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Jenna walked the streets leading Ava to The Beef. It wasn't unusual to be heading to the restaurant, where she grew up, just after Mikey's passing and Carmy taking it over well Jenna was nervous to go. Nervous to see Carmy and have that high school crush flutter back in.
Ava started tugging at her coat pulling Jenna back to reality. "JJ is it Halloween?"
That's when she saw a bunch of middle aged men dressed up standing in line to get inside.
"Freaks." She mumbled under her breath as she tapped on the door smiling when Tina opened it.
"Thanks Tina." The older woman gave her a quick hug and ruffled Ava's hair.
That's when she heard Richie and Carmy fighting as they came into the room.
"Why the fuck would you turn this into a arcade competition? Jesus Cousin."
"Daddy said a bad word."
That's when Richie noticed his little girl smiling and waving at him.
"Hi baby.", Richie walked over, glaring at his niece, placing his hands over Ava's ears,"What the fuck is she doing here?"
Jenna rolled her eyes at her uncle as she noticed Carmy's smirk but she was brought back out of her thoughts when Richie coughed.
"Aunt Tiff..." Richie eyed her knowing how she wasn't supposed to call Tiffany her aunt anymore, at least not around him. "Tiff asked me to babysit and Ava loves the video games here."
"See good for business!" Carmy grinned as he ran a hand threw his hair mildly amused.
Jenna eyed Carmy. "A five year old liking to play a video game, where her dad works and you having lined up crazy freaks are not the same. This is not San Diego comic con!"
"See, even JJ thinks it's a bad idea." Richie shouted. "She would know, making me buy all that shit for Dungeons and Dragons when she was younger."
Carmy looked at Jenna. "D&D huh?"
Jenna lowered her head. "It was because of a boy."
The boy had been Carmy, he had just left and Jenna had basically tried to find another boy to crush over and ended up liking a nerd. Turns out D&D was not the game for her and she was asked to leave the campaign after she killed half her teammates with a spell that backfired.
"Also Uncle you bought me those things without me even asking."
Richie just put his hands up in defense,as if he didn't know it was true, while walking into the kitchen.
Richie helped raise Jenna with his brother Marcus in prison. He would have done anything for the kid as he felt that she was his own daughter half of the time.
She truly felt like his first born daughter most of the time. Ava was more like a little sister to her and that meant the world to Jenna. In her books family was everything.
Jenna leaned down looking at Ava. "Can't play the game right now Av's. Go to uncle Mikey's," Jenna stopped talking as she looked at Carmen regret in her eyes. "Go to the office and get your coloring book."
Carmy just glared at her, knowing that she upset him, but Ava, clueless to it all, walked to the office. That's when Carmy quickly walked outside.
It was always like Carmen not to speak about his feelings. Most of the time it was Jenna who tried to get it out of him but usually failed. This time she knew to let him go off and figure it out on his own.
Carmy would often go off to reflect and calm down when they were younger. It wasn't anything new. Now he was outside yelling at the cosplayers.
Jenna watched in horror when some guy started punching Carmy. "Uncle Richie!"
Before she even knew what was happening Jenna heard the gun go off. Of course her uncle would bring out his weapon.
Jenna heard Ava yelling questioning what was going on. "Stay in the back Av's!"
She knew what it was like seeing your father holding a gun. Jenna was about three when it first happened and she didn't want Ava to see this. Her baby cousin didn't need anymore of a traumatic childhood then she already has.
Too many times Jenna had seen her father leave in handcuffs. She knew Ava had seen Richie and Tiff fighting before the divorce. All she wanted was to keep Ava safe and away from the pain.
Jenna sat in the dining area of The Beef while the morons played the video game. Ava was into the tournament watching as she colored.
She got up motioning to Sweeps if he would keep an eye on her cousin with his nod she made her way back into the office.
Carmy sat quietly with his hands holding his head up on the desk. He was mad at Mikey for leaving this place to him, mad that he was back, but mostly mad that he didn't know how to fix this place.
He smelt her vanilla scent that she always wore, not even turning around to acknowledge her presence.
"I wondered what was in that box.", motioning to the open blue cardboard box that he now knew held Ava's toys.
"Mikey always seemed to buy something new every few weeks and hid it in there for Av's."
Carmy sighed, making Jenna put her hands on his shoulders. At first she held them in place but when Carmen relaxed into her touch she started rubbing his shoulders.
"You did good today."
He huffed, "Barely made a profit more like it."
"A little profit is better than how it was before."
Carmy shook his head. "Says you butterfingers. What did you say that this wasn't comic con? Of course you knew about that with your D&D playing days."
Jenna lightly smacked his shoulders. "D&D campaigns and by the way thanks for that. You left me here to fend for myself."
"We never hung out, Jens." Carmy turned around now looking at her. "You were an annoying fourteen year old girl."
Truth be told, Carmy never had any real close friends, just Mikey and his group. Jenna was probably the only real friend he had that he wasn't related to.
She gave him a look. "I didn't see you hanging out with anyone else?" Jenna leaned on the desk. "We walked home together, did homework together..." Carmen chuckled as she continued. "Okay I did homework and had to kick you under the table to focus on yours. We might have not had the normal stigma of friendship but that doesn't mean I didn't notice your absence."
Carmen looked into her blueish green eyes and they were hurt he could tell. He never really thought that she saw him as a true friend. He was lying to himself about their friendship.
Carmy now felt uncomfortable and anxious. His breathing picked up as he fiddled with his hands.
"I'm sorry I made you feel that way."
Jenna put her hands in his own. "We were kids, Carmy I get it. Having a younger girl follow you around doesn't scream the best kind of friendship."
Her hands slowly left his, though Carmy wished they would have stayed like that longer. She always seemed to calm him down. Jenna ruffled his hair and sighed. "Go get some sleep Carebear. You look like you need it."
He chuckled. "Ouch that one hurt Butterfingers." She was at the door frame before he called out. "Jens." Her eyes bore into his like they were hoping for him to say what she dreamt of. "Ah I guess thanks for being my friend."
Jenna gave him a small smile and nod as she turned away. Friendship was a good start.
