Guys Night Part 1

"C'moooooon artsy fartsy let's get this show on the road."

Gloria sighed as she shrugged her neon hoodie on. "Relax Alice, I'm almost ready." She just had to give her pitiful eyelashes one last flick of mascara and she'd be good to go.

Gramma crossed her arms with a huff as she paced the front hall. Meanwhile Tilly was busy trying to decide which pair of sunglasses to wear.

"Hmm, this pair says 'Look out world, I'm a mean Tilly Green', which is the energy I'm hoping to embody tonight, but then this pair just alludes to my youth and innocence so well, what do you think Saxon?"

Nancy laughed at her daughter's antics as she finished dusting off her leather jacket. "Alright ladies, who's ready for girl's night?"

"Believe me, I am. You have no idea how much I need this." Gloria answered as she stepped out of the bathroom. Gramma threw her hands into the air with an exasperated "Finally!" as she stormed out to go wait in the car.

"Right behind you Mama." Tilly said as she grasped her mother's hand.

Nancy paused at the front door as she let Gloria pass her.

Bill must've sensed her eyes on him as he raised his head from the T.V. with a confused brow.

"Well Bill, aren't you gonna tell us to be safe and stay out of trouble?"

Her ex husband laughed at that. "C'mon, I'm not that predictable am I?"

At Nancy's skeptical brow raise, the farmer sighed, waving them off. "All I'm gonna say is have a fun night,...and maybe don't get arrested."

Nancy chuckled, finally leading Tilly out the door. "Alright, Bill. You have fun too."

Bill sighed as he looked back to the documentary he was watching, the history of corn, oh he was definitely gonna have fun tonight.

"Alright, guys I finally found my good overalls."

Cricket announced as he waltzed into the living room. "They were laying on top Phoenix's dog bed, believe it or not. Any who let's-"

Cricket trailed off, his eyes widening as he looked over at the empty front hall. "Go…what the-where is everyone?"

Bill raised his brow. "Um, if you're talking about the girls Cricket, they left already."

"What the-they wha-how did-they left!" Cricket yelled. "Without little ole me?!"

Bill blinked. "Well, yeah. I told you they were planning on going out tonight. They're having a, girls night."

"But you didn't tell me they were gonna just leave me behind?!" Cricket cried. "How the heck will they get into wacky hijinks now?!"

Bill frowned as he watched his son start to pace the room. "Now don't take it personal son, I'm sure we can figure out something just as fun to do, like-"

"Like have our own special, super awesome night on the town to show them what they're missing. A guys night, if you will." Cricket explained like he'd just introduced something revolutionary.

"Uh actually son, I was kinda hoping to have a relaxing evening inside, so maybe-"

"Guys' night, guys' night, guys' night!" Cricket cheered as he hopped onto the couch and proceeded to shake Bill's forearm in excitement.

Bill sighed as he removed his arm from his son's grasp. "Cricket, first off there's just the two of us so it's not really a 'Guys' night', second off-and he's gone."

Bill pinched the space between his brows with another sigh as he listened to his son dart down the hall and rip open someone's door. The sound of squabbling soon filled the house, as Cricket dragged an unwilling Chip out into the living room.

"Cricket I was in the middle of something important."

"You were watching the season finale to Kingdom of Lore on your phone." Cricket pointed out with a flat glare.

"Not my fault you and Tilly got me into it." Chip mumbled, looking mildly embarassed. "And I just gotta know what happens to the ghost king alright, he's so relatable!"

"Well you'll just have to stream it then, because-" Cricket hiked himself onto the couch, wrapping an arm around Bill and Chip's shoulders as he brought them into a group huddle. "We're gonna have ourselves, a guys night!"

Chip blinked, edging back slightly. "Do what?"

"A guys night!" Cricket reiterated. "Just you, me, and Dad out on the town tonight, causing mayhem, breaking hearts, some other third thing! It'll be great."

Bill let out a crooked sigh as he rubbed his neck. "I don't know Cricket."

"Aw, c'mon big guy." Cricket tried. "It all works out, you'll be the responsible one who keeps us out of trouble, Chip'll be the reckless one who gets us into trouble, and I'll be cute one!" Cricket smiled.

Chip coughed. "Okay first off," The blonde gestured towards himself. "I'm obviously the cute one. Second, no thanks Cricket, everytime you try to force quality time on me, something always goes wrong."

Cricket gasped. "Wha-when has anything I ever suggested gone wrong. I mean yeah sure there was the road trip, and that time Gloria almost drowned you at the pool..,but like other than that-"

Chip placed a hand over Cricket's face before he could continue.

Bill sighed again as he laid a hand over his son's back. "I'm sorry Cricket ,but we don't even have anything planned, so tonight's just not gonna work out-"

"No, no, you're right father." Cricket commended as he removed Chip's hand.

Bill raised a brow. Weird, he wasn't used to winning that easily, specially with Cricket.

"I mean it makes sense, you are the comfort lover. I should've never even tried to get you to have some mindless fun for once in your life." Cricket shrugged, planting his hands into his overall pocket.

"And that's okay, Dad. Really." Cricket tried to walk away, only for Bill to stop him with a firm hand planted to his head. "Now hold on son, you're not really suggesting your old man can't loose are you? Cause I can let loose, alright, believe me." Bill narrowed his eyes for emphasis.

Cricket shook his head 'yes' in obvious sarcasm. "Suuure, of course you can big guy."

Bill's frown creased as a disapproving groan escaped him.

Chip's eyes suddenly widened. "Wait, don't fall for his obvious goading Bill! He pulled the same thing on me yesterday, Bill-"

"You fell for it, great, fantastic." Chip griped as he crossed his blazer clad arms. "And manipulating your family Cricket, nice, real nice."

"I didn't see you complaining when I convinced Tilly to do her yodeling exercises outside." Cricket argued as he stretched his legs out in the middle seat. "Oh and thanks for taking an hour to get ready by the way."

"I told you, the more you rush me the longer I'll take." Chip huffed, whipping his hair back as Bill started the Kludge.

"Okay, I know I definitely turned off all the appliances, and I locked all the doors, so why does it feel like I'm forgetting some-oh fried potatoes! I left the bathroom light on!"

"Too late now!" Cricket sang as he leaned over his father's lap to lock the driver's side door. "Cause Guys' night, officially begins!"

Chip rolled his eyes as Bill slowly backed the Kludge out onto the road. "You do realize we have no idea where we're even going?" The former CEO pointed out as he leaned against the open Kludge window.

"That's the beauty of guys' night!" Cricket held his arms out wide. "We go wherever the fun takes us!"

Chip arched a skeptical brow as Cricket lowered his arms into a shrug. "Plus I figured you'd know most of the good party spots in Big City, I mean you were probably a huge party animal when you were younger right? Being rich and all."

Chip choked, on well air, as he forced out a chuckle. "Uhhhh, yeah! Totally, totally." The blonde rubbed his neck. "Huge partier, I went to all the parties and.. partied." Chip sighed, leaning back against the leather seat. "It's just you know, most of those spots are very exclusive. They'd probably never let y'all in."

Cricket frowned, but seemed to accept the answer with another shrug as he turned to stare out the front windshield. "Eh, regardless, I know we're gonna have an awesome night, I can already feel it!"

Seconds later, they got stuck in bumper to bumper traffic.

Wonderful start.