected a random duet for them to perform. The music had a countdown until it began, and they quickly grabbed microphones and took their positions on the stage in front of the karaoke machine. The music began within a few seconds and shortly the words appeared.

Chance: "Do you hear me,

I'm talking to you. 

Across the water, across the deep blue ocean, 

Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying.."

Emma: "Boy, I hear you in my dreams, 

I feel your whisper across the sea. 

I keep you with me in my heart, 

You make it easier when life gets hard.."

Both: "I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend, 

Lucky to have been where I have been. 

Lucky to be coming home again.

Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh." 

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As they continued to sing their duet, a small crowd, well only two people actually paid attention to their song. Even though the two people listening really hated their performance, they still kept on singing. 

Chance: "And so I'm sailing through the sea, 

To an island where we'll meet. 

You'll hear the music fill the air, 

I'll put a flower in your hair."

Emma: "Though the breezes through the trees, 

move so pretty, you're all I see. 

As the world keeps spinning 'round, 

you hold me right here right now."

Both: "I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend, 

Lucky to have been where I have been. 

Lucky to be coming home again, 

I'm lucky we're in love in every way. 

Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed, 

Lucky to be coming home someday.

Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh

Ooohh ooooh oooh oooh ooh ooh ooh ooh.." 

The music began to fade and once it did, Emma and Chance let out a laugh at their performance and quickly exited the stage since the people were still booing at them. The pair ran upstairs to get away from all the noise downstairs. They joked and laughed about how funny the other people were and of course made fun of their own performance since they both sang horribly out of tune and each made a couple mistakes. However they had fun doing singing together, even if the song was a bit on the romantic side for this fun date.

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"Oh, Chance! Let's get our picture taken! It'll be a great way to remember this night!" Emma exclaimed as she stood up and quickly walked toward the picture booth. 

"That's a great idea, Em!" Chance replied, as he followed close behind her, and entered into the booth. Within a few seconds they had put in enough money to get four different poses, and the camera began taking shots at five second intervals.

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"Oh my gosh! These are great, Chance!" Emma's voice was filled with excitement, and happiness as she looked over the four poses they had selected to print off together. As Emma was looking over the pictures, Chance came up behind her and whispered into her ear. A smile was stretching across his face, and when he had finished whispering into her ear, a smile came across Emma's face as well.

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"Look at that one way up there, Em." 

"Oh, it's beautiful, and bright." 

"Yes, just like you.." 

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After four hours of sitting on the sidewalk outside of the karaoke bar, stargazing with each other. It was getting close to time for them to go home. As they both stood up slowly, Emma couldn't help but pull Chance into a tight embrace, to which Chance didn't reject. They spent a moment in each others arms before pulling away gently. 

"It's getting late now.. It's almost 3 am." Emma said softly, not wanting the night to end. 

"I know.. Guess we better get you home. I think I accidentally left my phone at your house, so would it be alright if I rode with you and went in to see if it's there?" Chance asked. 

"Of course it's okay. Let's get going." Emma replied. With that they walked to where Emma had parked her car earlier, and got inside. Soon they were on their way to Emma's house in search of Chance's cell phone.

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"Here's your phone. I really, really need to clean out all the clutter in my car... It's a bit of a mess." Emma laughed as she walked back over to where Chance was standing, handing him his cell phone. 

"Great. Thank you for finding it. I was certain I had left it in the house though.. Oh well. Maybe next time we hang out, we can clean out your car and get it organized?" Chance replied. 

"You're too sweet. But I think I'll clean it out later today after I get some rest." 

"Aw, well, have fun with that later then. I guess I'm going to be heading out now since it's three-thirty." Chance said quickly, he didn't want to go as much as Emma didn't want him to go. 

"Chance...." Emma said quietly, her eyes now staring down at the ground waiting for him to reply. 

"Yes...?"

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Emma wasted no time in making her move on Chance. She quickly leaned in and planted a small, yet amazing kiss right on his soft, perfect lips. It was a complete shock to Chance, but to Emma's surprise he didn't pull away.

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"I-I-I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have done that..." Emma said frantically as her eyes widened once she pulled away from the kiss and looked into Chance's face. The look of shock on his face made her immediately look away from him, and caused her to blush a little.

"No, no.. It's okay Em.. It's okay.. You didn't do anything wrong." Chance paused as the shocked expression on his face disappeared, and was replaced with a concerned one. "I liked it." He stated. 

"Y-you liked it?" Emma asked as she turned back to look him in the face once more. 

"Yes, of course.. You're wonderful Emma. You are beautiful in every way imaginable, and you're so intelligent. You're the first woman that I actually feel a strong connection with. So there's no need to feel embarrassed or bad that you kissed me. I like you, a lot." Chance said softly as a smile formed on his lips, making it easier for Emma to see that he was telling the truth, and helping to make her feel a little less awkward. 

"Oh Chance! I-I don't know what to say... I thought that I only liked you as a friend, but all the previous times we've hung out and the date we just had... This whole night, and the way you and Zoey get along all contribute to my feelings for you.. There's no more fighting it.. I like you so much more than words can even begin to describe... I would just be honored to keep seeing you, but on a much more serious level, and see where it all goes." The speech that Emma gave to Chance did nothing but make him beam with happiness in the moonlight, as he took her hands in his and continued to listen as she began speaking again. "And just so you know, I've been hurt in the past... So relationships are a bit hard for me... I mean, I have a teenage daughter and so if you are willing to be a part of my life, you will have to be a part of hers." 

"Of course Em. Zoey is a wonderful kid, you have done an amazing job raising her.. And I promise right now and as long as we are seeing each other that I will be a positive influence on Zoey, and I will be involved in her life as much as you will let me be. You are a great person, a wonderful friend, an amazing mother, and I'm sure you're a very loving girlfriend. How did that one song lyric from karaoke go earlier? I think it was... 'I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend'. I can tell you now, that lyric is so true. That whole duet we did earlier was true. I just haven't had the courage to tell you how I feel about you... I feared that you would reject me.." Chance replied. 

"I would never reject you Chance.. You're a great man, and I'm very lucky to have met you and that I'm able to call you my best friend.. And now, my boyfriend." 

At the end of the last statement made by Emma, Chance pulled her into a hug, and planted a light kiss on top of her forehead. For several minutes they just held each other close and took in the warmth of the others body.

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"I really hate to do this, Em, but it's 4 am. I'm exhausted, but I had so much fun with you tonight. I'll call you later okay?" Chance asked as he broke the embrace after about ten minutes of hugging.

"Okay, sounds good. I had a blast with you too! We'll have to do it again sometime soon. Anyway, have a goodnight, er, morning!" 

"Yes we will! Night Em, sleep tight!" Chance said as he turned to walk down the street to the stop sign, where he pulled out his phone and called a cab to take him home. The night was finally over, and Emma finally realized just how exhausted she was from the whole day and nights activities.

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Quietly Emma walked up the steps, and across the front porch. Once she reached the door she inserted her house key and gently unlocked the door, trying not to make too much noise so that Zoey wouldn't wake up and get freaked out. After she successfully unlocked the door, she opened it and entered inside the house, and then very quietly shut the front door and locked it again. In only fifteen minutes, Emma had taken a shower and changed into her pajamas, then headed for her bedroom.

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Even though Emma had gotten ready for bed and laid down well before sunrise, it wasn't until about five o'clock in the morning when she finally fell asleep. The excitement from the night had keep her laying in bed awake just thinking about her new relationship status with Chance, and how wonderful he was. Finally things had started to look up for her financial status, and now things were starting to look up for her love life. Another thing was certain as well, Emma couldn't wait to tell Zoey all about her date with Chance and give her the big news. But for now, all that was really important was getting some sleep.

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Author Note: The song that Emma and Chance were singing at the karaoke bar, is called Lucky by Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillat. I thought it would be the perfect song for them to "randomly" sing at the karaoke bar and I think that it also sums up a lot of Emma's life and how lucky they are to of found each other so effortlessly. Anyway, here's the link to the music video for the song if you'd like to go watch it or listen to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acvIVA9-FMQ

I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter of Dream Big and I hope that you all like the song as well!

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