"What do you mean you're late?" Emma asked taking Sutton's hand and pulling her up off the floor. It took her several moments before she saw that her sister was clenching something, Emma reached for it, "What is this?" She asked. Sutton looked down at her hand in her state of dazed confusion, she let the little piece of plastic slip from her hands, watching it crash to the bathroom floor. Emma bent down and picked it up, when she looked at it she realized what it was and dropped it back to the ground. She looked at her sister, her head shaking, "Sutton, seriously?"
Sutton just nodded. Even though she'd been sitting in that bathroom for hours crying, she felt another wave of tears course through her and she crashed into her sisters embrace, "I can't" She managed to mumble out.
Emma tightened her grip around Sutton, "It's going to be okay. We are going to get through this together, okay?" She looked at her sister in the eyes. Sutton nodded a confirmation, "Have you told Thayer yet? I assume it's Thay's?" Again Sutton nodded, shamefully. Emma grabbed her cell out of her back pocket, "You need to call him, Sutton."
Sutton pushed the phone away, "I can't, Emma" she sniffled.
"You need to tell him." Emma said pushing the phone into Sutton's hand.
"No! I need to wrap my head around this." Sutton said. She moved to the mirror, "God, I look like straight up hell." She said running her hands through her matted hair.
"Well right now, looking like a runway model is not top priority." Emma said moving beside her, her hand rested on the small of Sutton's back. She could feel how hard her sister was breathing and at that moment someone's voice rang through the house.
"Emma?" It was Kristen.
"Shit!" Sutton cursed. Suddenly she had snapped into reality. Forgetting her problem for a moment looking at the puddle of water that was soaking the ankles of her skinny jeans.
Emma swirled her sister around and looked deep in her eyes, "Everything is going to be okay. But right now, we need to figure out what the hell we are going to tell mom when she sees this."
"Emma?" Kristen called again, "Sweetie, where are you?"
Emma's heart pounded and she looked at Sutton, "Just grab towels and start cleaning. I'll go distract mom." Then she gave her sister a quick hug and ran out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.
She found Kristen in the kitchen, unpacking a canvas grocery bag. Emma clasped her hands together and smiled, "Hi mom." She dragged out.
Kristen looked at her, "There you are, sweetie. Can you help me? I have a few more bags in the car."
"Sure." Then Emma headed towards the door. When she returned, both arms full of bags, she saw Kristen heading towards her room, "Mom!" Emma said quickly.
Her voice startled Kristen and she looked over at Emma, "What is it baby?" She asked moving towards her now.
Emma pretended to struggle with the bags, "Nothing. I just… I can't carry both bags, can you grab one?"
"Sure." Kristen said retrieving one of the bags from Emma's arms, "Have you seen Sutton? I haven't heard from her all day."
Emma's heart pounded, "Oh yeah, she texted me earlier. Said she'd be home later." She hated lying. But right now, she just hoped Kristen didn't walk into the Mercer Ocean before Sutton was able to clean it up. Kristen lifted a bag of toilet paper.
"Can you bring this to my bathroom, and grab a few for you and Sutton and Laurel?" Emma nodded and headed to the bathroom. Now was a good chance to check on her sister.
Sutton had just finished cleaning the last little bit of water when Emma opened the door, "How's it going in here?"
Sutton looked up from the floor, "I cleaned the water if that's what you're referring to."
Emma put the rolls of toilet paper in the cylinder holder next to the toilet where Kristen kept the extra rolls and looked at Sutton, "Here, you're going to need this in the next few months." Emma joked, handing her sister a fresh roll.
Sutton looked at her, "You're not funny." She said darkly.
"Ok, I'm sorry. But seriously, you are going to need to tell mom at some point." Emma said emptying the plastic bag of toilet paper and tossing it in the small metal trash bin on the other side of the toilet.
"Yeah, I know. I get it. But right now, can we please not talk about it?" Sutton said pulling the soaking wet towels up off the floor and putting them in the wicker hamper beside the shower.
"Yeah. Sure." Emma complied. She was about to leave when she stopped and looked back at her twin, "Hey Sutton?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you." She smiled.
Sutton looked up and smiled, "I love you too, Emma. Thank you."
Emma smiled back, "Anytime, sis." Then with that she turned and headed towards her bedroom. Maybe it wasn't the family she'd wished upon stars for, but it was her family and there was no better, more perfect group of people Emma could have ever wished for.
Ok, So I don't know if I want to end the story here and start a sequel picking up from here or if you want me to just keep going. I guess it doesn't matter really. I just don't want it to feel like this story is dragging. I know something major just happened. But it's also a good place to begin a sequel. So let me know in the comments what you guys would rather want and I will try to make that happen! :) Thanks again for always reading!