Carl

We had work to get done, so instead of talking, Scott and I just got started without saying much of anything to each other. I was lost in my own head at the moment anyways. I was glad he wanted some quiet because that meant I didn’t have to field any questions and I had a feeling I knew what it was going to be about. The fact of the matter was that I was staring at his sister. He had to know she was hot or at least that other people thought that. I mean, look at her. I couldn’t get over how much she had changed and I used the quiet to think about it more than I should have.

“So when are you two going to take the next step?”

My mind went to Melanie and I was guilty because of what I was thinking about. Had he read my thoughts? Did he know that I was wondering what his sister would feel like in my arms, underneath me?

“What?”

“You and Bianca.”

Oh. That made more sense. I’m really glad I didn’t say anything like an idiot. He would really never forgive me. I knew how Scott was and he would never be okay with me and Melanie. Not the way that I was with women and not with Melanie.

“Oh, well, you know. I don’t think there is another step to take with her. We’re just having fun and I think that’s all that it is going to be.”

“I don’t think she thinks that way. I’ve heard her talking to Betty.”

Betty was Scott’s on again, off again girlfriend that I didn’t care for because she messed his mind up every chance she got. But she was good friends with Bianca, so I had to believe that there was some truth to it. I didn’t know how much, but I knew that Bianca had been not-too-subtly mentioning marriage and how all of her friends were getting married and she was ready to do the same. I pretended not to hear those conversations.

“I have no intentions of settling down and getting married. Not with Bianca or anyone else. You know that it’s not how I am.”

“I know. Just checking because Betty says that Bianca plans on doing that very thing. She wants to stick you with that ball and chain. They get you with the head.”

I didn’t answer him for a time, but Bianca had been a lot more sexual lately. Maybe there was truth to that.

Silence fell over us while we resealed the driveway and added a couple of post to the front of the driveway. I was tired and didn’t feel like working today, but I wanted to help out as much as possible.

“So why were you looking at my sister like that?”

It was the question that I had worried about getting and I was still just as clueless how to answer as I had been I was running the scenario in my head. There was no real right answer without lying my ass off.

“What are you talking about? Is that why you’ve been mean mugging me this whole time since we got back from the airport?”

“You know what I’m talking about Carl. Don’t play dumb. We’ve been friends for a long time, so let’s not play games. I’m only going to say it one time; my sister is off limits to you. Hell, if I had it my way she would be off limits to everyone. I know that she had a thing for you a long time ago and you shooed her off. You need to do the same thing again if she comes to you the same way.”

I was stunned for several reasons. I wasn’t sure what to say. He wasn’t supposed to know that I shooed his sister away. I don’t know how he knew that, but it made me feel funnier about it now. I felt bad because I’d done it and now she was hot. I didn’t want to fight with Scott, though what he said was true. I also wondered why he was so certain that I wanted her. Had I really been that transparent? Because in reality I was more shocked than anything else when I first saw her and the way she looked now. How was I to know that she was going to look like that? It had come out of nowhere.

“You got it all wrong.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about her coming on to you?”

“She was a kid and it was just some little crush. I didn’t even think it was a big deal and I hadn’t thought about that in years.”

“Well she’s not a kid anymore, but she’s still off limits.”

“I got it.”

“Good.”

He was still looking a little pissed off and I was just going to let him stew. If I was too adamant, then he would know something was up, but it was hard to keep my cool in such a situation.

We went back to laying and spreading the sealant down. Talking was not so good with the strong stench being tasted, but I knew that it was better this way as well. I would be able to keep my mouth shut, which is what I needed to do. I agreed because he was right. She was off limits and I knew better.

After the driveway was done, I was invited in for dinner, but I declined. I didn’t want a look to be thought of another way and if I was around the redheaded bombshell I would have looked. She was hard not to look at and I didn’t trust myself. I knew better.

I drove back to my place and ignored the phone when I saw that Bianca was calling. This morning I had been praising her technique and how much I liked being with her, but now I wasn’t in the mood. That was a miracle in and of itself and it made me wonder why that was. Why was everything in life a little less grey now? It didn’t make any sense.