Stacey's parents have been fighting a lot lately. Even so, she's still not prepared for the terrible news: her parents are getting divorced.

The elevator doors opened. I stepped into the hallway and paused, listening. The only sound was the TV blaring in 12C.

I walked to my apartment on tiptoe, stopping every few feet.

At 12E I listened especially carefully. Nothing.

I found my key, slipped it in the lock, and let myself inside. A tiny part of me was afraid that something had happened, that Mom or Dad had stormed off. But, n. They were sitting in the living room. They didn't look like they were doing much of anything, so they must have been talking.

Whew. If they were talking, that meant they weren't fighting.

"Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad," I said casually, as if I hadn't heard the fight, and hadn't been to Laine's.

"Hi, honey," they replied at the same time.

Another good sign. Speaking in unison.

But then Mom said, "Stacey, we need to talk to you."

Whoa, bad sign.

"You do?" I desperately hoped that they were going to accuse me of not sticking to my diet. I even hoped that my English teacher had called up personally to tell my parents about the D I'd gotten on a quiz.

No such luck. I sat down on the edge of a couch and looked at Mom and Dad, who were glancing at each other as if to say, "you go first." "No, you go first."

Finally, Mom went first. "I guess it's no secret," she said, "that your dad and I have been having some problems."|

No secret? The whole building probably knew.

"Well, I have heard you, um, arguing a lot lately," I admitted.

Mom nodded. "An we've decided to do something about it. Stacey, your father and I are getting a divorce."

"What?" I whispered.

"We're getting a divorce," Dad spoke up.

I felt as if someone had slapped me across the face.

Welcome Back, Stacey!
Published by Scholastic Inc. 1996
ISBN: 0590425013