The Intervention
June 9th 2008 01:38
The Intervention
"Oh, come on sis, you know he'll listen to you." Ange begged.
Tess kept herself busy unpacking the weeks shopping that threatened to fall off her benchtop. "That's not fair. He's not the one that's uncomfortable where he is although I do have misgivings about that too."
"Its just not working out. You know my situation. I need to do this. I need to get back on my feet."
"I know that, and I don't disagree but you're asking me to help you take advantage of our brother."
"No I'm not. I'm asking you to point out all the positives that would come out of this advantageous adventure,"
Tess glared at Ange wanting ever so much to call her an unscrupulous bitch.
"Please. Just talk to him. Tell him its a good idea and that its the right time."
The door bell rang,
"Why do I always get visitors when the kitchen looks like a bomb's hit it?" Tess asked, heading for the door, but from the corner of her eye she spied Ange's look the self satisfying look of a cat who just got the pigeon. "You set this up, didn't you?"
Ange shrugged. "Well, everyone keeps saying what a supportive brother we have."
The door bell rang incessantly,
Tess stared at her sister, as if seeing a side to her she'd never seen before.
"The door," Ange said, smug.
When Tess opened the front door, her brother David was leaning against the doorway as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Hiya, sis. Ange said you weren't feeling well and needed some help around the house," he gave her a peck on the cheek. Tess remained open mouthed, touching her cheek. "So, what do you need done? I'm yours until midnight," but when he walked into the open planned kitchen and living room area, he noticed his sister casually sitting on the couch drinking tea. "Thought you'd be here," he casually threw at his younger sister, before parking himself on the couch.
"Can I make you a coffee?" Tess calmly asked.
"Yeah, a big one while this manipulative sister of mine and I work out the details of our little contract."
Now it was Ange's time to be open-mouthed.
"I'd say its quite opportunistic, us three siblings in one house for the first time in years, or I can throw caution to the wind and say, we all make our own destiny,"
A stunned Ange blanched. "David, I just wanted to get sis's help, "
"I know what you wanted to do. I know you better than anyone else."
Ange bristled.
Tess reddened.
"David, she didn't mean anything by it. After everything that's happened "
"And everything that's been happening. Our little sis here manipulates any situation to suit herself. She's selfish, conceited, why I'll guarantee that she masterminded this whole set up just so she can get something out of you or me or both!"
"I think I better go," Ange whispered, taking her bag. "Sis, don't worry about what I said. I'll catch up another time."
"No!" Tess grabbed her younger sister's arm. "No. Not like this. David, listen to what she has to say,"
"I've heard it. She's told everyone we know what she and I are going to do and then came down here to get you to do the dirty work."
Tess let go of her sister's arm.
"- and don't think that walking out, just like you always do, is the answer to every conflict. Sit down and discuss this like an adult. That is, if you want to listen to someone else for a change."
Ange saw the tears well in her older sister's eyes, her lips mimed a silent plea. Ange sat on the adjacent cough, hugging her coat like a protective shield.
David was stoic. "My tenants move on in about three months. I'm having papers drawn up now for the next tenants to be four students." David accepted the coffee from Tess and made way for his big sister to sit next to him.
Ange refused her coffee
"Have your coffee," David insisted.
"No thankyou. I think I better go, but I really am happy for you." Ange said.
"David, please," Tess begged her brother, but David merely put up his hand to silence them both.
"Ange, have your coffee and allow me the rare privilege of finishing what I have to say without interruption from you."
"Its your favourite brew," Ange softly said, handing her sister the coffee again. "Please, try it."
When Ange took the cup from her sister, Tess caressed her sister's hands, just like their mother would do; just like their grandmother would do.
Ange pursed her lips. Her throat constricted. She recognized the discrete caress; remembered it; missed it.
"Enough of your piss-farting around," David announced. "Times are changing. Mum and dad aren't going to pick up after you any longer. Enough of your bullshit and all your excuses. Like I said, the lease on my property my property, remember that - runs out and I'll have four students in there."
"Yes, I've been listening, David," Ange said, using the time to sip her coffee to compose herself.
Tess made herself comfortable beside David, her own coffee in hand.
"No, you haven't been listening. What did I say?"
Ange savoured the coffee. It was her favourite brew. She smiled sweetly at her big sister for remembering after all these years and then eloquently answered her big brother. "Your new tenants will be four students. And like I said, I'm happy for you."
"Don't you want to know where I'm getting the students from?" David baited
Ange almost finished her coffee. "Not particularly."
"Two are exchange students; one from Italy I believe and one from Japan. The third is from our very own bush country and the fourth will be YOU."
Ange looked at her brother, not believing what he was telling her but too scared to say anything in case she actually heard wrong.
"The contract you will sign is all legal and binding. You will return to school to study whatever course your passion drives you to and during that time you can live in my property with the tenants of my choosing. Hopefully I won't have you there for too long before you get your career back on track and buy your own place." David then turned to his twin sister Tess and whispered, "hey, the cakes I brought over earlier, any left?"
"Oh, come on sis, you know he'll listen to you." Ange begged.
Tess kept herself busy unpacking the weeks shopping that threatened to fall off her benchtop. "That's not fair. He's not the one that's uncomfortable where he is although I do have misgivings about that too."
"Its just not working out. You know my situation. I need to do this. I need to get back on my feet."
"I know that, and I don't disagree but you're asking me to help you take advantage of our brother."
"No I'm not. I'm asking you to point out all the positives that would come out of this advantageous adventure,"
Tess glared at Ange wanting ever so much to call her an unscrupulous bitch.
"Please. Just talk to him. Tell him its a good idea and that its the right time."
The door bell rang,
"Why do I always get visitors when the kitchen looks like a bomb's hit it?" Tess asked, heading for the door, but from the corner of her eye she spied Ange's look the self satisfying look of a cat who just got the pigeon. "You set this up, didn't you?"
Ange shrugged. "Well, everyone keeps saying what a supportive brother we have."
The door bell rang incessantly,
Tess stared at her sister, as if seeing a side to her she'd never seen before.
"The door," Ange said, smug.
When Tess opened the front door, her brother David was leaning against the doorway as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Hiya, sis. Ange said you weren't feeling well and needed some help around the house," he gave her a peck on the cheek. Tess remained open mouthed, touching her cheek. "So, what do you need done? I'm yours until midnight," but when he walked into the open planned kitchen and living room area, he noticed his sister casually sitting on the couch drinking tea. "Thought you'd be here," he casually threw at his younger sister, before parking himself on the couch.
"Can I make you a coffee?" Tess calmly asked.
"Yeah, a big one while this manipulative sister of mine and I work out the details of our little contract."
Now it was Ange's time to be open-mouthed.
"I'd say its quite opportunistic, us three siblings in one house for the first time in years, or I can throw caution to the wind and say, we all make our own destiny,"
A stunned Ange blanched. "David, I just wanted to get sis's help, "
"I know what you wanted to do. I know you better than anyone else."
Ange bristled.
Tess reddened.
"David, she didn't mean anything by it. After everything that's happened "
"And everything that's been happening. Our little sis here manipulates any situation to suit herself. She's selfish, conceited, why I'll guarantee that she masterminded this whole set up just so she can get something out of you or me or both!"
"I think I better go," Ange whispered, taking her bag. "Sis, don't worry about what I said. I'll catch up another time."
"No!" Tess grabbed her younger sister's arm. "No. Not like this. David, listen to what she has to say,"
"I've heard it. She's told everyone we know what she and I are going to do and then came down here to get you to do the dirty work."
Tess let go of her sister's arm.
"- and don't think that walking out, just like you always do, is the answer to every conflict. Sit down and discuss this like an adult. That is, if you want to listen to someone else for a change."
Ange saw the tears well in her older sister's eyes, her lips mimed a silent plea. Ange sat on the adjacent cough, hugging her coat like a protective shield.
David was stoic. "My tenants move on in about three months. I'm having papers drawn up now for the next tenants to be four students." David accepted the coffee from Tess and made way for his big sister to sit next to him.
Ange refused her coffee
"Have your coffee," David insisted.
"No thankyou. I think I better go, but I really am happy for you." Ange said.
"David, please," Tess begged her brother, but David merely put up his hand to silence them both.
"Ange, have your coffee and allow me the rare privilege of finishing what I have to say without interruption from you."
"Its your favourite brew," Ange softly said, handing her sister the coffee again. "Please, try it."
When Ange took the cup from her sister, Tess caressed her sister's hands, just like their mother would do; just like their grandmother would do.
Ange pursed her lips. Her throat constricted. She recognized the discrete caress; remembered it; missed it.
"Enough of your piss-farting around," David announced. "Times are changing. Mum and dad aren't going to pick up after you any longer. Enough of your bullshit and all your excuses. Like I said, the lease on my property my property, remember that - runs out and I'll have four students in there."
"Yes, I've been listening, David," Ange said, using the time to sip her coffee to compose herself.
Tess made herself comfortable beside David, her own coffee in hand.
"No, you haven't been listening. What did I say?"
Ange savoured the coffee. It was her favourite brew. She smiled sweetly at her big sister for remembering after all these years and then eloquently answered her big brother. "Your new tenants will be four students. And like I said, I'm happy for you."
"Don't you want to know where I'm getting the students from?" David baited
Ange almost finished her coffee. "Not particularly."
"Two are exchange students; one from Italy I believe and one from Japan. The third is from our very own bush country and the fourth will be YOU."
Ange looked at her brother, not believing what he was telling her but too scared to say anything in case she actually heard wrong.
"The contract you will sign is all legal and binding. You will return to school to study whatever course your passion drives you to and during that time you can live in my property with the tenants of my choosing. Hopefully I won't have you there for too long before you get your career back on track and buy your own place." David then turned to his twin sister Tess and whispered, "hey, the cakes I brought over earlier, any left?"
...000
[ Text and original characters copyright © 2008 by Teresa Strati ]
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