Thinking it through

 "So Liv called you," Tristan asked his mom about Liv. He was over to play catchup during the week when he was supposed to be there on the weekend, but work got in the way and of course, there was Dale.

"Yes, finally." His mom Trish didn't look too pleased.

"What's wrong?" Tristan poured himself some coffee and took a maple cookie from the kitchen counter.

"I don't think she wants to come home," his mom pressed her lips tight as if it was the worst thing she'd ever heard.

"What?" Tristan winced. "Are you kidding me?" He couldn't help but laugh. "What's she gonna do? Marry Nic or something?"  He knew he said too much. He bit a cookie. He looked at his phone. It would probably be a bad idea to call, but maybe he should call Nic.

"She's so distant," his mother said. "It wouldn't be any better here. I just want her to be OK, you know. I don't want to see anything bad happen to her. I worry all the time."

"Stop that, she can take care of herself. You have to stop worrying," Tristan told her.

"But when she was at Rico's. I knew where she was. I knew they would take care of her. She's in a different country now." Trish was on the brink of tears.

"Well, maybe this is just what she needs. Another country," Tristan snapped. He drank his coffee black and winced hard. Dale never made coffee so bitter. "She's got Nic, OK?" 

Tristan knew Nic would never let anything happen to his sister. Nic was like having a brother from another mother.