This is a story about non-related step siblings who come to the knowledge they are in love. It does involve parents who suspected the outcome and are resigned to accept it. This story concludes before it ends. Another installment will come before long. (Fadedgiant)
Don't do anything you will regret
I am the older brother, stepbrother, in a blended family. My name is Mark and I am my father's son. My mother died of cancer a few years ago. I am 19 and graduated from high school now going to the small university in my home town. I've been something of an athlete most of my life and play basketball on the university team.
I have an 18-year old stepsister, Brenda, who is no blood relation. She came with the package when dad married her mom. Brenda is a beautiful girl in my mind and in the minds of most of the college boys. She graduated high school in the spring and started the same university. She is a cheerleader and lately been dating the captain of the baseball team.
Six years ago, when dad married again, Brenda was 12 and maybe a bit fat. She was short and I'm sure overly protected. What must have been hard for dad and Brenda's mom is that Brenda and I were going through those "years" at the same time. Our birthdays were reasonably close but they gave us separate parties for our own friends.
After Brenda turned 13, she changed. She began growing and the extra weight she carried began turning into cuteness. By the time she was 14, she was tall as me and very petite. Between my fifteenth and sixteenth birthday, I grew a couple more inches and started playing high school basketball.
Brenda's mom and my dad worried that she and I would probably just accept the other and never become like real brother and sister. We did struggle for a while until we both realized that we had a few things in common. Of course, we were steps and blended in a family that was neither hers completely nor mine completely.
We started talking about our early years one day and it seems that early conversation lasted several days. We both had memories to cry about. We discovered we could be the other's support. We didn't really become like brother and sister; however, we did become best friends, close confidants, and equally independent of our parents constantly worrying whether we could become family.
I dated some; however, college basketball demanded most of my time out of the classroom. Brenda, as I said, was dating the baseball team captain. One Saturday afternoon her signal knock on my door came as bit of a surprise as she is usually out with her boyfriend or a bunch of girls she hangs with.
She came in without hearing my invitation although I would never deny her, she knew that about me. We shared that in common too.
With a tentative voice that was surprising, she began, "I really need to talk to you, Mark. Take me out somewhere."
I knew where she wanted to go but asked the question anyway. "Where?"
When she or I wanted a private and personal talk, we learned a couple years ago of small park with secluded benches out of ear shot. We used the privacy to pour out all our emotions. Like I said, we were best friends more than being steps.
"The park, please." The begging in her voice was different almost a pleading demand.
"Let's go."
We grabbed a couple sodas from the refrigerator, hopped into my car, and were off. There was something about this trip that made me remain silent and Brenda said nothing also. The drive was only a couple minutes and we quickly swung into a parking stall. Brenda stopped me from dismounting the car with a sincere hug that wasn't unusual for her or me after having a particularly intense conversation. Unusual, it came before the talk.
We had a couple spots we liked to sit. One was more distant than the other and Brenda led me to the more distant one.
I don't know why I was feeling uncomfortable. Maybe her demeanor? Maybe her pleading? My discomfort became greater when Brenda took my hand and entwined her fingers in mine.
We reached the spot she wanted and when I tried to take my hand away from hers, she held tight. "Mark, I really need you to listen and say nothing until I'm done."
"You know I listen every time you need to talk. But, I'm really confused now."
"Not as confused as me. This is not going to be easy for me."
"Then it won't be easy for me either. Any secret is safe with me though; you know that."
A hint of a tear welled up in Brenda's eye. "It's a boyfriend problem, Mark. He wants me to, you know, let him have my body."
I began to respond but was quickly silenced. "Not until I am through."
"I've never been with a boy in that way. If I had, you would have been the first to know. I don't have anything from you. I don't feel for him in that kind of way. I'm sure if I turn him down he will break up with me. And, maybe I want to break up with him. I'm scared and confused about how I feel."
Brenda paused and gave me the signal that it was my turn. "Brenda, when we became a family, we were both mixed up about how our lives would change. Now, we've become what most people say is adult. I'm glad we are best friends. I love being your confidant and I love sharing with you what bothers me. If you don't want to give yourself to some guy or any guy, that is your decision. No one is worth taking what you don't want to willingly give. Let him break up with you or you call it off with him. Better than to do something you will regret or won't enjoy."
Brenda smiled a bit. "I'm told it hurts to give it the first time." She giggled a little at her reference to having sex the first time. Brenda rested her head on my shoulder.
"Mark," came a muted whisper, "why did you say you love being my confidant and love me being yours?"
I was suddenly struck by a fast rolling heavy freight truck. Hugging before the talk and hand holding, "Tell me what is really on your mind, Brenda."
"I think you just figured it out, Mark." Was I about to hear a something that was causing Brenda to ache? "I love you, Mark. Like being in love with you. That is one secret I've hid from myself and I can't hold it anymore." She began muffling a sob.
I wasn't dumbstruck like I thought I might be. I searched my soul trying to gage my feelings for Brenda. I did break her grasp on my hand to lift my arm, pull her to me, and held her tight. This was romantic not brotherly. I concluded, I love her, not love being her confidant or best friend.
Her sobbing ended after a couple minutes as she melted into chest. I lowered my head and rested my chin on the top of her head. Brenda slowly raised her head and when she did all thought of family and steps blasted into space. I found her lips, hers mine, and we kissed deeply.
When the kiss ended, there was only one thing left unsaid, and I said it. "I love you too."
Our next step was unclear. Of course, we could tumble into bed and make love though we both sensed it wasn't the right time for that. We could try going about our regular routine; however, that would be impossible after our declaration.
"Mark," I heard her begin.
"Yes, let's go home. We need to get this in the open."
"You know my mind too well."
Brenda squirmed for her cell phone. "I wonder how many girls break up with their boyfriends by text." Seconds later she hit send. "That's that."
A reply came quickly. Brenda read it to me. "Well, then, fuck you!"
She typed out her reply, "No, you won't fuck me."
"I've never used such language. Mark, it felt good to say how I really feel."
We laughed as we reached the car. "Now the hard part, Brenda. We have to tell our parents."
The ride home from the park was just as silent as the drive to. I was examining my feelings wondering how or when, and why I felt moved to admit I love Brenda. Having said it aloud to her was natural as drinking a glass of milk.
Brenda had her head bowed with a broad smile lighting up her face. The color in her cheeks was hot red; I wondered what was on her mind although I had a good idea. I had never thought of Brenda in a sexual way. We were best friends and steps albeit that we never played the role of being steps.
We arrived home seeing that our parents had gone out. Brenda broke the silence after getting into the house. "Another soda, Mark?"
We walked to the kitchen and got our drinks and took our usual places at the table.
"Brenda, what does loving each other mean?"
"It means that we take our time and work out what it means. I want to love you like a lover. I guess that's clear. But I'm not ready," she paused for a couple seconds before finishing, "yet."
I reached for her hand, "Good, I love you but not like I want to force you to do anything," now I paused before concluding, "like your old boyfriend."
We talked again like confidants spilling our hearts out trying to discover when we knew we were in love or going to be in love. Not at all strangely, we couldn't pin it down, it just happened.
"We're home," we heard my dad shout.
"We are in the kitchen," Brenda yelled back.
Brenda's mom noticed right away that we had had one of our private conversations. "You two been locked in one of your private moments, right? Sometimes I wish I knew what you talk about."
Brenda seized the initiative in the moment. "I asked Mark to take us to the park where we have our very special talks. Don't get angry, mom or dad. I broke up with my boyfriend because he wanted to pressure me into sex. I've never had sex and talked to Mark about it. He told me not to do anything I would regret."
My dad chimed, "You mean, your talks are that intimate and personal?"
Brenda's mom smiled, "Mark, you make me proud. I wish Brenda would confide in me that much."
I took over, "Remember how you worried that we would have a hard time becoming like steps. I don't think we ever will. However, more important than being steps, we became best friends and my advice not to give in was because I realize I love Brenda."
Before either parent register what I just said, Brenda continued the thought. "I love Mark, too. We are in love."
Dad looked at me then Brenda. Brenda's mom looked at her then me. Both comprehended the magnitude.
"Dad, I have not touched Brenda in any way sexual."
"We both don't want that now," Brenda followed. "We want to grow into it over time and decide for ourselves what is right."
"This is the other way we thought it could go," cited dad. "When you began spending time together talking like you do, we thought this could happen."
Brenda's mom looked at her, "That's why no steps were taken to change your name."
