Realizing you don't want that much after all

 Cara was doing her best to be a part of the family. Yes, she listened to Jody intently about Aaron's problem with his Dad. She would have none of it, she told her. "You put your foot down if you have to."

Naturally, Jody just laughed at her. She assured her that she was on Aaron's side and he was not going to have anything to do with his Dad. 

If she wasn't on the phone with Jody, she was making phone calls every day to Fan since Fan did love to talk. Although, it was a bit exhausting. Even Kenny noticed.

"Why are you putting yourself through this?" He'd asked more than once. Especially, when they were getting ready for bed and Fan would call.

"Because," she looked at him blankly. "It's the only family I got." She had not spoken to her father since the divorce and didn't intend to. Although she'd found out from her father's sister that he'd gotten remarried, now that was on the rocks too. Cara didn't want to think how her dad had taken her away from her real mother when she was little. True, her mom was a drug addict, but she never really knew her. 

"Don't talk about him to me." She wanted to say he was no longer in her vocabulary. After all, he never warned her he'd end things with Fan. All this time, she considered Fan her mother. And she had to be there for her. Although she did feel she was in the eye of the storm for a while, now she felt like she was part of the family. And of course, she needed Kenny by her side.

She was also determined to be Amanda's friend too. Of course, Jay acted like he didn't even care. He was hanging on to Kenny. Yes, it felt like this war she'd hoped to start was now on the verge of a lasting friendship. They even went out for Valentine's day together. Of course, it was just pizza and bowling. It was a fun night even if she was the worst at bowling. 

They even got ENSO rings! Cara wanted to have proof to Jay and Amanda that they were really together.

"Are you sure that's all we'll ever need?" Kenny hadn't made a fuss, but it was like he expected her to have a tantrum of some kind. Like she was expecting a marriage of some kind.

"This is all I need," she'd sighed on that snowy morning a few days after Valentine's day. She would not ask for the world. "Besides, it might end in divorce and well, I have nothing to give and I don't want to take anything from you."

After all, there was a little something going on the side. They were sharing a bed now and cold nights could only heat up shortly if they put their mind to it. And she thought she'd taught him a thing or two in the process. She smiled back at him as if he shouldn't question her.

"I could always be your common-law wife," she grinned as if she could go the distance if he could.

Kenny had nothing to say to that. 

"Besides, Fan will never marry Sal." She shook her head.

"Why do you have to do everything Fan does?" He was getting a little bitter now as he was going on to make the morning toast with the eggs he'd scrambled.

She thought about it for a second or two while she sipped her coffee. "Because, she's the mother I never had, and well..I think she knows a thing or two about men."

When you know who your family is

 "Oh, this is just not going to be the weekend I was hoping for," Angel said to Jared who she knew was too tired to even start dinner and so was she. She crossed her arms and plopped herself next to him on the couch. They weren't even in their sweats to rest for the evening. He was still in his dark gray uniform and stank of fried foods and cinnamon. She was still in her skirt with a top that had a bit of baby spit up on the shoulder. At least their shoes were off.

"What were you hoping for?" He looked back at her as he leaned against her shoulder. He yawned as if he couldn't wait for her answer. He'd rather have a quick nap, perhaps.

She didn't mean to fret but this was their first real Valentine's weekend as a married couple. "It's nothing," she finally said. "I mean, Dad's so worried about your mom."

"My mom?" Jared set back up with a wince. "What now?" He hugged himself and made a face of disgust.

"Oh you know, the Alton thing." She looked at him as if he ought to know.

"Yeah, that does suck," was about all he mustard up. 

"He's afraid your mom will get involved with him and they'll take off to California to find Donna." Angel shrugged.

"What?" Jared practically snarled. "He should have more faith in her." He nodded.

"Oh, and you do." She gave him the eye as if she wanted him to have it out with his mother, but he reached for his cell instead. Instantly, he got a hold of her and within minutes they were talking about Valentine's day and how she would come and be with the baby while they went out for dinner on a Saturday night. She spoke of the sushi place that everybody loved. He talked about it too, but he said Angel didn't like sushi.

Angel smiled. Glad that he remembered.

After he clicked off, Angel asked. "Are you testing her?"

Jared sighed with a yawn. "Maybe, but she said dad would be here too." He smiled.

Angel felt herself shake with laughter to the core. She hadn't realized until now that he called Sal, dad.

Don't make me mad

 "Nobody is going anywhere," Sal was possibly gruffer than he imagined, but Alton was in no mind to do anything at the moment. He was a polluted animal and growing restless by the minute.

"It just isn't fair!" Alton stammered. He could barely stand on his feet. "I've waited  years to see that woman."

"Why?" Aaron asked with a distressed face. Sal knew he was worried.

"Cause.." Alton belched. "I want to have it out with her." Aaron's father looked a little crazy.

"What do you plan on doing?" Sal asked.

"I'm gonna find that bitch." He nodded.

About then a regular came in and Aaron already had the beer waiting. They talked about the weather and who was going to the Super Bowl while Alton just about tripped over his own feet.

"You're gonna go to California?" Sal looked at him as if he doubted he could get him back to his room, but he was a lightweight. Sal knew he could throw him over his shoulder if he had to. But he really would hate to.

"I'm taking Aaron with me," he was a matter of fact on the subject.

"Yeah, so  he can drive you, I guess?" Sal shrugged. "You know, he doesn't even have a driver's license." Sal fumed. "If you two had actually raised him, he might be a doctor by now. He's got a good brain. Heaven knows, how that happened? You two did nothing to help him when you could. And now you expect him to go somewhere with you."

He thought Alton might be crying. He heaved as if he might throw up. Then he coughed. "But she raised him, not me." Alton pointed to himself. "And he needs to bring  his Momma home." Alton practically swallowed a frown

Aaron just shook his head, and he went back to greeting guests and serving up drinks, nuts, and pretzels. 

"Let's not rush into anything," Sal said as he quietly walked Alton out from behind the bar. Oh, how he wished he could leave him out in the cold, but he got him in the pickup truck. 

Of course, Alton wouldn't shut up about how he was going to kill her when he found her. Sal shook his head. There was only so much he could do for somebody like Alton.

Then all I've got to say

 

Aaron knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. He could hear the thrashing of pans in the kitchen. He was at the bar getting ready for the after-work crowd. There was a game on the TV tonight. It was relatively warm. It was as if they were thawing out for the next cold snap. Sure there had been days of fog that left frost and slick spots, but it was a white January.

Sal was paying his dad Alton a little these days, cleaning the restrooms and the kitchen pots and pans along with bar glasses and mugs. Of course, Aaron cleaned the restrooms because he already knew that was beneath his father. No way would he stoop that low. 

Aaron looked to Sal who only gave him a sigh. Yes, that fool of a dad of his was drinking. God, they needed the old bastard out of here. He was just a drunk. Alton was having a pity party, stomping around singing a very off-key song of "Nobody loves me."

"Hush!" Sal went in first. Aaron could hear Sal in the kitchen. "How and hell do expect to catch a woman if she sees this side of you, man!"

Aaron with clinched teeth gnashed. He wished Alton would just go away. Why did he have this nuisance in his life?

 It was never easy with his mom who thought he was an idiot all this time and yet, he'd had to take care of her most of his life. He never managed to finish high school. Just when he thought misery had left him, his dad showed up like a bad door prize. Aaron cringed at the thought of how far his father might go to mess it all up.

Aaron's cell rang, which was quite unusual. Jody only texted him when he got to work and usually when he was on break. Of course, it was always sweet nothings but it always made him smile. He couldn't imagine anyone having his number. And that's when he heard the news about his mother.

MUDSLIDE. Oh, he couldn't get the word out of his brain. His chest tightened. He thought he might lose consciousness. What were they saying? "She's in California!" He shouted into the phone. Oh, she was just a statistic now in the cleanup.

"Damn, she never said nothing about going to California," Aaron said to no one after he got off the phone.

"What's going on, son?" Sal awoke him from his stupor.

"It's..it's mom." That was all he could manage to say.

On your own, honestly and truly

 "I think you two are very good for each other," Angel told her about them being a couple from her perspective. "You know, kind of like a campus couple."

"A campus couple?" Jody winced back as if that was funny to her.

"Oh, you know the type. They hold hands, and they love to study together. They don't need much, but everything is like a little adventure, you know. And of course, everyone envies you two."

"I don't think anyone would envy me," Jody told her as she took the bottle and sat down in the certain chair where the baby was either breastfed or given a bottle. "Well, I guess I thought that when I was with Andrew." She seemed a little sad about it. "It was like I could see everyone thinking, 'why is he with her?'"

Angel could tell it must have always been hard being Andrew's girlfriend. She knew his parents weren't that fond of her and she now knew Andrew didn't treat her like a bride-to-be.

"It's better now," Angel helped her with little  Freddie then. To make sure he was getting the bottle properly. "Just think of the things you two can do together. Who knows, you might want to travel."

"Traveling?" Jody shook her head. "I think we like staying home."

"But there might be a time, you two will want to get away from all of us," Angel smiled. She said she thought it might be a little crowded around here. People might start thinking they owned the old apartment complex.

"Is mom bothering you?" Jody wanted to know.

"Surprisingly, no." Angel shrugged. "I was certain she'd be here all the time. Just for a little bit on a Sunday afternoon, these days."

"She's been over a time or two, but really you'd think she lived in Kansas City or something. I don't see her often," Jody watched the sleeping infant nursing the bottle. 

"It must be Sal," Angel nodded. "I wonder what he told her?"

"She's not loud like she used to be. She seems calmer these days," Jody looked up at Angel and smiled.

"Really, I never knew my dad had that kind of effect on women." She hugged herself and laughed as if she liked this side of her father.