Best Friend’s Brother: Best Friend's Brother Romance (12 page)

Kady wept of course, and sang at the wedding.  Isaiah and Carla’s little labradoodle Moxie were ring bearers.

Carla was sweet enough to let them take their wedding photos on her property.  She loaned them her horses for photos, and even for after the reception.  Carla was even a bridesmaid, on the condition that she would not be thrown up on, especially since there would be no lake nearby for her to clean herself off in.  Over the years, she had grown to become friends with Lauryn and Zooey, but she lived a few states away with a husband and twin boys.

“When are you guys getting your own,” Lauryn used her mouth to motion to Benji.

“Not for now.  There’s so much work, and we’re getting ready to move.”

“You gotta hurry it up, girl.  The clock is ticking.  We’re pushing 30 soon!”

“You’re not even 27 years old,” Zooey came off the elevator on the 8th floor, and Lauryn followed.  Benji was making a drumbeat on Zooey’s face and shoulders.

“I know.  But kids are fun.  This guy always has me on my toes.”

“I already have a guy to keep me on my toes,” Zooey laughed.

“Zoe!  Not in front of the baby!” Lauryn smacked Zooey’s shoulder and laughed.  Benji had no idea what was going on, but he cackled wildly with his mother and godmother.

Zooey expertly fumbled through her bag in order to find the keys to her apartment.  She steadied Benji in one hand, and unlocked the door.  She put it down, and he ran inside.

“I wouldn’t let him loose like that.  He breaks things.”

Sure enough as she said it, they heard an “oops” and the sound of a small glass shattering coming from the next room.

“And you want me to have one?  I’ll wait.”

Lauryn locked the door behind them when they got inside.  Benji had accidentally bumped into the coffee table.  There had been a glass on the edge of it, but it had broken on the floor.  Lauryn picked him up and moved to the kitchen.  She put him on the counter.

“Now I know that was an accident, but can you tell Aunty Zooey you’re really sorry for that?”

“I’m sowie Aunty Thoey,” he said.

“And are you really sorry?”

Benji nodded his head.

“It’s ok.  I accept your apology,” Zooey had already got a broom to clean up the mess.

“Mommy’s gonna keep you up here a little.  Glass is sharp, and it can hurt you.  So keep your shoes on, no rolling around, and no coloring on the floor.”

Zooey cleaned up all the glass she saw and threw it away.  She smiled.  Lauryn was such a good mother.  She was patient with her son, but she never lost any of her spark or personality.  She always said that Benji was the love of her life, but not to tell Ryan, because he would probably get jealous.

“And what have you been doing with yourself?”

“I’m a waitress uptown, a jazz singer downtown, and a recording artist midtown.  I do it all.  I hustle how I can,” Zooey said.  She was a waitress at an extremely popular restaurant.  Peter had made a few calls and pulled some strings.  There wasn’t a night that Zooey worked where she didn’t see a celebrity.  She had a great personality, so she got great tips.

There was a night when Nicki Minaj tipped her $100 and asked her to sing the chorus of a song on one of her next albums.  Nicki may have been drunk, but Zooey always secretly hoped that she would come back into the restaurant and take Zooey away for a few days to record.  But she humbled herself, and reminded herself that she had to start somewhere.

The front door opened then, and Jakob tumbled inside.  He had a case, a bag, and some papers in his hands.

“Uncle Jake!” Benji screamed.  Not wanting to disobey his mother, he stayed up on the counter.  He shook like he needed to pee, but held his arms out.  Jakob dropped everything in his hands and walked over to his nephew.  He picked him up and lifted him to the ceiling.  Benji squealed with glee, and begged to be taken up again.

Jakob flung Benji over his shoulder, fist pumped his sister, and went to give Zooey a kiss on the cheek.

“How was your ride over?”

“Ugh, can I just say I do not miss the big city?  Give me a town where everybody knows everybody any day.”

Jakob tickled Benji while he hung across his shoulders.  The little boy shrieked and tried to get free.  Jakob eventually put him down.

“Careful of the glass, sweetie,” Lauryn called when Benji ran around to explore.

They spent the afternoon catching up.  It was like old times.  No matter how far away they were from each other, or how long they were apart, they were still the three Musketeers.

“We’re like Mario!” Lauryn had said once when she and Zooey were 15.

“How so?” Jakob asked.  They were all walking home from school.  Jakob was in front with music in his ears, but he pulled out an ear bud so he could hear better.

“There’s 3 of us.  I’m Mario, Zooey’s Luigi, and you’re Princess Peach.”

“How in the hell am I Princess Peach?” Jakob frowned.

“Because your eyes are blue, and come on, you’re the most Peach like out of all of us.”

Zooey had to hold onto Lauryn’s shoulder to keep from toppling over laughing.

“Well, if we’re doing personalities, Snow, then you are Bowser.”

“No way, Bowser is grotesque!”

“I dunno, you are kinda like Bowser,” Zooey said.  “You even have the spiky bracelets on.”

“Ok then, Toad.”

“I’m not offended.  I love Toad!” Zooey clapped.  The siblings shot each other a look and started laughing.

Zooey was brought back to the present when Jakob ran a finger on her cheek.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked.

“I was just remembering something, Princess Peach.”

“You really wanna go there John John?”

“I don’t know what you guys are talking about, but Ben and I have to get going.  Wanna make it out of town before it gets dark.”

Lauryn collected her things, and took Benji by the hand.  They said their goodbyes and left shortly after.

“What do you want to do tonight, Princess?” Zooey giggled, and slid on the couch next to Jakob.

“I’m beat.  I kind of wanna just stay in.  What are you in the mood for?”

“This,” Zooey adjusted herself so that her arms were around him.  He played with her hair, and then he spoke.

“...
And as I quick and quicker walked

On gravel and on green,

I sang to sky, and tree, or talked  

Of her I called my queen.

- ‘O faultless is her dainty form,

And luminous her mind;

She is the God-created norm

Of perfect womankind!’

A shape whereon one star-blink gleamed

Glode softly by my side,

A woman's; and her motion seemed

The motion of my bride.”

“Is that Hardy?” Zooey asked when he had finished.

He nodded his head, his fingers tracing the outline of her physical form.

“Thank you for the poem,” Zooey whispered.  She yawned and closed her eyes.  Jakob continued to run his fingers delicately along her curves.

“Can you recite Choose Something Like A Star to me?” she yawned again.  Jakob kissed her hair.

“As you wish, my love.  As you wish.”

THE END

*

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