He was really nice

 "What's up?" Jay asked when he got to the door. He was prepping for a stew while Hope was asleep. Misty was already there making a cake, perhaps.

Jay looked at Vanna who looked a little off. Maybe it was the weather.

"I was going to call," he told her, but then again he didn't want to think she had to show up every Saturday night to have dinner with him and Slater.

She said nothing but stood in the livingroom without even taking off her jacket.

"Did something happen?" He really hoped she would tell him. A few weeks ago, he'd given her a hug before she left. Even then, he thought she might collapse and fall asleep on him. He knew she wasn't quite as confident as she looked. Honestly, he felt a little sad for her, but nothing more.

She shook her head, no. But he knew. He could tell something was bothering her. 

Jay went to get her a soda and Misty talked to her a little to draw her into the dining area near the galley kitchen. Slater wasn't here yet, maybe he could find out what was the matter.

But he was there soon enough with day-old bread and a bag of salad. Naturally, he assured them they all needed to be eating more greens only he was the first to butter his roll when the stew came.

Really, it was the best of times. By then Hope was awake and ready to be part of the party. He put her in the high chair and fed her a little of the mashed up potatoes from the stew. Actually, she loved beans. Especially, refried beans.

Of course, Vanna made over the baby. Hope was good for her. Whatever was bothering her seemed to disappear. Finally, as they were cleaning up, she did say her mother had COVID. She had only learned this in a text. Honestly, she didn't know how her mother was doing.

"Oh no," Misty said and they talked about their mothers for a little while. Evidently, neither trusted their mother, but they loved them anyway.

So Jay guessed this was what was bothering Vanna. He went to clean up Hope. They both watched her move about on the blanket with her toys. Still, he wasn't sure what was really going with Vanna. Usually, she would have left by now. She was a bit flighty, he'd noticed. Like she shouldn't be here after all. As if she'd always be an outsider.

"I know.. it's hard not knowing.." he started.

"Look," she hugged herself. "I..I  couldn't bring it up earlier."

They were alone now.  Slater had gone back to Misty's. Jay winced at her as if he hadn't a clue what this was about. She took a deep breath as she pushed her blond hair past her shoulder. "There's this guy."

Jay nodded, hoping nothing bad had happened to her.

"This guy said he knows you and Slater...from back..at the Rez," she told him. "He..he came to the grocery store."

"Did he say-"

"Koda."

"Koda?" Jay winced more. He hadn't heard that name in a long time. He thought of a kid he used to know. He was a good five years younger than him. He thought. Actually, he didn't ever remember talking to him, but he was always around. "What about him?"

"He..he said Lenny got out of jail."

Jay sucked in a breath. He should have known it was about Lenny. But still, had Lenny sent Koda to tell him the news?