"You know, this is really bad for your skin," Ashley said.
"Are you a dermatologist?" Jenni asked.
"No..."
"Then don't worry about it," the other said. "What you should be worried about is this big flip that's coming up in 5...4...3...2..."
Both girls simultaneously flipped over onto their bellies like a couple of fishes. Mrs. Hanson, who was standing on her front porch, searching desperately for her son, saw them just as they did this due to their oiled-down skin reflecting the sunlight. She looked at her watch. She was going to be late if he didn't come home soon.
"ASHLEY!!! JENNI!!!" she shouted.
The two girls looked up; waved. "HEY, MRS. H!!!"
"GIRLS, DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO ME A FAVOR?!?!" she yelled to them. They looked at each other, then pulled themselves up and began to walk toward Mrs. Hanson. She sighed with relief.
"Sure. Whatcha want?" Ashley said.
"You see, I have a job interview in 20 minutes and Taylor was supposed to be home a half hour ago, but as you can see he has failed to return. So, I was wondering if you could just stay and watch the kids for a while. I'll pay you," she said. "Just until Taylor gets home..."
"Okay," the girls replied in unison.
"Okay, then. Emergency numbers by the phone, Ash you know where the food is..."
"Okay," Ashley said. "Good luck!"
"Thank you," Mrs. Hanson said. "Have fun!"
The girls watched as she hurried to the van, got in, and pulled out of the driveway. They looked at each other, then went inside.
"Clothes, clothes, clothes," Ashley said. She had a 4-month-old Zoe hefted on her hip as she was thumbing through the boys' clothes looking for something for she and Jenni to wear. Jenni was in the living room entertaining Mac and Avie until Ashley returned with decent clothes.
"I feel like a turbo-hoe walking around in something that covers less than my underwear while around kids who are still in elementary school," Ashley had commented earlier.
She found a 2 old t-shirts that were stained and ragged. She recognized one of them as a shirt from a summer camp Taylor had attended a few summers back, and the other as being Zac's the shirt that he only wore when he was working out in the yard. She went over to the chest-of-drawers, hoping to find some shorts that would fit. She dug some out, and then tromped back down the hall.
In the living room, stood Taylor and Mary chatting with Jenni and the kids. They all looked up as Ashley entered. Ashley smiled weakly. "Hey..."
"Hi," Taylor and Mary said. Taylor blushed a bit and Mary flashed her a synthetic smile.
"You must be Amanda. I've heard so much about you," Mary said, stepping forward to shake her hand.
"Um, it's Ashley, actually," she replied, tucking her hair behind her ears and refusing to shake the other girl's hand.
"Oh, right," Mary said in a bubbly voice. "Oh, what have you got in your hand?"
"Zoe," Ashley replied, bouncing the baby a little on her hip. "Isn't she cute?"
Mary gave the baby a slight look of disgust. "No, I meant in your other hand."
"Oh, just some clothes. You didn't mind if I borrowed these, hey, Tay?" Ashley asked, looking over Mary's shoulder.
"Um, which ones?"
Ashley held them up. "The nappiest ones I could find that would still cover me up."
"Whatever," Taylor said.
"So you and Taylor are best friends?" Mary asked.
"Yeah," Ashley replied. "Jen, wanna go change?"
"Sure," Jenni said, coming over and taking the clothes. "Where can I change?"
"Oh, I'll show you," Taylor said. "Follow me."
"Tay, can we get something to drink?" Avery asked.
"Sure..." he said, taking hers and Mackie's hands.
Jenni, Taylor, and the kids exited stage right, leaving Mary, Ashley, and Zoe alone. Mary glared and leaned in close to Ashley.
"Look here, bitch. I don't have time for little snots like you. Taylor is mine, got it? And any little crush you may have had on him before is going to have to be crushed now," she growled. "He's mine. And if you think you can change that then I suggest you back off, 'cos I can..."
"Hey, um, do you guys want anything to drink?" Taylor asked.
Mary grinned. "Sure. Whatever you've got is fine with me..."
"Kool-Aid," Ashley nodded. "I'll go help make it."
Ashley followed Tay back into the kitchen, glad to be away from Queen Bitch Mary.
"Wow, she was a live one, eh?"
"She was just plain mean," Ashley said. "Taylor finally broke up with her about a month later when he caught her screaming at Mackenzie for doing something so stupid I don't even remember what it was..."
"I'm glad," Martha said. "Not that she was yelling at Mackenzie, but because he dumped her."
"Believe me, she was just the first in a string of bitchy females that Taylor would date..."
