Teddy
I bounce my foot anxiously and wait for Johnny to arrive. It is just after midnight, my mom decided, after seeing how expensive the last minute tickets were, to send the plane to pick Joni up. Dad arranged it so Taylor will get her from her hotel to the airport and straight here. I wanted to go with him, but dad wanted me to stay and inform me that Joni is not allowed to sleep in my bed in his house. Apparently our house has rules from the sixties.
"Teddy, can you please stop bouncing and grumbling?" Ava asks still reclined on our couch. My cousins decided to stay the night. Normally that would be a cause for celebration, but since I know they are here to make fun of me I find no joy in their presence.
"They should have been back by now" I groan. "She isn't answering any of my phone calls. She was picked up at eight thirty, the plane was in Arizona at nine fifteen, and should have landed by now."
"They have landed, they should be here soon" dad says coming down in his pajamas. "EJ and Emma go to bed."
"Oh come on, I want to meet Teddy's girlfriend" he grumbles already half asleep.
"She will be here all weekend" I promise him. "Go get some sleep." He grumbles his way up the stairs as ushers as sleep ridden Emma up the stairs.
I hear the SUV pull up and try to play it cool. Phoebe has no such intentions, she rushes to the door. I speed up when I hear her gasp only to see my girlfriend standing on our doorstep gripping a hotel pillow. Her hair is dense cloud on top of her head, glasses askew, eyes are half open and brows in an intense scowl.
"A man in a suit knocked on my door at nine Arizona time, eleven Boston time which is the time I am working on, he gathered all of my things, put me in a car, a plane and then back into a car" she says mono-toned. "I fell asleep on each; he woke me up each time. In the last four hours I have been woken up four times and I don't like to be woken up."
"I am sorry, I tried to call you" I justify trying not to laugh. I grab her shoulders and lead her into the house.
"I am so tired" she grumbles dragging her feet. "Hello everyone" she offers giving a windmill motion with her arm.
"I guess you aren't a morning person" Phoebe laughs following us back into the family room.
"She isn't a wake her up person" I say ushering her to the couch opposite Ava. She pushes me into the seat and arranges my arms and legs before folding herself into my lap.
"She seems like a gem" Ava laughs.
"She is a lot better when she isn't tired" I retort rubbing my hand up and down her back. I am just happy she is here. I pull her glasses off and she places her head on my chest.
"So sleepy" she whines burrowing her head deeper into my chest.
"We will go to bed soon" I promise her. I turn when I hear my dad clear his throat from the doorway standing next to mom.
"I think it is time for all of you to go to bed" dad says evenly. "Teddy Ethan is in your room, Emma and Ava will sleep in Phoebe's room and Joanna can sleep in the guest room." At hearing this Joni's head pops up and she fixes my dad with a confused look.
"My name is Joni" she informs him.
"I am sorry, I thought it was short for Joanna" he says evenly.
"Nope" she says on a yawn. "Just Joni."
"Okay, well Joni" mom says slowly. "The girls are getting up with me to start dinner if you would like to join."
"That would be nice" she says nodding slowly. "But wait, rewind" she turns looking up at me. "I am not sleeping with you?" she asks confused.
"Only married people are allowed to share beds in our home apparently" dad explains stiltedly.
"That is so retro" she says laying her head back on my chest. "It's like the Cleavers."
"Is that a good thing?" Ava stage whispers to Phoebe who shrugs.
"I think it's a good thing" Joni murmurs climbing out of my lap. It is then that I notice that she is still in her coat.
"Dang" Phoebe murmurs as Joni takes off her coat revealing her night shirt and sleep shorts. How can I be expected to sleep when I know she is down the hall in that?
"Is that my shirt?" I ask already knowing the answer.
"It smells like you so I took it" she grins, standing on her tippy toes to wind her arms around my neck. "Carry me" she grumbles.
"These shorts are too short for me to carry you" I inform her as I place my hands directly under her butt to hide any of her cheeks her stretching may have reveal.
"But I am so tired" she grumbles trying to climb me.
"Walk up the stairs and I ill tuck you into bed" I compromise. I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. She frowns, but concedes.
"Taylor has already taken her things to the room across the hall from ours" dad says pointedly reminding me that he and mom are still with us.
"I am a really light sleeper so if you need anything please feel free to ask" mom says innocently.
"That isn't obvious at all" Phoebe laughs. Dad fixes her with a death stare prompting her to drag Ava off the couch and up the stairs.
"I don't care whose bed I sleep in as long as I get there soon" Joni says lightly.
Ana
"You have done enough research on that girl to know her name is not Joanna" I say disapprovingly to my sometimes petty husband.
"It was a simple mistake" he says smirking. "I wish Teddy would have spoken to us more before inviting her here for a major holiday."
"I was a little shocked too" I tell him honestly. I pick up Joni's coat from the couch and begin to straighten up the game room. "She would have been alone otherwise so it could not have been helped."
"Don't you think it is too early for him to introduce her to the whole family?" he argues.
"They have been together three months longer than we were when we decided to get married" I tell him.
"We were the exception not the rule" he counters. "How long do you think this thing will last?"
"I don't know" I sigh. "Teddy has never been one to date for long periods of time, but he is also possessive just like his father."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Christian asks with a slight pout.
"It means when he finds something he likes he will hold on to it no matter what anyone says" I tell him wrapping my arms around his waist.
"I just don't want him to get hurt" he sighs. "She seems too…wily for him."
"She does seem pretty rough around the edges" I concede. "And she seems to match Kate in the mouth department, but she also loves Teddy. What more could we ask for?"
"I haven't found anything of concern, but Teddy should be focusing on school" he says.
"He is doing great in school" I remind him. "Plus now we don't have to worry about him catching something."
"You did send him with enough condoms" he retorts laughing.
"I had to" I grumble pushing away from him to head upstairs. "He was seriously getting around. He was seriously turning I Elliot. Good thing Phoebe doesn't take after him."
"I will kill…" he begins following after me.
"…any boy who comes near her" I finish for him. "I know sweetie. Let's just go to bed."
Joni
I am too warm. I usually freeze without Teddy so why am I so warm? I move my hand and realize my pillow has a boob, a small boob, but a boob none the less. Who am I cuddling?
"Can you please get off of me?" a small voice squeaks. I wasn't expecting to hear a girl's voice let alone one so young. I pull back and see a little girl lying next to me in the fetal position. I am on a floor.
"Who are you?" I whisper untangling myself from this mystery person.
"I am Emma" she says looking at me apprehensively as she slowly inches away from me.
"How long have I been groping you?" I ask horrified, moving to wipe my face, but stopping and instead looking at it for a moment in a mixture of disgust and confusion.
"For about an ten minutes" Phoebe says peering over the side of her bed.
"I thought Teddy put me in the guest room?" I question sitting up.
"Oh he did" Ava laughs leaning over the bed and pulling Emma up. "You wondered in here about three hours ago and pulled Emma and the comforter on to the floor. At first you only held her hand then you started getting fresh."
"Why didn't you wake me?" I ask confused.
"Emma tried, but you were out" Phoebe says climbing onto the floor next to me.
"I molested a child" I say slowly. "Am I a child molester?"
"Did you like molesting her?" Phoebe asks skeptically.
"I don't think so" I say. "I was asleep for most of it, but I wouldn't have done it if I were awake."
"Maybe, just in your sleep then?" Ava laughs.
"I am so sorry Emma I am use to sleeping with Teddy" I explain. "My body must have instinctively sought out his warmth and settled for yours."
"It's okay" she says shyly, but she makes a slight fort around herself with the pillows on the bed. Can you really blame her? "It's nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too sweetie" I say rising. "What time is it?"
"About six" Phoebe says rising too. "Mom said we will start cooking at seven so we have time."
"Where is Teddy?" I ask stretching.
"In his room I think" Emma answers still maintaining her fort of protection.
"Where is his room?"
"Across the hall two doors down" she says primly.
"Thank you princess" I say sweetly earning a shy smile from her. "By the way you make a great little spoon."
"Now that is creepy" Ava laughs.
"Too soon?" I question rubbing my empty stomach. "I am Joni by the way."
"Oh, I met you last night" Ava informs me. "You were half asleep and very grumpy."
"Where is that guy in the suit?" I growl recalling last night. "He is on my shit list."
"That's Taylor, he is our head of security" Phoebe says. "He is ex-military."
"I guess I will have to settle for glaring at him" I concede. I make my way towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Emma asks.
"To Teddy's room as you saw I like to cuddle in the morning" I wink over my shoulder. As I enter the hallway I look around for any signs of their parents. Seeing that the coast is clear I slip into his room and quickly climb into bed with him.
"You are my favorite little spoon" I whisper into his ear as I wrap my arms around him. I notice there is a lot less of him than usual and moving the covers back I am met with another child.
"Hi, I am EJ" the little boy says blushing deeply.
"I am Joni, your friendly neighborhood child molester" I say dryly not believing I have touched two children inappropriately in the last two hours.
"Joni, why are you cuddling my cousin?" I hear Teddy ask from the foot of the bed. I look up and see him wrapped in a towel smiling down at me.
"I thought he was you" I explain placing a pillow over my face in mortification.
"EJ, go stand watch outside the door" I hear him say followed by movement on the bed next to me. I feel hands moving slowly up my legs and peek to make sure it isn't Teddy's cousin being fresh. I see Teddy with wicked smile slowly caressing his way up my thighs. "I missed you last night" he says placing a kiss on my stomach.
"Your parents don't want us sleeping in the same bed I think they will frown upon what you are trying to start" I say placing my hand on the roof of his head to stop his upward journey.
"They are asleep" he counters moving my hands.
"No, we aren't" comes a disgruntled voice. I look over Teddy's head and see a very unhappy Mr. Grey holding EJ by the collar of his shirt.