Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.
So as the LJ cut text says, this is a peek into Margaret's family life minus her parents. Enjoy!
The smell of lasagna was permeating through the apartment and Eric was finding it hard to not begin snacking on a banana to stave off the hunger pains. He cast a look towards the kitchen and Margaret started laughing at him.
“It’ll be done by the time Janel gets home.” Margaret added a touch more vinaigrette to the salad and began to toss it.
“It was a long day in court.” Eric replied back as he stood up and walked the five feet from the place where the TV was to the kitchen counter.
“So did you manage to get a conviction?” His sister asked then swatted his hand away from the salad bowl.
“I don’t know. We’re going to Wyoming tomorrow and Elbe and I won’t know until we get back.”
“Don’t you FBI types have to stay for an entire trial?”
“Normally yes. But when your boss’ boss’ boss calls, that changes things.”
“So what’s in Wyoming besides space?” Margaret returned back to the salad bowl.
Eric’s voice sharpened. “You know I can’t tell you.”
“I know that - but seriously, what’s in Wyoming?”
“When I find out, I’ll tell you.” The door to the apartment unlocked and Janel’s face snuck in.
“Guess who I found wandering outside.” There was an excited look on her face. Eric and Margaret looked at each other then back at their sister.
“What?” Margaret asked. Janel popped into the apartment and closed the door, her back against the door.
“I said guess.” Janel replied.
“Umm…Ioan Gruffudd.”
“Angelina Jolie.”
“You two are horrible guessers.” Janel’s face fell a little bit. “And Harriet’s going to find out that you have a crush on Angelina Jolie.”
“Oh, Harriet knows.” Margaret jumped in. “It’s the only way she’s allowed to crush on Jonathan Rhys Meyers.” Eric shot his youngest sister a look.
“You should have picked a shrew for your wife if you didn’t want her to talk to your sisters.” Margaret resisted the impulse to stick out her tongue.
“This is who I found outside.” Janel opened the door with a flourish.
“Trevor!” Margaret clasped her hands in surprise, still holding the salad tongs.
“Eric.” Trevor walked into the apartment and the two brothers grasped each in a quick, tight hug. “What the hell are you doing here? I thought just Janel and Margaret were going to be here.”
“Court case came up.” Eric explained as Trevor walked over to Margaret.
“Margaret.” Trevor stated, his voice low.
“Trevor.” Margaret’s voice went cool as she stepped out from behind the counter.
“Fatter.”
“Uglier.”
“Think they can talk in complete sentences to each other?” Janel asked Eric. Eric shook his head as Margaret leaped into Trevor’s arms.
“Oh my god, I missed you.” Margaret said after Trevor released her. “Forget Eric, what are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be viewing colleges.”
“One of the universities I’m looking at had an open house that finished early. I thought I could drive here and annoy you and Janel.”
“Just for that, no dessert.” Janel said; putting the brown bag she had been carrying in the fridge.
“What am I? Eight? You can’t take away my dessert.”
“Wanna bet?”
It was rare for the Washington-Bedingfield siblings to be in the same state - with Eric in Virginia, Janel in New York City, Margaret where she was, and Trevor roaming the country - it was even more rare for them to be in the same state at the same time. They took advantage of this time to sit down and discuss in person - not online or over the phone - what was going on in their lives. Margaret told them that she was still job hunting. Janel told them about her day - how she had to chase down a naked, bleeding eighty-year-old man who was utterly convinced that his bed was going to eat him.* Eric regaled them of a time that his partner and he were chasing down a suspect and Elbe ended up in a large pile of manure. Trevor informed them of how to take better care of their teeth.
Trevor’s instructions had his sisters throwing wadded up napkins at him.
*True facts! This is actually taken from two different instances. One of my friends is a RN at a NYC hospital who had to chase down the man. When I first started working at the nursing home I currently work at, we had a resident who was convinced that her bed was going to eat her.