"i'm really proud of you, deej."
donna jo tanner exhaled in relief, grateful that he had finally believed her.
"and i'm sorry for jumping into conclusions, i just didn't know how to comprehend seeing my eldest niece with a can of beer in her hand." he gave her an apologetic look.
besides the sound of raindrops tapping against the roof, the silence allowed dj to reflect.
"i don't blame you, anybody else would've thought the same... had they been in your position," she paused.
"but you going off on me for something i didn't do really hurt my feelings."
jesse katsopolis ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, still feeling guilty for not believing her earlier.
he had been invited by dj to the spring dance at school. the band that was scheduled to perform cancelled on the last minute, and jesse thought that filling in would serve as a gesture of support for the thirteen year old.
the party had ended an hour ago, and the three boys dj confronted for underage drinking were suspended by school authority for an indefinite period of time.
"do you wanna know why i was outraged by what i saw?" he asked rhetorically.
dj quivered in place, knowing where this conversation would be heading.
"keep in mind that your mother died in a car accident, and that a drunk driver was behind the wheel." jesse recalled, his tone withering.
"i hope you're getting my point. a lot of people who get themselves addicted to these things end up ruining their own lives, and in your mom's case, others too."
dj loved when her uncle would tell stories about her mother, but the events involving her death were difficult to hear.
"pamela, she was the best big sister anybody could ever ask for. everyday i wake up, and i think of what it would be like if she were still here."
jesse's voice cracked. remembering the family's loss from less than three years back was something he continuously struggles to cope with.
"steph and michelle do not have as much memories with her as you do, so i hope you continue to cherish them,"
"and hopefully they too one day will realize how special pam really was."