Never listen to the no's

 "Oh, you're gonna get me in trouble," Ari winced hard, wondering what he'd gotten himself into when Jade invited Hoyt and Simone over.

"It's just dinner," she shrugged. After all, she was the one who made the meatloaf and all the fixings. All he had to do was just make sure the livingroom and bathroom was tidy. 

"Yeah, I know, but..but it's Hoyt with Mona's arch nemesis," he shook his head. 

"Well, maybe I miss Hoyt." 

"You do not." Ari rolled his eyes at that. 

"You were his friend. We can be friends with them, still," Jade twisted about as if she might be in a tizzy if he didn't act appropriately.

"I know," he sighed thinking of the blackout a few months back and how he'd gotten sick. It wasn't like Hoyt really did anything for him, but they'd felt like friends then. Hoyt was trying his best with Mona as Ari recalled.

"Besides, don't you know, Hoyt and Simone got married."

"What?" He squinted harder.

"I told you."

Ari had nothing to say to that. 

"Hoyt is on the outs with his mom, he needs us." 

She went to get the French bread, Italian-flavored oil, and pesto. He got out the bread knife and sliced it up. They were a team.

He hadn't thought about the fallout Hoyt would get from his own family after breaking up with Mona. Ari nursed his bottom lip. He guessed he could be Hoyt's friend. Besides, when Hoyt and Simone got there, he knew they were happy together, and it looked like it was meant to be. 

With arms wide open

 Rico was feeling as if it was all falling into place with Mona. It was like a soft laugh that got caught in his throat. He couldn't believe it was happening. And she was a happier person too.

"Well, who knows when that will end?" Gabe pretty much baffled Rico lately. Maybe it had something to do with that small affair of his twin brother Pan. Although, Rico didn't dare ask. After all, it was such a quiet matter. It happened in a blink of an eye.

Of course, Gabe didn't invite Mona over, but Sammy (his wife did) who made a pasta dinner. Of course, Vada and her new boy showed up too. 

Rico hadn't expected that for Halloween. Gabe looked at him then as if he'd told him so. But they took it in stride. And Rico didn't ask about Pan and Wade. 

Rico focused on knowing Kevin that night. Sure, he had plenty to talk about and said he'd remembered Rico somewhere. 

"Oh, I might have seen you too," Rico smiled. Although, Vada was giving him the eye that he better not talk to her boyfriend too much. Of course, she wouldn't say anything to Mona.

Thank god, Sammy was the buffer who kept the conversation going and included Mona at every turn. It was of course, awkward. But Rico knew there would be times like this. It was hard to get to know Mona, but Sammy was doing her best even if Gabe was quite a pest.

"What's the matter with him," Rico got a chance to ask Sammy in the kitchen.

"Oh, he doesn't like change," she shrugged.

Rico nodded. He never thought of that. He didn't ask any more questions but took her lead to talk about the weather, and no news was good news about the election these days. Although, there was that funny postcard everyone was getting in the mail about an independent candidate that some one kept calling a radical Democrat. 

Later, Mona asked if Rico really thought of Sammy as a sister. "Of course, I do. She treats me much better than my big sister." But he explained Caitlin didn't have time for him these days with a growing family. "Sammy's like a little sister I never had." Although, he did have a little sister, but she was still in elementary school and he couldn't remember the last time they talked since he never kept in touch with his mother. 

"I never had a sibling," she told him. However, her uncle Ari always felt like an older brother. 

Rico nodded. He knew Ari was important to her. "Maybe we need to invite Ari and Jade over for supper, sometime." He even said he'd do the cooking.

Of course, she got a laugh out of that. 

"Evidently, you haven't tried my food," Rico shrugged. "I've watched my Dad cook a lot, so I know a thing or two in the kitchen."

I can't say, baby, where I'll be in a year

 "I dunno about this situation of Chai," Sunny shook her head when Chewy told her about his outing with Chai and Daisy. 

Of course, it felt everything was changing in her life lately. Her uncle was now married to Liv. It was a lot to get used to even if she'd been there for their ceremony. If that wasn't enough, she'd gotten on at the assisted living place close to where Louie worked as a receptionist. Although, most of the time she was letting families in and showing them around the facility. She felt like she didn't have an honest work description, but what mattered was her hostess skills and she wouldn't have known any of that if it weren't for Louie.

"What if Daisy's mother just ..."

"Just what?" Sunny knew he was worried. He kept the teabag dancing in his hot cup of water as she watched him from the kitchen counter.

"Well, what if Chai ends up with Daisy all on his own?" Chewy fretted.

"It hasn't happened yet," Sunny shrugged and returned to putting away the dishes. Louie was staying late at work and it was just her and Chewy who said he was not hungry. Evidently, he was too upset. But soon enough, he was snacking on whatever leftovers she got out of the fridge. 

"Do you like Chai?" Sunny squinted. She hated to ask because Chewy protested which led her to believe it was true.

"You know you can be the friend you should be," Sunny sighed, thinking she guessed she should be the friend she should be. "You know, there are lots of openings at the new assisted living place."

"So?" His fat lip was in a pout. He looked at her as if no way was he going to work with old people.

"I mean, maybe you should help Chai get a job there. They are looking for cooks," Sunny told him she thought a job would be more promising than working nights at that restaurant. "The pay isn't bad and the hours would be so much better."

Chewy sighed. "I'll ask." He finally said after he finished off the boiled eggs that Sunny knew Louie boiled early this morning as his last resort when he came home. 

She went to boil water. She would have to boil a few for him. Of course, he might like an eggroll instead. Sunny smiled. She liked surprising him, sometimes.

You forget I've seen you work before

 "You're going to take her out alone?" Chewy winced when he saw his neighbor Chai out with baby Daisy.

"We probably won't do any trick or treating," He shrugged as he held her on his side. She seemed used to being carried this way. Chewy couldn't think it would be comfortable, but lord knows what she would do if on the ground. She didn't just walk she ran like a wild thing.

"Shouldn't she be in a stroller or something?" He couldn't imagine just carrying a child that big anywhere.

"Oh, we were just running to the shop to pick up some snacks," Chai sounded it as if it was nothing, but Chewy didn't think he could manage so he followed. 

"Did you want to hold her?" Chai asked while they were in the shop.

"Oh, no, I couldn't." Chewy couldn't even decide if Daisy was a baby or a toddler. 

"She's not that heavy," he told him, but Chai went on to get a shopping basket in the other hand. Chewy sighed. He could see Chai putting her down and her taking off, because he'd seen it before, but that was back at the apartment.

"OK, if I must," Chewy took the baby from Chai. She looked at him with big serious eyes, but she didn't say anything, other than leaving a little bit of drool on his shirt which tensed Chewy all the more. In fact, she slobbered all over him.

Chai shook with laughter as he was grabbing some bananas and apples.

"I think she likes you," he told Chewy. "She isn't like that with everyone."

"What are you trying to say?" Chewy didn't want to be put on the spot. "I don't know the first thing about babysitting."

Chai nodded as if he knew. He yawned. "But I might need a nap sometime. What if I get sick?"

Chewy looked at him as if he had to be kidding. "Doesn't her mother take care of her?"

"Not often enough, she's networking you know," Chai said she always went out to dinners and sometimes stayed out all night. 

"Well, that's not right, you're just a roommate," Chewy told him.

Chai didn't say a thing but grabbed a few more essentials like milk and some eggs. Soon enough they were on their walk home. It was quiet. Chai took Daisy and Chewy held the groceries.

Chewy knew it would do no good to tell Chai what he should be doing, leaving all this behind, but he could see who Chai was really attached to. Evidently, Chai was more of a parents than her mother.

You come on like a flame, then you turn a cold shoulder

 By the time Tristan got to his parents' home at the zoo, Carmen was leaving. He hadn't wanted to bring Dale with him. After all, she was finally off work and looked exhausted. This was the last thing she needed. Especially, if his mom Pat went off the deep end and started in on the both of them about marriage and starting a family. After all, he lived in his parents' house in the burbs. 

He knew he was the villain in all this. It was  his idea of Liv going to Seoul in the first place. Really, he hadn't thought she'd make a home there. It was just to visit his friend Nic and from what he knew now. Not even Nic knew she was pregnant.

"Well, this is just crazy, just crazy," Tristan had stomped around a bit on the phone with Nic who had neglected to tell him about Liv's marriage to Woo.

"I didn't know," Nic was sure Tristan would know.

"Well, don't keep me in the dark about these things!" Yes, he'd been cross then, but of course, Dale told him to settle down. 

"You know, you're a lot like your mother," Dale told him after his high-strung phone call to his best friend. 

"I-I am not," he protested, but as he thought about it on the drive over, he knew she was probably right. And it pained him even more, wondering if he'd ever really change. Of course, Dale told him he was making too much out of it. 

It was all going to be fine. Which was exactly what he said to his mom when he got there even if she was in a pout and on her second cup of coffee.

"Let me make you something to eat," Tristan got busy and only found eggs, a jalapeno, some onion and cheese in the fridge. He started making ranch egg sandwiches.

Of course, this perked up his dad who said he couldn't remember the last time he had one.

"You're just going to have to get used to being called grandma," Trisan found himself snickering, thinking it was kind of funny. Although, Carmen's nephew Kenny called her mom.

She gave him the eye. He could tell she was coming around. But he knew he should have kept his mouth shut cause he knew he was asking for it.

"Are you ever going to be a father?" His mother snapped.

"Some day I guess," Tristan found himself a little silly. Wondering if he was his father after all. Still, he didn't think Dale wanted kids. She had health issues. He didn't want her to make those kinds of sacrifices. "But you know, we..we got to think about when we can have a wedding."

"Your sister is already married." His mother looked at him as if he was behind the times.

"Yes," Tristan sighed with a smile as he served up a toasted sandwich to his mother first. "So I hear."

"I bet it was a horrible wedding," His mother looked so sad as if it was an awful time.

"Don't say that, I'm sure it was good," he told her Nic knew this much. "It wasn't terrible". After all, Liv was still at the language school and probably learning so much more than she'd ever know if she'd studied back home. "This is what she wants. We have to be happy for her."

Tristan left it at that. Yes, it made him feel a little blue, but he didn't feel he was a horrible person, either. But maybe he was. Maybe he had been. They hadn't been kids in a long time. After all, this family rarely talked about the things they should. 

No, they liked the great outdoors. They liked to keep things to themselves. Communication had never been high on their list. And sometimes, they didn't know how to be kind to each other. But that was the past and Tristan wasn't going to stew around and let his mother get the best of him.

Wish you were here

 Carmen hurried as fast as she could to get to Pat and Kim's place. She could tell in Kim's worried voice that something had happened.

Of course, Kim was always hard to figure out. He did like to play dumb sometimes. Carmen had to wonder if he'd learned this from living with his wife so long or was he just that oblivious? At least the coffee was on when she got there.

"You weren't in class were you?" Pat said out of concern while Kim went to get the coffee poured.

"Everything is fine," Carmen nodded with a smile.

"I bet you want to get away from those boys," Pat swelled a frown. Carmen knew her disapproval of Justin and Randy. She'd listened to enough that Justin was just crazy to be a guardian of someone already in his twenties. Carmen was set to hear an earful about her horrible situation, but as Pat held her cup of steaming black coffee she spilled it about Liv having a baby.

Carmen looked to Kim who gave her a shrug with big eyes that he had no idea. She was certain he did, but she wouldn't go there. She was hear to listen. And of course, it was just the tip of the iceberg.

"And..and they've registered, or something like that," she fretted about their marriage.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Carmen winced.

"Well..no...I don't know!" Pat wailed. She said it was all moving so fast. "I haven't even met him."

"Oh, you did too," Kim knew. It might have been on Facetime, but the guy had been friendly. Even Carmen remembered.

"What kind of name is Woo, anyway?" Pat scowled.

"You're just trying to make trouble," Carmen sighed. "You have to think of the good, not the bad."

Carmen sipped her coffee. A part of Carmen felt she didn't even believe in what she said. It was true, she was her own worst enemy. There was a time, when Carmen thought she and Justin might be more than roommates, but lately, he didn't talk to her, unless he really had to. He seemed to be aloof, and she didn't like it. She wanted to stop thinking about it, but the more she listened to Pat's woes, she felt she needed to talk it out with Justin. Of course, she wasn't sure what that meant, other than she did like him. She liked him a lot. She squinted tears practically. Yes, she loved him, but she thought it might be too late to tell him.

Carmen sighed, trying to focus on Pat's problem with Liv.

"Remember, she called you. She hasn't left you in the dark completely, maybe you can see her when the baby is born," Carmen reached for Pat's hand.

"I bet she won't even name the baby after me," she sniffed tears.

"Why would she?" Kim's smile was slyly impish. "A name like Kim is much better."

Carmen couldn't help but let a giggle slip.

Time to wake up, time to wake up

 Liv felt so uneasy. It was such a haunting conversation. She wished her mother didn't know.

"Oh, you did the right thing," Woo assured her. Of course, he'd also said it was like ripping off a bandaid. It needed to be done.

Of course, she hadn't wanted much of a wedding. She felt she didn't deserve it. She couldn't say why. Liv winced tears and she cried into Woo's shoulder. Of course, it was late here and they were in bed. 

"Why didn't I call my dad, instead?" She mumbled. Of course, it might take a week then for him to get up the courage to tell her mother the news. Her father was slow at responding. 

She thought of him during his bull riding days. Always clever with animals and practically a stunt man, but when it came to people he was Mr. Silent. 

She sighed, thinking she should call someone else, but who. Finally, she found Carmen's contact in her phone. She'd never called her mother's foster daughter. Honestly, she'd never liked her. Maybe it was jealousy, but she'd had a change of heart.

"Hullo," she heard Carmen say after the third ring.

"It's..It's Pat's daughter, Liv."

"Yes?" There was a certain sincerity in her voice, but Liv didn't give much thought to it as she told her the news that she'd been on the phone with her mother.

"Dad called," Carmen said so casually. 

It left Liv at a loss for words. How could she call him that? It broke her heart. Yet, she knew exactly what her mother must have been going through at the moment. How come they weren't closer? Why couldn't they say what they needed to say to each other? They were a family.

"I called Tristan about it, he's going to meet us at the house," Carmen told her.

"Oh."

Of course, Carmen would do the right thing. Calling Liv's brother.

"Have you been well?" Carmen's question only made Liv choke.

"Yes, I'm..I'm doing well." 

Liv felt the need to be silent.

"Mom had a case of RSV," Carmen told her.

"Really?"

"The doctor didn't think it was much in the beginning, but she had trouble breathing," Carmen said she thought she should know. "The meds didn't help her blood sugar."

"Her blood sugar?"

Liv winced. What was this girl going on about? Liv hated the thought of her mother being sick.

"She's much better now, on her meds. She got all her vaccinations." Carmen told her her mother worked at the Zoo gift shop now.