Back at the Stafford hotel the next morning, Tori was paying for the Vega's stay and Andre watched over her shoulder as she conducted her business.
"All set, where's Callie?" she asked Andre 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 Lola back to you over Christmas." Jade said as she and Beck joined Tori and Andre at the front desk. Cat and Robbie were a few feet away having their own private goodbyes.
"And I'll see that Callie spends Easter with you." Tori nodded and put on a brave face despite the crestfallen looks of the other three adults with her. The elevator dinged and Jai and Tori 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.
"Callie, what are you doing in those clothes we've got a plane to catch?" Tori 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."
"Momma promised that we're gonna go on a camping trip. And we wanna go, together."
"What camping trip?" Jade frowned at them.
"The one we go on every summer before school starts."
"Callie, this is ridiculous. Go on upstairs and put your clothes on." Tori said sternly but the two girls stubbornly stood their ground.
"Are you sure I'm Callie?"
"Well of course I'm sure!" Tori 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." Jade joined in with her own stern voice and both twins smiled at each other.
"Callie!" Tori exclaimed in irritation.
"Yes?" the twins answered together with identical mischievous smiles.
Jade put her hands on her knees and bent in level with the girls. She looked at each of them carefully as if studying an experiment.
"This one's Lola," she said triumphantly pointing at one of the girls with a knowing smile, "I'm positive."
"Oh I hope you're right Momma, 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.
Cat couldn't help but giggle, making the twin girls turn and smile at her, and Tori 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.
Jade 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 mothers. "we go back to Momma's house, pack our stuff and the eight of us go camping."
"The eight of us?" Tori exclaimed as if it was the most preposterous thing she'd heard.
"And when you bring us back, we'll tell you who's Lola - and who's Callie."
"Or... You do as we say and I take one of you back with me to New York whether you like or not." Tori said knowing deep in her heart, that she and Jade lost the battle.
JxT
"And what am I supposed to do for three days? Sit home and knit!?"
Nina yanked off her sunglasses as she heard a plane fly by overhead and watched Beck and Andre pack a jeep with bags and other items. Robbie and Cat decided not to go.
"Honey, we're kinda in a sticky situation." Jade tried to explain as Nina's eyes widened to popping point as the words ran through her head.
"Sticky situation?!" she repeated as Tori approached the two. Tori was in a denim shirt over a pair of dark jeans and hiking boots while Nina was wearing another ill-colored dress.
"Excuse me, what is she doing here?" Nina snapped quietly as she looked at Tori who was carrying a backpack and ignoring her.
"See that's the part of the deal... the six of us.. we go together." Jade smiled sheepishly jamming her hands into her pockets.
"What are you suddenly the Brady Bunch?! This is ridic-" Nina cried out.
"Hello," Tori greeted her cheerily, "Is everything 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." Nina said not daring to look at Tori.
"I agree. The ex-wife in the next sleeping bag is a little weird..." Tori nodded.
"Thank you," her rival smiled but was stopped cold when Tori said,
"I absolutely insist that you come with us."
Both Jade and Nina and even Andre and Beck gave her incredulous looks.
"Tor..." Jade said with a raised eyebrow, knowing that whatever Tori was planning - it won't really end up well.
"No, honestly, Jade I've messed up your entire week and this is the least I can do, really, please." Tori said with her puppy dog look that Nina didn't notice. But Beck did. And he snickered to himself as he climbed into the car beside Andre.
A little while later, Jade was strapping another set of bags as Nina came out wearing tight black work-out gear. She haughtily walked to the jeep calculating every step to show Tori what 'sexy' really meant.
"Momma, what's Nina doing here?" Lola asked with a scowl when she saw her approaching the car.
"Your mother... invited her." Jade explained exasperatedly.
"What?!" Callie cried out and scowled too, just like her twin.
"Be," Jade looked at Callie, "Nice," she said and looked at Lola before climbing in the front seat of the jeep.
The twins exchanged looks and an eye roll as Lola sighed and climbed into the car.
"Ok, all set? Have fun everyone." Tori said with a smile as Jade and Beck looked at her shocked, Nina smiled smugly and the twins looked at each other both shocked. Andre wasn't even surprised. He knew his best friend so well.
"Tor, what're you doing?" Jade asked knowing that somewhere, somehow, a plan was brewing in her ex-wife's head.
"I really think you and Nina need some time alone before the big day," she explained.
"Mom! Come on, that's not the plan." Callie 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." Tori smiled and Nina suddenly felt all panicky - much like Callie, while Lola 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." Tori said sweetly and smiled at Nina who could only smile back as Andre snorted in the backseat. Jade gave Tori a mysterious grin as the twins sighed and sat down behind their uncles.
"Have fun all of you!" Tori called out to the jeep and Cat came up beside her.
"Oh I would pay big money to see that woman climb a mountain," she said and shook her head as Tori laughed beside her and threw an arm around her shoulders.
"God I missed you!" The half Latina exclaimed as Cat giggled and they turned to head back inside.
