"He what?" Violet asked shocked.

"Girl all we did was eat and he left afterward I swear," I told her as we drove home from the AA meeting.

"I don't believe you," she told me.

I laughed.

"This is why I waited to tell you after the AA meeting," I replied to her.

"So he shows up at your door with flowers? Like just casually," she told me.

"Yes it was purely innocent I swear Violet. He wanted to thank me for everything I've done," I explained.

"What did he think of your burnt pizza?" Violet teased.

"He ate it I guess it was fine," I replied as we pulled into McDonalds.

It became a tradition to stop for a soda after Violet's AA meetings.

Violet got quiet as we ordered and went through the drive-through.

After we both got our sodas, she picked up the conversation where we left it.

"Okay so like how did he act? Was he as shy as he was in the center?" Violet asked after a sip of soda.

"We both were quiet 'cause it was just the two of us. We never ever had been alone like that and again Violet, I just see him as a friend," I told him.

"That's a lie. The latter part of what you said. Your little heart broke when he introduced us to his then-girlfriend. And then, she breaks up with him and he finds us somehow at the art gallery and you look relieved. You can't deny you like him," Violet told me.

I shook my head.

"He's just a friend, Violet," I told her.

"Tell me that after New Year's," she told me.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked her.

"You always throw the biggest New Year's parties. And this year, I'm sure you'll do the same of course. You'll invite him and somehow you two will take the walls down," Violet told me as we drove up to her and Grandma Mary's house.

"I highly doubt that," I told her as I parked the car.

She chuckled.

"I guarantee it. Just wait for another month or so," she explained as she got out of the car.

"Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet and here you are already on January 1st," I told her.

"You'll thank me later," Violet remarked.

"See you later. Take care," I told her as she began walking away.

"Call me when you get home," Violet told me.

"Will do," I told her as I began pulling away. 

I drove home and couldn't believe Violet's thinking process. 

I got home quickly and called Violet letting her know I got home safely. It was time for me to wind down and relax for the evening. Though today wasn't as busy as previous days and weeks, I was still trying to catch up on the rest I lost while Violet was sick.

I put water in the flowers that Andy had brought the day before and then went to get ready for bed.

I kept going back to Violet's comments about the whole Andy thing. I couldn't just insert myself into his life. I truly barely knew him. I only knew him since March and for 6 weeks, he wasn't even himself. 

I got comfortable in bed and went to sleep knowing I didn't have work tomorrow since it was Saturday. 

The next morning, I woke up to the phone ringing. It was barely after 6.

"Yes?" I asked still half-asleep.

"I'm sorry did I wake you?" Violet's voice came over the phone.

"Y-yeah what's the matter?" I asked her.

"I couldn't sleep 'cause when I got home last night, Grandma showed me that my dad had sent another letter. He's getting out on parole in January," she remarked.

"Y-your dad? Is getting out?" I asked her.

"Y-yeah and I mean I should be happy right? But, but it's like another reminder that my mom's gone," she told me.

"I know I know Violet it's gonna be hard but we'll get through it. Me and Grandma Mary will be right by your side," I told her.

It was too early for a therapy session.

"I know but man I just," Violet remarked.

I rubbed my eyes as she talked.

"Let me wake up more and I'll come over," I told her.

"No no you don't have to," she told me.

"You need me, Violet," I told her.

"It's your only day off I don't want to intrude," Violet commented.

I sighed. She was being kind at the same time.

"Why don't you get your journal and write out what you are feeling?" I suggested.

For being early, I was more coherent than I thought I would be. 

"And also listen to music. You need to use those to cope. You can't control what or how your dad is gonna be in the New Year. You can only control what you can do Violet," I told her after a second of silence.

I heard her take a deep breath and sigh.

"You are right again," she told me.

"When you do the things you love like painting, listening to music, you have control over that. Put that energy there. You can't control anything else," I told her.

"We talked about this in the AA meeting and I already forgot how important it is to remember this," she remarked as I heard pages flipping.

She was getting ready to journal.

"I'm going to let you go back to sleep. I'm sorry for being such a bother," Violet told me.

"You are not a bother. I love you okay now don't forget that," I told her.

"I'll talk to you later," she told me.

We hung up and I sighed.

I glanced at the clock and only 20 minutes had passed by. 

I tried going back to sleep for a while and it worked. I woke up to the sun peeking into my room. It was now a little before 8.

I sat up and stretched and hit the shower to get ready to do my house chores for the day.

After I finished getting ready and doing some of the house chores, the phone rang again.

"Please Violet I," I answered the phone.

I heard a chuckle.

"It's not Violet," Andy commented.

"O-oh I'm sorry it's been a weird morning," I remarked as I took a drink of my coffee.

"I was just wondering if you'd like to go to breakfast this morning," Andy asked.

I didn't really want to do anything today. Nothing out of the house for once.

"I-well uhm I appreciate the invitation but I really didn't want to leave the house today not gonna lie," I told Andy.

"Oh okay, understandable. Take care and see you soon," Andy told me as we said our goodbyes.

I put the phone on the hook. I felt so bad for saying no to him. 

I went on the rest of my morning for a while before yet another interruption occurred. A ring at the doorbell.

I was 100% sure it was Violet.

I peeked into the peephole and there stood Andy with bags of food.

My eyes went wide.

I slowly opened the door. It felt like a Deja Vu from Thursday night.

"Hi?" I remarked.

"You said you didn't want to go out so I thought I'd bring it here," Andy told me.

He had 2 bags of food and two cups of coffee.

"Well uhm I don't know what to say," I remarked as he handed me a cup of coffee.

"Come on a little breakfast hurt no one," Andy told me.

"You are too much Andy," I told him as I gestured for him to come inside.

"Well I know also it's a little payback for dinner the other night," Andy told me.

I shook my head as we went to sit down in the kitchen like two nights ago.

"You don't owe me anything,," I told him.

"Just enjoy the breakfast okay?" Andy told me as I got plates and silverware out.

"I guess the Thanksgiving bug got ya," I remarked.

He looked at me funny.

"You are thankful that's all," I told him.

"Ohhhhh," he chuckled as he began pulling the food out of the bags.

A thankful time to be alive.