Angelica was alone with Tina tonight. Bette had gone to do something she didnt know what, frankly Angie really didn’t care where her parents went. But tonight was different, for
the first time in a long while angie wanted Bette home to be close. It was slightly disconcerting to be alone with Tina propped on the couch reading while Angelica went in and out of the
kitchen and her room. She didnt want to seem like she was avoiding Tina so she thought of things to do….like picking at the fruitbowl on the kitchen counter, writing in her journal, looking
up *****, reading some glossy magazines. thats is until she went into the kitchen to look for those darn nachos when she turned saw just how pathetic Tina looked. Curled up with
blue blanket feet up, concentrating on some trashy novel, trying not to bother her daughter. Angelica felt a rise of emotions and swallowed the burning in the back of her throat. She should
do something, something….Angie decided she would make food for Tina, healthy…a fruitbowl! So pattering around in the kitchen in a long white t-shirt and loose track pants Angelica
opened the fridge adn took out every fruit in there, plus the ones in the bowl on the counter. With a long sharp knife Angie cut up bits and slices of apple, kiwi, banana, plum, peaches, mango
grapes and cherries. Rummaging through the cupboard she also took out a tray and placed the plate on there, looking into the fridge she took out the orange juice and poured a cup.
Walking steadily holding the tray she entered the living room where Tina was. Tina looked up adn smiled, “getting soemthing t o eat angie?”    “this is for you”

 Tina ate slowly, savoring each bite. In reality she was eating slowly to stall time, she knew when she was finished Angie would probably go in her room or something
and hibernate. So as Tina ate, and sipped, and ate….Angelica sat on the floor on the opposite side of the coffee table flipping through some of Bette’s art books. Grateful, that was the
feeling going through T at that moment, and love. Love for her sweet daughter, her baby girl…whom she’ll always remember as a little brown bundle in her arms all those years ago. It
seemed unreal to see her now, grown, and after so much pain and blurriness…Tina felt that love a thousand times over and watched as though she hadn’t laid eyes on Angie before. The
shade of her skin, the frizziness of her hair…those kind eyes…how old she seemed, an old soul. And how young, so young and new to the world. Tina swallowed hard and took another
sip of her orange juice.

 Angelica sneaked a look at her mother, Tina was finishing up. Angie stood up and walked around the coffee table avoiding the cup whihc was dangerously close to the edge.
It was nearly summer now, last summer seemed so far away. Angelica would be starting grade 8 over again, at 14 taht wasn’t too cool….but a school had accepted her and she was glad.
It was weird to feel glad about going to school. Tina was finished now, so Angie took the tray and cup balancing it on one hand. Suddenly she felt warmth on her free arm, Tina touched it…
if onlyl fro contact.   “thanks angie”     Angelica looked down, she had flinched and Tina felt it…but it was unspoken…nobody talked about it. Even though Angelica really didnt want to
touch or be touched, she allowed this…and later that night trying to get to sleep Angelica touched that part and still felt her mother’s warmth. On the other side of the house Tina did the same,
lightly with her fingertips, brushing the part of her palm that could still feel the softness of her daughter’s skin.