Same Place
"What are you gonna do about it?" AJ asked, standing in their kitchen the next day after getting home from the wedding reception.
"I should just ignore it, shouldn't I?" Punk shrugged.
"Should you?" AJ questioned.
"Someone could be playing me." Punk shrugged, "I never knew my mother. I don't know what she looks like, what she talks like, she could be dead for all I know." He said, "And I'm supposed to believe that's a picture of her?" He asked, "And why would someone leave that for me?" He asked.
"I have no idea." AJ sighed, taking the picture from the kitchen table and staring at it, "How much did you know about her?" She asked.
"Literally nothing. I knew she was a junkie and she was young when she had me. That was it." Punk nodded.
"What about your dad?" AJ questioned.
"Don't know anything about him." Punk said.
"So someone has sent this to you for some reason. Why would anyone just drop a picture of your mom off on our bed?" AJ shook her head.
"Well had to be someone at the wedding. If I knew the person, they'd just come speak to me face to face. It's not hard. Hey, Phil. We think this might be your mom, take a look." Punk shrugged.
"Maybe whoever dropped it off wasn't at the party." AJ nodded, "And maybe there's a reason that they want you to see it. I mean, from standing here it just looks like a picture of your mom going into a house but… maybe there's more to."
"There's gotta be more to it or the whole thing is pointless." Punk said as AJ nodded.
"Hey, it's… it's your call. We can throw this in the trash and forget it ever existed or we can… we can figure out who the hell sent it, and why?" AJ folded her arms, "It's your decision." She nodded.
"I don't want to know anything about her." Punk said, ripping the picture up and walking over to the trash, throwing it in as AJ watched and nodded.
"Then let's just forget about it." AJ smiled, "It's one hundred percent your call." She said, walking over to him and wrapping her arms around him.
"There's nothing I want to know about her. To be honest, I'm more curious about who sent it." He nodded, "But finding out that means finding out why and… I just… I'm not interested." He shrugged.
"And that's ok." AJ nodded, "You're allowed to feel that way." She said, cupping his cheeks, "Someone has obviously found out information, they've got your whereabouts and they're trying to pull you in but… you don't need that." She shook her head, "If it was me I don't think I'd wanna see her either." She said as he nodded.
"It comes in handy that we're both parentless. We can always agree." Punk smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Baby, I'll always see your point of view." She assured him.
"Mom, I'm gonna be late for my soccer game!" Raimy exclaimed, running into the kitchen with her bag over her shoulder as AJ nodded.
"Oh, yeah. Of course." AJ nodded, turning back to Punk, "I've left a dinner recipe out for Viv and James." She told him as he grabbed her coat and put it on, "Trying new things for James because he doesn't eat enough different things." AJ said as Punk nodded.
"It's not something complicated, is it?" Punk questioned.
"You'll figure it out, I'm sure." AJ smiled as Punk just nodded.
"Hey, kid." Punk smiled to Raimy, sticking his hand out, "Go smash them at your game, ok?" He nodded.
"I will." Raimy smiled. She was at an age at school where she was part of a lot of clubs and had even made the soccer team. Of course AJ and Punk were so incredibly proud of her.
AJ had dropped Raimy off at her soccer game and stood on the side lines watching and cheering as her eldest daughter played her game and even scored a goal. She was the proudest mama and seeing her children's differences and how unique each of them were was something truly priceless.
"Oh my God, baby." AJ smiled, "That was amazing. You played so well." AJ smiled, crouching down and hugging Raimy tightly.
"Did you see I scored a goal?" Raimy smiled as AJ nodded.
"Yeah, it was amazing. You're such a good player." AJ smiled. She thought it was important to encourage her children to take part in these type of things. It was things she was robbed of as a child, "Here, have some water." AJ dug into her bag and got her water bottle out, "I bet you're tired after that." AJ said.
"Yeah, my legs are tired." Raimy agreed whilst taking gulps of her water, her pletes becoming wispy and messy which made AJ smile.
"I got the goal on video so… you can show dad when you get home." AJ nodded, standing back up straight and taking Raimy's hand, being paused in her tracks when Raimy's coach appeared in front of her.
"Hi Coach." Raimy smiled as AJ looked on at the pleasant man who she'd spoken to off and on.
"Hey, Raimy." Her coach, Pete smiled, "You were phenomenal tonight." He nodded as Raimy smiled to herself, "She was amazing." Pete nodded to AJ.
"I know, I saw." AJ smiled.
"We're uh… we're looking for volunteers to help out during practise through the week." Pete said, "And you look like you're in… amazing shape." He looked her up and down as AJ watched him, "It's an hour every week-"
"I'm sorry, I… I have three kids. It sounds false but I don't have the time." AJ said politely, "But thank you for… thinking of me." She shrugged.
"Fair enough." Pete nodded, "Three kids and you look eighteen." He smirked as AJ laughed.
"Ok, now you're going too far." AJ said, "You could at least give realistic compliments."
"Hey, it is." Pete put his hands up, "I'm not a fan of the ring on your finger." He admitted as AJ looked at him.
"Well it's there. Happily." AJ made clear, "I'll let my husband know that you think I look eighteen. He has a good sense of humour so… hopefully he laughs."
"Or he beats my ass." Pete laughed nervously.
"Well, maybe that too." AJ nodded, "C'mon, Raims. Let's get going." She said, nodding to Pete and walking by him with Raimy as they headed to the car.
"Daddy hates him." Raimy nodded.
"Mhm, I know he does." AJ nodded, opening up the car door and helping her daughter in just as she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see one of the familiar mom faces, normally one she tried to avoid, "Oh… hi." AJ smiled, turning around as she closed the car door.
"You're Vivian's mom, right? I'm Dawn." She smiled, "I hold all the PTA meetings." She shook AJ's hand without giving AJ much choice.
"Right." AJ nodded, "Uh can I help you?" AJ shook her head.
"Well I was just wondering why you never showed up to the meeting on Friday, Oh and… sorry to sound like a nag but when we had the bake sale two weeks ago, Vivian didn't bring anything, normally all the kids bring something." Dawn said as AJ looked at her. She was one of those busy body mom's that harassed everyone about their level of commitment.
"Well first of all… Dawn." AJ gave her a fake smile, "We were at a wedding on Friday, and to be honest, those PTA meetings are bullshit." She shrugged as Dawn gasped, "Second, the bake sale, Vivian never mentioned it, and you know what? It's rude for you to assume people have the money to be spending on making cakes for your stupid bake sale anyway." AJ said.
"Doesn't your husband work for the CIA? I doubt you live in pennies." Dawn attempted to joke as AJ glared at her.
"What my household income is, is not your business in any way shape or form." AJ nodded, "I don't do PTA meetings, and unless my kids ask me for help with anything school related, it's not gonna happen." AJ shrugged.
"But it's good for us to work as a group, to better their lives-"
"Making sure my daughter brings in cookies for a bake sale isn't making anyone's life any better." AJ shrugged, "Some of us don't have the time. Some of us have more than one child, whilst working a job." She said, "If people want to help your committee out, they will." AJ nodded.
"O-Ok." Dawn nodded, stepping back a little. There was no mom that she'd encountered quite like AJ who gave blunt but honest responses.
"Well if your husband is interested-" Dawn began as AJ got in the car and closed the door over, waving to her through the window as Dawn sighed and stepped further back as AJ reversed out of the space and took off to go back home.
"Mom, is that the crazy lady always asking us to bake?" Raimy asked.
"Yeah." AJ shook her head, "But don't say crazy." She said.
"Her kid is in Vivian's class and she always has weird snacks. She had fake chocolate one time." Raimy informed her mother as AJ just shook her head.
"That damn mom got a hold of me when I was leaving the soccer game." AJ said, walking into the living room where Punk was lying watching the hockey game. The kids were all in bed which meant they had their peaceful, quiet time to look forward to.
"Dawn?" Punk said with fear, "She's a nightmare."
"Tell me about it." AJ said, "I'm all for… making school a fun time for the kids but she's obsessive. I couldn't live my life like that. Three kids… does she think I have time to bake them all invidiual sets of things and… separate their lunches and check every single chocolate bar for nuts and separate gluten free from dairy… like, jeez woman." AJ groaned, sitting down on the couch as Punk chuckled.
"You weren't mean to her, were you?" Punk said.
"I was… honest." AJ nodded.
"So you were mean?" Punk smiled.
"No, I was just telling her what I thought, she… seemed to take it well I think." AJ nodded as Punk just smiled, "Raimy's coach was hitting on me again."
"That fucking dude." Punk said angrily, "That's it, I'm taking Raimy to soccer from now on. He needs to learn his damn place."
"It's fine. He's just flirting." AJ shrugged.
"Yeah, exactly." Punk said, "Men like him can't take any hints." He shook his head as AJ smiled.
"He said I looked eighteen." AJ smiled, knowing it got him all hot and bothered.
"He's full of shit." Punk shook his head.
"So you don't think I look eighteen?" AJ frowned.
"Well… no. More twenty." Punk nodded as AJ smiled.
"Sweet." AJ nodded, "I just humour him. It makes me laugh." She said, "He was bugging me to do volunteering for Raimy's soccer but… I love watching her, I love seeing her play but… I'm not gonna coach on the side." AJ shook her head.
"AJ, he was asking you so he could get close to you. You can't read signs, can you?" Punk asked.
"Oh." AJ realised, "Oh, of course." AJ nodded, "Oh, shows how much I'm paying attention." She chuckled, "Hey, baby. Don't sweat it. No one compares to you." She smiled, running her hand up his leg, climbing over him, "Mmm… I want you." She smiled, pressing her lips against his as he kissed back, running his hands up her t-shirt just as there was a knock at their door.
"Great." Punk scoffed as AJ sighed, getting off of him and heading out to the doorway, opening the door up as she saw one of the girls she worked with in her office.
"Hey, Lily." AJ smiled pleasantly.
"Hi, April." Lily nodded, "I was just dropping off some things I got done tonight at the office. We've finally got a location, a house for that group we were targeting through the social media websites."
"Oh, really? Oh that's amazing, Lily. You're a star." AJ smiled, taking the folder from her.
"Hey, anytime. I'll see you tomorrow." Lily nodded.
"See you tomorrow." AJ nodded, closing the door over and walking back into the living room, "That girl works so hard." She shook her head, opening up the folder and sitting down at the edge of the couch.
"What's that?" Punk asked curiously.
"Just some things from work. Lily was tracking this activity from these traffickers who were using social media to… to get girls basically." AJ nodded, "She finally found a location and a house apparently." AJ smiled, looking through the paper work, finding the pictures as she began looking through them, pausing and sitting up for a second.
"What?" Punk noticed her sitting up.
"Wait a minute-" AJ paused, walking through to the kitchen in a rush with the folder as Punk got up and followed her.
"What are you doing?" Punk asked, watching her dig through the trash, picking out the picture of his supposed mom, piecing it back together and sitting it on the kitchen table, sitting down the picture Lily had gotten next to it as she realised it was the same house.
"Holy shit." AJ looked up at Punk as Punk walked around beside her, looking on at the similar locations in each picture, wondering why his mother had been spotted walking into such a place, wondering if this was as simple as ripping up the picture and forgetting about it.