Chapter 13
I wake in a tangled mess of sheets. Brett is beside me, and when I reach my hands down to touch his morning hard-on, I hear a deep breathy sigh that fills my belly with warmth.
"Last night was incredible," Brett says, rolling to face me, cupping my face with his hand.
Similar to the way I'm cupping his balls.
"You are incredible." I smile before spreading my legs and letting him fill me.
We fall back to sleep, completely sated.
* * *
Stepping out of the shower, I dry my hair with a towel as Brett pulls on slacks and a dress shirt. He always looks so gentlemanly, so put together.
"Your phone was ringing, Ella," Brett tells me. I sigh as I wrap a towel around me-- he teases by grabbing the towel from my hand, and letting it fall to the ground. "I love the way your tits look, so perky and inviting."
"Oh, yeah?" I tease. "Maybe we can start our adventures tonight by me giving you a titty-fuck."
He shakes his head, and I love the way Brett's eyes graze my entire body.
"You are pretty damn dirty for just stepping out of the shower."
I laugh, grabbing the towel from the floor, but unable to resist shaking my hips as I move.
I reach for my phone in the bedroom and see I've missed a few texts from my mom.
Mom – are you still coming for dinner?
Mom – Kari has calmed down a bit... I really want to have my daughter here today.
I bite my bottom lip, trying to think through what I want to say exactly.
Me – can Brett come?
Mom responds right away.
Mom – yes. We’ll see you when you get here.
I'm glad that I'm welcome back in my parents’ home, but it's killing me not knowing how Kari is doing.
I thumb a message to my best friend.
Me – Sorry how things went down. Can we talk today?
I stare at the screen, willing her to respond, but she doesn't answer, and I don't expect her to. I'll know where she stands soon enough.
I show Brett the messages from my mom, and he nods. "It's already eleven," he says. "I know she likes an early Thanksgiving dinner. Should we head over soon?"
"Yeah, just let me get ready and then we can go."
"You don't need to be nervous, Ella. Your parents love you."
"It's Kari I'm worried about. I haven't heard anything from her today."
"Be patient, she'll come around."
I nod, because there's not much else I can do. Either she'll accept this or she won't.
"I can't ruin your relationship with your daughter, Brett. I mean, I know last night ... in the heat of the moment we ... you..."
"Listen, Ella. Kari will come around. I think once she sees our good intentions, she'll understand."
I swallow back my fear, wanting his words to be truth.
* * *
Walking up the front steps to my parents’ house my knees shake. I don't know what it says about me that I'm so scared, except that it means I care.
I care about my relationship with my parents and my relationship with my best friend. I love how Brett seems so sure that in the end, love conquers all. His trust in that makes me feel stronger, braver.
Still, the truth is, I'm scared.
Scared to lose so much at the same time I'm gaining someone so wonderful.
Before we knock on the front door, Brett squeezes my hand. "If you've changed your mind about us, I won't hold it against you. If you want something besides a relationship with me, I'll take what I can get. You want to be occasional fuck buddies? You want to carry my baby? You want to hookup once a year on family vacations? I'll do anything you want."
I shake my head, squeezing his hand. "Maybe I'm selfish, because that would never be enough for me. I want this to be more than just something on the side. I want you forever... And I hope our families can see that."
I knock on the door and brace myself for whatever comes next.
* * *
My dad pulls open the door with a small smile on his face. I look in his eyes knowing that while I never have been exactly daddy's little girl, the two of us have had a good relationship. As an only child, things have always been straightforward between us.
He's never been the kind of father who is embarrassed about buying his daughter tampons or folding her panties. He's been a good dad, always supportive and never overbearing.
Right now, I know he's more than good with this, because he opens his arms and pulls me into a hug. I wrap my arms around him, feeling the warm embrace that can only pass between a father and his daughter.
Pulling away, he looks at me and says, "Ella, you look so happy."
Tears spring to my eyes, not having realized how much his acceptance means.
My dad looks over at Brett and grabs his hand. Shaking it before clapping him on the back.
"If this is as real as you say it is, I trust my daughter with you."
"It is real, Derek," Brett tells him. "Thank you for your support."
I look behind my father's shoulder, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kari. Instead, I see my mom walking toward us. We step inside and I let her give me a hug.
"Can I help you in the kitchen? I ask.
"Of course, dear. Just let me give Brett a hug first." I watch her turn to Brett and my father, the three of them having a quiet conversation as I hang up my coat and purse in hallway.
Mom returns to me and says, "You okay, sweetie?"
"Yes. However, I'm curious to see how Kari is doing?"
"She's upstairs in your bedroom. Maybe you'd like to go there and have a talk with her before you help me in the kitchen?"
"Mom, you're not upset or angry with me?" I ask.
Mom tightens her apron strings.
"Ella, your father and I just want you to be happy. This summer we knew something was passing between you and Brett, but we didn't want to put it out there if you didn't feel the same way. We would watch Brett and you smile, and share glances, the way you're always offering to help one another, and seeming to pair up whenever we were on an excursion--"
I tried to stop her, wanting her to know that nothing was happening back then.
"Honey, you don't need to defend anything. No one is judging anyone here. At least your dad and I aren't. We want you to be happy and Brett is a wonderful man. The truth is, you have fought being a college student since before you ever left home. You've been miserable for months. We hate that for you."
She pulls me into a hug again and I see the tears in her cheeks.
"Don't cry, Mom."
"It's tears of joy, sweetie. All I want for you is to be happy."
"I am, Mom. I am."
* * *
Walking upstairs to my childhood bedroom, I hesitate at the closed door. I'm not wanting to start a fight with Kari. And as I knock gently on the door, I resolve to let her have the last word.
I press open the door and see her sprawled out on my bed.
She looks up at me, shaking her head, wiping her eyes. A pile of tissues surround her and our photo books as teenagers are open on the bed.
"Going down memory lane?" I ask.
"Something like that."
"Can we talk?" I sit on the bed beside her and pick up an album from when we were in high school, going to a football game. Our cheeks written with glitter letters, GO DOGS.
"We were dorks then, weren't we?" Kari asks.
"We weren’t dorks. We just had team spirit."
"And what do we have now?" she asks.
"One another?" I try.
Kari sighs, closing the album in her hand.
"Do you really want to be with my dad?"
"I want to be happy," I admit. "I want to be in love. I want to be with someone who makes me feel like the best version of myself."
"Right, and that person just happens to be my father."
I nod, reaching for her hand. "Kari, I didn't mean..."
"Yes you did. I'm not going to act like I didn't know this was happening. Or going to happen."
I raise an eyebrow, shake my head. "You knew I had a thing for your dad?"
"Ella, you'd come over to my house and take off your panties in the middle of the night and tiptoe down the hall to my father's office. What do you think I thought?"
"I guess I thought you were asleep."
Kari falls back on my bed. "Ella, I can't believe this. It's kind of gross. I mean, my dad is so old."
"You said Javier was thirty."
"Yeah, but Javier is a fling. And besides my dad is older than Javier. Like a lot older."
"I didn't mean to fall for him. It's just, he's the only man I've ever wanted."
"I don't want the details." Kari chips off her pale pink nail polish, and pauses before saying anymore. "But I do want you to be happy, Ella. Hell, my dad has been a bachelor forever. He hasn’t dated a woman in like five years." Her eyes widen as she realized the truth. "Oh my God, he hasn't dated anyone since he met you.”
I fight back the smile, loving this detail.
Brett waited for me. The same way I've waited for him.
"You really like him?" She asks.
"No. I don't like him. I love him. And he loves me. It would mean everything to have your blessing."
"And what happens if I don't give it to you?" She purses her lips together.
"Then I'm really gonna miss my best friend," I say with trembling lips.
Kerry covers her mouth, watching me intently. "Wow, you really love him. I mean I'm a pretty awesome best friend. The best, best friend actually. And you’d give up this," she motions between the two of us, "for him?"
"It's not because I don't love you. It's just, I want to spend my life with Brett."
"It's gonna be weird. Like, the two of you being a couple."
"But not too weird, right?"
"Not too weird." I run my arms around Kari, grateful my best friend is exactly that.
"So what happens next?" I ask.
"I think we go eat turkey."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that."