The Decision

The sound of the cell phone broke through the veil. Thaelor Morrison stirred from her position on the large California bed. The room was only sparsely lit by the lights of the street lamps outside. Groggily, she moved, the prone, naked body of her cousin (and brand-new lover), still curled up; lay sound asleep. Sliding quietly off the bed, she approached the pile of clothes she laid in the chair across the room. Finally, she found the infernal machine, picking it up on the last ring.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Thaelor...? Hey Sweetie!! I was right about to hang up! How are you sis!?"

Her heart rejoiced, it was Ryan. Her best friend, the love of her life, her lover...her brother. Having been pulled to the "Right Coast" by their father, Ryan had been gone for over 3 weeks. While they had been able to speak via the phone, there was nothing like having his tall, muscular, warm, beautiful body and soul in her arms.

"Heeeeeyyy Ryaaan!!!!" She whispered, trying desperately not to shout out loud and awaken Brittney. She had no idea what time it was. Flicking the button on her phone, she read the screen...it was 9:30.

"Baby...it's great to hear your voice, I've missed you so much. But isn't it a little early for you to be calling?"

"Yeah, but that's why I'm calling." Ryan said excitedly. "I got the Old Man to release me from any more of his crappy Boule parties. I hopped the earliest MAC flight I could to get home. I was wondering if you would be a good little sister and pick me up from the airport?! I'll touch down in about an hour and half."

Thaelor's eyes bugged out of their sockets. An audible gasp escaped her lips before she could catch it.

"Sis...you ok? What was that?"

"Oh, nothing love...I'll see you then."

Hanging up the phone, Thaelor panicked. Searching around the room, she finally found the bedside lamp and turned it on. The tiny, naked, chocolate body of her cousin barely moved.

"Brittney...BRITTNEY!!! Get up! We got'ta go! Brittney dammit...NOW!!!!"

The voluptuous, tiny body shook violently against Thaelor's shaking. When she opened her eyes, she saw her cousin's face lit up with panic.

"Ryan's going to be at the airport in less than 2 hours! We have to clean this place up and go get him."

At the sound of Ryan's name, Brittney gave a short snort, her face contorting in a sneer of disgust.

"Now wait a minute...look Brittney; let me make one thing very clear. I do LOVE you. I am slowly coming to grips with that. BUT...I am also VERY in love with Ryan. They are the same. And neither you nor he is going to require me to give up the other. Do you understand that? It's not fair. So, if this is to continue and you love me, then you will have to learn to love HIM too."

Brittney sat up on her knees, her arms crossed over her breasts.

"Just tell me this and be true...do I have a room in your heart that is just for me?"

Thaelor sighed. She really wasn't sure if there was a real answer to give.

"Of course, there is Brittney. I just need you to know I'm not now, nor will I ever be a full-on lesbian, I still love men and I am in love with a hell of a man. Take it or leave it."

Brittney was silent for a moment. Then she asked sheepishly, "Do you think he can be in love with me too?"

That was an even better question. "On that one, I don't know. I honestly don't know. But I do know Ryan. He is like no other man I have ever known, and if any one can pull it off...he can. I just have no idea how I'll convince him of that. But for now, one thing at a time. Let's clean up, get dressed, and cross that bridge when we come to it."

Frantically, the women cleaned the room, stripping off the dirty sheets and comforter. That's when Thaelor saw what she wondered was so different about laying on Brittney's bed. It was covered with a black rubber covering, that just then was stained with the juices of its owner. Thaelor looked at her cousin with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Hey...I have ruined enough mattresses since I became sexually active to know how to protect this one." Her cousin simply shook her head and carried the comforter to the laundry chute and dumped it in, while Brittney herself sprayed the mat and cleaned the mess off. The women then remade the bed with a set of sheets and comforter that hadn't even been opened before. The ladies then cleaned the toys and placed them back in the treasure chest, so Brittney could place it back in her closet.

"I got to take a shower real quick. Give me a minute." Said Thaelor.

"Well so do I. You know I got to clean all the sex off me. Mind if I join you?" Asked Brittney.

Thaelor didn't respond. Instead she simply padded naked into the bathroom, leaving the door open. Brittney followed closely on her heels. The two women lathered each other's bodies and exchanged passionate kisses as the warm water washed over them. Grabbing separate towels, dried off and prepared to dress.

"Shit, I don't have any extra clothes. I wasn't expecting to stay overnight." Said Thaelor.

"Please..." replied Brittney. "You know full well you're welcome to anything in my closet."

Searching through her drawers, Brittney put on a pair of black G-string panties. Thaelor understood then why men liked them so much. Brittney's ass popped through the material and made it disappear. Next she matched it with a strapless bra.

Turning to her cousin, she threw her a pink and yellow striped G-string. While cute, Thaelor wasn't so sure. Holding up the flimsy material, Thaelor looked at her cousin who refused to suppress a gleeful smile.

"Ummmm....I'm not sure if I'm ready for all this yet."

"Girl what are you talking about? You would look "hot" in those."

"Maybe, but I think I'd rather wear some thongs if you have any."

"Uhgggggg! Fine." Opening another drawer, Brittney revealed a huge selection of thongs. Many packages which had yet to be opened.

"Brittney," Thaelor exclaimed. "Why don't you use more of this stuff? You have way too much new shit that you haven't even opened."

"I don't know. Living on my own, I go through phases. I bought all this stuff for a girl I met at a video shoot. But she was bullshitting, and I had to let her go. So, I just haven't worn them. Besides...I love my G-strings!!!"

Thaelor broke open a new pack, putting on a pair of blue and white striped thong panties. Looking in another drawer, she took out a sheer bottom, blue and white T-shirt. After dressing, the ladies took a final look around the room. Finding nothing out of sorts, they ran outside to Brittney's truck. "I'm still kind of out of it. Will you drive Thaelor?" Brittney asked. Holding out her hand, Thaelor took the keys, got in the vehicle and got them on the road.

Hitting the highway, Thaelor punched it. The large engine revving high and speeding the vehicle to 80 mph in minutes. Brittney turned the radio station to 108.4 "The Streets" just in time to hear Baby Mac's new hit, "Life without Him."

"Oooohhh...that's my jam!" Brittney exclaimed. She began chair dancing to the beat. Rapping along with Baby Mac as she spoke about how she felt she lived better after dumping her last man.

Thaelor for her part was snapping her fingers. But as they zipped along, her mind was on her heart. It had been three weeks since she had last seen Ryan, held Ryan, or kissed his lips. Looking at Brittney bopping along to a song speaking badly about men, soured her mood.

Baby Mac went off, but the DJ tonight was on a roll. "Pack Yo' Things" by Sharika Black ft. 'Da Don played next. Thaelor became stone face. If this was the music women listened to, no wonder so many were straight up lesbians and alone. Yet, they cried constantly about men being no good.

Thaelor whipped the truck right, just to avoid hitting a slow-moving semi.

"Hey Girl! That was close don't you think?" Brittney yelled.

"Sorry...I'm good." Thaelor responded.

Turning the volume down, Brittney touched Thaelor's hand. "No, you're not sweetie. What's wrong?"

Thaelor looked straight ahead. She had gotten into a pickle and now it was time to take a stand.

"Brittney...I have listened now for 2 songs that you like, bash men and sing about how bad they are. That's fine in and of itself. But...I have a man. A HELL of a man. One that I'm lucky to have. I can't tell you how to feel about men. But I love mine and I'm not giving him up or trading him in."

"Thaelor, Girl...it's JUST a SONG!!! Lighten up!!!" Said Brittney.

"No Brittney, YOU lighten up! It's not just a song. It's a mindset. I have talked to so many women and girls who complain about how much they can't stand men. How they're so bad, untrustworthy and no good. Then in the next breath, they complain about there are no good men for them to love!! What person wants to throw their love at someone who sings how bad they are?!"

"But some men ARE BAD!!! They treat us like crap, they fuck us and leave us. They talk about us like meat. They expect us to cater to them. They want US to raise their nasty ass kids by some other bitch. Then after we've done all that, they have the nerve to say they're leaving us for the next BITCH!!!" Brittney was hot. It was plain that she had been there before. But, Thaelor was ready for her.

"You're right Brittney. SOME men do that. But Ryan is WAAAAAAYYYY different. I know because I was there to patch him up. Did you know his first girlfriend got married at 17?"

Brittney shrugged. "Annnnnd?!!!" Brittney snorted. "So, she found some other dude. So what?!!!!"

"The "So What" was because she got pregnant by one of the guys YOU and other girls like you love so much. Did you know that Ryan had to work for our Dad's Gravel company then? He had simply asked for $200 to get her a 1 ct. Friendship ring. Dad told him to work for it. So, everyday after school, Ryan went to the gravel pit. The Foreman would always give him 4 stones to break up. Ryan would come home covered in fine dust. His hands blistered. His back, arms and legs were tortured. But he worked through it. He loved her that much. Always complimenting her. Always calling her. When it was over, the Foreman gave him an extra $200 to go along with the money from our father. That girl was wined and dined for a whole weekend, at "Mouse Kingdom," on Ryan's tab!!! He spent over $1,800 on her. He had to go be with our father for the next week after. When he came home, that girl broke up with him because she was pregnant. Her side dude even went so far as to meet Ryan after school and gloat about it."

"Wow...sounds like Ryan got a raw deal. So, then what?!" asked Brittney.

"You mean you don't know?" Thaelor remarked.

"No girl...WHAT?!!!"

Thaelor's eyes grew cold. Her muscles tensed. Her knuckles blanched against the steering wheel.

"Does the name Bobby Ray Michaels mean anything to you?"

Brittney froze. Every woman in the tri-state area knew that name. Bobby Ray was also known as "B-Black," a local platinum selling rapper and gang member. But what really made Bobby famous was the fact he murdered his wife and child. When the police searched his house, there was another 15 bodies of other girls found.

"Ryan was such a softy back then, he blamed himself and our Dad for her death. Dad and Travis told him to "Man Up," and move on. So, he cried in my room. But even after she cheated on him, he still went to the funeral. Carried flowers for the girl, the child and her mother, and just so you know...there was more than 15 girls found."

"REALLY?!!!! But the news said it was 15 including his wife."

"No. Dad went to a Press Conference. The Police found 15 girls age 16 or OLDER. There was another 10, fifteen or younger. Bobby was a MONSTER!!!"

"Well...that's sad. But men cheat on us too! They almost get a medal for doing it! They never feel guilty." Brittney chimed.

"Brittney...I just cheated on him with YOU yesterday!"

"It's not cheating if it's with another woman."

"Oh yeah it is. Reason being, you're not just asking me for my body. A nut and get up. Brittney you're asking for my HEART! That's where cheating comes in! I told Ryan I loved him alone. Now I'm driving with a woman that has a piece of my heart too! That's cheating pure and simple."

"So....I guess that's the end of us huh?! I guess you prove the point that women ain't no good either, huh?" Brittney slumped back in the seat. Tears misting her eyes. Gravity then pulled them down her cheeks.

"Hey, don't cry Brittney..." Thaelor said in a soothing tone.

"YOU LIED TO ME!!!!" Brittney screamed. "I told you EVERYTHING about me! Loved you! Caressed you! Made LOVE TO YOU! And you LIED to me!!! Making me believe I had a chance!! You said you LOVED ME TOO!!!"

Thaelor slowed down. At the next exit, she hopped off the interstate. At the third gas station on the road, she stopped. (the other two were too crowded even at this time of the morning).

"LOOK LITTLE GIRL!!! I never ONCE lied to you! You lied to YOURSELF!!! I was VERY CLEAR when I told you I am in love with RYAN!! I told you over and over, I would NEVER leave him! For you or anybody else!!! Male or FEMALE!!!!"

"But we made love Thaelor...you told me you loved me!!!" Brittney's tears were now sniffles.

"I KNOW!!!" Thaelor screamed. She slammed her head against the steering wheel. "Don't you think I know that?! Didn't you hear me say I had to come to grips with my feelings on that!!!?"

"Your FEELINGS?!!! Girl you've only known me about 2 months! What are you talking about?" Brittney sneered. Her face spoke 1,000 volumes.

Thaelor looked across the car at her cousin. Her hazel eyes began to shift colors. She was half a sneeze away from kicking this bitch out of her own car and leaving her exactly where she was. How dare her make light of her feelings. She's been yammering all day about her feelings. How much she is in "love" with her. They both have known each other only about 2 months. Why were her feelings....

That was it. Thaelor's cold steely gaze lifted. The ends of her tight, red lips curled at the ends. Putting the car in reverse, she turned back onto the street. Cranking the wheel to the right, Thaelor smashed the pedal down and exceeded 68 by the end of the on ramp.

Brittney looked on perplexed from the passenger side and almost a tad scared. "What's up with you?" she asked. "Are you OK?"

Thaelor gave a small, short chortle.

"You almost had me cousin. I almost fell for it. I give you props. We've got 30 mins. to pick my baby up from the airport and YOU have a decision to make."

Dodging a truck and weaving through 2 cars, Thaelor hit 88 mph and dropped the cruise control.

"You know what Brittney...you're so full of shit!!! You almost had me believing that mess you were shoveling. But in reality...you're stuck!!!"

"What are you talking about?" Asked Brittney. Her face full of confusion...and just a little bit of fear.

"Yeah Brittney, you might just love me like you say you do. But when we first met...you were all OVER Ryan's jock! Hell, you talked about my brother like you were about to cream your pants! His back, his arms, his legs, his shoulders; you wanted to FUCK him BEFORE you learned of our secret! Then we invited you in on our little fun and you got HOOKED! Something tells me you've ALWAYS wanted to fuck Ryan, you just didn't know how. But...Ryan has eyes for me, so you figured that avenue was shot. So, you give me the song and dance thinking I'd wimp out. But you were wrong AGAIN!!! Truth is, you're just as much in love with Ryan as I am. But you didn't think you'd fall in love with me either! That was the fly in your ointment, the chink in your armor. You are in love with me too and you don't know how to process your feelings on that! Oooooooh...you're good."

Brittney sat in her seat stunned. No words could escape her mouth. She was busted red handed. The tears began to fall.

"How can you say such a thing to me?"

"I can say it because my heart is on the line. My future, my love, MY VERY LIFE...is on the line! But I promise you...I am not going down alone. If I got your heart so much, if you L-O-V-E me so much, here is your GREATEST test. PASS or FAIL...there is no make-up!!! No reprieve!!!"

Wiping away a tear Brittney looked at her cousin. A woman she both admired, respected and yes...loved. But the quiet, demure, funny, understanding woman she met a few scant weeks ago, was replaced in this car by a mad woman.

"Oh NO....save your tears sweetie, you're going to need your strength because I have to be in SERIOUS prayer."

Pulling off the highway, Thaelor slowed to the required 30 mph (the airport ALWAYS had spare cops around). Pulling up to the arrivals gate, Thaelor let Brittney know the scope of her plan:

"Here's how this is going down. If you want to impress me and prove I mean as much to you as you claim, YOU are going to get Ryan! If you have fallen in love with me, you've fallen in love with HIM! In between here and getting to him, you will have fallen in love with him too! If you can't do that, if you can't love him because he's a man; cut back, catch a cab and go home. No hurt feelings. But there will be nothing more between us. Period."

Brittney couldn't believe her ears. "Are you serious?"

"Deadly." Was Thaelor's reply. "He should be at Gate 14C. Flight 1155. See ya'"

Brittney opened the door. Looking back, Thaelor's face was stone.

"I got enough time to make 3 circles around the airport. If I see you, we'll work it out. If not...it's been fun."

Closing the door, Brittney watched her cousin drive off. She had no idea if or how this would work out.

Brittney entered the airport proper in total confusion. The air conditioning shocked her as the shift in temperature was drastic.

As she strolled into Gate 1, the perspiration on her skin began to dry. Goose bumps pocking her smooth ebony skin. The air conditioning also had the effect of making her nipples hard. She was regretting not wearing a bra under her sleeveless, baby blue t-shirt.

As she continued to Gate 3, she began to notice the attention men were giving her. Sizing her up like a tasty, small morsel of meat. Thinking back, she thought of her first Family Reunion after puberty hit. Over the course of a month, she had to ditch her training bra and get fitted for an "A" cup. When she came out, all of her cousins and uncles made remark after remark about her sprouting chest.

"Uh Oh girl, your mosquito bites have grown."

"Well aren't you precious."

"You're becoming a woman now."

Initially the attention was fun and fine. She felt like a true woman. But it was her cousins that spoiled the fun. They all took turns either snapping her bra or coping a quick feel. The attention was no longer fun. Having her small, sensitive breasts pinched and groped was no longer fun. But Ryan was different. He simply said she looked pretty and gave her a big cousinly hug. He treated her just like a regular girl. Like nothing had changed. A smile inevitably came over her face.

Passing by Gate 8, Brittney spied a couple. They tried to cover the fact they were together, but it was obvious. Both of them were tall, might even be college basketball players. But the give away was the one who leaned close, almost placing her head on the other's shoulder. Another give away were their hands. They both had slim, identical rings on the same finger. This reminded her of the time she came out. Maybe bringing Natalie to the Reunion was a mistake. She had woven special "Friendship" bracelets. They had shared stolen kisses around school. They had even gone so far as to have stolen touches in gym class. But coming out publicly was a bridge too far. For her part, Brittney was fulfilled. Mom paid her no attention and Dad was simply a paycheck. Everything was cool until Natalie backed out and Monica stepped in. Tricking her into trying that sex act; never mind that she deliberately led the others to watch the show. She was totally embarrassed, Mom sent her to live with Dad, and as far as the rest of the family was concerned, she was a sexual deviant; a pervert to be shunned. She was less than nothing. But in Ryan's quiet way, he never judged. Thaelor even said he spent weeks trying to get in contact with her to see if she was OK.