Kim walked out of her room and into the family room and had to smile at the lump lying on her couch. Wade had gone home at eleven as he said he would and Ron had fallen asleep on her shoulder. Waking him had proven unsuccessful so she had just covered him with a blanket and gone to bed. Leaning over she shook his shoulder.
"Ron," she said.
"Five more minutes' mom," he mumbled and snuggled further under the blankets.
"That's one," Kim said under her breath. "Ron," she said louder.
"I don't want to go to school today mom," Ron said, turning over.
"That's two," she said and leaned closer near his ear. "Ron!" she yelled and jumped back just in time to avoid being hit as he sat up, flailing his arms around.
"Gah!" he cried and Rufus sat up from the side of the couch, yawned, stretched, and rubbed his eyes.
"Good morning," she said, crossing her arms.
"Already?" he asked, swinging his legs over the side of the couch.
"Already, now you owe me breakfast for calling me "mom"," she said turning to the kitchen while he pulled on his pants, not sure when he had lost them; she certainly had not removed them.
"Good, I like cooking breakfast and you don't look like someone who knows how," he said pushing past her to the refrigerator.
"Hey," she cried but had to admit that he was right, she was a terrible cook.
"Well this bacon looks like it's on the verge of going bad, and the eggs might not last through the day, but I might be able to whip something up," he said turning from the fridge with the bacon, eggs, cheese and milk.
Twenty minutes later, they were eating omelets and chatting when Ron looked around her small apartment.
"How is it you live here alone?" he finally asked and Kim sighed, handing Rufus a piece of bacon.
"Mmm, thank you," Rufus replied and scarfed down the piece.
"Well technically my grandmother has custody, but she convinced the courts to let me live here."
"Why here of all places?" he asked, genuinely shocked.
"My parents grew up here, and we've visited so often that it seemed like home."
"How do you pay for it all?"
"My parent's left me money, in case something ever happened to them."
"That's good, what do you want to do today?" he asked and Kim was glad he had changed the subject.
They ended up at the mall, not Ron's first choice, but he was trying to make Kim feel better.
"Oh, you have a Club Banana," Kim said, grabbing his arm and dragging him towards the store.
"Hey Monique," Ron said, waving to the girl behind the counter.
"Hey Ron, what's up?" she said, walking around the counter.
"Not much, this is my new friend Kim," he said, pointing towards Kim.
"Hey girl," Monique said, holding out her hand and Kim shook it.
"Hey," she said.
"So can I help you find anything?" Monique said.
"No I just want to look around for now," Kim said.
"Cool, if you need anything let me know."
"Will do," Kim said smiling and moving throughout the store. A half hour later she made her way back to the front of the store and where Ron and Monique were still talking.
"Ok, I'm ready," Kim said putting the stack of clothes on the counter.
"Dang girl, you look like you're going to become one of our best customers," Monique said smiling.
"One of my life goals," Kim said grinning.
"So what are you doing later tonight?" Ron asked Monique.
"Working," she said smiling at him.
"After that," Ron said, sighing making Monique laugh.
"No plans so far."
"Great me and Kim are going to Bueno Nacho."
"We are?" Kim asked looking at him.
"Yup, you haven't lived until you've been to Bueno Nacho."
"It's Ron's favorite place," Monique spoke up.
"I'm not the only one," Ron cried.
"Really?" Monique asked.
"Yes, really, Rufus loves it too," with that Rufus poked his head up.
"Uh huh, uh huh," he said and Kim smiled. Just then a phone started ringing and Kim and Monique looked at Ron who stared blankly back at them.
"What?" he asked.
"I think you're ringing," Kim said.
"Oh, right!" Ron said and pulled the ringing phone out of his pocket. "Yellow," he said. "Uh huh… well I don't know… We'll see if we can stop by later… Kim and Monique… Right, later, bye," Ron said and closed the phone.
"Who was that?" Monique asked.
"Josh, another party tonight," he replied.
"Oh joy," Monique said sarcastically.
"I told him we'd stop by if we could, no promises though," Ron said and returned their grins.
Kim watched Ron scarf down a large plate of nacho's, almost inhaling it all and she had to laugh.
"So what are we going to do tonight?" she asked, turning to Monique and was surprised to see her doing the same as Ron.
"I don't know we could go back to your place and watch movies again," Ron said between bites.
"Ehh, why not?" Kim said, shrugging.