Misty sighed a heavy one. She lay down on the trimmed grass of her back yard next to Ash.

"It feels nice."

"It does."

Misty closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air. Monday's were very calm days at their household; Chris and Dylan would be back to dorms, and Matthew would be at school. Anthony rarely came for a visit on Monday's too. So when Ash could afford staying a little more, it was an opportunity to spend some time together, be silly, or even be "stupid" (Once, they played chase). Lying down the grass wasn't something you'd see two middle aged parents do every day.

"I'm going to talk."

"I hear you." Ash smiled.

"I can't wait for Anthony's wedding. He'll be a wonderful groom."

"Okay. Don't they say that about women usually?"

Misty propped herself up with her elbow and looked down at Ash. "Hey, my son is going to be a wonderful groom, got it?"

Ash laughed. "Alright. What's next?"

"Sam is too frivolous. Don't you think?" Misty was convinced she stuffed her boobs. They couldn't be real. They looked the same size as Misty's. Come on. It took the redhead giving birth four times to get to the DD cup.

"Chris is frivolous too."

Misty rolled her eyes. "Whose side are you on?"

"Yours. Or do you want me to lie down somewhere else?"

The redhead giggled. She turned to lie down and squeezed Ash's arm. "Silly."

"Who's next? Dylan?"

"My poor baby. College doesn't suit him. He's becoming so frail and skinny. Maybe we should make him take online courses and stay home."

"I'd rather have him stay there." Ash thought Misty had serious issues that involved over-feeding his sons. The more they stayed away from her, the better off their bodies were. Not that college food was any better, but you get the idea.

"Whose si—okay, I know! My side!"

The two chuckled.

"Or maybe you just don't like his girlfriend."

"That Maude girl is not any better than Samantha, just saying." Samantha was fake, plastic and all splashed with make-up; Maude was a stuck-up and impolite.

"I like her name."

Misty rolled her eyes. "That's all you have to say about a girl who smoked in your house the first time you met her?"

"That's her business, not mine." Ash watched her the whole time and smiled to himself. She smoked like a businesswoman smoking her Cuban cigar, except that she wasn't a businesswoman and she couldn't afford Cuban cigars. Oh, college girls.

"Dylan told me she quit. If next time I catch her smoke inside my house, I swear to God..." Misty didn't really want Dylan to date a smoker in the first place. If she ever gets her baby addicted, she would flip. "And Matthew."

"Hum?"

"He's been acting weird recently."

"How weird?"

"He's not okay." Ash turned to rest on his side. He looked at Misty as she spoke, "I thought he was hiding something so I did something kind of bad."

"You looked through his stuff?"

Misty remained silent.

Ash was serious this time. "Misty, how many times I've told you not to do that?"

"There weren't cigarettes or pills or anything of the sort." Misty knew she had to change the subject.

"Then maybe he's feeling stressed over the high schools championship. Leave him be." It's pretty much that age when they hate having their things touched. Matthew always complains when Misty cleans his bedroom.

"I found something else, actually..." Misty didn't sound too proud. "I found an earring."

"What?" Ash chuckled. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. A golden earring. It belongs to a girl. I'm sure."

Ash was laughing. He turned to lie down on his bed. "Good Lord."

"It's a bad sign!" It was Misty who turned to rest on her side this time. "What if he did something with this girl and he got her earring?"

"You dream too much, way too much."

"Okay then. Where do you think he got this earring? Huh?"

"Well, it's one earring. He probably found it on the floor, in class. Something of the sort. If a girl wants to give her earrings, she'd give the two of them. Do you think she'd like to keep one? What for?"

Ash's words really made sense for Misty. She said, "Well, yes, I wouldn't give one earring."

"There, Misty. You're thinking now."

Misty slapped playfully his chest and returned to resting down. Ash said, "In all cases, leave Matthew alone. If there is anyone whom I trust in this house, it's him. So, leave him alone."

"You can't trust a teen, Ash."

"I do."

"Do you think he's seeing someone?"

"How would I know?"

"Humm—oh..." then it hit Misty. "The girl..."

"Hum?"

"There was this girl at the store a long time ago..."

"Huh?"

"I think her name was... Hannah."

"Who is this Hannah?"

"I'm not sure but I think she likes Matt."

Ash blinked and shrugged. "Okay, cool."

"Maybe the earring belongs to her."

"That's pretty much not our business." Matthew is fine, and that's what matters. His love life didn't have to interest them. Ash picked up his phone from the grass and got up. "I have to go."

"I want to know!" Misty whined. She got up too.

"Ask him when he gets home."

"Oh please. Matthew never tells me anything!"

"You don't trust him; he doesn't trust you."

"That's not it! I trust him! I just worry, that's all." Misty pulled Ash closer. She kissed him on the lips. "You're going?"

"Yes."

Misty kissed him again. "Okay. See you."

"You still have that nurse side in you, you know? Your kisses heal me."

Misty giggled. "My kisses only?"

"Oh, no, this is getting too dirty. I might not make it to the reunion on time if I keep this conversation on with you."

"Go."

Ash lifted up his phone and pointed at it as he walked to the front yard. Misty shouted, "Okay!"

"Keep it clean, you dirty feminist!"

"Not sure I can promise that!" Misty laughed. As soon as Ash disappeared out of sight, she made her way inside the house through the back door and walked her way to the living room she had to clean.

She didn't expect to find Matthew there, lying down on the couch, watching TV and eating what seems like the anise biscuits she's made yesterday. "Matt? What are you doing here? Why aren't you at school?"

She had a feeling he's heard what she and Ash were shouting to each other. He looked a bit baffled. "I didn't feel good so I got home..."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine now."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes—no."

Misty blinked. "Are you..."

"Yeah?"

"Well, nothing. I'll be in the kitchen." Misty's steps were very slow. She really wanted to ask Matt about the girl. She quickly regained the spot next to him on the couch and said, "Can I ask a question?"

"Hum."

"About Hannah-"

"Oh God, not at home too!" Matthew quickly got up and grabbed his school bag, getting ready to leave apparently. "I'm seriously tired of having to deal with this! She hates me, okay? She hates me! Hannah hates me! I'm a pervert! It's not my fault! I scare her off!"

"M-"

"I'm spending the night in Cerulean with Tony! Bye!"

SLAM!

Matthew slammed the main door so loud the house shook. Misty sat by herself, trying to get what really happened. What? Hate? Hate...

Suddenly, Misty smiled to herself. "I wonder who's throwing rocks at whom in this in his case."

To be continued.