Dana popped the trunk to her 1989 Dodge. She spun around to find her pint-sized boyfriend hidden behind an armful of brown grocery bags. "Rich, I cannot believe it took you an hour and all you bought were Lunchables"

Rich smirked. He loved being teased by his sarcastic girlfriend. Before he had a chance to jab her one back... he heard a familiar voice also recite his name.

"Rich!? Is that you, Richie?"

Rich still was too hidden behind the grocery bags to see who was calling him.

The short, very young brunette pulled Dana into a hug. "You must be Rich's girlfriend. I'm Mrs. Halke."

Dana was very amused to meet Rich's mother. She looked so much like him. But it was surreal how young she looked. "Hi, Mrs. Halke. I'm Dana"

"Well, Dana, I need to put my beer and cigs in the car, but why don't you two follow me home? I'll make us dinner and we'll get to know each other."

Rich, usually passive, stepped forward and protested. "Thanks mom, but we already bought a ton of stuff for dinner tonight"

Dana glared at Rich and looked at all the bags in the trunk full of Lunchables.

From Dana's perspective Rich was being unfair to her. Rich lived with the Lambert/Fosters. He was practically family. Dana had never even met Rich's mother before now. Come to think of it, she hadn't met a single Halke family member. Dana smiled at Rich's mother and agreed for them both. "Don't listen to Rich. We'll follow you in my car."

Rich snatched the keys from Dana's hands. Even though it was Dana's car he unlocked the door and took the driver's seat. He started the engine and Dana glared at the car. It was kind of awkward for her since she had to make up an excuse to get rid of his mother. Why was Rich suddenly so standoffish?

Dana jumped into the passengers seat and turned to her boyfriend who started driving down the road. "What was that all about?" Rich acted like he didn't hear his girlfriend and turned on the radio. He dialed the radio to a loud rock station to drown out Dana's questions. He tapped his fingers angrily on the steering wheel as his driving became faster and reckless. Rich was far from the strong silent type, so this was a different side to see. He never acted this way before! Rich soared through a red light and almost hit the back of his mother's vehicle. Dana turned the radio off. "Don't touch that, Dana"

Dana stared at him as he parked into his mother's drive way. "One, I don't take orders from men. Two, it is my radio. Got it? Why do you have a stick up your butt about dinner with your mother, anyhow?"

Rich jumped out of the car and when Dana followed him he tossed her car keys at her. "Cop an attitude with me now, Dana, but I'm only trying to protect you from her. After dinner you'll be thanking me."

Dana snorted a laugh as she walked up to the Halke household porch. "Hey, I've met enough mom's to understand the drill. So, she'll ask me a whole bunch of questions and bug us about getting married and giving her grandchildren. I hardly think that is a big enough nuisance to throw a hissy-fit over, Rich."