Brother

Still looking over the boots, Stacy only looked up to check on Dylan and didn’t dare look back to the hats. She couldn’t believe what she said, let alone to a stranger and her new boss’ brother.

Trying to clear her head from all the nonsense that just went on, Stacy can feel someone come up alongside her. Giving a quick glance to see it was Eric, she does her best to relax.

Hearing him give her a few tips on what boots to buy, Stacy can't help the small smile. Seeing a nice pair of black ones with tan stitching on them, she turns to Eric and holds them up, smiling. "Do you think this is a low enough heel for Ash?"

If they could move past the whole embarrassing moment, that would be okay with her.


Taking a lick of her ice cream and looking to Justin, Beth gives a small smile. Since this morning, she had been trying to come up with the best way to tell Justin she had talked to his mother. Her worst fear was him getting angry and not wanting to be her friend anymore.

"I guess I have been a little quiet, huh?" Drawing quiet again for a moment, she tries to get her thoughts together. She at least wanted to make some kind of sense.

"Well, I was thinking of a way to tell you I visited your mom. I know it wasn't my place but I wanted to help and I know how much you missed her."

Beth studies Justin's face for a moment, trying to read it. If he was getting mad, she wanted to stop, but it was hard to tell. So she might as well continue. "The first meeting was pretty good but it was hard to talk with your brother around. So I gave your mom my number and left."

Taking another deep breath, Beth is quiet for a moment. This was harder to tell him than she thought. "So she called and we met for dessert. She... she knows it was not your own doing you swung at your brother and she misses you. She also said she would like to see you again."

Biting her lip, Beth looks to Justin. She gives a little smile, though her eyes show a little worry.


Entering Mom and Pop's, Dalton glances around. He was meeting Dani for lunch but she didn't seem to be here yet. Even better, Carson was up front. "Hey, Carson. How's it going?"

Dalton had a reason for showing up early, but now he was so nervous. Maybe it was because he knew he was in front of Carson. "I wanted to talk to you about something before Dani showed up."

Reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small velvet box, he puts it on the counter, just looking at it for a long moment before looking up at Carson. "I want to ask Dani to marry me. Not today. Not tomorrow. But when the time is right. I love your sister a lot, Carson, but I am old fashioned, so..."

Dalton takes a deep breath before continuing. If just talking to Carson about this was bad, he could only imagine how it would be when he asked Dani. "I wanted to make sure I had your blessing before I asked."


Looking intently at the salad dressing, Michaela can't decide what kind she liked or wanted. She felt like having something different, but what? Hearing her phone go off, she reaches into her pocket and pulls it out. "Hello."

As Rocky's voice comes over the phone and right behind her, Michaela jumps and turns around, seeing him. She gives a smile, putting her phone away. "Hey, you. I thought maybe I scared you away or something. How ya been?"

She gives a wink as she cocks her head a little.


Reaching over groggily to grab her phone, Ryan glances at the clock. Who in their right mind would be calling her at 3 a.m.? "Yeah, what's going on?"

Hearing Tal and what was going on, Ryan shoots up from bed as her heart races. She couldn't help but be excited. Jumping out of bed still on the phone, she moves around her room, grabbing her shoes and a hoodie, not bothering to change out of her sweatpants.

"Oh my gosh. This is so exciting. I...I'll be right over. Oh, wow... I'm coming."

Hanging up her phone and bolting from her room, she heads for the door but stops. If Eli woke and she was gone, he might worry. Turning back around and heading for his room quickly, Ryan enters, still not being able to help the excitement that bubbled inside her.

"Eli, the puppies are coming! I am going to Tal's." Leaving quickly, she hops into her car and speeds over to Tal's. Getting out and running up the steps, she checks the door and seeing it open, enters. "Tal?"

Entering more and seeing a light on at the far end, Ryan heads that way. Entering the kitchen and seeing Tal and Holly on the ground, she can't help the smile. "Hey there."

Coming over to them both, she sinks down next to them. Running her hand over Holly's belly, she looks to Tal. "How long til you think the first one comes?"


Looking up as the man comes over, Trey's eyes were glazed, but he could understand what the man was saying. "Aw man, I don'th wantto hear it."

Taking another swig of his drink, he picks at the label on his bottle. Hearing Jason's name as his brother, Trey's head shoots up. "Aw no, youth've got to be kidding me. Jas... Jason is... this is a nightmare."

Continuing to listen, Trey's head seemed to spin a little more from this new information and liquor combined. Taking the paper, he fingers it. Jason... his brother, was dying and his mom had been there because of that. For a moment, his mother's face flashed in his head. She had looked so sad.

"I'll give it to them if I remember. Who... who are yous anyways? Please don't tell me you're my father!"


Looking up as the woman enters the room, Destiny doesn't smile back. Everything had happened so fast, her head still felt like it was spinning. "I'm not hungry."

She puts her head back down on her knees. She was scared and just wanted to leave. Would Chance come? Did he know she was gone or think she just didn't want to see him?

"And if he doesn't come, then what? Are you going to kill me like the rest of my family?"


Moving a little closer to Pete, Nikki draped her arm over his stomach and lays her head on his chest as they moved back and forth gently on the swing. Since Pete had come over, she could tell something was wrong, and after the brief rundown, she understood why. To see someone once so strong just break down in front of them had to be hard.

"Sometimes just letting someone cry on our shoulder and lending a listening ear is the best thing you could have done for Cindy. I am sure she is very thankful for that, even if she didn't say it."

Sitting up on the swing and giving a stretch for a moment, she looked over at Pete and felt bad for him. He was strong and she knew it - he wasn't used to feeling like this, but now, now he had been put into the situation where he had seen the hurt in someone else, and how even the strongest person could break when given too much.

Slipping her arm around Pete's neck, Nikki gives a little tug to pull him closer to her. He'd given someone a shoulder today and now it was her turn to provide the comfort and support that he needed. "Maybe in a few days you can go and see how she is doing? I can even make some baked goods for you to bring to her. If anything, it might help a little bit."


Karla looks around the room as Kyle talks. She was disappointed and felt bad that Kip hadn't shown up like he said he would. She worried about him and she knew everyone else did too. maybe she should have stopped by and picked him up?

Once the door was shut and Kyle was gone, Karla wasn't sure what to do next. All she can do is pick at the string on her jeans. She was worried about Kip, not hungry, and she wanted to know he would be alright, not watch a movie. But at the moment, all anyone could do was wait. So she sat quietly waiting.

Looking up at Twila then down to Karla, Alice's heart went out to her. She knew what it was like to care for someone so much that worry came easy and not something you could shake no matter how many times people told you not to. It was a road Alice knew well on many different levels, but she knew it was good, too, that Karla was with her friends, so even if she didn't say she needed them, they were there.

"I think Chinese and a movie sounds like a great plan... as long as it's not another horror movie. I don't think I have quite recovered from the last one yet." In a way, Alice felt like a mother to this group. Not in a bad way and she knew they were old enough not to need it, but it was a feeling anyway, and one she rather enjoyed.

Leaning a little closer to Karla and putting her arm over her friend's shoulder, she gives a little squeeze of comfort, letting her know they were there, and she wasn't alone. It wasn't much, but it was something, and Alice knew Karla would be thankful.

...Hearing Kyle's voice again, Alice looks up from her plate. Hearing everyone's teasing to Kyle, she just smiles and rolls her eyes, giving a small wave to him. Question laid in her eyes though, and she wondered what happened and if everything was okay.

Looking up as Kyle enters the room, Karla looks to him with her own question. She was worried, and at least she wanted to know Kip was okay. Hearing he was, she was a little relieved, but still there was something nagging. More had been said tonight, even if Kyle wasn't saying it, but she wouldn't question that.

Once Kyle was back with his food and leaned down to her, Karla gives a nod and a returned whisper of thanks. After the movie, she would go see Kip, even if it was to just sit there with him for the moment.

And after the movie, she did. Knocking on the bedroom door and entering like she did so many times before, Karla spots Kip on his bed. Slowly shutting the door behind her and walking over to the bed, she sits down on it, curling up behind Kip and putting her arm around him, just holding him. "I missed seeing you today. Just thought you should know that."