Back at the Stafford hotel the next morning, Ariana was paying for the Grande's stay and her brother watched over her shoulder as she conducted her business.
"All set, where's Avia?" she asked Frankie who was straightening his collar.
"I just called, she's on her way down," he said in a muffled voice as he continued trying to straighten his collar.
"Okay, so I'll uh... send Avia back to you over Christmas." Jai said as he and Luke joined Ariana and Frankie at the front desk. Miley and Zac were a few feet away having their own private goodbyes.. with their tongues.
"And I'll see that Avia spends Easter with you." Ariana nodded and put on a brave face despite the crestfallen looks of the other three adults with her. The elevator dinged and Jai and Ariana looked on as the twins approached both wearing the same blouses - one in pink, one in orange. Their hair was done the same exact way, both wearing pink and orange head bands.
"Avia, what are you doing in those clothes we've got a plane to catch?" Ariana said with a small amused smile and a raised eyebrow at her daughter's outfit.
"Here's the deal Mom, we thought it over and decided that we're being totally jipped."
"Dad promised that we're gonna go on a camping trip. And we wanna go, together."
"What camping trip?" Jai frowned at them.
"The one we go on every summer before school starts."
"Avia, this is ridiculous. Go on upstairs and put your clothes on." Ariana said sternly but the two girls stubbornly stood their ground.
"Are you sure I'm Avia?"
"Well of course I'm sure!" Ariana exclaimed becoming irritated. She liked to think she knew her own daughter.
"But its kinda hard being one hundred percent positive, isn't it?"
"Girls, this is totally un-funny. You're going to make us all miss our flights." Jai joined in with his own stern voice and both twins smiled at each other.
"Avia!" Ariana exclaimed in irritation.
"Yes?" the twins answered together with identical mischievous smiles.
Jai put his hands on his knees and bent in level with the girls. He looked at each of them carefully as if studying an experiment.
"This one's Emmi," he said triumphantly pointing at one of the girls with a knowing smile, "I'm positive."
"Oh I hope you're right Dad, because you wouldn't wanna send the wrong kid all the way back to New York."
"Would you?" the twins smiled mischievously at their confused parents.
Miley couldn't help but giggle, making the twin girls turn and smile at her, and Ariana send her a dirty look, basically saying, 'Don't encourage them.' She immediately stopped and shoved her hair in her mouth to stop from laughing at her confused friends.
Jai stood back up with a look that told the beginnings of a migraine.
"Here's our proposition:" one of the twins stepped up and looked at her sister as she cleared her throat, motioning her over before looking back at her parents. "we go back to dads house, pack our stuff and the eight of us go camping."
"The eight of us?" Ariana exclaimed as if it was the most preposterous thing she'd heard.
"And when you bring us back, we'll tell you who's Emmi - and who's Avia."
"Or... You do as we say and I take one of you back with me to New York whether you like or not." Ariana said knowing deep in her heart, that she and Jai lost the battle.
JxA
"And what am I supposed to do for three days? Sit home and knit!?"
Meredith yanked off her sunglasses as she heard a plane fly by overhead and watched Jai and Luke pack a jeep with bags and other items. Zac and Miley decided not to go for.. Personal reasons.
"Honey, we're kinda in a sticky situation." Jai tried to explain as Meredith's eyes widened to popping point as the words ran through her head.
"Sticky situation?!" she repeated as Ariana and Frankie approached the two. Ariana was in a denim shirt over a pair of dark jeans and hiking boots while Meredith was wearing another ill-colored dress. Frankie was in a hot pink tank top that matched his hot-pink hair tips and khaki shorts with hiking boots.
"Excuse me, what is she doing here?" Meredith snapped quietly as she looked at Ariana who was carrying a backpack and ignoring her.
"See that's the part of the deal... the six of us.. we go together." Jai smiled sheepishly jamming his hands into his pockets. Frankie chuckled and shoved his own backpack into the car and got in.
"What are you suddenly the Brady Bunch?! This is ridic-" Meredith cried out.
"Hello," Ariana greeted her cheerily, "Are you alright?"
"Well, no, as a matter of fact, it isn't. I didn't realize you were going on this little outing and to tell you the truth, I'm not so sure I am okay with it." Meredith said not daring to look at Ariana.
"I agree. The ex-wife in the next sleeping bag is a little weird..." Ariana nodded.
"Thank you," her rival smiled but was stopped cold when Ariana said,
"I absolutely insist that you come with us."
Both Jai and Meredith and even Luke gave her incredulous looks.
"Ari..." Jai said with a chuckle, knowing that whatever Ariana was planning - it won't really end up well.
"No, honestly, Jai I've messed up your entire week and this is the least I can do, really, please." Ariana said with her puppy dog look that Meredith didn't notice. But Luke did. And he snickered to himself as he climbed into the car beside Frankie.
A little while later, Jai was strapping another set of bags as Meredith came out wearing tight black work-out gear. She haughtily walked to the jeep calculating every step to show Ariana what 'sexy' really meant.
"Dad, what's Meredith doing here?" Emmi asked with a scowl when she saw her approaching the car.
"Your mother... invited her." Jai explained exasperatedly.
"What?!" Avia cried out and scowled too, just like her twin.
"Be," Jai looked at Avia, "Nice," he said and looked at Emmi before climbing in the front seat of the jeep.
The twins exchanged looks and an eye roll as Emmi sighed and climbed into the car.
"Ok, all set? Have fun everyone." Ariana said with a smile as Jai and Luke looked at her shocked, Meredith smiled smugly and the twins looked at each other both shocked. Frankie wasn't even surprised. He knew his sister so well.
"Ari, what're you doing?" Jai asked knowing that somewhere, somehow, a plan was brewing in his ex-wife's head. Although her conniving ways were a big part of why he fell in love with her.
"I really think you and Meredith need some time alone before the big day," she explained.
"Mom! Come on, that's not the plan." Avia protested from the backseat, her eyes expressing the panic she was feeling deep down in her stomach.
"Honestly, you'll have much more fun without me." Ariana smiled and Meredith suddenly felt all panicky - much like Avia, while Emmi was just plain angry.
"Look, if you're not going... I don't have to go... Trust me, I'm not exactly a big nature girl," she said with a high pitched nervous laugh.
"But this'll be your chance to really get to know the girls... Starting next week, they're half yours." Ariana said sweetly and smiled at Meredith who could only smile back as Luke snorted in the backseat. Jai gave Ariana a mysterious grin as the twins sighed and sat down behind their uncles.
"Have fun all of you!" Ariana called out to the jeep and Miley went up beside her.
"Oh I would pay big money to see that woman climb a mountain," she said and shook her head as Ariana laughed beside her.
"So, you and my brother, huh?" Ariana teased as she threw her arm around her and the two went back inside the house.
Miley blushed and ducked her head as a huge smile graced her lips. "He's amazing. Perfect. He is literally everything I've ever wanted in a guy." She breathed out, her face taking on a dreamy look.
Ariana studied Miley's face closely, noticing the far off look in her eyes, the smile that wouldn't leave her lips, and the glow that radiated off her. She slowly grinned. "Oh my God. You love him."
Miley's eyes widened and she looked at her, a deeper blush covering her cheeks. "W-what? No, I don't, I--"
"Oh relax. Zac is literally in Miley-world right now. You're all he thinks about. He even told Frankie he was positive you were the one." Ariana quipped, sitting in one of the lounge chairs in the living room.
Miley took in a sharp in take of breath at the revelation and she plopped herself down on the coffee table in front of Ariana, looking at her seriously. "He said that? Do not play with my emotions, Ari."
Ariana smiled and she leaned forward, dropping her voice to a whisper so if Zac was around, he wouldn't hear her. "He's thinking about moving here to Melbourne."
"Oh my God." An even bigger smile appeared on Miley's face and she quickly covered it, trying to not to show how giddy she was.
"So.. You do love him?"
"I do. I totally and completely do."
"I knew it."