Save Postage

Watching Trey's reaction to the note, Pete wasn't sure what was going on, but he opts to just stand and wait a few minutes before taking off. Hearing about Wes, his eyebrows rise. "Wow, that's awesome." His surprise turns into annoyance, as does his expression. "And Jason didn't even tell me. I'm gonna have to slap him around a little when I get back to work." He rolls his eyes, but grins.

"Well, I won't keep you, Trey. We ought to get together sometime soon. Maybe a double date or something."

Realizing what Katie almost says, one of Jason's eyebrows arcs, but he doesn't comment. He knew all too well how hard it was to break a habit. It wasn't that long ago that it would have been a given for them to travel together if they wanted to go to Texas...or anywhere else, for that matter. 

Letting her recover and reword her sentence, Jason then shrugs at her question. To be honest, he was surprised she could take off at all with how long she'd been away from work already, but he knew that wasn't any of his business. 

"I do want to go see my mom and sister and Wes too. All depends on work though." And when Katie was going. Jason really didn't want to end up there when she was too. It would just make things more awkward than they needed to be. 

"If you head down there though, let me know. I got a couple things for Mom and Kaylee and if you're going, I might as well save postage...that is, if you don't mind." 

"It's an option," Kip admits. "But I don't really think I wanna do that. I'd be getting paid for nothing, basically, and I don't want to be hanging around and making them feel bad when they find a new bass player either." 

Kip knew good and well that Twila could take his place on the bass, but then they were still down one instrument and their sound would change. He knew they would decide to replace him when he left - it just made sense. He couldn't stick around during that process, knowing they'd feel bad about it.

"I don't want to do that to them," he concludes quietly. "They've done so much for me already. I think it would be best just to changes paths and see where a new road takes me."

His eyes meet Karla's, his gaze so full of such a deep sadness. He was letting go of something he loved dearly, but he just couldn't see what else he should do without hurting the band even more. 

Alec wrings out the mop once more and continues to clean the floor. It wasn't so long ago that he would never accepted a job like this, but it really wasn't all that bad. He didn't particularly like doing this kind of thing, but it could be worse, and at least it was putting a few dollars in his pocket. And he and Carson hadn't started any wars either, so that was another plus.

"Hey, Alec, want a coke before I clean out the machine?"

Alec glances over his shoulder to the counter. It still felt strange having Carson be civil, let alone nice. "Yeah, sure, if you don't mind me taking a break."

Carson shakes his head. "Naw. You're working fast tonight anyway. Come on." He pours himself a glass of coke too before leaning his elbows on the counter and taking a sip.

Alec joins him an sits on a bar stool before taking a swig. "Mm. Thanks."

"Mm-hmm." Carson is quiet for several moments until his eyes drift over to roam Alec's face. "How's Misty?"

"Same as she was the last time you asked me... and the time before that... and before that." Alec quirks an eyebrow at him. "Worrying doesn't fix anything, ya know."

"I know. I can't help it."

"She's fine, Carson. She and the baby are both as healthy as can be."

Carson nods slowly. "Okay." He takes another sip of pop. "What about Mac?"

Alec is rather surprised, since Carson had never asked about her before. "She's alright. I get along with her pretty well."

Carson rolls his eyes. "I never did get why she took to you like that."

Alec grins. "Me either. You talk to Justin much?"

"Yeah. He said Mac was doing a lot better and really enjoys seeing you and Misty."

"She misses you, ya know."

Carson sighs. "I never did get that either."

Alec shrugs. "Maybe that's what she and I have in common."

"What do you mean?"

"She has a very strong desire to be close to family."

Carson cocks his head. "That's... what she has in common with you?"

Alec looks down into his coke and shrugs again. He wasn't used to talking like this with his brother. "Yeah, I guess so."

Carson wonders if it's Alec's that changed, or him. Because for the first time, he sees Alec not as an enemy and not someone he simply pities... but as a brother. "Well... I'd suggest the three of us getting together but I've been pretty much banned from the family."

Alec downs another several swallows of coke before sliding off the stool. "Eh... I'm in fair standings at the moment, as long as I keep clean. Maybe I can convince them to do something... or convince Justin to convince them."

Carson grins. "Or convince Mac to convince Jason to convince Justin to convince them."

Alec blinks before returning the grin. "Right."