Chapter 11:

The next evening, Angela could hardly wait for Kara and Darren to arrive. Finally, they showed up around five thirty. Angela got up and rushed to the door.

"Hey stranger," Darren said before pecking Angela on the lips. Kara made a disgusted face.

"Ugh, that's not right," she complained. Angela rolled her eyes and invited her friends inside.

"Hi Mrs. Davis," Kara chirped. Mimi emerged from digging through the pantry for something she needed to make dinner.

"Hi Kara, Darren." Darren waved. "Mija, I've got to run to the store. Do you want me to pick up more meds for you?"

"Por favor." Mimi grabbed her purse off the counter and left.

Angela sat next to Darren on the couch and rested her head on his shoulder. Kara curled up on the recliner.

"What are the pills for?" she asked Angela.

"Morning sickness," Angela replied quietly.

"How's the…pregnancy been?" Angela cuddled closer to Darren.

"Okay, I guess. I'm only about ten or eleven weeks along, so it's not that far." Darren noticed that Angela was trembling.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Angela nodded. "You sure you're alright?"

"I said I'm fine!" Angela snapped. Darren put his hands up in defense.

"Okay, sorry!" Angela wrapped her arms around herself to try and stop the shaking.

"Angie, you want to talk about it?" Kara asked calmly. Angela shook her head. She wasn't ready to talk. Darren kissed her temple softly. He and Kara both respected Angela's wishes.

When Mimi got back from the grocery store, Darren was still curled up on the couch with Angela, and Kara was still on the recliner.

"Dinner will be in half an hour," she said as she took off her jacket.

"Thanks Mom." Angela turned her attention to Kara. "How's school?" Kara shrugged.

"Nobody's burned it down yet. It's so lonely without you. I think I'll go crazy!"

"I can just see the headline now," Darren joked. "'Local girl goes legally insane after friend drops out.'" Angela forced a laugh, but Kara saw her upset face.

"Darren you moron! You're getting Angela all upset!" she scolded. Angela waved the comment off.

"Its fine, Kara," she assured. Kara wasn't in the mood to fight with her friend right now.

An hour later, Darren, Kara and Angela were all sitting at the table eating the dinner Mimi had prepared for them.

"God, Mrs. Davis, I've missed your cooking," Kara commented. Mimi slid into the empty seat at the table.

"Thanks Kara. I'm sure your Mom does a good job cooking." Darren began to laugh which promptly turned into coughing.

"That's a good one, Mrs. Davis," he said. "I say, give all those terrorists in the Middle East some of her cooking and bam, they'll all be taken care of!"

"Darren!" Mimi exclaimed.

"It's true, ask Angela," Kara said. Angela backed away from the table slightly.

"I'm staying out of this one," she said firmly. "I like being welcome at your house."

"Like my Mom will ever find out," Darren mumbled.

"Trust me, she will." Rolling his eyes, Darren went back to his food.

By the time Roger got back from the Life, Darren and Kara were gone. Mimi and Angela were sitting on Angela's bed talking.

"Here are my two favorite women," Roger said as he kissed both Mimi and Angela's cheeks. "How'd it go tonight?"
"I should be asking you that, you reek of cigarette smoke and alcohol," Mimi commented.

"Well, I was at a bar. Funny how that works out." Roger tried to kiss Mimi, but she pushed him away.

"Roger, you smell! Got take a fucking shower!" she exclaimed.

"Only if you join me."

"Oh my God, will you guys please stop?" Angela pleaded. Mimi got up off the bed.

"Lo siento, mija," she said before leaving with Roger.

That night, Mimi was lying in bed flipping through a magazine. Roger came out of the bathroom in a pair of boxers.

"Guess who I met tonight," he said as he crawled into bed next to Mimi. Mimi put away her magazine.

"Who?" she asked.

"Collins' new boyfriend."

"Mike?"
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"Collins told me. So, what's Mike like?" Mimi rolled onto her side to face Roger.

"Mike's nice. He's younger than Collins, around thirty-five or something. Anyway, he's a high school English teacher. He said that he'd help Angela with her schooling if we need."
"I want to find out what happened to Angela before we worry about school." Roger nodded. Mimi kissed him tenderly. Roger deepened the kiss and rolled on top of her. he moved down her neck. Moaning with pleasure, Mimi wound her fingers through Roger's hair. It was good to be home.

Angela's eyes flew open. A cold sweat covered her body, and her blankets were tangled around her legs. Trembling slightly, Angela sat up and wrapped her blankets around her. She had had another nightmare. Like all the ones before, she never remembered what it was been about. Angela nestled under her warm blankets and fell back asleep with her hand on her stomach.