"That's so great!" Maria said, her eyes glowing with happiness. She's been beaming since I told her about Alex helping mom.

"I know, finally everything is okay."

"Oh, dear. I wish they were here for you when it all started. That would have made everything better. You needed someone like them instead of me, who can only cook you meals and cookies."

"Don't say that." I frowned at her, "You were there for me when nobody else was. I don't think I could've come this far without you, Maria. You helped me when I was alone, when I was clueless, when I had no idea what to do,"

She shouldn't feel like that, she was my support system. She still is.

"Now you're making this old woman cry." She chuckled, hugging me.

She was the only person who cared about us, who helped us, who loved us when we were alone.

"Why are you crying?" I heard Theo's voice and turned to see him, standing there with teary eyes.

"Oh, no. Don't cry, everything's alright. It's just happy tears." I told him and he frowned.

"Happy tears? But we cry when someone hit us or scold us." He frowned and Maria laughed, scooping him up.

"Sweetheart, people cry when they're happy too."

"But I smile when I'm happy!" He argued and Maria shook her head, smiling.

"You'll understand in a few years." She said at last and he shrugged, running back to play. "How long is the treatment?"

"I don't know, Alex said they need time to convince her. And then, they'll start."

"She'll be okay. You'll get your old mom back," she said, squeezing my hand.

I don't know if she'll be our 'old, cheerful mom' but I do hope she'll change. Change into a non-alcoholic, normal human who won't be a danger to her kids.

.
.
.

"See, everything's great now, isn't it?" Sophie said excitedly when I told her the greatest news I could ever share.
"Now, you don't have to worry about her or our little pumpkins. But what about those creepy stoned guys?"

"They don't bother me anymore," I smiled to myself.

Since that drunk pervert got arrested, none of my mom's friends came asking for money except two guys. But they came at the wrong time and received a punch from Jake, instead of money.

Now, I'm sure that they were lying about debts to get money from me.

What a fool I was!

"That's great! So, no worries about Shirley or her health, none about her creepy friends. You'll have plenty of money now that you don't have to pay for her debts or buy her medicines. And you're free from Tyler too," she did a little squeal at the last part and I laughed.

"Free from Tyler? You wish. He's way better than the past Tyler, though. I don't have to carry an extra dress or stuff in my bag. But he still tries to intimidate me and I'm ashamed to admit that it works. "

"Oh, don't worry. You'll be fine, I'm sure our hot saviour will definitely teach you a move or two. But I don't think you'll learn. A bit close and you both will be doing something which isn't self-defence." She said with a giggle.

"Shut up."

"Sure."

"Ivy, Jake's here." Noel called out and I saw him, standing at the doorway.

"Okay, bye. Jake's here." I said into the phone.

"Say hi from me!" She yelled, just before I threw my phone back.

"Ready?" Jake asked, winking and I said a yes.

"We're going to Sasha's," I told Maria. So that Jake can thank Zack and Alex for the new job.

"Can we come too?" Theo's voice filled with excitement and I shook my head no.

"You were there yesterday, weren't you?"

"But you're going." Noel pointed out and Jake snorted a laugh.

"Let them come, Ivy." Jake said and I sighed as they both let out a yelp of joy.

"Fine."

We said bye to Maria and drove to Sasha's home with two energetic monkeys. Or maybe three, including Jake.

"Wow," Jake said, looking at the house. "These people are more than freakin' rich."

He was even more surprised when Scarlett talked to him.

"They don't act like rich people." He mumbled to me when she turned and I smiled.

"You mean not arrogant and selfish?"

"More like they're down to earth. I like them."

I was glad to see Zack and Jake chatting and having fun as if they were childhood friends. I mean, I knew they got along pretty well in the cafe, but this was better. They were laughing and rolling like they were best buddies.
  
Finally,  when Alex came home, Jake switched to his gentleman mode and thanked him politely.

"I just wanted to thank you for that job." He said to Alex and he just smiled.

"Missing Tyler's dad?" Zack asked with a smirk and Jake groaned with a laugh.

"No way. Happy to quit, actually. Unlike Evelyn and Marissa, for me, this is just a job to kill time and maybe earn a few bills, so I was just hanging in there because of them," he said making me smile. "So when she said she's gonna get fired, I was kind of depressed because, for me, work meant spending time with them."

"You're so lucky to have him, do you know that?" Sasha whispered to me and I nodded with a smile.

I do.

"So, thanks for letting us work together again. Or else we would've been in different places and I'd hate that." He said and Alex gave him a side hug.

"Can we play now?" Theo asked, jumping on the couch and I glared at him as others laughed.

"Of course we can, what about hide and seek?" Sasha wiggled her eyebrows and Theo's eyes lightened with excitement.

"That's great, meanwhile Alex can help me, right?" Scarlett smiled brightly and he sighed, following her to the kitchen.

"Okay, now Theo will count. Go, Theo." Zack said, pushing Theo into a room and next moment, the hall was empty.

Wow, they're really fast.

Zack came running from the room and climbed upstairs, just to come down again.

"Aren't you playing?" He asked, frowning and before I could respond, he grabbed my arm, pulling me along with him. "Come on, have some fun."

I laughed as he pushed me into a spacious closet. And by spacious, I mean way more spacious than an actual one. I was surprised to see myself comfortable in it.

He sighed, looking around with a smile and closed the door. "A closet. I'm a very romantic person, don't you think?"

"Hmhmm, you truly are." I mumbled, smiling to myself. When his cold fingertips grazed mine, a slow smile worked its way across my face, thinking how things have changed.

I still can't believe mom is in rehab. Everything was okay now, everything was more than fine.

"Thank you," I whispered, hugging him tightly.

"For what?" He asked, resting his chin on top of my head and wrapped those strong arms around me.

"For moving in here, saving me from Tyler's stupid wrath, for being my friend, making me laugh, loving my brothers..." I trailed off to look at him. And even in the dark, I knew I was looking right at those light brown eyes. "For being a shoulder to rely on, helping me, liking me. For being you," I said as his hands rested on my waist.

"For everything." I managed to complete before his lips crashed into mine.

"I've told you a zillion times, save it." his breath grazed my lips before we started kissing, again.

I was lucky.

Lucky that finally, everything went well. Lucky to get him and his family. Lucky to have lots of people to support me.

"This closet is indeed a romantic place, huh." He mumbled, making me smile.

Any place with you, is quite romantic.

But I didn't say it to him.

We still have plenty of time for that.

******************

And that's it! I know this story doesn't have a lot of content in it, but it was something that I wanted to try and I'm glad that I did.

One more part, to officially end it and we're done.

Thanks to everyone reading this! 🥰