Jennifer walks into her house and puts her bag on the ground near the door. The house is quiet for once. She looks around and calls out for her mom, then her younger sister. It wasn’t like the house had opportunity for it to be this quiet with two families living under the same roof.
Shortly after Jennifer enters the house, the front door opens once again; this time, it’s Milo.
Jennifer: Are you just now getting here?
Milo: *out of breath* We had dual major rehearsals.
Jennifer: Yeah, Nicki mentioned that at the pizza shop today.
Milo: I should’ve wrote you on AIM, but time just flew by.
Jennifer didn’t say anything else, she simply sighed.
Jennifer: Well, my mom and sister aren’t home yet; I guess she went to get Maryette at school or something.
Milo nods his head. Jennifer looks at Milo before changing the subject.
Jennifer: Remember that girl that came to our show that one time? She’s in your band class with Nicki or something?
Milo takes a moment to think.
Milo: What about her?
Jennifer: She came to the pizza shop; she said you put her on to the place.
Milo: *nonchalant* I recommended the place to her.
Jennifer: *stoic* Cool.
Milo: What are you trying to say?
Jennifer: Nothing; nothing at all…
Jennifer teases Milo; he catches on quickly.
Milo: What?!
Jennifer: Nothing! It just looks like this girl has a thing for you or something…
Milo’s face begins to turn red; he clears his throat before speaking.
Milo: Gwen is just some girl I work with in my band class. We’re in the strings section so I have to work with her with our music. And she’s also Nicki’s friend; it’s not like she only sees me as one.
Jennifer: *laughs* You don’t have to explain anything to me! The more you explain, the more guilty you seem…
Milo: I’m just making sure you know what the deal is.
Jennifer: *teases* I’m just saying, it’s not every day that a girl shows you interest.
Milo: *offended* What is that supposed to mean?!
Jennifer laughs at the banter. Afterwards, both teens turn to the front door when the lock is heard being opened. Jennifer’s mom and her boyfriend walk in; Jennifer’s expression changes.
Lydia: You guys are home early.
Jennifer: Nicki had cello practice…
Jennifer grabs her bookbag from the floor and walks past the adults. Milo, feeling uncomfortable, follows Jennifer upstairs. Once they get to Jennifer’s room, they drop their bags on the ground near her door.
Milo: You’re alright, Pep?
Jennifer: *annoyed* I’m fine, just wish there was a day where my mom isn’t with him…
Milo watches Jennifer pace around her room, doing things that don’t make much sense. He knows she’s just trying to keep her mind busy.
Milo: Pep?
Jennifer: *annoyed* What?
Milo: You just put your jacket in your trash can…
Jennifer looks down at the can in front of her; she indeed did toss her jacket into her trash. She sighs loudly, taking it out from the can and tossing it on her bed. Milo watches her.
Milo: I can’t speak for you, but I thought you would’ve been used to seeing your mom and dad together—
Jennifer: You’re right… you can’t speak for me because you don’t know how I feel.
Milo: I never said I did; I’m saying that they’ve been together for some time now—
Jennifer: *interrupts* Like I said, you can’t speak for me because you don’t know how I feel. Let’s just leave it at that.
The two teens go silent before starting their homework.
…
Jennifer, Milo, and Jennifer’s family sit at the kitchen table in silence. Milo is uncomfortable; he constantly looks at Jennifer to see if she’s okay. She’s not. Maryette is the one to break the ice.
Maryette: So me and Niko decided to try out for the flag football team at school. They thought Niko was a girl and I was the dude! I guess I play better than most guys on the team or something!
Lydia: *smiles* That’s great, honey! When do you find out if you made the team or not?
Maryette: Sometime next week I think. It’ll be cool if we actually got on the team together, then we’d get to go to all the away games together and hang out.
Lydia cocks an eyebrow as she eats. Jennifer looks at her sister before finally speaking.
Jennifer: More opportunities to kiss on the bus to those games–
Maryette: *defensive* That’s not true! Me and Niko are friends!
Jennifer laughs; Milo can’t help but smile.
Maryette: Just because you kiss Nate to your performances doesn’t mean everyone else does that!
Milo looks at Jennifer, unaware of this information.
Jennifer: *defensive* Shut up!
Maryette: Make me!
Jennifer: You don’t even know what you’re talking about, dumbass–
Maryette: I know you stalk his MySpace page!
Lydia: That’s enough!
Jennifer and Maryette stop talking; Milo is still shocked from the revelation. He looks at Jennifer; this time she looks at him and rolls his eyes. Lydia turns her head towards Justin.
Lydia: *to Justin* I’m sorry about this.
Justin: It’s okay, Lyd. Sisters are going to be sisters.
Jennifer looks at Justin and rolls her eyes. He notices.
Justin: *to Jennifer* Are you okay, Pep?
Jennifer: It’s Jennifer, or has it been so long that you forgot the name of your first born child?
Lydia: *stern* Jennifer Ann Castro!
Justin: *to Lydia* It’s okay. *turns back to Jennifer* I didn’t forget; I remember I picked the name ‘Jennifer’ after the character in Back to the Future. It was the movie your mom and I saw on our first date. She knew it was one of my favorite movies growing up so she rented the VHS at Blockbuster and brought it to watch it.
Justin smiles at Lydia; she’s smitten as well. Jennifer, on the other hand, is not having it.
Justin: Maryette was named after my grandmother, Maria Lizette.
Justin touches Lydia’s stomach, smiling as he rubs his thumb over her sweater. Lydia puts her hand on top of his. Milo observes; confused as to what is happening. Jennifer doesn’t look up from her plate to catch on. Lydia clears her throat before she starts to speak again.
Lydia: We wanted to talk to you girls about something important.
Maryette: What is it?
Lydia and Justin look at each other before looking back at the girls again. Milo begins to feel uncomfortable.
Lydia: As you both know, your father and I have been dating for quite some time. I know this hasn’t been easy for you two to adjust, but your father and I love each other very much and are happy to have found each other again to rekindle our relationship.
Jennifer wears a disgusted expression on her face; it doesn’t change as her mother speaks.
Justin: I’m hoping that I can have the chance to get to know you two better individually; perhaps during the summer break we can plan some fun activities and–
Jennifer: Why?
The table looks over at Jennifer, including Milo.
Justin: ‘Why?’
Jennifer: Yeah. Why all of a sudden do you want to get to know me and Mars better? I mean, shouldn’t you already know your own kids?
Lydia: Pep, please–
Justin: Jennifer, me going away 10 years–
Jennifer: *corrects* 11 years.
Justin: –11 years ago wasn’t because I didn’t love you or your sister–
Jennifer: *scoffs* Mars doesn’t even remember you! How is she supposed to know that her dad loved her when he left her as a baby?
Lydia: Jennifer!
Justin: *stern* It’s not as black and white as you think it is, Pep–
Jennifer: *annoyed* It’s Jennifer!
Justin looks over to Lydia as she lets out a deep breath; she looks a little queasy.
Maryette: Mom, are you okay?
Lydia: I’m fine, sweetie. *sighs* Girls, I know change can be scary and unpredictable. I know it’s been just the three of us for a long time, but trust me when I say that whether your father and I are together or not, the way we love you will never change.
Justin takes Lydia’s hand and holds it; his thumb rubbing the top of her knuckles. She takes another deep breath before looking at the girls. Milo’s eyes are glued on Jennifer, wishing he could comfort her the way Justin is comforting Lydia.
Lydia: *to Justin* I think that the five of us will be just fine in the end.
Milo scrunches his eyebrows; he immediately looks around the table. The girls seem confused as well.
Maryette: Five?
Jennifer: *worried* Five?
Lydia and Justin look at the girls.
Lydia: *smiles* We’re having a baby.
Milo’s eyes widen; he turns his head to look at Jennifer. Jennifer is devastated.
Jennifer: You’re what?!
Lydia: Pep–
Jennifer shoots up from her seat, furious.
Jennifer: Are you fucking kidding me?!
Lydia: *stern* Language–
Justin: Jennifer, just hear us out–
Jennifer: *to Lydia* How could you?! How could you allow this man to come back into our lives to complicate and ruin them! How could you do this without even talking to me and Mars about how we feel!
Lydia: Pep, please calm down–
Jennifer: *louder* And now you’re bringing another baby into this world with him?!
Justin: Jennifer–
Jennifer: *to Justin* Shut up! I don’t have to listen to anything you have to say! You are nothing but a deadbeat dad!
Lydia: *shouts* Jennifer Ann, that is enough!
Jennifer looks at the table; she quickly turns around and runs out of the kitchen. Milo gets up from his seat, running after Jennifer.
Before Jennifer can slam her door shut, Milo stops it from closing. He walks into the room as Jennifer begins to hyperventilate.
Milo: Pep–
Milo walks to Jennifer and puts his hands on her shoulders; she has a hard time taking steady breaths.
Milo: Pep; breathe.
Jennifer looks at Milo as she fights each breath. Milo breathes with her, helping her steady her breath. Once she does, she begins to cry.
Jennifer: Milo–
Milo pulls Jennifer in for a hug as she weeps in his shoulder.
Letters From Liz. 