Baby Briana

Chapter 5 - Casey Cuddles

Breakfast and chores were a breeze. Briana was used to tidying up early on the weekend anyway. Jane even pitched in a little, which more than made up for her supervising Briana's work. Veronica had a homework schedule all laid out. Briana was regretting having been so candid with her roommate about what assignments there were. In addition to everything due on Monday, Veronica had time set aside for working on an end of quarter paper, and all the optional readings her professor had suggested. Her easy half-day of homework had ballooned into a nine-hour nightmare.

She trudged, stomped if she was being honest, back to her room. The essential stuff was prioritized and Briana agreed with that much. She hoped that meant there was some flexibility on the optional parts. Being forced into homework was a lot like having a deadline. Once Briana got going the work went by fast. She had all her Monday assignments done as well as the paper prep that Veronica assigned her by lunch.

Down the rickety stairs, she entered the wood and tile kitchen to the smell of bacon. She sidled up to Erin with a grin on her face. "Whatcha makin'?"

"Sliders." Erin said. "Want to help?"

"Sounds fun!" Briana set up a toppings station, quickly assembling the little burgers as Erin dished them up. Jane and Casey drifted in to join them. The kitchen table was soon piled with a variety of sliders, lemonade, and a big bowl of chips.

"Is anyone else joining us?" Jane asked as she sat. "That's a lot of food."

"Ronnie is crunching on her thesis this weekend." Erin said. "Suzie is at an event for her advisor."

"Briana." Casey caught Briana as she came to the table. "Make up a plate for Veronica and take it to her please."

"Okay." Briana smiled and arranged a plate. "She could have done it herself. Everyone really is treating me like I'm the kid." The thought didn't bother her, but it was odd. She delivered the plate to Veronica's office and got a terse nod of thanks in response. Erin hadn't been kidding, Veronica's normally pristine desk was covered in notes.

She raced back to the kitchen and loaded up her own plate. A round of laughs traveled the table as Briana gulped down her first two sliders.

"I think that's the most excited about food I've seen you in a while." Erin said.

"You look a lot happier." Casey said. "How are you feeling about this whole thing? Okay?"

"Yeah actually." Briana blushed a little, focusing her gaze on her plate. "It's been kind of amazing so far. Thank you. I know it's a lot of work for all of you."

"It's really not that much work." Jane chuckled. "Especially since we get to boss you around."

"I was worried at first." Casey said. "You like that part too, being bossed around?"

"Yeah." Briana made little circles in the ketchup on her plate with a shard of chip.

"Who knew you were so subby?" Casey laughed and stroked Briana's hair.

"Shut up." Briana buried her face in her arms.

"Okay we'll lay off." Jane laughed. "Did you get your homework all done?"

"Yeah!" Briana nodded, glad to face her roommates on a different topic. "Everything due on Monday and more!"

"Veronica is a taskmaster." Erin stood and stretched. "I'm going to do the Costco run. Jane, you mind coming with me?" Jane nodded and got up as well.

"I'll watch Briana." Casey said. Briana blushed, but couldn't find the motivation to protest.

"Great!" A flurry of cleaning up later, Erin and Jane were out the door.