bits of Febuary

Randy was happy to have a place to live. He didn't think he liked it all that much out on the streets this winter. It was just impossible to explain, the things that he did.

Maybe it was his sister's fault. She was a runaway.

There was a time, he'd believed in her so much. Maybe even felt something that wasn't even there. Was she ever really there?

As long as he could remember, her looking back at him, holding out her gaunt hand, "COME ON!"

Maybe he never really got a good look at her eyes, he thought back now. Maybe he really didn't even know what she looked like, but Bree reminded him, a whole lot of her.

His feelings were bitter yet confused. Why did he mess things up?

He'd slept with Bree on New Year's Eve. It was all a bit blurry, or what he wanted to believe. Only, he remember every little thing.

How she'd noticed him outside her window. How she'd found a way to bring him to her room.

It was probably lame, but he believed she was a good person. Randy knew he was the opposite of such existence.

He'd been a smoker since he was nine years old. Even then, he knew he was old enough to know better.

But he was used to hiding in corners of vacant houses. Walking through kitchens with the dim lights on, hoping for a sack of bread, a jar a peanut-butter and of course, cigarettes.

And sometimes, he'd find his sister, again. She'd show him the way for a little while. And then she would vanish. Maybe she was just a figment of imagination, after all.

Randy couldn't help but smile. Still, he'd hate for Clare and her family to know, they had a crazy person living with them.

"Yes!" Carson was happy about their decision. He could hardly wait to spill it to his mother. He didn't even care if his Dad knew. "We're getting married!"

"On Valentines Day?" Gage looked at him puzzled. He'd set the table for a family dinner, one of their Mom's one pot wonder meals.

"No." Carson did have to admit. Maybe he'd said it all wrong. There was no justice of the peace who would do it. Especially, on a Sunday. "We, do have our license. and..well, we met this guy, down in Old Town. He said he'd do it. Right in his shop. We thought we'd do it Monday morning. Then..then we can all go to Oliver's."

"Oh." Gage was a bit perplexed. He then said, he'd miss his first class, but that was OK, and Halie didn't go to work til the afternoon. "I just..I..I never thought of having a wedding, in the morning."

"I know. We..we just wanted it small." Carson told his brother, but Gage looked as if this couldn't be true. "It was Brittany's idea. Seriously." Carson looked wide-eye at Gage.

"What's going on?" His mother finally got off her laptop then.

Carson hugged himself. He'd have to start from the beginning, again. Why didn't people listen to him..in this house?

Garvin seriously, wasn't planning on making his photo studio a wedding chapel. But on a whim he'd gotten certified on the Internet to officitate weddings. He didn't know it would happen so quickly. He'd done it so he could work at the Berry Farm this summer. Just one more gig to prepare for.

Of course, his mind was on making a bench. But he needed other kind of benches. Especially, for a wedding.

Was it proper to have a wedding behind the glassed in front? That was the only place to do it. He sighed..thinking of a little stage. Maybe. Standing room only. Yeah, that might be better. His thoughts raced.

His cell rang. It was Tess, who wanted to know if he needed any help.

"Oh, do you have any Christmas lights?" He thought  some bright white ones might be pretty, scattered about. Hopefully.

It was cold still. Some days the snow thawed. Then it turned to ice.

"I'll bring them." Tess told him.

Garvin knew for sure, it would be a mess if he didn't have Tessa's help.