"So where do you want me?" I ask as I come out of Mikey's room

"About 2 miles to the west of here would be good." You grimace as you attempt to get comfortable in your chair.

"What happened to our conversation at the hospital? Let me help you." I state as I move towards you slowly helping you ease into a more comfortable position. "It's going to be a long two months if you keep acting like this."

"At least you'll be able to leave. I can't walk for 2 months; do you know how much weight I'm going to gain? How far behind I'm going to fall at work? I have to put everything on hold for 2 months; do you know what is going to happen during those 2 months? Thanksgiving, Christmas, my final sketches are due, your Mom's birthday, my car inspection, do you know how many birthday parties Mikey has coming up? He'll be starting basketball soon. And somehow I am supposed to deal with all of this while confined to the couch."

"You forgot my birthday." I quietly add.

"Chad..." you glare.

"Yea, sorry."

"What am I going to do?"

"First of all, you are not going to get worked up, because then you will start to hyperventilate and cry and then your ribs are going to hurt. Second, I am going to give you some more pain pills because you are much more fun when you are on them. Third, you don't have to worry about any of that. I'll figure it all out, I'll take care of Thanksgiving and will go Christmas shopping. I'll take your car to be inspected cause quite frankly I don't like the thought of you going there by yourself anyway. I'm helping to coach Mikey's team so I can take him to practice. We'll set up a little work center for you here. I'll run to your office and get everything. I'll cook dinner for my mom here and you two can get together and talk all the shit on me you'd like. Troy and I will tackle the little things around the house and the carpools and stuff. And you can let me give you a bath on my birthday since you won't be able to go out and give me a present." I grin to try to ease the tension, "see, we'll be fine."

"You didn't say that I'm not going to get fat."

"Cause I didn't even feel the need to consider something so crazy."

"I forgot how good you are at dealing with me." You weakly respond, gingerly taking the pill and water I hold in front of you.

"I haven't, remember senior year when they tried to make you wear a white cap and gown instead of a red one like me?"

"Idiots. White would have washed me out, plus I already had a red satin one bedazzled. You talked them into letting me wearing the red; you had to set up every chair for the ceremony to get me out of trouble for the fit I threw. God, I was a terror back then wasn't I?"

"Yep." I grin.

"I'd throw something at you if I wasn't so broken. Ok let's talk about how we're going to handle all of this."

"I'll sleep on the couch and keep my stuff in Mikey's room. Ever since my promotion I basically work from my laptop and phone anyway, so it won't be any problem keeping you company during the day."

"You got promoted? Why didn't you tell me? Congratulations."

"It just never came up I guess, I kinda just threw myself into work after the divorce ya know, to help me get my mind off of everything." I begin to ramble as I take a good look around what was formerly our home, it's the first time I've been past the door since I moved out. "You changed a lot in here."

"Yea, it didn't feel right the way it was anymore. And Daddy was happy to send a big fat check my way after hearing the great news." You shrug.

"Vance always did hate me didn't he?"

"Yea, I wonder why, you only knocked his baby girl up, totaled two of his BMWs, set fire to his vacation house in Hawaii, and got completely wasted during what was probably the biggest presentation of his professional career."

"Hey, I specifically remember someone with blonde hair who shall remain nameless pouring me those drinks that night."

"Naturally, but he doesn't know that."

"Well, I'm glad you and Mikey get to live the good life."

"I make my own money too ya know. My sketches have gotten picked up finally."

"They did? That's awesome, Shar. Aren't you excited?"

"I am. Looks like we're both doing alright for ourselves." You state, as you stare at me with your big brown eyes with a hint of sadness.

"Yea, I guess we are." I reply purposefully leaving out just how much better we could be doing if we were together. "I'm starved, got any food in here?" I question after a long silence.

"More than you have."

"Touché."

"Help yourself."

"I always do, do you want anything?"

"No, but Mikey will be waking up from his nap soon so make something for the both of you."

"I'll make you some soup. And some grilled cheese sandwiches for me and the kid."

"I said I wasn't hungry, Danforth."

"You need to eat, Evans." With that I gently hand you the remote and get to work in the kitchen.

"Knock Knock." We both turn towards the door to see Troy bust in followed by his wife, Ryan, Taylor, and surprisingly my Mom, Dad, and sister, Keisha. "Uncle Troy's here and he brought some friends."

"Great". I reply as I put down the pot I had just filled with water. Not quite ready to go back to the room, you were right, it is going to be a long couple of months if this is the best we can do conversation wise. I continue to move around the kitchen familiarizing myself to my old favorite room. I hear our guests exchange pleasantries with you, the loudest coming from my sister and mother of course.

"Where's my best friend?" I hear Troy ask

"In the kitchen."

"Not that one, the cute one." I can almost see the grin on his face.

"Sleeping, but you can wake him up. If he sleeps much more he won't go down at all for us tonight."

"Mijo, how are you doing?"

"Hey, Ma, gosh I've missed you." I smile as I turn to hug my second favorite woman in the world.

"Well you wouldn't have to miss me so much if someone would leave his smelly ass loft to come visit his only mother."

"Ya know you could come visit me too."

"And go there? You live in the black hole of depression, baby. Now here I took the liberty to make you some dinner seeing how you are staying here for the next couple of months, which I love, and since you can't cook worth a damn."

"Maybe I don't visit because of the abuse."

"Baby, we know that's not why you don't visit me."

"You supported her more than you supported me."

"Grandma!!" a small voice interrupts our conversation.

"We'll finish this later."

I turn back to the food ignoring the crowd that is forming behind me. I love my mother but her favorite subject is me and Sharpay, namely, Sharpay, a subject that I just don't have the energy to discuss any longer. I know I messed up; I'm trying to make it right.

"You get worked up so easily."

"Not now, Keisha, just give me a second ok."

Yet another woman in my life who refuses to listen to me I think as she smiles as she jumps onto the counter and grabs my shoulders so I face her. "She is just trying to bring your attention to what we all know is best for you." She attempts to reason.

"Do you think I do not know what is best for me?" I reply through gritted teeth.

"No, you know. You know damn well, you are just too chicken shit to do anything about it. But don't worry I think this living with her thing is going to be awesome for you too. Treat her right, ya know show her what she is missing."

"I am not doing this to play some game; I am doing this to take care of the mother of my child."

"You sound so old and cranky when you say it like that, loosen up, we're all staying for dinner and a grouchy Chad makes for, well you remember our childhood."

"I wasn't that bad."

"You didn't smile unless you had a basketball in your hands or a certain someone in your arms."

"Yea, yea, enough about me, how's that dildo you're dating. What's his name Garret, Jim, Mij?"

"You know his name is Jared, jerk, and don't call my boyfriend a dildo."

"He doesn't treat you right."

"Chad, Keisha, stop hassling each other and come in here and eat." I hear Mom yell from the other room. "And bring silverware and drinks."

"Duty calls."

"Can a girl get a hug at least from her favorite big brother?" you smile as you make your way to the fridge.

"Come here." I smile.

"Daddy, come sit by me and Mommy." Mikey smiles from his place at the table.

"How'd you get there?" I question as I grab my seat.

"Troy lifted me into the chair." You reply as you try to cut Mikey's food.

"You could have called me, here let me do that. Do you need a straw for your soup?"

"I'm not a vegetable, Danforth."

"Oh you two" Troy smiles from across me "So sweet to each other, ya know just how to make people feel comfortable. Don't worry about it bud, she weighs like 2 pounds and loves being in my ARGH, you kicked me!"

"CHILDREN, please set a good example, pretend to get along."

"Mommy can you me and Daddy watch a movie tonight?"

"Actually" Keisha intervenes, "I was wondering if my favorite nephew wanted to have a sleepover with his is favorite Aunt?"

"YES, can we play video games and eat chocolate all night again?"

"Uhh, no we'll do addition problems and eat carrot sticks." You reply trying to avoid the glares coming from me and Shar.

"Really?" Mikey questions from between us.

"Shut it kid."

"Can I go Mom?"

"Uh, sure, if you'd like too." You reply obviously envisioning the awkward night we have in store for us.

"You two are barely touching your food." My mom breaks into the conversation. "Troy grab their plates, let's go heat them up."

"Uh, they look fine Mama Dukes." Troy replies, "ARGH would you people stop kicking me, fine fine, let me heat those up for you."

"Bring them over here, baby."

"I don't get why you want to heat them up?"

"I'm not, heating them up child, I'm giving them a little something to ease up the night."

"What are you doing, hey those are Sharpay's pain pills."

"Shh they will hear you." She replies as she adds mashed up pills to each plate. "I don't know about you, but I liked both of them a hell of a lot more when they were together, all they need is something to take the worries out of them so they can just enjoy each other again."

"You're a genius."

"I know. Shh, don't let one that we did anything. Now here you go children, you best eat every last drop. I slaved over that stove all day."

"Yes, mother." We both reply. My mom insisted you still called her mom even after the divorce; no one else seemed to acknowledge how awkward that was.

Conversation finally eased up as we passed some wine around the table. I warned you not to drink it with your pills but of course you did not care to listen. Before I knew it everyone was heading out and we were left to ourselves.

"Hey, are you alright, bud, you look kind of out of it?" Troy questions as he's about to head home.

"Yea I guess I had too much wine." I reply as I try to blink the fuzz out of my eyes.

"Maybe, hey I know this is going to be a hard couple of months for you. Maybe tonight you should just talk to her, try to get back to the friendship you both had."

"I try to talk to her."

"I know but don't be threatening, don't mention the bad stuff, just focus on the good memories, ask her what's going on in her life. I think you'd be surprised, it's been forever since you have both really spoken."

"Yea, maybe I'll do that." I reply, "Thank, man."

"Anytime."

"Chadddddddddd." A name calls me from the other room. "Duty calls, I'll call you tomorrow."

"Night, Shar." You scream over my shoulder.

"Night Troysiee." She replies, before letting out a long giggle.

Yea, it's gonna be a long night.

AN/ please review, also none of its mine. : )