"Babe, I have to go." I tell James as I unhook my seat belt.

We were sitting in his car because it was too cold to just stand out there talking.

"No entiendo." (I don't understand) he says playing dumb.

"Shut up I know you understand English." I said grabbing his face making him look at me.

"Well gimme kiss before you leave." he struggles to say. He looks like a fish out of water face.

"Nu uh fishy." I tell him letting go of his face about to grab my bag.

"Yes ma'am." he says as he undoes his seat belt and opens his door.

"Where is this kid going?" I mumble grabbing all my things getting out the car to see my sister.

"You ready to go?" Penn asks once I fully get out the car.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I tell her walking over to where they were standing.

"Okay I'll give you a minute to talk to young Romeo here." she tells me with a small laugh.

"Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged." he quotes looking in my direction, and that's when my sister and I burst into a fit of laughter.

"Then have my lips the sin that they have took." I say back trying to control my laughter.

"This is golden!" my sister exclaims taking out her phone recording us once again.

"Dude stop!" I say turning away from the camera.

"Princess?" James asks as I hear foot steps coming towards me.

"Yeah?" I mumble hoping she put up the camera.

"Give me my sin again." he partly quotes turning me towards him.

Instead of answering back I stand on my tippy toes wrapping my arms around his neck. Making him think I was going to kiss him.

"You thought." I whisper in his ear laughing.

"Why you do that lil girl?" he asks me holding on to my waist.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold." I tell him smiling at him.

"You right my love." he says smiling back at me giving my forehead a kiss.

"Be good okay." I tell him sternly.

"You got it boss. Call me if you need or want anything." he tells me hugging me then pecking my lips.

"Okay." I tell him getting out of his embrace walking to the car.

"Took you long enough." Penny says once I open the door to her car.

"You call mom?" I ask her putting on my seat belt ignoring her comment.

"Yeah, she's at the house right now." She tells me putting the car in reverse.

"How do you think we should handle this?" I ask her curious as to weekdays going to go down.

"Make small talk then get what we going there for: answers." she tells me turning on the radio.

"You think she's going to tell us?" I ask her wondering about what my mother could possibly tell us.

"I mean we are her children." she says with no real confidence.

"So, about these messages who do you think it is?" I ask after a few minutes of driving.

"I honestly think it has something to do with dad's brother." she tells me glancing at me then back at the rode.

"Why would he be trying to get to us now?" I mumble confused as to why now we are practically grown.

"On a lighter subject what's up with James?" she asks probably wondering why we all of a sudden became official.

"Like what?" I ask her not wanting her to ask why he was with me.

"How come he needed to stay the night?" she asks maybe me look at her a little upset.

"His situation isn't all that good right now. Please leave it at that it's not my place to tell." I tell her.

"I can tell you really like him I see it when you look at him." she tells me making dreamy eyes as we stop at a light.

"Well of course I like him. Not because of what's on the outside, don't get me wrong he's quite the looker. Unlike anything else I finally believe personality is better than looks." I tell her thinking about J.

"Would you ever let mom meet him?" she asks knitting her eyebrows in slight confusion.

"I don't know maybe if she cares enough to know." I tell her honestly thinking about it for real this time.

"I think we just need to get the bottom of things." she says turning the corner to our mom's house.

"Last chance to back out." I say  jokingly.

"If you feel uncomfortable we can leave I promise." she tells me opening the door to get out.

I know she's my mother, but I always felt as if my dad was the only one on my team. I've come to realize we all are on one team, but we have to work together.

Deep breath... inhale.... exhale. You got this just say how you feel, and get to the bottom of things. Time to tear everything down, so we can build it back up.

"Chloe, come on babes I'm getting hungry." my sister says rubbing her stomach and opening her mouth pointing at it.

We both start laughing only she would play at a time like this. She always made me better by just being there.

Once I get to the door Penny knocks. After about a minute our mom comes to the door. She's wearing an old college hoodie and a jeans.

She hasn't really dressed like this since my dad passed away. I wonder why she's like this now what happened?

"Hey kiddos." my mom says with a joyful but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Hey mom." Penn and I say in unison.

She steps to the side letting us in the house. Instead of saying anything we all go to the living room.

"Here alone?" Penn asks while taking a seat on the couch.

"Yeah Chris went to work." she says sounding almost relieved.

"You okay mom?" I ask looking at her body language.

She looks as though something is bothering her.

"I'm fine." she says smiling a small smile.

I can tell it's fake, and it looks like Penny can too.

"How do you really feel?" Penny asks.

It seems as we are interrogating her, and we kind of are. I just want to know why she's at acting fake with her own flesh and blood.

"I'm not okay at all." my mom says with a tear sliding down her face.

What the absolute hello kitty?! What's wrong with my mommy? This is not okay.

"What's wrong mom?" Penn asks calmly, but there is so many emotions in her eyes.

"I miss my husband." she says her voice cracking.

"Chris?" I ask a bit puzzled because wouldn't he be back.

"No, you're father. My best friend, the love of my life and my hero." she says now full on sobbing.

Penny and I give each other a confused look. I miss my dad terribly, but I feel as that there is something else wrong with our mom.

"What about Chris?" Penny asks hugging our mom.

"I don't love him never did." She says through gritted teeth wiping her face furiously.

"Then why did you marry him?" I ask confused.

"I had no choice." she says trying to pull herself together.

"Lay it all on the table. We're here now." I tell her sitting back watching everything fall into place.