Phone Calls

The kitchen phone rings out but is barely heard above the clatter of pots and pans. Carson growls as he tries to keep a stack of dishes from falling over, while juggling two pans of pizza. "Dani! Would you- gah." Once he's finally able to get everything on the counter, the ringing stops. He rolls his eyes. Sure. Go figure.

"Yes?" Dani sticks her head in through the door.

He tosses her an annoyed glance. "Too late now."

She recoils slightly. "Well I'm sorry. I was busy with a customer."

"Meaning you were standing there gabbing while I needed you back here."

Dani's eyes narrow. "I don't know whose cactus you sat on, but pull out the nettles an get on with your day."

If Carson hadn't been in such a sour mood, he would have laughed. As it was, he just glares at the door after she'd gone. Just as he's throwing another pizza in the oven, his cell phone goes off. Wiping his hands on a towel, he wanders over to the basket on the counter where he kept his phone. Misty. He sighs. His thumb twitches, wanting to flip open the phone. But he doesn't. Shutting off the sound, he lets it go, knowing she'd leave him a message...

"...no, not tonight.... I can't.... No, Misty wants to invite some friends over. I gotta be there." Carson paces the kitchen. It was twenty minutes later and he was on his cell phone. "No! Not like this. It... come on, don't give me that. I can't do that, don't you understand?!"

Out at the counter, Dani smiles sweetly at a customer before throwing Aerith a worried glance. She knew she wasn't the only one who could hear her brother on the phone while he raised his voice, and it was rather embarrassing.

Carson groans and runs a hand over his face. "Not yet. It's not the right time..... Okay... fine.... Yes, soon... Yes. .... Alright, okay.... but not the whole time.... Yeah, I can be late. Alright... see you later." Shutting his phone, he leans back against the refrigerator to take a moment and collect his thoughts before dialing Misty. His voice was happier, but still strained.

"Hey, Babe... got your message. That's fine with me if you want Con and Jamie over tonight. I'll either close up here early or have one of the girls close up for me. What time you want me home?"


"Yes, Rick... yes.... yes..." Jason sighs. He's lying on his couch with his leg elevated, his cordless phone cradled between his ear and shoulder. "I'm fine. Yes, I'm doing everything you told me to do." He shifts and winces. "Right. I'm exercising it but not walking on it. Quit worrying about me." He rolls his eyes. "Okay. Yeah, Katie's going to be here any minute so I'll be quite well taken care of. Stop worrying and do something more productive." He smirks. "Yeah, talk to you tomorrow."

Hanging up, Jason leans his head back and closes his eyes. His knee surgery had gone very well a few days ago, and now it was just going to take time to recover. He was going to be on crutches for a short while, but he was already ordered to exercise his leg to assist it in healing, and that, he could do. He felt like going crazy, being stuck at home, and he couldn't wait until Rick at least let him go back to work, even if it was just for paperwork. If he did everything right, his recovery time could potentially be far shorter than anticipated, and that's what he was aiming for.

Now though - it was evening and he was weary and cooped up at the same time. He knew Katie was coming over but he had no idea if they were going to do supper or watch a movie or what. Either way was fine with him.

Trooper's whine makes him look towards the door to see the giant dog waiting to be let out.

"Seriously? Now?"

Trooper wags his tail.

"Your timing is great, ya big brute." Jason looks around for his crutches, but for some reason, they were in the kitchen. He had no idea why or how he'd left them there, but he wasn't amused. He wasn't going to hobble in there just to get them though. It was only a short distance to the door.

Managing to get up and leaning on the couch for support, he makes it, quite gingerly to the door to let the dog out. Just staying there, he leans against the doorframe so he didn't have to go back and sit down just to get up again.


It was getting late. Well... late if Axel was planning on going out tonight. After postponing dinner yet again last night, he should be changing his clothes now and cleaning up to go. But he wasn't. He was still sitting on the floor of his living room. He fingers his cell phone.

Part of him still wanted to be alone. Part of him longed for company. Part of him felt it was safer to be by himself. Part of him just wanted a hug. Part of him wanted to continue hiding what was going on with him. Part of him needed to talk it through with someone.

After thinking about it for several more minutes, he finally opens his phone. He hoped Jess hadn't yet left to go to the restaurant. When she answers, he bites his lip. "Hey, it's me. Um..." He couldn't break their date again. He just couldn't. "You wanna come over to my place tonight instead of going out? I can order chinese or something... Not exactly elegant but..." He really didn't want to go out in public tonight. "Would that be okay with you?"


By the time Trey returns to the kitchen, breakfast was on the table, along with a fresh pot of coffee in the maker. Ariel rinses out the skillet before wiping her hands and turning to look at Trey. He looked a whole lot better. He still looked tired, and it was obvious he'd had a rough evening before, but he was at least more alert now.

"You're welcome." She smiles and goes to the cupboard, pulling down a little travel mug. Filling it with coffee, she puts the lid on and brings it over to him at the table. "At least take one for the road."

She stands near him and sets her hand on his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. "Pete's outside in his car," she explains gently. "I have to go to work and I didn't want you to have to walk all the way to TJY."

She waits for him to look up so she could catch his eye. She knew he probably didn't want to have anything to do with Pete, but there had been no one else, and she wanted to make sure he was safe. She could only hope that Trey wouldn't be too upset with her. "He's not mad. No one is. And this is all I'm going to ask of you today." Her voice remains soft. "Let Pete drive you back so I won't worry about you." She reaches out to fiddle with a few wet strands of his hair, combing them back with her fingers. "Can you do that for me?"