Mullet Man

Meeting the Family

"Hey Stan?"

"Hm?"

"We've been friends fer... like... a month," Bella began. "Right?"

"Yeah..." Stan nodded, looking at her from across the couch. "Why?"

"Do ya... wanna meet my friend?" Bella asked. "Fidds, not Ford, cuz Ford's all the way in... wherever he is."

"Uh, sure. I guess," Stan shrugged.

"It's just- it's odd that, Fidds doesn't know all my friends," Bella explained. "We usually know all'a each other's friends. Ha."

"Wow, you're really close, huh?" Stan asked.

"You bet!" Bella grinned. "We're like siblings at this point. I would say twins... but we're not born on the same day... Also, he's not a Gemini."

"What's a Gemini?" Stan asked.

"It's a zodiac sign, my zodiac sign," Bella informed. "Because I, was born June 11th. My friend Ford is also a Gemini, actually. It's pretty awesome."

"Oh. Cool."

"See the Gemini is the sign'a the twins, which is pretty awesome," Bella continued. "It... basically means two different personality sides. But how cool would it be ta be a Gemini who's a twin? ...Wait... a twin who's a Gemini."

"I... guess that would be kinda cool," Stan mumbled. "I don't see why it's a big deal, though."

"Eh, I dunno," Bella shrugged. "Ah just thought it was kinda cool, cuz Ah've always wanted a twin, personally. The closest Ah've ever come was this girl who was born on the same day of- as me in... like... second grade? Same- we had the same sorta name and everything! The two'a us and this third girl we also hung out with. We were like... best friends, and we had this little theme song."

"Heh, that's kinda cool," Stan chuckled.

"Yeah, the other two girls were Ella and Marcella," Bella chuckled. "And our little song went Ella, Bella, an' Marce-ella! We sung it like all the time."

"What happened to them?" Stan asked. "You said you were best friends. Did you guys, like... fight or something?"

"Nah. Ella moved away in like... fifth grade?" Bella guessed. "Me an' Marcella stopped hanging out then, and... she moved away too. In eighth grade."

"Oh," Stan nodded. "Well you seemed like really close friends."

"We were, but Ah wasn' ah clo- as close to them as Ah was ta Fiddleford," Bella shrugged. "We never hung out out of school. Outside of school."

"Ah."

-----

"Knock knock, dork!" Bella called as she opened the door. "Where are ya?"

"Howdy, Bella," Fiddleford smiled and entered the room. "Ah'm guessin' this is the guy ya met?"

"Yup!" Bella nodded, pulling Stan into the house. "Stan, this is Fiddleford. Fiddleford, Stan."

"Pleasure ta meet ya," Fiddleford grinned, holding out a hand.

"Yeah, you too," Stan agreed, shaking his hand. Fiddleford's eyes studied his face.

"It's uncanny how much ya look like our friend," he spoke. He chuckled lightly. "Pardon."

"It's alright," Stan said. "Bella mentioned it before."

"Well Ah'd invite ya ta meet Elizabeth, but she's out at the moment," Fiddleford said. "Ah could make us some lunch, though. Ya hungry?"

"I could eat," Stan nodded.

"Me too," Bella agreed. Her and Stan sat down at the table as Fiddleford began to cook.

-----

The two of them stayed for lunch and then Bella drove them back to her house.

"So that's your best friend, huh?" Stan asked in the car. "I can see why you two get along so well."

"Heh, well we have known each other, almost our entire lives," Bella chuckled. "We've been with each other fer practically every part- every big part'a our lives. Boyfrien's, girlfrien's, breakups, self discoveries an' stuff. Him an' our other friend, actually-" Bella frowned a little, glancing over at Stan. "Yer not against gay people, right?"

"No."

"Good," Bella grinned. "Fidds and our other friend, Ford, they used to date, actually."

"They did?" Stan's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yup!" Bella giggled. "They were the cutes' couple, too. At least in my opinion. A'course they weren't real, public 'bout their relationship. Ford was- didn' want people ta know he was, gay. Me an' Fidds don' have a problem with people knowin' we're bisexual, but Fidds respected that F-Ff-Ford didn' want anyone ta know."

"Yeah, I get that," Stan said. "Your friend not wanting people to know he's gay. I had a... friend the same way. He didn't want to be bullied for it."

"Ugh, Ah hate that people hate others fer such a dumb reason," Bella huffed. "Ah wish we could all jus'... live an' accept each other."

"Yeah..."