We'll Always Have London

It was around one in the afternoon when I pulled up to Aaron and Sam's. The girls, save for Sam's other three who were with their dad, were in the yard and little Wylda raced up to my car as soon as I parked.

"Abi, Abi!" she cried and I grinned. I loved those two girls like they were my own and even though I usually hated when people called me 'Abi' I adored when Wylda and Romy did it. The blonde threw her arms around my middle and I leaned over her head to give her a squeeze.

"Wylie Coyote!" I cheered in the same high voice she used when greeting me. Romy hurried over and hugged my free side tightly, lower than her older sister as she wasn't as tall. I smiled at them but paused when I straightened and they didn't let go. I went to take a step and still they held on, as if I were the only thing they had in the world. I knew them. I knew how they acted when they were upset and then I heard it, Aaron's voice echoing from in the house followed by a just as heated Sam. The girls had been outside because their parents were arguing- again.

Times had been kind of rough for Aaron and Sam. I wasn't entirely sure why as Sam never fully opened up to me and Aaron always seemed in the dark about what set her off, but there had been a tangible tension for a few months. The girls felt it, too, always begging me to let them stay at my house or- like now- never letting me go. Looking down at the small girls, they were only six and four I doubted they knew it was just an argument, and smiled. I felt bad, Romy looked like she had seen a ghost and Wylda was glaring at the ground, I remembered when my parents fought all the time. I remembered staying up well into the night listening to the yelling and wondering if they were going to split up. They did, but I didn't think Aaron and Sam were going to. Every marriage had its hiccups.

"Make them stop, Abi," Wylda whined and I wiggled free enough to kneel between them and brush their hair back, taking my time to smile at each of them encouragingly.

"Oh you know I will, those silly old people, always throwing temper tantrums," I joked and Wylda smiled a little. "I'll just go in there and tell them to be nice or I'll ground em!" Wylda giggled and Romy smiled at that. I kissed their heads and told them to go back and play in the backyard this time, in the fence and away from the street, before I let myself into the house. The yelling intensified and I had no idea what it was about this time. Sometimes it was about stupid things like how late Aaron was out til, other times it was Aaron accusing Sam of cheating, sometimes the other way round. I really didn't pry.

I found Sam and Aaron in their impressive kitchen, one on each side of the island, both red faced and flailing limbs. Sam was never a frightening woman but she was strong and stubborn- like Aaron- and when that woman got worked up she seemed twice as big. Aaron was the same. He was sweet and gentle but when he got angry he got a little scary. It was no wonder the girls were worried. I tucked my fingers in the corners of my mouth and let out a shrill and loud whistle earning both of their attentions.

"Knock it off or I'm getting the hose!" I told them both in as stern a voice I could muster. They exchanged looks then Aaron's eyes fell and his jaw set in resignation. Sam studied him and gave me a daring look, to which I canted my head and raised my brows daring her to dare me, offering a childish, "Ah," noise like a buzzer when she opened her mouth. The older woman glared but I had gotten used to both of their stares of doom. When they were quiet, I dropped my Star Wars bag on a chair and gestured out back, "You got two kids out there thinking their mommy's going to murder daddy or daddy's going to sell mommy on Craigslist for a dog biscuit and you both got your heads so far up your-" I paused and looked outside before whispering, "asses," and continuing at a normal volume, "that Wylda called me. A six year-old called me to come pick her and Romy up so-" I crossed my arms and nodded at Aaron and then Sam. "Make up."

"It's not that-" Aaron started shaking his head when Sam asked incredulously,

"What? Is she serious?"

"Do that thing where you stare longingly into each other's eyes, realize you're both idiots, say you love each other and run into each other's arms," I said gesturing expectantly. It had happened before but the way Sam looked at Aaron now and the way his jaw tightened and he leaned his hands on the island- ... that wasn't going to happen. Sam threw her hands up a bit in exasperation,

"I think you need to stay with Abigail. I'm done with this conversation," Sam said brushing past me and into her room, slamming the door behind her. I blinked and looked down the hall and then at my best friend. This had never gotten bad before. Sure they fought but Sam had never told Aaron to stay with me- or walked away like that. Aaron had only stayed the night after a fight once and that was because he got drunk and passed out on my couch, not because Sam didn't want him home. Aaron looked completely worn out as he ran a hand over his face and sighed loudly. His blue eyes wandered over to me and I offered a smile, assuring him he was always welcome at my place.

"I'll even take the monkeys," I said jutting a thumb to the backyard and Aaron smiled before dropping his head. "Okay we're getting ice cream, the four of us. You get your shoes I'll grab the munchkins and we'll hit up Fro-Zone." Aaron went to protest but I held up my hands and pulled him out of the kitchen and towards his shoes by the door. "Ah," I said making the same buzzer noise you got when you said a wrong answer, "Shoes." He smiled softly and I skipped to the backdoor calling, "Calling all Munchkins! Munchkins wanted in the front yard for ice cream! If you want Fro-Zone please evacuate to the car out front," I said in an announcer tone as I looked out the back window at a very confused Wylda and Romy. "It means I wanna buy you ice cream so get in my car," I said in a stage whisper to which they cheered and raced back around front.