After AnimeCon 2: The Whole Story

    Pheewwww… Rebecca rolled a stiff shoulder and then stretched out both arms.

    It had taken several hours and the sun was down already, but she’d finally made it home. Her hatchback was pulled into its usual space in the wide driveway just beside her grandfather’s truck, and now she was standing beside the open door to her vehicle, trying to shake off that frazzled sort of lethargy that came with long drives. Rather than drop Stephanie off at her residence hall or even on the campus grounds at all, messaging back and forth with Megan allowed them to coordinate a pickup with her in the parking lot of a family restaurant just off the interstate there.

    Which was so thoughtful! Rebecca sighed. If the university’s super busy with traffic like she said and parking is such a pain, then that probably saved me a half hour trying to get in and out of there.

    More than anything, she was glad that she was able to leave Stephanie with someone to look after her, because—well, Stephanie had spent almost the whole ride quietly sniffling and sobbing into her hands. Rebecca had eventually reined in the attempts to cheer the girl up and instead did her best to console her, but grief and sorrow still cast a bitter pall over the whole trip over there. She might have even thought to herself that the girl was overreacting a little to separating from Brian and the gang, but it was clear there was more than just that at play here.

    Magic mood stuff? Rebecca thought as she ducked back inside her Suvaru to grab the big bag of perishables she would need to take in. I just feel so bad for her! Poor Steph. I kept thinking I should have just sparked back into the harem, so that I can give her my special magic BIG HUGS. She definitely needed lots of big hugs. I’m glad Megan was there to give her hugs, at least.

    “Muur—eoow! Murraaaoh! Murrr—aaaowww!” A plaintive cry began to sound from her grandparent’s porch. “Mururur—eow!”

    “Prince Charming—oh my goodness did you miss me?!” Rebecca called out. “What are you doing out in the screen room by yourself?! Did they not let you back inside?!”

    Hefting up the paper bag onto one hip and closing her car door, Rebecca bustled across the driveway and then made her way into her grandparent’s screened porch room. There, her fluffy black cat continued to assault her with insistent meows, smashing his cheek and then his whole body up against her leg and then whirling around to do it again and again, pausing only to sniff at her before bashing his head up against her to show affection.

    “Murreow! Murraaaeow! Murrr—eeowww!”

    “Goodness Gyratos, you have so much to say!” Rebecca crooned, crouching down and offering him her free hand to inspect. “You poor thing!”

    Prince Charming obliged by sniffing at her outstretched fingers, and then using them to comb across the fluff at the side of his face, turning circles and flicking his tail so that it curled through the air as she turned her hand over and gave him scritches.

    “My Princely Paws Char-Baby Butterstuffs Ming-Dynasty handsome baby boy!” Rebecca praised, running her fingers through his coat. “Look at you. Look at you! You are so handsome—”

    Murr—eeow! Murrraaeoow!” Prince Charming reared his head back as he meowed.

    “—and you have so much to say!” Rebecca laughed. “Listen to you. I missed you too! Did you miss me?! Yes you did. Yes you DID!”

    “Good lord, what a ruckus,” Rebecca’s grandmother peeked out the front door. “He’s liable to wake up the whole neighborhood, hah...”

    “I’m back again,” Rebecca grinned. “What’s he doing out in the screen room all by himself?!”

    “That’s what he wanted,” Her grandmother shook her head with a wry smile. “I think he knew you were coming back home tonight. Certainly knew before we did!”

    “He’s so smart,” Rebecca said. “Yes you are! Look at how smart you are!”

    “Murrr—eoow!” Prince Charming seemed to agree.

    “Well, welcome back,” Her grandmother crossed the porch and gave her a hug. “Are you just stopping to get cleaned up, or are you staying? Good heavens young lady, I can smell the whole campfire in your hair.”

    “I’m going to head right back out to celebrate with everyone, but yes,” Rebecca explained. “I think I’m back for good, now.”

    “You shower, first!” Her grandmother instructed. “Here, give me those. You’re celebrating tonight?”

    As always, Rebecca’s eyes were on the movement of her grandmother’s forearm as the wisened old woman took the paper grocery bag from her. There, deep impressions of dark scar tissue still visibly mottled her grandmother’s skin—it was where a fierce little girl had sunk her foolish little teeth in all those years ago and refused to let go. It was honestly hard not to be reminded now of that whole ordeal, because the parallels present with Chloe biting Brian during their big pivotal moment were… so apparently coincidental that they began to invite suspicion. 

    “Mm-hmm! I think we finally got through things, and she’s going to be okay from here on out,” Rebecca sighed. “Hopefully. It took a whole month, and it was very frustrating, but I think we did her a world of good, and things turned out really well for her. For everyone! You would be proud of me.”

    “Oh, I’m always proud of you,” Her grandmother said to Rebecca, before turning to address the cat. “Can you come inside now, your highness? Goodness gracious. She’s here, she’s here—you can stop all your caterwaulin!’”

    “Mrreohh—”

    “Did you meanies not feed him?!” Rebecca gasped in faux outrage as she followed the woman inside the house. “Goodness!”

    She was forced to carefully place her steps, because Prince Charming was attempting to weave in between her feet as she did so, still mewling loudly and rubbing his side up against her. The home was just as she’d left it—cozy, quiet, and a little dark. Her grandfather was in his reclining chair with his glasses perched on the very tip of his nose, peering down at his phone.

    “Hah!” Her grandmother snorted. “Don’t listen to that thieving animal. He’s been fed! He’s been well fed.”

    “Prince Charming—is this true?!” Rebecca pressed in faux stern admonisment.

    “Murrr—eeoow—”

    “You’re back,” Rebecca’s grandfather grunted. “Everything okay?”

    “Better than okay!” Rebecca affirmed, hurrying over to oblige him with a peck on the cheek. “Everything turned out really well. Chloe went from being, um, very lost, to really deciding on her way forward and making a real commitment towards it. I think. It went really well! I’m sorry it took so long. I really do think she needed me there with her.”

    “Mm-hmm,” Her grandfather said. “Have you eaten?”

    “I can’t stay, I’m sorry!” Rebecca apologized. “I’m heading right back out again, to celebrate with them. They’re having a big bonfire, at um—at Emily’s friend’s aunt’s place? I think. With everyone.”

    “You wash your hair first, at least,” Rebecca’s grandmother said as she tucked things from the bag into the fridge. “Your friend’s all okay, now?”

    “She is! She’s much better,” Rebecca promised. “I’ll shower tonight after I get back. Grandma—you would be so proud of me. I—”

    “I’m always proud of you!” Her grandmother insisted.

    “I really helped her, I think,” Rebecca explained with a blush. “Not just kind of helped, not just—I don’t know. What she was going through, what all was happening? It was her big defining trial, I think. That defines her person. The one she had to go through to move forward with anything at all. And, we got her through it! Not just me, everyone helped. It was just like what you did back then, for me. It was—it was important. And, well I guess she did bite Brian just the once, b-but—”

    “She bit him?!” Rebecca’s grandmother made a face. “Good lord. Just how old is this girl?!”

    “There were circumstances!” Rebecca groaned, covering her eyes in embarrassment. “It was. Uh. She—well, part of it was this one last big fight that they um, that they—needed to get out of their system. To clear the air. They’re fine, now! I’m going out to see them tonight, they’ll be at the bonfire. So—no time to wash my hair! It’ll just get more campfire smoke in it!”

    “Alright, alright,” Her grandmother blew out a dramatic sigh. “I suppose you know what you’re doing. Drive safely! Have fun with your friends, dear. We’ll squeeze the whole big story out of you sometime tomorrow.”  

* * *

    “—And then since Brian realizes he’s basically the chosen one, he was all like ‘aww hell yea sweet-cheeks, NOW WHO WANT SOME FUK??’ And this Steph girl, she was like ‘O-M-G, meeee~!!’ and—”

    The chorus of groans interspersed with laughter grew loud enough to interrupt Emily’s creative reinterpretation of events, and she was forced to yelp and duck as Mark threw one of his empty beer cans at her.

    The retelling thus far was a loose summary of the actual events… mixed liberally with outright falsehoods, and then a small sprinkling of honestly unbelievable secrets whenever Emily thought she could get away with sneaking some of those in. She suspected she might have erred too far in the direction of silly tall tale that was strictly for entertainment, which made what came next even more difficult—Emily had to break the news about what Chloe had done to everyone.

    Even just a few days ago, I would have been THRILLED to do that, Emily fought to maintain her mischievous facade. But, thing is. The actual Chloe that DESERVED THAT, is dead and buried. And now, Christine has to deal with the fallout of everything Chloe did. We can’t even really GLOSS OVER all of it, because I was too worked up and furious back then, and already slipped some of those details to Michael and Tanya. The day we brought Brian home.

    “Is this true, Brian?” Tanya teased. “You say all of this?”

    “Every word of it’s true,” Brian’s expression in the light of the fire was solemn. “Every word is true, and then some.”

    “Uh-huh, yeah, yep yep!” That sure does sounds like somethin’ our Brian would say,” Becky cackled. “I bet! Brian can really put girls under his spell!”

    “That’s—” Kelly laughed, shaking her head. “No, c’mon that’s how it should have happened. For real though, Stephanie was actually like, super shy and sweet and—”

    “No—listen, it’s my story,” Emily insisted. “Shuddup. So yeah, Brian, he flicks back his cape, which is majestically fluttering in the wind, he drops his pants and his uhhh boy-thingie leaps out and was all like, enngh!”

    Emily emphasized the guttural noise by standing and thrusting her hips in a vulgar motion.

    “Oh yes, his boy-thingie,” Tanya remarked in a dry voice. “And he does this right in the middle of the convention?”

    “Yeah, that did happen,” Kelly confirmed. “I saw it. Wait, that wasn't on that day, though. That was on Sunday, not Saturday. And, I don’t remember him ever wearing a cape, though…?”

    “You just weren’t paying enough attention,” Emily insisted. “He totally was. It was fuckin’ badass.”

    “You’re all full of shit,” Monique said.

    “Then, Steph, so she was like, ‘yaaassss, I GOON FOR YOU!’” Emily continued, making a heart sign with her hands and throwing it up. “‘Cause she’s all about that gooner life? You know what I mean. Steph had like, pink hearts in her eyes—her magic theme color’s pink, I dunno if I mentioned that before—and she was sayin’ ‘Brian. Brian my bro, you got me TURNT UP for real—’

    “For real for real!” Michael roared in encouragement, lifting his can. “Yeeaahhhh!!”

    “What the fuck is gooner?” Kelly groaned—it seemed to Emily like she was getting irritated with this portrayal of Stephanie. “Goon? Emily… that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

    “No, ‘cause see, this Steph girl, she’s like a little cutie but also has like, this big ol’ fat ass she likes to wiggle?” Emily bulled on. “So, she turns ‘round and works it, and yeah she’s like, throwin’ it back and shakin’ her thang and goes all ‘Brian. Brian my King! We got this apple bottom booty, now shoot some of those sweet, sweet sticky backshots all over this—’”

    “My KING~!” Mark hollered, throwing his head back and rearing his hips as if uncontrollably ejaculating. “Hnnneeghh!”

    “Mark, fucking stop,” Mary complained. “Gross.”

    “Ohmigod Emily just, just can you shut the fuck up?” Katie groaned in embarrassment. “Literally just stop! Sit down. Mary’s right, you guys. When you all get together, you all get so fucking cringe. It’s unreal.”

    “It really is,” Mary agreed.

    “I, for one, am having a great time!” Becky grinned. “Emily—go on.”

    “No, guys,” Emily put on her serious face, because she knew that when she did that everyone suspected her words even more. “It was legit magical. You woulda had to be there. It was like—true love.”

    “Wait wait, was Stephanie that pink-haired girl?” Mary’s face scrunched up as she apparently tried to equate the girl Emily was describing to the one she remembered at the convention. “The one who was like, hiding behind Brian the whole time, and could barely even talk?”

    “Brian how much of this is true?” Tanya laughed.

    “Every word!” Brian couldn’t help but crack a grin now. “I mean, c’mon. Do you really think Emily would stand up in front of everyone here… and just lie?!”

    “I believe her,” Michael nodded. “This is like… this is legit. I got a feeling. I’m callin’ it.”

    “Was there really a girl called Stephanie?” Katie demanded. “Or, is all of this made up?!”

    “Well, I think there really was a girl?” Mary said. “I don’t really remember what her name was. But, she definitely wasn’t anything like that.”

    “She’s pulling all of this out of her ass,” Monique scoffed, rolling her eyes. “‘Stephanie’ is totally made up.”

    “So… when do we get to the part where Brian gets all these bruises?” Aunt Mattie asked in amusement. “Or, how you met Kelly, here?”

    “I was getting there!” Emily forced out a giggle. “Geez. I have to like, set the right mood, first. So, then—”

    “Can literally anyone else tell the story?” Katie demanded. “Brian? Please?”

    “I dunno, I like the way she tells it?” Brian chuckled. “Like, damn. Kinda want to see where this goes?”

    “Me too,” Mark sipped his drink. “No homo.”

    “Mark, that’s your limit,” Tanya snapped her fingers twice and then pointed at him. “You do not get any more no homos tonight. Anything else you say? Is homo.”

    Okay, here we go, Emily thought to herself, taking a deep breath to try to still the nervous tension she felt bubbling up in blue from her belly. Probably about all the levity I can even try to put into this, because now I gotta get to where the story TAKES A DARK FUCKING TURN. Here goes?

    “Damnit,” Mark swore, slapping his knee. “I knew it. Shoulda paced myself.”

    “Thank you!” Emily turned her nose up in the air. “So, like I was saying—oh yeah, the wicked witch ex-girlfriend Chloe, yeah so she’s like stalking Brian, so she fuckin’ follows Brian to the con, and—”

    “Oh, please,” Monique scoffed. “As if. Like, the last thing Chloe’s interested in is more Brian B.S. and if you think—”

    “—And Chloe like, sees Brian neck deep in pussy, here,” Emily continued, speaking even louder to drown out Monique’s words, “I’m talkin’ like? This dude is just drowning in pussy. Whole hotel room was flooded. Fucking swamped in fresh, eager, nubile pussy. When I first catch up to all this, and see it for myself? Brian my bro is doin’ like, crocodile death rolls in a whole damn pile of horny naked convention bitches. It was fuckin’ unreal. He—”

    “Can you not?!” Katie interrupted, absolutely mortified. “Emily, Jesus Christ, why do you think it’s even okay to talk like that?! And, in front of Aunt Mattie?!”

    “What I say, is…” Aunt Mattie cleared her throat. “Good for you, Brian.”

    “Aunt Mattieee!” Becky laughed, bouncing over with an arm upraised for a high five. “I love you!”

    “Booooo—!” Monique cupped her hands and yelled. “Now, can we hear what really fucking happened?”

    “No no,” Mark leaned forward in his chair. “Go on! You had me at the death rolls, not gonna lie. I’m into all that romantic shit.”

    Tanya dropped her forehead into one palm in consternation.

    “That’s what I’m sayin’!” Michael raised his hands up. “That’s what I’ve been sayin’!”

    “So, Chloe sees all this and she like, loses it,” Emily said. “Her face goes all super red and like, the Snickas Bar dick vein on her forehead’s bulgin’ out, and—”

    “Stop. Stop,” Katie protested. “Brian, make her stop?!”

    “You’re full of shit,” Monique laughed. “Like Chloe would be jealous at all over some flabby stank weeaboo girls. Puh-leease.”

    “No, Chloe like, blows up, she literally detonates and starts cussin’ us all out, and I’m like—”

    “Wait, where is all of this supposed to be happening?” Mary pressed. “Like right at the convention?”

    “This was at the hotel room?” Emily responded. “Yeah. The uh, the Westerlin. You guys remember that one from last year, right? Right across the big street from the convention center.”

    “So, Brian’s having some sort of orgy and you… just happen to be there?” Tanya arched an eyebrow. “Were you a part of this? Was Kelly in there? How did you two even meet?!”

    “I—well, let me finish!” Emily laughed. “Where was I? Okay, so Chloe literally explodes, and—”

    “Can you not use the word ‘literally’ when you don’t literally mean ‘literally?’” Katie complained. “Because—”

    “No, Chloe explodes, like bits and pieces flew everywhere,” Emily snorted. “It was a mess. Was pickin’ little bloody scraps of her out of my hair all weekend. But, yeah anyways so Chloe like, sets herself up on this insane revenge plan, like she’s gonna try to frame up Brian for sexual assault or rape or something, ‘cause she’s so absolutely fuckin’ pissed and just wants to try to fuck him over.”

    “Yeah, right,” Monique blew a raspberry.

    “Okay… that’s actually not funny,” Michael said with a frown. “Bruh.”

    “Yeah, damn,” Mark agreed.

    “I know it’s not!” Emily’s big smile also began to fade. “But, this part… it’s true. She called the cops on him, and everything. Was trying to lure him out to this spot where she could like, set up a crime scene and try to get him caught there. That little like alleyway to the side of the plaza, we used to shortcut through there back when we had the other hotel place for AnimeCon and had to park way the fuck out there.”

    Emily’s eyes were on Brian and Christine, watching each of them for cues—had she gone too far, and started explaining too much? They had agreed to keep the charm magic and the harem stuff secret, but even after putting all that aside, there was a lot of drama to catch the rest of the group up on. Some of which needed to be known, for them to start understanding the new dynamics at play. After all, Michael and Tanya both for sure already knew how badly Chloe had fucked them over. Some of the rest—like perhaps the actual unbelievable extent of their polycule—they could maybe try to gloss over and still keep to themselves somewhat. Brian’s face remained blank and impassive at Emily’s words, and Christine’s eyes were darting around but always looking towards the ground, the bonfire, or out into the treeline—never glancing up to meet anyone else’s expressions.

    Kelly gave Emily’s arm a small squeeze, and for a moment Emily couldn’t tell if she was trying to be supportive, or if the bodacious redhead was trying to reign her in a bit. When she finally dared to look and lock eyes with Kelly, Kelly gave her a small, sad smile and a nod.

    “Emily’s lying,” Monique refused to believe it. “Chloe—tell us what really happened.”

    “Chloe?” Tanya prompted.

    “Yeah, Chloe?” Michael asked.

    “She’s…” Christine stared into the fire without answering for a long moment. “Emily’s telling the truth. About all of it. Well, just… slightly exaggerating about the women. But, not even that much of an exaggeration, really. Brian was getting attention from all of these girls, and I… okay, I maybe lost it. Something snapped. So what?”

    There was a deafening silence around the bonfire as everyone exchanged glances of disbelief and several expressions that were turned Christine’s way hardened. Monique was sitting up straight and looking shocked that her friend would make any admission of guilt. Emily herself felt surprised—at first it seemed like Christine had lapsed fully into being the ‘real’ Christine in front of her friends, but the parting 'so what' thrown in at the end did definitely hark back to the classic Chloe they were all so much more familiar with. It was an unsettling juxtaposition, and hopefully an act that Christine wouldn’t have to put up for too much longer.

    “What the fuck?” Mark blurted out. “You tried to frame Brian for rape?!”

    “Uhhh, this whole story went from zero to what the fuck super quick?” Katie remarked with an uneasy laugh. “Are you for real?”

    “I… yes,” Christine bobbed her head in a weak acknowledgement. “I did. I, uh, like Emily said. That access lane right alongside the convention center. I went there. And. I called the police. Told them my boyfriend, um, my ex-boyfriend was stalking me, threatening to rape me. Asked them to hurry. Then, I called Brian. Asked for him to meet me there. I. I tore my blouse myself, and I—”

    “What the actual fuck?” Becky demanded, livid. “Are you fucking serious? Because—this isn’t fucking funny.”

    “I—when I tore my blouse and was waiting,” Christine pushed on. “These… other guys happened across me. I think, from the back of one of those restaurants there from the other side of the alleyway. They uh. I was. I bitched them out, trying to get them to hurry up and leave, since I didn’t want them there um, witnessing what supposedly was going to happen, and—and—”

    “What she’s saying, is,” Emily butted in, clearing her throat. “She went and cried wolf… and then these actual wolves showed up.”

    “Meaning—?” Mary narrowed her eyes. “Meaning what.”

    “They um,” Christine floundered for a moment. “I was being… belligerent. With them. These guys. Yelling, screaming. Telling them to fuck off. I’d already tore my top to make it look like I’d been um, assaulted. They uh. They assaulted me for real. Tried to. They—they—”

    “When I showed up,” Brian finally spoke up. “They well, these three guys were standing over her, and they had the rest of her clothes partway off. One of the dudes had his pants down already and was about to… yeah. She was screaming and panicking. So, I run up and shove the guy off of her, one of the other ones shoves me back—”

    “Holy shit,” Mark muttered.

    “Shut the fuck up,” Becky sounded like she didn’t want to believe them. “If you guys are messing with us—then yeah ha ha okay. But, like—this isn’t something any of y’all should even joke about—”

    “I basically get my ass beat,” Brian shrugged. “S’where I got all the bruises and shit. I mean, I would’ve held my own okay, but the one dude was a huge fucker, and yeah there were three of them, and—”

    “The one guy in the jersey, he was, um,” Christine quickly nodded along. “Big. Taller than Michael even, more heavyset. H-he knocked Brian down, and then—then the other ones just started kicking and kicking him. I—I was in shock. Didn’t do anything, didn’t even really come to my senses until they all ran, because the police finally show up.”

    “Jesus,” Aunt Mattie all but gasped. “And—Brian, you’re okay now? Chloe, have you… have you had someone to talk to about all of this? A counselor or a therapist, or—”

    “Or, turn yourself in to the police, maybe?” Mary fumed. 

    “I’m alright,” Brian held up his hands. “Yeah, wasn’t fuckin’ fun, but I was there at least to prevent the worst from happening. And—Chloe and I have talked through some things. We have an understanding now, and—”

    “You can still like, press charges?” Mary insisted. “Because. I don’t even care. Holy fuck, Chloe.”

    “Yeah,” Becky growled, crossing her arms.

    “We heard some of this from Emily before,” Tanya said, her words growing thick as she lapsed more heavily into her accent. “But, didn’t know how much was to believe, yet. This is all true, Chloe? You really try to frame Brian for rape?”

    “Then yeah, maybe Chloe should leave?” Mary said. “Like. Just fucking go.”

    “Yeah, I’m not feeling too welcoming all the sudden?” Michael agreed. “Jesus fucking Christ, Chloe.”

    “Hey, she fucked up,” Brian said. “And. Okay. She almost really paid the price for that. I think because of what happened, she’s… well, her head’s a lot more clear about things, now.”

    “So, you’re just gonna let it go?” Mark asked. “Fuck that. I mean—”

    “I’m at fault,” Christine said in a small voice. “If you want to press charges, I’ll accept that. Whatever you want to do, I’ll go along with it. Whatever you want. I… I really owe you everything. I owe you my life.”

    “I think you should leave?” Becky suggested.

    “She’s learned her lesson,” Brian stood in Christine’s defense. “We’ve had time to talk it through. She did almost get raped.”

    “Serves her right,” Mark scoffed. 

    “I can’t believe it,” Mary muttered. “He’s actually still standing up for her. Chloe really does have a gorilla-grip pussy, or something—”

    “Brian… maybe you are still too close to problem?” Tanya suggested. “Maybe need time away from all of this with Chloe so that can think things through?”

    “Yeah,” Mary nodded in agreement. “Like, no offense, but—?”

    “Wait, so how is Emily’s bullshit story ‘setting the mood’ for us hearing about… this?!” Becky demanded, genuinely livid. “Emily what the fuck?”

    “Yeah,” Mary said again.

    “I was getting to that part, too!” Emily huffed. “So. In summary. Chloe leaves Brian right before the con. Brian attends AnimeCon and actually gets a lot of uhh, female attention, because I mean fucking look at him. Bro could flex his abs and catch the tip of your tongue, I mean god damn. So yeah, Chloe follows after him to the con and sees this, gets super upset that he’s not like, wallowing in abject misery and despairing with how alone he is.”

    “Wasn’t Chloe telling everyone that we just weren’t doing AnimeCon this year?” Tanya asked. “Was that not a thing?”

    “Oh, it definitely was,” Emily shrugged. “She was running off all kinds of bogus stories to everyone, trying to like, socially isolate Brian and make him feel vulnerable and like, as low as possible.”

    “But—why?” Dottie finally spoke up—most of the friends gathered around the bonfire had forgotten the girl was even here.

    “Yeah, Chloe?” Michael pressed. “What the actual fuck. I do remember every time me and Will tried to make plans with Brian, it was like you answering for him and saying he was never fuckin’ available. Which was gettin’ pretty fuckin’ sus.”

    “She was trying to make it like his socials were all suddenly this joint account thing like serious couples do,” Emily scoffed. “And ‘managing’ his messages for him. So that Brian ‘never had time’ to hang with friends, or see anyone, or talk with anyone.”

    “Chloe?” Mary prompted.

    “I thought that…” Christine made a face and finally gave up, shaking her head and letting her shoulder sag. “I don’t know what I thought. I was maybe a little crazy. Okay?”

    “Okay?” Becky’s voice rose an octave. “No, that’s not fucking okay! If you think—”

    “What do you want me to say?” Christine demanded. “I fucked up. Yeah. So what? We’ve already talked everything through, and—and I’m going to make it up to Brian. This all is between him and me. I don’t see how it’s any of your business?”

    “Um, it’s about to be a whole bunch of my business?” Becky bristled. “If you think that you can just treat Brian like—”

    “Uhhh hey you guys?” A voice called from the darkness in the direction of the path to Aunt Mattie’s house. “Tanya? Well um, I saw everyone parked and saw the light back here, but Tanya wasn’t answering my texts? Is it cool if—”

    “Candace!” Tanya exclaimed, hurrying over to greet the girl. “You’re here! Sorry, I—we—got distracted. Come on over, come come come. Come and meet everybody!”

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