Where have all the fairy tales gone?

 "Stop making such a big deal about it!" That alarmed look on Alfie's face only made Victoria laugh. 

"What is wrong with you?" She smiled with a sigh as they were in the back of the drug store doing much of nothing at the moment. The rush would be here probably in fifteen minutes, but it was good to take a break. She was drinking her protein shake and Alfie looked like he might need a nicotine fix, but he'd showed her the patch on his stomach (actually there were three). He was trying to quit smoking. 

"Nothing. I..I just know you'll go back to Poppy and tell her everything. You two probably think I'm..I'm I dunno. Doing things with Ting." He looked back at her as if he didn't want any trouble from anyone.

"Yes, I was hoping you'd be in your own place by now." She shrugged as she sat being as calm as she could. "But..but I think Kristine can straighten you out."

"Oh, really." He swelled a frown as if she was wrong. Totally.

"When's the last time you've seen your mom?" Victoria looked him in the eye.

"I don't know." He looked away as if this was a touchy subject.

"See, you felt closer to your grandmother than you ever did with her." She told him. She knew all his stories of staying in Denmark with his grandmother. It was the best time of his life, even if it was a little late and he had to go through so much, saying goodbye in the end. 

"Just..stop, will you." He sounded as if he'd never needed his mom.

"No, you probably do need her but you know that won't happen. At least, you have Kristine."

"Nothing is going on with me and Kristine." He looked at her blankly as if she should not say things like that.

"I know," Victoria nodded. "But you need someone like her in your life."

Alfie only sighed.

"Just don't rush it with Ting."

"What are you talking about?" He winced hard as if he didn't need to hear this.

"If it happens..it will happen." She found it hard to keep from smirking, but maybe somebody like Ting was who he needed. She was certain someone like Kristine's daughter wasn't going to let him get by with anything.

Alfie only sighed as if Victoria had lost all hope in him.

"Just..just don't tell  Poppy." He said, but she knew deep down he wanted to know what was going on with Poppy and Gage.

"Look, I know nothing. She has said nothing about Gage. I think she just likes being on her own right now." Victoria told him.