Sister, Sister¹

One-Shot #14: Embarrassment

Time: Oldest twin's are 16

"Dad, I think I'm going to invite Stacy over tomorrow. Can you and mom...not be here?" Christopher asks his dad.

Jackson tilts his head in confusion, setting his cup of coffee down, "Why don't you want your mother and I here when you have a girl over?"

Christopher grimaces, "Nothing like that, dad. It's just...you and mom...are..."

"Are...what?" Jackson asks.

Alexus rolls her eyes, not looking up from her homework, "He's saying you two embarrass him when he has girls over."

"Is this true, Chris?" Jackson turns to his son.

"I love you both, you know this. But whenever I have a girl over, you pull out the baby pictures or talk about every embarrassing thing I've ever said or done," Christopher tells him.

"That's not me. That's your mother," Jackson reminds him.

He sighs, "I know, but if I say mom is the only one who can't be here, she'll give me the guilty mom look and the long birth stories."

Alexus laughs at her twin, "Well, there's a new toy store opening at the mall tomorrow. Mom and dad can take the younglings while I go shopping."

Jackson shakes his head, "And leave Chris here without supervision, absolutely not. If mom and I aren't here, you are."

"Fine," Alexus snarks, "You better date her after wasting an afternoon of mine that could be spent elsewhere."

○○○○

As Ivy gets ready for bed, applying her lotion, Jackson clears his throat, "So, there's a new toy store that we could take the kids to tomorrow."

"Oh, yeah, that'd be fun. Do you think Allie and Chris will join us or are they to old for family fun?"

"Uh, they have a project they're working on tomorrow for school," Jackson lies, not making eye contact with his wife.

Ivy narrows her eyes at Jackson before climbing on the bed towards him, "Jackson, babe?"

He gulps, "Yes, love?"

"What's really happening with the twins tomorrow?"

Jackson clears his throat, looking anywhere but his wife, "Project...for school...like I said?"

Ivy kisses along her husbands throat, "Jackson?" Kiss, "What are you," Kiss, "Hiding?" Kiss.

"Chris is having a girl over and he doesn't want us here because you embarrass him whenever he brings a girl over," Jackson breaks.

"What?!" Ivy sits straight up, "I do not!"

Jackson shakes his head at the sudden change in his wife, "Um, babe, love, sweetheart, you do. Last time he had a girl over, you told them about the time he was sick and peed himself while throwing up."

Ivy tries to explain, "Wh-I-no," She thinks back, "Okay, maybe I do. But I don't have to. I promise I won't embarrass him this time."

"Why don't we just let him have this girl over, Alexus will be here, and we take the kids to that store," Jackson suggests, "He asked us do this for him."

"Fine," Ivy sits back, leaning against the headboard as she crosses her arms.

"This isn't over, is it?"

○○○○

The next morning, Ivy cuts up some fruit for Aria and Adelia for breakfast as she watches Christopher play with his cereal, "So, Chris, I hear you and Alexus are working on a project today. What class?"

"History," Christopher responds, too quickly.

"Hmm," Ivy studies her son, "What's the topic?"

"Civil War, focusing on the involvement of minorities."

Ivy sees Alexus enter the kitchen and decides to test her twins, "Allie, what's this project for school for?"

"Science, we're making a volcano."

Christopher and Jackson wince as they're caught, "Aha! Chris, do I really embarrass you that much that you are getting your sister to lie to me?"

"Mom, I love you, but yes."

"Oh," Ivy nods, looking down, "Okay, then. Come on, girls. Let's get ready to go to the store."

As Ivy takes Aurora, Aria and Adelia out of the kitchen to get ready while Jackson looks to his son, "Chris, I understand where you're coming from, I mean, look at Grandma, however, you just broke your mom's heart. You kids are her entire life."

"I didn't mean to," Christopher says in a small voice, "How do I fix it?"

Jackson shrugs, "I don't know. Try talking with her. She understands not wanting to be embarrassed in front of a girl, but kicking her out of the house without discussion is just rude."

Christopher hangs his head, signaling that he's done with the conversation.

○○○○

Ivy sits on the couch, Adelia in front of her on the floor as Ivy braids her hair. Christopher sits next to Ivy on the couch, "Mom, I love you."

"Adelia, you're all set. Go play while your brother and I talk," Ivy pats her daughters back before she turns to her son, "Chris, I love you too. I don't mean to embarrass you."

"I know you don't and I didn't mean to be so rude earlier. I just...I really like her and that's when you tend to pull out the really embarrassing stories."

"I don't always think of them as embarrassing. Most of them, I think of as cute stories about my baby boy. I share them so they know you're a sweet boy with a big heart. I forget that that's not always popular or cool," Ivy tells him, "I'm sorry. And don't worry, I'll be at the mall all day with your sisters and dad. I promise I'll stay away today."

Christopher shakes his head, "No, mom, it's okay if you come back early and meet Stacy. This might be the only time we hang out but you're the best mom I could ever ask for."

○○○○

AN: I don't know where this idea came from, but here it is. Sometimes inspiration strikes.

Please know that I am always keeping up with the comments on all my stories and am interested in all the ideas!!

QoC: Who do you picture as the face claim for the Shepherd-Avery children? (Garrett, Christopher, Alexus, Aurora, Aria, Adelia)

Thank you for all of the votes and reads and comments!!