Having spent most of the week finishing off the work that needed to be done on the apartment, all four of the new residents were thoroughly exhausted.
"Well, the floors are done and resurfaced. I also put up towel racks in the bathroom, painted our room, and got the bed put together. I'm not doing anything else to decorate until all of our boxes are cleared out."
"Matt, are you insane? Why would you overwork yourself into doing all of that on your own?"
"I want my home to be nice and organized by the end of this week. I know classes don't start for two months, but maybe we can invite the parents once it's all done," Matt concluded with a sappy look to his sister and his girlfriend. After stating his reasons, Matt simply turned to Miranda, gave her a quick kiss, and got u off of the couch to start unpacking his boxes up in their room.
"Call me crazy, but I'm going to go help my boyfriend so he doesn't overwork himself." After excusing herself, Miranda ran up the stairs, calling up to Matt as she went.
"Well then Gordo," Lizzie began, "just when do you plan to help me put the finishing touches on our room? You know that the sooner our room is done, the sooner we can convert that other room to an office and studio." Lizzie said the second part in a sing-song voice as to entice her boyfriend.
"You always know just what to say to motivate me," he replied dryly.
"Okay then, how about the sooner we finish putting the bedroom together, the sooner we can work towards breaking it in?" After gathering her plate and glass, Lizzie stood and, with a wink to her boyfriend, sauntered out of the room. Jumping out of his seat, Gordo quickly followed.
"Well, if there's one thing about this place that I can say is that the walls could use a touch of personality from you four."
"Nah, we've got that covered Mrs. M," said Miranda pulling two boxes out of the spare bedroom. "Since I am a fine arts major, I have unlimited access to the art labs. Matt Gordo voted Lizzie and I to give the place a little character."
"And what have you decided to do? And before you answer, call me Jo, you've known me your whole life and you are living with my kids."
"And dating your son," Matt finished from the doorway.
"Thanks Matt," she replied, although Miranda looked anything but grateful. "I was planning on telling you Jo, I was going to actually talk to Matt about when to tell you tonight, but…" she was cut off in the middle of her sentence by a bone crushing hug from Jo that captured not only the two women, but Matt as well.
"Thank god you two noticed. I was worried that you would take as long as Lizzie and Gordo have. I swear those two are blind to their hearts." As Jo said this, Miranda and Matt shared a conspiratorial glance.
"Actually, Mom," Matt started, "Lizzie and Gordo finally 'woke up' so to speak, about a month ago. They've been mackin' it ever since." Miranda smacked her boyfriend's shoulder at the insensitive wording.
"Don't worry, Mrs. M., sorry, I mean Jo. I'm sure their relationship consists of things other than, to borrow Matt's wording, 'mackin' it up'. They're inseparable. I think that they've got a couple of classes together."
The look on Jo's face made both Matt and Miranda want to run for cover from the tears that they knew were inevitable. Just as they were about to be released, the door to the apartment opened with Lizzie and Gordo struggling through the frame with loaded arms.
"Lizzie, hey! Mom's here!" Matt wanted to yell out a warning to his unsuspecting sister.
"Geesh, Matt, the two of you didn't have to tell Mom about us. We were planning to do it on our own. While she was here, don't worry. I just wouldn't have chosen to tell her by saying that my live-in boyfriend and I can't keep our hands off each other and letting her know that we share a bedroom." Finishing her rant, Lizzie simply chose to glare at her brother and Miranda. Here, Miranda spoke up,
"Hey, at least we didn't pull a Gordo. I can't believe you just copped out and hid in the office."
"You try suffering the wrath of Jo McGuire!" Gordo retorted.
"I did! Matt and I told her about our relationship in person right after we got together with her today. We were also honest with the seriousness of our relationship."
"And what would that be," Lizzie and Gordo asked in almost identical tired voices.
"Well…," Matt began.