Mary and Halley (sequel to When Mary Met Halley)

four

I was deeply asleep when my phone rang that night. I grabbed for it blindly with that panicky feeling a middle-of-the-night call awakens, finally locating it and checking the ID. Charlotte. "What's up?" I asked. Halley spooned me, draping an arm around my stomach, inherently calming. It was 2:15.

"Don't flip out, okay? I need help. Joey's drunk and we can't get him to get in the car and he's already been in one fight, can Leif come? I tried calling him but he didn't answer." Her voice was strained and loud music played in the background.

I got past my initial shock, because my little brother didn't drink, and responded with the right answer. "Yes, we'll be right there. Where are you?" I got out of bed and held a finger up to Halley as I found my jeans in my floordrobe.

Charlotte was trying not to cry. "At this stupid party by Great China, around the corner by the parking garage. It's the yellow house full of cars, you can't miss it. Shit, I have to go. Hurry, Mary, okay?" She hung up.

"Apparently Joey's drunk at some party," I said in disbelief. He and Charlotte were the ones we didn't have to worry about. Or so we'd thought anyway.

Those beautiful turquoise eyes widened and her eyebrows shot up. "Our Joey?" She got up too and stood there completely naked because that was how she slept and oh my God. Every thought I'd ever had went right out of my head. 

I forced myself to focus, swallowing. "Our Joey, who must have lost his fucking mind." They both had their licenses now and were mostly free to do what they wanted, as long as they got in all their homeschool work and checked in with us now and then. They spent a lot of time with friends, but both adamantly denounced alcohol and anything stronger than weed.

Yet here we were.

"Wow," she said, bending over to pick up my hoodie, which further rendered me senseless.

As soon as she grew close enough, my hand reached out of its own accord to cup her perfect right breast, which was smooth and heavy and like a dream. "Yeah. You'd better get dressed so I can think," I murmured, hoping she wouldn't hear.

"Yeah," she echoed, making no move to, kissing me instead.

I thought of Charlotte asking me to hurry and groaned in extreme frustration. "Shit," I said, pulling away. "My brother is in so much fucking trouble right now."

She made a face and tugged a silky green tank top over her head, which didn't make it that much easier for me to leave. "Yes, he is."

I put on the hoodie and made myself look away as she stepped into pajama pants, my heart pounding a little as I considered my immediate future. I emphatically did not want to go to some high school party with no makeup on and get my drunk brother in the thirty degree weather. I wanted to snuggle in my warm soft bed with my warm soft girlfriend and sleep, dammit.

He was going to wish he hadn't pulled this stunt, that much was certain.

I quietly went out, braced myself, and peeked into the garage. Luckily Leif was alone and covered up. We had insulated the area and it was as warm as the house, though still somewhat chilly since we didn't run the heater too high at night. 

I went down the few stairs and sat on the edge of his bed. "Hey, sleeping beauty. Wake up."

He rolled over and opened one eye, then closed it and yanked the covers over his head. "Unless someone is on fire or naked, the latter contingent on identity, shoo."

"Joey's drunk at a party," I said in a tone that showed exactly what I thought about that. 

He sat up, pushing off the blankets, and gaped at me. "Our Joey?"