The afternoon wore on, and, true to form, Carmen and Bob soon tired of prowling the mall and started to lag behind Clint and Timber—the two overzealous shop-aholics—then eventually sought a rest in the food court after a solid three hours. This left Timber and Clint exactly one more hour of shopping before Bob, as he had made very clear, would leave with or without them.
The middle Moffatt triplet took the liberty of getting food court pizza for himself and his girlfriend, carrying a big red tray over to the booth that she had claimed with their shopping bags. Brushing her red hair back form her deep green eyes, she looked up at him and smiled, taking in his approaching frame.
“Hey.” Bob smiled, sliding into the booth next to her and setting her paper plate with a giant slice of pepperoni pizza down in front of her.
He had gotten the same thing for himself and pushed the empty tray across the table and away from him as he set his own paper plate on the table top in front of him. He set one of two large sodas in front of his girlfriend, then the other beside his own plate.
“I got a cherry Coke and a diet coke.” he stated, suddenly sitting very still and eyeing their respective meals. “I can’t remember which is which.” he finally admitted, laughing.
Carmen giggled, taking a sip of her drink and provoking Bob to take a sip of his. They both paused for a moment, each making their own respective faces of distaste, then switching the giant paper cups, realizing that the drinks had indeed been transposed.
“So…” Bob said between bites.
Carmen started to giggle around a bite of pizza, wiping her mouth with a napkin then eventually swallowing. “You know what?” she asked, the thought suddenly dawning on her. “Clint really likes Timber, doesn’t he?” she pointed out excitedly. “He definitely really, really has if bad for her! That is so adorable!”
Bob gave her a strange look. “How is that adorable?” he asked, continuing to eat his pizza, yet maintaining the furrow in his brows.
Carmen shrugged, sipping her Cherry Coke. “I mean, it’s cute because it’s goofy Clint, and then it’s Timber… like… tomboy, asexual Timber… and the way they relate to each other is hilarious because they’re like friends, but I definitely realized today that there is some major sexual tension going on there. Like Clint is butt-crazy, head over heels in love with her.”
Bob took another bite of pizza, mulling over this silently.
“I mean… do you think that she likes him?” Carmen pressed. “Does Timber even like guys? I’ve never even heard her say anything about that.”
Bob shrugged. “I dunno.”
“Do you think we should try to set them up?” his girlfriend persisted.
Bob looked at her for a long moment. “No.”
Carmen laughed slightly, thinking he was joking but noticing that she had somehow struck a nerve. “No?” she asked for his reiteration.
Bob swallowed deeply from his drink, then set it back down on the table top. “I mean, match making sucks.” he stated plainly, watching a young couple a ways away having lunch together.
“Besides.” Bob decided to add. “I don’t think she likes Clint in that way. I don’t even know if she likes guys at all, but I don’t think so.”
Carmen just nodded for a moment, continuing to eat her pizza. “Well… we should at least try.” She insisted. “Because Timber is in need of a healthy boink-fest. She could use a guy in her life for a change and Clint is like… in love with her.”
“Hey, shhh.” Bob whispered quickly, as he spotted his twin and his best friend approaching.
Carmen looked over to where her boyfriend’s gaze was directed and smirked. “See!” she hissed in a whisper.
Bob shrugged. “Well, let’s at least ask her first.” he stipulated. “I don’t want her to cut me if this ends up being something that she’s against.”
“Hey guys!” Timber exclaimed, swooping over to where they were in the corner booth. She slid in next to Bob, setting her handful of shopping bags on the seat next to her.
“Hello friends!” Clint announced, setting his own bags on the floor and pulling up a chair to the open side of the table. “Ooooh… pizza.” he hummed, licking his lips. “I’m definitely going to go get some.” he announced to the others, popping up from his chair once again.
He looked to Timber who was digging in her little purse for lip balm.
“I’m going to go get some pizza… Timber, you want a slice?” he asked, hovering around to wait for her response.
“Oh, no, I’m cool, thanks.” She smiled up at him briefly before resuming her search.
“You sure?” Clint asked. “It’s on me…”
“No, I’m just fine.” she stated once more, this time not looking up. “Not too hungry.” she added.
“Okay… I’ll be back.” Clint grinned, turning and leaving.
Carmen was finishing the crust of her pizza as Clint departed, and took his break to go get pizza as her opportunity to question Timber.
“So Tim,” she began excitedly. “What’s going on with you and Clint?” she asked, leaning into the table with intrigue.
Timber raised her eyes, finally finding her lip balm and applying it from a tub onto her plush lips with her finger. “What’s going on with you and Clint?” she countered, not sure what to say next.
“Oh come on Tim.” Carmen rolled her eyes, wanting to cut past the witty repartees and have an actually productive conversation. “He really likes you!” she squeaked. “You should go for him.”
“Go where for him?” Timber asked, and Bob laughed, just watching as Carmen swiped his crust off his plate and started to eat it.
“I mean, open up a little bit. He flirts with you all the time and you don’t even seem to get it! And I know he wants to go out with you. He is obsessed. You’re oblivious.” Carmen informed her around a bite of Bob’s crust.
Timber turned to Bob and shot him a dark look. “Did you put her up to this?” she joked.
Bob just grinned.
Timber eyed him for a moment, becoming severely annoyed as her affections caused a deep pain in her chest. She was in love with Bob. She didn’t want to date Clint when she was in love with Bob. How could he even suggest it?
Because he didn’t know. He didn’t care.
Timber heaved a great sigh. “I mean… I think that for the most part Clint is just being funny.”
“No, he really does like you!” Carmen insisted. “Right Bob?” she asked her boyfriend for his take on the issue.
Bob turned and looked squarely at Timber, smiling. “You know, he does like you.” he admitted, not particularly wanting to prey on the issue anymore.
“Do you like him?” Carmen cut in.
Timber hid her face, pretending to rummage in her purse for something. “I mean…” she began.
“Do you even like boys?” Carmen came out and asked.
“What?” Timber asked, offended, but still attempting to keep her eyes from plain view.
Carmen immediately realized her mistake. “It’s not like you really talk about boys and shit all that often.” she pointed out, gesturing with the stick of pizza crust she was eating.
The younger girl just shrugged, pulling the bulk of her hair over one shoulder and playing with the ends.
“I think you need a man.” Carmen stated.
Timber gave her a dark look, no longer able to conceal how annoyed she was rapidly becoming. “Who says I don’t already like someone?” she suddenly demanded. “Who says I’m not in love with someone and I just haven’t felt the need to go broadcasting my personal shit for all the hear.”
“Who do you like?” Bob asked, suddenly interested, smacking her arm.
Timber lowered her face once more. “Well… no one.” she tentatively responded. “But I could!” she exclaimed in her own defense.
Clint went unnoticed as he approached the table, but he soon set his tray down with a bit of display.
“No, tell me who!” Bob insisted. “I think I should know this shit.” he informed her, taking offense that she had kept something so paramount from him for such a long time.
“Tell you who what?” Clint asked, beginning to use his fork and knife on the giant piece of plain cheese pizza in front of him.
“Who she likes.” Bob provided, still probing at his friend. “I want to know!”
Timber rolled her eyes. “I don’t like anyone.” she insisted, then glanced sideways at Clint to see if he would react. “I’m going to go get a Perrier.” She informed her friends, taking a moment to rearrange her shopping bags before sliding out of the booth seat and disappearing into the throng of people hovering near the food shops that lined the walls of the food court.
“Do you think she likes him?” Carmen asked her boyfriend, more than excited to partake in a potential relationship.
“Likes who?” Clint asked, taking a small bite of pizza as he struggled to get up to speed with the conversation.
“You!” Carmen cried, not able to contain herself anymore. She clapped her hands, emerald eyes dancing. “You like her too!” she accused, pointing a finger at him.
Clint face became an extremely bright red.
“You do!” Carmen giggled, clapping her hands.
Clint lowered his face in shame. “So?” he demanded.
“You should ask her out!” Carmen suggested. “You should definitely ask her out. You guys would be such a cute couple.”
Bob shook his head, his eyes rolling. “Carmen, why don’t you just leave well enough alone. If they get together, they get together. Don’t force them to be a couple if they’re just friends.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to ask her out… but I dunno.” Clint shrugged. “I mean, I think I’m just… kinda scared.” he admitted. “I really like how we’ve been lately.” he continued thoughtfully. “Like, we just hang out, go shopping, spend time together… I like spending time with her, and if she just wants to be friends, then that’s okay.”
Bob nodded slowly. “Yeah…” he trailed off, identifying with his identical brother. “But… what about the things you’re missing?” he pointed out, moreso than asked. “Don’t you want to touch her, hold her, kiss her? Isn’t at least the prospect of that worth making a move?” he trailed off then looked to Carmen and smiled pleasantly.
Carmen smiled back, assuming it was her to whom he was referring and beaming at the compliment.
Clint took in this information for a moment, taking a few bites of his pizza as he thought. “Well… yeah.” he admitted. “But… I’d rather just let things go on how they are. I mean, at least now she doesn’t think I’m Chester the Molester! Taking things slow is a better idea. Who knows what may happen?” he shrugged.
Bob nodded in agreement, although he was looking past Clint’s head and watching as Timber approached from the Starbucks counter, sipping San Pellegrino out of the green glass bottle with a long green straw.
“You both could use a relationship.” Carmen insisted. “And I’d really like to see you both settled already.”
“Yeah… but I mean… I don’t want to freak her out of anything. She isn’t interested. I know she isn’t.” Clint stated firmly, shaking his head and looking up as he too noticed Timber approaching.
“I want to know who she likes.” Carmen insisted.
“Who says she likes anyone?” Bob countered, wishing they would just leave his friend alone.
“Hey sluts.” Timber greeted as she slid into the booth, her shopping bags between her and Bob.
“Timber, we want to know who you like.” Carmen announced, popping the last piece of Bob’s crust in her mouth.
“We don’t want to know anything.” Bob clarified. “We told Carmen to let it go.”
Clint chortled to himself as he continued with his pizza, hunching into the table with his elbows tucked near to his lap.
“We know you like someone.” Carmen insisted. “Tell us who. Now.”
Timber looked as if she had just been ambushed, which was not far from the truth. Sipping more of her sparkling water, she kept her head down as her face burned. “I… don’t really like anyone.” she muttered, shrugging.
“Yes you do!” Carmen teased. “I see you hiding your face! Is it someone I know?” she asked.
“Oh… you don’t know the half of it.” Timber said under her breath as she preoccupied herself with digging in one of her shopping bags.
“Come on Timber…” Carmen pleaded while the identical brothers just sat quietly. “Maybe you and this guy will end up getting married!” she offered.
Timber looked at Bob, then rolled her eyes, clearly becoming rather annoyed, but wanting to be more careful before she dared lash out at his girlfriend. Bob just shrugged, indicating that he had no idea why Carmen was pushing the subject so intensely.
“Could his last name perhaps be… Moffatt?” Carmen insisted, a slight smirk forming in the corners of her mouth.
Timber looked right into Carmen’s face, suddenly no longer possessing the tact to keep from ripping her adversary’s head off.
“Oooooh! It is!” Carmen exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly.
“Carmen,” Timber began flippantly. “Do us all a favor and choke a dick. Maybe it will keep you from talking so much.” she smiled fakely, a half sneer, then returned to her attention to her shopping bags.
Carmen was visibly taken aback, drawing her head back in surprise as if she had literally just been snapped at. “I was just trying to help.” she stated her case, sitting back and placing a hand on Bob’s shoulder.
Timber wanted to roll her eyes once more and finally inform her friend that she and Bob were the problem as long as they were together, but decided against it, knowing that that was one Pandora’s box that wasn’t going to be opened just yet.
“So, how’s the pageant going?” Carmen asked Timber, a peace offering meant to change the subject.
Timber shrugged. “I already have all of my outfits ready and make-up. I’m just not sure what to do with all of my make-up and stuff.”
“We should get that all squared away before the pageant.” Clint piped. “I’m excited for you.” he informed her, smiling.
Timber smiled back at him, slightly embarrassed after the conversation that had taken place in his absence.
Carmen chose not to say anything, scooting in closer to Bob who laid his arm over the back of the seat, loosely linking it around her shoulders.
“I don’t think I even want to do this anymore, now that it’s becoming more real… you know?” Timber continued, and then giggled. “This is looking less and less like a good idea.”
Bob reached out his free hand and smacked her shoulder gently. “Oh come on Timbo. It sounds like you’re losing your confidence.”
“Yeah.” Clint agreed. “Don’t let those bitches get you down. You’re so model-esce.”
Timber shrugged. “Well I think modeling is fabulous, but… I mean… pageants are totally different.” She explained. “Pageants are like… very commercial, while modeling is art.”
Bob and Carmen began to chuckle to themselves. Clint smirked with admiration.
“Well it’s true!!!” Timber exclaimed, looking at all three of them in turn. “Pageants are a whole different thing. You don’t walk the same, dress the same… anything like that. So I think I may end up sucking ass.” she stated plainly with a shrug.
Clint threw his crust down to his plate and smirked broadly. “You can suck my ass anytime baby.” he blurted out, sending the others into shocked laughter.
Carmen smiled smugly. Against what they all had said she was going to get Clint and Timber together by any means necessary.
* * *
Later on that evening, Scott found himself in front of the mirror in the bathroom, contemplating the night’s forthcoming events. He pomaded his hair with the utmost precision, spiking the blonde and brown medley of colorful stalks into a messy, unkempt look, the light catching the gold undertones and causing them to glint. He met his own eyes in the reflection, the paling blue evident of something ominous. There would undoubtedly be conflict that evening. He was sure of it. He could feel it. Something was going to happen.
There was a slight rapping at the ajar door and Dave peeked his head in from the hallway, appearing in the mirror with a friendly smile.
“Hey… you ready?” the younger boy asked, entering fully and slipping behind his brother to the toilet. “Angela called a minute ago; I told her that we would pick her up because we’re going to pick Jen up too.” he explained, going through the motions of peeing.
“What time is it?” Scott asked, trying not to be so obvious about the fact that he was definitely dreading the impending evening.
Dave checked his watch, still using his right hand to pee. “It’s about seven actually.” he replied.
“Okay.” Scott said lightly, leaning forward over the sink and into the mirror, checking his chin for a zit he was sure was about to surface very soon. “Are you ready to go?” he countered to his brother, backing away from the mirror as Dave flushed the toilet.
“Yep.” the younger boy said with a chipper smirk, leaning past Scott to wash his hands. “How do I look?” he asked with a chuckle as if trying to ignore the fact that Scott was acting very aloof.
Scott scanned his brother’s outfit. Dave was wearing a pair of black slacks with a black leather belt and black leather dress shoes. One top, he wore a black button down, the top few buttons undone to give way to the white tee shirt underneath. His hair was gelled and arranged on top of his head in a cow-lick. Posing, his arms widened as if to point at himself, Dave presented a toothy grin and Scott finally laughed.
“You’re such a dork Dave.” he joked, pushing his brother’s shoulder lightly. “I’m going to go throw some clothes on and I’ll be ready to go.”
Dave laughed as Scott turned and left, the older boy shaking his head slightly at how ridiculously amusing his brother could be. He paused for a moment, turning back.
“Hey, Dave…” Scott started again, pausing and turning around.
Dave looked up, giving Scott his full attention. “Yeah?”
“I’m really happy for you and Jeanine.”
“Thanks man.” Dave smiled sincerely. “I’m really glad that you and Angie are back together and I know we’re going to have a blast tonight.”
Scott just nodded, wanting to believe his brother, but knowing what he said was a lie.
* * *
“Okay! And now, for the swimsuit competition! Tim-ber Moore!!!” Ben announced into his balled fist held up to his mouth like a microphone. He was the MC reposed in the recliner.
A moment passed. Clint, Carmen, Bob, and Kelly, seated on the long sofa in the Moffatt’s living room waited, breath bated, for their friend to appear in the archway from the kitchen, but she never showed up.
Ben looked flustered for a moment, still stretched out on his back in the recliner, but put his fist to his mouth once more. “TIMBER MOORE.” he said loudly, hoping she heard him this time. “TIMBER MOORE!!!”
Dave walked into the room from the kitchen and paused, seeing that all eyes were on him. “What?” he asked, looking down at himself in a self conscious frenzy.
“Geez Timber. Who knew you were a teenage boy.” Carmen stated dryly.
“And an ugly one at that.” Bob added.
Dave made a face. “Very funny.”
Bob grinned, leaning back into the sofa with his arm around Carmen to his left, and Kelly to his right.
“Where the hell is Timber?” Kelly demanded, hopping to her feet, her hands snapping to her hips almost immediately. “We have a schedule to get with and if she isn’t going to take this seriously, then…”
Bob grabbed hold of the back of Kelly’s pale pink Capri pants, yanking her down by the waist. “Okay Madame Dictator of Pageants. Sit your ass down and chill your ass out. TIMBODINI!” he called out, hoping she would hear him from wherever she was in the house.
“Was she in the kitchen with you Dave?” Carmen asked.
Dave shrugged. “No.”
“TIMBER!!!” Clint shouted.
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Timber exclaimed, suddenly around the corner.
She peeked her head out.
“Well come on.” Kelly encouraged her.
“I… don’t think I’m going to do this.” Timber admitted. “I do NOT like the idea of standing out there without any clothes on.”
“It’s just us.” Bob reminded her. “We’ve seen you in a swimsuit before. We’ve seen you naked before.”
“Uh… no you haven’t.” Timber informed him with a raucous laugh, her shoulder peaking from around the corner along with her face.
Kelly grew exasperated almost immediately, but it was Bob’s arm around her shoulder again, mostly for the sake of keeping her seated, that prevented her from getting up again.
“Oh come on.” Dave cheered.
Timber suddenly screamed, jumping into the archway with both hands holding on to her backside. “Ow!” she whined, rubbing her sore spot.
Scott appeared around the corner, laughing.
“He just smacked me!” Timber whined.
“Thank you Scott.” Kelly said darkly. “Now walk Timber.”
Timber stood for a moment, wearing a gleaming white string bikini and a pair of very high white pumps. “I hate this suit.” She informed her friends.
“What’s wrong with it? I think it’s hot.” Clint complimented her.
Timber looked to Kelly for her opinion. The shorter girl was gazing at her carefully, her head cocked to one side. “Well… maybe a brighter color… but nothing too flashy, and nothing designer. There is a very thick line that divides the runway from the pageant. The look we’re going for is completely different.”
“This is a bad idea…” Timber muttered, shifting uncomfortably. “And this stupid bikini keeps going up my ass.” she added, tugging on the back of her bikini bottom.
“You know what?” Clint spoke up, his eyes scanning up and down her body mercilessly. “You are really skinny.” he dissolved, forgetting what he was originally going to say.
“Here…” Kelly stated, going to her bag which was sitting in front of the sofa. She extracted what looked like two plastic versions of raw chicken breast. “Cutlets!”
Timber stepped back. “What the hell are those?” she demanded.
“Ooooh! I love those!” Carmen clapped her hands.
“Are those… breast implants?” Bob asked skeptically, taking one from Kelly and flopping it around in his hand.
Kelly rolled her eyes, taking it out of his hands then going to Timber and being forward enough to slip it into the triangle cups of her bikini that lay directly against her chest. “… just to give you a little bit of shape.” she informed her friend.
Timber shrugged and rolled her eyes, standing up straight with her hands on her hips and her shoulders pushed back as Kelly, more than a good head shorter now that Timber was wearing four inch high heels, manipulated her chest.
“That’s one of the hottest things I’ve seen in a while.” Scott smiled slightly, entranced.
Timber looked down at where Kelly was attached to her chest.
“Hubba hubba!” Carmen said, laughing. “Timber’s got the big boobies!” she laughed.
“These were the biggest ones I could find…” Kelly explained, stepping back and studying the chest. “Wow, you really are very flat-chested.” she commented.
“Thanks.” Timber rolled her eyes, making a face.
“We’ve got to get going guys.” Dave announced, turning to his older brother. “You ready?” he asked.
“Let’s do it.” Scott nodded, standing up from the arm of the loveseat. “See you guys later.” he said, waving and heading through the kitchen with Dave following.
“No… I mean, no offense.” Kelly continued. “It’s just that your cups are kinda small for these cutlets, and I can’t give you cleavage because you just don’t have enough boob to make them look real…” she trailed on, still attempting to mold breasts from nothing at all. “Here.” she announced, stepping back and allowing everyone to see her creation.
“Hey, where did Scott and Dave go?” Clint asked, upon hearing the door shut. He dropped his tone and leaned forward because the situation was so clandestine.
“I have no idea.” Bob replied, still sitting laxly and beginning to play with Carmen’s short hair.
“That’s mad shady.” Carmen commented.
“Maybe you should wear a different suit… like a one piece.” Kelly continued.
“Oh because of my boobies—or lack thereof.” Timber undertoned.
Clint stood up from the sofa. “I hope those two don’t get into a fight.” he continued. “Because there won’t be anyone to break them up and you know how those two get.”
“Yeah, really.” Ben commented, just sitting back and observing all that was happening around him.
Kelly squeezed Timber’s pseudo breasts, attempting to get them into place with much diligence. Clint approached, going behind Timber and better arranging her straps. He smirked slyly at Bob and, in a clean swoop, untied the strings of her bikini around her neck, then quickly around her back. The white scraps of lycra popped off the young girls body, weighed down by the silicone inserts that also fell to the carpet in a jiggly splat.
It took Timber a moment to notice what had just happened, then she clapped her hands over her chest. “Oh my GOD!” she exclaimed, bending down in a sharp drop and using a free hand to retrieve her top. “You douche bag!” she shouted, turning to face the kitchen so she had her back to the side of the room with all of the boys.
“When I get my clothes back on, I’m going to cut you.” Timber informed him, attempting to tie the bikini back on to her body.
“I bet you will.”
“Touch her boobies Clint!” Carmen called out laughing.
Timber looked back over her shoulder. “Do it and die!” she informed him curtly.
Kelly stood, watching Timber attempt to get readjusted with a pensive look on her face. “Hmmm…” she hummed, taking an akimbo stance.
“You guys, let’s drink.” Ben suggested plainly, suddenly sitting forward and having the recliner close.
Bob, too, sat up straight, a segue to standing. “There’s a ton of liquor in the basement.”
* * *
Scott pulled his Hummer up in front of the restaurant where the valet stand stood rather inconspicuously. “Wait here.” he said softly to his girlfriend seated beside him.
Leaving the large vessel running, he hopped out and circled the car to open Angela’s door for her, Dave doing the same for Jeanine in the backseat. Scott was dressed nicely in a pair of pressed khakis and a dark red button down. Angela stepped down out of the large vehicle, carefully placing her feet on the running board, then cement. She had on a pair of black stilettos and a light, strappy black dress with giant, red, water colored roses. He ran his fingers back through her loose curls and pressed his lips on hers, opening his mouth almost immediately to invade hers.
Jeanine was wearing a tight, stretchy, black tube top and a short, orchid-colored ruffle skirt with black stiletto sandals. She too had left her wavy hair down and wild over her shoulders. Dave smiled at her, nothing but love and admiration radiating in his deep brown eyes.
The valet boy approached tentatively, smiling awkwardly and exposing two rows of blue braces. He had relatively intense acne, almost forgiven because of his bright green eyes, and a mop of curly hair on top of his head. He cleared his throat pointedly, wanting to be polite.
Scott continued to kiss the love of his life, holding his keys out behind him for the young boy to take.
Jeanine’s expression darkened considerably as her reticence remained unflagging. “Get a room.” she said shortly, walking past them for the restaurant door and dragging Dave by the hand with her.
Angela giggled lightly, linking her arm around her boyfriend’s waist as his looped over her shoulder.
“You look so sexy.” he purred in her ear, nuzzling his nose into her hair.
The foursome entered the quiet Italian restaurant and were visually stimulated by the rich reds and plums in the décor. They were seated almost immediately at a round table with a booth bench in a secluded corner by the windows overlooking the body of water beyond. The two girls slid in from opposite ends, meeting with hesitance in the middle, while Scott and Dave placed themselves beside their girlfriends on either end of the half-moon bench. It was at that moment, when all four were seated in an unobstructed group, that the discomfort of the situation became fully evident. The waitress left the menus, setting one leather binder before each of her patrons, then smiled shortly before skipping off.
“So…” Dave began cheerfully. “What looks good…” he hummed.
He opened his menu in front of his face, raising an eyebrow to himself at the tense scene playing out before him.
Angela giggled lightly as Scott ran his fingertips up her thigh under the table. He leaned close to her and whispered something in her ear that caused her to giggle even more.
Jeanine lowered her menu from before her, exposing a glare to the other couple, then, again hid herself behind it.
Dave tugged at the collar of his under shirt. It was going to be a long night.
* * *
Dinner was silent, the tension hanging so thickly in the air, Dave surreptitiously pretended to cut at it with his butter knife. Having finished all he could eat of his fettuccini alfredo, he was faced with the inevitability of conversation—or what was turning out to be a lack thereof.
Dave had been so determined to mend the ties and repair the love-loss between the four of them because he knew that as long as they were at odds, the group would never he a cohesive unit. All he wanted was for everything to be back to normal, for everyone to get along again once and for all. It was suddenly starting to seem, however, that that was too much to ask.
Jeanine took another deep swallow from her third glass of wine. “So,” she began. “You guys are back together.” she stated, looking at the two of them and waiting for them to elaborate.
Scott and Angela exchanged a look, attempting to brace themselves, together, against the potential threat of ridicule. Jeanine was about to take this opportunity and release more of her pent-up hostility, but Dave discretely laid a hand on her knee under the table.
Angela looked down at her own hands, wanting more than anything to dispel the ill feelings hanging in the air, although she had known, coming into that night’s events, that there would be plenty of unresolved tension.
“Excuse me, I am going to go to the ladies’ room.” Angela announced, looking to Scott to release her from the daunting prison which the dinner table currently represented.
Scott quickly stood, his face drawn plain with irritation from Jeanine’s query. His girlfriend brushed past him, leaving a reassuring pat on his arm before shuffling off quickly for the restrooms on the other side of the dining floor. As Scott took his seat, Jeanine did not look at him, finishing her wine and maintaining her wry face.
“I think I’d like to be excused as well.” she stated stoically and Dave quickly slid out of the booth, taking her hand and assisting her to her feet.
She, too, sashayed away, and the younger boy became aware of the fact that he was going to have to sit, for some unknown period of time, in the company of his currently estranged brother. Given how the night had already been going, that fact was just the icing on the cake.
Dave smiled politely, reclaiming his seat and yet again beginning to toy with his butter knife.
“So…” Scott trailed off. “This is fun.” he commented dryly.
Dave swallowed the other half of what remained in his wine glass, choosing not to respond.
* * *
Jeanine entered the bathroom, light-headed from too much red wine, and angry. There was a long, black marble counter that ran the length of one wall, the vanity lighting overhead causing the surface with sinks appearing to be carved in equidistant ovals to gleam like patent leather. She leaned against the counter with her pelvis, attempting to get a closer look at her face in the large, pristine mirrors. She wondered what she was doing there. Why had she even agreed to such a charade? She had had no desire to be in the presence of Angela, let alone Scott, and the fact that the entire evening seemed to have been orchestrated by her boyfriend and the woman he previously adored made it even more of a depressing quagmire.
Just as she was resolving to taking a deep breath and making her scowling reflection promise to make the best of that which she currently faced, one of the stall doors opened, and Angela walked out into the main portion of the bathroom.
The anger within the former girl rekindled itself from a dying spark.
Angela paused momentarily before she went to the sink directly across from the stall from which she had exited, running the faucet and drowning her hands under the stream of tepid water. Jeanine pretended to remain fixated on her face, lightly running her fingers down her cheeks, then one upping herself and digging into her small black purse for her compact.
But she couldn’t help herself.
“So… congrats on you and Scott.” she finally spoke, catching her friend by surprise.
Angela met her eye in the mirror, searching for falseness, then smiled shortly. “Thanks.”
“So…” Jeanine continued, applying powder to her nose then shutting her compact with a very deliberate snap. “How long are you guys going to be together this time?” she asked snidely. “I mean, how long do I have to be happy in my relationship before you drug my boyfriend and hook up with him again?”
Angela sighed loudly, returning her concentration to the washing of her hands. “Jeanine, I can only apologize for what I’ve done.” she stated calmly. “I cannot take back what has already happened.”
Jeanine’s eyes, each rimmed in a black stripe of liner, darkened. “You do realize that every time you and Scott have problems, everyone else in the groups takes a lot of shit for it.”
“You speak as if I enjoy having problems with my boyfriend.”
“No, but you seem to enjoy making your problems with him everyone else’s.”
“Jeanine. I do not know what you want me to say.” Angela finally relented. “We’re all supposed to be friends here.”
Jeanine’s upper lip quivered at the corner in a disgusted sneer. She turned on her heels, her back to the other girl. “I bet.” she haughtily spat over her shoulder, starting for the door, her heels clicking sharply on the tile.
“I never slept with your boyfriend.” Angela pointed out, her insinuation obvious.
Jeanine turned around, her waves fanning over her caramel shoulders. “Oh get your facts straight, Angela.” she snapped. “Your boyfriend slept with me.”
Angela turned to face her, drying her hands on a few sheets of the paper towel that was stacked neatly in baskets between each of the sinks. “Like you resisted.”
Jeanine shook her head slightly, incredulous about what she was hearing. “You started all of this!” she cried. “It was you who started this whole mess! And now you want to blame me for it?”
Angela shook her head, clearly the more rational of the two. “No.” she admitted. “I just want to start over. I want to pretend none of this ever happened. I want us to be friends again. I want everything to be fine again.”
“Well…” Jeanine began with a big breath. “You should have thought about that.” she concluded, turning around once more and heading for the door again.
She paused, hand poised on the door handle. There was a thick silence in the room, and she stood there for a long moment, realizing that she could not just walk away. In truth, she too wanted to mend the rift that had been formed. She wanted to put everything behind her so she could finally just be happy. With everything to be happy about, there was just one element of her life in disarray, and it made all the difference.
“You know, Angela?” she asked, feeling the other girl’s presence somewhere behind her. She swallowed. “Do you know what my biggest fear is?” she asked, her voice becoming muddy and quiet.
Jeanine faced her friend once more, but this time, the anger in her eyes was replaced with hurt, confusion, and the welling of tears that had traced two silvery paths from the bottom of her eyes to her chin.
“My biggest fear is that he’s still in love with you.”
Angela was frozen, still holding the wad of damp paper towel.
“And at any given time…” Jeanine continued, thickly swallowing back emotion. “… anytime you decide to play your little games… I could lose him.” her eyes darkened. “But I can’t lose him, because I am so happy.”
The juxtaposition of her words with her tears almost broke Angela’s heart.
Jeanine approached slowly, trying with all of her might to keep from breaking down. “I know how we can fix this.” she stated.
And it was music to Angela’s ears.
* * *
“Okay, Kelly.” Ben stated, rubbing his hands together. “Truth or dare.”
The six were seated around the Moffatt’s living room: Ben was relaxed in the recliner with one leg strewn over the arm, Kelly and Carmen were in the loveseat, and Timber was situated on the sofa with Clint to her left and Bob to her right.
“Truth.” Kelly responded, her shiny pink lips curving into a smirk briefly before she took a swig of the one-of-a-kind alcoholic beverage Ben had mixed for everyone.
“Alright.” Ben said slowly, thinking for a moment. “Truth. How would you rate me in bed?” he asked.
Kelly nearly spat out the mouthful of peach flavored vodka and limeade she had just taken from her glass.
“Oh shit… we’re getting personal.” Clint mumbled.
Kelly thought for a moment, wrinkling her nose in distaste for dramatic effect.
“That bad, huh.” Carmen played along, giggling into her own glass.
“I’m just kidding.” Kelly laughed, waving her left hand to dismiss her previous behavior. “Not that I have much to compare to, but I’d definitely give you a ten!” she began to explain, rapidly waving her hand as she took another deep drink from her glass. “I came so hard one time!” she continued, never once falling subject to the tact that usually held her captive.
“Wow! Kelly!” Carmen laughed raucously, raising her hand to give her friend a high-five.
Ben just settled further into the recliner, smiling smugly. “Okay. Your turn.” he said through a husky, satisfied sigh.
Timber chugged down the remaining pale green drink in her glass, setting it down on the table then sitting still for a moment. She then reached for Bob’s glass, taking it out of his hand while he was paying attention to Kelly’s series of giggles that accompanied something Carmen had whispered in her ear. She took a deep swallow, finishing half of what remained in the glass.
“Okay,” Bob said, noticing his best friend’s coveting of his drink. “There’s a Timber attached to my glass.”
“Timber!” Kelly exclaimed, clearly rather inebriated already.
“Huh?” Timber asked, confused as she replaced the glass in Bob’s hand.
“Truth or dare biatch?” Bob reminded her.
Timber rocked back and forth for a moment, now fully clad in a pair of young boy’s plaid Bermuda shorts and a navy blue stretchy tube top. “Dare!” she exclaimed, pumping her wiry arms in to the air. “Hell yeah!”
“And... Timber’s drunk.” Clint snickered.
“Okay Timber.” Kelly began, standing up, her glass still in tow. “I dare you to… eat a sandwich!” she joked, falling victim to hysterics with Carmen joining in immediately.
“Ha ha ha.” Timber muttered dryly, rolling her eyes and sinking back into the sofa.
Kelly fought to gain her composure. “Okay… sorry…” she sputtered, finding her joke so amusing that her face had become florid.
Carmen, seated beside her, was still laughing, leaning back into the cushions of the loveseat. Her auburn bangs hung into her face, her eyes glassing over with amused tears. Kelly sat back next to her, putting her hand on her friend’s knee as she leaned in close to her ear and whispered something.
“I said dare bitches, let’s get this show on the road.” Timber said in a low, irritated tone, her body language now expressing her mood that was fizzling quickly to somber as she sat forward with her elbows on her lap.
Kelly was still giggling, now listening to a secret Carmen was telling her. Her pink lips were parted slightly in enjoyment, her hazel eyes shifting, then squinting as she laughed once more.
“Okay.” Kelly said, sitting forward in order to address Timber. “I dare you to show us your boobs.” she said, breaking into excited giggles once more.
Timber rolled her eyes discreetly, gaining the impression that she was the brunt of a joke between Kelly and Carmen that wasn’t proving the work in her favor. In fact, she noticed that the two always seemed to have some sort of underlying joke running—she had just never bothered to figure it out.
“Hell yeah!” Clint exclaimed.
Kelly scowled at him. “Shut up Clint.” She snapped, her demeanor changing almost immediately.
“No, I’ve got one.” Carmen interrupted, waving her hands to get everyone’s full attention. “I’ve got one. Timber, I dare you to tell us who you like!” she exclaimed, bouncing on the cushions. “I want to know who makes you feel hot.”
“Ooooh! Good one!” Kelly commended her friend, patting her on the shoulder. “Who do you like Timber?”
Timber froze for a moment as suddenly all eyes were locked on her. She lay speechless, feeling the object of her desire shifting next to her—she somehow felt he already knew. From the corner of her eye, in her mind’s eye, she could see him, and he was looking at her. They were cuddling on the couch, they were poking one another in the ribs, they were sleeping in the same bed, they were touching and tickling and hugging and rubbing and… she sighed deeply. He was the most beautiful thing upon which she had ever laid eyes.
“Earth to Timber…” Clint hummed in her ear.
She snapped out of her daze and her eyes fell upon him. He was the other brother. He looked so much the same yet so different. Beautiful in his own right, she could not help but think that he was meant to represent new possibility to her. Maybe she had spent so long wallowing in the misery of Bob and all that he encompassed, that she had been blind to the fact that she could actually like someone else—someone who expressed interest in her too.
She turned to face Clint and smiled. “Who do I like?” she asked, directing her question at him although he was not the one who had initially posed it.
Clint touched her knee, his big brown eyes, although glassy, were sincerely focused into her own. “I knew it.” he stated. “I knew it.” he sighed begrudgingly.
Clint leaned in towards her and she panicked, leaning back from him. “Oh my God, knew what?” she exclaimed, inadvertently leaning into Bob as he advanced upon her with his wet lips.
“That you were totally sprung on me.” he said softly, gripping her knee more tightly as he tried to kiss her.
“What?” Timber whined. “Stop! Bob! Control your triplet!”
Clint placed his hands on her bare shoulders attempting to pull the small girl closer to him, closing his eyes dazedly and puckering his sweet lips.
“Kiss him!” Carmen cheered.
“Carmen!” Kelly hissed, smacking Carmen’s arm with the back of her hand.
“Hold her head Bob!” Ben ordered.
Timber winced, as if bracing herself to be punched in the face with only half of one eye remaining open. “Oooooh… I’m having a Twin Peaks experience…” she whimpered then giggled slightly in comic relief. “No, I can’t advocate the rape of my best friend.” Bob informed the others, wrapping an arm around Timber’s shoulder and holding her close to him in order to protect her from his twin.
“I need a refill!” Ben announced, sitting up and leaning forward to retrieve the pitcher from the coffee tables.
The young boy lifted the container with much ease, an indicator that it was empty.
“Fuuuuuuuuuck…” he growled. “Time for a new batch. What should I make this time?” he asked, more to himself than his friends around him.
“Vodka and grape juice!” Kelly called out, jumping up and clapping her hands.
“Woooo! Vodka and Grape juice!” Carmen joined in, standing up with her best friend.
She and Kelly stood very close to one another and began to dance, their arms encircling one another as their hips moved from side to side in a slow and slithering motion. Carmen quickly swallowed what remained in her glass, continuing to grind with her friend.
“Girls Gone Wild Moffatt style!” Timber called out, taking Bob’s glass back to her own plush lips and swallowing that remaining concoction.
“We’ll make the drinks!” Bob elected, nudging Timber with his elbow.
Timber looked up in surprised, turning to face her best friend. “Us?” she asked. “Can we really do that?”
Bob grinned, rolling his eyes. “Timbo, we’ll make the best damned drinks anyone’s ever had before.” He got to his feet. “A guaranteed leg spreader.” he avowed, winking at Ben who was carefully watching Kelly and Carmen dance.
“Yeah!” Ben cried, pumping his fists in approval. “Hell yeah! I need to get a bitch in bed tonight!”
Kelly stopped dancing right away. “Ughh!” she scoffed at him.
Ben immediately amended his behavior, smiling sweetly. “I was just kidding babe.”
Timber made a disgusted face, the thought of when all of her friends started sleeping together suddenly coming into her mind. Bob gripped her hand, tugging her up from the couch. She sighed lazily, eventually according and trailing behind him to the kitchen, backtracking to snatch the pitcher from Ben on the way.
* * *
Scott and Dave sat in silence at the table, both finishing their glasses of wine, Dave working on his water and sucking the ice into his mouth.
“Wow…” Scott trailed off. “This is very awkward.” he finally debunked the obvious.
Dave nearly choked on his piece of ice, swallowing more water in order to clear his throat. He grunted a cough. As he was about to respond, Jeanine and Angela stiffly approached the table, prompting the two brothers to slide out of their seats and allow their girlfriend’s reentry.
“You guys were gone for a while.” Dave blurted out to his girlfriend, studying her face and noticing that he countenance hadn’t yet dissolved into a smile.
Jeanine swigged her entire glass of wine, which had been refilled sometime in her absence. She glanced sideways at Angela who simultaneously took a few sips from her own glass. “Well…” she trailed off, taking a moment to dramatically sweep her hair back from her very tan and succulent shoulder. “Angela and I were talking…” she began in an even tone, her eyes scanning the table where her plate had already been cleared by the waitress. “And… we decided…” she looked up and locked eyes with Angela, who was carefully observing her. “… that this is a very awkward situation.”
Scott sighed louder than he had intended, an audible agreement that was equipped with a sarcastically matter-of-fact facial expression.
Jeanine paused in order to witness his reaction before she continued, fueled by his identification with her feelings, and continuing on the track to where she was previously headed: “… I mean, I think the four of us were most affected by the fall-out that happened… and now that we’re dating one another, I think that it’s imperative that we try to mend ties somehow.”
“Yeah…” Dave agreed, nodding, but staring at the table absently and fingering his napkin ring.
Jeanine sat still, staring in turn at the other three individuals seated around the table, then flipped her hair back over her shoulder. She licked her lips, mounting the tension as she thought about how she would put her next thought into words.
“So, Angela and I were talking in the bathroom…” she began, then impulsively reached for Angela’s glass of wine that was still three-fourths full. She swallowed down the remainder. “And we decided that we should all have a foursome.”
At this, Scott and Dave perked, at first incredulous about what they had just heard. They looked at one another, and seeing that they shared the same flabbergasted expression, they both simultaneously went through the motions of new realization.
Angela anxiously eyed the two of them, waiting for a reaction.
Scott finally spoke, directing his next comments at his younger brother as he reached beneath the table top to dig in his pants pocket. “You get the car, I’ll get the check.” he said, tossing his valet ticket onto the table top then raising his hand hastily in order to signal the waiter.
* * *