Checking In


"Theo really can't get it off work for the party?" AJ frowned, sitting in the kitchen with Cassie who had stopped by for coffee and a chat.

"No, everyone fights over who has to work Halloween night." Cassie said.

"Why?" AJ shook her head.

"Well it's one of our busiest nights of the year." Cassie said, "And because Theo has been off all this time, he feels awkward about asking to have it off so he's just gonna work." Cassie shrugged, "He'll see Chase before he leaves."

"That sucks." AJ frowned, "When doe she finish?"

"He's on late so 1am." Cassie said.

"Well we'll miss him. Maybe he could drop by on his break." AJ nodded.

"Oh, he won't get a break on Halloween night." Cassie laughed at the thought.

"What the hell happens on Halloween night?" AJ scoffed.

"A lot. You'd be surprised at the calls we get." Cassie said.

"Well, he'll be missed." AJ nodded.

"I don't think I'm gonna bother dressing up." Cassie shook her head.

"Uh… you have to. You're not allowed in if you don't." AJ said.

"Seriously?" Cassie rolled her eyes.

"Hey, why the dread? You sound like Thea." AJ shook her head.

"It's not dread, it's just… we do it every year." Cassie groaned.

"So?" AJ shrugged, "Don't be boring." AJ shook her head as Cassie just shook her head, going into a daze as AJ noticed, "What's up, Cass?" AJ questioned.

"Huh?" Cassie looked at her.

"You're really far away." AJ said, "You ok?" She nodded.

"Oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just tired." Cassie nodded, "Chase had a bit of a fever through the night so I was up with him." She said.

"Where is he now?" AJ asked.

"He's with Matt, Theo's brother." Cassie nodded, "He was taking him to some soft play area." She said.

"That's nice." AJ smiled as Cassie nodded.

"Yeah I think he's finally forgiven us for getting too drunk when he was introducing us to his new girlfriend." Cassie said, "We were in the bad books for a while."

"And rightly so." AJ nodded.

"Hey, mom." Cassie said with a concerning tone, "If… If you knew something that you shouldn't, or you found out something that shocks you, but you don't wanna tell anyone cause it might cause more damage than keeping it to yourself… what would you do?" Cassie asked as AJ looked across at her.

"First of all, what do you know? Second of all, you can always tell your mama anything. No matter what it is." AJ said suspiciously.

"No, it's… it's not anything to do with me." Cassie lied, "Just hypothetically speaking." She nodded as AJ looked at her, nodding slowly. Cassie was a believable liar.

"Well… it really depends on what it is. Keeping things to yourself is never good, for anyone. But I do know what you mean about… sometimes speaking out causes more damage and chaos. But it all depends on what it is and who it's affecting, I guess." AJ said as Cassie nodded, "You sure there's nothing you want to talk to me about?"

"No… no, it's fine." Cassie nodded with a smile, "Don't worry." She assured her mother.

"Ok, sweetie." AJ smiled.

"Is dad working?" Cassie asked her.

"Yeah, which gives me time to wrap his birthday present and order a birthday cake for him." AJ smiled happily.

"I think you should have been a party planner or something. You're in the wrong job." Cassie laughed a little.

"Maybe that will be my retired job." AJ nodded as Cassie smiled.


Thea had finished a shift at the hospital, clocking out and getting into her car, taking a few minutes for a breather after a crazy day, not that there was any calm days in her field of work.

She chugged some water and snacked on a banana which she never got the chance to eat before pulling out of the car park, taking a different turn than she usually would to go home, driving to her cousin's which wasn't far away.

She parked outside the house, getting out of the car and putting her cardigan on, suddenly feeling cold after the adrenaline of the day's work began to pass. She walked up to the house, ringing the door bell and waiting for an answer.

She grew up close with her cousins. They all did. Being five girls who were constantly around each other, going on vacations together, having Christmas together, it was inevitable to become best friends. But of course as they grew up and began to have their own families, they didn't see each other as much as they would have liked.

Chrissy eventually came to the door, opening it up and looking on at Thea standing.

"Hey." Thea smiled.

"Hi." Chrissy nodded, "H-How are you?" She asked, letting Thea into the house hesitantly.

"I'm good. How are you? How's the eyebrow doing?" Thea nodded.

"It's ok." Chrissy said, "It's nothing really."

"Hey, it was a nasty split. I would be milking the injury if I were you. I'd have Dominic running around after me." Thea laughed to herself, walking through to the kitchen as Chrissy followed.

"Surely you're not coming to check up on me cause I have a cut on my eyebrow?" Chrissy smiled a little. She was a lot like her father. She had her opinions and she shared them, but she mostly kept to herself.

"Maybe I am." Thea shrugged, "It's just been a while since we've hung out." She nodded.

"Well we're not teenagers anymore." Chrissy nodded.

"Believe me, I know." Thea nodded, "I just… I wanna make sure you're ok. I know when we all grow up we can go days, weeks without seeing one another. You came to visit me a lot when I was in rehab and I appreciated that." She said, "I really just wanna make sure you're all good."

"I am." Chrissy nodded, "I just fell. Clumsy like my dad, I guess." She shrugged as Thea smiled.

"Well my mom said you and Brandon are coming to the Halloween party so we can catch up better then." Thea nodded.

"Yeah, well I think it might just be me that's coming. Brandon will probably be working." Chrissy said.

"I haven't seen him in a while." Thea realised.

"Yeah, he's been super busy with work." Chrissy nodded.

"Dominic is the same. He didn't come home last night until like 11pm. He's been working at this real fancy house fitting their kitchen and bathrooms." Thea said, "Not enough hours in the day."

"That's for sure." Chrissy laughed a little.

"You didn't hurt anything else when you fell, did you?" Thea asked, "Just, I couldn't help you see you had some really bad bruises up your wrists and arm." Thea said. She could never bite her tongue. Ever.

"Yeah, I think I must have done that when I fell." Chrissy laughed a little, rubbing her arm a little, "I like… face planted with my arms out." She shook her head as Thea nodded, "You're looking really good." She nodded positively.

"Thanks." Thea smiled, "I'm feeling good. The best I've felt since I was like… sixteen." She laughed a little.

"I'm glad." Chrissy smiled.

"Do you remember when we used to put make-up on Jude?" Thea smiled to herself as Chrissy nodded.

"Yeah." Chrissy laughed, "She was so nonchalant as a kid. She let us do anything. Remember we got our hands on a packet of those fake tattoos and we just plastered them all over her face?" She chuckled as Thea nodded.

"Oh, yeah." Thea smiled, "Yeah, she always rolled with the punches." She nodded.

"She coming to the party?" Chrissy asked.

"Yeah, I think so. I haven't really spoken to her in a while." Thea thought to herself.

"Oh, yeah. Me and Sarah can go weeks without talking." Chrissy said.

"How is she?" Thea asked.

"She's good. She's twenty nine weeks in a few days." Chrissy smiled, referring to her pregnant little sister, "Technically I think she's cheating at this whole first time mom thing considering she spends her entire day with children. Nothing prepares you for having a kid like teaching the second grade." Chrissy laughed a little.

"It probably for sure helps." Thea nodded, "What about you? You not itching for a little one?" Thea asked her.

"No, not really." Chrissy shrugged, "I'm ok with being the cool fun aunt for a little while."

"Yeah, being an aunt is a lot of fun." Thea smiled, "I'll see her at the party I'm sure." She nodded.

"Yeah, she'll be there." Chrissy nodded, "Actually, whilst you're here, I have a birthday card for your dad. I'm working so I won't be able to stop by and see him, you could just give him it." She said, walking over further into the kitchen as she took the birthday card from the kitchen counter.

"Yeah, sure." Thea nodded as Chrissy walked back over and handed her the birthday card.

"Are you guys doing anything special for him?" Chrissy asked.

"Just going to the house to see him, I think. My mom will have ordered a cake and blew up balloons probably." Thea said as Chrissy smiled.

"Well give them my love." Chrissy nodded.

"I will." Thea smiled, "I suppose I should get home and join my family for dinner." Thea nodded, noticing the time.

"You just finished a shift?" Chrissy asked, walking her to the front door.

"Yeah, I can't wait to get home and put my feet up." Thea nodded tiredly, "I think I'm entering the falling asleep on the couch phase of my life. And I'm ok with it" She shrugged as Chrissy chuckled.

"Yeah, I feel you on that." Chrissy nodded.

"If you ever need anything you know I'm always here." Thea told her, "And saline solutions works really well for cleaning around the stitches." She added as Chrissy nodded.

"Thanks." Chrissy laughed a little, "I appreciate you coming to check up on me but… really, I'm fine." Chrissy nodded.

"Good. I'm glad." Thea nodded, giving her a hug and saying goodbye before leaving the house, still not completely convinced.