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"Mom, hi it's Kelly. I was just calling to say-"

"Kelly?" Mom asked, after she turned off the answering machine, "Hi, baby. How are you? I've missed you so much!"

"Yeah, Mom. I missed you too. And I'm doing great. Never better." I lied.

"What's going on?" Mom asked suspiciously.

Damn! She knows me too well! I sighed and said, "I got suspended."

AJ laughed. He was sitting next to me on the couch in the living room. I glared at him.

"You got suspended? Gosh, Kel, for how long?" Mom asked.

"A week and a half." I told her proudly.

"A week and a half." Mom echoed, "What did you do?"

"I hit a girl." I answered.

"Why? Why do you always have to go hitting people?" Mom asked.

"Because they always piss me off. You know I get pissed off too easily." I told her.

"Anger management classes." Mom said, "You should be sent to anger management classes."

"I don't need those." I said, "Ask AJ. I am a very sweet person if you don't piss me off." I said.

"Which is how often?" Mom asked.

I smiled. "Almost never." I answered.

"Exactly." Mom said, "So...guess what?"

"The neighbor got arrested?" I guessed.

"Well, yeah, but that's not it." Mom said, "I got a date."

"A date?" I asked, "With who?"

"Just this guy who came to the casino." Mom answered.

I looked at AJ, whose eyes were glued to the TV. "You met a guy in the casino? How do you know he was sober?" I asked Mom.

"He wouldn't drink. Recovering alcoholic he says." Mom told me, "I'm going to dinner with him tonight."

"Tonight? Wow, that's soon." I said.

"He asked me a few days ago." Mom said, "I called you last night, but AJ told me that you were asleep."

Wow. A date. My mom had a date. I guess now that I was gone she had time to do crap like that. I mean, sure, she would date once in a while, but she didn't have a lot of time.

"Kelly, Kel, are you still there?" Mom asked.

"Oh, yeah. I am." I answered, "So what's this guys name?"

"Jonathan..." Mom answered dreamily.

I laughed, "Mom, you sound like you're in high school." I told her.

"I feel like I am." Mom told me and we both started to giggle.

AJ looked at me and raised his eyebrows. "You're freaks. Both of you." He said, loud enough for Mom to hear.

"Tell your dad that I got a date. I want him to know." Mom said, "Tell me if he gets jealous."

"Okay." I agreed. I looked at AJ and said, "My mom has a date with the best person in the whole world ever. He's rich, and polite, and handsome, and has no tattoos or piercings."

"That she knows of." AJ muttered, "That don't seem like the type of person that your mom would date."

I laughed. "Are you jealous? Cuz my mom has a new man?" I asked.

"No." AJ answered quickly, "Just let her know that I also have a date with an OLDER WOMAN!"

"AJ has a date?" Mom asked.

"Yeah. He has to go out with her so that she doesn't sue him." I told her.

"Why would she sue him?" Mom asked.

"Because I broke her kids nose. I thought I told you about that..." I said confused.

"You broke her nose? I thought you just hit her! Slapped her or something!" Mom exclaimed.

Oops. "Uh, no. Broke her nose. Her mom would have sued if AJ hadn't agreed to go out with her instead." I said.

Mom sighed. "Kelly Kelly Kelly...what am I going to do with you?" She asked.

"Oh, you don't have to do anything. It's all up to AJ now. You had your chance." I said.

"Yes I did." Mom said slowly, "So, is your dad enjoying having you with him?"

"I don't know. Maybe." I said, "I mean, he does get to see me again after eleven years."

"Yeah. He must like that." Mom said.

"Especially since you just took me right out from under his nose. He musta been shocked bout that, huh?" I asked.

"What?" Mom asked.

"You know, since you took me when I was little without telling AJ? I wonder how he reacted..." I said.

"Kelly, I didn't take you. Your dad did." Mom said.

I looked at AJ who was listening to my end of the conversation with interest. "Didn't she take me away, Dad? Didn't she?"

"Yeah. While I was out with the guys one day." AJ told me.

"While he was out with the guys." I repeated, "That is just evil, Mom."

"Kelly," Mom said.

"Why'd you do it?" I asked, "Did you not like AJ?"

"Of course I liked AJ. I loved him. I was just...confused ya know? He proposed and I said no so we grew farther apart, and we were living together so it was even weirder. Then I just couldn't take it anymore so I left. And brought you with me." Mom explained to me.

"He proposed to you?" I asked.

AJ nodded. Then Mom said, "Yeah, but I refused. I was too young and I thought he just wanted to marry me because of you."

"Well so what?" I asked, "So he wanted to marry you? At least he was willing to try and make things work."

"God, Kelly. I don't want to talk about this!" Mom said.

"Well I do, Mom!" I told her, "I need some answers here! Is the only reason you left because you didn't want to marry him?"

"No... " Mom said slowly.

"Then why?!" I demanded.

"I was jealous, okay? I was jealous!" Mom told me.

"Of what? Why the hell would you be jealous?" I asked her.

When I glanced over at AJ, he was looking at me like he knew exactly why she would be jealous.

"Because even when you were little you were closer to your dad then you were with me. After you learned to talk, you would only ask for him!" Mom said.

I laughed. What a stupid reason! I was a baby! That made no sense! "Mom, I was little! I couldn't help what I said!"

"You'd cry whenever I held you." Mom told me.

"So? I didn't like you holding me. Big freaking deal." I said.

"Kelly," AJ whispered to me, "Just tell her you have to go."

"Kel, I'm sorry. I know it was horrible of me to keep you from your dad from so long, but I did give him the chance to see you." Mom told me.

"Well you wouldn't have had to if you hadn't taken me from him." I said, "Now I have to go. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay. Bye, I love you." Mom said.

"Love you too." I mumbled, "Bye."

I hung up the phone and leaned back in the couch, crossing my arms.

"So...you got some answers tonight now didn't you?" AJ asked.

"Yeah. And I'm mad at her now." I told him.

"I know you are, but you really shouldn't be." AJ told me, "She just wanted to be closer to you."

I shrugged. "It's just moronic that she thinks she can just take me away." I said.

"It is." AJ agreed, "And the reason is stupid, too."

"Then why shouldn't I be mad?" I asked.

AJ shrugged. "Because everyone has their reasons to do stupid shit. Even your mom."