What's To Love?

“That’s pretty harsh,” Melanie said. She and Carolyn stood on the front porch and peered through the open door to where Clay was roundly dressing down his younger brother for running out on him while they were both still supposed to be teaching school.

Bob had his head bowed and kept nodding apologetically. After a while, Clay ran out of steam, and then he stepped forward, pulled Bob into a hug.

“So,” Melanie said, “all those times I was being a crazy fangirl, you thought I was creepy obsessed, huh?”

“No.” Carolyn smiled at her friend. “Not at all. You love them just as much as I do.”

“Yeah, but you grew up with them. You love them because you know them. I love them because --”

“Because they’re talented and attractive and nice guys,” Carolyn said. “Same as me.”

Melanie floundered for a moment. “Yeah, but -- you got to kiss one of them.”

“Two, actually,” Carolyn said absently.

Melanie’s eyes went wide. “What?”

“Clay fell out of love with me a long time ago,” Carolyn said.

“What makes you say that?” Melanie asked. She peered at Carolyn and saw that Carolyn’s gaze was distant; she was lost in memory.

“He saw who and what I really am, and he couldn’t deal.”

“And Bob could?”

“I think, by then, Robbie just didn’t care.”

Melanie nudged Carolyn’s shoulder with hers. “It couldn’t have been that bad. After all, you’re just a crazy prodigy law student. What’s not to love about brains and good looks?”

Carolyn said, almost too softly for Melanie to hear, “What’s to love about lies and bloodstained hands?”

Bob crossed the den and opened the screen door. He was still blushing faintly, but he was smiling.

“Clay’s done being all big brother on me. Sorry to kick you out of your own place, Carolyn.”

The smile she offered him could have outstripped a thousand suns. “I’m just glad you two made up.” Then she turned to her friend. “C’mon, Melanie. Want to meet half of Four Times Summer?”

(339 words)