Sister and the Other Mister
A daughter, a best friend, a father, lust, and love
February 1
"Hey Bestie! You know what's coming up?" Kaylee came to a sudden realization and immediately had to share.
"Oh God! What?" Hope wasn't sure what was coming, but she was eager to hear what her friend had cooked up this time.
"Only the first Valentine's Day since we were 17 that both of us are single!"
Hope laughed. "Oh my God. That's right! So...where are you taking me?"
"I'm taking
you
to Botticelli's. And
you
can take
me
to...this super-cute little Italian place...I think you know it...Botticelli's! How does that sound?"
"Sounds perfect, Then after, howz about we head back to my couch for a quart of Haagen Dazs and a cheesy Rom-Com we can make fun of."
"It's a date!"
The two friends laughed. Kaylee said, "We're going to have way more fun together than we would with some stupid guy, anyway."
"At least more fun with the lights on." They both laughed again.
"You know, it seems like guys come and go, but at least we always have each other."
"That's right. I'm your forever valentine. You can't dump me. I won't go." Hope smiled warmly at her friend.
Kaylee smiled back. "Like I'd ever."
Kaylee and Hope had been friends since first grade. They knew practically everything about each other's lives. They were closer than a lot of sisters. Sometimes, they even called each other sister.
Both girls were now 25. Hope and her most recent boyfriend had broken up a couple months before. Kaylee had been single for almost half a year. After college, they found jobs only about 60 miles apart, Kaylee in Advertising, Hope in Benefits Administration. Being so close, they still managed to see each other once a week or so.
On this particular afternoon they were standing in the kitchen of Kaylee's one-bedroom apartment, sharing a bottle of wine and just generally catching up and passing the time. The world always seemed a little bit easier to take when they were together. It didn't matter where they were or what they were doing.
"I'm kind of worried about my dad." Hope brought it up offhandedly after a brief lull in their conversation, but Kaylee knew it was something she needed to respond to so they could dig in.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. He's been even more mopey than usual lately. He's gonna turn 50 this year and I think it's getting to him."
"Shit. If he's 50 that means we must be..."
"Old." They both laughed.
"He looks good, though, I mean for 50. Like he could pass for 45, easy. And he doesn't seem too "mopey" to me."
"He perks up whenever you're around."
"Well we've always gotten along."
"I think he loves you more than me." Hope smiled as she said it. This was something Hope had teased Kaylee about before. In fact, sometimes Kaylee said the same thing to Hope. Growing up, they each had spent so much time over at the other girl's house, that their parents came to treat each of them like one of the family.
"Maybe that's because I'm nicer to him."
"Well right now I'm about ready to revive the daughter exchange program." That was another private joke. When they were 12, the girls had actually persuaded their parents to let them trade places, and each lived at the other's house for an entire week.
"No deal. Mine's been pretty quiet lately. I don't want to ruin it."
"Ha ha. It's probably my fault, mostly. I've been pestering him again about getting out there and dating. It just bugs me that pretty much all he seems to do is go to work, come home and either watch a ball game, or fix up shit around the house. Problem is, since he and mom split, he's fixed up basically everything there is to fix. That place is perfect. Now he's moving an entire wall to create a walk-in closet. But the man only ever wears the same three pairs of pants and maybe six shirts!"
"I think it's cute. Maybe he's just trying to improve the nest to help him attract a mate."
"Well she's not gonna see it unless he actually brings someone over, which I'm pretty sure ain't anywhere close to happening."
"That's my dad too. He seems perfectly happy fixing up that old Chevy. He's finally got it running and looking pretty good, so now he's talking about getting another old beater. He's definitely not meeting any women at the wrecking yards or the swap meets."
"Also, I found out my dad's into porn."
****************************
February 14
"Hey Mr. D!"