Paralysis

Chapter Thirteen

"Ooh, looking forward to the hot gossip." Georgia added, jolting her eyebrows up and down in a joking matter. Olive guffawed.
"Yeah, it's pretty steamy." Olive rolled her eyes with a smile, hugging Georgia.
"Georgia, how come you never come to visit anymore?" Micah questioned, looking up at Georgia, his eyes resembling that of a lost puppy.
"Well, your sister and I both have jobs and school, so it keeps us really busy. I'll try to visit on the weekends more often if I can." Georgia explained, giving Micah a tight embrace.
"You better." Micah demanded playfully. Georgia giggled, her entertained grin went ear to ear.
"It's nice to see you." Georgia declared, ruffling Micah's hair. He beamed up at her, nodding his head with agreement.
"So, how's life?" Georgia asked Micah, sitting at the end of the couch. Micah followed suit, right after Georgia. He slumped in a corner of the cushions, elongating his legs for comfort. Olive remained where she stood, bringing her arms above her head with clasped fingers to ensure a deep stretch.
"It's really boring. Olive is never home anymore, so I have to watch all my movies by myself after my homework is done." Micah complained, pursing his lips to the side for protest. Olive puffed out her cheeks at her adolescent brother.
"Maybe we should consider shrinking you down and sticking you in her pocket to take you everywhere she goes." Georgia joked, making Olive laugh out of utter confusion.
"That's not a thing." Micah proclaimed. Georgia and Olive laughed loudly in response to Micah's response as he crossed his arms.
"I thought I heard gremlins in my household." Olive's mother spoke after she walked out of her bedroom.
"Good morning other mother." Georgia happily spoke. She then proceeded to stick her hands up in the air.
"I swear, I'm sick. I would never ditch school just to hang out with your angelic daughter and adorable son." Georgia fake coughed just like Olive had earlier. Olive's mother laughed as Olive and Micah watched on, giggling over the ordeal.
"You and Olive are exactly alike. She did the same thing to me earlier this morning."
"That's why we're best friends." Georgia stated, followed by an infectious smile.
"How have you been, honey?" Olive's mother asked.
"Eh, pretty decent. Working, studying. Same old, same old. How about you? Olive tells me you found a new job that pays really well." Georgia smiled, interested in hearing more about her best friend's family.
"Yes actually, the schedule takes some getting used to, but it helps pay the bills. I'm glad you're doing well. You and Olive need to stop growing up so fast." Olive's mother mentioned. Olive looked down at the floor, moderately grinning.
"You sound like my mom." Georgia bantered on, making Olive and her mother chuckle. Micah only listened in, amused at how serenely radiant everyone was. The house hadn't been as lively in such a long time, causing Micah to become elated.
"Don't all good mothers sound the same?" Olive's mother mentioned. Georgia nodded in a fast pace. Olive's mother walked into the kitchen and started to pull out ingredients for breakfast.
"How's school been?" Georgia asked, turning back toward Micah. Micah shrugged, not interested in explaining what was clearly bugging him. Olive looked at him nervously.
"What happened?" Olive asked, sitting next to Micah on the couch. Micah looked at Olive.
"Are there kids bullying you? Did you fail a test or something?" Georgia asked.
"No, neither of those. I just get so bored." Micah explained. Olive sighed, letting go of her sisterly worry.
"I thought it was something else." Olive admitted, holding her hand against her chest, grateful that her brother wasn't a victim of bullying.
"But if anyone at school is giving you a hard time, you tell Olive to call me and I'll spit on them." Georgia joked. Micah giggled. Olive released a shocked, breathy laugh. Her mouth was agape, eyebrows furrowed in disbelief of the commentary Georgia had gifted.
"Oh my god, Georgia." Olive responded, laughing loudly and covering her mouth.
"What?" Georgia asked, turning toward Olive with a confused expression.
"I'm pretty sure spitting on people is a crime." Olive stated, not wanting Georgia to give Micah any ideas that would get in major trouble.
"Whatever, I said what I said." Georgia rolled her eyes sarcastically. Olive shook her head.
"I can't really expect anything more from you, though." Olive added in order to push Georgia's buttons.
"That's mean." Georgia proclaimed, pursing her lips.
"Cry me a river." Olive stuck her tongue out at Georgia.
"But I don't like Justin Timberlake's music." Georgia jabbed sarcastically. Olive erupted with defiant chortling at Georgia's quick response.
"Oh my god, shut up." Olive jokingly widened her eyes as the shocked giggling proceeded. Georgia laughed along, amused by the riveting feedback she was receiving.
"We don't need the cable anymore, Georgia can move in and this will be our entertainment." Olive's mother brought up, causing the other three to titter along with her comment.
"I'm down, I'll start moving my stuff in today." Georgia joked. Olive was a bit worried that Micah may get his hopes up, but she knew he was old enough to identify sarcasm when he heard it.
"Since I'm already here, why don't we watch a movie with Micah?" Georgia insisted, bringing Micah into an overjoyed state. Instead of speaking, Micah scooted off the couch and ran to his bedroom. Olive and Georgia made the assumption that he was simply grabbing his movies.
"Which ones?" Micah asked after bringing out five movies. Olive and Georgia looked down at the options they were given and then looked up at each other, smirking.
"Why not all?" Olive shrugged. Micah shot his head back at Olive, wide eyed. Olive laughed in return, nodding at Micah. Micah immediately opened up a DVD case and put the disc into the DVD player. He quickly sat down on the couch directly in the middle of Olive and Georgia. Olive and Georgia hummed in elation at each other, sitting closer to Micah as they all enjoyed the movie. Olive overheard her mother on the phone with the high school. She locked eyes with Georgia, who was grinning mischievously. Olive pressed her lips together to stifle her laughter as she continued to listen in to her mother's phone conversation.
"Yes, she's not feeling all that well Mr. Welsh. It seems to be a minor flu so Olive will hopefully be back at school tomorrow." Olive's mother stated over the phone to Olive's principal. Her mother turned in the direction of Georgia and Olive, who were both peeking over the couch to listen. Olive's mother mouthed the words 'shame on you' while looking at Olive. Olive snickered.
"Yes, I will. Thank you so much. Have a great day Mr. Welsh." Olive's mother ended the phone call and sighed.
"Well?" Olive questioned, sitting up straight. Her mother glared lightheartedly at Olive with half lidded. Olive's cheeks extended outward, holding back a heavy laugh.
"Your principal said that he hopes you start feeling better soon." Olive's mother rolled her eyes, shaking her head humorously at Olive. Georgia and Olive glanced at each other once more before letting out their hysterics.
"You two, I swear." Olive's mother chuckled as she attended to breakfast.
"Thank you, Ma. I really do appreciate that. It won't become a habit, I promise." Olive assured her mother.
"I know, you're always focused on school more than anything." Olive's mother reiterated the trust she had in her daughter, despite her skipping school for the day.