I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you

 "It was upsetting to see Jared that way," Mel said. She didn't want to tell Nori to doubt him, but it was all so troubling.

They were out walking their pups to the dog park. Some things had not changed, even if she was having to think about selling her house. Really, she didn't want to, but she was Kevin's wife now.

Their fur babies urged them on with a sniff here and there. They were the perfect pals.

"He is trying," Nori said. She laid it out for him. "I told him if my mother suspected him of being the worst, then we could just say goodbye to the future."

"Oh, so you're using your mom that way, are you?" Mel gave her the eye that, that wasn't fair to her mother.

"You know, how she is." Nori looked as if she could handle this.

"I think you are becoming your mother," Mel smirked.

"I have to be, because, well, Jared's like my first child. I can't just give up on him."

Nori's brow furrowed with seriousness as they walked toward the dog park. They bundled up in scarves and jackets, but Mel knew Nori felt as overdressed as she did.

They let the dogs go into the dog park. They already knew everyone there, so there was no trouble as they played together. Of course, they watched the pups carefully, out of habit, as they leaned against the fence.

"I've been thinking," Mel started.

"Have you?" Nori chuckled.

"Would you like to be my neighbor?"

Nori laughed. Her grin was wide as if that were the wildest idea she'd ever heard.

"I know I could sell the house, but... but what if I rented it out to you. I'd give you a good rate."

"I don't know." Nori looked up to the cloudy sky as if asking for help. "We might end up hating each other. I mean, we live close, already."

"But what  if you wanted to start a family?" Mel said her place was bigger. After all, Nori was in a duplex and was always grumbling about new neighbors.

Nori sighed as her gloved hands must have been knuckle white, gripping the fence. "Are you?"

"We'll see. We talked about it. I'm not going in on treatments or anything. If it happens, then, yeah." Mel nodded.

Nori pressed her lips tight. "We are in no hurry, you know."

"I know, but please rent my house. I don't want strangers living in it." Mel looked at her as if it were a deal Nori and Jared couldn't pass up.

You either go for the Life you want or settle for the Life you get

 

"We are worried about you." Kevin made it simple. He took Jared to lunch in the middle of the week. It was the best day to be out in the chilly winter wind. They headed to their favorite cafe, which served heaping portions of its lunch specials. They ordered open roast beef sandwiches smothered in brown gravy with a side of green beans and mashed potatoes.

"What do you mean?" Jared acted like he didn't remember a thing about the dinner party Nori had for them.

"You know, we're friends, you can talk about this to me." Kevin wanted to talk to Jared sooner, but there was work and, of course, getting a new home situated with his new wife, Mel. They were still trying to figure that out.

"There's nothing to talk about," Jared shrugged. Kevin nodded, and they ate the meal until they were stuffed. 

"You've got to let it go with Justin." Kevin finally said as he nursed on a hot cup of coffee.

"I know." Jared sounded as if he'd figured it out on his own.

"You've got Nori now, and Justin has Carmen. Don't make it a competition. Just go your own way."

"I will. I've stopped drinking. And I'm going to an online therapy group chat." He said he didn't really like it. He felt it was just a way your insurance could get you money. "I was at my lowest, and I didn't mean to. I mean - I don't want Nori to have to deal with someone like that. She's lovely. And I know I haven't always made the best choices."

"Well, you know I'm here if you need to talk," Kevin smiled back, happy that Jared was moving forward. 

"You might be the best guy friend I ever had," Jared smirked. 

"Who would have thunk it?" Kevin laughed. 

"Yeah, I'm still shocked you and Mel got married," Jared told him. He thought Kevin would always be single. "You know, like me."

"Well, I think Nori is good for you, you might be husband material after all." Kevin nodded. It was good seeing Jared adulting.

I knew there was something that we never had

 "I knew it would be good news!" Monica's face lit up when she heard Olivia was OK to start her new job. Suddenly, she put her hand over her lips. She knew Randy would think she was silly. Lately, she'd kept to herself. She wanted him to see that she wasn't a bother. Yet, she was self-conscious now that she wasn't serious enough.

Olivia was always serious. Monica still found her to be a mystery. There, Tristan was full of happiness. It was as if he were trying to trip Olivia, and sometimes he did.  And she would smile.

But she knew Randy would tell her with that stare of his, "No smiling. Get busy." And she'd walk away if he took one step closer. She went to her room ready to cry, but she fell onto her bed to look through some old decor magazines for inspiration. Perhaps it was cabin fever setting in. She reached for her ear buds, hoping to find the last song she'd played, something by THE SOUNDS. She smiled, remembering the song, which might be close to twenty years old or so, Living in America. Somehow, she found comfort in the song. 

A tap came to her door. "What is it?" Monica dully replied.

The tap persisted. She opened the door too quickly, she imagined, but there he was standing over her, hair in his eyes and straight-lipped, but still pretty as a picture.

"Let's get cake."

"Cake?"

"Yeah, I'll buy if you drive." He shrugged.

"Oh." She pressed her lips tight.

"Its warm, you'll just need your hoodie." He said, knowing her sigh.

"Why don't you drive?" Monica looked him in the eye. She knew she wasn't dreaming about how he tried to get them out of the mud that night when her car hit the river.

"It's your car." He looked at her point-blank as if there was no in between. She grabbed her hoodie as he went out the door. His long legs were hard to keep up with. It made her feel as if he just wanted to make her angry and bitter.

"What have I done to deserve this?" Monica wanted to know while they were on the elevator.

"What are you talking about?" He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and even then it felt as if he was reading her mind. She pressed her lips tight before she said something regrettable. 

Once they got to the parking lot, he talked of a bakery that made nice little cakes. "We need to celebrate."

"Celebrate?" She gave him a sun grin, even so she wasn't up to driving. 

"Tristan gave me cash," he tilted his head as if he was doing something nice. They were doing this for Olivia.

Her eyelashes fluttered. Honestly. It was overwhelming, and she thought a deep sleep might overtake her.

"Why can't you drive?"

"We've been through this." Mr. Mattter-of-Fact.

"You could."

Monica said she didn't know where this place was, and she didn't like to drive to places she didn't know.

"Oh really?" Randy shook his head.

The doors unlocked on their own.

"I don't feel up to it." She couldn't help but look sad.

"If I drive there, you have to drive back." He came around to the driver's side, and she moved to the passenger side.

"But."

"Do you want to carry the cake?"

Monica shook her head, no. He pressed the key ignition. It was as if he owned the car. He drove like a pro. It was like being part of a magic show. Monica watched him with such glee. Her maybe boyfriend was a genius.

Where is my happy ending?

 "You're not a cleaning lady, you know." Justin practically hissed. He'd insisted on going with Carmen to clean Olivia's place, which was a small apartment on a rather bad side of town.

Carmen didn't listen, but handed him a trash bag. She'd get this place disinfected in no time. 

"Well, I don't know what's trash and what's not, you know?"

Carmen rolled her eyes at his comment. She didn't want to argue. It seemed it was all they did these days. Was it the fact that they were alone now that she saw a different side of him?

"When's the last time you've spent time with Randy?" She said, instead of thinking, maybe he was the real influence over her husband. Randy brought out the best in Justin. 

She went to tackle the dishes. Thankfully, she'd brought dishwasher detergent. It wasn't long until the kitchen was clear of dishes. But it was mostly recycling to do.

"Randy?" His voice echoed in Olivia's livingroom. He sounded as if he detested the name, perhaps.

"Yes, why haven't you two been jogging?" She watched him put fast food containers in the trash bag that was on the floor and scattered on the coffee table.

"You know why?" His tone was cold.

"Why?"

"It's fucking January, that's why."

"It's February."

"So."

Carmen sighed. Why didn't she see this coming? He was so ill-willed. Such a strange stubbornness. It was as if he went out of his way to make her miserable. Was it just winter?

She pushed in the vacuum after he'd picked up the trash and told him to vacuum. She put a load of clothes to wash just off Olivia's tiny kitchen. The oven looked brand new. Evidently, Olivia didn't bake or cook.

Carmen smiled, feeling that cleaning was therapeutic. Maybe she'd get Justin to clean the garage. "Oh, that would be downright cold." She shivered with a smile. She guessed the basement would do.

The Here and Now

 Olivia didn't think her hands looked that bad. The right one had swelled at the palm and was badly bruised. Yes, she was lucky, she had on her gloves. It happened so quick when the dog came at her, and just when she thought it was over, the short but stout short-haired mut went for her left hand. And despite so many people trying to help, mostly Tristan, the dog, went for her backpack and tore one of the straps.

Nothing like this had ever happened during her time at the Animal clinic. There were close calls with other people, but not her. It would be insane to think the dog knew something that she didn't.

"Maybe I'm not supposed to work at the zoo," Her words were so sad. Olivia teared up. She sat on the couch while everyone else was making dinner. Tristan thought a shepherd's pie would be good on such a cold night with mashed potatoes.

"Don't talk like that," Tristan came with a mock cocktail to give to her. She managed to hold it. The plastic glass was cold. He reminded her that it might help the pain.

"Are you sure you didn't put any alcohol in this?" She hesitated. She took a sip. The Shirley Temple was good enough without alcohol. However, Olivia wouldn't have minded a little vodka in it. But she wouldn't dare say that.

"We've got two minors, you know, and I don't even remember the last time I even had anything alcoholic." Tristan practically winked at her, and Olivia couldn't help but smile.

He talked about the appointment tomorrow. She would see a doctor for orthopedic surgery. He'd Googled and found the best route there. It might be an all-afternoon affair. The appointment was near a mall he remembered when he was a child; now it was known for its famous food court. He said he would take her there for a late lunch or maybe an early dinner. Tristan seemed certain it would be a celebration.

Olivia felt terrible that he was doing all this for her. Maybe she should have just stayed home and done it all on her own.

His cell rang. It was his mother. He dropped to the couch and sat next to Olivia. Of course, Olivia could hear her from where she was sitting.

"WELL, DID YOU TAKE THAT DOG OUT BACK AND SHOT IT!"

"Ma! You know the owner is paying Olivia's medical bill. It was just a goofy dog. Didn't look like he'd harm a flea. I think his name was Snoopy." His voice calmed her down. "He might have to go to obedience school."

"Oh, this is so awful. Is there anything I can do?" His mother asked.

"I'll let you know," Tristan asked about Dad and everyone. He was on the phone with her a good twenty minutes or so.

When you're sure you've had enough Of this life, well hang on

 "Well, it might take a while for her to heal." Tristan's voice had never been so distraught. Liv wasn't sure it was actually him on the phone, telling him about someone so important to him, whose name so happened to be Olivia.

"I can't believe it happened like that, in the waiting room at the Animal Clinic?" Liv couldn't imagine how awful it must have been for someone she'd never seen who was evidently a big part of her brother's life.

"I wish it had been me," he sighed.

"I don't want to hear you talk like that," she snapped, even if she knew she must have sounded like their mother. "You have to stay strong. You have to be there for her, no matter what." Maybe this was the test he needed. This is what couples who loved each other did. To be there in hard times. To see each day through. Together.

"I know, I will. It's just why..why did this have to happen now? Everything was so..so perfect, you know." He sounded as if the puzzle of his life was almost complete.

"Well, you're adulting, and I'm glad you're there for her. You take care of Olivia." Liv didn't know if she was saying the right thing or not. There was so much she disliked about Tristan from the past. He'd never been the best brother. He was selfish. He wanted it all. The family could never give him enough. It was hard to forgive him. And she thought maybe she could do that now. At least at the moment. Of course, there had been other days like this, but now it felt different. It felt as if he'd really changed.

Still, she didn't know what she could do for him, but to pray. She hoped Olivia could recover, but it might take surgery before that could happen.

"What's going on?" Woo wanted to know when she got off her mobile.

"Oh, it's Tristan's friend." Liv's eyes welled with tears. She didn't mean for it to happen, but the thought of a dog biting anyone made her flinch. She told him about what had happened to Olivia.

"I don't know if they are just friends or more." She shrugged as she went to check on the baby, who was not pulling up on the coffee table.

"I guess that's why I'm not into pets," Woo nodded. He put away the dishes in the dishwasher and tidied up the kitchen.

"It is quite expensive to be a pet owner," Liv had never bothered to even ask for a pet. With Oliver growing so quickly, she knew they didn't have time for even a fish tank these days. "I don't know how some people do it. And then if the animal attacks someone." She cringed. "I hope that the owner is seeing to Olivia's bills." Tristan hadn't mentioned that. She was going to text him to find out what the owner was going to do about Olivia's hands.

if it's not one thing it's another

 Carmen could hardly figure out what Tristan was trying to tell her at first. Something had happened to Olivia. Then he was going on and on about how she was going to work with him at the zoo, but now he was at the Emergency room with her.

"WHAT HAPPENED?' Carmen plowed into a question before Tristan gave her a novel for the whole month.

"Olivia got bitten by a dog." Finally, a sentence that made sense.

"What kind of dog?" Carmen was curious. She'd been making a list of the dogs she hoped to visit at the Animal Humane Society.

"A Pit Bull mix."

"A Pit Bull?" Carmen's eyes were wide open. She didn't like the sound of that. "How did that happen?"

"Uh, we were leaving the waiting room, and the dog came up and bit her. She was wearing gloves, but as she was trying to push the dog away with her other hand, he bit that hand, too."

"Oh my God, is she all right?"

"Well, there was blood, but she didn't have any stitches. Seriously, they didn't even bandage her hands up properly. She'll be on some antibiotics, but she really needs to rest." Tristan said he was waiting to get the prescription. "Then we'll pick up a few things from her place, and she can stay at my place."

"Oh, really?"

"Well, she doesn't want me at her place. I mean, she said she'll get her things. She won't even let me in. I don't know how she's going to do that. She's still in a lot of pain," Tristan explained.

"That's strange."

"She says the place is a mess."

"I wonder if I should go over and clean it," Carmen couldn't think of anything else she could do for Olivia.

"She might not like that."

"It's not like I'll ransack the place, you know," Carmen told him.

"I know. It's just she's- I don't know," he was having second thoughts. "Maybe you should," Tristan said. He would do it if he could, but he knew she'd be mad at him.

"Well, I'll bring over a quick chili and some rice. I'll get the key then."

She felt uneasy about the dog biting Olivia. Naturally, Justin wanted to know about the rukus on the phone when she clicked off. 

"Olivia got bit by a dog at work," she told him, it was a Pit Bull mix.

"Well, you are not getting a pit bull," He shot her a look. "Maybe we'd be better off with a cat."

Carmen looked at him as if he'd gone too far.