“Glad to hear you think so!” Janice said through her top, which she was in the midst of pulling over her head; true to her excuse for leaving Audra on the balcony, she did want to be rid of her bra. She was glad Betty couldn’t see the surprise she was sure on her face. “I just think, from what you said and what Nick had to say about Rob, it sounds like you both might need a strong dose of something to clear the air,” she explained once she had the top off.
Betty giggled nervously. “Nice bra,” she said.
“Haven’t you seen it before?” Janice paused with her hands on the clasp behind her back. Then just as quickly she recalled, though they’d been roommates for nearly six years, Betty had always been scrupulous about avoiding being in the room when Janice or Audra were changing. “Oh, wait, I guess not.”
“I never wanted an audience when I undressed, and fair’s fair.” But now Betty made no effort to avert her gaze as Janice’s breasts fell free, and she dissolved into girlish laughter.
“What’s so funny? You’ve got two of your own, haven’t you?” Janice felt a touch embarrassed, but she made no effort to cover up, and proceeded to unzip her skirt.
“Until last week, I’d have guessed this is what Rob thinks you and I were always like, always openly tearing our clothes off together,” Betty explained once she’d caught her breath. “Now I know it’s more like his family than like us!”
“And maybe your family one of these days, if you can get over your hangups,” Janice pointed out.
“How wonderful would that be,” Betty said with a thoughtful gaze. “Raising our kids to never hate their bodies the way I did. If only I can do it.”
“You can!” Janice pulled her nightgown on.
“Thanks.” Seeing it was okay, Betty sat down on the edge of Janice’s bed. “Honestly, I do want kids and I want them to have a better self-image than I had for so long. I don’t ever want them to leave any bullies feeling like they’d won, the way I did.”
“Oh, that reminds me!” Janice sat down and put her arm around Betty. “Has Audra ever talked to you about Nick?”
“Only to say she hates him even more than she hates Rob.”
“That figures,” Janice sighed. “We got to talking about Audra over dinner, and now I know why Rob was always so standoffish with her.”
“High school stuff, wasn’t it?” Betty asked. “He didn’t want to bother with the younger kids?”
“Then he’d have been just as unfriendly to us, wouldn’t he?” Janice pointed out. “No, it goes back long before high school…”
“That’s all the more reason why he and Betty ought to make up,” Janice said. “Listen, I can join you for asking him, if you want.”
“I don’t think that’ll help,” Nick said. “You know what would help, though?”
“Making sure Audra’s nowhere to be found,” Janice said in a knowing tone.
“He won’t even consider it if there’s any chance she’ll be there,” Nick said. “But you know, maybe that’s how I can convince him. We wouldn’t want Audra to win, would we? He’s still pretty protective of me about all that.”
“Great idea,” Janice said. “Tell you what, let’s make it tomorrow night. I know Audra’s got a date with some hotshot, she wouldn’t shut up about it this morning. I’ll call you if she’s not out of the house by dinnertime, otherwise come on over. And then let’s you and I get lost somewhere!”
“Yes please!” Janice was sure she could almost hear Nick’s grin on the phone.
Nick did succeed in convincing his brother not to let Audra win. But Rob still wasn’t in the best of moods on the drive over the following night. “I do love Betty and I don’t want to leave everything hanging like this,” he admitted. “But if she wants to talk, where’s she been all week?”
“Waiting for you to call her,” Nick said. “And thinking the same things you’re thinking, for all the wrong reasons.”
“When did you get to be a relationship counselor?” Rob grumbled.
“I just know what it’s like to be shy and afraid,” Nick said. “And let’s face it, the news was a shock.”
“That’s why I agreed to this,” Rob said. “That, plus I do love her. But I’ve still got my suspicions that she’s just too demure and repressed.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” Nick had to keep his eyes on the road, and couldn’t tell if Rob noticed his mischievous grin.
Janice greeted them at the door. “Come on in,” she said. “You-know-who is out, probably all night.”
“Thanks for making sure she’s not here,” Rob said. “I don’t know if Nick’s told you about his history with her…”
“He has, and I wasn’t surprised at all,” Janice said. “All through college she never shut up about her fond memories of being queen bee. Betty and I were always waiting for her to grow up. Now I don’t think she ever will. I really need to look at getting a place of my own once you and Betty move in together.”
“If we do,” Rob said.
“Oh, Rob, don’t be that way!” Janice said. “At least not until you’ve heard what Betty has to say about it. I think you’ll be surprised.”
Nick had stood by silently though all this; now he couldn’t suppress a chuckle at Janice’s last comment. He tried to make it sound more like a cough. When that didn’t work, he spoke up. “Anyway, Rob. Janice and I are going to give you both some space. We’re going to a movie.”
“What if I need a ride home before you get back?” Rob asked.
“Take a Lyft and I’ll pay you back,” Nick said. “But look, I really don’t think – ”
“You don’t know anything about our relationship, bro,” Rob reminded him. “You either, Janice. No offense.”
“None taken, but I think Rob’s right,” Janice said, picking up her purse. “Betty’s in her room.”
“Have fun, guys,” Rob said.
He stood by the door for a moment after he’d watched them leave. Something about that tender moment with his brother’s arm around Janice made him want to forget about all that had gone wrong, and to find a way around all his concerns with Betty. He did love her so, shy or not, prudish or not, and why should his kid brother be the only happy one? Feeling like he was living in the pre-climax scene of a teen movie, Rob took a deep breath and was pleased to find his smile wasn’t forced as he walked around the corner and down the hall.
In her room, Betty heard his footsteps. Her heart was in her throat and her insides felt like a playful volcano as she stood up and untied the sash of her robe. She wasn’t even sure why – wasn’t this the man she planned on spending the rest of her life with? Hadn’t she been wanting this for ages?
That was the problem – exactly what did he want? Win or lose, she was about to find out.
Rob knocked on her door. “Betty?”
“Come in!”
Instead of Betty being naked, let’s have her wearing a sexy nightie – she’s still a bit too shy to go all the way. Save the sex for after the Nude Day scene, where the four can heart-to-heart about Betty’s bush and Nick’s history with Audra – only then does he learn that Betty knows.
He opened the door, to find his future bride standing by her bed, wearing a very nervous smile and a beautiful magenta negligee with the lowest neckline and highest hemline he’d ever seen on her. She giggled like a schoolgirl as he took in the lovely view.