(guess who's back with some meghan and riley drama...)
GIRL MEETS HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS [EPISODE 16]
Matthews Apartment, Living Area
Ah, Christmas. Meghan's least favorite holiday. Now don't get her wrong, she loved the family aspect and of course the gift aspect, but she hated how commercialized everything was. It made her want to barf. The brown haired girl stared at the TV with disgust at one of the commercials for Christmas shopping while her twin sister stared in intrigue."Ooh, brown boots?" Meghan rolled her eyes and turned off the tv causing Riley to shout.
"MOM! Meg's doing it again!"
Her mother came around the corner from their room, with a box of ornaments in her hands. Meghan glared at her twin sister and Riley just stuck out her tongue at her.
"Meg, we talked about this...let your sister enjoy the overpriced clothing items please."
Meghan groaned loudly and faceplanted into the couch."You all disgust me." As she pouts, the others work on the christmas tree basically finishing what she started as Riley helps Auggie reach the top to put some ornaments on.
Auggie jumps down and sits on the couch next to Meghan."What's so bad about Christmas?"
Meghan slowly sits up and sighs and places Auggie in her lap."Nothing Auggie, if you love it, I love it too." she tells her little brother with a smile. Auggie stares at her, wondering if she was telling the truth, not seeing her smile falter he nods his head and jumps down.
"Honey, this is our first year hosting the holidays." She heard her mother in the background say."Is your mom gonna go easy on me?"
"Ha! Grandma, going easy on you?! What a joke!" Meghan shouts out. While usually super quiet, Christmas always made her go crazy. Riley rolled her eyes.
"What she said," Her father pointed.
Riley moved away from the Christmas tree."Well, it's Maya's first time with us, and I need the holiday to go good for her."
"Well, I need the holiday to be good for your mother." Their dad countered as well.
"Liar!"
"Liar!" Corey agreed with a chuckle and Meghan just knew it was coming."I need the holiday to be good for Shawn. Shawn's coming!" Meghan's eyes light up with excitement at the mention of her favorite honorary uncle. I mean, it's been practically years since she saw him, but that didn't make her love him less. He was so cool, at least, that's what she always thought when she was younger.
The intercom buzzes and Corey rushes over, ready to hug his best friend."Shawn?!" He says excitedly.
"Maya!"
"Shawn?!"
"Aw, what's the matter?" Maya asks."Your boyfriend's not here yet?"
"He's not my boyfriend!" He yells.
"Oh, then what are we going to do with this 'Cory and Shawn 4-evah!' Ornament?" Topanga asks with a raised eyebrow, pulling out the ornament. Meghan raises her eyebrows in confusion.
"Aw, you guys made an ornament together?" She asks.
"Yeah, we did," Her dad giggles and takes the ornament."That goes right in front of the Cory and Topanga wedding ornament." He placed it.
Confused, both Riley and Meghan looked towards their mom who at this point is used to it. She sighs and nodded."My whole life." Meghan can feel her pain."Meghan, wanna help with dinner?"
"No." She says flatly and her mother gives her a look. She pauses and grabs Auggie's hand."Auggie said he would do it for me! That's why I said no, haha!" Auggie furrows an eyebrow but goes over to their mother anyway, unsure if he really did agree.
"I don't even think he exists." Maya comes through the door and to the couch next to Meghan and Maya gives her a stunned expression. Meghan already knows what this is about and stops her.
"Don't even think about saying it..."
"But you look adorable!"
Riley comes over and smugly smiles at her sister."Doesn't she?
"Haha, you guys can stop now," Meghan mumbles. Maya and Riley laugh with each other. Of course they were talking about her two little pigtails that made her look like a twelve year old. Meghan shuffles to take out the ponytails when her mother wasn't working.
She sighed in relief that she got them out.
"He's real, Maya. I've known the guy my whole life, and he's real." Her father responds, getting all riled up over Maya's simple tricks.
"You're fun to play with." Maya says."Riley, Meg, I got you guys a present."
Riley looks at the letter and reads it."A donation's been made in your names to the Maya new winter coat fund." She shows off the jacket and Meghan nods at it.
"Beautiful." She gives her a kiss which Maya jokingly catches.
"So, what's the deal on the mysterious Uncle Shawn?"
"I don't see him a lot." Riley starts off. "I don't think he likes me."
"Riley.."
"How could someone not like you?" Maya says confused.
"Ask him and let me know." Riley replies.
"I'm sure he likes you, Riley. He likes me, why wouldn't be like you?"
Riley shrugs once again."I don't know. You're Meghan. Everyone likes you. Even if they don't admit it." Meghan rolls her eyes, here we go again. Riley, of course, was jealous of the relationship she had with Uncle Shawn. It wasn't her fault she saw him more.
"Everyone doesn't like me..." Meghan rebutted.
"Uh huh, okay."
The intercom buzzes once again. Corey rushes over again."Shawn!" Dad calls.
Grandpa's voice comes through, "No, it's your parents."
"Rats!" He exclaims.
"Let me explain how a speaker box works..." he starts through the intercom. Grandma's voice comes through."These holidays are important to me, Alan. How much of a fiasco do you think it's gonna be?" Grandpa Alan speaks again."Let me explain how a speaker box works."
"Hideous already."
"How about I throw this pot at you?!" She yells from the kitchen, pot in hand ready to do it. Meghan's eyes widen and she knows that isn't good.
Her dad caresses the 'Cory and Shawn 4-evah!' ornament."They don't think you're real, but I know you are." He says like a baby. Then wham, there's goes the pot straight at her dad but he manages to catch it."She tried to hurt you, Shawn." Maya stares at him weirdly.
Matthews Apartment, Living Area
"Grandpa! Grandma!" The doorbell rings and Auggie and Meghan go over to the door and open it to see their grandparents.
"Hello." They both smile at their grandchildren."Here's 10 bucks. Write me better."
"Okay." Auggie says pocketing the 10 bucks.
"Here's cookies." Grandma Amy says and gives Auggie a cookie.
"Thanks." Auggie tells her."Here's 10 bucks." And somehow they end up with the 10 bucks again.
"And... that's how you do that." Grandma Amy says and stuffs the dollars back into her purse.
"Meghan, Riley, Maya!" Grandpa Alan exclaims, embracing the girls.
"Yay!" The three of them exclaims, hugging him back.
Grandpa chuckles weakly as he places his coat down."Ah, wow! Look at all these kids." He says and looks at each of them."It wasn't that long ago I had kids around the house."
As if on que, Uncle Josh comes in and tosses Grandpa Alan the car keys."Yeah, it was just this morning, wasn't it, Dad?"
"Oh, yeah yeah, you." Grandpa Alan deadpans.
"Boing!" A huge smile comes onto Maya's face at the image of Josh. Meghan raises an eyebrow at the newest infatuation with their uncle."Not Boing, that's our Uncle Josh," Meghan and Josh finally meet eyes."Sweet, I would be your aunt." Maya adds.
"Meg!"
Josh holds out his arms for her and Meghan smiles and runs into them. He twirls her around, and Meghan laughs gently as she's set back down on the floor.
"Wow, you've grown alot!" He enthuses and ruffles her brown hair.
"Joshie!"
Meghan's eyes widened and she runs out of the way, just in enough time on the couch, as Auggie runs to Uncle Josh.
"Auggie! Come here!" He winks towards Meghan who just shrugs, and picks up Auggie, putting him on his shoulder.
"Ah. I love it up here!" Auggie says with a huge smile up here.
"My brotha'." Uncle Josh greets their dad.
"My brotha'." Dad says in return."How's it possible we're brothers?"
"Because..." Uncle Josh starts, before yelling in Grandpa Alan's face,"It's a surprise!"
"Stop doing that." Grandpa Alan yells.
"Aw, dad, so proud of himself. He gets into movies for like a quarter."
Riley chuckles before getting up, "Uncle Josh."
"Riley." Uncle Josh greets as they embrace.
"Uncle Josh." Maya goes over to hug him.
"Uh... I'm not your Uncle, Maya."
"Even better." She says with a smile.
"Um... " Riley gets up and pulls Maya off of Josh.
"It's... it's been awhile." Uncle Josh stutters.
"Sure has."
"Well... boy, you grew up gorgeous." Uncle Josh says to them, and Meghan's raises an eyebrow, knowing Maya is happy with this compliment. Riley shakes her head over and over."You're not going to be our aunt."
Maya starts singing and tuning them out.
"She's going to our aunt." Meghan says with a sour tune that makes Maya even start dancing. Uncle Josh walks inside of the kitchen, placing Auggie down from his shoulders.
"Happy holidays, Dad." Meghan turns to see their dad and their grandpa sitting down on the couch."I'm glad you could make it."
Grandpa smiles, "Aw, thank you, Cory." He embraces him into a hug.
"Happy holidays, Dad. I'm glad you could make it." Auggie tells their father, snuggling up close next to him.
Dad laughs, "Well, thank you, Auggie."
Meghan jumps down as small chatter continues and stands up next to Uncle Josh, eating from the platter when she hears the door close and fingers on her shoulders. She turns her head and sees Uncle Shawn. She smiles and accepts the small hug as he quietly walks towards the seat next to Auggie.
"Gee, Cor, I thought you'd be more excited to see me."
Their dad gasps in shock before grabbing him into a hug and nearly killing Auggie who struggles to leave from his seat in between them."Yay!" He yellls in pure ecstasy."Ha! I told you he was real!" He yells to Maya. Auggie struggles for breath as he escapes."I'm alive," he exclaims and Topanga smiles to her son and holds her arms out to him and he runs over to her.
"So, that's us, huh?" Maya asks Riley.
"So I've been told." Riley replies.
Meghan just watches, wondering what's going to happen next. Uncle Josh and Shawn has conversation and Uncle Shawn goes to everyone and hugs them and then Riley and Maya stand up."Hi, Uncle Shawn." she greets him.
Uncle Shawn looks over at her and Maya,"Yeah... hey, kids." He doesn't even give them a hug or anything, he just slightly nods his head and walks off to be with their dad again. Riley looks over to Meghan who just shakes her head.
"Yeah. Hey, kids." Maya mimics quietly.
"It's getting better. Last time it was just..." Riley tells him.
"Maybe he's just not a big talker." Maya tries to reassure.
"Cor, time to talk. We got a lot to catch up on." Uncle Shawn tells Dad.
I toss a piece of bread at Uncle Shawn. He looks over at me in surprise, "Don't I get a hug?" I ask him.
Uncle Shawn smiles and comes over to pick me up, "I thought I told you the next time I see you you should be three again."
"Well we both didn't get what we wished for this Christmas." I told him, pulling hard on the baby hairs on the back of his head, as punishment for being rude to Riley and Maya.
Uncle Shawn flinches and puts me down, he looks over at Amelia and smiles, " Hello Amy." he looks over at Maximo and glares. "Aren't the two of you a little to close to each other?" he asks gesturing to the distance between me and Max.
"So that's your Dad's me?" Maya asks Riley.
"Uh-huh." Riley replies.
"We're them?" Maya asks.
"Uh-huh." Riley replies again.
"I don't see it." Maya tells Riley.
And on the other side, their asking the same thing..
"So that's Riley's me?" Uncle Shawn asks their father.
"Uh-huh." Their father answers.
"They're us?" Uncle Shawn asks.
"Uh-huh." Dad answers again.
"I don't see it." Uncle Shawn tells Dad.
Topanga shares a look with her daughter, knowing that she feels left out. Topanga puts down the food in her hand and walks next to her daughter who watches the scene. She nudges her shoulder."And you're the 'me' of the group, I suppose," Meghan smiles, and nods her head.
"I'm used to it, it's okay," she mumbles and Topanga knows she's just saying that but nods her head. Of course her best friend Natalia had to go to California for Christmas. One of the reasons they were so close was because growing up, sometimes she would feel excluded from Maya and Riley and Natalia was always there.
"Hey, Shawn, come on. Why don't you move back to the city?" Their father asks Uncle Shawn. "The apartment above us is for rent."
"Cor, this is real life, not a TV show." Uncle Shawn jokes."I'm not your wacky neighbor."
"But you could be. It's the Cory and Shawn show." He starts to sing."Cory and Shawn in the b-i-g city, and nobody talks but them, I'll be a cop and you run the deli, and nobody talks but them!"
Their father as a cop would be horrid.
Maya stands up from her seat and right in front of their father and Shawn. "I wanna talk to you."
"Did you not just hear our song?" Their father asks her.
"What's that?" Uncle Shawn asks.
"That's Maya." He whispers."She thinks she's tough."
Maya doesn't take that well and flares straight at him."Scram." He just nods his head obediently and moves away from them and leaving an open space for Maya.
"She's like 13," Meghan mumbles towards her father and he just sadly nods and fake cries into her shoulder. Meghan consoles her child father.
"heard stories about you." Maya talks to Uncle Shawn."You're great in the stories. I don't see it yet."
Uncle Shawn sighs, "Okay."
"Riley and I are the best friends on this planet." Maya tells him. Meghan sucks in her cheeks as she watches the scene. She slowly moves her dad away from her and stands.
"Well, that's cute. 'Cause Cory and I are the best friends in all of existence. Which includes your little crummy planet." Uncle Shawn explains to her.
"Cory and I finish each other's..." Uncle Shawn starts. Their father runs over and scoots next to him."Sentences!"
"Yeah? That all you do?" Maya asks them with a raise of an eyebrow.
"Because Maya..." Riley slides in next to her.
"And I.." Maya continues.
"Can read.." Riley says.
"Each other's..." Maya says.
"Minds." Riley finishes, making sure to add in that extra umph. Meghan chuckles and shakes her head, she doesn't stick around to hear the rest of the conversation. She gets up and leaves, Topanga furrows her eyebrows at her daughters disappearance but see the door to Riley and Meghan's room open and then suddenly close.
"Why do you make Riley feel bad?" Maya asks him.
Uncle Shawn looks at her in surprise, "I don't mean to."
"Well, you do." Maya tells him."And that's not cool with me. 'Cause I'm her best friend. So I just wanted to tell you that." She walks away with Riley.
"Hey." Uncle Shawn calls out to her, Maya turns around to meet his eyes. The man finishes,"Maybe you are like me and Cory." The two turn around and they continue. Uncle Josh watches curiously and then he walks over to the two girls. He taps Maya's shoulder who turns around with the same heart eyes.
"You just asked Shawn why do you make Riley feel bad, yeah?"
"Yeah? You were paying attention to me, how cute," Maya cooed.
Uncle Josh sighed and rolled his eyes at her, although he wouldn't admit it was sweet.
"No, but that's not my point. You asked Shawn that but you couldn't even see who you were hurting in the moment."
Maya furrows her eyebrows in confusion."What?"
Sometimes, sometimes Meghan thought she was a side character in her own life. I mean it made it no better that everyone acted like it too. Maybe, she didn't just hate Christmas for the commercialization but because every Christmas she felt even more alone than one was suppose to on Christmas. Meghan sat down at the bay window, drawing an array of beautiful flowers.
"That's pretty," she jumped at the sudden voice and instantly looked towards the open window.
He stared at her like she was the only star in the sky.
"What are you doing here?" She asks, looking back down at her sketchbook. The boy sighed and fit his body through the window, ending up next to her.
"What are you doing here? You were going nonstop on about how you were going to be able to see your family and your Uncle Shawn. But you're in your room? I know you hate Christmas, but you love your family, Meg.."
God, she hated how he could just read her.
The girl sighs and shakes her head, never looking up to see his eyes."Just leave me alone." Cold, closed off, this side of her he hated. Her hands are furiously drawing, and he sees the way her hands shake and her face becomes even more frustrated as she messes up her picture."Why...why can't I get this right?!" She says exasperated and throws the sketchbook down in frustration.
"Meghan. Look at me."
For the first time she actually does.
She looks up and she sees the softness and welcoming in his eyes, and it makes her break down. Tears flow down her cheeks and it breaks his heart. But he just reaches forward and wipes them away with his thumb."What's wrong?" He asks her again, holding onto her hand supportively. She just shakes her head, trying to stop crying anyway she can, she shouldn't be crying right now, she knows that.
Jealously? Is that what she felt? She wasn't so sure.
"I'm always...I don't know, Farkle. Everyone always forgets me. It's like I don't exist to them. She says all this, but she doesn't always understand." Farkle doesn't say anything for a while, he just nods his head as he listens."I feel like she just will never understand. She instead says, oh everyone likes you Meg, she just doesn't get it."
"You know why your my favorite twin, other than your gorgeous eyes?"
She sniffles and shakes her head.
"Of course, I love Riley, but you always understand her. You're always there for her. Meg, honestly, you're the most selfless person I've ever known. She asks, why does everyone like you? How could they not? I mean...look at you. You're beautiful, you're funny, you're honest, you're responsible, you're always there for your friends...how could someone not like you?"
There's something in the way he looks at her that just makes everything alright.
"You...you mean that?"
"When have I ever lied when it came to you?"
Presents were being opened and passed around. Meghan was still nowhere in sight and it was painfully obvious to everyone but Riley.
"Topanga. We had an amazing childhood together." He talks to her."But it's over now. It's better now. This family you've given me... Topanga, it's everything."
"Am I everything to you?" She asks him.
"My whole life." Dad replies with the most warm smile on his face.
"Aw, Cory. There is no greater gift than hearing you say that." She tells him. "What else could you have possibly gotten me?"
"A massage at the spa and gift certificates for going out to dinner all next week." Dad tells her, holding out his presents.
"Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme." She says taking the present from him, she was heaven at this.
"So, what did you get me?" Grandma asks Grandpa.
"Same thing!" Grandpa says tossing the present he had over his shoulder.
Cory takes a seat next to Grandpa," Good husband, good father... Good son. Good for you." Grandpa tells Dad.
"Thanks, Dad." Corey says."had you at your best."
Uncle Shawn comes up behind them, "No. No, I have him at his best." Uncle Shawn tells them. Their father and Grandpa chuckle. "Surprise."
Maya hates that she did and she hates that it took her too long to figure it out. But even when she was sitting with Shawn, even when Riley got that new camera from him, it didn't make complete sense to her. But it did when Shawn hands her the new sketchbook he had gotten for Meghan and tells her to give it to her and she's feels like the biggest idiot in the world."I have to go.."
"Maya?"
She leaves out of the bakery and to the Matthew's residence with Riley right on her tail. When she ends up in Riley and Meghan's room, she hates the sight she sees. Meghan looks up from spot on the ground, sketchbook in hand. She gives Maya, a half effort smile, before looking back down again.
"How was the holidays?"
Guilt is on her tongue as she walks over and takes a seat next to her.
"It would've been better with you." She says honestly and Meghan just laughs, like she doesn't believe it.
"Eh, seems like you guys had a good time regardless."
The feeling doesn't go away as she stares at her. It was just increases until it's unbearable.
"I love you and I'm so sorry that I've been so forgetful. I don't know what type of friend I've been-"
"It's fine. I'm used to it." Meghan cuts her off with a small smile, that's full of hurt but content and Maya cannot believe what's she's hearing but she doesn't have the time to say anything else when they're interrupted by a familiar face at the hinge of the door.
"Oh...you guys are doing something without me? Really? Unbelievable."
Maya watches as Meghan's face falters and the smile leaves her face at the words that leave Riley's mouth. Maya turns to her other best friend and shakes her head."It's nothing like that, Riles."
"No but it is. You guys are always doing stuff like this. Do you ever think of me?"
"What?" Riley's jumps as she suddenly hears Meghan's voice. The girl stands up, and grabs her stuff."What is wrong with you...do you ever see anyone but yourself? You can enjoy this space by yourself because I'm not staying here anymore. You can have it. The bay window, everything. I'm not going to sleep with someone who can't even acknowledge their own sister."
"Meg, what are you talking about?"
Meghan just laughs and shakes her head.
"Don't talk to me."
Riley watches, confused, as Meghan leaves out of the room and to the living room. She looks to Maya who just sighs.
"I'm gonna go home. Bye, Riles," there's something odd about the way Maya doesn't hug her, she just leaves out of the room and it leaves many thoughts in her head. She looks around the room at the wall and walked over to her side of the room and noticed the small art murals Meghan had painted all the years she hadn't noticed. She remembers hearing for the first time Meghan could actually draw.
What else did she not know about her sister?
Did she just not pay enough attention to find out? Or did Meghan really hide these things from her?
It frustrated her that she didn't know, even if she wanted to, she didn't know the answers she seeks.