We're not gonna take it, anymore

 

"So we're still having Friendsgiving, right?" Tristan said into his phone as he made an effort to clean the microwave with his other hand. It was overdue for a good cleaning. He felt these days he didn't have time for anything with two jobs. He couldn't remember the last time he actually made a home-cooked meal.

"I don't know. Maybe not." Carmen sighed heavily.

"You don't know?" He felt out of the loop. He did have a way of ignoring messages and calls these days. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing."

"It is something." He knew this much. "Is it Mom? Is she driving you crazy?"

"Kind of." That's when she told him the situation with the wedding rings.

"Oh, she would." He scrubbed a little harder on the interior of the microwave and made a face of disgust. That's when he told his foster sister that he didn't like living here. "It's just too big, and I'm not here like I should be."

"You just need a companion, I know you." Carmen was blunt. Possibly saying things he'd always wanted to hear from his sister, Liv.

"That is not true." He looked over at the mess of laundry he needed to wash. "I'm not lonely." He protested. Actually, he always looked forward to the weekends so he could talk to Olivia, who worked at Holden's Animal Clinic. 

Of course, he wanted to ask her about Friendsgiving, but he hadn't yet. All the while, Carmen was talking about how Justin and Jared were fussing. He didn't get the last part about what. He was only thinking of Olivia and how she made him smile, even if she was the serious sort.

"Look, we are going to have that dinner," he snapped. "We'll  have it here." He was going to invite Olivia. Of course, it might be an all-nighter getting his parents' house cleaned up, but he was on it.