"Jay! How is it going man?! I haven't seen you in, well, what has it been? Three years maybe?" Tom exclaimed and pulled me in for a hug. "Try five years." I laughed. "Hi Jay! It is good to see you again!" Lacy chimed in and gently wrapped her arms around me. "It is good to see you too." I said in a calm voice and gently hugged her back. "Well, come on! This calls for a celebration! I am making roast and mashed potatoes! So, while that is cooking why don't we share a toast!" Ms. Emily said and raced to the liquor cabinet. The memories I have in this house will probably stay with me forever. You know, some memories you tend to forget as time passes, the people you once knew and hung out with daily seem to move on and forget you even exist as we get older. Well, these people and the memories I share with them are those that will never linger in the darkness of the forgotten. "To Jay! May he never get arrested again!" Ms. Emily said cheerfully with a touch of sarcasm. "Mom, Jay has been getting arrested since he was ten. I don't think it is going to change now after only thirteen years!" Tom joked. "You never know! Maybe this was the last time! Right Jay?" She asked while staring at me with daggers for eyes as if she was telling me that it better be the last time. "I will give it hell trying." I said with a smile and raised my glass.

We spent dinner laughing and joking around (it felt good to laugh like that again) just catching up with all the things I had missed. After dinner I offered to clean up, it was the least I could do. "So, where are your folks, Jay?" Mr. James asked. "I have no idea."

"You haven't spoken to them yet?"

"No sir."

"So, they don't know you are out of prison?" Ms. Emily asked.

"No ma'am, and with luck, they will never find out."

"Oh, come on Jay! That's not very nice." Tom piped in with a devilish grin smeared across his face. I looked at him with the same look he was giving me and said, "You know I don't talk to them smartass." We both laughed and Tom quickly changed the subject. "You know what mom! Jay should stay here tonight! We can make this evening last a little longer! Don't you agree?" Tom said. "Oh! What an excellent idea! None of us have to work tomorrow, right? Right! So, it is settled! Jay, you are staying here tonight, and don't you dare try to lie to me and say that you have a place to stay because I know better!" "Yes, ma'am." I smiled and dried my hands of the soap and water from the dishes. "Hey babe, why don't you and Jay go get us all some movie snacks from the store so we can have a movie night!" Lacy suggested. "Ok, come on Jay! Get your ass in the truck!" As I began to walk through the living room from the kitchen, I couldn't help but realize that Tiffany had been staring at me the whole time I was cleaning the kitchen and she had yet to look away.

I decided to return the favor and look back at her, I winked at her with a slight smile and walked out the front door behind Tom. I was not sure if anyone had noticed but at that moment, I didn't really care either. That girl has grown up in the best way possible, she was gorgeous.

"Alright! What kind of snacks are we going to get?" Tom asked as he clapped his hands together and began rubbing them vigorously as if he was trying to start a fire. We stood on the snack aisle staring at all the treats for a solid three minutes with our arms crossed over our chest, allowing our eyes enough time to see every single item they had to offer. "I got to have some Twix and popcorn that is a given." I said and reached for the king size Twix bars. "Mom's favorite is the cookies and cream Hershey's, dad's favorite is the junior mints, and Lacy likes the Reese's pieces. Wait. What is Tiffany's favorite candy?" Tom said. "From what I remember, she likes Twix too but, you can call her and find out just to make sure." I told him. "I shall!" He called and confirmed with Tiffany that I was right and just before he hung up, he made sure she knew it was I that remembered her favorite candy bar and laughed as if he was proud of what he had done. "You know what! I think you and my sister would make a great looking couple! What do you think?" Tom blurted out. "I think your dad would probably kill me." I laughed. "I don't think he would. I think he would need a little bit to process it and I think mom would cry with joy!"

"Why are you even talking about this? I am no good for that girl and you know it!"

"No, I don't know that! You have no idea how much she likes you!"

"Stop that, you are lying!"

"No, I'm really not, but I'm glad you think so!"

"Come on, lets grab the popcorn and get out of here."

Tom hounded me about dating his sister the whole way back to his parent's house and honestly, I ignored half of the crap that was rolling out of his mouth. I will admit that I had never thought about Tiffany in that manner until I seen her walk through the front door with her mom a few hours ago. She has grown into a beautiful woman! Back at the house everyone grabbed their snacks and a bag of popcorn from the bags. Tiffany and I were the last two to get our snacks. I grabbed the bag first and smiled at her. She blushed and looked down at the counter, I reached into the bag and handed her the king size Twix and a bag of popcorn, she thanked me and continued to look away from me. I could hear her thoughts rolling through her head, 'Don't look at him, you will give it away! Just keep looking down!' she thought to herself unaware that I could hear what she was saying. "You're welcome beautiful!" I said in a low tone. The words slipped out before I realized, and she finally looked up at me with those big beautiful green eyes with shock. It was too late; I already said the words. So, all I could think of was to smile at her and walk away.