The Pines twins remembered the night well. Almost too well.
10 years ago, the twins were living happily in Piedmont, California with their mother, Sybil (age 39). Her two sisters also had moved into the house (Aunt Sharon was 32, Aunt April was 23). Their older sister, Eloise, was only 8 at the time, the twins being 2.
Mabel had been scooting around on the floor, making buzzing noises with her lips as she played with Eloise. Little drops of spit flew out of her mouth. "EW! MOM, MABEL SPIT ON ME!" Eloise complained.
"Oh, darling. I'm sure she didn't mean to." Sybil said. She was tall and thin, her sandy blonde hair dropping to her shoulders. She had shocking green eyes that you could definitely pick out from a crowd. She had a British accent, as the sisters had moved here from England when she was pregnant with Eloise.
"Yeah, Eloise. Lighten up a little, they're just babies. ADORABLE BABIES!" April cooed, scooping up the twins.
Sybil's smile melted into a panicked expression. "April, do be careful." she urged. April was known to be rather clumsy. She had light blonde hair with side cut bangs that brushed over her forehead, the rest held separate by the blue and green bandana she always wore. She had a flowing white top and lavender bellbottom jeans. She also wore thin horn-rimmed glasses that were nearly always on the tip of her nose. Her electric blue eyes reminded the family of the ocean.
"Oh, phooey. Can you just trust me for once, Syb-Syb? I'm perfectly capable of holding my niece and nephew without screwing anything up_ AUGH!"
April cried out as she turned around, slamming into a table. The china teapots fell to the tile floor and smashed into several pieces. Dipper and Mabel were held away from the floor as April clumsily collapsed backwards.
Sybil rushed over and scooped up the twins. "Oh, thank goodness." she sighed. She then scowled and turned to her sister, who was laying on the floor, laughing hysterically.
"Oh, the irony!" April whooped.
"THIS IS NOT FUNNY! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED DIPPER AND MABEL!" Sybil snapped at her hysterical sister.
"Oh good lord, sis. Learn to laugh a little! And at least I kept the babies from getting hurt." she said, at last standing and dusting herself off. She winced. "I mean, yes, there's a piece of glass stabbed into my boob. But your kids are safe!" She gave her older sister a corny smile, adding double thumbs-up.
Sybil chuckled. "April, what am I going to do with you?"
"How about…into the furnace?" Sharon said as she entered the kitchen, a sarcastic smirk on her face.
April scowled. Sharon threw her arms up and laughed. "Good god, April! It was only a joke!"
"Whatever."
April screamed as she felt the sharp pain in her breast worsen, but then disappear. She looked down at her chest. The wedge of china was gone. She looked up at her sister, who was holding the glass between her middle and pointer finger. "Now that's better, isn't it?" she said, giving her sister a smile that said 'I told you so.'
"Yeah, whatever."
Sharon tossed the glass into the trash bin. She looked over at Sybil, who had returned to the stove. "Sybil, would you like me to clean the glass up for you?"
"Oh yes, please. Thank you, Sharon."
"You're quite welcome."
Sybil and Sharon were the only two that carried the accent. April didn't, because she was only 15 when they moved here, young enough to gain the American accent that Sybil and Sharon called 'silly.'
Sharon dropped to her knees and began brushing up the glass into a little dustpan. "Gee, thanks for being such a help, April."
April gave a sarcastic smile. "You're welcome."
Eloise finally piped up. "MOMMY, CAN I CALL MY FRIEND?" she shouted from the living room.
"Sweetie, it's 9:30. Half an hour pat your bedtime. Not tonight. Now give me a kiss, and then go to bed. Tuck the twins in too, if you don't mind."
Eloise rolled her eyes. "OK. I'll tuck Dipper and Mabel in. But I'm not giving you a kiss."
Sybil raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? And why ever not?"
"Because I'm not a baby."
Sybil didn't show it, but she was extremely hurt by this. "Alright then. Off to bed. Goodnight, darlings." She kissed the twins foreheads, and gave Eloise a pat on the back.
Eloise gave an annoyed moan as April pulled her into a rib cracking hug. "You're giving ME a kiss whether you like it or not." she giggled, planting a quick kiss on the eldest daughter's head.
"Ugh, grow up, Aunt April! You act like such a baby all the time!" Eloise snapped.
Sharon's eyes widened with rage. "Don't you EVEN speak to your aunt like that! Now you get to bed IMMEDIATELY!"
"FINE!" She stomped down the hallway, into the twins' room. She dropped them messily into the crib and threw the blankets on top of their little bodies. "Here you go, you drooly little idiots." she snapped. She then stomped into her room, slamming the door behind her.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Sharon was dabbing tears from Sybil's eyes. "Oh, Sybil. It's OK."
"NO IT'S NOT!" Sybil shouted, sobbing wetly.
April shook her head, looking down at the table. "If only she knew that this just might be our final night…"
