Paralysis

Chapter Six

  Georgia and Olive stepped inside Georgia's quarters while Olive was left to immediately reminisce in all the memories shared inside between herself and her best friend throughout the years.
"Hey Mamma, I'm home!" Georgia yelled for her mother, then placing her index finger against her own mouth when looking at Olive. She had assumed that Georgia wanted to surprise her mother.
"Hi, min underbara dotter." Georgia's mother stated from the distance; her slight Swedish accent and language rolling through as she spoke. The closer that Georgia and Olive approached the kitchen, the more delicious it began to smell. Georgia walked into her bedroom just near the front door. She carelessly tossed her backpack on her bed as Olive followed behind. She set her backpack next to Georgia's, then laid her cello case on it's back, at length in the middle of the bed.
"I'm cooking your favorite for dinner. Your dad's going to be working late again." Georgia's mother informed. Georgia went limp for a second and leaned her head back with frustration.
"Again?" Georgia mentioned, a bit saddened. Olive was scanning through Georgia's room, looking at the new paint and posters on the walls. Over the summer, Georgia had told Olive over the phone that she and her father were giving her room a new color. Olive thought a light grey shade suited Georgia's bedroom perfectly. Olive looked over at Georgia, giving her a dispirited expression. Olive knew how important it was for Georgia to have her parents in her life. She found it quite odd for Georgia not to mention her father not being around lately.
"I know you're upset about it, but he's just working on a long case right now. He wants to be home, but he has to get this done, sötnos." Georgia's mother reassured. Olive glanced back at Georgia, shrugging her shoulders with a minuscule smile as she continued to remain quiet. Olive was more than understanding over the basis of a working parent; especially when that parent was raising children on their own. Georgia pursed her lips as she leaned against her door hinge. She crossed her arms, sighing immensely. Georgia was accepting towards her father's long hours; except, she was becoming more restless as time went on.
"Yeah, I know. But guess who came for a visit?" Georgia brought up, turning to grin at Olive.
"Come on." Georgia whispered to Olive as she gestured for her to follow after her.
"Säg inte att du tog hem en pojke" Georgia's mother spoke, almost shocked. Georgia made an outraged expression.
"No, what the hell?" Georgia replied, then looking over at Olive. Georgia's mother laughed in reply to Georgia's reaction.
"She thought I brought a guy here." Georgia murmured to a puzzled Olive. Olive covered her mouth with the back of her hand to stifle an incoming giggle. Georgia's shoulders jolted up and down, but remained silent over the comedic moment. Georgia headed into the hallway, eventually making her way into the kitchen. She motioned her hand at Olive to follow. Olive complied.
"Who is it, honey?" Georgia's mother asked, curiously. Olive strolled into the kitchen suddenly, catching Georgia's mother off guard.
"Oh my god, Olive! It's so good to see you." Georgia's mother exclaimed happily, walking away from the stove to hug Olive. Olive chuckled in Georgia's mother's arms.
"I know it's been a while, but Georgia and I are always so busy with school and work, it feels like it's been forever since I've been here." Olive mentioned, humming with laughter.
"Well, I'm glad to hear it. I'm guessing you're here for dinner?" Georgia's mother asked, more than happy to serve up a plate for Olive.
"Yes, Georgia invited me." Olive replied. She suddenly frowned, not wanting to cause any unnecessary trouble for Georgia's mom.
"I hope that's okay." Olive continued, raising her brows with worry.
"Of course, Olive. You're part of the family." Georgia's mother insisted, making Olive's heart flutter with flattery. Olive knew she had a special place within Georgia's home, yet she still didn't want to step on anyone's toes.
"It really is so great to see you again," Georgia's mother uttered contentedly, before getting a better look at Olive.
"But, what the hell happened to your face?" Georgia's mother asked worriedly, making Olive fall into a short fit of laughter.
"You sound just like Georgia. I'm fine, I just got into a little fight at school." Olive smiled, not thinking too much of it. Georgia's mom sighed, concerned for Olive.
"A fight? I can only imagine how the other girl looks? The other person was a girl right?" Georgia's mom asked, raising an eyebrow. Olive nodded, surprised that Georgia's mother didn't scold her like she assumed that she would.
"Yeah, but I think every thing was worked out. I apologized in order to squash the entire thing. I don't need to be in a fight every week this close to high school ending." Olive mentioned, causing Georgia to look at her with an analyzing expression.
"Wait, you only mentioned that you made a truce. Apologized for what?" Georgia questioned, shocked at why Olive would feel guilty for something she didn't cause.
"I apologized because for one, I realized I didn't need anymore drama in my life, plus, it wasn't really in my best interest to waste my time with someone who isn't even a good sparring partner." Olive explained, briefly. Georgia nodded with squinted eyes; grasping the reasoning that Olive had for what she had said to Samantha.
"Makes sense to me, I guess." Georgia spoke, then smiled, shrugging her shoulders at Olive.
"That was very good of you, Olive. You're maturing really well." Georgia's mother commended. Olive began to beam in her direction.
"Oh, she hasn't matured." Georgia mentioned sarcastically, knocking herself into the side of Olive's arm playfully. Olive teasingly smiled at Georgia, rolling her eyes in the process.
"God, you ruin everything." Olive responded in a jest. She grinned mischievously over the discussion.
"You girls are the same as always. Of course, I mean that in a good way." Georgia's mom added, praising both Georgia and Olive for their amusing personalities.
"I don't know if that really is a good thing." Olive admitted, chuckling to herself. Olive theorized that the only way for her to get where she needed to in life, she would need to change herself in some way—big or small would be sufficient enough for her.
"She has a point, but it's not like we'd be much different anyways. It's only been a few months since Olive has seen you." Georgia reassured. She could easily spot the worry painted across Olive's face.
"Our profanity changed a lot in that short amount of time." Olive continued, wanting to change the subject as quickly as she could. Georgia caught on to how coltish Olive had become, so she decided to go along with what she wanted.
"Hell yeah it did." Georgia exclaimed, revealing a side smirk in Olive's direction.
"Hey, I'm right here. You don't have to yell," Georgia's mother mentioned, softly chuckling.
"I can only imagine how vulgar it's become as well." Georgia's mom went on, waiting for a response from the two girls. Olive and Georgia looked at each other, then nodded enthusiastically. They both grinned confidently, causing Georgia's mother to roll her eyes teasingly.
"Jesus, you girls are going to be the death of me." Georgia's mother joked, stirring the food on the stove. She laughed while Olive and Georgia became creased up.
"We could be pregnant or selling drugs, so I'd be grateful." Georgia replied, playfully tittering on. Georgia's mother only continued laughing in response. Her laughter sounded sarcastic, making Georgia cackle, unable to contain her reaction over her mother's retort.
"Fuck that, could you imagine being pregnant at our age? I'd never be able to do that." Georgia exclaimed. Olive covered her mouth with a balled up fist, realizing what Georgia had stated in front of her own mom. Georgia gave a nervous expression in anticipation of what her mother would say.
"Hey, I don't mind most curse words but that's off limits in this house." Georgia's mother pointed her wooden spoon at Georgia. Georgia placed her hands up in the air, jutting out her bottom lip over her top, indicating that she was completely guiltless.
"Unless you and Pappa are the ones saying it." Georgia added, grinning at her mother. She relaxed her arms, crossing them against her chest.
"You're damn fucking right." Georgia's mother replied. Olive's cheeks puffed outward before she let her contained cackling be released. Olive balled up her fist to cover her mouth as she caught her breath. Georgia, while especially Olive, were not expecting that kind of response.
"This is a dictatorship." Georgia complained, ironically towards her mother. Georgia's mother scoffed in response as she continued to prepare dinner.
"Mmh, that reminds me, how do you become a dictator?" Olive inserted corny witticism to the topic, having faith that Georgia would catch on.
"Fail art school." Georgia answered with a groan, making Olive chuckle almost silently.
"God, you are so cheesy." Georgia proceeded. Though, she and her mother laughed along at the joke.
"Shitty puns and dad jokes are the only thing you're getting out of me, so get used to it." Olive had given Georgia a side eyed visage, in a wise-cracking manner.