An Oddly Familiar Situation
Mick trudged up the steps and was immediately accosted by Abby. "Good morning sleepy head!" she bellowed as he walked towards the kitchen. "Decided to sleep in I see," continued Abigail in her familiar ebullient tone. Mick knew it was past 10:00 a.m. as he had glanced at his cell phone moments earlier when he had come to after having fallen back to sleep after Victoria's departure from his room.
"Morning," Mick unenthusiastically offered in return as he slogged over to the island where Abigail and Zoey were stationed.
Abby said to him, "Up late working on the paper I take it?" He nodded yes but offered her no words knowing that his reply was not completely true by any stretch. "How about I make you some French Toast?" she asked him. "Thanks," Mick said, "That sounds great."
"Good morning everyone!" boomed Victoria as she burst into the kitchen just a moment later.
"Hey," Abby replied as flatly as Mick had previously, while eyeing her sister warily. "I was just about to make French toast for Mick, would you like some?" she asked her sister.
"Thank you! That would be awesome," Tori exuberantly answered.
The three dorm mates all silently exchanged glances with each other as Abigail and Zoey were not sure what to make of Victoria's sudden change in demeanor. Mick however was not nearly in the dark as his two friends.
Tori walked over to the cupboard and retrieved a ceramic mug. "Would anyone like me to pour them some coffee while I'm here?" she offered. The trio just all shook their heads in silent reply.
While opening the refrigerator to retrieve the creamer, Victoria asked Abigail, "Do you need the eggs or milk?" A confounded Abby replied, "Both please... and the butter too if you don't mind." Her sister retrieved each of the items from the fridge, walked over to the stove and placed them on the counter. "Thanks for doing this," she said to Abigail in a hushed voice before placing an arm around her sister and giving her a quick hug.
As Victoria broke her embrace, Abby leaned away from her and brought the spatula in her hand up between them in a snappy motion. "Who are you and where is my sister?" Abigail asked in a curt tone. Victoria honestly wanted to be amicable towards everyone even if it was only for the last day they would all be together, and she was not so naΓ―ve to think that she would not have to atone for her behavior and convince the others of her sincerity. Nonetheless, Abby's disposition still caught her off guard and stung deeply.
"I'm sorry," said Victoria. After a brief pause she leaned into her sister and admitted softly, "I've been a bitch, I know." Both Mick and Zoe strained to hear her hushed words while doing their best to be nonchalant. "I just want... I'm hoping... I want our last day to be enjoyable," she further added reticently. Hearing sincerity in her sister's voice, Abby's expression softened and she smiled gently. "That would be great," said Abigail.
Alexis could hear what seemed like friendly banter emanating from the kitchen as she came down the steps. She was in no way expecting to find Victoria sitting there or the four of them being so congenial with one another. Lexi was treated to a chorus of "good morning" when her appearance caught the attention of the foursome. "Good morning to all of you," she warily replied before inquiring, "Has everyone eaten?" Again the group spoke in near unison, their responses having an unexpected amiable tenor to them.
"Abby made this awesome French toast," Victoria said in a complimentary manner.
"Is that so?" asked her mother as she walked over and poured herself a cup of coffee.
Alexis whispered to Abigail who was cleaning the countertop, "What did I miss?" "Gift horse mom," mumbled Abby, "gift horse."
"Okay well, I need to run into the office for a few hours and get some work done," declared Alexis.
"Speaking of which," said Mick, "I need to get back at it myself." And with that, the unexpected cordial gathering dispersed unceremoniously, each of them heading their own separate way.
Mick was almost finished with his second read-through of the final draft of his English Literature term paper when he heard the all too familiar sound of someone knocking on his door. "Hey," said Abby as her head popped through the opening door. "How's it going?" she inquired.
"Actually really well," Mick replied before further offering, "I think I'm really close to asking you to proof and critique it for me."
"Can't wait to read it," replied Abigail. "Can I interest you in some lunch?" she asked him.
"No thanks, I'm good," Mick told her. "Still filled from your awesome breakfast," he told Abby which brought a smile to her face.
Abigail said, "No one seems to be hungry so we were talking about making margaritas and sitting in the hot tub for a while. Come on and join us."
"Give me a few minutes and I think I will," he said.
The girls were sitting on the edge of the hot tub with their feet in the water when Mick walked out onto the deck. Victoria shouted, "We saved you a seat!" when she saw him.
Mick sat down across from Tori and gazed at the mostly empty pitcher parked next to her. "You saved me a seat," he said, "but did you save me anything to drink?" "Of course!" Tori declared.
Mick and Abigail exchanged glances with each other as they watched Victoria fill a glass with unsteady hands. "Here you go," she said as she passed the cocktail across the hot tub haphazardly. Mick reached out with both hands trying to intercept the glass before any of its contents could end up in the water.
Mick was pleased to see that Victoria was once again sporting her monokini and falling out of it a bit as she leaned forward to pass him a margarita. He was also grateful to find that Zoe's Jacuzzi attire consisted of a rash guard and board shorts. Abigail however was sporting a very modest bikini and it surprised Mick to discover that she had a rather nice physique.