Kay was sitting on the couch with Jessica watching TV when Charity stormed in the door.
"KAY!!!" Charity hollered her breathing labored and her face flushed.
Kay felt the color drain from her face as she stood up. Never in the entire time that she had known Charity had she ever seen her in such a state.
Charity walked over and slapped Kay straight across the face.
"TRAMP! HOW COULD YOU? HOW!!!"
Kay was not quite sure what to make of this. She wondered what Miguel had said to Charity. She didn't have time to think about it as she ducked another blow.
"Charity stop it!" Kay yelled
"Yeah Charity." Jessica said still sitting on the couch looking back and forth between her sister and her cousin.
"STOP IT? STOP IT? YOU DIDN'T STOP IT WHEN YOU WERE CHASING AFTER MY BOYFRIEND!!!!!"
"Charity I don't know what happened! but if you would tell me maybe we can figure it out."
"THE ONLY THING I AM GOING TO FIGURE OUT IS HOW I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!!"
With that Charity lunged at Kay knocking her to the floor.
Jessica started screaming and Grace ran in to see what all the commotion was about.
"OH MY GOSH!" Grace cried as she saw her eldest daughter and her niece wrestling on the floor
"Kay Charity stop it!!" Kay tried to stop but Charity was trying to choke her and she had to keep defending herself.
"Jessica help me!" Grace cried.
Jessica and Grace managed to pull Charity and Kay apart.
"LET ME GO I'M GOING TO KILL HER!!" Charity hollered flailing her arms. Jessica was doing her best to hold on to Charity but she was struggling so Grace let go of Kay and went to help Jessica.
"I'm going to kill her!!!" Charity said again
"Kay go upstairs please." Grace said
"But I..." Kay started to explain
"NOW Kay." Grace said in a stern don't mess with me tone.
Kay ran upstairs and threw herself on her bed just as the tears started to fall. She had only been laying there for a few minutes when she heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was Jessica she said
"Come in."
Kay looked up was quite surprised to see her mother
"Mom?" Kay said
"yes are you okay?" Grace asked walking over to Kay's bed. She had a glass of juice in one hand an ice bag in the other.
"Here you are." Grace said handing the glass to Kay. Kay took the juice and drank it while looking up at her mother.
"Thanks"
Grace smiled. "Would you like to talk about it?"
"You mean you're aren't mad at me?"
"Mad? no sweetie I'm not mad. I sent you upstairs because you were calmer than Charity. Here." Grace said placing the ice bag against Kay's reddened cheek. "I would like to know what happened. If you want to talk about it that is."
Kay looked up at her mother. Once they had been close. They had drifted apart a little over the last year. It would have been easy to blame the whole thing on her mom or Charity but she knew it was partly her fault. She had pushed her mother away a lot lately, but she still loved her and was glad that her mom came to talk.
"Have a seat." Grace sat down on the bed and looked at her daughter.
"Mom I don't know exactly what set Charity off but it has to do with Miguel."
"Yes Charity screamed as much what happened?"
"Three weeks ago Miguel kissed me." Kay waited for her mother to yell at her but Grace remained silent.
"He kissed me but, at first I didn't push away. Mom I love Miguel I can't help it. I have tried so hard to get over him, but I can't. So when he kissed me I did kiss him back. But than I realized what I was doing. What we were doing. The fact that he was with Charity. I pushed him away said Charity's name and then ran for it. I have been avoiding him ever since."
"I remember Miguel had changed a little. Pilar said she actually got to see him. He seemed happier and Charity was fine with it. Then all of a sudden he came back to staying here all the time and you were always gone. I didn't understand then but now I do. Miguel felt guilty so he started smothering Charity again and you felt guilty so you stayed away."
Kay nodded and stared down at her shoes.
"I didn't know what to do. I still don't know what to do."
Grace put a comforting arm around Kay.
"So what happened today to upset Charity so?"
"Well Reese was concerned that Miguel was being anti-social again and he asked me to talk to him. At first I refused, but Reese pointed out it was stupid to throw away a life long friend over a..... misunderstanding. So I tired to talk to Miguel but he was mad and said these AWFUL mean things I ran off crying and he felt bad and ran after me. We talked things out and then out of nowhere he said that he wanted to kiss me. I said what about Charity. He said I was right and then he walked me home. I have not seen him since. The next thing I know Charity is slapping me. I don't know what he said to her. I just wish everyone could be happy." Kay sighed
"I wish that too sweetie but the fact is there is only one Miguel and two of you. Someone will be unhappy."
"I know. I really want Miguel to be happy and even Charity. I know sooner or later I'll find someone of my own."
"Kay?"
"Yes mom?"
"I don't think Charity will make Miguel happy. and truth be told I don't think Miguel will make Charity happy."
"WHAT!?" Kay said looking at her mom with wide eyes.
"Kay ever since you two where kids I thought that you would be together. When Charity came and they got together I figured maybe I was wrong. Charity had gone through so much with her mother and everything, I thought she deserved a little happiness. I knew that you were less than thrilled about it but you never wanted to talk. I've seen Charity and Miguel together. Yes they are a cute couple but I don't see that connection that I used to see with you and Miguel. I think Miguel is realizing that now and that is why he wants to be with you. As for Charity I know that when Miguel first started hanging out with you once a week and spending time with his family, Charity was relived she told me as much. For the past year Miguel has been her knight in shinning armor. He is always there for her. Losing her mother was hard for her I think she clings to Miguel not because she loves him but because he makes her feel safe and he is all she has known since the loss of her mother. But Kay they don't have what it takes to last forever."
Kay started at her mother not quite sure whether to believe her or not.
"Do you really think so?"
"Yes but this doesn't change the fact that this is a very delicate situation. If it's not handled carefully there could be bad blood on all sides."
Grace stood up.
"I have faith in you Kay I know you'll do what's best." Grace leaned down and gave Kay a kiss on the forehead before walking to the door. Reaching it she turned.
"And you know if you ever want to talk. I am just down the hall."
Kay nodded and Grace left.
Kay started at the window and sighed.
It's not easy being a teenager.