Chapter Ten:
A Time to Think
Meghan was standing on the front steps of the apartment building while Dana got the bag from Brian's trunk. She set the luggage down, and smiled at him.
"Call me?" Brian wondered softly, neither wanting Meghan to hear and break into childish taunts.
"Yeah, I will," Dana nodded. "Call me?"
"I will," Brian promised.
"Dana! Let's go!" Meghan shouted from her position on the steps.
"Duty calls," Dana gestured towards her sister with a wide smile.
Brian gave Dana a quick hug and got back into his truck. The two girls waved goodbye, and Brian pulled out of the parking lot.
He should have figured that Meghan would act like Dana. Treat him completely normal, even though a few slips of the lip let him know that Meghan was fully aware of the Backstreet Boys. Dana, Brian assumed, had probably prepped Meghan, instructed her to not talk about him being famous, or the Backstreet Boys too much. It was a sweet effort on Dana's part. And a successful effort. Meghan was a mini Dana in attitudes and morals. The younger had an insatiable respect for the older. They were the fairytale- only in dreams- sister set.
After watching the sisterly bonding, Brian felt suddenly insufficient in his affection. It was splashed randomly across the country, but in no great wealth of deposits; his parents knew he loved them, his brother knew he loved him, his other 'brothers' knew he loved them. It was carnal knowledge, the people Brian held dear were all aware of his caring. But had he reminded them lately? He felt like bursting out in song, singing 'Have I Told You Lately (That I Love You)?', but that would just make him laugh, and that macho-guy, 'can't hug my buddies cause I will look gay' feeling would kick in. So he didn't sing the song... just hummed the melody.
- - -later- - -
"I found you!!"
"So?"
Meghan was over zealous. "You're it now, I get to hide!"
"I don't want to!"
"You have to!" Meghan insisted.
"Let's do something else... " Dana trailed off, and turned the CD volume way up. Celine Dion blasted wildly, and the two busted out dancing. Dana was grooving, and Meghan... Meghan was doing something, but it wasn't quite dancing.
"Don't give up on your faith," Meghan sang gleefully.
"Up on your faith," Dana echoed.
"Love comes to those who believe it," the sisters chorused. "And that's the way it is!"
"That's the way it is," Meghan took over back up vocals, and Dana rounded out the lead.
"Ooooo, yeah, that's the way," Dana caroled loudly. The music came to a sudden halt, mid song, and both Meg, and Dana, turned beet red.
"Nice job ladies, I'm sure Celine is scared sick over you two," Brette teased from her position next to the stereo, applauding.
"Brette!" Meghan shrieked, and ran into the arms of Dana's roommate.
"Hey little girl!" Brette was as excited as Meghan was. "How are ya?"
"I'm good, I'm good," Meghan assured Brette, doing her best to seem mature.
"That's good, I'm glad. What's up to tonight?" Brette looked expectantly at Dana.
"Well, Meghan and I are going to McDonalds for supper, then we are getting her a change of clothes."
Brette looked up and down the tiny body. "Yeah, we Floridians don't usually run around in our undies and a sweatshirt. Why do you need to buy change of clothes though? Just whip something out of the suitcase."
"D'you wanna explain this one Meggy, or should I?" Dana had a devious twinkle in her eye.
Meghan squirmed, but relented. "I packed all winter stuff, my sweats and mitts," Meghan was thoroghly embarrassed.
"Aw, that's okay, I did that when I first moved down here," Brette lied.
Dana raised her eyebrows, but said nothing.
Meghan was relieved. "You did?"
"Uh huh, I made the biggest fool out of myself."
Dana was trying hard not to laugh. Brette had lived in Florida her whole life. "Do you wanna come to the mall with us?" Dana offered amicably.
"Will we get to meet another Backstreet Boy?" Meghan was thrilled at the prospect.
This was exactly what Dana hadn't wanted to happen. After meeting Brian, Dana knew Meghan would expect to meet the rest of the group. Dana, however, was having a dilemma about that. The last thing she wanted Brian to think was that Dana only hung out with him because of who he was. That played no part in the whole arrangement, and was the least of Dana's thoughts when she was in his presence. But if she asked him about meeting the rest of the guys, then he might get the wrong idea. And if he got the wrong idea, he might run. And that was where the whole dilemma came in.
Brette sensed that Dana was uneasy about that. "Uh, that might not be such a great plan, Meg."
Meghan pouted. "Why? If you know one of them, you can know the rest."
Dana wished that it was so simple. "Yeah, maybe on your little planet Schmeggy, but in my world, ie the real world, it doesn't work that way. You have to consider other peoples feelings."
"I consider feelings," Meghan declared, not sure exactly what she was arguing.
"But this is a different way," Dana explained.
Brette eased her way out of the room, sensing a sister talk coming on.
"This is a way where I have to be very careful about what I say to Brian because he might think I'm only around him because he's famous."
Meghan shrugged. "So?"
"So if he thinks that then we might not be friends anymore."
"You could just explain that amazing ol' me wants to meet his friends," Meghan cajoled.
"Nope, that won't work," Dana avoided the puppy face Meghan was giving her.
"Is he your boyfriend?" Meghan wondered, giggling wildly at the thought. Boys were still gross in her mind, and she wanted to make sure Dana wasn't contaminated.
Dana froze. In all reality, what was Brian? After one and a half weeks, it was a little hard to tell what he was.
"Boyfriend! Boys, boys, boys," Meg pranced around the room. "Dana has a boyfriend!" Meghan dropped to the floor and laughed dramatically. "Ew! Gross, don't touch me!"
- - -that night- - -
Brian sat on the couch and watched his dog romp on the floor. The ratty old sock was great amusement for Tyk, and he was thrilled to no avail. Horrified that watching Tyk play was his Friday night, Brian turned on the TV and reached for the phone. He surfed channels, while dialing Nick's number.
"Hello?" Nick had obviously been right near the phone, because it wasn't even a full ring before he picked up.
"Hey Nick," Brian was monotone.
"Woah, somebody needs to blow some sunshine up your ass," Nick commented. "What's wrong?"
Brian forced a happy voice. "Nothing, why?"
"Oh, I dunno, the 'Hey Nick' kind of gave it away," Nick imitated Brian's droopy voice. "My washer makes happier noises than that."
Brian smiled at this. "Yeah, well, whatcha going to do?" He picked a piece of lint off his sweatpants.
"Ask again, what's wrong?"
"Honest to God, nothing is wrong, I'm just..." he searched for a word. "Perplexed."
"Perplexed?!" Nick laughed. "What is perplexing you enough to say perplexed?"
"I dunno," Brian admitted. "I've just been thinking about things."
"Are you going to admit to these things, or do I have to dig for 'em?"
"Dig."
"Okay... " Nick thought for a moment. "Does it have to do with one of the guys?"
"No."
"A girl?"
"Partly," Brian replied mysteriously.
Nick knit his eyebrows. "Partly?"
"Partly," he confirmed.
"Is this a girl I know?" Nick felt like he was playing twenty questions.
Brian weasled around this. "Sort of."
"Umm, who do I sort of know, that Brian is having a perplexion over?"
"Think bar worker..." Brian hinted,
Nick laughed. "That is just so subtle, B. Let me think, Dana?"
"Good one, you're smart Nicky!"
They were both sarcastically teasing each other, and laughing in between.
"So why has Dana got you thinking?"
"I don't know," Brian answered truthfully.
"You are not making this any easier," Nick chided.
"I'm not trying to."
"Okay. What happened with Dana to make you think?"
"Nothing."
"Maybe that's the problem," Nick suggested.
"How do you mean?" Brian wondered.
"Maybe you want something to happen, and it hasn't."
Nick was right. He was dead on, perfect shot, exactly correct.
"Maybe you like her more than you think," Nick said intelligently.
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