Beep.[Dad wants to use your bedroom for something, and needs you to go and pick up the things you left behind.]Beep.[He says he’s throwing everything away if you don’t go home this weekend.]Beep.[I think they just want to see you and know how you’re doing, so stop by when you can, sis.]Rolling her eyes, Joy put her phone aside after reading James’ messages. If her parents wanted her home, couldn’t they at least call her or something?One. Two. Three. She needed to count until ten to calm down before letting her brother know she’d got the message.[Ok. I’ll try. Everything ok on your side?][Just the usual, you know, I’m tired. I’m gonna get some sleep now and then back to the library.][Take care. Don’t forget to have fun.][Of course. I’m not a nerd like you.]It was still early and she didn’t feel like getting up the bed or starting the week yet, but going back to sleep was impossible now that she was fully awake. Her eyes wandered around the room, and stopped at the photo frame on the wall right next to her door. It was one she’d printed on Saturday when she went shopping to decorate her room, from her trip to the mountains almost two years ago.Right before breaking up with Nicholas.‘It’s been too long since I was with someone, perhaps that’s why.’She hadn’t seen much of Adrien the rest of the weekend, not stepping out of her bedroom after coming back from Chinatown on Saturday evening, and wisely putting on her headphones when a woman’s giggling could be heard in the corridor. However, there was still an occasion to look at the beautiful red-head who left the man’s room on Sunday morning, just as she was re-heating her take-out food.It made her feel a bit uncomfortable, even when there was no reason to, knowing that the people in the other room were getting some action. Joy blamed it on the fact she’d been single and celibate for way too long.Her phone vibrated with another incoming message, but as Joy checked, she saw it wasn’t James but Emilia this time.[So, how is it living with your handsome guy.][He didn’t try anything weird, did he?]Joy sighed.[First, he’s not ‘my’ guy.][And second, Adrien is a very nice man.]Who had no interest in her the way Emilia was suggesting. It was better if her thoughts never went towards that direction.[Don’t you have something better to think about a Monday at 7 a.m?]Emilia’s reply didn’t take even a second.[Ungrateful woman.]Although there was no hurry that morning since she just had to go directly to the location for Beth’s interview at ten, Joy didn’t laze for much longer and went to prepare breakfast.Adrien was already up, apparently working from a spot in the couch and drinking coffee, and he looked up to greet her with a still sleepy face.“Morning.”“Good morning.” Joy smiled at him.Emilia’s words were powerful, though, and she was feeling a bit awkward, not trying to make more conversation until it was time for her to leave.******“See you later, Adrien. See you too, Beth, Joy.” Nora waved at them and left, just as the rest of the people who were still in the office gathered their things and called it a day.However, it was Luca’s birthday the next day, and there was a tradition at the magazine about the birthday person picking the location for the team’s celebration. This time, the man surprised everyone picking up karaoke. No one seemed very pleased with this choice, Joy being the exception, but it was settled.‘It’s going to be fun’, Joy thought, hearing Beth wishing loudly that there was good food whenever Luca was taking them that night, right before she too left the office.“Ok, that’s it. I think we’re good.” Adrien finished checking the pre-print that had to go to pass Nora’s green lights the next day. “Want me to give you a ride home?”“Thank you, but I actually have to go to the lion’s den now.” Joy told him with a resigned expression.He raised an eyebrow.“Picking the rest of my belongings from my parent’s house.” She added “My father seems to have plans to remodel my old room for his use.”“Oh.”Joy had chosen to go at this time so the visit would be short, as she had a good and very real excuse to leave early. Blame Heaven for her inability to come up with lies.“Well, if it doesn’t take long I give you a ride” Surprise flashed through her chocolate eyes, but he just shrugged. “I have free time.”There was no date for him, as they had to go to Luca’s birthday party, Joy could understand this. Yet during the week living at his place, she’d learned he had quite the routine with work from home, work at the office, and the hour long jogging at the park near their building every single day. Perhaps it was just her assuming things, but Adrien went every day at the same hour and came back at the same hour, not a minute early or late, so it was nice that he offered his time like this.“Okay. Thank you.”“No problem.”He not only gave her a ride but told her he’d wait outside to help her take her things. Adrien reflected on why he was doing this, perhaps he felt the need to repay Joy for constantly sharing her dinner with him that week. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do it himself, but it was nice, he supposed.Damn his constant need to hold onto any type of company.“I promise it won’t take long.”“Don’t worry. Good luck.”When she turned her back and gave hesitant steps towards the main door of the house, Adrien wondered if a big family fight would take place once she talked with her parents again.Perhaps that was the real reason he was there. No one should have to leave home feeling lonely.******There was comfort and warmth being held in her grandma’s embrace as she was used to.“It’s good to see you healthy and well, my child.”“Yes, grandma. How are you? Have you been well?”“As good as always. Come and sit down, tell us about your work.”Joy wanted to obbey, but her eyes looked past her grandma’s frame to meet her mother’s face.“Hello, mom.” Then her father also came walking from the kitchen “Dad.”“We expected you to come tomorrow.”“A friend got time to help me move my things today. So, I only came for a moment.”Her father nodded.“Are you still staying with Emilia?”“No, last week I found a place and moved in.”It was weird, and not right at all. Her family shouldn’t be like this, was never like this.“Are you going to continue with this, then?” Her mother asked. “Didn’t you make good use of your time to reflect on your actions?”Joy sighed. “There’s nothing for me to reflect about, mom. I’m living well and with a nice job.”Having said this, she strode to her bedroom, opening her wardrobe to find a few scattered items she’d considered not very important when packing the last time. There was a small bag, and a box with some books, and she put everything on the bed as she started to gather posters, stuffed animals and anything hers in that place.“Where are you living now?” His father came to ask.“Near South Park. If you want to visit anytime, I can send you the address.”“Joy, you don’t have to do this. Come and live home. You are a talented woman, your mother and I don’t want to see you losing your time like this. And why spend your money living somewhere else when you already have a house?”She frowned.“You were the ones who kicked me out.”“Because you are not seeing straight.”“I’m not losing my time!” Her voice came out louder than she intended. “I’m sorry.”She didn’t yell at her parents. It wasn’t good, no matter how frustrated she could feel at the moment or how much their words hurt her.“It’s better for me to leave now. Take care, dad.”On the corridor she stopped for a second to stare at her mother, who looked as if she wanted to say something else, but remained silent in the end.Thankfully, Adrien was outside and she hopped in the co-pilot’s seat, not saying a word.“Done?” He asked.“Done.”“You know what, I happen to know this area, there’s a great ice cream shop five blocks from here. Should we buy some?”“Glace!” She exclaimed, not believing that he actually knew a shop she frequented for so many years.But, of course, they lived in the same city. It wasn’t that strange.“Let’s go. The strawberry ice cream there is delicious.”His blue eyes were smiling, and so did she. A bad moment didn’t have to turn into a bad day.