AN> I wanted to break there so I could use the title for the last chapter I did. Sorry for the briefness of it. Here is another chappie.

"speak softly, and carry a big stick"

>

"Eric!" Bee screamed gleefully. It was on of the days they could eat dinner together. She threw her arms around him as him she hadn't seen him in years.

"Hey Bee," he chuckled lightly. They grabbed their dinner and ran off to a secluded place behind Eric's cabin to eat their dinner in peace.

"Have fun today?" Bee asked.

"It was okay. We had a group of four girls. Can you imagine that? Four whole campers! We took a little walk. It was pretty boring."

"Tell me about boring! No one shows up as always, so Billy was reading a book. I couldn't take how quiet it was. Its been that way since the start! I exhausted all topics off discussion on day one. All we ever had in common was soccer."

"What makes us different?"

"Chemistry," she gave him a sexy look, "I can actually hold a conversation with you," she paused.

"That helps."

"I can trust you, and you take care of me. You have no idea how much of a turn on your doctoring skills are."

"Those are good reasons," Eric rubbed his chin philosophically. Bee giggled and kissed him.

>

"Carma: Operations 'Make conversation with Billy Klein while befriending him however not giving him reason to believe I like him/want to date him' has begun. Any suggestions? Do you have any topics I could bring up? Boy this is crazy! My regards to Albert and the rest of the family. Love, Beezus"

>

"Hey, I'm here to see Krista," Carmen informed the woman at the door. She assumed this was Susie's mother.

"You're Carmen?" she asked.

"Yes."

"I am Susie's mom. Call me Jo," she held out her hand for a shake.

"Its a pleasure Jo."

"Its short for Josefine. Has Lydia relented?"

"I'm afraid not. I thought maybe Krista had an idea of how Paul and I could guilt Lydia into letting her back into the house. Can I com in to talk to her?"

"Of course," Jo let her in, "Krista! Carmen is here!" she yelled up the stairs, "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No thanks."

Krista plopped onto the couch. Carmen sat down after her.

"Your mom hasn't said a word to Paul or I since you left."

"Wow."

"Paul and I have two ideas about how to get her to let you back home. Paul thought of plan a. It seems the most promising and he is working on it now. He is talking about all the good memories you have had with your mother. My plan (plan b) is to call my mother up and ask her to come into town to lecture your mom. I hope it doesn't come to that."

Krista let out a little giggle, "I don't think your plan is going to work."

Carmen laughed, "Me neither. Motherly lectures only work when they come form your own mother."

"Plan C:" Krista began, "My grandma can do the Mom lecture, but that would entail telling my grandma. I don't want to do that. I imagine grandma would react to the news about the same as Momma."

"Thats sad."

"My Mom's family tries hard to be perfect. This would just be another blemish on the family reputation."

"Perfection doesn't seem to be all its cracked up to be."

"It isn't! No one is perfect, and trying to be puts you under a microscope," Krista sniffed back a tear, "Perfection is a joke."

"I remember how inferior your family made me feel when I met you," Carmen laughed to herself, "I didn't realize how well I have it."

"People tend to take for granted what they have," she paused, "Me included. I didn't think I needed Momma, but I see now that I really do."

"I've found that you can never be too old to still need your mommy."

Krista smiled slightly, "Amen to that."