Sisters and Friends
Chapter 24
Seriously
"Thank you again," Quinn smiled, taking Haroun's hand across the folding table that would be both dining and workspace for Annie and herself. "What would I do without you?"
"You'd figure something out, you know. You're a smart woman, Quinn." He flashed her that smile. "Pretty sure you could talk some guys into moving furniture for you."
She sighed, putting her head on the table. "You've been talking to Daria about me."
He smiled at her, reaching over and stroking her red hair. "She was just telling me about how much you've grown over the past few years, Quinn. All good."
"Sorry. It's just that I was such an idiot in high school," she said quietly to the tabletop. After a long moment, she sat back up and looked at him. "Do I manipulate you?"
He laughed. "Like a ball of silly putty."
"Please don't let me do that."
"Just kidding." He regarded the woman across the table, who was hardly dressed like the self-absorbed girl that Daria had described to him over coffee. Quinn was taller than her sister, and the old, stained Raft sweatshirt that was probably really Daria's fit her slender frame loosely. "I've always liked smart women. Daria was clearly taken, so I had to settle for her younger sister."
"Okay, I unthank you." She knew he was joking, but she couldn't help her reaction. She got up and began to pull things out of boxes to put them away in the little kitchen.
He got up and caught her in his arms. "I love you, Quinn. When Daria told me about what you were doing for Annie, I knew you were someone I wanted to get to know. She's proud of you, you know. And so am I."
After a moment, she relaxed, putting her arms around him. "I guess I'm still a little jealous of Daria."
The door flew open as Jane struggled in with a cardboard box. "Jeez, at least wait until I get these curtains up, you two." She unceremoniously dropped the box in the middle of the room. "Watch it, Haroun. Those Morgendorffer girls are cute, but they'll eat you alive." She kicked the box on the floor. "Where do you want the crate of sex toys, lady?"
Quinn flushed red. "Eeeew. I can't believe Daria hasn't strangled you yet," she laughed.
"I can still run faster than either of you," Jane grinned. She pulled a chair over, climbing up to inspect the curtain rods. "Wow, they even wiped these off. Gonna be a bitch getting your cleaning deposit back." She pointed at the box. "Hand me the one on top, with the hooks. Start putting the hooks into the others."
"I've got this, Quinn," Haroun called out. "Go ahead and finish in the kitchen."
There really wasn't much to be done. Carol, the landlady, had the cleaners lay new shelf paper in the cupboards and drawers, so Quinn stacked the plates, flatware, glasses and cups on the left side of the kitchen sink, to be washed and dried before putting them away. Pots and pans went into the drawers, moving boxes quickly flattened and the packing paper put away into new plastic trash bags to be returned to Daria's attic. It was just a matter of time before they too would move on; just one more year before the girls would graduate. And then Daria and Trent were supposed to get married.
Quinn smiled. Her sister had finally grown into happiness.
She ran hot water and dish soap into a plastic pan, and fell into the rhythms of washing and rinsing. He had appeared by her side, silently taking the dripping articles from her, wiping them and stacking them into the rack or arranging them onto dishtowels to dry. She had found a calm in the mundane routines of housekeeping, the gentle, ordered, easy victories that brought a small but pleasing satisfaction. You cause disturbances and disorder around you simply by living, but such things are easily remedied once you begin to take responsibility for your own actions.
She rinsed her hands and closed the taps, taking and wiping them with the proffered hand towel, bringing the domestic ritual to a close. Leaning forward, she kissed him softly.
They walked back out into the main room, simply furnished with an inexpensive futon-sofa, tall white paper lamps, and a few folding chairs. It would do for now, until Annie was able to finally make it up to Boston. She should be able to share in the joy of creating a home, temporary as it might be.
Trent and Daria appeared with groceries, making short work of stocking the pantry and the fridge with the basics. As she opened the dairy drawer in the fridge to put away the eggs, Daria noticed the packages of ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mozzarella cheeses.
She turned as Quinn returned to the kitchen and opened a shopping bag on the counter, pulling out a package of lasagna noodles.
"Hey," came Jane's voice from the next room. "You guys need any help in there?"
The two sisters exchanged small smiles.
"We're fine," Quinn answered, as Daria filled a pot with water for the noodles.