"Do you love me?" I was cuddled under the blankets on the couch after putting the kids to bed watching a Lifetime movie that I've seen about 80 times when the tall figure that is my husband stood in front of the TV with his hands behind his back and a smirk on his face.

"I'd love you more if you got out of the way. John Stamos is about to kill the babysitter!"

"Okay then...I guess I'll just eat this by myself then," he pulled out a Friendly's Watermelon Roll and two forks from behind his back, lifted my feet from the end of the couch and sat down placing my legs on top of his lap.

I looked over my shoulder knowing I shouldn't give in at this game that he loved to play. I could be strong and say no to my favorite ice cream ever created and pretend like I don't care about it. Really, I should just lie here and be miserable like I have been for pretty much the whole day and not put a smile on my face and devour the watermelon sherbet with the chocolate chips and lemon on the top...I should stay at Baltic Ave and not even think about Park Place. But if I say no half of it will melt because lets be honest, he can't eat the whole thing by himself and that would just be a waste. "Maybe just a bite," I said pushing myself up to sit next to him. I reached for the extra fork and he pulled it away trying his best to not let out a laugh. "Come on...don't do this. You can't tell me you brought it to share and then keep it from me. This is cruel and unusual punishment!"

"Do you love me?" He asked again holding the fork out over the arm of the couch so that I couldn't reach it.

"You know I love you..."

"More then you love watching John Stamos kill the babysitter?"

"It's such a departure from his roll on Full House!" He narrowed his eyes at me stretching his arm out even further, "Fiiiine...I love you more then I love John Stamos killing the babysitter."

"Do you love me more then this Watermelon Roll that's melting in my lap?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. If he wants to play this game, well then I can play along, "What if I said no?"

"Well then I guess half of this delicious log will just continue to melt on my lap..."

"Which log?" I asked with a smirk.

"Oh, you're going to go there huh? Okay, which log would you rather...The one made of ice cream or the one made of 100% man?"

"Depends on the circumstances...If you're talking about right now well I think I could go for a little bit of both."

"Oh really?" he asked bringing his hand to rest on my back smiling against my lips.

"Mmmm," I wrapped one arm around his neck and reached for the fork that was now pushed up against my back with the other. Once I safely got it out of his hand I backed away jumping up on the sofa with the fork in my hand in excitement.

"You are such a bitch," he said trying to hold back a smile after looking up at what must have been the dumbest expression on my face ever.

I plopped down next to him on the couch digging into the ice cream, "Not a bitch," I said with a mouth full of cold deliciousness, "Smart."

He placed a kiss on my cheek pushing my fork away with his own so that he could dig in and take a bite, "I learn something new about you everyday," he mumbled with his mouth full of ice cream.

"What'd you learn today?"

"That you would do anything for Watermelon Roll, but not for John Stamos..."

"Eh, John Stamos is kind of past his prime. But Watermelon Roll...That's timeless." 

"You are pathetic, but I love you," he replied folding up the now empty piece of cardboard that once held a log of heaven. "How was your kid free day? Get some work done?"

"I finished an article...Thanks for taking them today babe, I hate for them to see me upset and no matter how long it's been I can't help but remember the day and get sad." He placed a kiss on the top of my head that was now leaning on his chest, "But it does make me happy to see my kids come home happy after spending a day with their dad. I said from day one that I didn't want my children to go through what I had to and I'm so thankful to have found you because now I know they won't."

"Soph-"

"Just take the compliment okay?" I said cutting him off.

"Okay," he whispered. I sat up looking him in the eyes. In just a few minutes he managed to turn my Baltic Ave night into Boardwalk by just spending some time with me. It's something so small, but it means so much when you don't get to do it too often. I quickly kissed him getting up off of the couch. "Where are you going?"

"Upstairs to play with your melting log," I replied turning around giving him my best sultry look.

He stood up and walked into the kitchen to throw away the cardboard box and follow me up the steps, "You know...You have a really filthy mouth."

"You love it!"

"I do," he laughed slapping my ass and running after me up the stairs.

***

1999

Justin,

The fact that I just turned 18 is totally freaking me out. I don't know how I got here or how high school went by so fast. I asked my mom for a car for my birthday and instead she got me a bus pass. She says traffic in LA is awful anyway so it'll be easier to take the bus. My dad would have gotten me a car. Granted he probably would have sold drugs to get the money to buy me a car but a car would have been in my possession nonetheless.

I'm excited to move for college and get out of Vegas. The only way I'd be successful here is if I became a stripper or a black jack dealer and neither one of those things really interest me at the moment. LA seems like it's going to be amazing. I somehow managed to lineup an internship at Rolling Stone Magazine...how that happens at my age is beyond me but I guess they really liked the piece I sent them on the whole boy band craze that's happening right now. Maybe they enjoyed how an 18-year-old girl can actually sit back and look at it as something more then good looking boys pretending to be men singing and dancing for the screams of pre-pubescent girls and money. Not that I'm knocking it or anything...I mean hey if I could sing and make that kind of money before I hit 21 and be doing what I love I'd do it too. Unfortunately though, more then one person has told me I'm tone deaf so I guess that's out of the question.

I can't believe you're not going to college. I seriously think you're going to miss out on one of the best experiences life offers. I mean picture it...Freedom, girls, dorms, and beer. Most guys say it doesn't get much better then that. Don't worry I'll make sure I tell you I told you so when you come crying to me about how much you regret it.

Anyway...My mom's boyfriend has officially moved into my house. There really isn't much to say about that except I'd rather jump out the window of a sky rise building in the middle of New York City then listen to them tell each other how much they're in love every five seconds. I don't really care how nice this guy is, or how fucked up my dad was...he's never going to be my father and they can't expect me to treat him like he is.

Well, I'm on break at work and I need to get back. It seems like all I've done all summer is work and it's starting to drive me crazy. The fact that I hate kids and I work at a day camp probably doesn't help that fact but I need to be able to live on my own once I get to LA so it'll all be worth it in the end...right?

Soph

"That's quite the E-Mail," I turned around quickly after hitting the send button to see my friend Tiffany standing behind me. This could only mean one thing...I was late getting back from lunch. Again.

"Sorry Tiff! I didn't realize how late I was..."

"It's okay. No one is looking for you I just figured I'd come find you before they did. Who are you talking to anyway?"

"Just this kid Justin," I said trailing off not really knowing how to describe our relationship to her. It's funny we've been talking for close to a decade but I'm not sure that anyone including my family knows that I still speak to my pen pal from the second grade. So I'm now at a loss for words as to how to describe him. I can't say pen pal, that's awfully childish of me, but can I call him a friend if I've never met him?

"Friend from school?" 

"I guess you can call him that," I replied quickly closing out the screen on the computer and walking towards the door to avoid any further conversation about him. What am I suppose to say? Oh it's just Justin Randall, my person...my best friend from Tennessee. 

Soph,

Remind me to remind you to never have kids okay? I can't even imagine the chaos that that child will be put in living with you. Growing up listening to heavy metal and rap music...I just can't. Get a dog instead much easier to handle and they can't talk back. You'd be good with a dog, maybe you'd need a dog walker or something but it's less responsibility then a kid. No kids okay? Promise me no kids!

You mom is right about LA you know. All there is is traffic, however I don't know if I'd recommend taking the bus...I mean unless you want to be assaulted. Plus, if you're going to be going to school and working at Rolling Stone, you don't need a car anyway because you're going to have nowhere to go. Speaking of Rolling Stone, I'd like to see this article you sent them. I'm interested in what your thoughts are on this whole boy band craze. I find it to be highly interesting/slightly appalling myself and I'd love to see how someone that despises pop music analyzes it. Specifically you since I know you can't go five minutes without cursing so I'd love to see how you covered that one up. It is pretty cool that you got that job though, maybe they'll love you and you'll make it to the big time and never have to look back on the city of sin.

I'm sure at some point in my life I'll regret not going to college. I have my reasons why I'm not but it's too complicated to explain so you're just going to have to trust me on that one. When the time comes that I regret it I'll let you be the first one to tell me I told you so. I'll tell you what you're going to regret though...treating your mom's boyfriend like a douche bag. No one expects him nor thinks he's replacing your dad so just suck it up and be nice. How do you think your mom feels when you treat him like crap? It's been 4 years don't you think its about time she's happy again? Plus you're moving soon so you won't have to deal with it anymore. So until then...put on a happy face, don't be bitchy and deal. And I mean that in the nicest way possible.

When do you move? I need to prepare my friends that live in LA that the beast is coming...I don't want them to have to endure the wrath that is Sophia Wright.

J

~

Dear Asshole,

You are a fuckface and nothing about that last E-Mail makes me want to write back to you. You better smarten up before I don't write to you anymore...then what? You don't even remember what life was like before me but I can assure you it sucked.

I move in a month...and you're friends would be lucky to have me in there life. Tell them so that they can find me and be my friend so that I'm not alone and so that I'll have someone to make fun of you with.

On a brighter note, my friend at work asked me who I was writing an E-Mail to the other day and I had absolutely no answer to give her. I almost feel like we've been having a secret relationship for 10 years. I kind of like it. This E-Mail was meant to trash you the whole time but I feel as though it's necessary to tell you that I appreciate you and I'm thankful you're in my life in some sort of messed up way. Okay enough with the compliments...I need to go kick some flag football ass.

Sophie I'll Never Give Justin A Compliment Again Wright

***

"MOM!"

"What?" I asked shooting up from my pillow at the sound of my daughters screaming.

"Tyler hit me..."

I should have known...one day of being kid free and a romantic night with my husband had to come to an end at some point. "What time is it?"

"Six..."

"Why either one of you is up is beyond me tell-"

"He hit me look! I have a red mark on my arm!"

"You know what...one time a very smart person told me I shouldn't have kids and on days like today it makes me think I should have listened. You can go back to your room until the clock strikes 8 and I'll go deal with Ty."

"Me? Why do I have to go to my room I wasn't the one hitting!"

"Because no one should be up at 6am on a Sunday that's why. Now stop yelling before you wake Dad up, and go to your room and watch TV or something until the rest of the world is ready to be awake."

"I'm up..." a muffled voice behind me said, "and if I'm still up in 5 minutes everyone will be spending the whole day in their room!" I watched her turn around mumbling something under her breath and stomp to her room before I put my head in my hands. One day you love the kid so much you don't know what to do with yourself, and the next you want to throw them out a window. "We need a vacation," he huffed pulling me back down on my pillow by my waist. "Call a babysitter and see if she can stay for a month." I kissed his cheek before throwing the covers back to go deal with my son, "Come back," he whined like a 5 year old hitting the now empty side of the bed, "don't leave me!"

"You and your log will survive I promise," I said with a chuckle, "I need to go deal with your son who clearly learned violence from his father."

"You love my log," was his response before flipping over onto his stomach and falling back to sleep.