The Ghost and the McGee Twins

The Best of Nin-tensions

I was in the living room doing some reading while Mom was tending the plants. What can I say? I love me some juicy lore. All of a sudden, Molly stopped in with a question I've been wondering about as well. "Hey, Mom. You know how Grandma Nin is always saying she wants to visit?" Molly asked. "I was wondering about that myself." I added. "Did she say that?" Mom asked. "Okay, so she may have dropped some hints." "Mom, the plant is getting too much water." I warned. "Well, good news, I picked up on each and every one of those hints and... get excited... I invited Grandma Nin for a visit!" Molly exclaimed, causing Mom to drop her watering can. "You did wha..." Mom trailed off as the doorbell rang. "She's here!" Molly gasped. "Nin-coming!" Darryl, Scratch, and I shouted, running towards the door, causing Dad to lose his balance. "Sorry, Dad!" I apologized. "Nin's coming?" Dad asked. "She's here." Mom muttered. Molly answered the door. "Sawadee ka, Grandma Nin." Molly, Darryl, and I greeted. "Molly! Amber! Darryl! I have presents!" Grandma Nin announced, handing us each a gift. "Ooh, my favorite." Molly said. "You're here! You and your snacks are finally here!" Scratch exclaimed, pushing us out of the way. "Khanom Buang for my favorite ghost!" Grandma Nin explains, showing Scratch a plate of her snacks, which he ate immediately. "She's my favorite family member." Scratch admitted. "Sorry, Molly, but it's time you knew." "Kinda figured that already, Scratch." I said. "Nin! So good to see you." Dad bowed to her. "Peter, for you, I have a very special Thai fruit." Grandma Nin offered, giving Dad a huge spiky durian. "Oh, it's a durian." I said. "Oh. Wow. A durian, you say?" Dad wondered. "Thank you so much. I'll just..." Dad tried to eat the durian without cracking it open. "You have to open it first." Grandma Nin reminded him. "I know!" Dad replied with his mouth full, taking the durian out. "I was just... showing Darryl how not to eat it." "Seemed obvious, but okay." Darryl commented. "Come on, son, let's go crack this bad boy open." Dad said, taking Darryl into the kitchen. "Now." Mom glared at Grandma Nin. "What? He'll love it!" Grandma Nin defended herself. "Sawadee ka, Khun Mae." Mom greeted. "I have no present for you, Sharon." Grandma Nin said. "I spent enough money on your art degree." "Didn't take long for that to come up." Mom mumbled. "Do you guys need professional help?" I asked. "Look at this! My Mom! My Mom's Mom! My sister! All under the same roof!" Molly exclaimed, bringing me, Mom, and Grandma Nin into a hug. "Breathing the same air!" "Eating the same snacks." Scratch added. "Aren't you excited?" Molly asked. "So excited! I'm very, very, very excited!" Mom exclaimed in a high pitched voice. I could tell something was up between her and Grandma Nin. "Amber, Scratch, do you sense something wrong between Mom and Grandma Nin?" Molly asked. "Yup." I replied. "Nope!" Scratch said at the same time while eating. "When do you have to go sell pork?" Grandma Nin asked, walking upstairs with Mom, who carried her luggage. "I've explained this before Mom." Mom grunted. "I'm a Gig-Pig. Pork is not involved. Usually." "Ah, you're both overreacting." Scratch replied to Molly. "You know, not everything has to be fluffy ponies and rainbows all the time." "One, hard disagree." Molly said. "And two, if Mom and Grandma Nin are distant now, they might grow even further apart. Then Grandma Nin may never come visit again!" "I mean, I guess I could see your point there." I commented. "And I'll never taste her Nin-credible snacks again!" Scratch gasped, shaking both of us. "Molly! Amber! We have to get to the bottom of this problem! For Mom, for Grandma Nin, most of all, for me!" "Let go of me, Scratch!" I demanded.

Walking into the kitchen, there was a peculiar smell coming from the durian that Dad and Darryl cracked open. "Ugh! It smells like rotten eggs and burnt rubber!" Dad exclaimed in disgust. "Hey, Dad. What's going on with..." Molly wondered, smelling the durian. "Whoa! Sweet baby corn, what died in here?!" "Hey, that's offensive." Scratch explains before smelling the same thing. "But not as offensive as that! Ugh!" "It's the durian brought me to... eat." Dad replied, gagging. "Ooh, you got the durian open? Save me some, will ya?" I asked. "Oh. Well, anyway, what's going on with Mom and Grandma Nin?" Molly asked. "I'm sensing... tension." All of a sudden, we could hear thunder in the house for some reason. "Molly, we do not speak of..." Dad explained as thunder was heard again. "The Tensions!" Then, the lights began flickering and the dishes were shaking. "That's... odd." Scratch commented. "Trust me, Molly." Dad continues. "Just pretend everything is normal, and happy and cozy. Then pray you don't get burned in the inevitable scorched Earth brouhaha between Mom and Nin! Such is the way with... The Tensions!" "Cool, good talk... Dad." Molly said, looking concerned. "We're gonna... go now." "Yeah, we got something to do back here." Scratch added. "Later, Dad." I waved.