Perfectly Dysfunctional

A month passed making it September now. Nareesha was now into her third trimester and had her scan and we’d all seen the picture a zillion times – and the zillion times was just never enough. Emma now only had a couple of days left here. Jay and Emma had shared a drunken kiss or two in her time here leaving everyone to giggle to themselves the day after. After speaking to Jay, Nathan and Nareesha about it I’d applied for a couple of college's and uni's there in hopes they'd accept me this late on - which, after several phonecalls, they did. So I’d be starting a University that was half an hour away in a couple of weeks. Nareesha continued with her shoe-designing, and I managed to get a part-time job at Starbucks. My dad hadn’t tried to contact me, and most importantly, Dave hadn’t given anyone any hassle.

Today we were all spending the day at Tom and Max’s house. The guys were in the living room playing x-box and the girls had gathered in the kitchen having a general gossip about life and such. I was helping Nareesha with dinner and Emma was flicking through the newspapers and anything we could get our hands on that had information about apartments after having set the table.

“Emma, you could just move down here and you could move in with her,” Nareesha said but Emma pulled a face.

“My mother would have something to say about that,” she pointed out, “And I’ve not got enough money to move down,” she pointed out. “And I've got college to go to. But otherwise, it’s a flawless plan. Why don’t you just ditch Siva and you two move in together? I mean, you’ve not moved in with him yet,” she suggested and we all laughed.

“Well other than the whole baby thing, it’s not a bad idea...” Nareesha said as she looked over the last page of the newspaper that Emma was looking at, “It’s actually a perfect idea, but there are no damn flats anywhere near here. And everything that is near here is like, a zillion-bedroom houses.”

“God damn estate agents,” I muttered and we all laughed.

“That’s it!" Emma clicked her fingers in the air, "Jenny, just permanently stay with Nathan and Jay, but start sharing bills and stuff! I mean, their house is big enough – you’ve already got your own room there... I mean, they wouldn’t mind, would they? It’s pretty much what happens now anyway, except it’d just be a little more permanent.” Emma explained and Nareesha and I stared at her.

“Why didn’t we think of this forever ago?”

“I don’t mean to y’know, kill the mood or whatever, but I don’t want to forever be a burden on Nathan and Jay,” I said and Nareesha was quick to give me a slap upside the head.

“They wouldn’t mind-”

“And we all know Nareesha mothers all of them,” Emma muttered as a joke so Nareesha would hear and she held up her finger in Emma’s direction whilst still looking at me.

“I’m going to ignore that; but Jenny, why? If either Nathan or Jay ever did have a problem with you being there, they wouldn’t have brought you there in the first place – that or you wouldn’t still be there now. So shut up with creating your little problems to get out of it and admit how much of a wonderful idea it is,” she grinned.

“Okay, it’s a fantastic idea... One other little problem...” She glared at me and I held my finger up, “This is a legit problem, though,” She gave me a look for me to continue, “How many times have I begged and tried to force money into their hands to pay for stuff and they’ve just point-blank refused to take it?” She faltered and I was happy with my argument.

“Damn, you’re right... Why are they so proud?” she muttered.

“Why’s who so proud?” Siva asked as he entered the room followed by everyone else. He leaned over Nareesha and gave her a short and sweet kiss before kissing her forehead and moving to sit beside me and Emma, “Whatcha lookin’ at? What, more flats?”

“Never you mind,” Nareesha said and turned to face him, “And why are you lot so proud?” she continued, and prodded Siva in the chest.

He acted shocked, “I have no pride!” he acted disgusted and spat the word pride, “Oh, wait...”

We all laughed and Nareesha continued, “You two especially,” she turned on Nathan and Jay when they entered the kitchen.

“What do you mean?” Nathan eyed her suspiciously.

“Would you accept money for bills and food and stuff from Jenny?”

“Nope,” Both Nathan and Jay spoke in unison and I gave her an ‘I-told-you-so’ look then shrugged.

Before Nareesha could speak again Emma spoke up, “Y’know how there are no flats around here whatsoever?” Everyone nodded, “I had an idea. And it’s a very good idea, and I’m very proud of it, and if you two think of being ‘proud’ or ‘stubborn’, you already know I could beat both your asses in both of those categories normally, but then add on Nareesha and Jenny too, and imagine how much I could kick your asses then. So hear me out,” she grinned and the guys looked scared and nodded, “How would you feel about Jenny living with you permanently?”

“Isn’t that what pretty much happens all the time anyway?” Nathan pointed out.

“Exactly,” she said, “So, now would you accept money from her?” Nareesha gave them a look.

Nathan and Jay glanced at each other, communicating through their eyes before admitting defeat, "Okay, fine. Absolutely," Jay said.

“So is that okay then? It’s all good?” Nareesha looked between the four of us and we all nodded, “Good.”

“Thank God for that. No more crazy-lady-flat-hunting,” Jay said and I raised my hand.

“Can I laugh now?” I asked and we all burst into laughter.