“Ladies and gentlemen, my brother, the poet!” I heard Tory call. I took her humor as a good sign.
While I was in the bathroom, Tory snagged some chips and drinks and was waiting on the couch for me. “Movie snuggles!” she cried happily, reaching out to me and opening and closing her hands like a baby wanting to be picked up. I settled next to my sister with a smile, pleased she remembered this sweet, innocent part of our youth, and even happier that she could take comfort in it after the shit day she’d had. Tory nestled against me, her head on my shoulder as I wrapped my arm around her. “What are we watching?” I asked her.
She had pulled up my movies on demand. “Well,” she said, “you know when a girl’s brokenhearted- er, hurt, rather- she’s all about sappy chick flicks, right?”
I groaned. “Yeah.”
“There are dozens of them available now. Several I’ve been wanting to watch, too. But then I thought maybe I could try not wallowing in self-pitying, stop whining, and do something nice for my big brother. So, it’s your call. Die Hard or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?”
I kissed the top of her head. “You know me so well. Let’s see, Die Hard is for Christmas, and a western sounds good. Let’s watch Sundance.”
“Is it ok if I crash here tonight?”
“Of course it’s ok.”
“Then, since I’m not driving… maybe I could have just one more glass of wine? Please?” Those pretty blue eyes, begging me from beneath those ash-blonde bangs, that adorable pout… I never could say no to her, but I could still be a responsible big brother.
“I’ll need your car keys, sweetie. You’re not driving anywhere.” Tory dangled them in front of me, smiling.
“I thought you might say that. Here you go!”
“Did you just manipulate me, T-bird?”
She grinned and shrugged. “You love me anyway.”
“Tis true, woe betide me.”
“And I love you, you big dork!”
“Then woe betide you, too.” I smiled.
We put on one of my all-time favorite movies. Tory wasn’t at all into it, I knew, despite the years I’d spent trying to get her to see it for the classic it is. She was doing this for me. After finishing her third glass of wine, she slid down, laying her head in my lap, her hand on my thigh – not up high enough to be dangerous in a boner-causing sense or anything, but it sure felt nice.
Twenty minutes later, she was breathing deeply, the alcohol and an emotional day combining to allow her some much-needed unconsciousness. I continued watching the movie, my hand resting comfortably on Tory’s hip. Even focused on the movie, I thought how nice it was to have some human contact, even if it wasn’t leading anywhere.
About the time Butch says to Sundance, “Kid, the next time I say let’s go someplace like Bolivia, let’s go someplace like Bolivia!”, I realized my hand had been moving slowly over my sister’s body. I looked down to see me caressing the swell of Tory’s perfect ass – way more on the cheek than the thigh – and saw her top was no longer tucked into her jeans, but rucked up, exposing her beautifully tanned, taut midriff.
“Whoa!” I gasped, startled. I pulled my hand off her and pulled her top back down to cover her.
“Why’joo stop?” I heard my sister murmur sleepily. “Felt nice.”
“Sorry,” I whispered. “I’m gonna call it a night.”
“You’re no fun, big brother,” she muttered.
“Yeah, well-” I had no idea how to finish the sentence. “I’ll get you a pillow and blanket.”
“Kay. ‘Night. And thank you. I needed this.”
For a second, I panicked. Thank me for what? Fondling her while I thought she was asleep? Then I realized she must’ve meant for being there for her earlier.
“Anytime, sweetie. I just hope you never have to feel hurt like that again.”
“Huh? Oh, yeah.”
I kissed my sister’s cheek, then went to my room, where I fell right to sleep. I dreamt of delicious things I really shouldn’t have.
February 11
I woke early to start my morning gym routine; I stretched out, did some calisthenics, then got on the elliptical again.
After showering, I headed out to the kitchen in my robe, then thought to check on my baby sister. Going to the living room, I saw Tory still asleep. Shaking her gently, I suggested she get up for school. “Not going today,” she said sleepily.
“OK. How ’bout some breakfast?”
“An omelet would be great.”
“Sorry. I don’t have any eggs. Fruit and an English muffin ok?”
“Do you still not cook?” Tory would choose now to fully awaken, just in time to pick apart my shortcomings.
“Sure don’t. I mean, I can, a little. I just don’t like cooking for myself.”
“Well, then whatever you have will be fine.”
As Tory and I ate breakfast, she thanked me again for last night. “You know, I feel better, but I’m not sure I’ve really processed it all.”
“That’s not surprising, sis. Six months is a long time. It might take you a while to work through it.”
“I’d just wish I knew why,” she sighed, resignedly.
“You know what really sucks, sweetie? You might never know. So, why not make up your own reason? Say he broke up with you… I don’t know… because he was too cheap to buy you a Valentine’s gift.”
Tory looked up suddenly, realization on her face. “Son of a bitch! He dumped me just before V-Day? That fucking prick!”
“Sorry, T-bird. I didn’t realize you hadn’t pieced that together yet.”
“Johnny, you have nothing to be sorry about. You aren’t the son of a bitch here.”
Maybe, maybe not, I thought, thinking how I’d subconsciously touched her last night.
“Anyway, I’ve gotta get ready for work.”
“You’re working today?” she asked with a little whine.
“Yeah, sweetie. I have a job. That’s what one does.”
“I was hoping we could spend the day together.”
“I can’t, Tory. Tell you what, though. Want to come over again tonight?”
“Johnny, if it’s not asking too much, could I maybe hang out here today? I don’t want to sit around the sorority house. I don’t think it would be good for me.”
“My home is your home, T.”
“Thanks, big bro. Can I have your spare key? I’ll need to get a change of clothes and stuff from my place.”
After getting dressed, I gave Tory my spare key and a quick peck on the lips, which I hadn’t done in years. “Uff! There’s probably an unopened toothbrush in the bathroom. Avail yourself of it, puppy breath!”
Tory clicked her tongue in mock indignation. “Rude much, big brother?” Her hand covered her mouth self-consciously.
“It’s not that bad, T. But it is nice to know my perfect little sister is actually a flawed human like the rest of us,” I smiled, ruffling her hair. “Make yourself at home. Here.” I pulled out a credit card. “In case you need anything. You’ll be responsible, I trust?”
“Of course I will.” She happily took the card. “Do you need me to pick up anything?”
“That depends if you’re cooking for me tonight or not.”
Tory looked happier than she had since coming over. “I’d love to cook for you! We can make a whole night of it, unless you have plans for your Friday?”
“Me? Plans on a Friday night? That’s a good one. Pretty, funny, and you cook? You’re a keeper, T-bird. I tell you, if you weren’t my sister…”
Tory smiled again. “Birth defects in offspring and all that, right?”
I laughed. “Yeah, something like that.”