Why is it always you and never me?

 "I know I shouldn't make all this with my Mom sound so blue," Alfie told Gage over brunch at the Coffee Shop. "I feel so tired lately, you know."

"Oh?" Gage waited to hear Alfie say more, but he didn't. "Well, Carson's still in the basement." Gage sipped his iced tea. Honestly, it felt winter had frozen them in time. Although it was warming up, even if the wind from the north was cold. They were in a fire zone, and yet, a flood warning too. It was confusing. A lot like the on again, off again situation with Carson and his wife. 

"Isn't that where you want him to be?" Alfie nibbled on a broccoli piece he didn't eat from his quiche.

"Yeah, I think that's the best place for him," Gage nodded. "I know I upset him, sometimes, I don't mean to, but all he does is whine about Brit..and I said maybe it was time for him to move on...maybe find someone who really appreciates him." Gage practically rolled his eyes. "Brit's got him in such a state. I mean, here he is trying to be the provider, but that's not enough. She wants him taking care of the kids every night of the week, and some of those nights he's either on call or at the ER working."

"Sounds dreadful," Alfie murmured, leaning his cheek into his hand with a bored expression. 

"I'm worried about you, Alf," Gage gazed at him thinking he might be seriously ill, as sleepy as he looked.

"Me? What about you?" He dropped his hand and scowled back at Gage. "I'm fine. I don't sleep as well as I used to."

"Why is that?" Gage wanted to know while Chili came by to fill up his glass with fresh tea. She offered them a brownie to try. Gage even cut it as if they both needed to cut calories.

"Oh, you know," Alfie squinted hard. "It's all that stuff you gotta do to make sure it's the right time, for you know..that baby thing."

"Oh." Gage nodded as if he'd know, but he really didn't. "I think you two just need to relax." He shrugged. Of course, he wished Caron and Brit would relax too.