Categories > Games > Sonic the Hedgehog > Grown Apart
Sonic hit the stop button on their recording system. “Done.” He said. “That should cover your hiatus.”
Manic yawned. “Great.”
Sonic leaned back in his seat. “I think our music and podcast career is doing well enough for you to quit the locksmith job.”
“I’m trying to get my family a house.” Manic said. “We’re already kinda cramped as it is with us, Surge, and Sal. It’s gonna be crazy when my twins are born.”
Manic’s phone chimed.
Manic picked it up and read the message. “Oh, thanks, Sonia.” He said sarcastically. “I actually have a great job and can provide for my family.”
Sonic looked at Manic. “I thought you didn’t tell her.”
“Ma told her because she’s so excited to be a grandma.” Manic replied. He leaned on the desk. “I would get a house already, but I don’t want to dip into my emergency fund.”
“I don’t blame you.” Sonic said. “You really need the emergency fund with twins on the way.”
Manic nodded.
Sonic handed Manic his water bottle. “Are you nervous?”
“About being a dad?” Manic asked. “No, it’s just getting the money for things they’ll need and finding a good house.”
“Our album and tv appearance will come out soon.” Sonic replied. “Even while you’re out, you’re getting paid for the podcast.”
“Thanks.” Manic said.
Surge came out of hers and Manic’s room. “Your ma may call.”
“What?” Manic asked.
“I sent a bunch of angry texts to your obnoxious sister.” Surge replied. She handed Manic her phone, then sat down on the couch.
Manic furrowed his brow. “This is just the menu for the burger place.”
“Switch tabs.” Surge replied.
Manic got up and walked over to Surge. He sat down beside her. “You’re craving a burger, aren’t you?”
Surge leaned against Manic. “And fries.”
Manic chuckled. “You earned it, Babe.” He said, rubbing her belly.
Sonic swiveled his chair to face Manic and Surge. “I’ll get her food so you can spend time with her.” He said. “Just order online, I’ll pick it up.”
Manic switched tabs back. “You already added it to the cart.” He said. “Anything for me?”
“Yeah, the quesadilla burger and nacho fries.” Surge replied.
Manic ordered the food. “Alright, it’s ordered.” He said. “Thanks, bro.”
Sonic got up and started stretching.
Manic checked the texts. “Whoa… babe, that is… I don’t blame you, but I’ve never seen this side of you.” He said. “It’s actually pretty cute.”
“What did she say?” Sonic asked.
Manic handed Sonic the phone. “Read it yourself.”
Sonic read the message, then laughed. “Wow, I’m impressed, Surge.” He said, handing the phone back. “Okay, I’ll be right back with your food.”
Sonic walked to the door, opened it, then raced out.
Manic’s phone chimed. He pulled the phone out of his hoodie pocket and checked his phone. “Sweet!”
“What?” Surge asked.
“Uncle Chuck said he and Ma would like this duplex and we can have his house.” Manic said, grinning. He hugged Surge. “The babies must be excited too. They’re kicking me like crazy.”
Surge huffed. “Oh, you’re getting kicked?”
Manic let go of Surge. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He said. “I know you deal with it every day. You’ve got two weeks.”
Surge sighed. “I know; I know.”
Manic’s phone chimed again. “She should’ve sent that to Sonic.” He said. “Ma’s giving her house to Sonic and Sally.”
*
Manic moved the last of the boxes into Uncle Chuck’s old home. “Thanks, Unc.” He said. “This means a lot to me.”
“Thanks for putting in a good word with your landlord.” Uncle Chuck replied. “Have you spoken to Sonia in a while?”
“No, not since Surge chewed her out on the text.” Manic said, getting bottles of water out of the fridge. He handed Uncle Chuck one of the bottles.
“Neither have I.” Uncle Chuck replied. “She quit speaking to me because I defended you and Sonic when you all were sixteen. You two boys have a great chance of being famous.”
“Thanks.” Manic said, hugging Uncle Chuck. “It means a lot to us.”
“Just don’t forget your favorite uncle when you get famous.” Uncle Chuck replied.
“We won’t.” Manic said. “You always supported us and it meant a lot to us. You were like a dad to us.”
Uncle Chuck took a sip of water. “Thanks, Manic.” He replied. “I’m just sorry your dad didn’t get to see you grow up.”
Manic dipped his chin to his chest.
Uncle Chuck touched Manic’s shoulder. “He’d be proud of you.”
“Thanks, Unc.” Manic said.
*
Sonic helped Aleena move her things into his and Manic’s old duplex. “This worked out well.” He said. “We needed houses, you and Unc needed a smaller place. It was perfect.”
Aleena nodded. “Are you sure you’re doing well?”
“Yes, Mom.” Sonic said, setting a box down. “Our album is number one on the charts.”
Aleena hugged Sonic. “That’s great, sweetie.”
“Thanks and please don’t call me that again.” Sonic said. “Why are you always asking Manic and me those questions? I never heard you ask Sonia that.”
Aleena bit her lip. “Well, Sonia said-”
Sonic scoffed. “You actually listen to her about us?” He asked. “She bullies us. She sent Manic and Surge messages to criticize them for having kids.”
“She was just concerned, that’s all.” Aleena replied.
Sonic rolled his eyes. “I read the texts; it sure didn’t sound like it.”
“I know, but I’m saying she’s barely talking to me.” Aleena said.
“Because she’s a snob.” Sonic replied. “I can’t believe Shadow’s putting up with her.”
“Okay, so she was a bit harsh with you and Manic.” Aleena said. “But could you be the bigger hedgehog?”
“I am, Mom.” Sonic replied. “But I’m not pretending like there isn’t a problem. We’re just gonna go back and forth about this and I’d rather not do that.”
“Me either.” Aleena agreed.
Manic yawned. “Great.”
Sonic leaned back in his seat. “I think our music and podcast career is doing well enough for you to quit the locksmith job.”
“I’m trying to get my family a house.” Manic said. “We’re already kinda cramped as it is with us, Surge, and Sal. It’s gonna be crazy when my twins are born.”
Manic’s phone chimed.
Manic picked it up and read the message. “Oh, thanks, Sonia.” He said sarcastically. “I actually have a great job and can provide for my family.”
Sonic looked at Manic. “I thought you didn’t tell her.”
“Ma told her because she’s so excited to be a grandma.” Manic replied. He leaned on the desk. “I would get a house already, but I don’t want to dip into my emergency fund.”
“I don’t blame you.” Sonic said. “You really need the emergency fund with twins on the way.”
Manic nodded.
Sonic handed Manic his water bottle. “Are you nervous?”
“About being a dad?” Manic asked. “No, it’s just getting the money for things they’ll need and finding a good house.”
“Our album and tv appearance will come out soon.” Sonic replied. “Even while you’re out, you’re getting paid for the podcast.”
“Thanks.” Manic said.
Surge came out of hers and Manic’s room. “Your ma may call.”
“What?” Manic asked.
“I sent a bunch of angry texts to your obnoxious sister.” Surge replied. She handed Manic her phone, then sat down on the couch.
Manic furrowed his brow. “This is just the menu for the burger place.”
“Switch tabs.” Surge replied.
Manic got up and walked over to Surge. He sat down beside her. “You’re craving a burger, aren’t you?”
Surge leaned against Manic. “And fries.”
Manic chuckled. “You earned it, Babe.” He said, rubbing her belly.
Sonic swiveled his chair to face Manic and Surge. “I’ll get her food so you can spend time with her.” He said. “Just order online, I’ll pick it up.”
Manic switched tabs back. “You already added it to the cart.” He said. “Anything for me?”
“Yeah, the quesadilla burger and nacho fries.” Surge replied.
Manic ordered the food. “Alright, it’s ordered.” He said. “Thanks, bro.”
Sonic got up and started stretching.
Manic checked the texts. “Whoa… babe, that is… I don’t blame you, but I’ve never seen this side of you.” He said. “It’s actually pretty cute.”
“What did she say?” Sonic asked.
Manic handed Sonic the phone. “Read it yourself.”
Sonic read the message, then laughed. “Wow, I’m impressed, Surge.” He said, handing the phone back. “Okay, I’ll be right back with your food.”
Sonic walked to the door, opened it, then raced out.
Manic’s phone chimed. He pulled the phone out of his hoodie pocket and checked his phone. “Sweet!”
“What?” Surge asked.
“Uncle Chuck said he and Ma would like this duplex and we can have his house.” Manic said, grinning. He hugged Surge. “The babies must be excited too. They’re kicking me like crazy.”
Surge huffed. “Oh, you’re getting kicked?”
Manic let go of Surge. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He said. “I know you deal with it every day. You’ve got two weeks.”
Surge sighed. “I know; I know.”
Manic’s phone chimed again. “She should’ve sent that to Sonic.” He said. “Ma’s giving her house to Sonic and Sally.”
*
Manic moved the last of the boxes into Uncle Chuck’s old home. “Thanks, Unc.” He said. “This means a lot to me.”
“Thanks for putting in a good word with your landlord.” Uncle Chuck replied. “Have you spoken to Sonia in a while?”
“No, not since Surge chewed her out on the text.” Manic said, getting bottles of water out of the fridge. He handed Uncle Chuck one of the bottles.
“Neither have I.” Uncle Chuck replied. “She quit speaking to me because I defended you and Sonic when you all were sixteen. You two boys have a great chance of being famous.”
“Thanks.” Manic said, hugging Uncle Chuck. “It means a lot to us.”
“Just don’t forget your favorite uncle when you get famous.” Uncle Chuck replied.
“We won’t.” Manic said. “You always supported us and it meant a lot to us. You were like a dad to us.”
Uncle Chuck took a sip of water. “Thanks, Manic.” He replied. “I’m just sorry your dad didn’t get to see you grow up.”
Manic dipped his chin to his chest.
Uncle Chuck touched Manic’s shoulder. “He’d be proud of you.”
“Thanks, Unc.” Manic said.
*
Sonic helped Aleena move her things into his and Manic’s old duplex. “This worked out well.” He said. “We needed houses, you and Unc needed a smaller place. It was perfect.”
Aleena nodded. “Are you sure you’re doing well?”
“Yes, Mom.” Sonic said, setting a box down. “Our album is number one on the charts.”
Aleena hugged Sonic. “That’s great, sweetie.”
“Thanks and please don’t call me that again.” Sonic said. “Why are you always asking Manic and me those questions? I never heard you ask Sonia that.”
Aleena bit her lip. “Well, Sonia said-”
Sonic scoffed. “You actually listen to her about us?” He asked. “She bullies us. She sent Manic and Surge messages to criticize them for having kids.”
“She was just concerned, that’s all.” Aleena replied.
Sonic rolled his eyes. “I read the texts; it sure didn’t sound like it.”
“I know, but I’m saying she’s barely talking to me.” Aleena said.
“Because she’s a snob.” Sonic replied. “I can’t believe Shadow’s putting up with her.”
“Okay, so she was a bit harsh with you and Manic.” Aleena said. “But could you be the bigger hedgehog?”
“I am, Mom.” Sonic replied. “But I’m not pretending like there isn’t a problem. We’re just gonna go back and forth about this and I’d rather not do that.”
“Me either.” Aleena agreed.
Sign up to rate and review this story