You don't need to see the whole staircase just take the first step

 Mona didn't want to think about it, but she'd seen Simone and Hoyt going to Jade and Ari's place tonight. Having some shindig she guessed.

It was frustrating to think that maybe Jade was not her friend. She guessed she didn't have to be even if she was married to her uncle, and Mona and Jade had been roommates for quite a while before Jade even met Ari. 

"What's wrong?" Rico got out the dinner that Sammy wrapped up for her when he was there for dinner.

She sighed.

"Oh, I don't know," Mona frowned looking at the heaping plate of cold spaghetti. "I can't eat this."

She snarled. It was late. It was too heavy of a meal for her.

"They..they asked about you," Rico said, but she doubted it.

"Yeah, asking when are you going to leave me."

She knew the drill. She knew what people said about her.

"Don't say things like that," Rico told them how she had to work late while everyone else went home. After all, she was the youngest at the real estate office. It was understandable.

Mona nursed her bottom lip.

"I could make you a cheese-grilled sandwich and some tomato soup," Rico got started on it before she could say no. He did know her go-to meal.

She nodded and sat down at the kitchen table while he scurried around like a servant.

"So did you have a good time seeing Gabe?" Mona had to ask. She didn't know when they became good friends.

"Yeah, I guess." Rico talked about how Gabe was uncertain about seeing his dad and also the fact that Gabe was going to be a Dad.

"Is your dad still seeing his mom?" She asked as soon as he had the bowl of tomato soup poured and the hot sandwich in front of her.

"Oh, we didn't talk about that."

He took a seat.

"And to think you were hoping they'd be married by now," she smirked as if she knew Rico was a romantic.

"I would be happy if they could just be good friends," he shrugged. "I'm not sure Gabe would make the best brother. Besides, I have one, and Gabe's got a twin." It was quiet then and she nibbled on the sandwich that could melt in her mouth, even if it were crispy on the outside.

"Did you wish you'd had a sibling?"

She almost choked.

"I have Ari," Mona finally said. "That's enough."

Rico nodded.

Finally, her soup cooled and she dipped the other half of the sandwich in it.

"I guess we'll be seeing Sammy and Gabe," she sighed. She'd have to make friends with Sammy somehow, but she wasn't sure if she would know what to do around someone pregnant.

"But you don't really want to," Rico winced. "Wouldn't you like to do something with Jade and Ari?"

"I don't think so," she found herself saying they were just too busy lately. "And they live in the apartment complex. What's the point?"

"Because, they are so close," he chuckled. Of course, he took care of the dishes before she could even think to clean up.

"Everyone is so much older than me at work, you know." 

Mona wasn't sure of her point, but it was easy to say that maybe they didn't need that many friends.

Rico nodded. He reminded her that Easter was coming and his Dad would have a big brunch. They wouldn't even have to bring anything. There would be a cookout at her mom and dad's that wouldn't be as big.

Mona pushed her fingers through her hair thinking she'd rather sleep through Easter, but she felt that way about most holidays. 

It finally hit Mona that she was not a people person and she worked in a Real Estate office. That was where all her energy was going these days. Trying to be informative and caring. Now if she could do that with family. Actually, Rico's family.