Missing You Again

It Won't Get Weird Baby

Brian opened the front door a tiny, fluffy white dog yipped excitedly at his feet.

"Pinkly!" he hissed and the dog sat down beside him. They both tilted their heads as they looked at me and Brian's eyebrows pulled together as if was trying to work out a particularly complicated puzzle. Obviously Steph hadn't told him I was on my way.

I held my hands out wide and gave him a huge smile. If ever a gesture said 'ta-da!' this was it. "Surprise!"

"What are you doing here?" Brian asked softly as he bent down to pick up the little dog that was scrabbling at my leg.

"Jesus Brian, don't look so fucking pleased to see me." I scowled and pushed past him to stalk into the apartment.

"Kelly!" Steph whisper shouted as she ran over and flung her arms around me. At least someone other than the dog was pleased to see me.

"Steph." I leaned into the hug.

"I was just talking to Caitlin and she didn't mention anything about you being here. Does she know?" Steph's voice was quiet as she grabbed me by the elbow and tugged me through the apartment to a set of stacker doors that opened from the living room onto a wide terrace. As we sat on a wide outdoor sofa she turned her attention to Brian and raised her voice above a near whisper. "Did you know? Did you plan this as some kind of surprise?"

His eyes flickered between the two of us for a moment and I could almost see the hamster wheel turning in his head as he contemplated the benefits surprising his girlfriend with a visit from her best friend could win him. I narrowed my eyes at him. 'I dare you' my look said. Brian's mouth quirked up in a smirk, "Nah, I didn't but can we pretend that I did?"

"But why would we do that babe? Did you want me to kick you in the balls for not telling me my best friend was coming to visit?" Steph asked innocently.

Brian winced, "Jesus Ace...."

I couldn't stop the gurgle of laughter that bubbled up in my chest. They were hilarious together and it made me feel good to just be around them.

Steph turned a beaming smile on me, "So why did Caitie not mention this to me?"

Guilt made my stomach churn. Fuck I was going to have a stomach ulcer at this rate. I know a packet of ulcer medication kind of came as part of the welcome package when you got the key to the executive washroom but an ulcer was not part of my life plan. Particularly not for my early thirties.

I could feel a flush rising up my neck as I replied, "She uh, doesn't know."

"Really? Caitlin doesn't know?" Incredulity painted her face and dripped from every word. Steph and I had surprised Caitlin in Europe but I wasn't really known for my surprise visits.

"You're fucked," Brian coughed. I glared at him but he just gave me a cocky smirk in return. I pressed my palms to my now flaming cheeks, this was unprecedented. Red-headed Caitlin was the one who blushed in our family, not me.

Steph seemed to shake off her surprise even if her smile was not as bright when she said, "Okay so it's a surprise for us all. How long are you here for?"

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Here it came. The moment of truth. Bombs away. "Well...uh...Surprise! I'm here indefinitely. For work. I have a house. Your cousin decorated it." I finished up in a rush.

Steph was squeaking with excitement and Brian had a grimace on his face that some would interpret as a smile. Something told me my best friend's boyfriend was not exactly thrilled by my new proximity to their life. I was used to it. Her ex-husband had hated me and I had loathed him in return. The thing was I actually liked Brian and I felt a little sick at the idea that he didn't like me.