Angelica glared at Katie, who only grinned back, innocence all over her face.

"We notice the right shoulder’s the damaged goods," Alice noted. "You weren’t driving, were ya?"

Angelica stared at her in horror. She still hadn’t told her MaBe that yet.

"That’s a good point," Bette turned to her daughter. "Angelica?"

Angelica suddenly felt like she was two feet tall, under her MaBe’s curious gaze, and her aunts’ amused expressions.

"Hey, B, what was the car like?" Alice asked.

Angelica glanced at her mother, and saw the slightest flinch on her mother’s expression.

Bette glanced at Angelica, and quickly averted her gaze, suddenly overwhelmed by the question. Yes, she’d nearly suffered a heart attack when she’d seen the car. At the time all she knew was that her daughter and her daughter’s best friend were in the hospital. She didn’t know how badly they were hurt, or anything. And since there was a standing rule that Angelica was not to hand the keys to her car to her friends, Bette had assumed the worst.

After all, speeding and running red lights kind of ran in the family. She and Kit could attest to that.

"You are so in trouble," Katie said gleefully to her older sister.

"Bette," Shane leaned forward, catching Bette’s attention. Shane turned to Angelica. "You’re alright?"

Angelica nodded. "Yeah."

"You’re sure? No head trauma?" Alice asked. "’Cause that’d be cool."

Dana turned to her. "Don’t you have a family to get home to?"

"Eh, they’re fine," Alice waved her hand dismissively.

Shane turned to Alice. "If you’re here, who’s cooking dinner?"

"Okay, this," Alice gestured to their table, "is what I was talking about when I decided to become a family woman. Why can’t I spend time with my friends?"

Angelica smiled, enjoying the interaction among her parents’ friends, especially now that she fully understood what they were talking about. She glanced at her mother.

Bette was looking at her, thoughtful, and when their gazes met, smiled.

Angelica smiled back. She knew she was in trouble, sure, but who was she to deny that she had people who looked out for her?

tbc