Fan Fiction |
by Jenny Tran
Doug and Erin returned to Sheila’s home to help her pack. She didn’t have much she wanted to take along, just a few memoirs from her mother. The final luggage only came to two. Sheila closed the door behind her and walked downstairs where Erin was. Doug had called them a cab, the day was getting later and he received a hundred miss calls from Jessie. When it beeped again, Erin shook her head at him “Would you just answer it?”
“It’s okay, I want to get you guys back in one piece first. Jessie will understand.” Doug assured her.
Erin sighed “Not all girls are understanding…especially the ones that say they understand. Give her a call to tell her you’ll be back late. That’s not hard is it?”
He smiled as he pulled out his cell phone “Girls do stick together don’t they?” Erin laughed at his comment. He took a few steps away to call Jessie. She picked up in the middle of the first ring “Jessie?”
“Where have you been? I was worried sick! Why didn’t you answer your phone?” She said frantically.
Doug quickly apologized “I’m sorry, honey…but my phone was on silent. I didn’t hear it. I’m stuck in Tsim Sa Tsui.” He smiled as she guessed what he was up to “But I’m afraid I owe you one, the milk is probably rotten. I ran into Erin out here.”
“Oh?” her voice changed awkwardly and there was a moment of silence.
Doug smiled teasingly “Jealous?”
“Of course not!!” She said with shock “What is she doing there?”
He knew it was not his place to tell her “I promise I wouldn’t say. But I’m sure Erin will tell us soon. Anyways, our cab is here, I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you later, bye sweetie.” He hung up and turned to see the girls looking at him with a grin “What?”
“Bye Sweetie…” Sheila mimicked his sweet tone and then she shivered “Goosebumps.”
Erin laughed “Come on…honey.” She waved at Doug with a wide grin.
They returned to their city and Doug split up with the girls. Erin was telling Sheila about her new home and what places have good food. When they reached her apartment door, Erin turned to Sheila “The place is a little messy…so don’t freak out.” She warned.
Sheila laughed with her eyes rolled “Please, you have not seen my room.”
The girls entered and suddenly gasped at the scene before them. The floor was covered with red rose petals and a candlelit table was lit up in the middle of the room. And standing by the hallway was Brad wearing only a pair of heart boxer shorts. He was quickly embarrassed when he saw Sheila covering her giggles. Erin covered her face as she shook her head at him “What are you doing?”
“He looks like a naked cupid.” Shiela whispered.
Brad covered himself as he began to get flustered “I…uh…well…I wanted to…um… surprise you.” He said weakly.
Erin turned to Sheila “And that is why you shouldn’t have a boyfriend.” It made Sheila laugh even louder while poor Brad rushed into the bedroom with embarrassment. She shook her head “Excuse me a minute.” She followed Brad into the room and closed the door behind her. An apparent smile was on her face “What is this about?”
He pulled the sheets off her bed and covered himself with it “I wanted to surprise you.”
“Yeah…I got that part, is there anything else you can say?” Erin asked sarcastically.
He let out a sigh “Remember when I asked you about…moving in with me?” She sighed and nodded “I want an answer.”
Erin looked up at him “Are you demanding an answer?”
His face appeared to be scared as he backed away like a bunny “No…of course not.”
“Are you learning this stuff from Darren?” her eyes leered at him dangerously.
“No…” Brad said feebly and eventually admit it “Yes…he told me to be strong and firm. Like a man.”
Erin shook her head “If I wanted a man, I wouldn’t have chosen you, honey.” She was kidding but by the look on his face, she knew she had crossed the line.
“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you!” he yelled.
“Don’t raise your voice at me.” Erin placed her hands on her hips.
“I can do what I want!” Brad yelled even louder.
Suddenly there was a soft knock on the door. Sheila cracked it open as she looked at them apologetically “I’m sorry to disturb your…talk…but I’m really hungry and I was wondering if I can have some of that steak…”
“Your welcome to it.” Brad nodded at her.
She smiled “Thank you! And the walls are not that thin, you can talk louder. I can barely hear you from outside.” She nodded and closed the door.
“Who the hell is she?!” Brad asked with annoyance.
Erin crossed her arms “No one to you at this rate. If you play your cards right, she might just be your sister in law.”
His jaw dropped open “What??!! You found her??”
Erin reached over and covered his mouth “SHHH!!! She doesn’t know…I haven’t told her. Don’t say anything okay?”
Brad nodded and she moved her hand away “Damn, you better wish Mia doesn’t know, she’ll definitely let it slip. But you’re lucky no one else knows.”
She closed her eyes with a look of total defeat “Doug…shit!” she cursed as she reached for her cell and called him. He picked up after a couple of rings “Doug, it’s me Erin…”
“Hey…what’s up?” he asked brightly.
“You didn’t tell Mia yet did you?” Erin asked with hope.
“Does it count the second time?” Doug asked weakly, Erin let out a grunt and he quickly begged “I’m sorry…I promise, she guessed it herself. She won’t say anything…I’ll guarantee it.”
Erin shook her head “Are you kidding me? Knowing Mia, she’s probably got ‘Welcome Back Home Lil Sister’ banners made out and a party set up for us as we speak.”
“Don’t over exaggerate, Erin. Give her more credit than that.” Doug said in his friend’s defense.
“Yeah, we’ll see.” She said shortly and said goodbye to him. She turned to Brad who was looking at her with curiosity.
“You don’t want to move in with me do you?” Brad asked carefully “It’s okay, I understand if you say no.”
She felt bad for not being truthful “I just think it’s moving too fast…that’s all.”
He sat down on the bed and patted on the seat next to him “Come on.” He coaxed and she joined him “Why don’t you see it as a contract? We’re just roommates. I really want to save money to get a house. But I can’t handle the rent all on my own.”
Erin smiled at him with adoration “You’re cute when you try to turn the situation around. But even if I said yes, what are we going to do about Shelly?”
“Take her along, I have three rooms. I won’t pressure you to share a room with me either, how about that?” Brad pressed.
She couldn’t help but feel bad from the desperate look on his face. Erin eventually nodded with a smile “Okay, you win…come on. Let’s go eat. I’m starving.” The two walked out of the room to find Sheila eating the second steak. Erin shook her head as she looked up at Brad “Looks like someone’s hungry.”
The three decided to go out to dinner instead, eventhough Sheila already ate Erin wouldn’t hear of leaving her at home alone. They chose a simple Japanese restaurant downtown where they were seated in a quiet room. Erin was a little distracted since she was not paying attention to what Brad was saying. He nudged her “Hey…are you listening?”
“Oh…sorry…you were saying?” Erin smiled. But it soon disappeared when the door opened and about four Japanese women came in dressed in their dress and began dancing with fans.
Sheila was excited as she clapped her hands and laughed giddily “It’s a show!!”
Erin and Brad on the other hand exchanged suspicious glances. They didn’t order a dance, but the two read each other’s mind as they decided not to say anything but waited for the dancers to finish.
At the end of the five minutes, the women posed beautifully and in unison, they flipped their fans around. To Erin’s shock, it read in Chinese ‘Welcome Home Sheila’. Brad pointed at the fans strangely and Erin pushed herself up as she made a dash for the door but it was too late, Mia had appeared with balloons and flowers. She was giggling like a child while Darren followed in after her.
“Hi!!” Mia hugged Erin happily and walked over to Sheila as she handed the balloons and flowers to the girl “How does it feel to be with family?”
Sheila looked at the girl like a scared puppy. She pushed the balloons away and ran over behind Erin “I’m afraid of balloons.” She whispered.
Erin turned to Mia and tried to signal for her to stop. She hinted to her that Sheila didn’t know but unfortunately Mia was not that quick “What’s wrong? Did I scare her?”
“She doesn’t know!” Erin said through clenched teeth.
“What?” Mia asked with her head shaking.
“Shut up…” Erin leaned over and said it to Mia.
“Why?” Mia was more confused “You look a little tense, Erin…maybe you need to see a doctor.” She smiled over her shoulder at Sheila “Your sister gets a bit…cookoo.” She waved a finger around her temple.
Erin closed her eyes as her head lowered to the ground. Sheila looked confusingly at Mia then at Erin “Sis…sister…”
“I’m sorry…” Erin turned to face the shocked girl.
“Wait…you didn’t know?” Mia asked with her hand covering her mouth.
“No…” Sheila was in denial as she backed away and ran out of the room, bumping straight into Doug.
“Shelly!” he helped her up “What’s the matter?” by the shock look on her face, he knew that she had found out. He brought her back into the room “I’m too late huh?” he said it mostly to Erin.
Darren scratched his head “You know, I have never been more confused.”
Doug gently patted Sheila’s shoulder “We’re sorry…but Erin and I figured that you just lost your mom, we didn’t have the heart to surprise you with a sister.”
Sheila smiled weakly while Erin approached her “You are my sister…whether you can admit it or not.”
Mia shook her head “Why don’t you just put a knife to her neck and tell her that she has to accept you or you’ll kill her. Be a little more understanding, Erin.”
Erin’s eyes turned evilly as they met with Mia’s eyes “I’ll be more understanding when I break your legs and you have to sit in a wheelchair for the rest of your life!” she loved the girl to death but sometimes, she was such a loony.
Mia dropped her jaw, her face looked offended as she turned to Darren “Can you believe…” Darren nodded, not being able to stand up for her and she shrugged “Okay, I was wrong. Sorry Erin, sorry Sheila.”
“Shelly.” The girl was no longer upset as she smiled “My friends call me Shelly.”
“And my friends call me Mia.” Mia extended a hand and the girls shook it.
“Not right now…” Erin said threateningly.