...Makes You Stronger: 2022-2023/2027...

It was the holiday season. There had been nothing but family gatherings. The Evans', Bo, Nora and Matthew were all in Pine Valley for the week. David, Dorian, James, Shane, Rachel and her family, all came to Pine Valley for Evan's eleventh birthday and New Years. The Evans', Buchanan's, Hubbard's, Price's, Lord's, Jeffery and James along with Colby as Matthew's date were all there for Evan's, birthday and it was the first time he had so much of his family there for his birthday all at once, it was really almost all of them with an exception of a few Buchanan cousins. As he looked around, he really felt good. They were all there for him because they loved him. They settled any differences any of them may have had and came together just for him. With all the presents he received the last few days this was the best one. This was the first holiday and birthday he got to spend with Matthew and they were going to bring in the New Year together for the first time. Their relationship started out a bit rocky but they're making progress and that's a good thing. Evan is super happy that James is back. He's secretly enjoying the fact that it's like having three dads and the best mom ever. Of course James doesn't try to act like a dad but they have that kind of bond anyway even though he went years without seeing him.

When they brought in the year 2023 and said, "Happy New Year," they were all off to a good start because in that moment they were all so very happy.

-v-

4 Years Later... (2027)

Destiny is now thirty-two, still happily married to Darren and an even more successful lawyer. Divine is now five and just as sweet and sassy as Destiny. August of 2023, just a couple weeks before Destiny and Darren's anniversary, Destiny gave birth to another son who she and Darren named Dene Journey Price.

Three months before Dene was born, Dani gave birth to a son as well. She and Jeffery named him Damario Jonas King, they usually call him Mari for short. Divine, Dene and Damario are like the three musketeers. It's so cute.
Dani and Jeffery got married about six months after Damario was also have a six month old daughter named Damita Jo King. They did decide to stay in Pine Valley so that they could stay near Téa being knew parents and all.

Matthew is in his senior year a college at LU. He went to school all year around so that he could graduate as soon as possible. In the mean time, he had been working hard at BE. Matthew and Colby dated for about a year then they had a bad break up because of a bunch of drama then they were on and off for the last few years. Now they're off and Matthew is dating a twenty-two year old blond from Llanview named Lana.

Destiny was right about James and Cassie. They got married two years ago and have a one year old daughter named Angel Inez Ford. They all live in Llanview.

Evan was now fifteen years old, the same age Destiny and Matthew were when they met. Evan was a senior in high school and just a few months away from graduating.

"My college acceptance letters came in the mail today." Evan said as he walked into the living room where Destiny and Darren were with the mail.

"Great! You've been secretive on the colleges you were applying to." Destiny said.

"... Well... Here are the letters. I got into all of them." Evan handed over the acceptance letters.

"NYU, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Yale and Harvard." Destiny listed as she went through the letters.

"Son, these are the best schools in the country." Darren said.

"I'm glad you got in, you even got into my dream school but they're all so far. At least U Penn is in Pennsylvania but New York, Massachusetts, Jersey, Connecticut? You're only fifteen." Destiny said.

"I know but I'm graduating high school."

"You're not ready to live this far away from home." Destiny said.

"Babe... New Jersey isn't that far... Sort of." Darren tried to help.

"It's two hours away." Destiny stated.

"Mom, I know you're scared for me to leave the nest but it's time, I'm graduating. I'm just doing it sooner." Evan knew Destiny would react this way, that's why he didn't tell her where he was applying.

"Have you decided which one you want to go to?" Darren asked.

"I've decided that my top three are... Yale, NYU and U Penn."

"Yale is five hours away." Destiny clutched her heart.

"Actually it's four and a half hours away." Evan said.

"You have to consider traffic!"

"It's ultimately my choice." Evan said.

"Ok, let's just celebrate and let this go for now before you give your mother a heart attack." Darren said.

"I'll call dad and see what he says."

"No. Every time you don't agree with me you run to Matthew." Destiny said.

"You're being unreasonable."

"Unreasonable?" Destiny echoed.

"E, just leave us for a while. Let your mom calm down." Darren said.

"I'm going to Bella's." Evan said then left.

"He can't even drive yet and he's trying to leave me." Destiny said.

"He's not trying to leave you, he's just trying to... explore." Darren replied.

"He can't explore in Pine Valley?"

"You know how you felt when you couldn't leave Llanview."

"But I was eighteen, he's just fifteen, he's just a baby, my baby. He has plenty of time to leave."

"You sacrificed all the things you sacrificed so that he could have things you didn't have and more. I agree, he's too young to just be on his own but like he said, he is graduating high school. Maybe there's a compromise or something.

-v-

Evan went to see Bella, Ellie was there as well. Over the years Bella and Ellie have become good friends and Ellie is Bella's only girl friend since she's always been a tomboy and all of her other friends are guys.

"What's going on?" Bella asked Evan.

"I got my acceptance letters back today. I got into all the schools. I told my mom, she doesn't want me to go so far away so we're kind of in a debate on where I should go to school."

"You can't blame her. You're only fifteen, you're her baby, of course she's concerned." Ellie said.

"I know but her concern might keep me from the school I want to attend."

"What school are you leaning toward going to?" Bella asked, secretly hoping that Destiny doesn't let him go because she doesn't want him to leave either.

"NYU. I can go to the best schools in the world, I have the satisfaction of knowing that but I want to go there. I used to live in New York and it'd be cool to live there again. Plus, I think it'd be cool to go to the same school my mom and pops went to."

"NYU might be the easiest school to convince your mom to let you go to." Ellie said. Bella looked at her, not wanting her to give Evan any ideas. "They know people in New York right?"

"Yeah."

"So they can have some of the people they know look out for you and Frankie's son William, who just found him also lives in New York. You have a responsible, mature older cousin who lives there too."

"You're right... But I know my mom still doesn't want me three hours away from her, at least she'll know someone is looking out for me."

-v-

A couple days later, Evan was able to sit down with Destiny, Darren and Matthew about his decision.

"I've decided what college I want to go to and my decision is NYU. I know it's three hours away but mom and pops, you know people in New York. I still have friends in New York from when we used to live there. I see them whenever we go out there and we still talk regularly, also cousin William lives there and I've talked to him about it. He'll look out for me too." Evan explained.

"Looks like he's picked up your skills for arguing and negotiating." Matthew said to Destiny.

"E does make a good point." Darren said.

"... Ok-" Destiny said causing Evan to get excited. "Don't get excited yet. I don't want you living on campus. College kids are older and wilder. You may be a genius and going to college three years earlier but you are still fifteen. We'll come up with some arrangement and I'll talk to William myself me see to what extent he's going to be looking out for you... That's the compromise."

"... Alright. Thank you for letting me go."

"I'll never really let go... You're my baby."

"I'm not a baby anymore."

"But you'll always be my baby." Destiny hugged Evan. He was now much taller than her. "I love you and I'm proud of you."

"So am I." Matthew said and Darren concurred.

"Since you'll be going away in... four months..." Destiny clutched her heart then took a deep breath. "That's so close... I guess we should throw a party for you."

-v-

Matthew had his own apartment now. He moved out a couple years ago because he was tired of his parents babying him.

He was at his apartment with his girlfriend, Lana. Things were heated between the two on the couch when there was a knock on the door.

"Don't answer it. They'll go away." Lana said.

They knocked again.

"Damn." Matthew said then Lana put her top back on. Matthew put on his shirt and zipped up his pants before he answered the door to find Colby as the aggressive knocker.

"What are you doing here?" Matthew asked.

"I needed to talk to you." Colby replied.

"You couldn't call? You had to come all the from Pine Valley to Llanview to talk to me?"

"You don't answer my calls." Colby peeked her head in the door. "Hello Looney."

"Her name is Lana."

"I don't care what her name is. She's just some little girl you're using to try to get back the years of youth you missed out on. I'm sorry you missed eleven years of your life but you can't get it back so move on. You're not twenty-two, you're thirty-two."

"Thanks but I know how old I am. You didn't come here to tell me that."

"You're absolutely right, I didn't. I came here to tell you that... I'm pregnant!"

"What?" Lana yelled angrily in the background.

Matthew had a blank stare on his face.

"It's not my baby." Matthew said.

"Really because three months ago, I recall us having sex, no, making love right on that couch.

"What?" Lana yelled again and stood up in the background.

"Why are you doing this to me right now?" Matthew asked.

"Doing what? Telling the truth?" Colby asked.

"It's not my baby." He turned to Lana and repeated himself.

"Matthew, did you or did you not cheat on me with her?" Lana asked.

"...I- She's lying." Matthew replied slowly and stuttered.

"Too slow. How could you do this to me? You can have him." Lana grabbed her bag and walked out the door then Colby walked in.

"You love me. Why are you being so difficult?" Colby asked. Matthew just sat down. "We've been on and off for years. What are you afraid of?"

The truth was he was afraid of being tied down and missing out. He didn't really want to act like a thirty-two year old man. Colby was right about the fact that he basically wanted to recapture the youth he missed and they probably never worked because she forced him to be the man she knew he could be. He wanted to be young and free. Even though he loved Evan and he managed to step up and be a decent father, he was secretly glad he lived an hour away and Evan only visited about one weekend a month because he didn't have to be a full time father. He didn't have too much responsibility.

"Fine, don't answer me but now you know. You're going to be a daddy again. When you're ready to admit it. We can talk." Colby left.

-v-

Destiny was at home planning Evan's party with Dani.

"Will you sing at the party?" Destiny asked.

"You don't want to?" Dani asked.

"Oh please, you know you're the better singer, I'm the better dancer." Destiny said.

"That's not what you said in high school."

"Of course not, I wasn't about to let you take my 'man' and my part in the school musical. I can still whoop your butt on the dance floor."

"I'll sing." Dani agreed.

"Thanks... It's so hard to let go. Sixteen years ago, I didn't know life was going to turn out like this. I'm glad it did but I was so afraid of what the future held. Now I know I didn't need to be afraid at all. I guess I shouldn't worry so much about Evan, he'll be fine... My cousin William is going to let Evan stay with him."

"Who's William again?"

"He's my cousin Frankie's son. William was adopted when he was a baby and he found Frankie a few months ago. He's cool."

Damita began to cry and Dani gave her a bottle.

"We're a long way from an empty nest." Dani pointed out. "I'm glad Divine, Dene and Mari are such good friends. I'm glad Jeffery and I decided to stay in Pine Valley so that they could be this close and I had you and my mom to sort of show how to be a mom in the beginning though I learned a lot from when Bella was a baby."

"Poor Bella still has a crush on Evan and he still doesn't realize it."

"I don't think she's too happy he's going to New York either. At least he's over his crush on Hope."

-v-

Bella and Warren were hanging out in Ellie's room.

"Why is he leaving me?" Bella asked rhetorically and dramatically.

"He'll be back." Warren said unsympathetically.

"Rarely. I'll hardly see him. He'll fall in love with some college chick then I'll never have a chance. You know he likes older women."

"The fact that he's a genius gives him an upper hand but what college girl wants a fifteen year old anyway and it's like illegal. And yeah, Evan is attracted to older women for some reason but have you actually ever seen him with one?" Ellie said.

"And what guy wants a girl that acts like a boy." Warren said and got a look from Bella.

"He can be harsh but he does have a point." Ellie said. "To Evan you're like one of the boys so if you want him to see you as the woman you are, you need to show him."

"What do you suppose I do?" Bella asked.

"Makeover." Ellie stated simply. "Show up at his party as the woman you are and you will get his attention. I know just the person to do your makeover. Randy. Now about me, is your cousin Liam single because you know I like him. Hook a sister up, at least just for prom."

"You girls make me sick. You want these relationships so badly but teen relationships never last forever." Warren said.

"Sometimes they do. Destiny dated Darren in high school and my sister Starr is married to the man she was in love with in high school." Bella said.

"Yeah and both couples broke up for a long period of time and had other relationships before they ended up with the high school sweetheart." Warren said.

"But the point is, they ended up together." Bella said.

-v-

All the family and friends were at the party to celebrate with Evan and support him. It was a nice turn out. Matthew went over to Destiny once he got there.

"What's up with you? You look down." Destiny asked.

"... Colby is pregnant."

"...And the baby is yours?" Matthew nodded. "Wow. So why are you looking like your world just ended. You should be happy. I know you have a girlfriend but- Wait, if Colby's pregnant then that means you cheated on your girlfriend. Ok but you love Colby so what's problem?"

"... Nothing."

"No. Tell me what's wrong."

"You're the last person I should be talking to about this."

"Why? What? You don't want the baby or something?" Matthew was silent. "Got it. Here's the thing Matt, the baby is yours, there's no way out of it. You missed a chunk of Evan's life now you get to see this new baby grow up. Be happy and cherish every moment because they go by quickly and you can't get them back. Be honest with yourself and everyone else. You love Colby. You can't get the years you missed back so just make the best of what you have. You didn't really get to enjoy your twenties. I had to grow up fast so I kind of understand but you just have to make the best of what you got. You could have died, Matthew and had no life at all not just miss out on your twenties so thank God you have your thirties and hopefully another fifty, sixty, seventy years here. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and life goes on. Be thankful and go find the woman you love."

"There's always some drama with Colby."

"There's always some drama with you too. You have that in common. The next girl is going to have a lot of drama because that's what you're attracted to. Stop making excuses and go be the man you are meant to be.

Meanwhile, Evan was talking to Warren, Liam and Ryder when he noticed Bella and Ellie walking toward them. He was blown away by Bella in a dress and makeup, the whole bit.

"Wow. You look- wow." Evan said. He never looked at her the way he's looking at her now.

"Thanks. Want to dance?" Bella asked.

"Sure." Evan replied and they went to the middle of the floor.

"Here's the thing... I... Love... I... Love this song." Bella said.

"What were you really going to say?"

"... I.. Love you." Bella whispered.

"Huh?"

"Gosh. I love you."

"I love you too." Evan replied like of course they love each other, duh.

"No not in like a friend kind of way like a more than a friend kind of way. I've sort of had feelings for you every since you moved here from New York. I know we were friends before that but it was different then."

"Bella, I moved here eight years ago. You mean to tell me you've felt like this for eight years?"

"Yeah."

"Wow... I guess I'm a total idiot... This does explain a lot. Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I didn't want to be rejected. I'm not exactly the kind of girl you go for. I'm not a girly girl even though I do love to shop and get my hair and nails done, you look at me as one of the guys. I'm that kind of pretty. I'm not older than you. I'm not all sweet and little miss perfect. I'm not as smart. I don't know the things that you know that older girls probably would. I just had to tell you before you went to college. I didn't want to lose my chance."

"You're my best friend. You always have been. You don't have to be all those things and let's get a couple things straight. You're gorgeous. I've always thought that, regardless of if you're wearing basketball shorts or a cute dress like this. You are smart. You've taught me a lot, we've always taught each other. You always have my back but even with your sassy attitude you are sweet and you're perfect because you're you. In a lot of ways you remind me of my mom. Sometimes you act like you're my mom... I guess I never thought of you beyond being my best friend but I didn't know you felt this way. It's kind of weird but this kind of changes things."

"What does that mean?"

Evan slowly went into kiss her. Destiny and Téa were standing together and caught the kiss.

"Oh snap!" Destiny exclaimed.

"Well look who finally got the memo." Téa said.

"You don't think Victor is going to have a heart attack over this, do you?"

"No. He'll be fine."

The kissed ended. It was like a dream come true for Bella. She was totally red.

"What does this mean?" Bella asked.

"... I don't know. I'm still going to New York in a month."

"I know but if you're willing to try, so am I."

It wasn't long before Evan was off to NYU. They tried for years to make it work with him in New York and her in Pine Valley but it eventually became too much to handle and they had to let go. By the time they were twenty-one they were both out of college. Evan had his own artistic therapy business. He found a way to use his love of the arts to help people. Bella had just graduated from LU with Ellie but she wanted to manage sports careers. Ellie did eventually get together with Liam. Evan decided to move to Llanview too so they were able to rekindle their relationship and were happy together.

Destiny, Darren and Matthew had done a wonderful job raising Evan. Destiny made some hard sacrifices but it was all worth it in the end. She has a wonderful family and they're all happy. They eventually moved back to Llanview too but kept their house in Pine Valley. A few years later, Dani and her family migrated back to Llanview as well.

Matthew and Colby had a little boy and they used Destiny's approach to naming Evan for their son. His name is Chandler Clint Buchanan. He eventually married Colby once he took Destiny and Colby's advice and stopped chasing his youth.

The road was rough but they were all stronger in the end, lived happily ever after and life went on...

Thanks for reading and commenting. Hope you've all enjoyed.