"... you may kiss the bride."

Jennifer stepped back at first, but then, not wanting to blow their cover, she let Buddha Bob quickly peck her lips. Even with that giant beard, it was surprisingly nice. She caught herself blushing, which made her blush more. Buddha Bob also seemed a little caught-off-guard.

Before Jennifer knew it, she found herself in a conga line, dancing like a fool. She tried to hide her smile, unlike Buddha Bob who was having fun and didn't mind showing it.

Once the guy from immigration deemed their marriage real - and Bitters claimed it not real - she still had a strange feeling in her stomach whenever she looked at Buddha Bob.

"Okay." Said Katie after chucking her not-too-used violin in the bin. "I'll tell Buddha Bob he can move out."

"Wait!" Jennifer grabbed her daughter's shoulder, stopping her. "Let's wait until he's finished with my bathroom."

Buddha Bob, standing at the elevator, sent her a grin and waved, and she did the same. It seemed like this day was a win for everyone.

~ a month later

Jennifer wanted to tell Buddha Bob the truth. She really did. But every time she tried to bring it up, Buddha Bob mentioned another thing that needed to be done in the apartment, and she... well, she needed the help. Before Buddha Bob, she did all the housework since the guys were busy balancing the band and school. Katie helped every now and then but still, it was mostly Jennifer.

Right now, Buddha Bob was out doing whatever janitors did, and Jennifer was dancing to BTR in the living room whilst hoovering. Her back was turned against the door, so if anyone came in, she wouldn't notice.

After a while she was done hoovering, and she did a Michael Jackson spin when she bumped into a tall man with an axe in his hand. She screamed and dropped the hoover, panicking.

"Who are you?" She took a few steps back, feeling her heart beating like a drum in her chest. "What do you want?"

"Relax, wifey. It's just me. Buddha Bob." The man reached out and turned off the music, letting the axe down. "Although at this point, you could just call me Bob."

Jennifer took another few steps back, looking the man up and down. There was no way she was looking at Buddha Bob.

The man she was looking at had stylish, short hair on the side and longer on top, and a nicely trimmed bear. He was... handsome. He had wide, toned shoulders that Jennifer never noticed before, but his clothing was indeed Buddha Bob's. And when she looked into his green eyes - although still in disbelief - her mind confirmed it: she was, in fact, looking at Buddha Bob. She stared at him a little while longer before stammering.

"B-Buddha Bob? Is that really you?"

Buddha Bob gave a half smile that wasn't very cheerful and gently pushed Jennifer to the side to get into the kitchen. Jennifer just noticed he had groceries in his other hand.

"Buddha Bob, Bob, Robert, Poopsalot... whichever you prefer." He shrugged and began unpacking. "Actually, no, don't call me Poopsalot. It is my surname, but it reminds me of kids bullying me in school."

There was an awkward pause before Jennifer gulped and stopped staring, instead gazing at the ground.

"You look... different." She was stepping from one foot to the other, her face red. Buddha Bob gave a chuckle.

"Yeah... my mom's travelling in from Canada and she would have lost her mind if she saw my... state, I guess." He finished unpacking. "Also, she can't wait to meet my wife." He put his hands on the counter and leaned on it, wearing a small smile on his face. Jennifer bit down on her lip.

"Yeah. About that... um... Bob..." It was strange to leave "Buddha" out. "I've been meaning to tell you..."

"That you're not really my wife?" Buddha Bob walked up to Jennifer, crossing his arms over his chest, towering over her. "That Bitters' license expired 8 years ago, and that you didn't tell me because you suddenly had a slave that worked around the house?"

Slave was a little harsh. Jennifer rose an eyebrow.

"Now wait a minute, Bob. Nobody asked you to do all these things around the house."

Buddha Bob gave a joyless chuckle.

"No. No, I guess not." He shook his head, then stared at the ground. Jennifer once again gulped.

"How long have you known?" She asked him quietly, clearly ashamed. Buddha Bob shrugged again.

"About a week. Reggie thought I already knew so he didn't bring it up until then."

Jennifer nodded.

"You have to know, Bob, that..." She sighed deeply. "I never wanted to exploit you. I just suddenly had someone by my side, and that hadn't been the case since..."

"Since Kent?"

The air froze, and Jennifer whipped up her head.

"Who told you about that?" Her tone was sharp, but also surprised.

They locked eyes.

"Katie." Said Buddha Bob. Again, there was that awkward silence.

"I see." Said Jennifer finally. Then she sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry Bob, I really am. Is there any way I can make this up to you? I feel terrible."

To Jennifer's greatest surprise, Buddha Bob blushed. He took a deep breath before looking into her eyes.

"You could go out on a date with me."

Silence. Then Jennifer burst out laughing, doubling over. She expected Buddha Bob's deep voice to join hers, but she soon realized she was the only one laughing. When she looked into Buddha Bob's eyes, all she could see was hurt. Hurt and disgust.

"Wait, you were... you were serious? Were you actually...?"

Buddha Bob suddenly picked up his axe and walked out the door without a warning, shutting the door loudly, making Jennifer wince.

Buddha Bob just asked her out and he meant it. And she laughed at him, wholeheartedly. Jennifer sighed and rubbed her temple. Did that really just happen?

"You're quiet today, Mom. What's going on?" Katie asked once they were at the dinner table. "And where's Buddha Bob? It's Fishstick Friday! He loves Fishstick Friday!"

"We all love Fishstick Friday." James chimed in. "But really, Mrs. Knight, where's Buddha Bob?"

Jennifer put her fork down, happy to concentrate on something else. When Buddha Bob left, he took her appetite with her.

"He..." She sighed. "Bitters told him our marriage was fake about a week ago and he left."

"About a week ago?" Katie furrowed her eyebrows together. "How come he didn't leave sooner?"

I have no idea, Jennifer thought. Unless... unless he was just trying to help, like he always does. And her son soon confirmed that.

"Oh, you know Buddha Bob, Kates." Said Kendall from the other side of the table. "He helps wherever he can, whenever he can. I guess he was just trying to be nice."

"I guess." Katie shrugged, munching on fries. "He is nice. Isn't he, Mom?"

Jennifer smiled gently at her daugher.

"Yes he is, honey." She pushed her plate away. "Yes he is."

Once it was nighttime and everyone was in their bedroom - James with Carlos, Kendall with Logan, Katie with her mom - Jennifer was tossing and turning in bed. It wasn't the night light that kept her awake. It was simply early, and she wasn't tired. But she still just wanted to sleep because she didn't want to think: think about what she did to Buddha Bob, and his final glance at her. She laughed into his face and she knew what that felt like. She felt horrible. Buddha Bob didn't deserve that.

"Are you okay, Mom?" Asked Katie next to her in bed, closing the book she was reading before. "You've been acting weird all day."

Jennifer turned towards her daughter.

"I don't know, sweetheart." She paused. "I guess I just have a lot on my mind."

"Is this about Buddha Bob?" Asked Katie, and Jennifer froze. How does she know- "Relax, Mom, he'll be fine. He said so himself. Us Poopsalots like to keep busy." She mimicked Buddha Bob's deep voice, almost making her mother smile.

Good, Jennifer thought. That's all she knows then.

"Yeah..." Her voice trailed off. Led by a sudden idea, she looked at her daughter. "Katie, could you get Kendall for me please?"

Her daughter nodded.

"Sure." She took a deep breath. "KENDALL, MOM WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!" She bellowed, and her mother looked at her disapprovingly.

"I could've done that."

"Well, why didn't you?"

Soon enough, they both recognized Kendall's footsteps pattering on the floor and then finally, he arrived.

"Jesus, Katie." He commented, shutting the door behind him. "You gave me a heart attack." He sat down next to Katie who grinned, then shoved him playfully after he did the same.

"What's up, Mom?" Kendall asked, letting Katie climb under his right arm. "Is everything okay?"

Jennifer nodded and took a deep breath before getting right to the point.

"You guys know how sensitive I get when it comes to dating since your father... since Kent... you know, died."

The siblings kept quiet. Their mother hardly ever spoke about her late husband, who was killed in a car accident when Katie was just two years old. A year later Jennifer thought she was ready to date, but all she accomplished was making a poor random man really uncomfortable she met on a dating site and later in person when she sobbed about her dead husband. She hadn't dated since then.

Katie looked up at Kendall for help, who just simply rubbed her back, lettting her know he was there for her but didn't know what to say.

"But today..." Jennifer proceeded. "Someone asked me out."

"Really?" Katie grinned happily, and looked at Kendall who sent her a careful, nervous smile. "Who was it?"

Jennifer sighed and gazed at the ground.

"Buddha Bob."

Silence.

Then the Knight sblings burst out laughing, doubling over just as Jennifer did not too long ago. The laughter only lasted for about 20 seconds before they realized their mother hadn't joined them.

"Wait..." Katie coughed and Kendall gave her back a few firm pats as she nearly choked on her own spit laughing. "You're not joking? Buddha Bob really asked you out?"

Kendall stared at her mom in disbelief, who only gave a nod.

"What did you say?" He asked gently, trying not to rush his mother while he was actually dying to know.

Jennifer sighed, running her fingers through her hair.

"I thought he was joking and I..." She buried her face in her hands. "I laughed in his face."

"Oh Mom..." Katie's voice contained a bit of disappointment, but mainly she just felt bad for both Buddha Bob and her mom. "How did he react?"

"He stormed out, obviously. That's what I would've done, if we reversed this whole thing."

"He's a catch though." Said Katie quietly. "You know that, Mom, right?" She looked up at Kendall, who was staring into space. Katie would have bet a 100 dollars he was thinking about their dad.

"He is?" Jennifer asked, sounding unsure when she actually knew the answer. Buddha Bob was the best person she's ever met. Always ready to help, always nice, always attentive. And today, she even got to know that behind that homeless-looking axe lunatic, was a handsome, charming man.

"I mean..." Kendall finally chimed in. "Yes, he's a good person, but... are you really thinking about dating him, Mom?"

"Why, would that be a bad thing?" Katie climbed out from under her brother's arm, her tone a bit sharper than she intended to.

"I didn't say that." Kendall raised his hands in a calming motion. "It's just... it's just that..."

"I know, honey." Jennifer smiled at her son sadly. Katie switched her gaze between them, realizing they just shared a moment she wasn't a part of. "I know."

"What do you know?" Katie asked. When they both stayed silent, she knew the answer right away. Anger suddenly hit her. "Oh, that! Come on, guys! Dad's dead, okay? Dad's been dead for over seven years! Isn't it time to move on?"

"Don't talk to him about like that, you didn't even know him!" Kendall raised his voice and Katie did the same.

"So what, Mom doesn't deserve to be happy? She just has to say single her entire life?"

"I didn't say that-"

"But you're against her dating!"

"I didn't say that either!" Kendall raised his voice even more and Katie flinched. Kendall sighed deeply. "Stop putting words into my mouth, Katie."

"I'll stop when you stop dwelling on the past!"

"Katie!"

"Kids, kids!" Jennifer soothed, then sighed. "This is exactly what I wanted to avoid, but it actually helped. No dating, not yet. It's clear that as a family, we're not ready for it yet."

"But Mom-"

"Case closed!" She said firmly, and Katie looked up at Kendall.

"Say something, for Christ's sake!"

Kendall just shrugged, not meeting her gaze.

"Unbelievable." Katie murmered, climbing back under the covers and opening her book. "See you, Kendall, we don't need you anymore."

"Katie!" That was Jennifer, who hated when her kids argued. They weren't like other siblings. They mostly adored each other, and it hurt her when they fought. She looked at Kendall. "Go to bed, baby. Thank you for coming down to talk about this. Good night."

"Good night." Kendall muttered, getting up and stopping at the door. He stared at his little sister, who refused to look at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but then just sighed and quietly closed the door behind him. Jennifer got back under the covers and laid down.

"Good night, baby." She didn't expect an answer from Katie, and she didn't get one. With a heavy heart, she soon fell asleep.