Chapter Twelve:
Favorite Sister

Luca hadn't been out of bed since she finished cleaning. Greg looked at her from the doorway, her head buried in a pillow.

"Luca, come on, get up."

She shook her head.

"Do you want your sister to see you like this?"

Luca flipped over unto her back and Greg walked over, laying next to her.

"Why must you use Morgan against me?"

"Because you can't lay in your bed forever, you have to face her. She's not as bad as you think when you get to know her, you know."

"Yeah, I don't really believe you," Luca said.

Greg shrugged and turned toward her. "What could possibly go wrong?"

"Can one of you, like, answer the phone? I know you're there. I'm in Vegas and I need to know where the apartment is," Morgan said on the answering machine. Natalee, Nick, Greg, and Luca exchanged glances. "Don't make me call Mom, Luca."

Luca sighed and got up from the dining room table, grabbing the phone off the wall.

"Sorry, I just walked in."

"Don't try and bullshit me, Luca."

Luca sucked some air into her mouth. "Where are you?" She listened carefully, telling her exactly where to go, despite the little devil on her shoulder telling her to make her sister turn down a road leading to the desert.

"Thanks. I'll see you guys in a little while. Bye."

Luca hung up. "I think I'm going to take a nap…."

Greg jumped up and grabbed onto her shoulders, wrapping her in his arms. "Do not worry, go it?"

Luca didn't respond, but buried her head in his shoulder.

Nick and Natalee just looked at them, helpless.

Finally, the knock came.

All four stared at the door, no one moved to open it.

"I'll do it," Greg said as if it were the Devil himself at the door instead of a 5'3", 103 pound brunette. He answered the door, mentally preparing himself for anything.

"Gregory Fucking Sanders!" Morgan said, dropping all three of her bags to give him a hug. "How have you been?"

"Fine," he said. "Real good." She looked over his shoulder at Luca.

When she finally let go, she gave Luca a shorter hug and then moved onto Natalee.

"Wow," Morgan said, looking Nick over. "You really outdid yourself this time, Natalee." She laughed. "What a hottie!" She winked at him.

Natalee looked at Luca, like it was her fault Morgan was there. Luca just shrugged and started to drag her bags into the apartment.

"You're going to have to sleep on the couch," Luca informed her.

Morgan looked at her. "I can't, I have back problems."

Greg looked at Luca. "You can stay over my place while she's here." She nodded and went into her room to pack. Greg followed, like she hoped he would.

"I can't believe she's kicking me out of my own room," she said, opening her closet, forgetting the hamper was there. Clothes flew everywhere around the room and Natalee, Nick, and Morgan appeared suddenly at the doorway as a reaction to the noise.

"You are going to pick that up, right?" Morgan said, looking around the room with disgust.

"Of course, we will, princess," Greg retorted.

Morgan looked taken aback for a second, then snapped back. "And those sheets? You had sex on them, didn't you? Change those." She spun around and left the room.

Greg helped an obviously upset Luca clean the room up and pack.

"I can't take much more of this."

"Then it's good that you're coming to my place, right?" Greg smiled. "And I think I know what will cheer you up."

Luca sat with her legs over Greg's, sucking on a spoon with Ben & Jerry's, and watching Casablanca.

"I wonder what's going on back at the apartment," she said, smiling.

"I don't care," he said, kissing her. "We finally have all the privacy in the world. Hallelujah!"

"Well, soon Nat's going to be moving out…."

"I know, that's exciting," he said.

"Yeah, and I'll be in that two-room apartment I can't afford…." Luca hoped he'd finally ask her to move in, but he obviously wasn't taking the hint. She sighed and let it go.

He looked at her. "Hey, Luca?"

"Yeah?" She perked up.

"Can I have some of that Chunky Monkey?"

"Hey, Nick," Morgan smiled groggily, walking into the kitchen in her shortest pajama shorts and midriff-baring tank top.

"Hi."

"Where are the bowls?"

He pointed to the cabinet, trying not to look up from his newspaper more than he had to.

Morgan stood on her tiptoes, trying to reach a bowl, hoping Nick would give her a glance, and when he didn't, she took it to the next level.

"I can't seem to reach them," she said, giggling.

He got up and walked over to her and in one fell swoop, grabbed a green bowl and handed it to her.

"Well, thanks, honey." She smiled, touching his bicep. "Wow. Do you work out?"

He shrugged and was about to say something until Natalee came into the kitchen. She attempted not to explode, Morgan's hand not moving.

"Really got yourself a silent type here, Natalee." Morgan moved to another counter to pour herself some cereal.

"Morgan?"

"Yeah."

"Do you ever not dress like a slut?"

Morgan stopped with her hand on the refrigerator door and looked at her. "Excuse me?"

"I think you heard what I said," Natalee challenged her.

Nick looked on, half hopeful for a catfight.

"Bitch, do not get me started."

"Please do," Natalee said.

Nick decided now was the time to step in. "Okay, both of you. Stop, please. Luca doesn't need more shit from either of you."

"What did I ever do to Luca? It's all this bitch's fault!" Natalee shouted.

Nick held his head. "It doesn't matter!"

"Nick, you should be taking my side," she informed him.

Morgan rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Since when is this a rule? He can take whosever side he wants."

"Fuck that shit."

"I'm not taking sides!"

"That's great language you have, Natalee."

"Fuck you both. Hell, go fuck each other. You both obviously like one another."

"What? What are you talking about, Nat?" Nick shouted.

Natalee ran into her room, threw on clothes and pushed past Nick, who was trying to keep her from going out the door, and ran down to her car.

"Shit," he said. "I can see why you're Luca's favorite sister," was all he said before heading out after Natalee.