Oli paced anxiously in his small apartment bedroom, clenching his fists in his pockets. His eyes strayed frequently to his cell phone, which lay on his unmade bed. It would be ringing any second, he knew, but the waiting was driving him mad. He was momentarily distracted by the sound of the apartment door opening and shutting. A second later, his roommate, Eric, appeared in the doorway.
"Stop worrying, mate," Eric said in his slight Australian accent. He had been living in Pennsylvania for the duration of his internship at a law firm, and stayed on when he'd gotten a job. He had been Oli's roommate for a year, and they chose to stay together when Oli found a cheaper apartment in a slightly better location. They'd just finished moving in, and Oli's family insisted on coming for a visit.
"I'm not worrying," Oli replied, rather unconvincingly.
"Your family will get here just fine," Eric assured him, smiling. Oli nodded and Eric turned to leave. Oli had no doubts about his family's safe arrival. It was the idea of seeing his sister, Elizabeth that had his stomach in knots. It had been sixth months since they'd seen each other, and they hadn't spoken much. They had never discussed what would happen between them after spring break, when they had engaged their incestuous affair. It wasn't a topic easily breached through e-mail or over the phone. When Oli had graduated from college, he had hoped that his sister would be able to make it, and that maybe they would be able to spend time together. Sadly, she was tied up with crucial end of the year assignments, and couldn't afford to leave campus that weekend.
Oli was excited to see her, but also a little bit scared. Were her feelings unchanged from when they were last together? What if, after they'd parted, she'd regretted it and wanted to leave it in the past? Oli still thought about his sister and the intimate moments they'd shared, but he didn't want to assume that the same was true of Elizabeth. He could only hope it was.
The luggage had just begun to circulate on the baggage claim carousel as Oli bounced on the balls of his feet, watching the escalator for signs of his family. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted his sister's green suitcase and snatched it up. When he turned around again, his heart was in his throat- his family was heading straight toward him, smiling and waving.
"Hi, mom," Oli said as he accepted a generous hug from his mother. He hugged his father briefly and motioned toward the carousel. "Your bags should be out soon. I've already got Bit's."
"Right, we'll get them," Mr. Faber said, as he and Mrs. Faber went to retrieve the luggage. Elizabeth and Oliver were alone for the moment, and he pulled his younger sister into a close embrace. She placed a furtive kiss on his neck and he felt his blood rocketing through his veins. When the siblings pulled away, Bit grinned widely at Oli, a twinkle in her eye. Oli noted his sister's sandy blond hair was a bit shorter than it had ever been before, and her soft curls made her look edgier and more grown up. Her thick-knit gray sweater and tight black jeans were conservative, and yet still alluring. She was a woman in his eyes, in more ways than one.
Bit hadn't wasted any time sizing up her brother, either. He looked even more handsome than she remembered, with his lanky body and sturdy frame. Just being in such close physical proximity made her feel secure. And the way he beamed at her now, his eyes roving her body, made the waiting worthwhile.
"Where to next?" Mr. Faber asked, shattering the trance that had engulfed his children.
"Uh," Oli stammered, blinking and trying to regain his composure. "Well, we can go to my place, or we can get some lunch. If you guys are tired, I can bring you all to your hotel."
"I'm a bit peckish. Let's go for lunch," Mrs. Faber suggested. Oli agreed and led the way to the car.
"So how's life at home?" Oli asked, as the waitress delivered their meals.
"It's good. Your father and I are as occupied as ever with work, but we're so proud of Elizabeth's strong performance at school," Mrs. Faber explained, smiling warmly at her daughter, who was sipping on a Shirley Temple.
"She's found a good study partner," Mr. Faber added. "Her boyfriend, Chris, is quite a good student." Oli choked slightly on his grilled chicken and had to wash it down with a gulp of water before speaking.
"Bit, you didn't tell me you had a boyfriend," Oli chided, shooting a meaningful glance at his sister. She shrunk beneath his questioning glare.
"We've only been going out for two months," she admitted. "It's not that serious."
"I don't know about that," Mr. Faber joked. "You and Chris spend a lot of time together. You two seem to get on great. He's a good guy."
"Yeah, sounds like a real commitment to me," Oli observed, as pleasantly as he could through gritted teeth.
"Leave it alone! Honestly, you're all embarrassing me," Bit snapped. She stared down at her hands, folded demurely in her lap.
Oli's blood was boiling. He quickly excused himself and stalked into the bathroom. He was livid. He couldn't believe his sister had betrayed him. But then it occurred to him that Elizabeth was his sister, and maybe she just wanted a normal life. Had he really believed she would be his, and his alone, for the rest of their lives? Was that even what he really wanted? He knew he wasn't the only one who saw her beauty and charm. Maybe wanting her to be faithful in an impossible relationship was asking too much. Countless thoughts skittered through Oliver's head, and after a moment of trying to clear them all away, he prepared to return to his family. This will just be a normal visit, he told himself, staring hard into the mirror. She's just your sister.
It had been a long day, full of restraint and self-discipline. Oli flopped back on his bed, scratching absently at his stomach. He had recently gotten into the habit of working out for a few hours a week and he had a decent six-pack to show for it. He had hoped that he could show it off to Elizabeth, but now he mentally reprimanded himself for ever having entertained such a thought.
Oli managed to make it through the rest of lunch, followed by a stroll around town and a stop for some ice cream. Around 5, Oli explained to his family that there were some things he had to take care of for work, since he would be taking a few days off during their visit. He promised to meet them for breakfast the next morning, and bade them farewell. He drove around aimlessly for a bit before stopping by a sketchy liquor store to pick up a dirty magazine and a 6-pack. Feeling defeated, he returned to the empty apartment to contemplate what, to him, was a worthless existence.
"Everything alright, Elizabeth?" Mrs. Faber asked, glancing at her daughter over the rim of her glasses. "You haven't said much since this afternoon."
"I'm fine, Mom. Just tired," Elizabeth replied. In the bed on the other side of a wooden coffee table, her father was already snoring softly, and her mother looked about ready to follow suit. Elizabeth couldn't tell her mother what was on her mind. And even if she could, her problems weren't worth keeping her mother from sleep. "I'm going to take a shower and then go to bed. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, sweetie." Mrs. Faber smiled gently as her daughter stood and entered the bathroom. Elizabeth turned on the shower and stripped, taking time to scrutinize her body in the mirror. She was happy with herself, for the most part. She sometimes wished her breasts were a little larger or her ass a little tighter. Her boyfriend, Chris, sometimes joked that she was getting a tummy from all the time she spent sitting and studying as opposed to "being more physical". Running her hand over her stomach, she knew it was as flat and smooth as ever, and that she shouldn't listen to what Chris said.
Stepping inside the shower, she began to wonder what Chris was up to back home. He was probably drinking a beer and watching sports on TV. Or maybe he was at a bar with friends. Elizabeth didn't really care. Chris was plenty fun, and he was attractive, but she got the distinct feeling that he felt more for her than she did for him. He was obviously crazy about her; her parents and friends had noticed it, too. She was grateful for his affections, and she knew that he must really like her for him to stick around, even after she told him she wasn't planning on sleeping with him. He tried to convince her otherwise on a regular basis, hence his jibe about her non-existent tummy, claiming that sex was highly aerobic. Every time she declined his offer, and he still called her the next day. She figured that he put up with it because he assumed she was still a virgin, and didn't want to push her. Elizabeth was happy to let him think that, because everything was much less complicated that way.
Elizabeth remembered the way Oliver had responded to the news that she had a boyfriend. He looked almost as if he had been struck. When he got up from the table, she had understood why. Oliver must have been furious with her, and she didn't blame him. She would have felt the same way. She wished she could talk to him about it now, face to face, with their parents asleep and out of the way. She wanted to apologize for him having to find out that way, and explain that her relationship with Chris was in no way meant to undermine what the siblings had between them. But before she could do that, she had to figure out if what had happened between her and her brother was past or present tense. And she'd much rather do that in person. All she knew for sure was that she was still attracted to her brother, and that she was ready to pick up where they'd left off. But judging by his icy demeanor towards her that afternoon, it looked like things were over between them. Elizabeth figured that if anything were to resume between them, it would have to be on Oli's terms.
That night, after her shower, Elizabeth did something she hadn't done in quite some time. She picked up the phone, called her brother, and talked to him. Just talked. For three hours. They never even touched on the subject of sex or their undefined relationship. They caught each other up on the mundane details of their individual existences. Oli vented about job security, gas prices, his hatred for infomercials, and a lack of direction in his new, independent life. Bit was happy to talk to someone who was equally perplexed by the popularity of crocs, and didn't judge her for wanting to be more rebellious. They listened intently to one another, laughing occasionally, slipping easily into the roles of two people who had lost each other and were now reunited. Their discussions were nowhere near epic, but the small stuff was just enough to patch up all the holes. When the time was right, one or the other of the siblings would bring up the Real Issues. But until then, Oliver and Elizabeth were content with the witty banter that flowed easily between them until 2:30 am, when Elizabeth finally drifted off to sleep.
Morning came quickly the next day. Oli felt as if he had just hung up the phone with his sister when he was accosted by the bright sunlight spilling into his shadowy room. His watch read 7:30, and he figured his family was probably getting hungry anyway. Yawning and stretching, he dressed in jeans and a faded green T-shirt. Dialing his father's cell, he padded into the bathroom.
"Morning, Oliver," Mr. Faber said.
"Hey, dad. You guys about ready for breakfast?" Oli asked.
"I think so. Did you have anywhere in mind?"
"There's this really good diner near your hotel. I'll be over soon." Looking in the mirror, Oli considered shaving but decided against it. He could stand to go another day, and it wasn't like there was anybody to impress.
"Sounds good. See you soon," Mr. Faber said before hanging up. Oli appreciated his father's efficiency, but sort of wished he'd called his sister. He had no specific plans for his family that day, but wanted to hang out with Bit. She didn't make him feel pressured to entertain her.
Oli had just gotten into his car when his cell phone rang. Pulling out of the parking garage and onto the street, he picked it up.
"Hey, Oliver," a soft female voice purred on the other end of the line.
