Fluid
"-And then Quincy and I stopped off at this super cool gelato place," fifteen-year old Emma told her mother. "And he bought me three scoops of the stuff."
"Nice," Sam grinned.
"And after that we went back to his place and hung out in his yard," Emma continued. "And he told me hair smelled like pine needles. And then he-"
She was cut off, though, as the front door of the Benson house swung open and Ashton stormed in.
"Hey," Sam greeted her other daughter.
"Hey," Ashton snapped, glaring at her twin.
"Whoa…what's up with you?" Sam asked.
"I just spent the past hour waiting at the coffee shop!" Ashton exclaimed.
"How come?" Emma asked. "Oh! Speaking of coffee, Quincy told me my eyes looked like two brown pools of coffee. Isn't that romantic?"
"Um, sure?" Sam replied.
"I was waiting at the coffee shop because you were supposed to meet me there after school!" Ashton said angrily. "It's Friday! Every Friday we get iced coffee and then go to the bookstore to look at the magazines!"
"Oh…" Emma said. "Right. I guess I forgot."
"Forgot?" Ashton repeated. "How could you forget? We've done it ever since we were twelve!"
"Well, after school Quincy wanted to hang out," Emma explained.
"So you ditched me for your boyfriend?"
"I'm sure she didn't mean to ditch you," Sam said quickly. "Right, Emma?"
"Yeah, it-it just slipped my mind, honest," Emma said. "Sorry, Ash. Hey, I know! Tomorrow how about we hang out at the mall together? We can shop; that's your favorite!"
"Well…I guess I could use some new shoes," Ashton said, showing a small smile.
"Cool," Emma grinned just as her phone began to ring. "Oh! It's Quincy! Later!"
"Wow…" Sam said, watching as Emma ran upstairs. "She is really…"
"Insane?" Ashton suggested. "Crazy? Completely obsessed with her new boyfriend?"
"Alright," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, Emma's been kind of…"
"Loopy? Infatuated?"
"I can think of adjectives!" Sam said. "But yeah, all that…But it's just because her and Quincy are still in their honeymoon stage. They've only been going out for a week and a half. This is the best part of the relationship! You haven't had any fights yet, everything's exciting and new and you think the person you're with is the most perfect person out there. I went through that when I started dating your dad. Trust me, it ends quick."
"But it just seems like all she wants to do lately is spend time with Quincy," Ashton mumbled.
"Aw, you miss your sister?" Sam grinned.
"No!"
"Look," Sam chuckled. "I know it might seem kind of annoying, but you know how happy Emma is with Quincy. I mean when was the last time we've seen her like this?"
"I guess," Ashton sighed.
"And the two of you are going shopping tomorrow," Sam continued. "I'm sure you'll catch up then. I mean she might be dating Quincy now but she's always going to need her sister to talk to."
"Yeah…you're right," Ashton nodded. "Hey, speaking of shopping tomorrow, I'm a little low on cash-"
"Wrong parent," Sam said at once.
"Oh, right," Ashton nodded, turning to head out of the room. "Hey, daddy?"
….
"I'm telling you Sam, this is a bad idea," Freddie said, leaning against the refrigerator as he watched his wife fiddle with the microwave.
"And I told you…shut up," Sam shot back. "And this is too a good idea."
"You're trying to turn our microwave into a chicken rotisserie," Freddie smirked, rolling his eyes. "How does that even qualify as a good idea?"
"Well, when me and the kids are all feasting on some delicious chicken cooked perfectly, you can just sit and watch us," Sam retorted. "While you eat some dinky little microwave meal."
"No, I can't," Freddie said. "Because you're busy destroying the microwave."
"I'm not destroying anything!" Sam scoffed. "Look, when I'm done with this thing, it's going to be able to function as a microwave and a rotisserie. And then once everybody sees what a genius invention this is, I'm going to make us rich and then we'll see if you're-ah!"
She jumped back from the microwave as several sparks shot out.
"You were saying?" Freddie chuckled.
"Can it, nub," Sam said, tossing her screwdriver back in the toolbox. "Well, guess that's the end of that dream."
"Aw," Freddie said, stepping over to her and wrapping his arms around her. "It's okay. Tell you what? Why don't we head over to Bed Bath and Bewilderment and find ourselves an actual chicken rotisserie."
"No, no," Sam sighed. "You said last night we don't need one and that it's a waste of money. That's why I was trying to make my own."
"Well…I guess it's not such a waste of money," Freddie said. "And hey, it will make us some pretty decent chicken."
"Well…okay," Sam said, perking up at once. She leaned up to give her husband a quick kiss. "Thanks, baby."
Freddie frowned. "Wait…was this whole little stunt with the microwave just a way for you to get me to agree to-"
He was cut off as the back door slammed open and Ashton stormed in.
"Hey, what are you doing back home so soon?" Sam asked. "Weren't you and Emma hanging out at the mall all day?"
"Yeah, what did I give you forty bucks for then?" Freddie asked.
"She ditched me!" Ashton snapped. "Again! This morning I told her I'd meet her at the mall at noon, as soon as I did a little homework, but I was waiting at the mall until three and she never showed! I tried calling her and texting her but she didn't even answer me! She's probably too wrapped up with Quincy to even look at her phone!"
"Wrapped up?" Freddie sputtered. "I don't like the sound of wrapped up, Sam!"
"Calm down," Sam said to her husband. She turned back to Ashton. "Okay, um, Ash, yeah, Emma promised she'd hang out with you and-and she shouldn't have ditched you to hang out with Quincy-"
"She's unbelievable!" Ashton exclaimed. "What? She finally gets herself a boyfriend and she suddenly forgets about everybody else? I never ditched her when I had a boyfriend and she didn't! She's such a-a jerk!"
Just then the back door opened again and Emma herself walked in, smiling happily down at her cellphone.
"Man, you'll never believe the cutest text Quincy just sent me," Emma said. "He-"
"Oh hey!" Ashton snapped. "Where were you?"
"At Quincy's," Emma frowned. "Why?"
"Why?" Ashton repeated. "Oh, no reason. Except we were supposed to go to the mall together!"
"Was that today?" Emma said. "Oh. Sorry, I must've lost track of time."
"Yeah, again," Ashton scoffed as Emma headed to the fridge for a soda.
"What do you mean again?" Emma said, rolling her eyes.
"You did the same thing yesterday at the coffee shop," Ashton pointed out. "And the day before that, you blew me off at the Groovy Smoothie to go with Quincy to pick up his cat from the vet. And before that-"
"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" Emma said. "But what do you want me to do? Not hang out with my boyfriend?"
"I want you not to ditch me!" Ashton yelled.
"Er, should we step in?" Freddie whispered to Sam as the two watched the scene.
"No," Sam whispered back. "You need to let them get this all out on their own."
"You sure?" Freddie frowned. "Because this looks like it's about to get fighty."
"You'll just make it worse," Sam said.
"I'm not ditching you!" Emma exclaimed. "So we don't spend every second of the day together, big deal! It's not my fault I have a boyfriend and you don't."
"Oh no…" Sam sighed.
"Yup, now it's gonna get fighty," Freddie mumbled.
"Excuse me?" Ashton snapped. "You-You think I'm jealous of you or something?"
"Sure acting like it," Emma smirked.
"Why would I be jealous of you two?" Ashton spat. "Besides, it took you how many years to finally get a boyfriend? Face it, you're just glad you finally got somebody so you're spending every second with him because you're afraid he's gonna leave you."
"Take that back!" Emma exclaimed, lunging towards Ashton.
"Okay!" Sam yelled, quickly stepping in and grabbing Emma before she could touch her sister.
"Guys, stop this!" Freddie said. "This is crazy! Are you really going to let a boy come in between you two? You're sisters! I'm sure if we can just sit you two down to talk this all out, everybody will feel-"
"I'm not doing anything with her!" Ashton snapped, glaring at Emma.
"Yeah, and I'm not even speaking to her!" Emma retorted.
"Come on," Sam said. "Don't-"
"I'm going to Clarissa's!" Ashton said, turning to head out of the kitchen.
"And I'm going to-" Emma started.
"Yeah, Quincy's," Ashton snapped. "We all know!"
Sam and Freddie watched as Emma slammed the back door behind her. A moment later they heard the front door slam behind Ashton.
"And this is why I said no to the dating," Freddie said. "You see what's happening?"
"They'll sort this all out," Sam assured him. "All sisters fight. You'll see, by tonight they'll be over this and back to normal. Now come on, you have a rotisserie to buy me."
…..
"Alright," Freddie said the next morning as he set a plate of toast down at the kitchen table. "How does everybody want their eggs? Scrambled? Sunny-side up? I can attempt to make an omelet if anybody is interested."
"I want scrambled," Tyler said.
"Scrambled it is," Freddie said, rustling the eleven-year olds' hair. "Em? Ash? What about you two?"
Emma and Ashton, who were sitting on opposite sides of the table, both shooting daggers at one another, didn't reply.
"Come on," Freddie sighed. "Are you two still fighting?"
"I don't know," Ashton replied coolly. "Is the person I'm forced to call my sister still a self-absorbed jerk?"
"Better than being a whiney loser," Emma retorted.
"I'll take that as a yes," Freddie said, turning back to the stove just as Sam walked into the kitchen.
"Morning," she yawned, taking her seat. "Four eggs, scrambled, Frednub. And a side of bacon."
"Already done," Freddie grinned, sliding her plate in front of her and giving her a quick kiss.
"Sweet, thanks," Sam said, picking up her fork. "Hey, why are there blankets and pillows out on the couch?"
"I slept downstairs last night," Emma replied. "Since my room is currently inhabited by someone who I'd rather not have any contact with."
"Which is why I slept better than I ever have," Ashton said. "It feels nice not having to listen to people gabbing away with their boyfriend until three in the morning."
"Are you kidding me?" Sam said, rolling her eyes. "You two are still at this?"
"Apparently they are," Freddie sighed.
"Well it's not my fault my sister is horrible!" Emma snapped.
"Please, like having you for a sister is a walk in the park," Ashton scoffed.
"Well you-"
"That's it!" Sam yelled, pushing her plate away and getting to her feet in one fluid motion. "You two; up!"
"What? Why?" Emma frowned.
"Yeah, why do we have to-"
"Up!" Sam snapped.
The twins quickly hopped to their feet and Sam grabbed both their hands and pulled them into the living room.
"They're in trouble," Tyler grinned, looking up at his dad. "Aren't they?"
"Well I've never heard your mom use that tone when she was happy," Freddie replied.
"Alright, I'm not going to sit here and listen to you two fight over this!" Sam snapped as she entered the living room, sitting the twins both down on the couch.
"But she-"
"She started-"
"Enough!" Sam said firmly. "You two are sisters! You love each other!"
Emma and Ashton both scoffed.
"This is insane!" Sam exclaimed. "Are you two really going to hurt your relationship with each other over something like this?"
"Why would she care about hurting our relationship?" Ashton sneered. "The only relationship she cares about is her one with Quincy. He's all she cares about now."
Emma crossed her arms over her chest, but said nothing.
"Well you know what?" Sam said. "Neither of you is getting up from this couch until you talk this out and make up with each other!"
"What?" Emma frowned. "You can't do that! You can't just force us to-"
Sam raised an eyebrow, immediately silencing her daughter.
"I don't care if you two are here all day," Sam said firmly. "Talk. Make up."
And with that she turned and headed back to her breakfast in the kitchen.
Emma rolled her eyes. "Way to go. Now we're stuck here all day."
"Oh? So it's my fault?" Ashton said. "We wouldn't be here if you hadn't ditched me a million times!"
"Well if you hadn't been such a baby about it," Emma mumbled.
The two were silent for several moments, neither even making eye contact with the other.
"It's not true, what you said earlier," Emma finally spoke. "Quincy isn't all I care about."
"Sure," Ashton said, rolling her eyes. "If you say so."
"He's not," Emma insisted.
"Well it sure seems like he is," Ashton said. "I mean…since you guys started going out, you're always hanging out with him! You two are either together over here, or over at his place or at the mall…everywhere!"
Emma looked down at her lap. "Not everywhere."
"Yes, everywhere," Ashton nodded.
"Well…okay, but-what's it matter?" Emma said. "I thought you were happy about me and Quincy getting together."
"I am," Ashton said quickly. "Really. I think you guys are a great couple. It's just…never mind."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Come on, tell me," Emma urged her twin. "We're stuck here. Might as well."
"Fine," Ashton conceded. "I…I miss you, okay?"
A smile spread over Emma's face. "You miss me?"
"You don't have to spread it around," Ashton mumbled. "But yeah…a little bit."
The twins were silent for a moment.
"I mean…it's not like I want you to never see your boyfriend," Ashton continued. "Like I said, I do think you guys are great together, but…"
Her sentence trailed off.
Emma took a deep breath. "I guess…I guess I have been spending a lot of time with Quincy these past couple weeks. And-And I guess I may have ditched you a few times too. But-But I'm really sorry. Honest."
"It's alright," Ashton sighed.
"No, it-it's not," Emma said. "Quincy may be my boyfriend but you're my sister. I'd never put him before you. Even-Even though I guess I might have been acting like I have. Wow…you-you were right, Ash. I-I have been acting like a jerk lately."
"No, you haven't," Ashton said quickly. "I-I didn't really mean-"
"Yes you did," Emma said, giving her sister a small smile. "And you should. Because it's true. I mean, I'd be wazzed off too if you suddenly started ditching me every time we were supposed to do something to hang out with your boyfriend. It's just…I guess because I-I really, really like Quincy so much and-and we just started dating-"
"You were in the honeymoon stage," Ashton nodded. "I get it."
"The honeymoon stage?"
"Yeah, you know, that part in the beginning of a relationship where everything is all exciting and romantic?" Ashton said. "I dunno, apparently mom and dad went through it."
"Gross," Emma cringed.
"I know," Ashton agreed.
Emma looked down at her feet. "Um, also…about what I said earlier…you-you're not a horrible sister."
"Yeah, well, you're not so bad yourself," Ashton grinned.
"Hey…so did we make up?" Emma asked.
"I think so," Ashton nodded. "Which means we can finally get up without mom screaming at us."
"Hey, I know," Emma said. "Want to go to the movies? Just me and you? I'll let you pick what we see, even if it's some dumb chick flick."
"You sure you don't have plans with Quincy?" Ashton asked.
"Eh, I'll see him later," Emma shrugged. "Come on, let's go. You and me."
