that was then this is now

 Rico wasn't quite sure what to make of anything these days. Sure, he thought the more he said the worse it got.

Maybe Liv wasn't like he remembered. She was awfully quiet. It was like they were back to the beginning again. Of course, she was sincere as always. She didn't need anything, she told his father. She wouldn't hear of getting anything new. 

He watched her for about a week or so going through the motions. If only he knew how to help her.

"Maybe I don't," he told Mario as he was helping him move Bren's things to his apartment. "I think she hates me."

"Stop it," Mario said. "She does not. You have to give her some time. I am sure she thinks that all you can see is her and her brother on that day at the grocery store."

Rico nodded. Maybe he was right. But it all felt so grim. How could one person cause so much grief? After all, Tristan had gone to some sort of treatment, but now he'd gone off for the next couple of months to work in the Youth Conservation Corp. How was that possible?

Rico hated to bring it up. "I haven't heard from Mona."

"Mona?" Mario looked at him as if he shouldn't say her name. "Were you supposed to?"

"Obviously not." Rico shrugged. He'd left her number with the police. After all, she was Tristan's girlfriend. "I just hope she's all right."

"You're the best friend in the world," Mario grinned as they carried boxes of Bren's stuff to his place.

Rico looked at the wall of boxes. It was crazy.

"Wow, I didn't know Bren had so much." Rico didn't know where it would go.

"Well, it's her life and we will figure it out, sooner or later." Mario sighed with a smile. "I'm glad she's here." 

"Yeah, I kept thinking it would never happen. I mean, she's been in that apartment for years." This much Rico knew.

"Yeap." Mario stared at the boxes as if maybe he wanted to put them all back in her apartment and just move his stuff there.