"What are we doing tomorrow?" Seth asked Alex over the phone. A week had gone by and Seth was looking forward to the weekend.
Alex was driving home from work, "I'm going to sleep late tomorrow."
"What else?" Seth asked, "C'mon I have no life. Take me to do something cool."
"Like what?" Alex yawned.
"I don't know. You're the cool one," Seth answered.
"Well, we'll figure it out," Alex answered, "I just pulled into the driveway."
"Okay," Seth replied, "Mom kept some dinner warm for you in the oven."
"Cool," Alex got out and walked to the front door.
"See ya," Seth said and hung up.
Alex walked to the front door and unlocked it. She closed the door, locked it and dropped onto the couch as soon as she got to the living room.
"Alex?" Seth called.
Alex groaned from the couch.
Seth walked into the living room and leaned over the couch, "Tough day?"
"Long day," Alex mumbled.
Kirsten walked in, "Hey sweetheart. There's dinner in the over for you. I'll go warm it up for you."
"I can get it," Alex slowly got up.
"I'll get it," Kirsten answered and walked to the kitchen.
Alex and Seth walked into the kitchen. Alex sat on one of the stools by the island and Seth sat next to her.
Kirsten warmed up Alex's food then set it in front of her.
"Thanks," Alex smiled and picked up her fork.
"What are your plans for tomorrow?" Kirsten asked the two kids sitting at the island.
Alex shrugged. She looked over at Seth.
"I don't know," Seth answered.
"Where's Ryan?" Alex looked around.
"He's studying," Seth said, "Some big test or project or something."
"Well, since you don't have any plans," Kirsten leaned on the counter, "How about you three clean the garage in the morning?"
"Cool," Alex took a bite of her food.
Seth groaned.
"Oh please," Alex smirked, "It's not like you'll do any heavy lifting. It's not like you could."
"Hey," Seth stood up, "I'll show you. The whole garage will be clean before you wake up in the morning." Seth walked off to the living room.
"Nice one," Kirsten smiled at Alex.
Alex smiled back, "Thanks. I don't think it'll work, but it was worth a try."
Kirsten rounded the counter. "I'm going to go to bed." She kissed the side of Alex's head, "Make sure to get enough sleep."
"Goodnight," Alex called after Kirsten.
She smiled at her food. Life was great. She had her dream job, her dream girl, and her dream family. Everything was perfect.
The next morning, Ryan was awakened by Alex and Seth jumping on his bed.
"C'mon we have to clean the garage," Alex said.
"I don't remember agreeing to that," Ryan rolled over.
"We agreed for you," Seth added.
"Fine," Ryan got out of bed and got dressed.
"How long do you think it will take?" Seth asked.
Alex shrugged while she put her hair up, "I don't know. I've never seen the garage."
When Ryan came out they all trudged up to the house. Kirsten and Sandy were in the kitchen.
"Good morning," Sandy smiled at the kids.
"Good morning," they all answered back.
"What are you doing?" Kirsten asked.
"Cleaning out the garage," Seth answered, grabbing a bagel as he walked toward the front door.
"Ooh bagels," Alex picked up a bagel and followed Seth.
Ryan just grabbed a bagel and trotted after Alex and Seth.
Sandy looked over at Kirsten and smiled, "Did you just see that train of teenagers run through here and steal all the food?"
Kirsten chuckled, "But they're our bagel stealing teenagers."
"They can steal all the bagels that want as long as they clean out that garage," Sandy smirked.
"What is all that stuff?" Alex asked taking the last bite of her bagel as they stood, looking into the open garage door at the piles of boxes along the walls.
"I think that's what we're supposed to clean out," Ryan stated.
Seth put his hands on his hips, "Maybe we should move the cars first."
"Good idea," Alex nodded.
After they moved the cars they got to work going through the boxes and consolidating them, taking out cool stuff while they went through it.
"What are we supposed to do with this stuff?" Alex took out an old record, "Cool."
"We could put it in the attic," Seth suggested, "Just don't tell mom that's where we put it or we'll be cleaning the attic out tomorrow."
"Where's the attic?" Ryan asked.
Seth pointed to a door on the roof with some rope hanging off of it.
"Check it out," Alex pulled out a record player. She put it on the ground and plugged it in. She took out an old record and started it to play. "It works."
"What are we listening to?" Seth asked.
Alex looked at the record sleeve. Before she could open her mouth Ryan answered, "Journey."
"You had to get him started didn't you?" Seth asked, "He'll be singing these songs for the next two weeks straight."
"What are you complaining about?" Alex asked, "I share a room with him."
They continued cleaning the garage to the tune of Sandy's old record collection.
Kirsten was in the process of carrying clean sheets to the pool house when the doorbell rang. She was in the living room so she set the sheets down on the couch and went to answer it.
She opened the door and saw a slim woman standing there with choppy blonde hair.
"Can I help you?" Kirsten asked.
"Is Alex here?" the woman answered.
"I think she's still cleaning out the garage," Kirsten answered, starting to lead the woman to the garage "Was she expecting you?"
The woman shook her head, "I'm her mother. Leslie Kelly."
Kirsten's mouth dropped open and she stopped dead a few feet from the garage, "What are you doing here?"
Leslie looked completely bewildered, "I came to see my daughter."
Alex pulled the end of her broom out of the 'light saber' fight they were having. She was listening from her piggy backing spot on Seth's back.
"What's wrong?" Seth asked, letting her slide down.
Alex walked to the door of the garage and saw Kirsten standing with her mother. Ryan and Seth followed her, but didn't know who the other woman was.
"What are you doing here?" Alex asked, angrily. Things had just gotten so good. Her mother showing up jeopardized possibly every good thing she had going for her. Her stomach tightened and her fists clenched as she walked over to the two older women.
"What do you want?" Alex added when her mother hadn't said anything.
"I came to check on you," Leslie stated, not too convincingly.
"Bullshit," Alex huffed.
"Alex," Kirsten warned.
"Sorry," Alex muttered.
"Can we go talk somewhere?" Leslie asked.
Alex looked at Kirsten. Kirsten put her hand on Alex's forearm, "We'll be on the porch." She kissed the side of Alex's head and walked to the porch.
Ryan and Seth followed Kirsten to the porch and they all sat on the steps watching.
"Who is that?" Leslie asked.
"That's my mom," Alex crossed her arms.
"I'm your mom," Leslie stated.
"No," Alex was fuming, "Being a mother means unconditional love."
"And she knows about your perversion?" Leslie raised an eyebrow.
"It's not a perversion," Alex said, "And yes she knows."
"Go get your father," Kirsten told the boys, not taking her eyes off of Alex.
Ryan and Seth went inside and returned with Sandy. Sandy looked over at Alex and Leslie.
"She can't get her parental rights back can she?" Kirsten asked Sandy.
Sandy shook his head, "She signed them away."
"Good," Kirsten stated.
They continued to watch the conversation. They were close enough to hear who was talking, but not close enough to hear what was being said. Alex's stance was pretty much defensive while Leslie's was very aggressive. Things soon escalated.
"I'm happy now!" Alex yelled.
"You know what?!" Leslie raised her voice, "Sooner or later they'll get sick of you and kick you out just like we did! You're not worth the trouble!"
Kirsten was quickly walking over to Alex. She was seething by the time she got to them so she let the anger drip off her every word, "Get off my property before I call the police." Within seconds, Ryan, Seth, and Sandy were all standing around Alex.
Leslie turned on her heel and left in huff.
Alex stared blankly after her. She felt Kirsten's arms around her, then the arms of three other people around her. All she could see was her mother walking away again. The last time she did that was after the emancipation papers were signed.
Alex couldn't hold in her emotions anymore. Tears started streaming down her face and she clung to the closest body to her. Her arms fit easily around Kirsten's small frame and her head fit perfectly on Kirsten's shoulder.
She really wasn't sure how, but now Alex had gotten to the living room and onto the couch. She felt two different people on either side of her. The first one she realized was Kirsten who was running her fingers through her hair and whispering comforting words. The other was Sandy who just had a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Alex then realized that she was still crying. She thought she'd gotten over everything her mother said to her years ago, but it turned out they still hurt. Alex felt nauseous so she took a deep breath to try to call herself.
When she finally calmed herself down, her first instinct was the run. That was the mantra of her life. Leave before you can be left. Run and don't look back. She learned that from her biological mother.
She was getting ready to get up and go when she felt Kirsten's fingers run through her hair again. She contemplated leaving again, but Kirsten's caring touch made her change her mind.
Alex turned her head and saw Seth and Ryan sitting on the coffee table staying close.
"Hey," Seth smiled apprehensively. He wasn't sure if it was the right time to smile, but that's what he did when he was nervous and didn't know what to say.
With her whole adoptive family around her Alex couldn't not smile, "Hey back."
"How do you feel?" Kirsten asked gently.
"I'm…gonna be okay," Alex answered.
"Good," Kirsten smiled.
Alex sat up straight, "I guess we should go finish the garage huh?"
"That can wait," Kirsten stated, "How about we all go get some lunch?"
"Sounds good," Alex smiled.
They guys nodded and Sandy stood up. "I think I want some Chinese. Anyone else?"
"Yeah," Seth got up.
Ryan stood. Alex held up her hands and Ryan pulled her up.
"Thanks," Alex said.
Ryan briefly hugged her, "Anytime."
Kirsten got out and walked with Alex out to the car, "How about we go shopping after this? Just us?"
Alex smiled, "Sounds like fun."
Kirsten put her arm around Alex's shoulders, "Great."
Alex beamed and put her arms around Kirsten's waist, "Thanks."
Kirsten gave Alex a gentle squeeze before they got to the car, "My pleasure."
"C'mon women," Seth called, "Us men-folk are starving."
Alex pushed Seth into the car, "Shut up."
"Hey," Seth sat between Alex and Ryan, "Mom, Alex pushed me."
"Mom, Seth's being a wimp," Alex called back.
Ryan smiled, "Mom they're fighting again."
"Do I have to put you three in time out?" Kirsten smiled after she climbed into the passenger's seat.
Sandy leaned over to Kirsten with a smile and said, "We can't take them anywhere."
"I heard that," Seth said as they pulled out, "And I'd like to say for the record that Alex started it."
"Did not," Alex replied with a smirk.
"Did too," Seth told Alex.
"You started it," Ryan told Seth.
"Did not!"