The Unknown

Disagreement

Mike's pov

As I'm heading to the girls' room, I can hear Julie and Stacey arguing all the way from the other end of the hallway. This is at least the fourth time this week I've witnessed a heated exchange between the two cousins. Since their door is ajar, I knock once while simultaneously pushing it open and entering their room.

"What's going on in here? I could hear the two of you shouting from the other end of the hall."

Julie and Stacey stop yelling and just glare at each other. It's obvious from their red faces and labored breathing that they've been arguing for quite awhile already.

"You've been sniping at each other all week. What exactly is the problem between the two of you?" I ask, with an unmistakably severe tone while standing with my hands on my hips, looking each of them in the eyes, expectantly awaiting their response.

"Nothing," Julie says angrily, turning away from me.

I look to Stacey and she responds, "Yeah, it's no big deal. Don't worry about it. "

"I think the two of you misunderstood me. That was not a suggestion, it was a demand. So let me make myself perfectly clear. I want to know what the two of you have been fighting about all week and I want to know NOW!" I've had enough of their bickering and my irritation with the two cousins is starting to show.

Julie just sighs in exasperation, rolls her eyes, and continues to avoid looking directly at me.

"Whatever," Stacey says snottily, arms crossed.

"THAT'S IT! THE TWO OF YOU COME WITH ME!" I shout, having now lost my patience. I grab each of them by the arm and haul them all the way to the conference room, ignoring their whining and complaining along the way. I pull them into the room, let go of their arms, and slam the door shut. The cousins continue to glare at each other, refusing to tell me what their disagreement is about. I give them each a harsh slap on their bottoms and bark, "SIT DOWN!"

Somewhat reluctantly, but afraid to test me further, the girls each take a seat.

"Neither one of you is going to leave this room until two out of three things happen." I narrow my eyes and look at them coldly, ensuring I have their undivided attention before continuing. Stacey and Julie finally look at me, motivated by a mixture of fear and curiosity.

"ONE, you explain to me what you've been arguing about all week. TWO, you resolve the issues through calm rational discussion, compromise, and understanding. THREE, I return in an hour, remove my belt, and give the two of you a reason to forget about your issues by taking away your ability to sit for a week."

The girls' jaws drop upon hearing option number three.

"The choice is yours, ladies. I'll be back in exactly one hour." I leave them to ponder their options, closing the door rather forcefully on my way out.

Stacey's pov

"Why does Mike have to make such a big deal out of everything?" I ask.

"Yeah I know, he always blows everything out of proportion," Julie responds.

"So what are we going to tell him when he comes back and wants to know what we've been arguing about?"

"Well, we can't tell him the truth, that's for sure," Julie says chuckling.

"Yeah, can you imagine what he would do if he knew?"

"Unfortunately yes I can imagine, and it would look a lot like option number three," Julie says, shuddering at the thought.

"Ya know, maybe for once we should just come clean and be honest," I say, trying to keep a straight face but I bust out laughing along with my cousin.

She sarcastically says, "Yeah right, that sounds like us." After a few moments of awkward silence she says, "Seriously though, cuz, you have to make a decision."