2 TOW the Cooking

A/N: Finally! I know, this has taken forever and I'm really sorry. I do want to get to the point where I post whole episodes all at once – like a real TV episode – but I figured you all have been waiting enough.

I actually got this done Saturday, but stupid shut down and hasn't let me log in until now. It was driving me insane that I finally had this to post but I couldn't post it.

Oh, guys, self-plug: Want to keep up with what's going on with my stories, including Cousins? Subscribe to my new blog!

...please? Don't make me beg.

Anyway, here's the link: http://whatsupwriterchic (dot) wordpress (dot) com

Creative address, huh?

As promised, here's TOW the Cooking!

Teaser

On his way home from work, Ben stopped by his sister's apartment. He hadn't really been over all week, and since Sarah was in a meeting with one of her patients, he was left to forage for dinner alone. So rather than pop open a can of soup, he decided to check out what his sister and cousin were doing.

"Hey, how's my favorite cousin?" he greeted after Erica let him in.

Erica barely looked at him as she sat back down at her laptop on the kitchen table. "Food's on the stove, help yourself."

"Yes!" Ben cheered. He grabbed a plate and took some of the chicken stir fry. "What are you working on?

"I don't know yet. This is the first time I've been able to write in so long, and nothing's coming," she groaned, then leaned back on the chair out of frustration.

Ben gave her a sympathetic glance. "Aw, I'm sorry Erica. You'll come up with something soon."

"I better. And it better be the idea that shoots me to the top of the New York Times bestseller list and makes me a fortune," Erica ranted and pounded on the laptop keys for emphasis. A loud beep sounded from the machine. "Oh, crap."

Concerned, Ben asked, "Did you lose anything?"

"There was nothing to lose," Erica muttered.

Before Ben was done filling his plate, Jack entered the apartment. "Hey, how's my favorite sis – "

"Food's on the stove," Erica repeated, her head in her hands.

"Excellent!" Jack exclaimed as he grabbed a plate. "Thanks, sis!"

Mikey had been behind him, but instead of heading to the stove, he sat at the table next to his friend. "What's the matter, Erica?"

"Writer's block. It sucks," she explained. "I've been sitting here since I got home from the office, and all I've got to show for it is this empty Microsoft Word page."

"I hear you. It's the same thing with my Lyric Writing class," Mikey sympathized, then unable to resist, got up and took some food.

Ben shook his head as he sat down at the table. "See, that's the problem with creativity. But then again, maybe it's better than whining kids…and washing crayon off the wall…"

After he'd swallowed what chicken was in his mouth, Jack laughed. "Again?"

"I leave the room for one second!" Ben exclaimed and pounded the table with his fist. He was a counselor at a city elementary school. While rewarding, the job definitely had its downsides.

Jack shook his head. "None of you have it as bad as I do. I have the night shift, so in an hour I'll have to put a piece of fuzz on my lip and ask people, 'Would you like antipasti with that?"

"You could've at a job at Aunt Monica's restaurant," Ben pointed out.

"You know I couldn't do that," Jack argued. "Everyone would think I only got the job because I'm the bosses son."

Mikey scoffed. "Plus Aunt Monica would make him work like a dog."

"That too," Jack agreed.

Ben laughed…then suddenly noticed that a member of their group was missing. "Hey, where's my sister?"

Her eyes still on the blank computer screen, Erica answered, "Oh, Em's date cancelled, so she went down to Central Perk to get some comfort food. She was real disappointed too – she made dinner and everything."

"Emma made this?" Ben asked, then forced himself to gulp down his current mouthful and grimaced.

His face a little green, Mikey asked, "Pizza?"

"Better than salmonella," Jack quipped as he dumped the remaining chicken in his plate into the garbage disposal.

Ben nodded in agreement and took out his cell phone. "I'll call. Anyone want extra cheese?"