Let's be happy

 

Of course, Stevie was on J's side. He didn't know why Holly could be so aggravating.

"Why am I even friends with her?" He'd said days later while folding the laundry and thinking he didn't want to invite her to Thanksgiving.

"I don't know either," J mentioned he didn't know why he was friends with Liam/Tobey either. "It wasn't like he was the worst roommate, but still." He shook his head as if it was probably too late to turn him in.

"That would be the right thing to do, wouldn't it?"

"Probably," Stevie shrugged. Never would he think anything else would be going on with those two. He shook the thought of Holly's doubt. "It's just, you know, if he's in jail, what about Carrie's brother."

J nodded as if he didn't know what to make of it.

"You do think your old roommate is telling the truth?" As soon as Stevie said it, the doubt remained. He wince sadly wondering if Carrie was really OK. He went ahead and put things away. As it was, he and J were in his parents' room. His dad had moved out and his mom took the basement. It seemed she had a place to redecorate and Stevie and J had their own bathroom.

"Thanksgiving is coming," Stevie decided it was best to move on and maybe it was best to keep L closer to them since he was amongst their friends now. Sure, he was glad Carrie was back in her own room and at least someone to drive her to work. It wasn't like they were a couple. "Mom always makes Thanksgiving dinner."

"But do you know how expensive everything is this year?" J looked at him as if he would be fine with Ramen.

"She'll do it in her sleep," he said he would help. He was on the phone before he knew it was Holly about Thanksgiving dinner.

"Can I invite someone?" She said right away. 

"Sure." Stevie knew his mom would like that. She needed something to keep her busy. "Who is it?" 

"Oh just a guy," she said mysteriously.

"It's not some random guy is it?" Stevie didn't know where this was going. He told her he was inviting Liam and Carrie too.

"Fine!" she practically yelped. "I don't care."

Stevie sighed. Oh, Holly was just a trainwreck waiting to happen. Hopefully, she'd be on her best behavior, but he doubted it.

"Now if I can just get my mom's friend to join us." After all, Stevie did like coupling even if it was just to have an even number of guests.

"Your Mom has a friend?" J asked as he was brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed.

"Well, yeah." Stevie looked at him blankly. "How do you think she moved into the basement?"

"Oh," J looked at him as if he wasn't aware of such things. 

"Purely platonic, of course," Stevie nodded. "Something my father would never know the definition of."

J almost choked on the toothpaste. Stevie got him some water. Yes, it was bedtime and Stevie didn't know why J even had on his pajamas. He sighed then, thinking maybe he was more like his father than he knew.