"Are you serious?" Rob exclaimed at the same time as his brother. Since being joined together, this was the first time they were of the same mind. He had enough 'quality time' with his brother. "We're coming with you!" Rob insisted. "The sooner I can get away from him, the better."
Maddie simply shrugged her shoulders and gave Rob and his brother a knowing look. He knew that his girlfriend was essentially saying, 'If you insist, then come on.' She turned around, heading towards the front door. Her car keys were already in her hand.
Rob took a step to follow his girlfriend, but quickly felt off-balanced. Walking in their conjoined body was a strange sensation as it was. Whenever he took a step, it was as if he was floating in mid air since he had no sensation of his brother's half of their body. But this time, Rob felt himself leaning dangerously towards the left. He spread his arm, the only arm he controlled, out wide to help stabilize them and quickly placed his foot on the ground. The effort was too late though. He and Brendan toppled over, knocking heads. Even though Rob and his brother wanted to be apart as soon as possible, moving together anywhere was a terribly slow, difficult process.
Maddie paused in the doorway, having seen them stumble. "Maybe it is best for you guys to stay here. I'll be back soon, don't you worry."
Rob knew Maddie well. Given her tone, he figured that, unlike what she had stated, Maddie would be taking her time to get there and back. She was probably more likely to stop for lunch or coffee before retrieving the bracelet. "Babe, I have a cycling class soon." He checked his watch to confirm the time. "Its like in an hour. You have to hurry back. I can't be late, and I can't go to the gym with my brother stuck to me." Rob pleaded. He was a fitness instructor at the local gym. He enjoyed the job because he was essentially paid to work out, and because he was not shy in showing off his body to the women who signed up.
"Wait... you're running the cycling class?" Brendan questioned.
Rob nodded. "Yeah... Why?"
Brendan rubbed his forehead as if trying to get rid of a headache. "I signed up for that class as a participant. I didn't know you'd be running it; the trainer wasn't listed."
"That is perfect timing." Maddie clapped her hands together. "I can drop you boys off at the gym; its on the way to my apartment. Then, neither of you would be late for the class."
"No way!" Rob yelled. "I can't lead a class like this!" Since teleportation had become relatively more common, Rob had taught a few classes with some bizarre looking people, afflicted with weird bodies due to malfunctioning teleporters. He was not against being seen with a teleporter-related condition. He had to admit, at least to himself, that he loved his new toned body, in spite having to share it. Rob was just not prepared for the humiliation that would inevitably occur due to sharing that body. He and Brendan just demonstrated how well they were at coordinating.
"Well dear..." Maddie began. She only used that word when she needed to make a point. "You really don't have many options. One, I can drive you to my apartment so you can use the teleporter to hopefully separate and be late. Two, I can drop you off so you are early enough to prepare some. If there is time, I can bring the bracelet so you can use it there. Three, you could call in sick..."
Rob groaned as he puzzled over the presented choices. His girlfriend seemed accurate about the three options they had. The first would mean that he, at best would be late, and at worst, be late and stuck to his brother still. Rob figured that it would be a gamble that the teleporter would separate them without receiving maintenance. The second choice gave him and Brendan some time to practice, since his brother would essentially be his co-instructor. He noted that this option did have the positive of showing off his muscular body. The last choice was simple, but he knew his boss would not take it well. He may find himself losing the one job he really enjoyed.
Rob glanced at his younger brother, who seemed to also be thinking over the options. He sighed inwardly, knowing that Brendan had just as much say as he did. If they could not agree, then they would be at a standstill. Rob stated his answer.