I know I usually have something from Kayla or Dean at least once. But hey, Kari is now a teenager so her internal monologue is interesting. Besides, I wanted to include her perspective on this part. Enjoy. 

                       I waited for my phone to buzz again, my palms all sweaty. Stop sweating, I scolded myself. Don't be such a dork. It was so silly to get so frazzled over a text message. Usually, it was nothing more than an emoji or a silly picture. How did I get all tied up over that? Well, it was because it was from Aiden. We'd been texting each other every hour for three days. 

"Sweetie, can you put the phone down," Kayla called. "Help me pick out some shoes for your sisters."

Kayla was the only person who could call me sweetie and not get shanked with a glitter pen. My new stepmom-to-be was too lovely to attack. And she wanted me to help plan her wedding, which was normally something I'd be excited about. But today, I was distracted. Today, I was contemplating if it was possible to say I love you with a winky face. 

"Sure," I replied calmly. I grabbed a pair of pink stilettos. "These are adorbs."

"It's adorable," Kayla chastised my grammar. "And Candice will not be able to walk in these."

"Fine, what about the black flats. I bet they come in red."

"Good choice," she said. "I like those."

                       "So, since we found shoes, went to the florist, and designed wedding invitations...I think we deserve a snack. Do you want to go to Jamba Juice?"

She beamed at me, looking touched. Yes, my step-mother-to-be loved spending time with us. And I liked the quality family time as well, but I also had ulterior motives. Lacy's cute older brother worked at Jamba Juice. And although he didn't give me quite the sensation as Aiden, what girl didn't love a raspberry smoothie from a cute hipster? We bought the shoes and took off. In the car, I got another text. 

AIDEN: How is the shoe shopping going?

KARI: Great! We're going for juice now. 

AIDEN: Yeah...you probably want to creep on Scott just like all the other girls.

KARI: Lol, don't be just jealous. 

AIDEN: Maybe I am ; ) ; ) lolzzzzz

                     I pulled the phone back. What the hell did that mean? Two winky faces? He was trying too hard to be calm. Was he jealous? Did he love me? What the frack did it all mean?

"You're pretty lost in the phone today," Kayla commented idly.

"Sorry," I said. "I've been texting Aiden about...his science homework."

"Oh," Kayla said. "Well he can come over anytime to study. I can help, you know. I am a former science teacher and I am getting my masters in physics soon."

"Well, yeah, but Dad would be so crazy if I brought a boy home."

"Well, that would depend," Kayla replied, her voice shockingly calm. "Are you bringing a boy home, or are you bringing a boy home?"

"What?" I asked. "You're so weird, Kayla."

                        My phone lit up, buzzing like a bee who went on a honey trip. 

AIDEN: I was just kidding. You there?

He was so not kidding. 

KARI: Sorry, my mom is totally tripping.

AIDEN: Don't you mean stepmom. 

KARI: Whatever. Kayla is spazzing out.

"Is that Aiden again?" Kayla asked.

"Uh huh," I replied. "Are you going to tell Dad about this?"

                  "Sweetie, I don't have to," Kayla laughed. "You realize your dad monitors your phone, right?"

"I know," I sighed. "But it's not like he reads my texts. He just skims them to make sure there's no inappropriate photos."

"Well," Kayla said. "I just want to talk...about boys."

"Boys?" I sighed. 

"I notice your interest in them has piqued."

"What?" I said, my voice cracking. "No way. Boys are gross."

Except Aiden, and Scott, and Niall Horan. Dammit. 

                                "Well," Kayla said. "I've talked to your dad. He has agreed that you girls need to be able to talk to me about boys. So I have permission to be your sounding board, and I will respect your privacy as much as possible. So if you kiss a boy, or want to start dating, or if someday you need birth control, I am your person to talk to. There will be no judgement, no punishment. I will listen and help."

"Really?" I asked. "So, if someday I want to have sex, you're going to buy me condoms?"

"Are you considering it?" She asked, her voice panicked now.

"God no! I am thirteen. But you know, for future reference. I don't plan on being a nun so..."

"Look," Kayla said. "When I was in high school, my parents never talked about sex with me. I was sixteen my first time, and it was all wrong. I didn't have protection, and I didn't have anyone to talk to. What should have been a good memory made me feel alone. And then my parents died and I never got to talk to them about this stuff. I had to figure it out alone."  

                       "Yikes," I said. "Sorry."

"So, I want you to be safe," Kayla said. "Obviously, every parent hope their child will wait for sex until they are married or older. But I'd rather have an uncomfortable conversation than let you be physically or emotionally vulnerable."

"So, I can talk to you," I said. "And you'll be like, cool."

"I can try," Kayla laughed. "I mean, as cool as I get. I am your step-mom, almost."

I just nodded, and honestly, I felt relieved to have a woman to talk to. 

*

*

*

                   We'd been sitting in the Jamba Juice for an hour, and Kayla listened to me go on and on about Aiden and our friendship. It wasn't until I told another mundane story about how he always smiles when I talk at lunch when I saw a man approaching us. He had bleached blonde hair that was tied back into a frizzy man bun, and he wore this awful board shorts. Who told that man child that he could pull of the homeless hipster look? Because he couldn't. A vague sense of familiarity hit me, and it dawned on me. I'd seen this asshole before. I had seen him on my mom's Facebook page after she left. He smiled at Kayla and she looked up, her eyes widening. 

"Hey Kay," he said sheepishly. "How are you?"

"Good," she said. "Darius, wow. I thought you were in Thailand..."

Kayla's voice was unemotional. She always sounded so stagnant when she was uncomfortable. She didn't like this man.

"I am," He said. "I came back for a friend's wedding. Everyone I knew is getting married, and I am flying solo. It's weird, you know."

"Uh huh," she nodded. "Speaking of which, I am actually engaged now. This is my Fiancee's daughter, and soon to be my daughter, Kari."

                    "Oh," Darius said. His eyes landed on me with a certain recognition. "Wait, Kari...Is she Dean and Greta's daughter?"

"Yes," Kayla said. 

"You know my dad," I asked, my eyebrows raised. I knew he didn't, but I wanted to hear this the bastard's admission. 

"Not exactly," Darius shrugged. "So, yeah, I just wanted to say hi."

"Ok," Kayla said nervously.

How did Kayla know my mom's boy toy? 

"God, I can't believe you're marrying Dean," Darius said. "I guess the affair worked out well for you. God, Greta fucked me over, that little..."

 "Hey!" I said. "She's my mom. And she may be, whatever it is you were going to call her, but shut up! God, you already stole my mom. Then you come over here to clearly hit on my step mom. Dude, Kayla would never date you. You're a loser."

                 "Kari! Stop it," Kayla chided. "And Darius, Jesus Christ, get your shit together."

"You said Shit," I chided sarcastically. 

"Shhh," Kayla replied. "Now, Darius, I was very generous to you in the divorce. The least you could do is not talk about your terrible life decisions in front of Kari. God, you're an asshole. And I don't know why you felt the need to say hi, but in the future, don't. I am perfectly happy with a real man who is kind, honest, and who knows how to treat a woman well."

"Wait, you two were married?" I asked, my breath leaving my lungs. 

"Yes," Kayla said. 

"Yep," Darius said. "I miss you, Kayla. I screwed up, ok? But how long until Dean makes the same mistake? Are you going to leave him when he cheats on you too?"

"Let's go," Kayla said, standing up. We got up and walked out of there.

*

*

* 

                         I sat in my room, staring at the ceiling, listening to Taylor Swift. I didn't speak to Kayla the ride home, because I felted duped. Kayla had been married to my mom's sidepiece. Was that how Dad met Kayla, or how mom met her boyfriend? Clearly, my mom wasn't still with the asshole she left us for. So where was my mom? I mean, yeah, she was a screw-up. But why did she want us? It was maddening. There was a knock at the door and I shook my head.

"Go away Marisa," I said. "We'll watch The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt later. I am not in the mood for comedy."

"Not Marisa," My dad's baritone voice called out. "Just Dad."

"Oh," I said. "Have you come to defend our family? Because we belong on a Jerry Springer episode."

"At least we're interesting," he laughed, sitting down beside me. 

"Did you know," I asked. "Did you know Kayla was married to Greta's boyfriend?"

"Of course," Dad smiled. "I didn't tell you girls because Kayla felt guilty. She felt like it was her fault that mom left. But it wasn't Kayla's fault. It wasn't even Darius' fault, honestly."

                     "Than who's fault is it?"

"Mom's," Dad said, his eyes serious. "She made a choice to walk away. She stopped being a mom. She gave up. And it's her loss, honestly. We will be fine."

"I know, but I hate secrets..." I said. "God, is there any other secret I need to know?"

"About Kayla? No." Dean said. "She's been through a lot. And that guy you met today treated her badly. He left her homeless and heart-broken. I just happened to be there. So I hired her, and she had a place to live. I had a certified teacher to be my nanny."

"When did you fall in love?" I asked him. 

"Not right away," Dad replied. "I had a crush, of course. But my focus was you girls. When I saw how much she loved you two, I opened up a bit. Then it just took over slowly."

"So she doesn't love Darius still, right?"

"No," Dad said. "Kayla is my fiance, and I intend to keep her happy and close."

"Ok," I said. 

                      "Will you apologize to her for overreacting?"

"Yeah," I said. "Did I upset her?"

"No," Dad replied. "She knows you well. She knows how much you hate secrets. Kayla will be understanding."

"Ok," I said. "And Dad..."

"Yes honey," he replied. 

"Kayla looks really pretty in her wedding dress," I smirked. "You're such a lucky man."

"I am four times lucky," he said. "Thanks for understanding, kid."

"No problem," I said. "I love you dad."

He kissed my forehead and turned to leave. I pulled out my phone and smirked. 

I had twenty-two text messages from a panicked Aiden, who seriously thought I was too cool for him all of a sudden. Life was good.