"So, you do like this man?"

"He's a nice guy, Uncle Alek, but he wants me to be his girlfriend, and it's just never gonna happen."

Being Christina Chase
Chapter 35 - Quality Time
by Admiral Krunch

 

        Christina awoke in a familiar place. She felt soft pillows under her head; she was deliciously warm under thick quilted blankets. A gauzy canopy wafted silently above her on the frame of a four poster bed. Sitting up, Christina looked around; she was back home. Somehow, the situation didn't seem as out of control as it had the night before.

        She realized that her aunt and uncle were right; she needed help. She needed somewhere to stay and an opportunity to regroup. As she sat there coming fully awake, she couldn't imagine a better place to do just that. Even after the trauma of past few days, Christina had been able to sleep better than she had since last leaving Oak Grove; she always slept well in her uncle's house. It wasn't just that she was pampered by clean linens and warm blankets, it was the knowledge that her aunt and uncle were sleeping right downstairs. It was the thought that just outside her door, Nina and Andrei were waiting. Of course, it would have to be temporary. Christina figured that one month, maybe two, was enough time to save some money and move on. She'd never been a girl for that long, she thought, but how hard could it be? If she could hold out for a short while, she could get back on her feet, and then figure out some way of becoming Christopher again.

        Sliding out of bed, she rummaged through the pile of hastily arranged shoes in her closet. Finding the bunny slippers that Misha had made her for Christmas, she put them on. Walking out of her bedroom, still in her green nightshirt, she went to Nina's door. Nina's door was open, but the girl was nowhere to be found. Entering Nina's bedroom, Christina looked around. Checking the clock, she realized that she'd slept in; it was past nine and Nina was already at school.

        Leaving Nina's room, Christina went to Andrei's bedroom to see whether her other cousin was home. He was also long gone. Christina sighed as she surveyed her older cousin's room, which had again reverted to a dumping ground for clothes and minor trash. It was too cold for Andrei to be working in the barn, and even if it were summer, Christina assumed he'd be at Steph's.

        "Hello?" Christina called as she descended the stairs. She went into the kitchen and saw her uncle struggling with a stack of dirty dishes in the sink. Christina rushed over to her uncle and snuck in beside him. "Let me do that," she insisted.

        "Tina," Alek said warmly, "You are awake."

        Christina nudged her uncle aside and took over the dish washing.

        "You do not have to do that," insisted Alek.

        "It's okay," Christina said with a grin, "I don't mind."

        Alek turned off the water and said, "Come Tina, you must be hungry."

        Though she had not realized it until Alek had mentioned it, Christina was very hungry. She had not eaten one morsel of food the previous day. She admitted, "I guess I am."

        Alek sat Christina down at the kitchen table and insisted that she eat something from the left over stack of pancakes, toast, and sausage. "Let me heat something up for you," Alek offered.

        "It's okay. Don't bother," Christina said as she stacked two pancakes into the dish in front of her.

        Alek went to the stove and retrieved the bottle of syrup from where it had been sitting next to a lit burner. Placing the syrup in front of his niece, he poured a cup of milk.

        "You warmed up the syrup?"

        "That is how you like it, is it not?"

        "Yeah," the girl said through her smile. She covered her cold pancakes in the warm syrup and dug in.

        Alek asked, "How does your tummy feel today?"

        Christina swallowed the bite of food in her mouth and said, "I'm fine. Yesterday was kind of stressful." Putting down her fork, she frowned. "About what I said to you yesterday," Christina said apologetically, "I should never have talked to you like that."

        With a wave of his hand, Alek said, "Do not give it another thought."

        Christina again smiled at her uncle. He could be proud, he could be stubborn, and he could be strict. Above all, he was loving. Christina was happy to be around him again.

         "Where's Aunt Misha?" Christina asked as she stopped eating again.

        Returning to the dishes, Alek explained, "Your aunt is running the store today."

        "How come?" Christina asked.

        Alek finished the last few plates and responded, "So that I can take you shopping for a new coat."

        "Oh, you didn't have to go through any trouble! I guess I can go to Abby's and pick something up. I should be able to afford something there I think."

        Alek returned to the table and said, "I will buy your coat, Tina. You should save your money." Christina began to object but Alek shot her down with another wave of his hand. "I was thinking," he continued, "Instead of going into town, you and I could go to Dover."

        "All the way out there?"

        "There are many stores there. You can pick out exactly what you want, and I thought I would take you to lunch. Make a day of it."

        A wide grin spread across Christina's face. "You want to spend the whole day? You mean, just you and me?"

        Alek nodded.

        "For real?"

        Alek answered, "Unless you do not wish-"

        "No," Christina said as she stood up in place. "I'd like that. I'd like that a lot." Looking down at herself, Christina blurted, "I should go get ready! We don't want to leave too late-"

        "Sit down, Tina," Alek corrected with a grin, "and finish your breakfast."

        Christina sat down and shoveled food into her mouth at a pace that could almost rival Andrei's. After finishing every bite on her plate, Christina took her plate to the sink and started to wash it. Alek relieved Christina of that duty and the girl rushed upstairs and into the bathroom. After showering, dressing, and fixing her makeup, she was shocked to learn that she had gotten ready for the day in less than one hour.

        Christina came down the stairs wearing a pair of jeans, a snug striped sweater, and her winter boots to find Alek waiting downstairs holding an old wool coat in his hands. He held it up and helped Christina into it. "This "Should keep you warm until we find something you like."

        "Uncle Alek," Christina objected, "You don't really have to buy me a coat-"

        "Tina, I do not want to hear another word about it," Alek said firmly. "The winters here are very cold, and you need a proper coat." Taking Christina by the hand, he led her out the front door as he added, "Besides, I have missed a lifetime of spoiling you."

        When they got to Christina's car, Christina opened the passenger side and started to climb in.

        Alek stopped her and asked, "Tina, would you like to drive?"

        "You want me to?"

        "Why not?" Alek said whimsically. "It is your car, and it is a fine clear day."

        "Sure," Christina beamed. She scurried through the snow to the other side of the car and got into the driver's seat. After fastening her seat belt, she shoved the keys into the ignition.

        Alek instructed, "The road may not yet be plowed, so be careful. There is no need to rush."

        "Yes sir," said Christina obediently.

        Starting her car, she drove carefully down the driveway. Even though they were in her car, she had assumed Alek would be driving; she had never driven any of the men in the family anywhere before. Even though she'd been driving for years, Christina made a point of driving mindfully in an effort to impress her uncle.

 

        At Christina's deliberate pace, it took an hour and a half to get to Dover. Christina normally couldn't stand back seat drivers, but she did not mind the constant driving instruction from her uncle. It was not lost on Christina that Alek was intensely overprotective of his girls. She could understand why Anastasia had fought with her father constantly, and even why even Nina railed against him on occasion. Christina, however, almost welcomed it. No one had ever been quite so concerned with her well being. Granted, she felt that being practically abducted from her apartment was a little over the top, but it was the sentiment that allowed her to humor her uncle. When Christina was around Alek she felt more than loved, she felt cherished. It was an amazing feeling.

        Christina drove slowly through the middle of Dover. Main Street was lined with shops of all sizes, and people dressed in bright ski jackets and colorful wool hats walked back and forth. There were so many people that Christina frequently had to stop for people that crossed the street without regard for crosswalks. As she looked out the window, Christina remarked, "All the times I've been here, I've only been to the bus station. I didn't know Dover was so big."

        "That is because of the tourists." Alek explained.

        "Tourists?"

        "People come for the mountain," Alek said as he pointed to the peak on the East side of town.

        Looking around, she saw blue signs marked, "Castlerock Mountain ." "Oh wow! Castlerock is up here. I had no idea."

        "You know of it?"

        "Yeah, I've heard of it before." Scanning the stores, she asked, "Um, do you know where we're going?"

        "This is as good a place as any," Alek announced as he pointed at an open parking space ahead.

        Christina took great care in parallel parking the car in the space. She felt as though she'd been taking a driving exam, and she had no intention of failing now. Alek smiled approvingly as Christina maneuvered the car to a stop. Getting out of the car, they walked together down the sidewalk, passing store after store. Misha's old coat was not quite warm enough for the bitter mountain wind, and Christina tightly held her uncle to fight the chill.

        When a women's apparel store caught Christina's eye, she and her uncle went in. Letting go of her uncle's hand, Christina wandered around the store. She scanned the racks and displays for coats, but found herself distracted by all the other clothes. Christina thought she'd kicked her girl habit. She'd gone cold turkey and lived exclusively as boy for an entire month. She hadn't allowed herself to read any of her girl magazines or to sleep in her feminine pajamas. Wallowing in the worries of her old life in the city had been the only thing that distracted her from her feminine activities.

        Now, shopping as a girl after all that time was overloading her mind. She saw a number of things she would like to have, but refused to let herself get attached to anything.

        In her brief time as a girl, Christina had developed a shopping habit that produced a wardrobe larger than any she'd ever possessed as a boy. Even though she wanted to try on everything in the store, she restrained herself.

        Seeing a rack of coats against the far wall, Christina tunneled through the isles to get to it. On the way, she passed a brown sweaterdress, and stopped for a moment to admire it. Feeling the knitted material between her fingers, she sighed. She wanted very much to try it on, but she didn't have money to spend on a new dress. Furthermore, she wasn't going to allow herself to buy more girl clothes. The plan was to save up some money and move back out on her own- as a boy. She couldn't let herself lose sight of that.

        Letting go of the dress, she went to the coats. She flipped through the rack, but nothing jumped out at her. She began to feel a little guilty; here she was, being her usual finicky self, when her uncle was footing the bill. She should just get the cheapest coat in the store, she thought.

        "Tina," Alek called from behind the girl, "Do you see anything you like?"

        Christina crooked her bottom lip and pulled an ugly, olive green wool coat out of the rack and held it up. "How about this?" she asked.

        "Do you really like that?" Alek chuckled.

        "Um ... it's ... okay."

        "Be honest with me Tina, do you really like it?"

        "Yes?"

        "Tina ..."

        Christina gritted her teeth and admitted, "No. It's awful. I hate it. With every fiber of my being, I hate it. Actually, I don't really like any of these, but I don't need anything fantastic."

        "Tina," Alek said lovingly, "You are to pick out whatever your heart desires. There are other stores in town, you know."

        "My heart desires fancy, expensive things!" she laughed. Taking the olive coat back out of the rack, she insisted, "This will be fine."

        Alek took the coat from his niece and put it back. He walked over to the pointelle sweaterdress and held up the sleeve. "Do you like this?" he asked.

        Christina raised her hands towards the dress and said, "Yeah well, it's nice ... but we're looking for a coat."

        "I thought I saw you admiring it."

        "There may have been a little admiring going on," Christina mumbled.

        Alek took the dress off its rack and held it out to Christina. He said, "Perhaps you should try it on."

        "Uncle Alek ..." she complained.

        "I would like to see you in it," Alek insisted.

        "Really?" Christina asked with a grin. Christina reluctantly took the dress and held it out in front of her. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to just try it on ..." she said.

        "Go on," Alek encouraged.

        "Okay. I'll be right back." Christina grinned broadly as she rushed to the changing room. Inside, she stripped out of her jeans and sweater, then pulled the dress over her head. Turning around, Christina appraised herself in the changing room mirror from every angle. The brown dress clung to every curve; the skirt ended just beneath her knees and encased them snugly. The knitted pattern covered her entire body up to her shoulders where it ended in a warm turtleneck. Putting her hands on her hips, Christina admired how the full length sleeves showcased her long, delicate arms.

        Christina stepped out of the changing room and found Alek waiting just outside. She held her hands behind her back and presented herself to her uncle. "What do you think?" she asked hopefully.

        "Tina," Alek exclaimed, "You are lovely!"

        Christina grinned like a little girl and rolled up and down on the balls of her feet. "You really think so?"

        Alek replied, "Yes, sweetheart. We must buy it."

        Christina shook her head and said, "That's okay, I don't really need it."

        "Do you like this dress Tina?" Alek asked.

        "Well sure, but-"

        "It would give me pleasure to buy it for you. You wouldn't want to take that away from me, would you?"

        "Well ..." Christina rationalized, "I guess if you put it that way ..."

        Alek announced, "Then it is settled."

        Though her first reaction was to again object, Christina gave in and smiled at her uncle. Going back to the changing room, Christina called, "I'll be right back!" She quickly changed into her jeans and sweater and came back out, holding the dress draped over her arm. Alek escorted Christina to the front counter and paid for her new dress. Christina still felt a little guilty about her uncle spending money, but it was difficult to dwell on that feeling. Though Christina already knew she'd become a shopaholic, she never realized how much more intoxicating shopping could be with an audience.

        As Christina left the store with her uncle, the rushing wind out on the street reminded her that she needed to focus on finding a new coat. She spied a ski shop across the street and pointed to it. Alek nodded, and they hurried through the bitter cold.

        Christina looked around the store and saw a sea of jackets. There were also racks of skis, poles, boots, and full snow suits. Casually walking down the isles, Christina discretely scanned the prices with her eyes, and decided that nearly everything in the shop was priced out of her comfort level. She was certain that Alek would buy anything that pleased her, so she put on her best disinterested face.

        Alek asked, "Do you see anything you like Tina?"

        Looking around, Christina lied, "No Uncle Alek. I don't think this is my style." There were at least four jackets which appealed to her, but she couldn't enjoy any of them knowing how much they cost.

        "Why not try something on, and see how it feels?"

        "Well ..." Christina hedged. "I guess I can try something on, but I still don't think it's my thing." Christina would have thrown on a burlap sack for the opportunity to pose for her uncle again. She grabbed a shiny purple ski jacket off a rack and headed towards a changing booth obscured by a heavy curtain. Passing a display of ear muffs, Christina grinned and snatched a fuzzy white pair. She went into the booth and put on the jacket and the ear muffs. She posed for herself in the mirror and smiled; she certainly looked the part of a tantalizing, young ski bunny.

        Rushing out from behind the changing booth's curtain to show off for her uncle, Christina unceremoniously collided with a solid object and fell backward into a rack of men's ski jackets. Pushing aside jackets from either side of her face, Christina saw another woman sitting on the floor, wearing a jacket very much like the one she had on. The woman, who appeared to Christina to be in her early thirties, was wearing a pair of dress pants and an expensive white cashmere sweater. She had short black hair that ended in a curve behind her ears, and her makeup looked expertly applied.

        "Excuse me," the woman said more as an accusation than an apology. "You," she said to a young man wearing a name tag, "Help me up." Responding immediately, the man pulled the woman to her feet.

        Christina rose slowly out of the rack of jackets and apologized, "Hey, I'm really sorry."

        Brushing the dirt off her jacket the woman said, "You should be more careful. I know you're just thrilled that Daddy took you for a ski weekend, but it's no excuse not to watch where you're going."

        "I'm not here to ski, I live in the area actually," Christina explained as she shook off her dizziness.

        "Yes, I'm sure it's very exciting, Local Girl." The woman sized up Christina then reevaluated the jacket she was wearing that was so much like Christina's. Taking the jacket off and handing it to her attendant, the woman said, "This is wrong. Find me another."

        "Yes, ma'am," the man said as he followed the testy woman down the isle.

        "I really am sorry," Christina called, but it was no use. The woman was already engrossed in selecting a new jacket.

        "Tina, are you alright?" Alek called from behind her.

        Facing her uncle, Christina said, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just bumped into that woman." As Alek brushed Christina off, Christina took a look back at the woman and decided, "You know, I don't think this jacket is really me, either." With that, Christina returned to the changing booth and changed back into Misha's old coat.

        "Let's try somewhere else," Christina said to her uncle as she carefully reemerged from the booth.

        Alek nodded, and led Christina back out into the cold.

        Searching around for another store to try, Christina pointed out a vintage clothing shop with a mannequin dressed in a flapper dress in the window. Leading her uncle into the store, she immediately left him behind to take in all the sights. The store had a collection of clothes from ranging from the twenties through the sixties; and Christina knew she had to restrain herself from trying absolutely everything on.

        Forcing herself to ignore all the vintage dresses, Christina went directly to an eclectic arrangement of coats on a circular rack. Christina appraised the feel of the fabric of each coat as though she was channeling the soul of some long dead garment merchant who had traveled the Silk Road during the reign of Roman Empire. The electric feel of wool sparked under Christina thumb as she pulled out a long, bone colored angora coat.

        "Wow," Christina whispered as she instantly fell in love. Rushing to a mirror, Christina held up the coat in front of her and marveled. The coat was double-breasted, peaking in large lapels, almost like her favorite peacoat. Letting the jacket hang in front of her, she noticed how it seemed almost tailor-made for a girl of her height.

        "You like this one?" Alek asked from behind.

        As Christina shrugged off the jacket she was wearing, she confessed, "If this doesn't fit me, I'm going to break down and cry right in front of everyone." She handed Misha's old jacket to her uncle, and put the angora coat on with her back to the mirror. She pulled and arranged the coat about her shoulders, took a deep breath, then turned around.

        It was perfect; the coat had sharp lines that showed off Christina's tall figure, especially her ethereal waist line and her long, skinny legs. As Christina turned from side to side in the mirror, she couldn't shake the feeling that she'd become a pencil drawing in some fashion designer's notebook.

        "Oh, wow," Christina repeated.

        Alek asked, "You like it, Tina?"

        "Do I like it?" Christina asked incredulously as she reached for a long white scarf from a nearby shelf. She tied the scarf around her neck and modeled the outfit in the mirror.

        "Do you want this coat?" Alek asked.

        "Oh my God, I want this coat like ... like ... orphans want food!"

        "So that is a yes?" Alek laughed.

        "Yes. I really want this." Christina searched frantically about the coat for a tag and said, "But I don't see a price."

        "Do not worry about that," Alek objected as he helped Christina remove the coat.

        "The scarf too," Christina said as she placed it on top of the coat draped over Alek's thick arm. "I'll pay you back," she promised.

        Tired of explaining the rules of the game, Alek said nothing and carried Christina's coat over to the counter.

        Christina held her breath as she watched Alek pay for her clothes; she didn't even want to know how much money her uncle was spending on her.

        As Alek came back, he placed Misha's old jacket into one of Christina's bags and held out her new coat.

        Christina put her arms in the sleeves of her new coat, and her uncle bundled her up as she turned to face him. "Whatever it costs, I'll work it off in the store," Christina insisted.

        "Tina," Alek said, "All I wish is to see you smile."

        Christina did smile as she wrapped her new scarf around her neck. "Thank you, Uncle Alek," she said sweetly.

        As Christina and Alek left the store, Christina wrapped her arm around her uncle, not for warmth, but merely to be close to the man. She walked next to her uncle, not giving a thought to where they might be going. After a long year of insane work hours and emotional catastrophes, Christina was content to just walk next to Alek. For once she didn't have to worry about taxes, paying her rent, or the thought that she would have to return to the city.

        As Alek and Christina passed a busy restaurant on the corner of a major intersection, he asked, "Would you like to stop for lunch ?"

        "Okay," Christina answered.

        Leading Christina into the restaurant, Alek asked the hostess for a table for two. They followed the hostess to a booth in the middle of the crowded restaurant., Christina took great care in folding her new coat and placing it on the seat next to her. The hostess presented Christina and Alek with menus and left them to peruse the offerings. After a few minutes, their waitress arrived, and took their orders.

        As Christina looked around the restaurant, she noticed that most of the people were well dressed in thick sweaters and expensive ski clothing. Most every person in the room had lift tickets attached to their zippers. It quickly became clear to Christina just why Dover was the largest town in the area.

        One group in particular stuck out like a sore thumb. Four men dressed in suits sat around cups of coffee and stacks of papers. The eldest man hadn't bothered to take off his overcoat, and he was writing furiously on a small yellow note pad and sharing his findings with the others. Christina recognized him as Saul, Richard's godfather. Christina didn't recognize the two men on the other side of the table. The youngest man, the one sitting next to Saul- the one who had just met her gaze, was unmistakable.

        Richard did a double take in Christina's direction, then excused himself as he stood up.

        Christina, seeing that she'd been discovered, reached over to the empty table behind her, grabbed a menu, and hid herself behind it.

        "Miss Chase," Richard said as he appeared in front of Christina. Turning to Alek he added, "Mr. Levchenko."

        Alek did not respond. He did, however, shoot Richard an annoyed look as though he was a bear who had been interrupted in mid-hibernation.

        "Oh, Richard," Christina said, "I didn't see you there." Fumbling with the menu, she added, "I was just wondering what to get."

        Just at that moment, the waitress arrived and placed Alek's and Christina's orders in front of them.

        Richard shot Christina a wry grin, and Christina handed the menu to the waitress, saying, "Wow, you read my mind."

        "I was just having lunch with my associates," Richard said as he motioned to the table of men. "Saul you know, and that's Dr. Redinger and Dr. Brown."

        "It looks like you're a member of the old man club," Christina joked uncomfortably.

        "We're waiting for one more, but it looks as though we may have been stood up," Richard took his cell phone out of his pocket and waved it as he jabbed, "though it wouldn't be the first time."

        "About my cell phone," Christina said, "It got turned off. Things kinda got crazy, and the short story is, I'm back for now."

        "Perhaps I can try you at home," Richard pressed. "How long are you staying?"

        "Christina will be staying as long as she wishes," Alek interrupted.

        Sensing that Alek didn't appreciate his presence, Richard said to Christina, "I suppose I should leave you to your meal. Perhaps, when you're finished, you might like to meet the gang?"

        "It is not often that I get to enjoy the afternoon with my niece," Alek answered in Christina's stead.

        "Yes, of course." Richard conceded. "Perhaps some other time." Richard gave Alek a respectful nod and flashed his pearly whites to Christina before retreating to his table.

        After Alek watched Richard take his seat, he asked his niece, "Do you enjoy that man's company, Tina?"

        "Once you get past first impressions," Christina explained, "Richard is a very nice man."

        "So, you do like this man."

        "He's a nice guy, Uncle Alek, but he wants me to be his girlfriend, and it's just never gonna happen."

        "Good girl," Alek commended. "He is too old for you, I think."

        "That's not the only problem," Christina muttered.

        "What?"

        "Nothing," Christina said as she unwrapped her silverware. "Let's not talk about Richard anymore, okay? I like things better when it's just you and me."

        "Agreed," Alek said as he sliced into his steak with his knife.

        After lunch, Christina and Alek walked slowly through town back to the car. Neither of them was in a hurry. She realized this was the first carefree day they'd actually ever spent together.

        When they returned to the car, Christina took her keys out of her coat pocket and handed them to her uncle. "Could you drive Uncle Alek?" she asked.

        "Of course Tina," Alek said as he took the keys. "Do you not feel well?"

        "I feel fine. It's just that it's a long drive, and it'll be dark soon, and the truth is, I like it better when you drive anyway."

        Though Christina wanted to spend the entire drive home talking to Alek, the hypnotic sound of the tires on pavement put her to sleep. After working the night shift at the Handi-Mart for the last month, Christina was still accustomed to living inverted days.

        When they arrived at home, Alek woke his niece with a gentle nudge on the shoulder. As Christina yawned and stretched her arms, Alek got out of the car, taking both of Christina's shopping bags.

        Still feeling a little sleepy, Christina followed her uncle to the front door then into the house. As Alek placed the shopping bags on the floor, Christina hugged her uncle from behind. "Thank you for my new coat," she said.

        Alek turned around and gave her a mighty squeeze, saying, "You are welcome, Tina."

        Christina added, "I want every day to be like this one."

        "We cannot go shopping every day," Alek joked.

        "No," Christina grinned, "I mean, I just liked spending the day with you."

        "If you wish," Alek offered, "You can work with me tomorrow."

        "I'd like that a lot."

        The moment was interrupted by the sound of the side door and the noise of paws on wood. Boris rushed into the living room on a collision course with Christina. Just as the dog was about to leap up Christina said, "Not on my new coat!"

        Boris, against his better judgment, sat down and waited impatiently for affection.

        Christina bent at the knees and gave the giant German shepherd a hug. "Good boy," she commended. Seeing Misha in the kitchen, Christina went into the kitchen, and without a word, hugged her aunt. "Thank you," she said.

        "What for?" Misha laughed as she patted Christina on the back.

        "I'm sure my Dover excursion wasn't entirely Uncle Alek's idea."

        "I take it you had a good time?" Misha asked.

        Smiling, Christina looked back into the living room towards her uncle, but her smile faded as she turned back to her aunt.

        Misha asked, "What is the matter Tina?"

        "Nothing. It's just that, I really can't stay forever."

        "Did you enjoy yourself today?"

        "Well, yeah-"

        "If you are happy, child, then be happy. Do not always concern yourself with the future. It will take care of itself."

        "I guess so," Christina replied, though she didn't lose her frown. "Anyway, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry I didn't tell you I needed help. I kinda wish you didn't find out the way you did."

        "Tina, if you did not want me to find that envelope, you should not have left it on top of the refrigerator."

        "The refrigerator? Aunt Misha, I didn't leave the money there ..."

        The conversation was interrupted by the sound of Nina entering the side door as she struggled with a few grocery bags.

        "Let me help you with those," Christina called, but Nina ignored her as she lugged the bags to the kitchen table.

        As Christina looked at Nina's face, she could see that the girl had been crying. "Nina?" she asked.

        Looking completely despondent, Nina ran out of the kitchen and upstairs.

        Turning to her aunt, Christina said, "I think I should go see what that's about." Christina left the kitchen and went upstairs to Nina's door. She knocked on the door and called, "Nina?"

        "Go away," Nina said from inside her bedroom.

        "Nina, what's wrong?"

        "I don't want to talk about it."

        "Nina," Christina implored, "If something's bothering you, you know I want to hear about it."

        Nina opened the door; she had tears streaming down her face. "Now you want to know?" Nina said angrily. "I've been leaving you messages for a month, and you never called me back! And NOW you want to know?"

        "Nina, I am really sorry. I know I should have been there for you-"

        "You're never there!" Nina exploded. "Not anymore. Besides, you're just going to say I told you so."

        Christina walked into Nina's room, shut the door, then led her cousin to the bed. Sitting down next to Nina, Christina wrapped her arm around the girl and promised, "I would never say that."

        Nina wiped the tears from her eyes then took a deep breath. "David dumped me," Nina said. "Two weeks ago."

        "I'm so sorry Nina," Christina said as she rubbed the girl's back. "You know maybe it's for the best. I know you probably don't feel this way right now, but you'll get over him. I really don't think he's worth crying over."

        "Someone scratched 'slut' into my locker today."

        "Why would someone do that?" Christina asked. "Do you think it was David?"

        "I don't know," Nina sniffed. "That's what he told everyone; he said that we had sex. And that I was into all this weird stuff. Everyone's talking about it."

        "That bastard!" Christina yelled as she stood up. Grabbing Nina by the shoulders, Christina asked, "It's not true right? You two never-"

        "No. Of course not."

        "I'm gonna kill him," Christina said as she paced angrily, "I'm gonna fucking kill him." Seeing that Nina had started to cry again, Christina bent down and held her. "I'm sorry Nina. I should have answered your messages. I am so sorry. But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

        "Okay," Nina said.

        "And I know that no one at school could possibly believe David. Everything is going to be okay. I promise."

        "I should have listened to you," Nina admitted. "You were right about him all along."

        Christina sat back to on the bed and explained, "You know Nina, I don't know all that much, but I do know that boys make everything confusing. When you think you're in love with someone, you can't always really see the person you're in love with."

        Nina asked, "So what do we do?"

        "Let's make a deal. If you're dating someone that I don't think is good for you, I'll tell you. And if I'm dating the wrong g-" Christina stopped in the middle of the word "guy" and corrected, "-person, then you tell me, okay? We'll just have to trust each other when it comes to relationships ."

        "Okay," Nina said as she nodded. Getting off the bed, Nina went to her desk and took a safety pin out of one of her drawers. Returning to Christina, Nina opened the pin and held out her hand.

        "What's that for?" Christina asked.

        Pressing the sharp pin to her finger, Nina explained, "We should become blood sisters. That way no boy could ever come between us."

        "Nina, we pretty much already have the same blood." Seeing that Nina was deadly serious, Christina sighed and held out her hand. "Ow!" she chirped as the pin pricked her fore finger.

        Nina winced as she repeated the process on her own finger, then pressed her bloody finger to Christina's.

        After Nina removed her throbbing finger, Christina laughed as she said, "Okay, that was a little gross."

        Nina smiled then asked, "You're really not going anywhere?"

        Christina answered, "I'm staying for a long time, Nina. I promise."

---

Edited into coherence by Holly Logan.
Thanks to Sephrena Miller for taking an early read.
Hope you enjoyed it. If you liked it or hated it, please leave a tasty comment.
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