Once she'd set her brush down, she grabbed her dirty clothes and opened the bathroom door to find Krista and Haley standing on the other side. After jumping about a foot in the air and almost dropping her clothes, Becca asked breathlessly, "What are you doing?"
"Waiting for you," Krista said cryptically.
"Yeah, I got that. Why?" Becca's eyes darted between her sisters.
"Why don't we go sit on the couch and get comfortable," Haley said, always the consummate nurturer.
"Okay," Becca agreed, her shoulders shimmying as she tried to shake off her startled nerves.
As she followed her sisters down the stairs, it hit Becca that everything was changing and changing fast. Haley and Krista used to live in this house together, but since Haley got married, she'd moved across the street with Eddie and her stepdaughter Emily. Two of her sisters were already married and Krista would be married in a little over a month. She was so happy for all three of her sisters. She really was.
Unfortunately, deep down, Becca had a feeling that she wouldn't have the same luck in love, especially considering her current predicament. Even if she met someone that was perfect for her, she knew that, most likely, it wouldn't work. For one reason and one reason only-that person wouldn't be Brian.
"Okay, so what's the deal with you and B-dog?" Krista asked as she plopped on the couch and crossed her legs criss-cross-applesauce style.
"Nothing." Becca felt instantly defensive, but tried not to let it show in her tone as she sat on the shorter end of the L-shaped couch, facing her sisters.
"Really?" Krista asked, raising her eyebrows then looking over at Haley with an ‘are you buying this?' look on her face.
Normally, Becca indulged her sisters. Growing up, since she was the baby, she'd looked up to them, and truthfully, she still did, but she was tired. And the Brian pool was the very last subject she wanted to dive into. Especially since she'd been mentally swimming in those very waters so much lately, that she felt like her mind was shriveled up like a prune.
"I'm tired, guys," Becca announced as she stood up. All she wanted to do was get some sleep and not think about, worry, or obsess over Brian.
"Wait." Haley held up her hand to stop Becca. "Just sit. This is not a gossip fest. We're actually worried about you."
Becca sighed. She saw in her sister's eyes that she was serious.
Sitting back down, Becca tried to put her sister's mind at ease by explaining, "There's nothing to be worried about. Honestly. I'm fine. Brian and I are fine."
"You two seemed … off tonight," Haley said delicately.
"Off?" Becca knew that she felt like things were strained between her and Brian, but she would never have guessed that anyone else would have picked up on it.
"I think the ‘off' Hales is referring to is the two of you seeming like you wanted to rip each other's clothes off," Krista said bluntly.
Becca shook her head at how ridiculous that was. "Brian does not want to rip my clothes off."
"Aha!" Krista exclaimed as she pointed dramatically at Becca. "So you admit you do!"
"No, I don't!" Becca's eyes widened as she looked between her sisters. Knowing that the more she protested the worse things would look, she shrugged and tried to play it cool. "I mean, he's … cute. But he's Brian."
Haley scooted closer to the edge of the couch. "Listen, it's none of our business-"
"Yes it is," Krista interrupted.
Haley ignored Krista as she continued, "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but we just thought that, if we were picking up on the right signals, then you might be feeling a little overwhelmed."
"And confused," Krista added.
Becca was torn. If she opened up and talked to her sisters about what was going on, it would make it real somehow. But … it was real whether she said it out loud or not.
"Nothing's going on. I've just … I don't know. I've been feeling … It's hard to explain, but ever since last summer, I've thought … or, um, been wanting … " Becca's voice trailed off. She knew that she wasn't making any sense.
"To rip his clothes off," Krista finished helpfully.
"Yes," Becca admitted as her shoulders slumped, "I've wanted to rip his clothes off."
Krista smiled and woohoo'd while Haley nodded her head in understanding.
"I don't know what I've been thinking. It's Brian!" Becca's hands flew up in frustration.
"I have to say, ol' Brian boy has always been a cutie, but these last few years, he's been looking mighteee fine." Krista wagged her brows.
"I know, but it's Brian," Becca restated emphatically.
"You keep saying that like it's a bad thing." Krista shook her head like she had no idea why it would be a bad thing.
"Is it upsetting you because you're friends?" Haley asked with genuine concern.
"No," Becca immediately answered. "I mean, yes, but we're not just friends. We are … more than that. He's like … "
"If you say family, then this just got weird," Krista teased.
Haley swatted at her, and Becca rolled her eyes.
"Well, he is. I mean, not family, but he's like … He's Brian," Becca said, trying to explain.
Krista raised her hand like she was in school and wanted the teacher to call on her. "Okay, I'm confused. Is he Brian?"
Haley came to her defense. "This isn't funny."
"It's kind of funny," Becca admitted as she felt her lips turning up at the corners.
If she couldn't laugh at this, then she knew it would make her crazy. And Krista could always make her laugh. Her redheaded sister had a likeable irreverence that was kind of contagious.
"See? She's smiling." Krista pointed to Becca, obviously proud of herself.
Haley rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched in amusement.
Krista turned back to Becca. "So the million-dollar question is … drum roll … are you going to tell him?"
"No." Becca's hair fanned out behind her as she shook her head with force.
"No?" Krista and Haley both asked at the same time, looking shocked by Becca's response.
"No. It would make things … weird."
Krista tilted her head. "I hate to break it to you, Becca-boo, but things are already weird. You should have seen your faces when I interrupted whatever I interrupted outside."
Haley's head spun to Krista. "What did you interrupt outside?"
"I'm not sure. I just know that this one's"-Krista pointed at Becca-"face was bright red and Brian looked like he'd gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar-if the cookie jar was Becca's pants. And then he looked like he wanted to punch something."
"He looked mad?" Haley asked, confused. "Who was he mad at?"
"I can't prove it, but I think it was at himself. If the mooning looks and sad puppy-dog eyes B-dog was flashing at Snow White all night were any indication, then I think our dear little sister is not the only one who has acquired some unwanted feelings for their best friend."
"Hello. I am in the room," Becca spoke up. Her sisters always did this. They discussed her like she wasn't there.
"We know," Krista acknowledged-a tad too condescendingly for Becca's taste.
"Don't you think you should talk to him about this, Bec?" Haley asked. "I mean, when I told Eddie how I felt, I was terrified and it was hard, but look how that turned out."
"That's different. You wanted to be with Eddie," Becca said, pointing out what she figured was completely obvious.
"You don't want to be with Brian?" Haley asked.
"I think we've already established that she wants to be with Brian," Krista said.
The more they talked about this subject, the more anxious Becca felt. She stood again. "I appreciate you guys wanting to talk about this, but honestly, I just want to go to bed."
Haley and Krista both stood as well, and Krista said, "Okay, look. I know I've been joking around, but seriously, I think you should talk to Brian. You two have been like peanut butter and jelly since … forever. Just get it out in the open. I know it probably sounds about as good to you as a root canal, but I think it's the only way to move past … whatever's going on between you two."
Becca nodded. "I'll think about it."
Her sisters pulled her into a group hug before Becca headed upstairs.
As she lay down in her bed, Krista's advice kept running through her brain. Maybe her sister was right. Maybe telling Brian was the best way to deal with this. Maybe …