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.

Restart. Reset. Refocus

 "When were you going to tell me?" Olivia looked at Tristan, shocked as if she didn't know this side of him.

Lately, they texted daily. He hadn't mentioned anything about the Zoo Animal Hospital. They usually worked as a team on the weekend at the Animal Clinic and had lunch and dinner together.

Now, here she was called to the breakroom as if to be scolded. Actually, she was afraid of Holden, who was rather gruff at times, but he had a lot on his mind and a lot of animals to heal.

"I don't know?" Tristan froze in his shrug. "It was just too hard-"

Olivia didn't know what to think. She crossed her arms, waiting to see what was going to happen. She was here practically every day of the week. No one knew what a messy person she was at her little apartment. She barely had time to keep her clothes washed and dishes in the dishwasher. But this was her work family, and she felt she visited home for a nap.

"Nobody has called me," Olivia assured Holden. "I have not signed anything about a new job."

"But, but they will." Tristan looked at both of them as if he knew. "I gave them your resume. I talked about you." Finally, he explained he could no longer work here on weekends. He needed his weekends off. "And so does Olivia." He sounded as if he was looking out for her. "I need an assistant, and I told him I only wanted to work with you."

Holden rolled his eyes at that and shook his head, no.

"That's sweet of you, and all-" Olivia started.

"No, no, we make a great team." Tristan was serious. "And besides, the pay is better."

Olivia sighed as if he had to be kidding her, but then her phone rang. It was the zoo calling.

Fight for the fairy tale it does exist

 

 "What are you doing, trying to sneak off the job?" Holden's voice practically made Tristan jump.

He bit a grin, wishing he didn't have to tell him the news. But it was. Really big and well, he couldn't be here on weekends anymore, and neither could Oliva.

"You see," Tristan winced, putting on his parka, getting ready to leave. "I can't leave the zoo. We're starting a real animal hospital, and I'm a part of it." 

Tristan finally looked at his old friend straight on, who had his own animal practice, except mainly for cats and dogs. "And I got Olivia on at the zoo."

"How come she hasn't said anything?" Holden looked at him as if he must be a liar.

Tristan was back to wincing again, perhaps a little nervous. "Don't you know, she's afraid of you."

"I don't believe you." Holden was as stoic as he ever was.

"It's an opportunity, don't you get that?" Tristan tried a brighter approach this time.

"Well, she's a hard worker, one of the best," Holden tilted his head as if Tristan couldn't do this.

Tristan could hear the wind rattling the windows. Cold weather was moving in. He needed to get out of here, and Holden wanted to keep him in the breakroom with a cup of coffee. 

"Well, you've got til Febuary to get a replacement," Tristan informed him. "I need her, OK."

"I bet you haven't even told her about the Zoo Animal Hospital," Holden shrugged.

Tristan kept a silly grin. Holden knew him too well. 

Times have changed and times are strange

 "It's so amazing! Bro," Jared flashed a smile a little too close for Randy's comfort at the impromptu party that had turned into a barbecue, even if there was a chance of snow. Randy felt cornered in the livingroom. He could tell Monica was just as uncomfortable as he was. Actually, he didn't know what he was getting into when he got here. There were drinks and cocktails; maybe Jared had one too many.

"What?" Randy stood there, puzzled, with a plate of appetizers he was wolfing down.

"You know, the shagging." Jared was so innocent about the matter. Still, Randy almost lost the meatball on the carpet. He closed his mouth full of food and nodded. He managed to get it down before he choked. Naturally, Jared handed him something more than just Fresca. It was laced with grapefruit juice and vodka.

Randy wanted to say no, but Jared was talking so much. How could he refuse? He was thirsty. But the drink awoke him, and he knew it would be bad if he drank the whole thing. 

Jared was talking about the white chawaha again. According to Jared, it was the neighbor's dog, not his grandmother's.

"It's like he doesn't know me at all! He doesn't want to know me!" Jared was growing angry and restless. Randy was the only one who noticed. He watched him, hoping he would calm down.

"I know you're upset. I would be too. But I think deep down, Justin does care. It's just he's, you know, jealous."

"Jealous?" Jared's scowl intensified. "He..He had mum all this time, I didn't!"

Randy nodded.

"But it's the past. Think how happy you are with Nori. Maybe you two could see your mother. Have you sent her any photos lately? You should keep in contact." Randy did his best to console him. 

"She doesn't want me," he blubbered right into Randy's shoulder. Suddenly, Randy couldn't move. His plate of food set in his chair. He gave him a couple of pats on the back for comfort. A part of Randy felt he was wedged in cement.

"Oh God, why me?" he sighed, wondering how long this could go on. Finally, Nori and Mel came to the rescue. Nori babied him on the couch. Monica had her phone out as if she were waiting to call 911.

A minute barely passed, and Kevin strolled in from the patio with a plate of sizzling New York Strips.

I'd rather boogie than try to fit in

 "I wish you would have told us," Nori said with great concern. "I didn't think you kept secrets from me."

She gave Mel the eye once more and dipped a tree of broccoli in the buttermilk dip. It wasn't quite a wedding reception, but Nori was happy her best friend married her neighbor, Kevin, even if it was in Vegas.

Mel just laughed watching Nori snack while she was getting out more food from the fridge, while waiting for the eggrolls to heat in the oven.

"I don't really know," Mel shrugged. Maybe I just didn't want to fuss about it anymore and just let it happen."

"That sounds like the perfect thing to do this new year." Nori grinned back, pointing to the cheeseboard. Mel loved cheese. She sipped her white wine instead.

"One thing, though, Vegas is too lively for us, but the room service is great," Mel smiled with a wink.

"Good to know," Nori nodded as if she might be planning a getaway with Jared, who was in the livingroom with Kevin and his old roommate Randy, who brought a girl.

"Are we babysitting tonight?" Mel squinted.

"Don't be that way," Nori scowled. "Randy is like a little brother Jared never had."

"I thought he had a brother?" Mel acted as if she needed to be let in on a secret of some kind.

"He does, and he is younger than Jared, too. But Randy, well, he's much more sensible, and that's the new roommate. You know, Jared's brother Justin got married about the same time, you two did," Nori looked at the landscape of appetizers. Surely there was enough with the veggie tray and pigs in a blanket. 

The timer went off, and she went to get out the sizzling eggrolls. She slid the potstickers into the oven while the eggrolls cooled.

"You know, it's just us," Mel looked at her as if Nori had made a feast for a dozen or so people.

"Well, the boys will be hungry," Nori assured her.

"You know, it'll be the two of us, that's hungry." Mel was serious.

"Probably," Nori shrugged as if she was always ready for a party, "I always like my protein, you know." She grinned as she slung her braids behind her back, like she might sashay on a catwalk in her party central outfit. 

Mel chuckled. "I never met a steakhouse I didn't like."

What are friends for

 "This does not sound like a good start to the new year," Jade said to Carmen over lunch in the breakroom. Both had started their low-carb diet and were sampling chips that had 18 grams of protein.

"Oh well," Carmen said, maybe it was the weather. At the moment, it was getting colder, and the rain was turning to snow. Jade hoped they closed early, but she doubted it.

"But you two just got married, maybe he wanted to go on a honeymoon," Jade mentioned, Justin, Carmen's husband.

"We both knew we didn't have time for that. He's got that job he's been working for at the hospital," Carmen sighed. Justin was still giving her the silent treatment. "Has Ari ever done that to you?"

"Um, he just starts cleaning a lot," Jade noted. She sipped on her diet drink. Carmen drained hers.

"I really want pizza," Carmen squinted.

"Me too. But maybe we can go at the end of the month." Jade shrugged back.

Carmen looked as if she dreaded going home. Jade grabbed her phone. "Let's just get pizza after work and meet up at my place. You text Justin, and I'll text Ari." Jade didn't want to say it, but maybe Ari could fix this, after all, he was the one who got Justin to the States to begin with.

"Oh yeah, I keep forgetting that," Carmen smiled. "And to think he thought Justin was his long-lost brother."

"Yeah, Ari gets it done. I think they just liked knowing each other online." Jade got a text back from Ari and said OK.

"Do they keep in touch anymore?"

"Not like in the beginning." Jade nodded as she put her phone away. "I mean, sometimes, you can only do so much for someone. I know Justin likes it here. I know he's happy with you."

Carmen nodded. "I guess it's all the family stuff. If it were just us, he'd be fine."

"We don't live in a perfect world, but your parents haven't even visited since you two tied the knot." Jade looked at Carmen's sad face. Finally, Carmen got a ding from Justin. Jade knew that smile meant he was coming to dinner.

"Maybe you two could stay over, try out guestroom."

"You have a guestroom?" Carmen's smile was open.

"Yeah, I don't think it'll ever be a nursery." Jade spoke so quietly Carmen didn't even hear her.