"Are you sure?" I said, blowing smoke from my cigarette out of the driver's side window. I had to ask, wanting Karla to be clear that she wanted me to be her guest at Red's engagement barbecue.  

"What do you mean, am I sure?" she asked, looking over at me from the passenger's seat of my car. "Of course I'm sure. Who else would I bring?" She smiled. "Besides, since you've decided to stick around, I think it's time people get to know you, especially Jackson."

We were on our way back to her son's place. Normally, I wouldn't smoke around Karla in her condition but, dammit, last night was particularly bad. She'd sat up with a bad case of heartburn after devouring two huge burritos. I know both of us couldn't wait until that phase passed. It was only a matter of time, I hoped. Dragging on the cigarette was the only thing that would calm my nerves.

"I don't know, Karla," I questioned, shaking my head. "That's a huge change of attitude from a few weeks ago. You didn't want me anywhere near your son."

"Correction, Sheldon," she scolded, pointing her index finger at me. "I didn't want you telling Jackson my business. But now that things are progressing, I realize we have no choice."

I couldn't help but laugh, realizing that I'd finally worn her down. It took years for her to even speak to me after things went sour between me and Andrew. I was a testament to persistence paying off. I never left Karla's life, whether it was flowers on her birthday, calls on her and Andrew's anniversary, groceries showing up when her politician husband was away on the road . . . all under the guise of "friendship." She wasn't feeling the attention for a while, but she finally let me back in. Of course. 

I'd always gotten what I wanted in life. She was no exception. 

"There's always a choice, Karla," I said. "And we've both made some interesting ones over the years, that's for sure." I looked over at her as we sat at a red light. Her color was good, far from the shade of pale she was the night before. I flicked the cigarette out the window as the light changed.

"True, and we have to live with them," she agreed.

"Don't remind me," I said, shaking my head. "I'm still mad at myself for getting involved with that idiot Vincent. Shit could've gone really wrong if I hadn't handled things. There's no way in hell I'd be your guest at this barbecue if things had played out his way." 

"Well, you did handle things and nothing happened to that baby. I'm just glad you convinced that boy to leave town without doing any more damage." She looked over at me again and smiled, reaching for my hand. I grabbed hers and gave a half smile in return.

"I made it so he had no choice but to leave," I muttered. "Dumb ass."

"Well, Jackson and his friends are definitely grateful for your help," she beamed, oblivious to what I said. "And I'm sure they'll say so when they see you today."

I laughed out loud at that statement. "Now, you and I both know your son too well to even think he has a grateful bone in his body. So just stop."

"Hey, hey. Cut that out. My son will surprise you," she said firmly before turning to look out the window. "Lord knows he's surprised me since I've been here."

"You're talking about the night you caught him butt naked in the living room, aren't you?" I asked, smirking.

"I don't even want to remember that," she snapped, waving her hands wildly, as if that would erase the memory of her son and his "housemate" bumping uglies by the couch.

"Well," I said as we pulled up to Jackson's house just in time to see both him and Yanni exiting their vehicles. "I hate to tell you this, Karla, but, umm, looks like you may have no other choice."