Odie's POV
Matt rubbed circles onto the back of my hand with his thumb as Phea came and sat opposite us. She looked dubious.
"Whatever I did, I didn't do it," she stated placing her hands on the dining table.
"I'm sorry Phee. This is really hard for me to do, but Matt and I have agreed that it's about time for you to move out," I sighed biting on my lower lip.
"You're kicking me out?" she frowned scrunching up her nose and crossing her arms.
I looked at Matt who kept a stern expression on his face.
"Yes. You have lived with us for a year now, and you don't seem to be trying to look for a place to live, or trying to get a job, so we found you a job, and now you just need to find somewhere to live," I elaborated.
"What's the job?" she hissed scrunching her nose up further.
"Matt has kindly offered you a job as his secretary. Well with some persuasion, it was a very kind offer, and you will be paid well enough to rent a reasonable apartment. We looked through the newspapers and circled some potential places that would be in your price range," I smiled softly using the hand that wasn't in Matt's to slide the papers across the table.
She rolled her eyes causing Matt to clench his jaw. It was clear her time here was getting on his nerves, not that I enjoyed it much more than he did, but she was my sister so, I felt responsible to take care of her when she needed it- which seemed like all the time.
Opening the papers she looked over the pages before dropping them back onto the table.
"Was this his idea?" she asked.
"It was a mutual decision. You are twenty-five Phea, if I am capable of getting a job and having a roof over my head, you can do it too."
"Well not all of us can snag ourselves a lawyer to pay all of the bills," she smirked.
"Granted Matt does pay for a lot, seen as he earns the most money. But I have a job, well most of that money goes towards paying for my student loans. At least I went to university and med school, and now I am working, rather than sitting on the couch binge watching Netflix," I frowned, "but think about it Phee, you'll be working in a law firm, lawyers everywhere, try to snag one."
I could see Matt frowning at me for my comment but his lips twitched making it clear he wanted to smile also, just didn't want to seem like his opinions were swaying on this matter.
She chuckled softly, "fine I'll work in a stupid law firm."
"Great. Do you have a preference on an apartment, or shall I just phone them all and pick one for you?"
She rolled her eyes once again, "Pick one for me, you always have the best judgement," she stared straight at Matt before standing up from the table.
Phea pushed her chair in letting it screech against the laminate flooring as she pushed it under the table. She stomped as she left the room, probably going to sulk in her room.
Sometimes I wondered how we were twins, she was stuck being an adolescent, not growing older or gaining any maturity. She had never really held down a job, she had never stuck to a relationship, and she had never actually had a home to live in, as she jumped from my spare room, to a spare room at our parents' house to one of her friend's sofas.
We were complete opposites when it came to that. Granted work wasn't easy to get as a med student but at least I was starting the building blocks of becoming successful. I had been with Matt for five years and we were now engaged, and we owned our own house.
Most people blamed nature and nurture for how people became who they were, but we had basically the same genetics, and we were brought up spending very few moments away from one another. I just didn't understand how we could be so different.
"I know that look Odie," Matt frowned.
"What look?" I questioned furrowing my eyebrows turning to him.
He chuckled, "the look of guilt. You had it when you forgot your brother at the supermarket. You also had it when you broke the window. It's not your fault darling, Alice needs to learn to stand on her own two feet. Think of it as tough love."
He smiled softly wrapping an arm around me and kissing my temple.
"It wasn't my fault he walked off and I got distracted and forgot I took him with me to the shops. And... I have no excuse for the window other than tripping and going through it, which really hurt. I just don't want Phea to hate me. We are twins and even though I want to ring her neck most of the time, I want her to not see me as a nagging mother, but her sister that cares about her," I sighed.
Matt turned me to peck my lips, "she will always love you sweetheart, she's just bitter as she realises that you are right."
I smiled to him opening up the paper and looking at the ads I had circled for Phea. To be honest I didn't know which would be the most suitable for her but I picked the first one, standing from the table walking outside to dial the number.
Putting the phone to my ear I waited for someone to answer.
"Hello," A male voice responded.
"Hi, I'm phoning about the advert in the newspaper, are you still looking for someone to be your roommate?" I questioned.
"Um... yeah. Are you interested?" He asked.
"Well I'm not, but my sister is, I'm just phoning on her behalf."
I could hear voices on the other end of the phone but I couldn't hear anything specific being said.
"What does she do for a job?"
"She works in a law firm. She is perfectly capable to pay the rent and won't be a problem at all to live with, she just needs a place to live," I explained.
"Is it okay for a trial period, she can live here for a week, free of charge, we can see if we would work as roommates, then we can agree whether it will be long term?" he asked.
"Sure, that'll be great. I promise you, she will not let you down. When can she move in?"
"Tomorrow, if that's okay?"
"Of course, she will be there in the morning thank you."
We said goodbye before I smiled to myself hanging up the phone and going back into my home. Matt turned to me with a smile.
"So?"
"They said yes. Well yes to a week's trial, but she can move in tomorrow, and I'm sure she can't screw this up in a week, and she will have a permanent home to live in," I grinned.
"Well that's good, you should tell her," he smiled standing up and kissing me, "And no Odette, you aren't driving her there and checking out the place first."
I pouted, "How did you know I was thinking that?"
"I must be psychic," he chuckled, "or it could be that I've been living with you for years and you are easy to read."
"Most likely the latter," I smiled.
"Probably, but being psychic would be a more interesting explanation," he shrugged.
I laughed softy before making my way upstairs to our spare room, which had become Phea's bedroom over the last year. The door was wide open and Phea was throwing garments of clothing into her suitcase.
"You have a place to live. Well you have a trial week there starting tomorrow, but I'm sure it'll be a permanent move," I explained.
"Thanks. Bet you're glad to have me out of your hair," she frowned.
I sighed sitting down on her bed.
"It's not like that Phea. I love you, but you need to get your own place, I've started my own life now, and you need to do the same. We're not kids anymore, we don't need to have bunk beds and matching clothing," I smiled softly.
"Yet you still call me Phea. It's Alice now I'm not ten."
"Start acting like it then I'll stop calling you Phea," I shrugged, "You call me Odie, I call you Phea, it's been the same since we were kids, that's one constant that I'm fine with sticking with."
She chuckled, pushing her suitcase back so she could sit next to me on the bed.
"Yeah but you like Odie, I don't like Phea," she pouted, "Can I still visit, or is today the last time I'm allowed to be here?"
"Of course, you are more than welcome to come here. You just need to stand on your own two feet. And anyway, I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't let you come here, as I am going to turn up randomly at your home to annoy the hell out of you, to get revenge for the last year of you living here," I chuckled pulling her into a hug.
"I'm going to regret this aren't I?" She groaned returning the hug.
"Of course."
~*~
Author's Note-
Hello, I hope you like the start of this story. This chapter is dedicated to obsessions- for making the beautiful gifspam of Emmy Rossum (Odie). I'd love to hear what you like about this and your opinions as well as anything you'd like to see.
Thank you.
Charlotte.