My jacket hood was pulled up high over my head as I trudged my way down the sidewalk towards Mama Rosa's Coffee House. It was a bit colder than usual for mid-November in New York City and I couldn't wait to get inside out of the cold. Regina's amazing hot cocoa sounded more than appealing at the moment.

I suppose you could say that I was a woman on a mission. I hadn't seen Archer since our rather unpleasant interlude at lunch yesterday, and since it was the weekend right before Thanksgiving break, I wouldn't see him until two Mondays from now. I couldn't exactly afford to waste a week doing nothing when I could be out with Archer, so I'd more or less had to get over my nerves and go look for him.

My first and only thought as to where he could be was Mama Rosa's. It was obvious that he didn't hang out with anyone outside of school, and he had three little sisters, right? Maybe he was babysitting them or something. It was as good a shot as any, really.

Regina Morales was on call at the front counter as I wrenched open the door to Mama Rosa's and quickly stepped inside. The coffee house was just about empty, save for a haggard looking woman in the corner beside the fire place. At least there was a merrily crackling fire in the grate, so the place was toasty warm.

"Hadley!" Regina said in surprise as I approached the front counter. "I haven't seen you in a while!"

I did my best to smile as I tossed back my jacket hood. "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Morales."

"Oh, please," Regina laughed, holding up a hand. "Call me Regina. I feel so old being called Mrs. Morales."

I tried not to feel too awkward as I smiled back at her in return.

"So what can I do for you, Hadley?" Regina asked conversationally. "Are you here for Archer?"

I forced back a blush, dropping my gaze to my feet. "Yeah, I am, actually..."

"Well, I'm afraid he's at work," Regina sighed, drumming her fingers against the formica counter top. "He won't be back for a couple of hours."

I fought back the urge to burst into tears. Well, there went nothing. Literally.

"Oh," I said in a flat voice. "Okay. Sorry for intruding, then."

I made to leave the coffee house, but Regina called me back with a bit of a frantic shout.

"Wait, Hadley! Why don't you stay for a cup of coffee or something? It's pretty cold outside. You look a little frost bitten, in all honesty."

Okay, so a cup of coffee didn't sound so bad. It actually sounded pretty freaking amazing.

But with Archer's mother? Wouldn't that be a little awkward?

Well, you can always ask her a few questions, a tiny voice in my mind reasoned. Who would know Archer better than his own mother?

"Okay," I said slowly, turning back around. "That sounds lovely."

Regina smiled warmly, looking pleased. "Great. This gives me a chance to get to know you!"

I hadn't been expecting her to say that, but it was a little nice to hear it. Having an adult actually say that they wanted to get to know me was definitely more than my own parents could account for.

"But don't you have to work?" I asked, glancing around at the place.

Regina laughed as she set about making a fresh batch of coffee. "Oh, this place is always dead in the afternoon. The morning and after five are our busiest hours."

That made sense.

"Okay," I said again with more confidence. "Perfect."

I rummaged around in my pockets and came up with a five dollar bill that I quickly dropped in the tip jar on the counter beside the register. Judging by the look Regina was giving the money, I figured Archer had been right in saying that my money wasn't welcome here.

I took a seat in the middle of the coffee place at a small table meant for two people. Regina bustled over with two mugs of steaming, delicious smelling coffee.

"There we are," she said happily as she placed one of the mugs down in front of me.

I took the mug in my hands and breathed in the scent of warm vanilla and hazlenut.

"This smells amazing," I told Regina with a grin.

"Family recepie," Regina replied with a smile. "Our coffee is the only reason this place stays in business. That, and we own the building."

"Have you always lived here?" I asked before taking a careful sip of coffee.

Yeah, it was freaking delicious.

"My mother, Archer, and my three daughters and I all live in the apartment above the coffee house," Regina said, sipping at her own coffee. "I've always lived here."

"It's a nice place," I said. "I like it."

Regina smiled. "Thank you, Hadley."

I grinned, taking another sip of my yummy drink.

"So, do you have a crush on my son or something?"

I spit out a mouthful of coffee and stared at Regina like she'd just asked me if I'd willingly give her my first born child or something.

"Excuse me?" I croaked, grabbing for a napkin.

There was a knowing glint in Regina's dark eyes as she took a sip of her coffee and she wasn't doing a very good job of hiding her smirk.

"I thought that might be the case," she said, setting her coffee mug down on the table. "Archer's really not one to have friends."

I decided that I was neither going to confirm or deny that statement about my having a crush on Archer - because I obviously felt something for him....I just didn't know what that was yet.

And besides, the perfect opportunity to ask Regina questions about Archer had just presented itself and I wasn't about to pass that up. It was probably the only chance I'd get to really learn anything about Archer, since he clearly wasn't going to tell me anything.

"What's his deal?" I demanded before I could stop myself.

Even Regina looked surprised that I'd asked her that. She sighed, taking a sip of her coffee, before she answered.

"There are things in Archer's life that he shouldn't have had to deal with," she said in a quiet voice. I think she was just as pained about the things that had happened to her son that he had to be. "I blame myself, mostly. He's been the "man of the house" since he was little and he takes care of his sisters, and me and his grandmother. The Lord only knows that's not easy."

I kept my head down, my gaze directed towards my clasped hands on the table. I was getting the feeling that Regina didn't often talk about the things that had gone on in their lives and I wasn't about to interrupt her.

I was afraid to know just what had happened exactly.With the way that life was - and especially towards good people, too - it couldn't be very pleasant, could it?

"I'm sorry," I muttered, gripping my coffee mug tightly. "I shouldn't have...asked about it."

"Oh, it's all right," Regina said airily, trying to voice bravado into her voice. "I know Archer would have never told you that himself."

No kidding.

"But, Hadley...."

I gave Regina a curious look over the rim of my mug.

"Why are you...trying to get to know him?" Regina seemed flustered, at a loss for words, as she spoke. "He's not exactly the most easy-going person around. It can't be pleasant."

And this was where it was going to get difficult.

"I don't know, Regina..." I trailed off, biting my lip. "It's just that...he seems so alone all of the time. I know what being alone feels like, and I wouldn't wish that on anybody. No matter how rude they are."

Regina smiled a little, sipping at her coffee. "I suppose you could put it that way. Oh, and Hadley?"

"Yeah?"

"You never did say what your last name was."

I glowered down into my mug of coffee. You could say that I didn't really like talking about my family. It wasn't as if I exactly knew them very well.

"Jamison," I sighed.

It took a moment for Regina to put two and two together.

"Your father wouldn't happen to be - "

"Kenneth Jamison, the big hot-shot lawyer?" I supplied for her in a dry voice.

Regina nodded, looking sheepish.

"He is," I said.

Unfortunately, I added with another mental sigh.

Regina gave a small laugh as she took another swallow of coffee. "That must be interesting, having a lawyer for a father."

"Not exactly," I said before I could stop myself. "I'm home alone most of the time, so I don't really know either of my parents."

Regina fell silent as she stared over at me, and unless I was much mistaken, there was a saddened sort of look in her eyes.

"Well, you're welcome here any time you'd like," she finally said, setting her mug down on the table.

I couldn't help but grin as I glanced up at her. "Thank you. I'll probably take you up on that, since it's Thanksgiving break and all."

There was no doubt about that one. I spent the majority of holiday breaks on my own. I don't think I'd ever had a proper Thanksgiving dinner, anyways, with the whole turkey and mashed potatoes thing.

"I'm sure Archer will appreciate that," Regina chuckled, leaning forward on the table with her elbows.

I scowled. "I'm sure."

"Look, Hadley, don't give up on Archer. He's a good guy. He just needs a little...prodding, I suppose you could say."

Okay, so I hadn't expected Regina to say that at all. If anything, I thought she was going to tell me to just give up and go home and forget that I'd ever even met Archer before. But it was a nice change, hearing that maybe, just maybe, I actually had a chance with him.

Regina and I chatted a little while longer about how school was going for me and what I wanted to do after I graduated. The rather shifty looking woman in the corner of the coffee house had long since cleared out and our coffee mugs were rather empty by the time the sky outside started to darken.

It was nice talking to Regina. It was nice being talked to like I was an actual adult and that I just wasn't some kid that didn't know what they were doing with their life. In some ways, I liked Regina a lot better than my own mother, and that made me sort of sad.

"Would you mind helping me in the back for a bit?" Regina asked as she pushed back from the table and stood up. "The dinner rush is about to start soon and since Archer and my mom aren't back yet, I need some help manning the front counter."

I sat in my chair and stared up at Regina with a completely baffled look on my face. It took a moment or two for things to finally sink in and for me to realize what she'd asked me.

"Uh, sure!" I blurted out in a kind of embarrassed voice. "But I don't know how much help I'll be. I've never exactly worked before or anything."

Regina grinned as she leaned over and grabbed my empty coffee mug. "That's okay. There's really nothing to spooning out bowls of soup or working a cash register."

I gulped nervously.

I sure hoped Regina was right about that one.

Seven minutes later, I was situated behind the front counter by the cash register, wearing a red apron similar to Regina's that said "Mama Rosa's Coffee House, A Little Taste of Italy since 1897!"

I was more than sort of freaking out about doing this. What if Archer suddenly walked in and saw me doing his job? Wouldn't he be a little mad? And what if I totally messed up on a person's order and brought them the wrong thing or something?

Well, it didn't hurt to try new things, did it?

And by the time closing time at eigt o'clock rolled around, I realized that Regina hadn't been kidding about the dinner rush after five, because Mama Rosa's got packed.

It took me a few tries to get the hang of using a cash register, a really old ancient thing that was a bit rusty. I was surprised it even worked, and I was pretty sure that it had been in use since the coffee house itself opened up.

Regina took care of most of the drink orders - some of which seemed pretty complicated - while I dealt with dishing out pastries and bringing people their dinner orders and drinks. A lot of people seemed to be regulars, since I was asked pretty frequently when I'd started working here and how I knew Victoria and Regina.

"She's a friend of the family," Regina had answered with a smile while handing the old woman her mocha in a to-go cup.

I couldn't help but smile at that one.

It was nice to feel apart of something, even if it wasn't for very long.

I was mopping down the front counter with a wet rag while Regina was tossing the remainder of the pastries that hadn't been sold into the trash bin when the chimes above the front door rang and a gust of cold air swept inside.

I bit back a squeak when I saw that it was Archer Morales himself marching inside with his typical scowl in place, looking a bit exhausted. He was followed by Victoria Incitti and three near-identical little girls with bouncing dark ringlets who were chattering away at the top of their voices, which was a bit loud.

"MOM!" one of the girls screamed before running across the empty coffee house, behind the counter, to throw her arms around Regina.

Regina laughed while hugging the little girl back and she was quickly joined by the two others, who were just as loud as their sister.

"Jamison?" Archer said in surprise, stopping in his tracks. "What're you doing here?"

"Oh, she was just giving me a hand," Regina replied before I could. "It turns out Hadley is quite the waitress."

I flushed bright red while Archer gave me a shrewd look, his amazing eyes narrowed.

"Is that so?" he said in a flat voice.

His distaste wasn't hidden from anyone.

"Do be more polite, boy," Victoria snapped, whapping Archer upside the head as she passed him. "The least you could do is be a gentleman when a young lady is in your presence."

Archer did not find his grandmother's words humorous at all. I had to duck my head so no one would see the smirk that was threatening to break out across my face.

I felt a tug on the end of my apron and glanced down to see one of the triplets standing beside me, staring up at me with a curious look on her cute little face.

"Hi," I said.

"Hi!" she chirped back brightly.

I noticed that she was missing one of her front teeth as she smiled widely, and unless my memory served me faulty, this was April.

"Who are you?" she asked, her eyebrows pitching together in confusion.

"I'm Hadley," I said. "I go to school with your brother."

"I'm April!" she said loudly. "Archer's my big brother."

I grinned, glancing over at Archer out of the corner of my eye. He was watching me with this look in his eyes that made my stomach start fluttering with butterflies.

Trust Archer Morales to make me feel like so stupid.

I was yanked back to reality when April started tugging on the end of my apron again, a bit more frantically this time.

"Psst!"

I bent down on one knee to April's level and she gripped my shoulders tightly and leaned forward to whisper something confidentially in my ear.

"Archer's a big fat meanie."

I couldn't help but burst out laughing. I started laughing so hard I fell backwards on the ground on my ass.

"I'm...I'm sure he is," I sighed, once I managed to get a grip on my composure.

April was smirking, as if she was very satisfied with herself. "He's never nice to me or May or June."

"April, what nonsense are you telling Hadley now?"

April stopped talking mid-sentence as Archer leaned over the front counter, giving his little sister a stern glare.

"Nothing!" she chirped back with a bright smile.

Archer rollled his eyes before he launched himself across the front counter, caught April in his arms, and then started tickling her.

I sat back on the ground and watched as April burst with delighted giggles while she struggled to get out of Archer's arms. She wasn't having much luck, but I think she didn't mind.

"All right, all right!" Regina said loudly over April's laughter. "I think that's enough, you two."

"Yeah!" the other two of the triplets piped up.

"Put me down, Archer!" April squeaked in an indignant voice.

"Yeah, well, next time don't tell lies," Archer deadpanned before placing his little sister on her feet.

April ran back to Regina, Victoria, and her sisters without another word.

Archer turned to me with a raised eyebrow, his lips pressed together in a tight line. "What're you doing on the floor?"

"Nothing!"

I stumbled upright, gripping the counter for support, while Archer continued to stare at me like I was very, very stupid.

Well, that was nice.

"You should probably leave," he said a moment later in a quiet voice.

Great. So he was still mad at me. Just what I needed.

"Actually!" Regina interjected loudly. "Do you want to stay for dinner, Hadley? You were a great help this afternoon."

It was safe to say that Archer looked horrified at his mother's invitation. If it hadn't been for the steely glare that his grandmother shot in his direction, I'm fairly certain he would have kicked me out of the coffee house.

"Uh, sure..." I said shiftily, glancing over at Archer. "That sounds nice."

Archer was staring down at his feet, his jaw set, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

So obviously there was something going through his mind at the moment that was making him less than happy, and I was fairly certain that something was me.

I didn't want to go home to an empty apartment and I didn't want to leave the Moraleses, either. And not only was I hungry, too, but I wanted to figure out what was going on with Archer.

Talking with Regina today had only reaffirmed the fact that there was something I didn't know about Archer that obviously took up a big portion of his life. Maybe if I found out what that was, I'd be able to help him with whatever reasons he had that made him think he should end his life.

It was a long shot for sure, but it didn't hurt to try, right?

Death had told me last night that I could do this and it was time for me to stop sitting around and waiting for something to happen.

It was clear that I was going to have to take things into my own hands. I just hoped I was able to handle whatever answers I got.

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" Victoria barked, gesturing grandly with her hands. "Let's go have dinner!"

So that's exactly what we did.

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Sooo.....what do you guys think?? I hope this chapter was worth it!!! Votes, comments, and reads are always greatly appreciated!!!!! (: Let me know what you guys think!!