When Haven was settled in for the night, I walked quietly down the stairs and into the kitchen where Joe was making himself a peanut butter sandwich.

He looked up at me and smiled, "You want one," he asked and gave me a cheeky grin, the same one Haven had just given me an hour ago when she tried to convince me it wasn't her bedtime.

I laughed and shook my head no as I walked up behind him, wrapped my arms around his waist, and rested my head on his upper back, and sighed.

"Long day huh," he asked me as he turned around in my arms to face me. He sat the sandwich on the plate and wrapped his arms around me.

"Ya," my reply was muffled because my face was in his chest. I looked up at him and smiled. "Poor Valerie, she has the worst luck when it comes to pregnancies. She looked miserable."

He chuckled as he took another bite of his sandwich, and sat it down. "Yep," he responded lightly, "and I'm sure having Albert as the father isn't that great either. From what I here, Angie does more to help around then he does. Poor girl. She doesn't get much attention in that house hold does she?"

I shook my head and pulled away from him to make my way into the living room as he followed. Sitting down on the couch I responded. "No, she never has. She was still really little when Mary Alice was born. And with Albert, Lisa, and this new baby, she's had to grow up really fast. She told me the other day that she couldn't wait till she got to college."

I sighed and shook my head. If I had to pick a favorite out of all my nieces I would have to pick Angie. And I hated the thought of her having to grow up so fast. She was only twelve and she already had a full-time babysitting job. This was the time of her life where she should be going skating with friends on Friday nights, but instead she was stuck at home helping with the two younger kids. Last Friday was a prime example. Joe and I had invited her to go with us to see Disney on Ice in Newark, and she'd been ecstatic. Haven had picked her especially to go because that was her biggest older cousin, and she had spent the night at our house two nights before. But when we got to their home to pick her up Valerie said she couldn't go because she had to help with Lisa, because she was too sick.

I smiled at the next memory, Joe went all Italian mode on Valerie, and next thing I know Angie is in the back seat telling jokes to Haven. I looked at Joe who was now sitting beside being awfully quiet. I supposed that he was thinking about last Friday as well. "I wish there was something I could do to make Valerie see. She's just a little girl, Joe. She should be having fun all the time. I think that's why she loves coming over here so much, because she gets to be a kid, and have fun."

He nodded and put his arms around me. "Ya I've noticed that too." And once again silence surround us. The television wasn't even on which was definitely a first for us.

"I have to tell you this," I started and turned around so I was facing Joe full on. "Before I was pregnant with Haven, is when I really started to notice the way they treat her. I didn't like it. I talked to my parents about it and they noticed it too but they were too scared to say anything. I was going to talk to you about this but then I found out I was pregnant and things got a little too crazy and I didn't think we'd be able to do it."

I paused, and looked at him. "Able to do what," he asked and raised his eyebrows.

"Well, when I was talking to my parents, like I said before, the main thing they wanted to do was to get Angie out of that house. They knew that Albert and Valerie didn't treat her well, and they didn't like seeing it but they didn't want to step on Valerie's toes. I on the other hand didn't give a damn, and said I would take her. I waited for a week to think about it, but the day I found out I was pregnant was the day I was going to ask you if it was all right. I mean we were living together, so you'd have to have a say in the decision too."

He nodded, and part of his face was shocked.

"It's a big decision Joe," I started again, "but Angie's always been special to me. She's a good kid, and she doesn't deserve this. And now that I'm a mom," I paused to catch my breath, "no matter how desperate I am in need of help, I would never, never put Haven though that, she doesn't deserve it, and neither does Angie."

Joe nodded again and took in a deep breath. He hunched forward and clasped his hands together. "So what your saying," he began, "you are saying that you want Angie to come live with us?"

I nodded and swallowed hard. From his expression I couldn't tell what he was thinking. "Think about it Joe," I began my last plea. I went and knelt down on the floor in front of him, and grabbed his hands. Caressing his face I continued. "Can you imagine, being just a little boy, and living like that? Can you imagine putting your own daughter though that? Angie barely has time to do her homework at nights because she's too busy doing things for Albert and Valerie to work on it. She has to clean the house, watch the kids when they go out, and when this new baby is born the work load is going to get worse. I love my sister, but right now she's not being a very good mom. To the others she is, but to Angie she's not. Adding a baby to the mix is not one of her best ideas in a long time. And you saw first hand last Friday the type of treatment she gets. Everybody else's needs come first. Joe, she just needs a break, she needs to be a kid."

"Everything you're saying makes sense, Cupcake it does but," he took my hands in his, "don't get me wrong, I am ready and willing to take Angie out of that house in a heartbeat but aren't you worried about what your sister will think, about what she will do. Albert is a lawyer honey. And what about us, we're getting married in a couple of months what then?"

I nodded, "Joe, Albert is an alcoholic, and I've never liked him. I would have no problem digging up dirt on him to get my way." I replied shocked at the darkness of my words but continued. "Valerie's needs are not important to me right now what's important to me are the needs of my twelve year old niece. I don't care how we do it, it just needs to be done. We'll bring in child services what ever it takes. As for us getting married, I'm not concerned. We have a beautiful daughter upstairs that's well taken care of, and I have no doubt we'll be able to afford a teenager. And I'm sure my parents will help in anyway they can, ok?"

He nodded and leaned down to give me soft kiss on the lips. "Whatever you want to do Cupcake," he stood up and grabbed my hand. "We'll start the process tomorrow, I'll get a friend from services to look into what we can do. But tonight, I'm really tired, and all I want to do is sleep with the woman I love."

And with that he led me upstairs and turned out the lights.