You’re a monster, Mr. Grinch

 

Bren picked up on Mario's vibe at Thanksgiving that he thought they should spend more time with his little sister.

"Oh, you mean, Caitlin?" Bren shrugged.

"No."

This puzzled her. 

"Your sister is gonna have a baby any day now, you know."

Bren knew Caitlin would need help, but Mario reminded her she was busy with her own clients, whom she cooked for, and a baby, too.

Bren wasn't sure if Mario was mad at Caitlin. It took him forever to come around about Sammie, but they were chummy at Thanksgiving. She invited Sammie over.

"It was so good seeing you guys at Thanksgiving," Sammie said first thing, She thought Freddie had grown a lot. Yes, with such a foodie name Alfredo, they settled on Freddie. It was a name that stuck with Bren's Dad and Mario's to. 

"What's going on with Rico?" Bren played catchup with Sammie who was closer to Mario's brother these days than Mario was.

"Oh, you know, it's like he's started the new year already," Sammie shrugged as she looked through Bren's holiday recipes. It wasn't long before she was holding Freddie and playing with him.

"How do you feel about Mona?"

"You know, I don't really know her, and maybe we both want to keep it that way," Sammie sighed. "I mean, it was such a shock to know they would get together, but I hope it goes well. I think Rico believes it will."

Bren nodded. She thought back when she met Mario. It made her smile. Maybe they were flirting back then, even if she was just a cashier at the grocery store. He always did have a way to make her day. 

"I guess you just never know," she shrugged. 

"Have you heard from Liv?"

"Liv?" Bren was even lipped. "Is she doing OK?"

"Yeah, don't you know, she's gonna have a baby?"

"A baby?" Bren felt so angry. She felt she was out of the loop. Liv was like a little sister she never had. She lived with Liv for quite a while. She thought they would always be close.

"Oh, I never talk to her, I don't think she would know me," Sammie winced. "Well, she knows me, and she never really liked me."

Sammie chuckled as if it didn't really bother her. Bren sighed. She knew it would just be trouble if she called Liv. It was best to leave well enough alone. Besides, they had to mail the box they were sending Mario's best friend Nic who was in Seoul, as well. Maybe she'd get up the nerve to write Liv a letter or just a Christmas card.