Michelle walked Taylor and the girls to the music store, pulling out Taylors iPod and getting it ready for her, then handing it over. “You know what we forgot to do Sweet Pea? I forgot to buy a wireless router for the new house, and order internet.” Michelle giggled.

“Oh yeah! The realtor lady said it was already wired for high speed. I guess that means we just have to get it turned on huh?” she giggled. “This is so cool!”

“When we go pick up our laptops i'll buy the equipment we need. Anyway, here’s your iPod sweet pea.” Walking over to the MP3 kiosk, Michelle put fifty dollars in credit for Taylor.

“Your sister is the coolest,” Trisha whispered and giggled as Taylor’s eyes went wide.

“Um, wow. Thank you!” she giggled, and started searching through the catalogue.

“Past birthdays I’ve missed.” Michelle giggled and winked.

“Oh my God. They have the Cheetah Girls too. I really just want a couple of songs off that album, but wow!” she bubbled, sorting through and adding several mp3s, including a discounted Little Mermaid soundtrack and a couple of other songs and albums, and just for giggles, one album containing Beethoven’s symphonies, for study time. After she’d finished, following much discussion among the three girls about what to do with the last five dollars’ worth of credit, Taylor turned around and one-arm hugged her sister.

“Any ideas?” she asked.

Michelle hugging Taylor back smiled, “Your iPod plays movies, why don’t you spend the last five on some discounted disney movies?”

“Hey yeah! Taylor that reminds me, I have a couple of the Tinker Bell “digital” copies that I can share with other devices. I’ve got it on my laptop, my iPod, and Megan’s laptop. Let me know if you want it on yours too, since there’s really nobody else I know who’d want them.”

“Aww, thanks Trisha!” Taylor giggled as she turned back to the kiosk to grab a copy of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. “This is like a dream. I mean next you guys are going to tell me you don’t think it’s weird that I still play with dolls-” she paused, and blushed brightly. She had no idea where that came from, but Megan laughed.

“Girl, please! I love my Barbies!”

Taylor heaved a sigh of relief and smiled brightly. “So what kind of shops does the food court have anyway?”

“Junk food galore,” Trisha answered. “But the McDonalds here serves a nice salad too. The ranch dressing is so good. So I forgot to ask, how old are you Taylor? I’m 9  ½ and Megan just turned 9.”

“Oh, I’m 9 too,” she answered happily.

“Oh so cool, we are all the same age, that rocks, Hey Taylor’s sister?” Megan giggled, “Sometime soon, can Taylor come over and have a sleepover at my place?”

“That sounds like a great idea. I missed out on things like sleepovers when I was her age. I wouldn’t want her to miss them too. Do you think I could meet with your Mom first? Just to kind of get to know her before then.” She paused and giggled. “Oh, and you can call me Michelle.”

“Oh ok Michelle, sure you can meet my mom, and Trisha’s too, since they have to come get us because well we live on different sides of town.” Megan giggled.

“In the meantime, lunch is on me,” Michelle replied cheerfully, adding, “Well, dinner, I guess. Late-afternoon snack?”

All three girls giggled. “Late Afternoon snack I think sis!” Taylor said between giggles. They all stopped in the computer store so Michelle could get the two new laptops, a wireless router and an internet high speed cable box so they didn’t have to rent one.

“Hey Taylor, which one’s yours?” Megan asked, looking at the laptops on display.

“I got a pink Macbook.” Taylor beamed , not sure what the specs on the laptop where because they never really meant anything to her.

“Oh hey Sweet Pea,” Michelle handed her a twenty and a ten, “This is so you and your two new friends can go eat at whatever place you want to in here. Go hang out with them, and I’ll meet up with you after I pay for this stuff.”

“Oh, thanks Michelle!” Taylor answered happily as she accepted the money, turning to her new friends. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m dying for a chocolate milkshake. I don’t even care about the rest.”

“Oh boy. Another chocoholic,” Trisha teased, shooting Megan a glance. Megan giggled.

“Hi, I’m Megan, and I’m a chocoholic.” All three burst out laughing as they walked toward the food court.

Michelle came walking into the food court with a pretzel from the pretzel shop and a 16oz bottle of Diet Coke, as well as two laptops and several bags of clothes. She sat down putting Taylor’s laptop in front of her still in the box, and set the clothing bag next to her on the ground. “Ok, that’s a lot of work.”

Taylor giggled. “I feel kinda guilty, but even if my arm wasn’t in a cast there’s no way I’d be able to carry half that stuff.”

“We can help,” Megan offered. “Our moms are meeting us in the parking lot anyway, so you’d be able to meet them both too.”

Michelle smiled. “Thank you girls, you both are so well mannered just like my sweet pea.” Michelle grinned.

Trisha laughed. “It’s part girl scout, part private school I think. I don’t really remember, but my parents swear I was a monster when I was little.”

“And public school just bored me to tears,” Megan added. “That’s why I love Sunshine. It’s challenging sometimes, but the teachers are great about explaining things when you get stuck.”

Taylor nodded, “I did ok in public school. It’s just this group of older girls got jealous of me being smart, and decided to invite me to the park, and beat me up.”

Michelle having read the police report nodded. “It’s a good thing a parent and her child were in the park. They caught them in the act before Taylor could get too hurt.”

Taylor sighed, “At least something good happened this week - between getting to live with Michelle, and meeting you guys and Natalie.”

Trisha frowned. “You should sign up for my self defense class. I’m thinking about studying taekwondo too, but the basic class is super-easy to pick up, and the one bully who thought to pick on Megan didn’t get too far.”

Megan giggled. “Yeah. He tried to twist my arm, and Trisha kicked his butt - literally. He’s in some kind of anger management therapy dealie now. Haven’t seen him in awhile,” she trailed off, giggling again.

“But really, if anybody messes with you here, ESPECIALLY at school, talk to Bethany right away. She’ll make sure you don’t get in any trouble if you didn’t do anything to provoke it.”

Taylor nodded, as did Michelle, then Michelle added, “I think I will be signing her up for some self defence classes once she’s out of that cast.”

“Trisha’s been trying to talk me into doing it too,” Megan added.

“Hey, I won’t always be around to save your butt,” Trisha giggled.

“Oh, hey!” Megan suddenly grinned. “Taylor when you get your cast taken off, we could sign up together, that way we’ll both be starting on the same level.”

“That sounds like a good plan.” Taylor giggled.

“Oh, and don’t worry about being ‘too smart’,” Megan added, finger quoting that last part. “A lot of kids at Sunshine are considered Gifted and Talented by normal public school standards. Kids that might have been skipped a grade and stuff. We’re not a bunch of nerds or anything though. Just look at Trisha.”

“Megan!” Trisha blushed. “Okay I admit it. … Technically I’m a ‘genius’. But I don’t like to talk about it.”

Michelle smiled at Taylor and the two girls, “Looks like you will fit right in Taylor, according to the last Stanford-Binet test she took, scored a bit lower then me at 192. But that test is slightly outdated, and nobody pays attention to IQ scores these days.” she added with a giggle.

Trisha grinned broadly. “Wow Taylor, that’s great! Suddenly I don’t feel so embarrassed anymore.”

“Gee, thanks,” Megan teased, causing Trisha to roll her eyes.

“You know what I mean Megs. But that’s why I got into soccer so heavily. It was kind of a way to prove to myself that I wasn’t just another brainiac. You guys are the only ones, aside from my teachers, that know that,” she added with a smile. “I’m sooo glad we ran into you guys now.”

“I like you both. You’re so nice. I hope we can see more of each other before school starts.” Taylor smiled as Michelle stood up to grab some of the shopping.

“I think it’s time to be off girls.” Michelle said as she balanced one of the laptops..

“Yeah our Moms are probably waiting for us by now,” Trisha giggled. “Do you need help with that?”

“Sure if you guys don’t mind helping me carry the laptops I can carry the bags.” Michelle replied warmly.

“Nah, we don’t mind,” Megan answered, picking up one of the laptops and carrying it carefully with both hands, as Trisha grabbed the other one. “Lead the way, Chief!” she giggled.

Michelle, Taylor and the other two girls left the mall through the front entrance and walked about two rows down to Michelle’s old Mustang. It had plenty of miles on it, and the body needed some work, but it had plenty of work put into it under the hood. “Here we go. Thank you - the both of you.” Michelle pulled out two fives and gave one to each of the two.

“We can’t accept this,” Trisha insisted, even as Megan tried to give the money back, herself. From further up the parking lot a pair of women, one dressed in a business suit with her strawberry blonde hair in a bun, the other wearing faded jeans and a form-fitting top and dark brown, nearly black shoulder length hair, chatted away as they walked closer.

Michelle refused to take it back, “It’s a thank you gift, for helping me out with carrying the laptops.” making note of the two women coming over.

“Hi girls,” the blonde-haired woman called as the pair came closer.

“Hi Mom,” Megan called back, waving the pair over. “Moms, Michelle and Taylor. This’ my mom, Theresa,”

“And my mom, Kathleen,” Trisha added.

Kathleen smiled warmly. “Oh, it’s a pleasure to meet you both.” She grinned at Michelle. “Although at first glance I wasn’t expecting a Bio Med major to be so … Well, young-looking.” She winked, still grinning a friendly grin.

Michelle giggled, “Thanks, and how did you know I was taking Bio Med?”

Theresa grinned now as well, glancing down at their daughters. “Megan texted me from the food court, and I passed it on to Kathleen. I’m surprised she didn’t break the exclamation mark button on the keypad though,” she teased causing Megan to roll her eyes.

“So you two are new to Alpine Springs?” Kathleen asked.

“Yeah, we bought that house over on Roul road, though I’m going to have the road renamed since it’s just us.” Michelle added. “Taylor Lane kinda has a nice ring to it.”.

“Oh yeah, that new road over near where those teenage girls were chased by that weird guy last summer,” Theresa frowned. “Oh, don’t worry, he’s locked away where he belongs now. But this is such a sleepy little town that news like that gets around fast. Such a shame that Roul’s plans fell through. I heard it was a beautiful house.”

Kathleen nodded. “Well, anyway, it was great meeting you Michelle. I’ve got to get dinner started, but I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of each other in the future.” She paused to grin at her daughter, who giggled and nodded. “We’ll have to get together for coffee sometime.”

“You won’t believe this, but Taylor scored at 192 IQ!” Trisha could be heard bubbling excitedly as they walked away.

“We shouldn’t keep you either,” Theresa added. “If you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to let me know though. And Taylor, you’re more than welcome to stop by whenever you like dear. It’s so nice to see Megan coming out of her shell a little,” she added, causing Megan’s pale cheeks to turn almost as red as her hair.

“Mother!” she giggled. “Bye Taylor. Oh hey!” She quickly pulled out a pen, scribbling her number on Taylor’s palm. “Call me!”

Taylor smiled, “Sure! I just got a new phone!” she giggled.

Megan giggled and waved as she and her mother walked away, and Michelle smiled. “I’m definitely going to like living here.”

Taylor giggled, “Me too, and I think I’m going to like my new school too!”

Michelle smiled thoughtfully. Even those few times around the holidays when she got to see her younger sibling from a distance, she never remembered seeing Taylor even remotely cheerful. ‘I hate that I never got to reconcile with the folks,’ she thought to herself as she sat down in the driver’s seat of her car, ‘But at least things are working out for Taylor.’

She smiled at her sister. “Need anything before we head home?”

Taylor shook her head, “No I don’t think so. Oh, maybe we should buy some food?”

“Yeah, I was just debating if we should pick up some essentials like flour and milk, and maybe some eggs for breakfast.”

“Can I have some Cap’n Crunch?” Taylor giggled.

Michelle laughed. “Sure thing, Sweet Pea. Regular, Peanut Butter, Crunchberry... Mmm... Oh, I know. All three!” she answered her own question and grinned.

Taylor giggled, “Sure I love them all.”

“Me too,” Michelle replied with a playful wink. “Can’t be a grown-up all the time.” She giggled.

Taylor giggled as Michelle pulled into the Grocery Store. “Oh look someone left a cart close to our car”

“Might as well take it in with us before it rolls into someone else’s car. Or mine,” she giggled, grabbing the cart. “Okay, so milk, eggs, cereal, some canned goods, maybe some meat if it’s on sale. Hey Sweet Pea, did you ever learn how to cook?”

Taylor shook her head, “Mommy was too busy to teach me to cook.”

“Well, would you like to learn? Auntie taught me all of Grandma’s recipes before she passed, and left me her cookbooks, too.”

“Sure! If you’re teaching me it will be fun to learn to cook!” Taylor bubbled as she decided she would try to push the cart with one hand.

Michelle grinned as she nodded. “You bet. I love to cook. I was worried that going to college would mean I wouldn’t have a nice kitchen to work with, but now that I do, I’m gonna teach you everything I know. We’ll start with something simple tonight - chocolate chip cookies.”

“Yay! I love chocolate chip cookies! Michelle you’re the best sister a girl could ever ask for!” Taylor smiled brightly as she one hand steered the cart into the store.

MIchelle giggled. “Suddenly I’m glad our new place has an exercise room, or I’d be in sooo much trouble. I’m going to put a nice TV and DVD player in there if there’s not one already, so I can do my aerobic workouts, speaking of which,” she added, following along beside Taylor. “Just let me know any ideas you have to furnish the place, or if there’s anything you want to add to your room.”

Taylor nodded, “I want to get some Katy Perry posters, if that’s ok, and some unicorns!” she added the last one with a giggle.

“Oh, that sounds really cool. I love unicorns! What kind did you have in mind - like, plushies, ceramic figurines, or something else?” she asked as she picked up a bag of flour and set it in the cart, along with a few other things.

“Plushies. I might break ceramic ones, I broke your old Ceramic ballerina but I glued her back together!” Taylor flinched.

Michelle giggled. “Hey, accidents happen. I left her too close to my alarm clock once when I was seven or eight I think. Luckily it was a clean break so you probably can’t even tell where it was glued together that first time.” She smiled sheepishly.

“Stuff like that adds character, I think. When you pass it down to your kids - if you decide to have kids, you can tell them about their silly old Aunt Michelle’s clumsiness.” Michelle giggled again, mostly at the thought of being an aunt someday.

Taylor only being nine hadn’t had much time to decide which she liked boys or girls, ignoring that part. “So um. you’re not mad that I broke her?”

“Of course not Sweet Pea. Like I said, accidents happen.” She grinned and leaned over to kiss Taylor’s forehead. “I’m not like Mom. I know how hard she could be to live with sometimes, and I promise never to yell at you, even if you get in trouble at school or whatever. Doesn’t mean you can just get away with anything, but I won’t make you feel like...” she trailed off. “Well, let’s just leave it at “I won’t yell.” She smiled again.

Taylor nodded. “Like daddy did when I broke the plate when I was trying to be good and wash the dishes for them? He told me I was worthless.” She frowned sadly.

Michelle frowned as she stopped, turning to pull Taylor into a hug. “Oh honey... He couldn’t have been more wrong. Having you back in my life is the most precious, wonderful gift I could have ever received. From what Auntie told me, they were having problems in their marriage anyway, and … Well I’ll tell you the rest when you’re older, but I promise it wasn’t anything to do with you.”

Taylor nodded, “I’m just glad Tiffany was able to find you Michelle.”

“God, me too.” She smiled sadly. “I hate that I’ll never get to reconcile with our parents, but … if it means getting you to a better place, then that’s okay.”

Taylor grinned and stretched out her cast arm and poked Michelle, “I will always love and aspire to be like my big sissy!”

Michelle giggled as she tousled Taylor’s hair. It was nice hearing that term used in a positive way instead of being hurled as some kind of insult. She grinned as she slowly stroked Taylor’s hair. “And I’ll always love and protect you, even when you’re all grown up. I’m never abandoning you again.”

“Michelle, did you call the internet people to get us on before they closed?”

“Sure did. They said that if their tech has time it should be done by five today, but if not, either tomorrow or Monday. They said that since it’s already set up, and we’re buying our own equipment, that all he’d need to do is just inspect the outside junction for integrity and have them flip a switch. Which reminds me, you can set up an email account with them if you want an At Alpine Springs dot net address.”

Taylor nodded, “Sure, then I can email my new friends Megan and Trisha, and we don’t always have to be on the phone!”

Michelle giggled. “It’ll be nice to be online again. There are a few people probably wondering if I fell off the face of the earth.”

“When was LeAnne supposed to meet us at the new house?” Taylor looked a bit concerned.

“She didn’t say, but she might drop by to say hi depending on how her internship roster works out, but she’s too polite to just show up. She’ll totally call first,” she added. “LeAnne’s a very Southern girl like that. It’s one of her endearing qualities.”

Just as Michelle finished her cell phone started to ring the song ‘If I Can’t Love Her’ from ‘Beauty and the Beast’. She blinked, digging it out of her purse. “Hello?”

“Hey Michelle, I got a few of the guys from the men's dorm with a truck. We’re waitin’ outside the house for your happy butt, girl, whenever you're ready to come let me in.” LeAnne giggled.

Michelle started laughing. “Okay, sweetie, you know I love you, but your timing is frightening. I was literally JUST talking about you! We’ll be there in about five minutes. We’re finishing up some grocery shopping.”

After they hung up Michelle looked over at Taylor and winked. “Don’t tell LeAnne that’s the ringtone I have for her ok? I kinda have a crush on her, but I think she prefers men.”

Taylor giggled, smiling innocently. “My lips are sealed!”

“Thank you sweet pea.” Michelle blushed as she took over the cart and went to the check out, “LeAnne has this knack, of being early, and that southern accent of hers, she needs to stop it or she's going to distract me from my life.” Michelle giggled.

Taylor giggled softly. “Oh gosh. And she’s a med student, so you guys probably have lots to talk about too.”

“A lot. We have almost all the same classes ever since she switched her minor over to Biomed. I think there are two we don’t share, and she was the first person I met at Yale. She showed me around campus.” Michelle smiled as she paid for the food and pushed the cart out to the car.

“Hey, um, what’s it like to love someone?” Taylor asked, somewhat out of the blue, but in a way, as a natural evolution of their conversation.

“It sets your heart a flutter when you're around them, you get all tingly but that usually happens with the person you were meant to be with forever, that's what Auntie told me when I was your age.” Michelle smiled.

“Ohh,” Taylor answered thoughtfully. “Well maybe things’ll work out for you guys then. I still won’t say anything though.”

“Thank you sweet pea, I just don’t want our friendship to get ruined, We are friends first, and if she doesn’t feel the same way about me, then it might ruin what we have now, but that might be too complicated for you to understand just yet.” Michelle smiled and kissed her sister's forehead as she started to put the food in the trunk.

Taylor smiled thoughtfully. She might have been a kid, but she certainly understood. “How old were you when you got your first crush?” she asked, giggling.

“I was your age sweetie, a boy in my class named Eric Fuller, but well it didn’t end well I got beat up for it.” Michelle frowned.

“Ouch,” Taylor flinched. “Just wondering,” she added.

“Taylor sweetie, if you like boys, it’s ok for you. When I was pretending to be a boy, it wasn’t. You won't get beat up for liking them.” Michelle smiled.

“Um, well... That’s the thing,” Taylor blushed brightly. “I’m not really sure if I like boys or girls yet.”

“Take your time sweetie, I won't judge you if you like girls or boys.” Michelle kissed Taylor’s forehead again, “Ok hop in the car sweet pea, we got a Southern belle to meet.”

Taylor hopped in the car, quietly pulling her seat belt across. “Thanks for the advice,” she said with a small smile as Michelle got in on the driver’s side. “I think you’re right,” she added with a giggle.

Michelle nodded, “I’m not the best for giving relationship advice; I had four failed relationships in the past, but if you ever need advice on the medications a doctor gives you, I can tell you down to the basics what every chemical are in them.” she giggled, “Your sister the medical nerd.”

Taylor laughed. “Hey, at least you have a passion. Megan plays violin, Trisha’s into soccer AND she’s a genius. I never really had a passion. I guess because I never had a chance to find out what really interests me.”

“I think you should get into a sport if you're interested, you don’t have to if you don’t want to, but I do think you will have a lot of fun as a Girl scout.” Michelle smiled as they drove off to their house.

“Oh yeah, Megan said she and Trisha are going to help me get caught up on my merit badges when I join!”

Michelle pulled the car up in the driveway and parked it, getting out. “Hey LeAnne, Let me open the door so these horny men can get your stuff in and leave.” giggling at that.

LeAnne rolled her eyes and laughed. “Aw, you guys ain’t ALL helping me just for a chance to tap this southern comfort are ya?” she teased. “Scott’d have something to say about that anyway. So where’s the little sister you’ve been talking my ear off about?”

Michelle winked. “Shes in the car. We got some food in the trunk, clothes in the back and some electronics. The cable guy wasn’t here while you were waiting was he?” Michelle looked hopeful.

“Sure was. He said to tell you that the juncture looks brand new, whatever that means, and he left you this.” LeAnne offered her a folded piece of paper. “Said you’d know what to do with it. It’s all gibberish to me. Passwords and wiring and whatnot. I can hotwire an EKG machine to roast marshmallows, but I don’t know anything about this computer mess.” She giggled softly in her sweet, southern drawl.

“Momma’ll die when she sees this house by the way. She thought the one she and Sarah got was big!”

“You know I know a little about computers from the Labs, I can work my way around a Lab Equipment all day, but some of these computer stuff goes over my head, I just know that some things are better then others.” Michelle giggled, “Oh and we have the fastest high speed in town supposedly.”

“Wow, that’s great. We had decent wireless back at the dorm, so long as it wasn’t during primetime. Made getting online labs done pure hell,” LeAnne giggled. “Oh, I’m not sure what to do with my stuff. It’s mostly clothes since the dorm came pre-furnished, but I did bring my tie-dye bean bag chair. It’s been with me since my junior year of high school, so I couldn’t abandon it now.”

“Thats fine. There are plenty of empty rooms on the second floor. The pink room is Taylor’s and the master is got my stuff in it.” Michelle smiled.

LeAnne casually smiled at the college-aged boys standing around the truckload of furniture. “You heard the lady. Just stick everything in the first available bedroom. I can’t thank y’all enough for helping out on such short notice. I promise to bring some of Momma’s roast beef back to New Haven tomorrow as payment.”

The guys just chuckled, and the big guy who was in the driver seat nodded, “Hey LeAnne, no problem. You know I owe you after you helped my kid sister,” then he chuckled again, “And these other bozos wouldn’t be doing anything other then playing Xbox 360.”

LeAnne giggled. “Aw, I was happy to help.” LeAnne turned back to Michelle. “So while they’re unloading the truck, need any help with the groceries?”

“Sure, there’s a lot of bags in the trunk and the back seat. The back seat is full of Taylor’s stuff, and our new laptops.” Michelle giggled as she unlocked the house door for the guys and opened her car trunk for the food, not letting Taylor take anything heavy.

“I hope you don’t mind that I came out early. When I told Linda about the big news she told me to go straight home and get the housing stuff situated, that I could come back in tomorrow if I really wanted the extra credit that badly.” She giggled.

“That was nice of Linda. I’m going to teach Taylor how to make chocolate chip cookies tonight so you should take some to her tomorrow.” Michelle smiled as they unloaded the car, taking Taylors Clothes up to her room, showing LeAnne, where her new bedroom was, two down from Taylor and right next to hers.

“Y’know, I’m officially jealous,” LeAnne teased, grinning at Taylor. “I love my sister Sarah to death, but I swear she has about as much interest in cooking as I do in learning to knit. I guess she’s just burnt out because Mom and I both love it so much.”

Michelle laughed at that. “I tried to Knit once. Our Aunt tried to teach me, but I couldn’t knit my way out of a paper bag.”

“My scarf turned out looking like it’d been through a corn thresher - twice.” LeAnne laughed, but paused as her phone started ringing to the tune of Aerosmith’s “Deuces are Wild”. “Oh, that’s my boyfriend’s ringtone,” she bubbled, stepping out into the hallway. “Hey babe, what’s up?”

“Hey LeAnne, Um, I got some bad news for you hon.” Scott sounded a bit distant.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen?” she asked, a little concern entering her voice.

“I hate to do this over the phone LeAnne, but um Christina from my Marine Biology class and I are going to Alaska for a class project, and well, um sorry LeAnne I don’t know how to say this without sounding like a total asshole, but um, well, we’ve kinda been talking and I think we should take a break.”

“You sonuvabitch. You knew I wouldn’t be in New Haven today. You KNEW I’d be moving and you chose now to break up with me, and over the phone? I hope you and your little tart are VERY happy together. Don’t even think about calling me again!” she shouted.

“But LeAnne...” Scott tried to get out as LeAnne slammed her phone shut and Michelle stepped out into the hallway.

“That... that... GAH!” she screamed, throwing her phone so hard it bounced off the far wall and down the stairs at the end of the hall. “Six months, Michelle. He chased me for six months before I finally said yes, and now he’s going to Alaska with some girl named Christina. He broke up with me over my phone!” she sighed, turning to rest her head against the wall, trying her hardest not to cry in front of her friend and her friend’s little sister.

“Oh God LeAnne, I'd go get us some drinks, but you know they would frown on that because of my age.” Michelle hugged LeAnne.

LeAnne turned to hug Michelle, shaking her head. “It’s okay. I’ve never been a heavy drinker anyway. I’m sorry Michelle. I shouldn’t have told the as--” she paused to correct herself “The jerk that I’d be here. Then at least he’d have had to man up and do this in person instead of ruining everyone else’s day.”

“You didn’t ruin our day LeAnne. I don’t drink much either, but hey I do have some ice cream if you‘d like some.” Michelle went back downstairs and dished up a big bowl of double chocolate ice cream, and poured on some chocolate syrup and brought the bowl and a spoon up to LeAnne, “Here you go, this might make things go a bit more smoothly the rest of the day.”

LeAnne laughed a little as she accepted the bowl, wrapping her free hand around Michelle and resting her head on the younger girl’s shoulder for a moment. “Thanks sweetie. You know me too well. It’s just so not like him. He was so patient with my friends first rule, and now this...”

“You know the last two guys I was with were the same way, chased me, we hooked up, pretended to follow my rules and when I refused to put out for them, I was dumped like a spoiled petri dish.”

LeAnne giggled around a mouthful of ice cream. “Oh gawd, that’s perfect. I really thought Scott was different, but now that you mention it...” She trailed off again then sighed. “I guess love really is blind. And stupid.”

Michelle giggled, “Hold that thought. I need to see how Taylor’s getting on with setting up her laptop.”

LeAnne nodded. “I should go see where my phone landed anyway. Good thing I was going to get a new one soon.”

“Hey, with paying less by staying here you can afford one of those new Droids you’ve been drooling over at coffee the last few weeks.” Michelle giggled as she stepped into Taylor’s room.

Taylor sat cross-legged on her bed with her laptop in front of her. She smiled up at Michelle. “Everything okay?” She paused to flinch. “I know that’s like, the stupid question to ask, but I didn’t want to eavesdrop.” She giggled.

“Yeah sweet pea, her boyfriend broke up with her in a bad way, but she’s ok now, How’s the laptop?” Michelle smiled.

“Ouch,” Taylor answered with a frown, but smiled a moment later. “It’s great. I’m still figuring out what buttons do what though.”

“I’m going to go downstairs and get us on the net shortly Sweet Pea. You can set your room up, and meet me downstairs. I’ll start dinner afterwards, and then we can learn to make cookies.” Michelle giggled.

“Sounds great!” Taylor answered, pausing to add, “But... if LeAnne needs you, that’s okay too.”

“Sweet Pea, LeAnne is a doll, and I have some pretty strong feelings for her, and she’s hurting right now, but I think seeing us happy will help her out a lot.” Michelle smiled as she leaned over and kissed Taylor on the forehead once again.

Taylor smiled as she wrapped her free arm around Michelle’s neck, kissing her cheek. “Thank you for everything you’re doing for me. I’d be so lost without you right now.”

“Hey sweet pea, don’t mention it ok? I’m your big sister. I would be a cold hearted shrew if I left you alone in this world.” Michelle smiled and held Taylor for a moment. “I best get downstairs and get us hooked up sweetie, so we can eat.”

Taylor nodded and smiled as she returned her attention to her laptop, plugging her iPod into it to see if it would read it automatically.

Michelle smiled, as she turned around and left Taylor to play with her new toys, and walked out into the hallway towards the stairs, seeing LeAnne standing at the top, “Hey hows your phone?”

“It’s, um, a lost cause,” LeAnne smiled sheepishly as she held up a broken case and about a dozen little parts in one hand.

“Damn LeAnne, you’re stronger then you look. Remind me not to ever piss you off.” Michelle giggled as she teased.

LeAnne laughed. “My kick is worse than my punch. I used to study ballet when I was younger, and my poor calves just never recovered.”

“I’m into horseback riding myself, you know? I was thinking about picking Taylor up a pony, and maybe a horse or two with some of our inheritance money.” Michelle smiled.

“Aww, that sounds great! I know Sarah went on endlessly about how much fun horseback riding was at her girl scout camp this last year.” She hesitated a moment. “Hey, um, need any help with dinner?”

“Sure. I told Taylor I was going to hook up our internet first, then start on dinner, I’m not really sure what to make tonight, but I know it’s not hot dogs. I got so worn out on those.”

LeAnne laughed to herself, her cheeks turning just slightly red. “Yeah, I just really want to talk. Doesn’t matter where. And I don’t care if I never see another hot dog just right now.” she added.

“Hey it’s cool, we are friends are we not?” Michelle answered as she gathered the electronics boxes on her way downstairs,. “And friends talk, and share things with each other - at least we did the last time I checked,” she teased.

LeAnne smiled a little as she nodded, following. “I’ve never been good with relationship stuff. It’s why I waited so long to accept Scott’s lies. I don’t want to just have sex and screw around, y’know?”

“You know I suck at them too, I had something like what just happened to you happen to me. Remember when we first met, and I was looking kinda lost and down in the dumps and you showed me around campus?” Michelle giggled as they went into the den.

“Sure. You looked kinda like I did the first day I arrived here, after leaving Arkansas. I didn’t really have anybody to show me around so I figured this was my chance to give someone else a nice start.”

“Weeell, I had already been to the campus - several times. I just didn’t have the heart to tell you.” Michelle giggled, “My ex, Trevor, called me fifteen minutes before you showed up and broke up with me saying a long distance relationship would never work.”

LeAnne frowned. “Wow. I’m sorry. Talk about a line though.”

“Two cities over, and he called it a long distance relationship. Bah! I swore off men after that.” Michelle blushed but tried to hide it, turning away to work on the cable setup as she giggled.

“Well for me, I dunno... I like guys insomuch as I find them fun to look at, but when it comes to relationships it’s like they all want one thing... I swear sometimes I wonder if my sister’s got it figured out.” She trailed off, blushing a little.

“Yeah that’s all Trevor wanted tio, to get between my legs. I haven’t dated since then.” Michelle sighed as she started to hook up the coax to the wall mount, and the cable box to the other end.

LeAnne leaned against the wall and watched Michelle work her magic. “For me, I... Well, I love my Momma to death, but I don’t want to make her mistakes. She married young, and it took Dad screwing up so bad that she divorced him to get her life back on track, long after Sarah was born. I wanna focus on college and my career, but I don’t really want to be alone while I do it. I just want... I want a relationship that’s built on friendship, y’know? So there’s no pressure for sex when I’m not ready for that step yet.”

Michelle nodded, “You know about me right? I mean I think I told you my story. But I’m the same way. I have to get used to some things first, but I want a companion - someone there to be with me when things are down, and when things are up. I know I got Taylor, but she's my kid sister. I don’t want to dump that kind of pressure on her when she needs to be a kid first.”

“I couldn’t agree more. I think what you’re doing for her is incredible. I’d do the same thing if it was me and Sarah honestly.”

“My Aunt left me a lot of money, and her ranch netted me a lot more, and I think mom and dad will net Taylor and I enough money to remain comfortable for a very long time.” Michelle smiled, “So it’s the least I can do for her.”

LeAnne nodded. “Well... Here’s the thing. I um, I kind of accidentally overheard you talking to Taylor. I was gonna ask if you wanted me to start dinner because you know I feel better when I’m cooking, gives me something to focus on. I was just on my way back downstairs when you came out. I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

Michelle blushed brightly. “Oh God you weren't supposed to hear that. Um, but it’s true, I get all those weird gooey feelings when I’m near you LeAnne, I just put them away, because I want to be your friend more then anything.”

LeAnne smiled a little as she nodded. “And that’s why we’re even having this conversation. Unlike Scott, hell, unlike every guy I’ve been with, you’ve been bottling this stuff up to protect our friendship instead of charging in like an old hound trailing a fox.” She giggled softly.

“You're the first girl I’ve ever really felt like this with as well. I always thought myself to be straight as an arrow.” Michelle giggled. “But now that you know how I feel I hope it doesn’t change our friendship. I couldn’t stand losing you as my bff.”

LeAnne smiled as she knelt beside Michelle and wrapped her in a hug. “I’ll be honest with you. Right now I know that I’m talking out of hurt, I’m feeling vulnerable, and I know that anything I say now, I’d only second guess later. I can’t do that to you. I refuse to hurt you just because I need a security blanket right now, but like I said before, part of me’s wondering if my sister’s got this stuff figured out.” She blushed again.

“From what you tell me of Sarah, I think she's got more smarts than the both of us combined. And that’s saying a lot, but as I said, no rush, no pushing, lets just be best friends like we have been, when the water settles we can see where the boat is sailing from there?” Michelle smiled.

“I agree completely. This isn’t a ‘no’, just so you know.” She smiled and kissed Michelle’s forehead, hugging her again. “Thank you for being a real friend.”

“Hey you did it for me when we first met, except you were a bit more forceful.” Michelle giggled as she setup the router. “After dinner I’ll finish setting the rest of it up.”

“That’s fine. You and Taylor can make cookies like you promised her.” She grinned. “I’m gonna go over to see Momma after dinner. Sarah’s either in Ireland or heading there soon - I forget which, but I could really use a good mother-daughter talk today.”

“That’s fine. It’s nice to be close to your Mom and Sister again?” Michelle asked. “That’s really the whole reason I asked if you wanted to move in. I promise it had nothing to do with how I feel about you.”

LeAnne laughed. “Oh, I believe you. Mostly because you’ve literally never given me any reason to doubt you. I guess that’s why I’m not more upset. Part of me kinda knew this was coming. I just didn’t want to accept it.”