Chapter Ten

When she got home from work the following afternoon, Faith walked upstairs, traded in the business gear for yoga pants and her faithful sweatshirt, and took her hair down.

She had just made it into her kitchen when the doorbell rang. Confused, she peeked through the viewer, then smiled and flung the door open.

“Sarah!” she cried, scooping up her little sister into her arms and making her drop her luggage.

“Oh my God it’s good to see you! Get your skinny butt in here,” Faith exclaimed as she let go of Sarah long enough to help retrieve suitcases and shut the front door.

“You look fantastic!”

“Thanks,” Sarah said, hugging her again. “You too.”

Stepping back, she looked around.

“Cool place, Faith, it suits you.”

Faith looked at her little sister lovingly. Sarah was the only one of the siblings that didn’t inherit the brown-on-brown variations. No. She was the only one that had bright green eyes and fair hair, like their father’s side of the family.

Growing up we called her the milkman’s kid, because she looked nothing like the rest of us, Faith remembered with a smirk. But the shape of her eyes? Pure Mom.

“What are you doing here?”

“The gig in San Fran wrapped up finally. And I was headed back to Manassas for a breather, and decided I just had to stop in Texas and see you.”

Now Sarah narrowed her eyes and stepped closer.

“Oh. My. God. Faith, you have a new fella.”

“What?”

“I can just tell. Spill it, girl, I’m all ears.”

Before Faith could speak, there was a brief knock on the door, and then Jandy let herself in.

She stopped, gaping for a moment, then smiled as Sarah rushed her for a hug.

“Well, well, it’s our little Cali girl,” Jandy beamed.

Faith asked, “Hey big sis! What are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Are you kidding? Tony’s working, kids are working, and I wanted to hear how the big date night went, so here I am.”

At this, Sarah’s ears perked up.

“I knew it. The gut doesn’t lie.”

She looked at Jandy.

“I was just this instant telling her to spill it because I could tell she has a new guy.”

“Fine,” Faith said, in mock defeat. “Let’s eat too though. Who wants Chinese?”

***

The Chinese food arrived in about twenty minutes and was quickly divided onto three plates. The three sisters sat around Faith’s table, wine glasses in hand, like old times.

Sarah brought Faith and Jandy up to speed on her finished job in San Francisco.

“Lots and lots of hours, the entire holiday season went by in a blur. Was so busy I couldn’t even look up,” she sighed, then took a sip. “But worth it. They’ve already mentioned throwing me their entire fall campaign this year, not just the Christmas one.”

“Good for you!” Jandy said, raising her glass in salute. “You’ve found your stride. We’re so proud!”

Glasses clinked; sips were taken.

“And what did you think of Bella? Didn’t they come see you over spring break?” Faith asked Sarah.

"They did,” Sarah confirmed. “And she’s an absolute doll. Perfect for Nathan. They just fit, you know?”

All at the table agreed.

“Now,” Sarah said, pointing at Faith with her fork, “you’ve stalled long enough. Spill already.”

Sighing, Faith told them about Rick. How they met, the entire sequence of events.

Before she got to the official date part, Jandy chimed in.

“Sarah, I can report he is a complete hottie, just like Faith says.”

Faith’s eyebrows went up as her jaw went down.

“OMG. No. You didn’t.”

“I did. Are you kidding me? You were so wound up. Had to see for myself what the fuss was about. Don’t worry, I didn’t threaten him or anything,” she added, hunching her shoulders a bit at Faith’s growl. “I just went down, looked around the store. Said maybe five words to him. He had no idea who I even was. I can tell you this, he was acting just as nervous as you were. It was really sweet to see, actually.”

“Aw,” Faith’s face got dreamy. “You’re forgiven.”

“Wow, what a look. Okay, Faith, keep going,” Sarah prodded.

So, she did. But she prefaced it with a solemn, “Next part stays between us.”

They both nodded - both remembered the sister code they’d created as kids.

“Oh my God, that is so sad,” Sarah murmured, hand on heart, when Faith got to the part about his family.

“You do realize he’s way beyond just ‘into you’, right?” Jandy pointed out. “Guys don’t share that kind of stuff with just anyone.”

"Oh, I know he is, because of what happened next.”

And she continued the story.

Now Sarah had tears sliding down her cheeks.

“You mean…,” she swiped at her eyes and took a breath to calm herself, “he actually said all that?"

“Yeah, he did,” Faith sighed.

“Good man right there, kiddo,” Jandy told Faith earnestly, her own eyes starting to brim a little. “Don’t be afraid to take a chance here, honey.”

“That’s the sweetest, most beautiful, most romantic thing I have ever heard, ever,” Sarah sniffled. “I mean, to have a man be that open and honest, Faith. Just, wow. I am so happy for you and so jealous at the same time. What did you do when he told you that?”

Faith's nose crinkled as she hunched her shoulders.

"I ran."

"What? Why?" Sarah gasped.

"I… I got overwhelmed."

"Oh, honey," Jandy murmured as she patted Faith's hand. "We talked about this."

"I know we did. It's just… He was so…"

"Romantic? Passionate? Amazing?" Sarah offered.

“Not to mention if and when the sex does finally happen between them, it will probably be explosive and earthshattering,” Jandy boldly predicted with a wicked little grin.

Silence for just a moment as Sarah’s mouth hung open and Faith turned beet red.

Then rollicking laughter all around.

Three sisters. Like old times.

***

Jandy glanced at her watch.

“Geez, it’s almost ten already, I’d better get going.”

She pulled out her phone and texted Tony to let him know she was about to head back from Faith’s.

“He worries,” she smiled as she hit send.

“And I think it’s sweet,” Sarah piped up. “Hey Jandy, can I go back and stay over tonight with you? I’d love to see Tony and the kids before I fly out tomorrow night.”

“Absolutely! Grab your gear, meet you outside.”

Jandy gave Faith a hug and stepped out.

Sarah wrangled her luggage toward the door, then paused.

“Hey, Faith.”

“Hey, yourself.”

“I want to say I’m proud of you.”

“For what?”

“For trying again. I know the dink cratered you bad, even though you put on a brave face and stuffed it down like you always do. So, I know how big a step it was to go on that date.”

She leveled a look at Faith.

"But please don't let the past continue to dictate the future for you, Faith. Something tells me this Rick guy is worth taking that leap. Promise me you'll at least consider it."

"I promise," Faith replied, and hugged Sarah before she walked out the door.

Faith softly closed and locked it behind Sarah, then leaned against it.

"I know he is," she whispered to herself. "I just need to get past being terrified to take that chance."