roommates

"God..." Penelope gritted. "This isn't.." She hated to say it as she found Rachel staring at her from Elliot's bedroom door. "About me, is it?" She couldn't believe she said that. Now she sounded as if  she might be wanted from the police or something. Something exciting and tragic. As if she alone could cause friction of some kind between Elliot and Sam.

"Oh, it could be anything." Rachel smiled. "Don't worry about it. They fuss about everything. Don't let it bother you. You'll get used to it."

"What are we talking about here?" Penelope wasn't sure what Rachel meant. "They actually fight?"

Rachel really laughed then. "No. They just think they know best for one another, but they haven't a clue what to do. They don't know. That's where we have to use reverse psychology and leave TO DO LISTs on the fridge, or they'd freak'n let the place go to bed bugs and other scary critters. Kyle was the only one who actually picked up after himself."

"I'm kind of worried about this." Penelope let slip. "I'm not really good with relationships. And honestly, I was hoping to talk myself out of this..and then I got to talking to, well, he's not really my Dad, but close enough. And he's all..oh give it a chance. You might never know what your missing..Now here I am. Here I am." She looked around Elliot's room.

"I'm kind of glad you're here." Rachel told her. "I don't know what you did to Elliot, but he doesn't seem so stressed."

"Thanks," Penelope guessed.

"I'll make some lemonade. It won't be so bad. The four of us and a baby." Rachel went to the kitchen. "Oh, and there's Jasper, too."

"Right, you guys have a dog." Penelope gritted. She'd never lived with a dog, either.