Extension: Generations
Written by Rosey Collins
Additional material by Jake Collins
Additional material by Jake Collins
Lucie and Laura went downstairs together, each with a well-stuffed bag slung over her shoulder. They found that Roland had made a sizeable breakfast for everyone present and was now at the kitchen table, fussing around Liam, while T'Keyah stood at the worktop and poured herself a cup of coffee from the cafetière. Dylan was there too, picking at a bowl of cereal but mainly concentrating on the smart phone and headset he was plugged into, oblivious to everybody else.
'Morning, girls,' T'Keyah smiled at the twins. 'Oh, Lucie, I like your pants – are they new?'
'No, they're not,' Lucie replied, with barely disguised irritation.
'How long until you guys have to leave?' asked Roland. 'Be sure to have a good breakfast before you go.'
'We will, Dad,' said Laura, giving him an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder as she walked over to the cafetière. 'Any more in there, T'Keyah?'
'Sure, honey,' said T'Keyah. 'I'll find you a clean mug.'
'Dennis!' Dylan said suddenly. 'Dennis! I just got killed!'
Dennis's reply was an indistinct crackle that was just audible through Dylan's headphones.
'What time's your flight, Laura?' asked Roland. 'Lucie, remember she has to be there in plenty of time to get through security and everything.'
'I know, Dad,' said Lucie.
'Where's Laura even going, anyway?' said Liam.
'I told you, Liam,' said Laura. 'I'm going to New York to see Rose.'
'You normally go to Max's with Lucie,' said Liam.
'Yes,' Laura said patiently, 'but this time Lucie's going to her vets-to-be thing after and I'd have to go with her, and I'd be very bored there, wouldn't I?'
'That's not why Lucie's going to see him by herself,' Liam said slyly.
'There's about fifteen... no, twenty soldiers waiting to ambush you,' Dylan announced. 'Don't go near that mountain! Head back toward the forest!'
'I know why!' Liam went on, speaking more loudly when nobody took any notice of him. Then he looked at Lucie. 'Max is gonna do sex on you!'
Roland's jaw dropped dramatically. Laura and T'Keyah both snorted into their coffee, the latter at the same time trying to look stern whilst saying, 'Liam, baby, you mustn't say things like that.' Lucie didn't react at all.
'Don't look like that, Dad,' said Laura. 'He doesn't know what it really means. Right, munchkin?'
'I know it's what Max is gonna do, anyways,' Liam said sulkily.
'Yeah, well,' said Lucie, helping herself to a slice of toast, 'I can't deny it.'
Roland looked uncomfortable and suddenly decided that Liam had had enough breakfast. He began hurrying the small boy off his chair, saying, 'Come on, kiddo, it's almost time for school. And Dylan, you've got to make sure you're ready for your mom.'
Dylan didn't hear a word, but he glanced up when Roland tapped his shoulder, saw that he was being ordered from the room and went, still staring at his device.
'Aw, man!' he laughed, as something happened on the screen and the facsimile of Dennis's voice buzzed around him. 'We came second, though – that's not bad. Yeah, it's a good game...'
As soon as the three males had gone, T'Keyah said, 'Lucie, you remembered to pack your birth control pills, didn't you?'
'God, T'Keyah!' said Lucie, rolling her eyes.
'Sorry, sorry,' said T'Keyah. 'I know it's none of my business. But if you miss just one day –'
'I'm gonna go brush my teeth,' said Lucie, taking a second piece of toast with her as she left the room. Laura and T'Keyah then sat down together and began to eat what was left.
'Hey,' said T'Keyah, smiling at Laura across the table.
'Hey,' Laura smiled back, somewhat apprehensively.
'So,' said T'Keyah, 'how about letting me tell your dad that Rose is gonna do sex on you?'
Laura burst out laughing. 'T'Keyah!'
'Sorry,' said T'Keyah, smiling. 'Obviously I wouldn't phrase it like that.'
'Good,' said Laura, then she thought for a moment. 'I guess you can tell him. I mean, this is the first time me and Rose are gonna be really alone together, and I figured if it somehow wasn't right... well, this'd be when we'd find out. I was planning to tell him and Mom after this, but... well, I gotta admit, it would be easier if they already knew when I got back.'
'Yeah?' said T'Keyah. 'You're pretty sure it's not wrong, then?'
'I feel good about it,' said Laura.
'That's great, honey.'
'And if anything does go wrong... well, it probably won't.'
'Why would it?' said T'Keyah.
Laura shrugged. 'I don't know. I hope it won't. I think I'm just comparing myself to Lucie... she seems more sure of everything.'
'Hey,' said T'Keyah, 'you'll figure it out. But listen, speaking of Lucie... while we can talk behind her back... she did listen to what I told her about STIs, didn't she? When you guys drove off with a bunch of pills and no condoms, well...'
'She already knew all that before you told her, T'Keyah. We both did.'
'Are you sure? It's different for you, honey. You might not know everything that can happen in a –'
'T'keyah, stop!' said Laura. 'Look, Lucie and I are both educated and we're both fine, I promise.'
'Sorry,' said T'Keyah. 'It's the doctor part of me.'
'You're an audiologist!'
'Yes, but I haven't forgotten everything I learned before that. I know what can happen, and I worry about you guys. All you guys. I worry about Adam up in Seattle.'
'Adam?' said Laura. 'No way. He's too boring to have sex!'
T'Keyah raised an eyebrow. 'You think so, huh? Well, y'know, some people might've said the same thing about your dad back in college.'
'Okay!' Laura said loudly, rising to her feet. 'And that's where this conversation ends. I gotta go brush my teeth too.'
Lucie passed Laura on the stairs, then went into the living room and found Roland putting Liam's socks on him.
'Say, Dad,' said Lucie, 'why don't me and Laura take Liam to school and Dylan to Mom's? It's not really out of our way.'
'That'd be great, Lucie, thank you,' said Roland, as he undid the Velcro fastenings on Liam's shoes. 'I wish you were gonna be here for the rest of your spring break!'
'You do, huh?' said Lucie. 'Is that just because you want me to look after Liam, or because you don't like my choice of boyfriend?'
'Maybe I don't want you to be a vet,' Roland said flippantly.
'Sure you do,' said Lucie. 'You want me to do what makes me happy, and even if that's not counting options that don't involve college and a career, you can't complain about veterinary medicine.'
'I'd be fine with you not having a college education and a career,' Roland said unconvincingly.
'Whatever you say, Dad,' said Lucie. 'And you're fine with me having a boyfriend too, right?'
'Yes,' said Roland. 'No one really wants their kids to grow up and take emotional risks, sweetheart, but as it's Max... well, I couldn't have chosen better myself. But I am sorry you have to go so far away from us to be with him.'
'Dad, come on,' said Lucie, smiling and going to give him a hug. 'You still got a twelve year old and an almost-five year old at home.'
On the sofa, Liam had produced a tablet and was jabbing away at it. Roland looked wistfully at him and said, 'They'll be all grown up too before you know it.'
'Yeah, well,' said Lucie, giving him a squeeze and then breaking the hug, 'maybe you'll have some grandkids by then.'
'Oh, I'd love that!' said Roland. 'But then again, they might very well be in Florida, huh?'
She gave him a stink-eye. 'I was thinking more of Adam.'
'Oh yes?' said Roland. 'Are you saying it's not forever with Max?'
'Da-ad!' said Lucie, sounding irritated but smiling to herself as she turned away. 'It's too early to tell, and I am definitely not thinking about kids yet.'
At that point, Laura appeared in the room, saying, 'Ready to go, Luce?'
'You bet I am!' said Lucie. 'We're dropping both the boys off, by the way. Come on, munchkin, time to move,' and she chivvied Liam and his tablet off the sofa. 'Now, where the heck is Dylan?'
'He went into the bathroom after me,' said Laura. 'I don't know if he's really doing much in there, though – he was still yakking away to Dennis.'
'He was, huh?' said Lucie. 'Can't they just, like, meet up and talk to each other in person for once?'
'Not today, Luce,' said Roland. 'Dennis has gone away for spring break.'
Lucie rolled her eyes and went traipsing from the room, muttering, 'If those boys make me late, I swear...'
'She's keen,' Roland remarked to Laura.
'Er... yeah,' said Laura, a little awkwardly. 'She really likes him a lot, Dad.'
'That's good,' said Roland. 'You know I just want all of you kids to be happy.'
Laura smiled uncertainly at him, then left the room.
'Morning, girls,' T'Keyah smiled at the twins. 'Oh, Lucie, I like your pants – are they new?'
'No, they're not,' Lucie replied, with barely disguised irritation.
'How long until you guys have to leave?' asked Roland. 'Be sure to have a good breakfast before you go.'
'We will, Dad,' said Laura, giving him an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder as she walked over to the cafetière. 'Any more in there, T'Keyah?'
'Sure, honey,' said T'Keyah. 'I'll find you a clean mug.'
'Dennis!' Dylan said suddenly. 'Dennis! I just got killed!'
Dennis's reply was an indistinct crackle that was just audible through Dylan's headphones.
'What time's your flight, Laura?' asked Roland. 'Lucie, remember she has to be there in plenty of time to get through security and everything.'
'I know, Dad,' said Lucie.
'Where's Laura even going, anyway?' said Liam.
'I told you, Liam,' said Laura. 'I'm going to New York to see Rose.'
'You normally go to Max's with Lucie,' said Liam.
'Yes,' Laura said patiently, 'but this time Lucie's going to her vets-to-be thing after and I'd have to go with her, and I'd be very bored there, wouldn't I?'
'That's not why Lucie's going to see him by herself,' Liam said slyly.
'There's about fifteen... no, twenty soldiers waiting to ambush you,' Dylan announced. 'Don't go near that mountain! Head back toward the forest!'
'I know why!' Liam went on, speaking more loudly when nobody took any notice of him. Then he looked at Lucie. 'Max is gonna do sex on you!'
Roland's jaw dropped dramatically. Laura and T'Keyah both snorted into their coffee, the latter at the same time trying to look stern whilst saying, 'Liam, baby, you mustn't say things like that.' Lucie didn't react at all.
'Don't look like that, Dad,' said Laura. 'He doesn't know what it really means. Right, munchkin?'
'I know it's what Max is gonna do, anyways,' Liam said sulkily.
'Yeah, well,' said Lucie, helping herself to a slice of toast, 'I can't deny it.'
Roland looked uncomfortable and suddenly decided that Liam had had enough breakfast. He began hurrying the small boy off his chair, saying, 'Come on, kiddo, it's almost time for school. And Dylan, you've got to make sure you're ready for your mom.'
Dylan didn't hear a word, but he glanced up when Roland tapped his shoulder, saw that he was being ordered from the room and went, still staring at his device.
'Aw, man!' he laughed, as something happened on the screen and the facsimile of Dennis's voice buzzed around him. 'We came second, though – that's not bad. Yeah, it's a good game...'
As soon as the three males had gone, T'Keyah said, 'Lucie, you remembered to pack your birth control pills, didn't you?'
'God, T'Keyah!' said Lucie, rolling her eyes.
'Sorry, sorry,' said T'Keyah. 'I know it's none of my business. But if you miss just one day –'
'I'm gonna go brush my teeth,' said Lucie, taking a second piece of toast with her as she left the room. Laura and T'Keyah then sat down together and began to eat what was left.
'Hey,' said T'Keyah, smiling at Laura across the table.
'Hey,' Laura smiled back, somewhat apprehensively.
'So,' said T'Keyah, 'how about letting me tell your dad that Rose is gonna do sex on you?'
Laura burst out laughing. 'T'Keyah!'
'Sorry,' said T'Keyah, smiling. 'Obviously I wouldn't phrase it like that.'
'Good,' said Laura, then she thought for a moment. 'I guess you can tell him. I mean, this is the first time me and Rose are gonna be really alone together, and I figured if it somehow wasn't right... well, this'd be when we'd find out. I was planning to tell him and Mom after this, but... well, I gotta admit, it would be easier if they already knew when I got back.'
'Yeah?' said T'Keyah. 'You're pretty sure it's not wrong, then?'
'I feel good about it,' said Laura.
'That's great, honey.'
'And if anything does go wrong... well, it probably won't.'
'Why would it?' said T'Keyah.
Laura shrugged. 'I don't know. I hope it won't. I think I'm just comparing myself to Lucie... she seems more sure of everything.'
'Hey,' said T'Keyah, 'you'll figure it out. But listen, speaking of Lucie... while we can talk behind her back... she did listen to what I told her about STIs, didn't she? When you guys drove off with a bunch of pills and no condoms, well...'
'She already knew all that before you told her, T'Keyah. We both did.'
'Are you sure? It's different for you, honey. You might not know everything that can happen in a –'
'T'keyah, stop!' said Laura. 'Look, Lucie and I are both educated and we're both fine, I promise.'
'Sorry,' said T'Keyah. 'It's the doctor part of me.'
'You're an audiologist!'
'Yes, but I haven't forgotten everything I learned before that. I know what can happen, and I worry about you guys. All you guys. I worry about Adam up in Seattle.'
'Adam?' said Laura. 'No way. He's too boring to have sex!'
T'Keyah raised an eyebrow. 'You think so, huh? Well, y'know, some people might've said the same thing about your dad back in college.'
'Okay!' Laura said loudly, rising to her feet. 'And that's where this conversation ends. I gotta go brush my teeth too.'
Lucie passed Laura on the stairs, then went into the living room and found Roland putting Liam's socks on him.
'Say, Dad,' said Lucie, 'why don't me and Laura take Liam to school and Dylan to Mom's? It's not really out of our way.'
'That'd be great, Lucie, thank you,' said Roland, as he undid the Velcro fastenings on Liam's shoes. 'I wish you were gonna be here for the rest of your spring break!'
'You do, huh?' said Lucie. 'Is that just because you want me to look after Liam, or because you don't like my choice of boyfriend?'
'Maybe I don't want you to be a vet,' Roland said flippantly.
'Sure you do,' said Lucie. 'You want me to do what makes me happy, and even if that's not counting options that don't involve college and a career, you can't complain about veterinary medicine.'
'I'd be fine with you not having a college education and a career,' Roland said unconvincingly.
'Whatever you say, Dad,' said Lucie. 'And you're fine with me having a boyfriend too, right?'
'Yes,' said Roland. 'No one really wants their kids to grow up and take emotional risks, sweetheart, but as it's Max... well, I couldn't have chosen better myself. But I am sorry you have to go so far away from us to be with him.'
'Dad, come on,' said Lucie, smiling and going to give him a hug. 'You still got a twelve year old and an almost-five year old at home.'
On the sofa, Liam had produced a tablet and was jabbing away at it. Roland looked wistfully at him and said, 'They'll be all grown up too before you know it.'
'Yeah, well,' said Lucie, giving him a squeeze and then breaking the hug, 'maybe you'll have some grandkids by then.'
'Oh, I'd love that!' said Roland. 'But then again, they might very well be in Florida, huh?'
She gave him a stink-eye. 'I was thinking more of Adam.'
'Oh yes?' said Roland. 'Are you saying it's not forever with Max?'
'Da-ad!' said Lucie, sounding irritated but smiling to herself as she turned away. 'It's too early to tell, and I am definitely not thinking about kids yet.'
At that point, Laura appeared in the room, saying, 'Ready to go, Luce?'
'You bet I am!' said Lucie. 'We're dropping both the boys off, by the way. Come on, munchkin, time to move,' and she chivvied Liam and his tablet off the sofa. 'Now, where the heck is Dylan?'
'He went into the bathroom after me,' said Laura. 'I don't know if he's really doing much in there, though – he was still yakking away to Dennis.'
'He was, huh?' said Lucie. 'Can't they just, like, meet up and talk to each other in person for once?'
'Not today, Luce,' said Roland. 'Dennis has gone away for spring break.'
Lucie rolled her eyes and went traipsing from the room, muttering, 'If those boys make me late, I swear...'
'She's keen,' Roland remarked to Laura.
'Er... yeah,' said Laura, a little awkwardly. 'She really likes him a lot, Dad.'
'That's good,' said Roland. 'You know I just want all of you kids to be happy.'
Laura smiled uncertainly at him, then left the room.
Rose, as she ushered Laura into her front hallway, was saying, 'They had to go see some obscure relative in Mexico.' She entered the house herself and closed the door behind her, then went on, 'And Chita's almost always either at work or at college – her spring break is next week – or she's at Josh's. Not that I want to keep you a secret or anything. It's just... nice to have the privacy, right?'
'Absolutely,' said Laura. She dumped her bag at the bottom of the stairs and slid her arms around Rose's shoulders. 'So far we've only dreamed of having a whole house to ourselves.'
'Having said that,' said Rose, sounding a little guilty, 'I haven't exactly told my family about us yet.'
'That's okay,' said Laura. 'I only told T'Keyah. But I did say she could tell my dad while I'm away, and then I guess he'll tell my mom. I hope that's okay with you, Rosy.'
'You can tell whoever you want, babe,' said Rose. 'I was planning on telling my parents when I see them this weekend. It seems like a good time.'
'I guess there's never really a bad time for good news, huh?' Laura said with a smile.
Rose smiled back. Then she went on, 'I guess Conchita will be here from time to time – I mean, as far as she knows it's up to her to feed Merida, if nothing else – but I don't mind telling her first.'
'I can hide from her if you'd like,' said Laura.
'Hey, come on,' said Rose. 'You don't need to do that. And in the meantime...'
She snaked her arms around Laura's waist and the two began to kiss tenderly. It was only gradually that Rose became aware of some noise coming from above, and she kept casting uneasy one-eyed glances towards the staircase until the sounds became unmistakable. At this point, Rose pulled out of the kiss and said, 'Okay, what the hell?'
'Are you sure your parents are out of town?' asked Laura.
'Ew, ew, ew!' said Rose, looking thoroughly sickened and clamping her hands over her ears.
When the noise had died down, Laura reached out and pulled Rose's hands away from her head, saying with a smile of amusement, 'All clear now.'
'I can't believe this,' muttered Rose.
Meanwhile, at the top of the stairs, Merida had begun trying to break down one of the bedroom doors. Rose took no notice of this, and had been about to mooch off into a downstairs room when suddenly she caught the sound of a cat meowing in a voice that was not Merida's. She froze for a moment or two, then suddenly darted up the stairs and looked around for the intruder. She soon caught sight of a black cat cowering outside the bathroom door.
'That's Josh's cat!' said Rose.
Laura began tentatively following Rose up the stairs while, outside Conchita's bedroom door, Merida turned to face the black cat with raised hackles and a terrifying noise rising up from somewhere deep within her. Josh's cat shrank back and mewed piteously. It was at this point that the bedroom door flew open, and there stood Conchita wearing a very cool men's T-shirt, while behind her stood Josh wearing the equally cool jeans that clearly went with it. Both of them looked at once annoyed and alarmed, and when Conchita caught sight of Rose, her jaw dropped in amazement.
'Absolutely,' said Laura. She dumped her bag at the bottom of the stairs and slid her arms around Rose's shoulders. 'So far we've only dreamed of having a whole house to ourselves.'
'Having said that,' said Rose, sounding a little guilty, 'I haven't exactly told my family about us yet.'
'That's okay,' said Laura. 'I only told T'Keyah. But I did say she could tell my dad while I'm away, and then I guess he'll tell my mom. I hope that's okay with you, Rosy.'
'You can tell whoever you want, babe,' said Rose. 'I was planning on telling my parents when I see them this weekend. It seems like a good time.'
'I guess there's never really a bad time for good news, huh?' Laura said with a smile.
Rose smiled back. Then she went on, 'I guess Conchita will be here from time to time – I mean, as far as she knows it's up to her to feed Merida, if nothing else – but I don't mind telling her first.'
'I can hide from her if you'd like,' said Laura.
'Hey, come on,' said Rose. 'You don't need to do that. And in the meantime...'
She snaked her arms around Laura's waist and the two began to kiss tenderly. It was only gradually that Rose became aware of some noise coming from above, and she kept casting uneasy one-eyed glances towards the staircase until the sounds became unmistakable. At this point, Rose pulled out of the kiss and said, 'Okay, what the hell?'
'Are you sure your parents are out of town?' asked Laura.
'Ew, ew, ew!' said Rose, looking thoroughly sickened and clamping her hands over her ears.
When the noise had died down, Laura reached out and pulled Rose's hands away from her head, saying with a smile of amusement, 'All clear now.'
'I can't believe this,' muttered Rose.
Meanwhile, at the top of the stairs, Merida had begun trying to break down one of the bedroom doors. Rose took no notice of this, and had been about to mooch off into a downstairs room when suddenly she caught the sound of a cat meowing in a voice that was not Merida's. She froze for a moment or two, then suddenly darted up the stairs and looked around for the intruder. She soon caught sight of a black cat cowering outside the bathroom door.
'That's Josh's cat!' said Rose.
Laura began tentatively following Rose up the stairs while, outside Conchita's bedroom door, Merida turned to face the black cat with raised hackles and a terrifying noise rising up from somewhere deep within her. Josh's cat shrank back and mewed piteously. It was at this point that the bedroom door flew open, and there stood Conchita wearing a very cool men's T-shirt, while behind her stood Josh wearing the equally cool jeans that clearly went with it. Both of them looked at once annoyed and alarmed, and when Conchita caught sight of Rose, her jaw dropped in amazement.
Five minutes later, the black cat was still upstairs, looking hunted as Josh held him close to his bare chest and made soothing noises against his head. Merida was downstairs, being held upright against Rose's front and peering over her shoulder, digging her claws into the skin. Conchita was there too, arguing with Rose in the middle of the hallway. Laura was standing awkwardly at the top of the stairs, a few feet away from Josh.
'What the hell were you thinking, bringing another cat in here?' Rose demanded. 'You know she hates them!'
'She was fine with it before,' said Conchita. 'You know we wouldn't have kept him here if Merida reacted badly – it really seemed like she'd mellowed in her old age. I guess she just got mad at Adrien because he was trying to tell her not to break down my door.'
'Why is he even here in the first place?' said Rose. 'And why are you? Josh has his own place!'
'So what if he does?' said Conchita. 'You didn't tell anybody you were coming home today!'
'I thought the place'd be empty!'
'You knew I'd be here sometimes. And why be secretive about it anyway?'
'I wasn't being secretive – I just didn't tell you.'
'Well, I'm sorry, okay? If I'd known you were coming, then I'd have told you everything. If you have to know, Josh and Adrien needed a place to stay for a few days, so they're here.'
'Yes, I can see that,' Rose said unpleasantly. 'With my eyes.'
Conchita frowned at her. 'So what else do you think you need to know?'
'For one thing, why do they need a place to stay?'
'I don't have to explain that to you.'
'I guess not,' said Rose, 'but why wouldn't you?'
'Because you're being so unreasonable,' said Conchita. 'It makes me want to be unreasonable back! Oh, hey, look.' Her tone suddenly softened. 'That was a stupid thing to say. Rosy, I really am sorry you're mad, but I don't think it's by any means my fault. I mean, if I'd known you were coming...'
'Yeah, okay, you're kinda right about that,' Rose conceded. 'So... are you going to tell me the rest?'
'They're moving into a new place,' said Conchita, 'but it's not ready yet. We all thought it was, so Josh and Adrien moved out of their old place, but then it turned out there was some faulty wiring in the new place and now it's unliveable. It's just going to take a few days to fix it.'
'I guess it had to be something like that,' said Rose. 'Who's this “we all” that are so concerned – you and Josh and Adrien?'
'And Tia.'
'Tia?'
'Yes,' said Conchita. 'See, the apartment's on top of a restaurant, and Tia's going in on that with Josh and he's going to run it, and maybe buy her out in five years.'
At the top of the stairs, Laura turned to Josh and said with a smile, 'Wow, congratulations, Josh!'
'Thanks,' Josh smiled back at her over the top of Adrien's head.
Down in the hallway, with Merida still in her arms, Rose took a moment to process the information. Then she said, 'Well, that's really... just what he wanted. Chita, it's fantastic news!'
'Yes,' said Conchita. 'And... you might say I'm jumping to conclusions, Rosy, but... did you bring Laura here because you guys are an item now?'
'Yeah,' said Rose, smiling at last. 'Yeah, that's it.'
'Well, that's fantastic news too! I'm so happy for you!'
So saying, Conchita stepped forward and took her sister into a crushing embrace, squashing Merida between them. Merida looked put out by this, but didn't bother trying to escape.
'Are you as much in love as I am, Rosy-Posy?' Conchita went on. 'Ooh, I hope so!'
'Chita,' said Rose, her voice muffled in Conchita's chest, 'it's early days yet!'
'What the hell were you thinking, bringing another cat in here?' Rose demanded. 'You know she hates them!'
'She was fine with it before,' said Conchita. 'You know we wouldn't have kept him here if Merida reacted badly – it really seemed like she'd mellowed in her old age. I guess she just got mad at Adrien because he was trying to tell her not to break down my door.'
'Why is he even here in the first place?' said Rose. 'And why are you? Josh has his own place!'
'So what if he does?' said Conchita. 'You didn't tell anybody you were coming home today!'
'I thought the place'd be empty!'
'You knew I'd be here sometimes. And why be secretive about it anyway?'
'I wasn't being secretive – I just didn't tell you.'
'Well, I'm sorry, okay? If I'd known you were coming, then I'd have told you everything. If you have to know, Josh and Adrien needed a place to stay for a few days, so they're here.'
'Yes, I can see that,' Rose said unpleasantly. 'With my eyes.'
Conchita frowned at her. 'So what else do you think you need to know?'
'For one thing, why do they need a place to stay?'
'I don't have to explain that to you.'
'I guess not,' said Rose, 'but why wouldn't you?'
'Because you're being so unreasonable,' said Conchita. 'It makes me want to be unreasonable back! Oh, hey, look.' Her tone suddenly softened. 'That was a stupid thing to say. Rosy, I really am sorry you're mad, but I don't think it's by any means my fault. I mean, if I'd known you were coming...'
'Yeah, okay, you're kinda right about that,' Rose conceded. 'So... are you going to tell me the rest?'
'They're moving into a new place,' said Conchita, 'but it's not ready yet. We all thought it was, so Josh and Adrien moved out of their old place, but then it turned out there was some faulty wiring in the new place and now it's unliveable. It's just going to take a few days to fix it.'
'I guess it had to be something like that,' said Rose. 'Who's this “we all” that are so concerned – you and Josh and Adrien?'
'And Tia.'
'Tia?'
'Yes,' said Conchita. 'See, the apartment's on top of a restaurant, and Tia's going in on that with Josh and he's going to run it, and maybe buy her out in five years.'
At the top of the stairs, Laura turned to Josh and said with a smile, 'Wow, congratulations, Josh!'
'Thanks,' Josh smiled back at her over the top of Adrien's head.
Down in the hallway, with Merida still in her arms, Rose took a moment to process the information. Then she said, 'Well, that's really... just what he wanted. Chita, it's fantastic news!'
'Yes,' said Conchita. 'And... you might say I'm jumping to conclusions, Rosy, but... did you bring Laura here because you guys are an item now?'
'Yeah,' said Rose, smiling at last. 'Yeah, that's it.'
'Well, that's fantastic news too! I'm so happy for you!'
So saying, Conchita stepped forward and took her sister into a crushing embrace, squashing Merida between them. Merida looked put out by this, but didn't bother trying to escape.
'Are you as much in love as I am, Rosy-Posy?' Conchita went on. 'Ooh, I hope so!'
'Chita,' said Rose, her voice muffled in Conchita's chest, 'it's early days yet!'
Soon enough, Rose had shut herself in her bedroom with Laura and they were sitting on the bed.
'I'm sorry about Conchita,' said Rose. 'Sometimes, when she gets a little too excited, she says whatever comes into her head.'
'You don't have to apologise for her,' said Laura. 'She's so sweet, she could never say anything she's really not supposed to.'
'I don't know about that.'
'Well... anything she's really, really not supposed to, then.'
Rose laughed at Laura's bracing smile. 'Yeah, you're right. God, listen to me. My sister can get overly sweet sometimes, and I can get overly sour, huh?'
'You're not sour,' said Laura. 'You're as sweet as a rose, Rose.'
'Oh yeah, and how sweet are those really?'
'Not too little, not too much. Sweet but not saccharine. I should know. I've tasted you, remember?'
Rose giggled as she felt the hair being swept away from her neck and Laura began to kiss her there.
'I don't know if I can do very much with Conchita here,' said Rose.
'Hey, come on!' said Laura, laughing as she pulled away. 'I'd say you owe her a pretty good earful, wouldn't you?'
'I don't think it works like that,' Rose chuckled.
'I guess not exactly, but does it really matter?'
'It doesn't matter to you, I know; you and Lucie must've heard each other a dozen times when we were at Max's.'
'Well,' Laura tittered, 'I didn't count.'
Rose smiled, then they both leaned in to kiss each other.
'I'm sorry about Conchita,' said Rose. 'Sometimes, when she gets a little too excited, she says whatever comes into her head.'
'You don't have to apologise for her,' said Laura. 'She's so sweet, she could never say anything she's really not supposed to.'
'I don't know about that.'
'Well... anything she's really, really not supposed to, then.'
Rose laughed at Laura's bracing smile. 'Yeah, you're right. God, listen to me. My sister can get overly sweet sometimes, and I can get overly sour, huh?'
'You're not sour,' said Laura. 'You're as sweet as a rose, Rose.'
'Oh yeah, and how sweet are those really?'
'Not too little, not too much. Sweet but not saccharine. I should know. I've tasted you, remember?'
Rose giggled as she felt the hair being swept away from her neck and Laura began to kiss her there.
'I don't know if I can do very much with Conchita here,' said Rose.
'Hey, come on!' said Laura, laughing as she pulled away. 'I'd say you owe her a pretty good earful, wouldn't you?'
'I don't think it works like that,' Rose chuckled.
'I guess not exactly, but does it really matter?'
'It doesn't matter to you, I know; you and Lucie must've heard each other a dozen times when we were at Max's.'
'Well,' Laura tittered, 'I didn't count.'
Rose smiled, then they both leaned in to kiss each other.
Some while later, in the kitchen downstairs, Josh was dishing up two plates of vegetable lasagne while Conchita sat at the table doing something on her tablet.
'The cats seem to've settled down, anyway,' Josh remarked as he sat down with her, 'but Merida still looked kinda mad when I last saw her. I think I'd better call Freya and ask her to pick up Adrien when she finishes work.'
'Maybe that's best – thanks,' said Conchita, then she began eating. 'Mmm, this is really good, baby.'
'If I ever cooked something you didn't like, I bet you wouldn't tell me.'
'Probably not. But I promise you, I love this. I think people will flock to your restaurant for everything you cook, but if you want to know what really stands out, your vegetarian food is better than anything I've been able to get anywhere that wasn't a vegetarian restaurant. And it's as good as their stuff any day.'
'If that's true,' said Josh, 'I learned it from you.'
Conchita smiled at him. 'That's sweet. We've both been better since we got together.'
'Me much more than you.'
'Oh, stop that.'
'What? Nobody could deny that it's true.'
'Well, we're straying from the point.'
'Which is?' said Josh.
'Your restaurant is going to be a huge success,' said Conchita. 'I know you worry about it, babe.'
'I sure do,' said Josh. 'I still haven't given my notice at work – I just keep thinking something's sure to go wrong and then I won't have any job at all!'
'No, you're just being smart,' said Conchita, 'waiting 'til the new place can definitely open when you need it to. It's going to be everything you dreamed it would be and more, querido, I know it.'
'Well,' Josh said tentatively, 'for that to happen... there's one very important thing that's still missing. I love you so much, Chita, and everything is better in my life since you've been in it... so this can't be all that I dreamed unless you're right there with me. So, what I'm trying to say is... will you move into the new place with me and Adrien?'
Conchita stared at him. 'Wow, really?'
'Not right away, of course. You'll want to stay here while you're finishing your master's, and the place still needs fixing up. I'll make it perfect for you while you're finishing up your studies, babe.'
'You'll make it perfect just by being there, sweetie. And I'll help you make it into a home.'
'So... is that a yes?'
'Of course it's a yes!'
They both laughed joyously and flung their arms around each other.
'The cats seem to've settled down, anyway,' Josh remarked as he sat down with her, 'but Merida still looked kinda mad when I last saw her. I think I'd better call Freya and ask her to pick up Adrien when she finishes work.'
'Maybe that's best – thanks,' said Conchita, then she began eating. 'Mmm, this is really good, baby.'
'If I ever cooked something you didn't like, I bet you wouldn't tell me.'
'Probably not. But I promise you, I love this. I think people will flock to your restaurant for everything you cook, but if you want to know what really stands out, your vegetarian food is better than anything I've been able to get anywhere that wasn't a vegetarian restaurant. And it's as good as their stuff any day.'
'If that's true,' said Josh, 'I learned it from you.'
Conchita smiled at him. 'That's sweet. We've both been better since we got together.'
'Me much more than you.'
'Oh, stop that.'
'What? Nobody could deny that it's true.'
'Well, we're straying from the point.'
'Which is?' said Josh.
'Your restaurant is going to be a huge success,' said Conchita. 'I know you worry about it, babe.'
'I sure do,' said Josh. 'I still haven't given my notice at work – I just keep thinking something's sure to go wrong and then I won't have any job at all!'
'No, you're just being smart,' said Conchita, 'waiting 'til the new place can definitely open when you need it to. It's going to be everything you dreamed it would be and more, querido, I know it.'
'Well,' Josh said tentatively, 'for that to happen... there's one very important thing that's still missing. I love you so much, Chita, and everything is better in my life since you've been in it... so this can't be all that I dreamed unless you're right there with me. So, what I'm trying to say is... will you move into the new place with me and Adrien?'
Conchita stared at him. 'Wow, really?'
'Not right away, of course. You'll want to stay here while you're finishing your master's, and the place still needs fixing up. I'll make it perfect for you while you're finishing up your studies, babe.'
'You'll make it perfect just by being there, sweetie. And I'll help you make it into a home.'
'So... is that a yes?'
'Of course it's a yes!'
They both laughed joyously and flung their arms around each other.
The following afternoon, as Garrett approached his house, he found he suddenly had to yank his wheelchair out of the path of an inattentive blond-haired family that was barrelling its way down the street. The group consisted of arguing parents, two arguing small children and an older boy who was plugged into a device and saying, 'Dylan, I'm getting hit, I'm getting hit!' They passed by without a word or a look; Garrett took a moment to frown disapprovingly at their retreating forms before carrying on down his driveway and through his front door.
Max was on the sofa with his feet on the coffee table and a laptop perched on his knees. On the screen was an image of Rose lying on her front with her feet in the air, and beneath her chin were subtitles reporting more or less what she was saying.
'Anyways, Lucie should get here tomorrow,' said Max, acknowledging the greeting Garrett signed to him with a smile and a wave. 'I can't wait!'
'I bet you can't,' Rose said significantly. 'Me and Laura've been so...'
Garrett wheeled his way into the kitchen, trying not to listen to their conversation. He clanked about with some pots and pans and started getting together a meal, but stopped when he heard Max saying, 'But hey, my dad's home – I'd better go.'
'Okay,' said Rose. 'I guess I'll see you Monday, if I don't talk to you before.'
'Sunday,' said Max. 'I'll meet you at the airport.'
'Aw, thanks, hon. Bye.'
'Bye, RoRo.'
As Max closed the lid of the laptop, Garrett wheeled his way into the living room and signed that he had just started making dinner.
'Cool, thanks,' Max smiled at him. 'So how was your day?'
'Not bad,' said Garrett, positioning himself directly opposite Max, then signing as he spoke. 'It's still kind of weird not seeing Declan in the hallways, but I guess we'll all get used to that eventually.'
Max looked concerned. 'Are you okay?'
'Yes, don't worry about me. Just you focus on making your guest happy.'
'She's not even here yet, Dad.'
'But she will be tomorrow,' said Garrett, 'and I don't want you worrying about me while I'm at the funeral. Just worry about yourself.'
'What do you mean?' said Max, with a comical smile. 'Is this The Talk?'
'What Talk?' asked Garrett.
'The Safe Sex Talk.'
'No, kiddo – I already had that with you, like, five years ago. And you, um... remembered, right?'
'Yeah, I did,' said Max. 'Hey, Dad. You like Lucie, don't you?'
'Of course I do,' said Garrett.
'And do her parents like me?'
'Yeah, they love you. Why are you worrying about that all of a sudden?'
'Because I'm about to see her again,' said Max, 'and it'll be the first time since you guys have known about us. I mean, I know all your friends like me as your son, but how does Roland feel about me as his daughter's boyfriend?'
'I can answer that,' said Garrett, 'because he and I have talked about it, and he's overjoyed. At least, he said he'd rather it was you than anybody else.'
'Oh,' said Max. 'Well, I guess that's high praise, when you think about it.'
'Do we know how he feels about Laura being with Rose yet? Or how Kylie and Eduardo feel about it, come to that.'
'No. And I don't know if they've been told yet, if that's what you're asking.'
'You got me,' said Garrett.
'I'm sorry, Dad,' said Max. 'I shouldn't have burdened you with someone else's... well, not secret exactly, but...'
'Don't you dare apologise. You know you can tell me anything.'
'It must be hard not being able to talk about it, though, right?'
'If I lived in the same state as any of them, it'd be a nightmare,' said Garrett. 'But I don't. And even if I did, you could still trust me with your secrets without feeling guilty about it.'
Max smiled at him. 'I'm glad you're my dad, Dad. You know I've been really happy here with you, don't you? And I still am, of course.'
Garrett smiled a wobbly smile back at Max. 'That's great to hear, sport. Thanks. I've been really happy with you too.'
'Cool,' said Max, clapping Garrett on the shoulder and then jumping to his feet, tactfully not noticing the embarrassing display of emotion. 'And the best part is, I got a dad with a pool! I think I'll go swim a few lengths before dinner.'
Max was on the sofa with his feet on the coffee table and a laptop perched on his knees. On the screen was an image of Rose lying on her front with her feet in the air, and beneath her chin were subtitles reporting more or less what she was saying.
'Anyways, Lucie should get here tomorrow,' said Max, acknowledging the greeting Garrett signed to him with a smile and a wave. 'I can't wait!'
'I bet you can't,' Rose said significantly. 'Me and Laura've been so...'
Garrett wheeled his way into the kitchen, trying not to listen to their conversation. He clanked about with some pots and pans and started getting together a meal, but stopped when he heard Max saying, 'But hey, my dad's home – I'd better go.'
'Okay,' said Rose. 'I guess I'll see you Monday, if I don't talk to you before.'
'Sunday,' said Max. 'I'll meet you at the airport.'
'Aw, thanks, hon. Bye.'
'Bye, RoRo.'
As Max closed the lid of the laptop, Garrett wheeled his way into the living room and signed that he had just started making dinner.
'Cool, thanks,' Max smiled at him. 'So how was your day?'
'Not bad,' said Garrett, positioning himself directly opposite Max, then signing as he spoke. 'It's still kind of weird not seeing Declan in the hallways, but I guess we'll all get used to that eventually.'
Max looked concerned. 'Are you okay?'
'Yes, don't worry about me. Just you focus on making your guest happy.'
'She's not even here yet, Dad.'
'But she will be tomorrow,' said Garrett, 'and I don't want you worrying about me while I'm at the funeral. Just worry about yourself.'
'What do you mean?' said Max, with a comical smile. 'Is this The Talk?'
'What Talk?' asked Garrett.
'The Safe Sex Talk.'
'No, kiddo – I already had that with you, like, five years ago. And you, um... remembered, right?'
'Yeah, I did,' said Max. 'Hey, Dad. You like Lucie, don't you?'
'Of course I do,' said Garrett.
'And do her parents like me?'
'Yeah, they love you. Why are you worrying about that all of a sudden?'
'Because I'm about to see her again,' said Max, 'and it'll be the first time since you guys have known about us. I mean, I know all your friends like me as your son, but how does Roland feel about me as his daughter's boyfriend?'
'I can answer that,' said Garrett, 'because he and I have talked about it, and he's overjoyed. At least, he said he'd rather it was you than anybody else.'
'Oh,' said Max. 'Well, I guess that's high praise, when you think about it.'
'Do we know how he feels about Laura being with Rose yet? Or how Kylie and Eduardo feel about it, come to that.'
'No. And I don't know if they've been told yet, if that's what you're asking.'
'You got me,' said Garrett.
'I'm sorry, Dad,' said Max. 'I shouldn't have burdened you with someone else's... well, not secret exactly, but...'
'Don't you dare apologise. You know you can tell me anything.'
'It must be hard not being able to talk about it, though, right?'
'If I lived in the same state as any of them, it'd be a nightmare,' said Garrett. 'But I don't. And even if I did, you could still trust me with your secrets without feeling guilty about it.'
Max smiled at him. 'I'm glad you're my dad, Dad. You know I've been really happy here with you, don't you? And I still am, of course.'
Garrett smiled a wobbly smile back at Max. 'That's great to hear, sport. Thanks. I've been really happy with you too.'
'Cool,' said Max, clapping Garrett on the shoulder and then jumping to his feet, tactfully not noticing the embarrassing display of emotion. 'And the best part is, I got a dad with a pool! I think I'll go swim a few lengths before dinner.'
The next day, Max hurled open the front door and ran to the car that had just pulled up outside. As he reached the vehicle, Lucie tumbled out of the driver's door and threw herself into his arms.
'Luce, I'm so glad you're here!' Max laughed.
'So am I,' Lucie said with a grin, pulling a little way out of the hug so that Max could watch her lips as she spoke. 'I've been looking forward to this for weeks!'
Max grinned back and nodded, then he retrieved Lucie's overnight bag from the back seat and led the way into the house.
'I'll put this in my room for now,' Max called over his shoulder.
'Thanks,' said Lucie, when they had both entered Max's bedroom and he could see her lips again. 'You're a real gentleman, Max. I'm just gonna use the bathroom real quick, okay?'
'Of course,' said Max. 'You remember where it is, don't you?'
'I remember vividly,' Lucie assured him, 'and with very good reason!'
Max laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. Lucie flashed him a smile, then she let herself into the Jack-and-Jill bathroom and closed the door behind her.
'Luce, I'm so glad you're here!' Max laughed.
'So am I,' Lucie said with a grin, pulling a little way out of the hug so that Max could watch her lips as she spoke. 'I've been looking forward to this for weeks!'
Max grinned back and nodded, then he retrieved Lucie's overnight bag from the back seat and led the way into the house.
'I'll put this in my room for now,' Max called over his shoulder.
'Thanks,' said Lucie, when they had both entered Max's bedroom and he could see her lips again. 'You're a real gentleman, Max. I'm just gonna use the bathroom real quick, okay?'
'Of course,' said Max. 'You remember where it is, don't you?'
'I remember vividly,' Lucie assured him, 'and with very good reason!'
Max laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. Lucie flashed him a smile, then she let herself into the Jack-and-Jill bathroom and closed the door behind her.
Returning from the bathroom, Rose found Laura sitting up on her bed and caressing her tablet.
'Hey, babe,' Rose said smilingly. 'Miss me?'
'Hi,' said Laura, looking up from her tablet and smiling back. 'And no, actually, I didn't miss you much because I had something I wanted to do. In fact what I've just done is, I've accepted my conditional offer from the University of Florida.'
'Wow, that's great!' said Rose. Then she saw Laura's uncertain expression and added, 'Isn't it?'
'It's great because I'll get to be with you,' said Laura. 'And Lucie decided to accept her offer weeks ago, and Max is down there... because Max is down there... so the four of us will have some really amazing times. I know Max doesn't live that near campus, but... oh, that's irrelevant. The point is, I really do want to spend as much time with you as I can, Rose.'
Rose smiled at Laura as she went to sit by her on the bed. 'I'm happy to hear that, querida, because I really want to spend time with you.'
'So it's not the people or the place,' Laura went on. 'It's the whole college thing. I'm not absolutely sure I'm going to like law, but I just don't have any better ideas.'
'You can always change,' said Rose. 'Start with law and see how you like it... unless you think of a better idea in the meantime.'
'Everything you can do at college sounds scary to me,' said Laura. 'Sometimes I think...'
'What?' said Rose. 'Come on, sweetie, you can tell me.'
'Well... sometimes I think I might be happier if I just went straight into work... something you can do without a college education that's not stressful, like... oh, you know.'
'You could do “you know” if you wanted to.'
'I don't think my dad would like it. Or T'Keyah, but... y'know, she's less entitled to have a say.'
'No she's not, because none of them are entitled. It's your decision. If they don't like it, fuck 'em.'
Laura burst into shocked laughter. 'Rose!'
'What?' Rose said innocently. 'Only you know what's right for you. What about your mom – would she support you?'
'I don't know,' Laura said pensively. 'You know she's not, like, a career woman or whatever like T'Keyah... but she's always saying the four of us are all so much smarter than she ever was, and we can do anything we want and all that kind of stuff.'
'And you think she means the kind of “anything” that has to involve book smarts?'
'Maybe. I mean, people normally do, don't they?'
'It doesn't matter what “people” say,' said Rose. 'You have to listen to your heart.'
'Well, that's telling me I need to be in Florida,' said Laura, 'which is why I've accepted this offer. And it's not like I positively don't want to be a lawyer; I'm just not sure, so I guess it's a good idea to give it a try.'
'It is,' said Rose. 'And you can always change, or drop out completely if that's what you decide.'
'Have you thought about what happens in two years?' Laura asked tentatively. 'You know... after you come back here for good.'
'Maybe I'll change my mind,' said Rose. 'Babe, we really just need to keep playing all of this stuff by ear. Goodness knows what might or might not have changed in two years.'
'I envy Lucie a little bit, you know,' said Laura. 'She's so sure of what she wants to do, and where she wants to do it, and who she wants to do it with.'
'Laura,' Rose said earnestly. 'No matter what happens, and no matter where we go, the four of us will always be with each other, through everything.'
'Yeah... of course we will,' said Laura.
They exchanged a smile, and within seconds they were kissing each other tenderly.
'Hey, babe,' Rose said smilingly. 'Miss me?'
'Hi,' said Laura, looking up from her tablet and smiling back. 'And no, actually, I didn't miss you much because I had something I wanted to do. In fact what I've just done is, I've accepted my conditional offer from the University of Florida.'
'Wow, that's great!' said Rose. Then she saw Laura's uncertain expression and added, 'Isn't it?'
'It's great because I'll get to be with you,' said Laura. 'And Lucie decided to accept her offer weeks ago, and Max is down there... because Max is down there... so the four of us will have some really amazing times. I know Max doesn't live that near campus, but... oh, that's irrelevant. The point is, I really do want to spend as much time with you as I can, Rose.'
Rose smiled at Laura as she went to sit by her on the bed. 'I'm happy to hear that, querida, because I really want to spend time with you.'
'So it's not the people or the place,' Laura went on. 'It's the whole college thing. I'm not absolutely sure I'm going to like law, but I just don't have any better ideas.'
'You can always change,' said Rose. 'Start with law and see how you like it... unless you think of a better idea in the meantime.'
'Everything you can do at college sounds scary to me,' said Laura. 'Sometimes I think...'
'What?' said Rose. 'Come on, sweetie, you can tell me.'
'Well... sometimes I think I might be happier if I just went straight into work... something you can do without a college education that's not stressful, like... oh, you know.'
'You could do “you know” if you wanted to.'
'I don't think my dad would like it. Or T'Keyah, but... y'know, she's less entitled to have a say.'
'No she's not, because none of them are entitled. It's your decision. If they don't like it, fuck 'em.'
Laura burst into shocked laughter. 'Rose!'
'What?' Rose said innocently. 'Only you know what's right for you. What about your mom – would she support you?'
'I don't know,' Laura said pensively. 'You know she's not, like, a career woman or whatever like T'Keyah... but she's always saying the four of us are all so much smarter than she ever was, and we can do anything we want and all that kind of stuff.'
'And you think she means the kind of “anything” that has to involve book smarts?'
'Maybe. I mean, people normally do, don't they?'
'It doesn't matter what “people” say,' said Rose. 'You have to listen to your heart.'
'Well, that's telling me I need to be in Florida,' said Laura, 'which is why I've accepted this offer. And it's not like I positively don't want to be a lawyer; I'm just not sure, so I guess it's a good idea to give it a try.'
'It is,' said Rose. 'And you can always change, or drop out completely if that's what you decide.'
'Have you thought about what happens in two years?' Laura asked tentatively. 'You know... after you come back here for good.'
'Maybe I'll change my mind,' said Rose. 'Babe, we really just need to keep playing all of this stuff by ear. Goodness knows what might or might not have changed in two years.'
'I envy Lucie a little bit, you know,' said Laura. 'She's so sure of what she wants to do, and where she wants to do it, and who she wants to do it with.'
'Laura,' Rose said earnestly. 'No matter what happens, and no matter where we go, the four of us will always be with each other, through everything.'
'Yeah... of course we will,' said Laura.
They exchanged a smile, and within seconds they were kissing each other tenderly.
Max and Lucie were sitting side by side on Max's bed.
'So, exactly how long can you stay?' asked Max.
'I need to leave tomorrow afternoon,' Lucie replied. 'You're already dying to get rid of me, huh?'
Max laughed and said, 'No, not at all!'
'You, er... you won't be able to get rid of me come the fall,' said Lucie. 'I've accepted my offer from the University of Florida.'
'Oh my God, that's wonderful!' said Max, beaming at her.
'I was hoping you'd say that,' said Lucie, smiling back at him. 'I've been absolutely dying to tell you, Max, 'cause it means we can... well, we can really go ahead with... with us... if you want to.'
'I want to more than anything else in the world, Luce,' said Max, giving her a hug.
'Good,' said Lucie, when Max could see her lips again. 'That's exactly how I feel too.'
'I figured maybe you weren't gonna decide about the offer 'til after your sample day,' said Max.
Lucie fixed him with a significant look and said, 'I already sampled everything I needed to around here.'
They smiled at each other for a few moments.
'So, er... where's your dad gotten to?' Lucie asked.
'He's at a funeral,' said Max.
'Oh, that's too bad,' said Lucie. 'Whose?'
'A guy from work,' said Max. 'Died of a heart condition.'
'Good friend?'
'I don't think so, but my dad's still pretty sad about it.'
'I'm sure he is,' said Lucie. 'I bet you've been really kind and supportive, though.'
'I've done my best,' said Max. 'I helped him get ready this morning. I think the most useful thing I did was lift him up from his chair while he got his pants straightened out.'
'You know, Max,' said Lucie, 'I think you really must be the perfect guy.'
'I don't know about that, Luce,' said Max. 'Anyways, Dad doesn't need my help, but he knows there's nothing wrong with anyone accepting a little assistance when it's offered.'
'Yeah, of course,' said Lucie.
'He reckons he'll be back around ten o'clock tonight,' said Max.
'Speaking of which,' said Lucie, 'has he said anything to you about... the sleeping arrangements?'
'Er... yeah, he has,' said Max. 'He says he's totally open to any possibility we can think of. Any one of the three of us could sleep on the couch and the other two could have the beds, or he and I could top-and-tail in one bed and you can have the other, or... or he says he's perfectly happy for you to sleep in my bed... with me, I mean.'
'I want that one!' Lucie said firmly.
'I was hoping you would,' said Max, grinning widely.
'Oh yeah?' Lucie giggled. 'That's your preference too, is it?'
'Definitely!' said Max. 'I want you to sleep in my bed, in my arms!'
They leaned in and kissed passionately.
'Luce,' Max said, when they finally came up for air, 'I hope you know I didn't just invite you here because I wanted to have sex with you again.'
'Yeah?' said Lucie. 'Well I came here because I wanted to have sex with you again, so let's get busy!'
They both laughed, then they resumed their kiss.
'So, exactly how long can you stay?' asked Max.
'I need to leave tomorrow afternoon,' Lucie replied. 'You're already dying to get rid of me, huh?'
Max laughed and said, 'No, not at all!'
'You, er... you won't be able to get rid of me come the fall,' said Lucie. 'I've accepted my offer from the University of Florida.'
'Oh my God, that's wonderful!' said Max, beaming at her.
'I was hoping you'd say that,' said Lucie, smiling back at him. 'I've been absolutely dying to tell you, Max, 'cause it means we can... well, we can really go ahead with... with us... if you want to.'
'I want to more than anything else in the world, Luce,' said Max, giving her a hug.
'Good,' said Lucie, when Max could see her lips again. 'That's exactly how I feel too.'
'I figured maybe you weren't gonna decide about the offer 'til after your sample day,' said Max.
Lucie fixed him with a significant look and said, 'I already sampled everything I needed to around here.'
They smiled at each other for a few moments.
'So, er... where's your dad gotten to?' Lucie asked.
'He's at a funeral,' said Max.
'Oh, that's too bad,' said Lucie. 'Whose?'
'A guy from work,' said Max. 'Died of a heart condition.'
'Good friend?'
'I don't think so, but my dad's still pretty sad about it.'
'I'm sure he is,' said Lucie. 'I bet you've been really kind and supportive, though.'
'I've done my best,' said Max. 'I helped him get ready this morning. I think the most useful thing I did was lift him up from his chair while he got his pants straightened out.'
'You know, Max,' said Lucie, 'I think you really must be the perfect guy.'
'I don't know about that, Luce,' said Max. 'Anyways, Dad doesn't need my help, but he knows there's nothing wrong with anyone accepting a little assistance when it's offered.'
'Yeah, of course,' said Lucie.
'He reckons he'll be back around ten o'clock tonight,' said Max.
'Speaking of which,' said Lucie, 'has he said anything to you about... the sleeping arrangements?'
'Er... yeah, he has,' said Max. 'He says he's totally open to any possibility we can think of. Any one of the three of us could sleep on the couch and the other two could have the beds, or he and I could top-and-tail in one bed and you can have the other, or... or he says he's perfectly happy for you to sleep in my bed... with me, I mean.'
'I want that one!' Lucie said firmly.
'I was hoping you would,' said Max, grinning widely.
'Oh yeah?' Lucie giggled. 'That's your preference too, is it?'
'Definitely!' said Max. 'I want you to sleep in my bed, in my arms!'
They leaned in and kissed passionately.
'Luce,' Max said, when they finally came up for air, 'I hope you know I didn't just invite you here because I wanted to have sex with you again.'
'Yeah?' said Lucie. 'Well I came here because I wanted to have sex with you again, so let's get busy!'
They both laughed, then they resumed their kiss.
The next morning, Max and Lucie were getting dressed in Max's bedroom.
'It'll be nice to have breakfast with your dad,' Lucie remarked, 'although I guess it might also be a little awkward.'
'I don't think it will,' said Max. 'Be awkward, I mean.'
'He probably heard us last night,' Lucie pointed out. 'And this morning!'
'He won't be weird about that,' said Max. 'And I don't feel weird about it. Do you?'
'No,' said Lucie, her face registering a sudden moment of realisation. 'No, I really don't.'
At breakfast, Lucie took the opportunity to swallow a contraceptive pill with her orange juice. She cast Garrett an uncertain look after she had done this, but he gave no sign that he had noticed.
'You know what we should do today?' Max said to Lucie, when they were both back in his bedroom. 'We should take a walk along the canal, and later we should have lunch at a beachfront café.'
'That sounds wonderful, babe,' said Lucie. Then her face broke into a grin. 'But first...'
'It'll be nice to have breakfast with your dad,' Lucie remarked, 'although I guess it might also be a little awkward.'
'I don't think it will,' said Max. 'Be awkward, I mean.'
'He probably heard us last night,' Lucie pointed out. 'And this morning!'
'He won't be weird about that,' said Max. 'And I don't feel weird about it. Do you?'
'No,' said Lucie, her face registering a sudden moment of realisation. 'No, I really don't.'
At breakfast, Lucie took the opportunity to swallow a contraceptive pill with her orange juice. She cast Garrett an uncertain look after she had done this, but he gave no sign that he had noticed.
'You know what we should do today?' Max said to Lucie, when they were both back in his bedroom. 'We should take a walk along the canal, and later we should have lunch at a beachfront café.'
'That sounds wonderful, babe,' said Lucie. Then her face broke into a grin. 'But first...'
'I want some coffee,' Rose said to Laura as they lay in bed together. 'Shall I bring you one?'
'Ooh, yes please,' Laura said eagerly.
'Well, it's only instant,' said Rose. 'I'll be back in a few minutes, querida,' and she put on Laura's T-shirt, then got to her feet.
Josh was cooking on the hob with only his jeans on when Rose wandered into the kitchen. Their eyes met for a moment, then Rose scurried over to the kettle and Josh looked down into his pan.
'Hey,' said Josh.
'Hi,' said Rose, barely audible over the noise she was making filling the kettle.
'Do you guys want some vegetable tagine?' asked Josh. 'It'll be ready in a couple of hours.'
'Oh... no thanks, said Rose. 'Look, thanks for getting Adrien out of here – I appreciate that.'
'No problem,' said Josh. 'I think Merida appreciates it too, and Adrien's very happy with Freya.'
Rose nodded, then stood in awkward silence while her kettle boiled. Finally, the bubbling water reached its crescendo and the appliance turned itself off. As Rose picked it up and began pouring the water, she said conversationally, 'So where's this restaurant of yours?'
'Long Beach,' said Josh.
'Oh, wow,' said Rose, 'it's really nice down there.'
'Sure is,' said Josh. 'I was wondering about staying closer to Manhattan, but then this place became available and... well, you know. Do you need any help?' he added, watching as Rose started to drag a kitchen chair towards one of the high cupboards.
'Uh... yeah, thanks,' she said, looking down at the loose-fitting hem of Laura's T-shirt, and then at the chair she had intended to stand on. 'Would you please get down the sugar for me?'
'No problem.'
Josh smiled amiably at her as he went over to the cupboard, where he reached the sugar with no trouble and then handed it to Rose. It was at this point that the front door clicked open and, seconds later, Eduardo and Kylie entered the kitchen complete with full holdalls. They all stood in surprised silence for some seconds, then Kylie said smilingly, 'Oh, Rosy, you're home – how nice!'
'You're back early!' Rose snapped in response.
'Yeah, we are,' Eduardo said apologetically. He and Kylie both dumped their bags on the floor, then he looked at Josh and added, 'Hi, Josh.'
'Hi,' said Josh, returning to his pan. A moment later, he looked back at Rose in Laura's T-shirt, then down at his own bare torso and said, 'Oh, this isn't what it looks like!'
'Y'know, Josh,' said Kylie, 'it sort of looks like, on top of everything else, you've stolen that T-shirt.'
Rose huffed, sugared her coffee, picked up both mugs and two spoons and stalked from the room.
'Oops,' said Kylie, when she heard Rose's bedroom door slamming upstairs. 'And I was so careful not to say whose T-shirt!'
'You're sure good at recognising nondescript T-shirts, Kylie,' Josh remarked.
'Not normally,' said Kylie, 'but I'm pretty sure I've seen that one on a certain YouTube channel a few times. Hey, Josh, I'm not... barking up the wrong tree here, am I?'
'Hey now,' said Josh, 'if Rose hasn't told you, I'm not going to.'
'Good on you, man,' said Eduardo. 'But you're not barking up the wrong tree, Ky – I know we were right. Dads know who's been sleeping with their daughters, especially when whoever it is films a YouTube video right after.'
'Are you sure about that, sweetie?' said Kylie. 'Roland doesn't seem to suspect a thing.'
'Maybe he's just not mentioning it,' said Eduardo. 'I mean, did you mention it to him?'
'I guess not really,' said Kylie, looking at Josh for his reaction, but he was concentrating hard on his tagine. 'I asked him what he made of the video, and he said it didn't tell him anything he didn't know because Lucie'd already come home and told him she'd gotten together with Max. Those two were pretty keen to tell the world, weren't they? I wonder why Rosy's been so quiet about it all.'
'There doesn't have to be any real reason for that,' said Eduardo. 'It's not like she's been deliberately keeping secrets from us for years – it's been two months that we haven't even seen her in. I guess we're about to find out for sure, anyway, but I wish we hadn't trapped her into it like this.'
'It's not our fault, Eduardo,' said Kylie. 'She didn't even tell us she'd be here.'
'Of course it's not our fault,' said Eduardo, 'but it's still too bad.'
'You guys are such cool parents,' said Josh.
'Thank you, Josh,' said Kylie.
'I'm making dinner,' Josh went on. 'Why don't I make enough for all six of us? Rose already politely declined, but I think things are different now, aren't they?'
'I think so,' said Eduardo. 'She'll be down here soon enough with... whoever she has up there.'
'You don't know for sure she has anyone up there,' Josh said facetiously.
'Yes we do – you said six, not five!' Kylie said triumphantly, as the sound of the front door opening became audible. 'Now, who the hell is that?'
'It'll be Chita; she went out for a few minutes,' said Josh, turning down the heat on his pan, then he headed for the hallway. 'I'll go warn her you're here.'
Kylie gave Eduardo a wry smile and said, 'Remember when our girls used to be happy to see us?'
Meanwhile, out in the hallway, Conchita was closing the front door with one hand and holding a drug store bag in the other.
'Hey, baby,' said Josh, giving her a hug. 'Your parents came back unexpectedly.'
'Oh shit,' Conchita said mildly, looking down at her bag.
Josh laughed. 'I'm not used to hearing bad language from you outside of the bedroom.'
'Yeah, me neither. But I could do this right now – I've been saving it all the way from the store!'
'You're not going to, though, right? I suggest you go to the bathroom, hide that in your room and, if you'd be so kind, bring me my shirt so we can all have dinner. It'll wait, okay?'
'I guess it'll have to,' said Conchita. 'But... won't you worry?'
'Not worry, no,' said Josh. 'Not even a little. Will you?'
'Worry, no. Think about it, yes.'
'Yeah, well, so will I do that. I mean, I guess you could do it now, but...'
'No,' said Conchita. 'You're right – not while my parents are there and you're making dinner for all of us. But I do have to do something with this pee I've been saving!'
'Okay,' Josh laughed, stepping aside as she sprinted up the stairs. He then returned to the kitchen and resumed his culinary activities, saying to Eduardo and Kylie, 'She just went to the bathroom.'
Eduardo and Kylie took their bags upstairs, then returned to the kitchen and helped themselves to drinks. Minutes later, Conchita came into the room, threw Josh's T-shirt at him and then flung an arm around each of her parents' necks, lowering her left elbow for Kylie and raising her right for Eduardo.
'Hi! How was your trip?' she said before stepping away from them. 'How's... what's his name?'
'He died,' said Eduardo.
'Oh!' said Conchita, looking stricken. 'I'm so sorry!'
'Don't be sorry on my account, seashell,' said Eduardo. 'I barely knew him.'
After this, some minutes passed, during which time Josh put on his T-shirt and Conchita set six places around the kitchen table. She was just finishing this when Rose and Laura arrived, and Rose took their coffee mugs and spoons to the sink.
'Laura,' said Josh, 'do you have any food allergies?'
Laura looked taken aback for a moment. Then she said, 'No, I can eat anything.'
'Hi Mom, hi Dad,' said Rose, going to give each of her parents a hug in turn. 'I'm glad you're home early – I thought I was only going to get to see you at the weekend.'
'I'm really happy to find you here, sweetheart,' said Kylie, giving her a squeeze.
'Me too, florita,' said Eduardo, kissing her on the forehead. Then he looked up and said, 'Hi, Laura.'
'Hey,' Laura smiled bashfully.
'Why are you home early?' Rose asked her parents.
'The guy died,' said Kylie.
'Oh,' said Rose. 'He was old, right?'
'Yeah,' said Eduardo. 'He wanted to fix some fight he had with my dad decades ago... I guess he invited us for a week because he figured I'd be as difficult as Dad was, but I'm not, so he died happy after three days. But never mind that now, huh? Laura, how long will you be staying with us?'
'I'm leaving first thing Saturday morning,' said Laura. 'If... that's all right with you.'
'Of course it's all right with us, sweetie,' Kylie smiled at her. 'You're more than welcome.'
'Ooh, yes please,' Laura said eagerly.
'Well, it's only instant,' said Rose. 'I'll be back in a few minutes, querida,' and she put on Laura's T-shirt, then got to her feet.
Josh was cooking on the hob with only his jeans on when Rose wandered into the kitchen. Their eyes met for a moment, then Rose scurried over to the kettle and Josh looked down into his pan.
'Hey,' said Josh.
'Hi,' said Rose, barely audible over the noise she was making filling the kettle.
'Do you guys want some vegetable tagine?' asked Josh. 'It'll be ready in a couple of hours.'
'Oh... no thanks, said Rose. 'Look, thanks for getting Adrien out of here – I appreciate that.'
'No problem,' said Josh. 'I think Merida appreciates it too, and Adrien's very happy with Freya.'
Rose nodded, then stood in awkward silence while her kettle boiled. Finally, the bubbling water reached its crescendo and the appliance turned itself off. As Rose picked it up and began pouring the water, she said conversationally, 'So where's this restaurant of yours?'
'Long Beach,' said Josh.
'Oh, wow,' said Rose, 'it's really nice down there.'
'Sure is,' said Josh. 'I was wondering about staying closer to Manhattan, but then this place became available and... well, you know. Do you need any help?' he added, watching as Rose started to drag a kitchen chair towards one of the high cupboards.
'Uh... yeah, thanks,' she said, looking down at the loose-fitting hem of Laura's T-shirt, and then at the chair she had intended to stand on. 'Would you please get down the sugar for me?'
'No problem.'
Josh smiled amiably at her as he went over to the cupboard, where he reached the sugar with no trouble and then handed it to Rose. It was at this point that the front door clicked open and, seconds later, Eduardo and Kylie entered the kitchen complete with full holdalls. They all stood in surprised silence for some seconds, then Kylie said smilingly, 'Oh, Rosy, you're home – how nice!'
'You're back early!' Rose snapped in response.
'Yeah, we are,' Eduardo said apologetically. He and Kylie both dumped their bags on the floor, then he looked at Josh and added, 'Hi, Josh.'
'Hi,' said Josh, returning to his pan. A moment later, he looked back at Rose in Laura's T-shirt, then down at his own bare torso and said, 'Oh, this isn't what it looks like!'
'Y'know, Josh,' said Kylie, 'it sort of looks like, on top of everything else, you've stolen that T-shirt.'
Rose huffed, sugared her coffee, picked up both mugs and two spoons and stalked from the room.
'Oops,' said Kylie, when she heard Rose's bedroom door slamming upstairs. 'And I was so careful not to say whose T-shirt!'
'You're sure good at recognising nondescript T-shirts, Kylie,' Josh remarked.
'Not normally,' said Kylie, 'but I'm pretty sure I've seen that one on a certain YouTube channel a few times. Hey, Josh, I'm not... barking up the wrong tree here, am I?'
'Hey now,' said Josh, 'if Rose hasn't told you, I'm not going to.'
'Good on you, man,' said Eduardo. 'But you're not barking up the wrong tree, Ky – I know we were right. Dads know who's been sleeping with their daughters, especially when whoever it is films a YouTube video right after.'
'Are you sure about that, sweetie?' said Kylie. 'Roland doesn't seem to suspect a thing.'
'Maybe he's just not mentioning it,' said Eduardo. 'I mean, did you mention it to him?'
'I guess not really,' said Kylie, looking at Josh for his reaction, but he was concentrating hard on his tagine. 'I asked him what he made of the video, and he said it didn't tell him anything he didn't know because Lucie'd already come home and told him she'd gotten together with Max. Those two were pretty keen to tell the world, weren't they? I wonder why Rosy's been so quiet about it all.'
'There doesn't have to be any real reason for that,' said Eduardo. 'It's not like she's been deliberately keeping secrets from us for years – it's been two months that we haven't even seen her in. I guess we're about to find out for sure, anyway, but I wish we hadn't trapped her into it like this.'
'It's not our fault, Eduardo,' said Kylie. 'She didn't even tell us she'd be here.'
'Of course it's not our fault,' said Eduardo, 'but it's still too bad.'
'You guys are such cool parents,' said Josh.
'Thank you, Josh,' said Kylie.
'I'm making dinner,' Josh went on. 'Why don't I make enough for all six of us? Rose already politely declined, but I think things are different now, aren't they?'
'I think so,' said Eduardo. 'She'll be down here soon enough with... whoever she has up there.'
'You don't know for sure she has anyone up there,' Josh said facetiously.
'Yes we do – you said six, not five!' Kylie said triumphantly, as the sound of the front door opening became audible. 'Now, who the hell is that?'
'It'll be Chita; she went out for a few minutes,' said Josh, turning down the heat on his pan, then he headed for the hallway. 'I'll go warn her you're here.'
Kylie gave Eduardo a wry smile and said, 'Remember when our girls used to be happy to see us?'
Meanwhile, out in the hallway, Conchita was closing the front door with one hand and holding a drug store bag in the other.
'Hey, baby,' said Josh, giving her a hug. 'Your parents came back unexpectedly.'
'Oh shit,' Conchita said mildly, looking down at her bag.
Josh laughed. 'I'm not used to hearing bad language from you outside of the bedroom.'
'Yeah, me neither. But I could do this right now – I've been saving it all the way from the store!'
'You're not going to, though, right? I suggest you go to the bathroom, hide that in your room and, if you'd be so kind, bring me my shirt so we can all have dinner. It'll wait, okay?'
'I guess it'll have to,' said Conchita. 'But... won't you worry?'
'Not worry, no,' said Josh. 'Not even a little. Will you?'
'Worry, no. Think about it, yes.'
'Yeah, well, so will I do that. I mean, I guess you could do it now, but...'
'No,' said Conchita. 'You're right – not while my parents are there and you're making dinner for all of us. But I do have to do something with this pee I've been saving!'
'Okay,' Josh laughed, stepping aside as she sprinted up the stairs. He then returned to the kitchen and resumed his culinary activities, saying to Eduardo and Kylie, 'She just went to the bathroom.'
Eduardo and Kylie took their bags upstairs, then returned to the kitchen and helped themselves to drinks. Minutes later, Conchita came into the room, threw Josh's T-shirt at him and then flung an arm around each of her parents' necks, lowering her left elbow for Kylie and raising her right for Eduardo.
'Hi! How was your trip?' she said before stepping away from them. 'How's... what's his name?'
'He died,' said Eduardo.
'Oh!' said Conchita, looking stricken. 'I'm so sorry!'
'Don't be sorry on my account, seashell,' said Eduardo. 'I barely knew him.'
After this, some minutes passed, during which time Josh put on his T-shirt and Conchita set six places around the kitchen table. She was just finishing this when Rose and Laura arrived, and Rose took their coffee mugs and spoons to the sink.
'Laura,' said Josh, 'do you have any food allergies?'
Laura looked taken aback for a moment. Then she said, 'No, I can eat anything.'
'Hi Mom, hi Dad,' said Rose, going to give each of her parents a hug in turn. 'I'm glad you're home early – I thought I was only going to get to see you at the weekend.'
'I'm really happy to find you here, sweetheart,' said Kylie, giving her a squeeze.
'Me too, florita,' said Eduardo, kissing her on the forehead. Then he looked up and said, 'Hi, Laura.'
'Hey,' Laura smiled bashfully.
'Why are you home early?' Rose asked her parents.
'The guy died,' said Kylie.
'Oh,' said Rose. 'He was old, right?'
'Yeah,' said Eduardo. 'He wanted to fix some fight he had with my dad decades ago... I guess he invited us for a week because he figured I'd be as difficult as Dad was, but I'm not, so he died happy after three days. But never mind that now, huh? Laura, how long will you be staying with us?'
'I'm leaving first thing Saturday morning,' said Laura. 'If... that's all right with you.'
'Of course it's all right with us, sweetie,' Kylie smiled at her. 'You're more than welcome.'
Max slung Lucie's bag into the back of the car as she climbed into the driving seat, started the engine and glanced at the clock on the dashboard.
'This is a little later than I meant to leave,' said Lucie, turning to look at Max through the open window, 'but I'm not sorry about that – it was definitely time well spent.'
'I'll say!' Max grinned.
'According to the clock, I've been here exactly twenty-four hours,' said Lucie.
'Yeah,' said Max. 'Twenty-four hours of paradise!'
'I couldn't have put it better myself,' said Lucie. 'We'll meet up again soon, won't we?'
'You bet!' said Max. 'Real soon!'
Lucie leaned through the window and the two of them shared a long, lingering kiss. When it came to a natural end, Lucie pulled her head back in, put on her seatbelt, and drove away. Max watched the car until the last moment.
'This is a little later than I meant to leave,' said Lucie, turning to look at Max through the open window, 'but I'm not sorry about that – it was definitely time well spent.'
'I'll say!' Max grinned.
'According to the clock, I've been here exactly twenty-four hours,' said Lucie.
'Yeah,' said Max. 'Twenty-four hours of paradise!'
'I couldn't have put it better myself,' said Lucie. 'We'll meet up again soon, won't we?'
'You bet!' said Max. 'Real soon!'
Lucie leaned through the window and the two of them shared a long, lingering kiss. When it came to a natural end, Lucie pulled her head back in, put on her seatbelt, and drove away. Max watched the car until the last moment.
Conchita and Josh were looking through boxes in their new apartment, but not unpacking anything. The room they were in had only basic furniture: a sofa, a table with two chairs, and a television stand with no television. From the window, the ocean could just be glimpsed through numerous condos and business premises.
'So how does it feel, babe?' asked Conchita.
'Overwhelming,' said Josh. 'Apart from everything else, I really am going to have to give notice tomorrow – I didn't even think about the ridiculous commute!'
'Oh, you'll do it in no time on your motorcycle.'
'And look at all this stuff I have! I'm going to have to throw some of it out.'
'Why? It all fit in your old apartment, didn't it? And that was smaller!'
'I guess so. But we're going to need a lot of new stuff pretty soon, aren't we?'
'Guess we are,' said Conchita, smiling. 'But don't worry – I'll help you. We can spend all of my spring break making this place nice. I took the whole week off work too so I'd have total freedom.'
'You should use the time to relax.'
'Sweetie, I want to nest-build.'
They smiled at each other, and kept it up until a knock came at the front door a few seconds later. Josh went to answer it.
'Okay,' said Tia, the second the door was opened to her, 'I know it's Sunday, and I'll go away and leave you alone if you just give me five minutes.'
'Come in, Tia,' said Josh. 'Everything all right downstairs?'
'You're the kitchen expert, Josh,' Tia said as she stepped over the threshold, 'but nothing's obviously wrong. Except that you've only got stuff in half the office space that's down there. Don't you think you'll need the rest?'
'I don't know,' said Josh. 'I hadn't really thought about it.'
'You should,' said Tia. 'We could have a second business in there! Just a small one, obviously. The kind where all you need is a couple of comfy armchairs and a computer for the admin.' She looked past Josh and said, 'You see where I'm going with this, Chita?'
'Um... I think so,' said Conchita.
'You mean you want Chita to have her own counselling practice down there,' said Josh.
'All by myself!' added Conchita, looking suddenly like a rabbit in headlights.
'You'd be amazing at it,' said Tia.
'Look, let's not put pressure on her,' said Josh. 'But... babe, I should point out...'
Conchita nodded. 'It answers a few of our questions, doesn't it? But... Tia, wouldn't a second business here be just one risk too many?'
'Oh, please!' Tia laughed. 'It'd be such a tiny fraction of the overall cost, we wouldn't notice! We'd have to block off any direct access to the kitchen and dining room and knock in a door to the street – that's probably only gonna be four figures. Then we license the premises, put up a sign, bring in those chairs and that computer and spend a few bucks on advertising. No problem. Chita, your boyfriend's business eats money; honestly, it'd be a weight off my mind knowing we also have a low-output source of income here.'
'Oh God,' said Conchita. 'Josh, we have to tell her.'
'Tell me what?' asked Tia.
'But we haven't told anyone,' said Josh.
'I know,' said Conchita, 'but we can't let her go on considering this when she's not in full possession of the facts.'
'You have to tell me now,' said Tia.
'I'm pregnant,' said Conchita.
'Oh, wow.' Tia's eyes widened. 'Are you... happy about that?'
'Yes,' said Conchita. 'We're both ecstatic about that.'
'In that case, congratulations!' said Tia, and she bounded across the room to take Conchita into a bear hug. 'That's wonderful news! I'm so happy for you!'
'Really, Tia?' said Conchita. 'Because it might mean Josh can't buy you out in five years after all.'
'So what?' said Tia. 'That was only ever a maybe in the first place – he'll just buy me out whenever he can, if he can, and if not I'll just go on being a really good silent partner. Come on, girl, you gotta do my idea now. You can start whenever you want, and work as many hours as you want, and when you are working your little one will be right upstairs with your aunt or somebody.'
'I don't know about that,' said Conchita. 'I won't be living down the street from Beth anymore, and she has a grandchild and another one on the way to keep her where she is.'
'My mom could do it,' said Josh. 'She'd love it. Maybe she'd even like to move nearer here.'
'Okay,' said Tia, 'that's between you and your mom. You guys don't have to decide anything right now. Just think about it, okay? And stop looking for problems!'
'All right, I'll try,' Conchita smiled, seeing Tia to the front door.
'And seriously,' said Tia, 'I'm thrilled for you guys. So... you really haven't told anyone else?'
'No,' said Conchita.
'Not even your other best friends?' said Tia. 'Like Freya and James and Isabel?'
'No.'
'Not even Rose and... Josh's brother – what's his name?'
'Jack,' said Conchita. 'No, we haven't told anyone.'
'Not even your parents?' Tia asked incredulously.
'We haven't told anyone,' Conchita said again, looking uncomfortable, 'and we wouldn't have told you yet if it wasn't going to impact your business.'
'Don't worry,' said Tia, grinning and giving her final hug. 'I won't tell them I'm your favourite.'
'Bye, Tia,' said Conchita, as her visitor trotted down the stairs to the street. She then closed the door and turned back to Josh, saying, 'Wow. Sweetie, do you mind if I digest that for a few days before we really start talking about it?'
'Of course I don't mind,' said Josh. 'Enjoy your spring break and your nest-building first. And y'know, Tia's right about not looking for problems. There's nothing to worry about.'
'Well,' said Conchita, 'there is, but nothing that pregnant women aren't supposed to worry about. I'm mostly just excited for becoming a mom. And, babe... you really are happy, aren't you?'
'How could I not be happy?' said Josh. 'All my dreams have come true and they're right here in this building. And I own the building! It's all so, so much more than I deserve.'
'Now, don't start putting yourself down,' Conchita said sternly.
'I wasn't going to,' said Josh.
'Good,' she said, and kissed him.
'So how does it feel, babe?' asked Conchita.
'Overwhelming,' said Josh. 'Apart from everything else, I really am going to have to give notice tomorrow – I didn't even think about the ridiculous commute!'
'Oh, you'll do it in no time on your motorcycle.'
'And look at all this stuff I have! I'm going to have to throw some of it out.'
'Why? It all fit in your old apartment, didn't it? And that was smaller!'
'I guess so. But we're going to need a lot of new stuff pretty soon, aren't we?'
'Guess we are,' said Conchita, smiling. 'But don't worry – I'll help you. We can spend all of my spring break making this place nice. I took the whole week off work too so I'd have total freedom.'
'You should use the time to relax.'
'Sweetie, I want to nest-build.'
They smiled at each other, and kept it up until a knock came at the front door a few seconds later. Josh went to answer it.
'Okay,' said Tia, the second the door was opened to her, 'I know it's Sunday, and I'll go away and leave you alone if you just give me five minutes.'
'Come in, Tia,' said Josh. 'Everything all right downstairs?'
'You're the kitchen expert, Josh,' Tia said as she stepped over the threshold, 'but nothing's obviously wrong. Except that you've only got stuff in half the office space that's down there. Don't you think you'll need the rest?'
'I don't know,' said Josh. 'I hadn't really thought about it.'
'You should,' said Tia. 'We could have a second business in there! Just a small one, obviously. The kind where all you need is a couple of comfy armchairs and a computer for the admin.' She looked past Josh and said, 'You see where I'm going with this, Chita?'
'Um... I think so,' said Conchita.
'You mean you want Chita to have her own counselling practice down there,' said Josh.
'All by myself!' added Conchita, looking suddenly like a rabbit in headlights.
'You'd be amazing at it,' said Tia.
'Look, let's not put pressure on her,' said Josh. 'But... babe, I should point out...'
Conchita nodded. 'It answers a few of our questions, doesn't it? But... Tia, wouldn't a second business here be just one risk too many?'
'Oh, please!' Tia laughed. 'It'd be such a tiny fraction of the overall cost, we wouldn't notice! We'd have to block off any direct access to the kitchen and dining room and knock in a door to the street – that's probably only gonna be four figures. Then we license the premises, put up a sign, bring in those chairs and that computer and spend a few bucks on advertising. No problem. Chita, your boyfriend's business eats money; honestly, it'd be a weight off my mind knowing we also have a low-output source of income here.'
'Oh God,' said Conchita. 'Josh, we have to tell her.'
'Tell me what?' asked Tia.
'But we haven't told anyone,' said Josh.
'I know,' said Conchita, 'but we can't let her go on considering this when she's not in full possession of the facts.'
'You have to tell me now,' said Tia.
'I'm pregnant,' said Conchita.
'Oh, wow.' Tia's eyes widened. 'Are you... happy about that?'
'Yes,' said Conchita. 'We're both ecstatic about that.'
'In that case, congratulations!' said Tia, and she bounded across the room to take Conchita into a bear hug. 'That's wonderful news! I'm so happy for you!'
'Really, Tia?' said Conchita. 'Because it might mean Josh can't buy you out in five years after all.'
'So what?' said Tia. 'That was only ever a maybe in the first place – he'll just buy me out whenever he can, if he can, and if not I'll just go on being a really good silent partner. Come on, girl, you gotta do my idea now. You can start whenever you want, and work as many hours as you want, and when you are working your little one will be right upstairs with your aunt or somebody.'
'I don't know about that,' said Conchita. 'I won't be living down the street from Beth anymore, and she has a grandchild and another one on the way to keep her where she is.'
'My mom could do it,' said Josh. 'She'd love it. Maybe she'd even like to move nearer here.'
'Okay,' said Tia, 'that's between you and your mom. You guys don't have to decide anything right now. Just think about it, okay? And stop looking for problems!'
'All right, I'll try,' Conchita smiled, seeing Tia to the front door.
'And seriously,' said Tia, 'I'm thrilled for you guys. So... you really haven't told anyone else?'
'No,' said Conchita.
'Not even your other best friends?' said Tia. 'Like Freya and James and Isabel?'
'No.'
'Not even Rose and... Josh's brother – what's his name?'
'Jack,' said Conchita. 'No, we haven't told anyone.'
'Not even your parents?' Tia asked incredulously.
'We haven't told anyone,' Conchita said again, looking uncomfortable, 'and we wouldn't have told you yet if it wasn't going to impact your business.'
'Don't worry,' said Tia, grinning and giving her final hug. 'I won't tell them I'm your favourite.'
'Bye, Tia,' said Conchita, as her visitor trotted down the stairs to the street. She then closed the door and turned back to Josh, saying, 'Wow. Sweetie, do you mind if I digest that for a few days before we really start talking about it?'
'Of course I don't mind,' said Josh. 'Enjoy your spring break and your nest-building first. And y'know, Tia's right about not looking for problems. There's nothing to worry about.'
'Well,' said Conchita, 'there is, but nothing that pregnant women aren't supposed to worry about. I'm mostly just excited for becoming a mom. And, babe... you really are happy, aren't you?'
'How could I not be happy?' said Josh. 'All my dreams have come true and they're right here in this building. And I own the building! It's all so, so much more than I deserve.'
'Now, don't start putting yourself down,' Conchita said sternly.
'I wasn't going to,' said Josh.
'Good,' she said, and kissed him.
Kylie was sitting on the sofa with her laptop, in the middle of a video-call with Garrett, when Eduardo came into the room.
'Hold on – Eduardo's back,' Kylie said to Garrett, then she turned her head and said to Eduardo, 'Hi, sweetie. Did she get off okay?'
On the laptop screen, Garrett started sniggering.
'Stop that,' Eduardo said sternly to the screen, sitting down next to Kylie. He then looked at her and went on, 'She was fine when she went through the security gate, and that was the last I saw of her.'
'When's her flight getting in?' asked Garrett. 'Max wants to meet it.'
'In about three hours, I guess,' said Eduardo.
'Hold on.' Garrett looked in a direction off-screen and signed something. A moment later, he returned his attention to the video-call, saying, 'He knows the exact minute it's coming in. You can't tell these kids anything they haven't found out online already, can you?'
'I guess they're not exactly kids anymore, huh?' Kylie said wistfully.
'Absolutely not,' said Garrett. 'Otherwise it would not be okay that they're getting off at all.'
'Will you cut that out?' said Eduardo.
'Why pretend it's not happening?' said Garrett. 'I spent Wednesday night and Thursday morning hearing my boy having sex, and I'm fine with it. Seems he's very good at it,' he added proudly.
'Garrett,' said Kylie, 'it's not okay to say that while Max is there just because he can't hear you.'
'He's not here,' Garrett said reasonably. 'We were signing through the patio doors just now.'
'It's not okay anyway,' said Eduardo. 'This stuff is personal, man.'
'Tell that to Lucie,' said Garrett. 'She almost screamed my house down. And she took a birth control pill right in front of me.'
'Shut up, Garrett,' said Kylie. 'Look, Roland just logged in – I'm inviting him to join.'
'Okay, I'll shut up,' said Garrett, as an image of Roland appeared alongside him on Kylie's screen.
'Hi, guys,' Roland said uncertainly.
'Hi, Roland,' said everyone, then Kylie went on, 'We're talking about our kids. Eduardo just put Rose on her plane. Did Laura get back okay?'
'And Lucie?' added Garrett.
'Yeah, Hilary just called me to say Lucie's home,' said Roland, 'and Laura's been with her since yesterday. I haven't seen either of them yet. To be honest, I... don't really know what I'm supposed to say when I do see them.'
'Hello and nice to see you?' said Garrett. 'How was your trip – stuff like that, maybe?'
'Sure, sure,' said Roland. 'But listen... did you guys know about... Laura and Rose?'
Eduardo and Kylie exchanged a look, then Kylie said, 'We only found out a few days ago, Roland.'
'And if you're wondering why we didn't tell you in the meantime,' Eduardo added, 'me and Kylie don't do that, okay?'
'Whoa, calm down, Eddie!' said Garrett.
'Yeah, well,' said Eduardo, 'it really bugs me when parents expect each other to rat out their kids.'
'I don't expect that, Eduardo,' said Roland. 'Anyway, I found out a few days ago too. Laura told T'Keyah, and she also told her she could tell me while she was away, and I had to tell Hilary.'
'Had to?' said Eduardo, frowning. 'You mean like you have to tell somebody bad news?'
'Not at all, Eduardo,' said Roland. 'We were both just surprised, that's all. But I love Rose and I'm really happy for them, okay?'
'Okay, Roland,' said Kylie.
'You should be,' Eduardo added.
'And you love Max too and you're happy for him and Lucie, right?' said Garrett.
'I told you that weeks ago, Gar,' said Roland. 'Because Lucie didn't keep it a secret like Laura did.'
'Don't take that personally, Roland,' Kylie put in hastily. 'Eduardo already had to talk me into not feeling bad that Rose didn't tell us. Sometimes you just... I don't know... want to keep something like that to yourself for a while.'
'Then why did Laura tell T'Keyah?' asked Roland.
'Because she likes her and she trusts her,' said Kylie. 'I'd have thought you'd be happy about that.'
'I am,' said Roland. 'But I thought she liked and trusted me too.'
'Come on, man, she does,' said Eduardo. 'It's not a big deal, okay? We all know now.'
'Didn't you suspect anything, Roland?' asked Kylie. 'You know... from the New Year's video.'
'Why are you saying that, Kylie?' asked Garrett. 'Now he'll get sore thinking you suspected and didn't let him in on it!'
'Could you really tell from the video, Kylie?' Roland asked in surprise.
'I suspected,' said Kylie, 'like Garrett said. Eduardo was adamant.'
'And I was right,' Eduardo pointed out.
Roland looked flabbergasted. 'It just... didn't occur to me.'
'Oh yeah?' said Eduardo, raising an eyebrow. 'Could you tell with Lucie and Max?'
'I don't know,' said Roland. 'Lucie told me before I saw the video.'
'I told you that, Eduardo,' said Kylie. 'But look, can we stop this now? You guys are getting into a lot of petty arguments about who knew and who suspected and whether it's different if a phallus is involved, and there's just no need for any conflict here.'
'You are so right, Kylie,' said Garrett.
'Although,' Kylie went on, fixing his image with a facetious look, 'you're getting off very lightly for someone who knew about Rose and Laura before any of us, Garrett.'
'Huh? What makes you say that?' Garrett said defensively.
'When I told you five minutes ago,' said Kylie, 'you weren't surprised at all. You just pretended to be when you thought of it ten seconds later.'
'Is that true, Garrett?' Roland asked sharply.
'Ah, jeez...' Garrett sighed.
'It's okay, man,' said Eduardo. 'Nobody wanted you to betray a confidence. Right, Roland?'
'I guess,' Roland said grudgingly. 'But who told you, Garrett?'
'Who says anyone told me?' Garrett said unconvincingly.
'It's obvious who told him,' said Kylie. 'Max wanted to talk to somebody about what happened between the four of them at New Year's, so he told Garrett, feeling safe in the knowledge that he'd keep it to himself until the girls were ready to tell us. That's right, Garrett, isn't it?'
'Only if it doesn't make anybody mad at me,' said Garrett.
'How can anybody be mad at anybody at a time like this?' Kylie said bracingly. 'Our children have fallen for each other, and we love them all, and we're all one big happy family even more than we already were anyway.'
'So why'd you rat me out just then, Ky?' said Garrett.
'Sorry, Garret,' said Kylie. 'I guess I just thought everything should be out in the open. If I knew you knew, and these guys thought you didn't know, it could just get really awkward!'
'Yeah, I guess,' Garrett said grudgingly. 'So anyway, Rolster, when's Adam home from college? Maybe he'll have a surprise for you too. And then you still have two more kids to grow up after that – you've got all kinds of treats in store!'
'Thanks, Garrett,' Roland said dryly. 'Adam actually got to Hilary's yesterday; I'm gonna have him for the second half of the week. Maybe I'll find out that he... oh, I don't know!'
'That he's gotten some girl pregnant?' Eduardo suggested.
Roland winced. 'Don't! And just imagine if that happened to Lucie!'
'Won't happen to Laura, though,' said Eduardo. 'So you like her choice better now, right?'
'Of course he doesn't!' said Garrett. 'Roland, tell him.'
'I like them both,' said Roland. 'Why would you want to make a competition out of it?'
'Wait a minute, you guys, knock it off,' said Kylie. 'Look, we're all really, really happy for all four of them and that's all there is to it. And Roland, quit worrying – I'm sure our kids have given us enough surprises for the time being.'
'Kylie, how could you?' Garrett said sternly. 'You know you should never say a thing like that!'
'Hold on – Eduardo's back,' Kylie said to Garrett, then she turned her head and said to Eduardo, 'Hi, sweetie. Did she get off okay?'
On the laptop screen, Garrett started sniggering.
'Stop that,' Eduardo said sternly to the screen, sitting down next to Kylie. He then looked at her and went on, 'She was fine when she went through the security gate, and that was the last I saw of her.'
'When's her flight getting in?' asked Garrett. 'Max wants to meet it.'
'In about three hours, I guess,' said Eduardo.
'Hold on.' Garrett looked in a direction off-screen and signed something. A moment later, he returned his attention to the video-call, saying, 'He knows the exact minute it's coming in. You can't tell these kids anything they haven't found out online already, can you?'
'I guess they're not exactly kids anymore, huh?' Kylie said wistfully.
'Absolutely not,' said Garrett. 'Otherwise it would not be okay that they're getting off at all.'
'Will you cut that out?' said Eduardo.
'Why pretend it's not happening?' said Garrett. 'I spent Wednesday night and Thursday morning hearing my boy having sex, and I'm fine with it. Seems he's very good at it,' he added proudly.
'Garrett,' said Kylie, 'it's not okay to say that while Max is there just because he can't hear you.'
'He's not here,' Garrett said reasonably. 'We were signing through the patio doors just now.'
'It's not okay anyway,' said Eduardo. 'This stuff is personal, man.'
'Tell that to Lucie,' said Garrett. 'She almost screamed my house down. And she took a birth control pill right in front of me.'
'Shut up, Garrett,' said Kylie. 'Look, Roland just logged in – I'm inviting him to join.'
'Okay, I'll shut up,' said Garrett, as an image of Roland appeared alongside him on Kylie's screen.
'Hi, guys,' Roland said uncertainly.
'Hi, Roland,' said everyone, then Kylie went on, 'We're talking about our kids. Eduardo just put Rose on her plane. Did Laura get back okay?'
'And Lucie?' added Garrett.
'Yeah, Hilary just called me to say Lucie's home,' said Roland, 'and Laura's been with her since yesterday. I haven't seen either of them yet. To be honest, I... don't really know what I'm supposed to say when I do see them.'
'Hello and nice to see you?' said Garrett. 'How was your trip – stuff like that, maybe?'
'Sure, sure,' said Roland. 'But listen... did you guys know about... Laura and Rose?'
Eduardo and Kylie exchanged a look, then Kylie said, 'We only found out a few days ago, Roland.'
'And if you're wondering why we didn't tell you in the meantime,' Eduardo added, 'me and Kylie don't do that, okay?'
'Whoa, calm down, Eddie!' said Garrett.
'Yeah, well,' said Eduardo, 'it really bugs me when parents expect each other to rat out their kids.'
'I don't expect that, Eduardo,' said Roland. 'Anyway, I found out a few days ago too. Laura told T'Keyah, and she also told her she could tell me while she was away, and I had to tell Hilary.'
'Had to?' said Eduardo, frowning. 'You mean like you have to tell somebody bad news?'
'Not at all, Eduardo,' said Roland. 'We were both just surprised, that's all. But I love Rose and I'm really happy for them, okay?'
'Okay, Roland,' said Kylie.
'You should be,' Eduardo added.
'And you love Max too and you're happy for him and Lucie, right?' said Garrett.
'I told you that weeks ago, Gar,' said Roland. 'Because Lucie didn't keep it a secret like Laura did.'
'Don't take that personally, Roland,' Kylie put in hastily. 'Eduardo already had to talk me into not feeling bad that Rose didn't tell us. Sometimes you just... I don't know... want to keep something like that to yourself for a while.'
'Then why did Laura tell T'Keyah?' asked Roland.
'Because she likes her and she trusts her,' said Kylie. 'I'd have thought you'd be happy about that.'
'I am,' said Roland. 'But I thought she liked and trusted me too.'
'Come on, man, she does,' said Eduardo. 'It's not a big deal, okay? We all know now.'
'Didn't you suspect anything, Roland?' asked Kylie. 'You know... from the New Year's video.'
'Why are you saying that, Kylie?' asked Garrett. 'Now he'll get sore thinking you suspected and didn't let him in on it!'
'Could you really tell from the video, Kylie?' Roland asked in surprise.
'I suspected,' said Kylie, 'like Garrett said. Eduardo was adamant.'
'And I was right,' Eduardo pointed out.
Roland looked flabbergasted. 'It just... didn't occur to me.'
'Oh yeah?' said Eduardo, raising an eyebrow. 'Could you tell with Lucie and Max?'
'I don't know,' said Roland. 'Lucie told me before I saw the video.'
'I told you that, Eduardo,' said Kylie. 'But look, can we stop this now? You guys are getting into a lot of petty arguments about who knew and who suspected and whether it's different if a phallus is involved, and there's just no need for any conflict here.'
'You are so right, Kylie,' said Garrett.
'Although,' Kylie went on, fixing his image with a facetious look, 'you're getting off very lightly for someone who knew about Rose and Laura before any of us, Garrett.'
'Huh? What makes you say that?' Garrett said defensively.
'When I told you five minutes ago,' said Kylie, 'you weren't surprised at all. You just pretended to be when you thought of it ten seconds later.'
'Is that true, Garrett?' Roland asked sharply.
'Ah, jeez...' Garrett sighed.
'It's okay, man,' said Eduardo. 'Nobody wanted you to betray a confidence. Right, Roland?'
'I guess,' Roland said grudgingly. 'But who told you, Garrett?'
'Who says anyone told me?' Garrett said unconvincingly.
'It's obvious who told him,' said Kylie. 'Max wanted to talk to somebody about what happened between the four of them at New Year's, so he told Garrett, feeling safe in the knowledge that he'd keep it to himself until the girls were ready to tell us. That's right, Garrett, isn't it?'
'Only if it doesn't make anybody mad at me,' said Garrett.
'How can anybody be mad at anybody at a time like this?' Kylie said bracingly. 'Our children have fallen for each other, and we love them all, and we're all one big happy family even more than we already were anyway.'
'So why'd you rat me out just then, Ky?' said Garrett.
'Sorry, Garret,' said Kylie. 'I guess I just thought everything should be out in the open. If I knew you knew, and these guys thought you didn't know, it could just get really awkward!'
'Yeah, I guess,' Garrett said grudgingly. 'So anyway, Rolster, when's Adam home from college? Maybe he'll have a surprise for you too. And then you still have two more kids to grow up after that – you've got all kinds of treats in store!'
'Thanks, Garrett,' Roland said dryly. 'Adam actually got to Hilary's yesterday; I'm gonna have him for the second half of the week. Maybe I'll find out that he... oh, I don't know!'
'That he's gotten some girl pregnant?' Eduardo suggested.
Roland winced. 'Don't! And just imagine if that happened to Lucie!'
'Won't happen to Laura, though,' said Eduardo. 'So you like her choice better now, right?'
'Of course he doesn't!' said Garrett. 'Roland, tell him.'
'I like them both,' said Roland. 'Why would you want to make a competition out of it?'
'Wait a minute, you guys, knock it off,' said Kylie. 'Look, we're all really, really happy for all four of them and that's all there is to it. And Roland, quit worrying – I'm sure our kids have given us enough surprises for the time being.'
'Kylie, how could you?' Garrett said sternly. 'You know you should never say a thing like that!'
Extensions are 'clean' versions of stories which, in full, are inappropriate for this website. This version of Rosey's 'Generations' contains extracts from Jake's 'Twenty-Four Hours of Paradise'. The uncut and separate versions of both these stories can be found elsewhere online.
