odd mix
Fresh from the shower, Kit lays back on the bed, legs dangling off the side. Donning a blue oversized long-sleeve shirt and black shorts she had stolen from her brother years ago, she watches her partner pull on a faded red tee.
“That was freezing.”
“It wasn’t freezing.”
“I just want to lay down.”
“You are laying down. Please don’t fall asleep.”
“How are you so awake?”
“I’m not, I’m just- I'm excited to be here. Stop being so cranky, we’ve barely been here half an hour.”
Jade pulls a pair of sweats over her boxers and steps between the shorter girl’s knees at the edge of the mattress. Kit takes her hands and allows herself to be yanked upright. Now sitting, she wraps her arms tightly around the other girl’s middle. Jade runs a soothing hand through short brown hair, gently scratching her scalp.
Kit mumbles into the girl’s shirt, “For the record, I am also excited to be here. I will just be much more excited after sleeping on this comfy bed for several hours.”
“Which we will do later. Come on, dinner will be ‘round soon.” The two separate.
“Can you toss my phone, please? I’ll meet you out there in two seconds.”
“That was quick.”
“Lukewarm at best.” Jade mutters back at Scorpia, settling onto the low couch with her.
Scorpia kicks at her sister’s feet, rolling her eyes, “Hush up. Might be cheap, but we lived in much worse places than this.”
Both women sit with their backs against the armrests, facing each other in the middle.
Boorman and Elora are still chatting away by the stove. Something about possibly finally learning how to make the muffins next week… maybe.
Jade takes a moment to look around the flat. The woman had moved in more than a year ago now, but this was Jade’s first trip home in well over two. It felt lived-in, cozy even. Plants covered almost every available surface and dangled from a few points on the ceiling. Scorpia always did have a thing for making her space as green as possible. A blue tapestry with a slit ripped down the middle hangs loosely over a window leading to the small fire escape. There’s a television across from the faded brown leather couch and long wooden coffee table between. Blankets and wide pillows are piled up on the floor in the corner. Some familiar paintings are scattered across the walls. A stack of other finished canvases lean together against an already overflowing bookcase. An island counter with four stools keeps the kitchen from bleeding into the tight living area. Two doors lead to the bedrooms, a bathroom tucked between them. The guest room very obviously acts as a her studio space a majority of the time, housing a bed in one corner and all of the painter’s materials messily consolidated on and under an old desk opposite.
“No, it is really nice. Nicest one yet probably. Everywhere we ever lived had the tiniest kitchens. That’s like a real, proper kitchen.”
“That’s more like it.”
Kit finally enters the room, hair still wet, looking even more exhausted than before. The sisters’ short conversation ends as she situates herself on the edge of the armrest.
“All good?” Jade tilts her head back to see Kits blue eyes staring back at her.
“Just had to let my mom and Airk know we made it. Idiot reminded me for the third time that he wants us to bring him back something British.”
Scorpia joins in, “Idiot’s the twin, yeah?”
Both girls nod, Kit releasing a yawn.
The kitchen chatter stops abruptly and Boorman speaks up from across the room, “Who’s got a twin? You’ve got a twin?”
The door to the hall opens and a young man walks in with two large paper bags in his arms. His eyes widen with all the attention of the room on him for a brief moment, but eases a bit as Elora beckons him over.
Boorman continues his thought, “I have a big theory about twins. We can talk it over later.”
Scorpia shakes her head and mouths a ‘no’ at Kit.
They all convene around the food save for Scorpia who hoists herself up to sit on the countertop next to the sink.
“Um, I’m Graydon, nice to meet you guys.”
“I’m Jade.”
“Kit.”
Scorpia points at the boy with her fork, “He’s the oaf’s best friend, lives at the other end of the hall.”
“I wouldn’t say my best friend.” Boorman hands her a plate of food before leaning back against the counter next to her. The young four each take a stool.
Jade shares a look with her sister, “You’ve taken in two Americans in my absence?”
“He did it.” The older woman defends.
Elora raises a hand, “To be fair, it was him. I got their mail by accident one time like six months ago and he’s just so… chatty. He found out I work at the bakery and then somehow talked me into giving him cooking lessons.”
“She works at Lori’s.” Scorpia interjects to inform her sister.
“You offered!” Boorman fires at the blonde.
“Did I?” Elora shoots back.
Graydon joins the mix, coming out of his shell to explain, “He just ran into me when I was moving in and helped me carry my mattress up. Next thing I knew, he was setting up my whole apartment, rearranging all of the furniture, dragging me over here that night to try whatever Elora helped him cook, inviting himself over to play video games the next day… It just happened.”
“First of all, you would have never gotten that mattress up here alone, it was infuriating watching you try. And two, your place flows so much better with the chairs there. It was embarrassing the way you had it set up.”
The blonde lets out a melodramatic sigh, “We can’t shake him.”
The group laughs as Boorman drops his jaw, offended, “Well, excuse me for being personable.”
Kit might have only just met the guy, but she can’t help herself and jumps at the opportunity to take a jab, “So, no friends your own age then?” Jade bumps her shoulder.
Scorpia raises her eyebrows with a grin at the newcomer.
Conversation flows easily around them. Tired from the trip, the weary travelers mostly observe and listen.
Jade keeps a close eye on the way her sister interacts. Silent exchanges and looks passed between the older couple. Nudges and banter back and forth, throughout tales being told. Scorpia calls out the tiny lies and big exaggerations his long stories often contain. He hangs on every word she says, fully engaged and enthralled every time she speaks.
The pie is eventually revealed to be peach. It is devoured and praised.
The night is still young, but Kit and Jade are fading fast. The neighbors soon make their exits.
Boorman takes an excessive bow before heading into the bedroom to make himself scarce, “Little Ginger, Peter Pan, it’s been a pleasure. See you lot tomorrow.”
“Am I Peter Pan?”
“I kind of see it.” Scorpia tilts her head as she looks at Kit, squinting a bit.
Jade lets out a cackle at the exchange.
Kit doesn’t have it in her to fight back, “You can all fuck right off.” She stands, stretches her arms over her head, and turns to step toward the bedroom. “I know it’s still early, and jet-lag’s a bitch, but I’m out.”
“Oi,” Jade reaches out and gently catches the back of the girl’s shirt, “I’ll just be a minute.”
Kit follows the tug and turns back around to take the already outstretched hand, giving it a squeeze. She nods over at Scorpia, “Good to finally meet, thanks for letting me crash the party.”
“Welcome to our neck of the woods, kid.”
The two remaining move to the couch. That minute carries on for a couple of hours. Jade gets a second wind to take advantage of alone time with her sister. While they typically speak on the phone at least once a week, often more, they still have plenty to discuss. Filling each other in on time passed since their last call, updates on Scorpia’s work schedule for the coming days at the pub, sharing the latest news about people they grew up with and around. The two are at ease with each other. Conversation comes to a lull, both taking a few minutes to share quiet space together.
Scorpia breaks the comfortable silence, “You’re in even deeper than I thought.” She lazily points at the closed door that separates them from Kit.
“Says you!” Jade exaggerates the same gesture toward the other door.
The older woman raises an eyebrow and changes the subject again.
“We’ve been talking around it for months now, but I do want to know what’s going on with your visa. What the plan is and everything. Room is yours if you ever need it, load of your shit is in that closet anyway.”
“I’m figuring it out.”
“Your running out of time over there, babe. Lot of people miss you round here. Ballentine’s always said he’ll have a job waiting for you.”
“Can we talk about this later, please?”
They stare each other down a moment, Scorpia eventually conceding with a nod.
“You should call it a day. Go curl up with little Peter.”
“You’re ruthless.”
They stand and share a long, tight hug, “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too.”
Soon Jade crawls into the bed, situating herself behind her sleeping girlfriend.
The brunette stirs and takes a deep breath.
“Sorry” Jade whispers, placing a kiss at the base of her neck. She reaches an arm around to hug Kit’s body tighter.
“S’okay.”
“They’re a weird bunch, yeah?”
“Mm-hmm.”
It’s silent for a long beat.
“Any thoughts on Boorman?”
A quiet moment passes before Kit whispers back, “Absolute goob, he worships her though.”
“She hates it - how much she likes him.”
Kit turns over in her arms to be face-to-face, eyes remaining closed. “He’s so… I don’t even know. It’s like, he’s trying so hard to not be sincere, but he’s so sincere.”
Jade smiles, reaching up to brush the hair off of Kit’s forehead.
Kit’s tired eyes open as she continues, “And that Graydon kid has such a crush on blondie, right?” She lazily reaches to adjust the other girl’s head wrap where it’s bunched up by her ear.
“Her name’s Elora. But very much, yes.”
“Brutal,” a small smirk appears, “I really really don’t miss that part.”
“Oof yeah, this is way more fun than pretending not to be in love with you.”
Jade’s strong arm loops back around to drag her in closer. Kit leans in slow and sleepy, they meet in a gentle kiss. Her hand moves to rest on Jade’s neck, her thumb lightly caressing the curve of her jaw. Jade’s hand slides under the hem of Kit’s t-shirt to graze her spine before resting on the warm skin of her waist. Lips parting and heads tilting, familiar mouths make familiar moves in a dance they’ve spent quite some time perfecting together.
“Can confirm, much more fun.”
“Go back to sleep. You’ve got a grand tour of town to get through tomorrow.”
“Gee, I hope my tour-guide’s hot.”
“Bog off.”