Chapter 522) Friends Will Be Friends

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.”

~Elbert Hubbard

Del Sol Valley
Cameron Mansion

The minute 16-year-old twins Iris Marie and Briar Rose entered the foyer of their grandparents’ mansion and saw the puppy in Blaine’s arms they squealed and ran to him petting the little dog, trying to take it from him, when he turned away, planting the puppy on his shoulders, fighting the twin granddaughters off.

“MINE! Get your own! You know how long I had to wait until your grandmother allowed me to get another dog that’s not some disappointing tiny yapping rat like your Aunt Bianca dragged into this house before they finally fucked off to the rolling hills of Max’ kingdom?!”

“Give him here! OMG – he’s so ugly, he’s cute …he’s got huge bat ears!” Iris demanded trying to get him, when Bri tried to snatch the tiny dog from their grandpa from the opposite side, which he foiled.

“You need glasses, you blunt brat! That dog is a stunner! He’ll grow into those ears, just as I grew into my nose … kinda. But you know what they say about men’s noses. And hands. And feet. This dog will grow up with a fifth leg, judging by his ears!” Blaine told Iris, who punched his arm giggling, as Scarlett spoke up.

“Yeah, we all heard that and know that if it were true, any well-endowed man would be some goofy looking sucker. Blaine, baby, our granddaughters are sweet young ladies visiting us for a few days, they already said your dog is cute as hell, so now baby, try to be a good host and an adult for a moment and let the girls have a minute with him.” Scarlett interfered.

“Fine. But they are NOT – I repeat – NOT taking him home. He’s mine. He won’t leave this house with anyone but ME! Get your own. Jackson’s got one left, Connor said, so you better hurry if you want it.” Blaine insisted, handing the dog to Bri, who immediately started petting and snuggling the puppy.

“Ooooh, now it’s clear why Bri likes the dog so much.” giggled Iris, earning a quick, warning glare from Bri, who tried to kick her sister’s rear, but Iris was too fast, giggling hard.

“Girls, we’ve been over this. When not at home, we try to behave as if we weren’t raised in a cave in Neolithic times. No random brawling, no cat fights, no knuckledragging or mutual delousing while here. You too, Gump.” Hailey laughed.

“Aww. There go my plans for the rest of the day. Your loss, Patches. My delousing skills are unsurpassed.” Chase chuckled at his wife.

“Jackson didn’t have puppies … I totally forgot he even has a dog … but he didn’t have puppies …” Bri mumbled, completely detached from the other conversations and jokes, staring at Blaine, who shrugged, as she lowered herself to the ground, afraid she’d fall over as her knees got soft. This was Jackson’s puppy??? Blaine responded into her thought process.

“Hope not, or I’d be pissed I wasn’t there for that birth, cos I got questions on how Jackson woulda given birth to a batch of puppies. I was told his dog did. Then again, I wouldn’t even really care either way. Coltrane is mine now and he stays, no matter who shat him out. The daddy is Connor’s Morpheus. Evidently Connor and Keira didn’t do a good job watching the dogs when they were puppysitting Jackson’s dog when he went to see his dad in HOB, he got her back preloaded with puppy goodness. Connor felt guilty so he told Jackson he’d help find homes. Can’t say I am not liking this oopsie. Actually, I am a fan. We’d have the other puppy that was still left too, but your mean grandma nixed that, so I am defending the one I FINALLY got with my life. Let’s all say it together: mean grandma!” Blaine directed the last part at Scarlett, who smiled, nodding.

“That’s right. Someone has to keep you in line, a dirty job, literally, but someone’s gotta do it.” she smiled at Blaine who stuck his tongue out at her.

“Coltrane?” Iris repeated, grabbing the small puppy from her sister.

“Yup. Like the musician. Just because I make rock music doesn’t mean I don’t like other stuff. Not much, but some. The rest is autotuned trash anyways. What they try to pass off as music nowadays …” Blaine rambled on.

“I like the name. Cool and suits him. He looks a lot like Morpheus too, hopefully not as cranky. Right Bri.” Iris nudged her sister back from lala-land.

“Uh huh.” she mumbled staring at the dog in her sister’s arms, then pulled it up burying her face in its fur, hoping to smell Jackson, but only smelled some fresh and flowery puppy shampoo.

She turned to her parents.

“Mom, dad, can we get that other puppy? We have the room and it’s Connor’s Morpheus’ baby, so that pup is automatically special.” Bri pleaded utilizing her best puppy eyes, grabbing the dog back from her sister.

“Yeah, mom dad, come on. Can we go get him? Pleeeeeeeeease …” Iris begged too, and it was clear Chase was starting to crumble, but Blaine spoke before he could.

“Her. He only has a girl doggy left, according to your brother, who is a doctor, so I hope he can tell the difference. Connor definitely said girly dog.” Blaine corrected.

“Female dogs are called either ‘female dog’ or ‘bitch’, baby. Saying girly dog makes you sound … silly. I am sure Connor knows that term and that is what he told you.” Scarlett corrected him.

Blaine grinned at her.

“I wasn’t gonna be the one getting his mouth washed out with soap for cursing too much. Yeah, Connor said Jackson’s got a little bitch left, whose gonna grow into a big bitch. There. Scientifically correct. Sounds bad, but no … and you can’t yell at my ass for cursing.”

“It’s not cursing if it’s an actual term for something. Unlike the other no-no word you said. You don’t even notice it anymore, do you?” Scarlett sighed.

“Hehehe, easy fix: can we get a donkey then? And a rooster? And that other puppy? That way, it’s never cursing, ya know, then we’d have a bitch, an ass and a…”

“BLAINE! Don’t you dare say that word … and no, Blaine, we cannot. Just the ONE dog. I have my hands plenty full with you, and this ONE puppy now.” Scarlett told him.

“At least I don’t shit on the floors … well, not when I am sober enough to have a basic grasp on anything I do anyways.” Blaine joked, winking at Scarlett.

“That is true, but probably only because you are a vampire, and we just don’t void that way usually. Otherwise, I wouldn’t put it past you. Definitely know to keep an eye on you whenever you consumed actual food.” Scarlett giggled.

Hailey turned to her daughters.

“In other news: we are NOT getting a dog, girls. Seriously. Daddy and I are gonna be gone a lot for the farewell tour, it’s hard enough to get some adult eyes on you right now, I am not trying to find someone to watch two bratty hormonal girls and a not yet housetrained puppy. Once the tour is done it’s less than a year till you probably both are off to college and daddy and I would get stuck with the dog. No, thank you. I am having VERY different plans for alone time with your dad.” Hailey stated.

“Mom, for real?” Iris complained.

“And we could always take a year off after high school and spend time with you guys and the dog …” Bri added.

“You could do a lot of things, but you are not gonna. Tell ya what, ladies. Once you have your own home, you can get as many dogs as you wish. And even donkeys and roosters for when your grandpa visits.” Hailey grinned at Blaine, who blew her kisses.

“You were always my favorite kid-spouse. That girl just gets me. What’s the proper term for that these days, just so I don’t get my unwoke ass cancelled here, Letty?” Blaine blurted out.

“Still daughter-in-law, baby. Just as it always has been.” Scarlett told him with sheer endless patience.

“Part of me always wished I could claim her as homemade, as my daughter outright, but that would make a lot of things very weird. Good job finding her, Chase. Oh, wait, your pregnant mom and I struck up the convo with her and her parents, because back around the same age your daughters are now, you were a dorky nerd with a giant stick up your ass, who spent most of his time with his face glued to a computer monitor. You are WELCOME, son, and you two bratty teeny grandbabies. Yeah, I did that. I am the real reason you even exist.”

“Chase and I were 15, the twins are heading for 17 and you and Scarlett struck up convo with my parents, but I went over and talked up Chase, who eventually managed to find out where I lived and stalked me with Colton, so we did that ourselves and are thanking nobody. Nice try though. And good to know you are so eager for the teen grandmonsters, Blaine. Next time they become too much for us again, we’ll just bring them to you, since you feel you are the real reason they exist, it’s only fair you fix them up into decent human beings again. What a relief!” Hailey giggled, when Chase added.

“Yeah, thanks dad, and I rather keep Hailey as my wife, not another sister. For one, it makes having kids together significantly less cringe, not to mention other things we do that I wouldn’t do with any siblings. I’d also like to add that if there is one thing I absolutely do not need in my life, it is more siblings, no matter the gender. Just in case you two were thinking about filling this house up again. Please don’t. If you are bored, like my wife said, Patches and I are happy to drop off the twins with you. That will cure your baby fever instantly, especially of late.” Chase smirked at his parents.

“Awww, party pooper. Too late. Bun’s already in the oven. Shoulda come visit sooner.” Blaine grinned big.

“WHAT!?” Chase got very pale.

Blaine laughed hard, snorting for amusement, so Chase looked at his mother, Scarlett was trying not to laugh as she rubbed her son’s arm in a comforting manner.

“Don’t worry, baby, your dad must have been smoking the good stuff. No siblings incoming here. Maybe he’s talking about one of his side-chicks or groupies or whatever we wanna call all those slutty offerings that usually compile around him in public. I’ll go make us coffee.” Scarlett said.

“I always call them ‘hussies seconds away from death‘, which is what I tell them they are when they start rubbing around on MY man, and if that doesn’t do it, I flash my fangs, so they back off. Am I glad when that is finally over for good after the farewell tour. Several decades of that is enough now. No more sharing my hubby with the world. All mine.” Hailey said, making Chase smile and kiss her cheek.

“Side-chicks?! Wait what?!” Iris looked back and forth between her grandpa and parents.

“Argh, as if. Your grandma just thinks she’s funny, which she is not. If I even as much as tried to cheat on her, which, look at her, why would I? Anyway, if that even ever crossed my mind, which it never once has, she would have beaten me to death with my own wang. Ain’t that right, babe?!” Blaine yelled the last part after Scarlett.

“You are 100% correct!” she called back from the nearby kitchen.

“Ummm – funny, except: You’re a vamp, sooooo: immortal, soooo: you can’t be clubbed to death … no matter the … tool.” Bri said.

“No shit, Sherlock?! I’d be in an eternal ass-whoopin’! With my FAVORITE tool. Doesn’t get any worse from there!” Blaine confirmed.

“Hmm, wow, even grandpa has something resembling basic morals. Well, well, Bri.” Iris mocked.

“Go drown in the pool or something, Iris.” Bri turned and rushed off out the front door, plopping down on the top step with Coltrane, immediately followed by Blaine.

“Ah nah, you don’t, not with my dog. Hey, kid back this way, you brat! I don’t care if you run away from home, I have a ton of grandkids, but only ONE dog, so he’s staying right here!” he complained.

“GODDAMN what a circus! I forgot how it goes here, living in the Bay for so long made me soft. I apologize for suggesting coming here and not getting a hotel, Patches. Nothing has changed. If this gets too much, we can still get a hotel or stay with Colton, Maddie and Jasper. They were kinda offended we chose to stay at my parents’ place instead.” Chase told Hailey smiling.

“Oh this is fine, Gump, nothing like the scents and sounds of home, and you KNOW you love it! Your dad’s just build-in free amusement. Let’s go find your mom, she has the coffee, and let Blaine and Bri battle things out. They are about on the same mental level anyway. Come on Iris.”

“Ha, if you only knew that grandpa is actually the sane one out of those two …” Iris mumbled quietly, sighed and followed them.

Del Sol Valley
The Malton (Home to Colton, Maddie and Jasper Hargrave)
Later that same day

“HEY!” Jasper nudged Bri, startling her.

“What the hell, Jas?!” she complained.

“Yeah, what the hell is right. Did you hear anything I just said?” he complained back at her.

“She heard nothing but angels singing, that girl was in a galaxy far, far away … riding bareback along the prairie.” giggled Iris.

“I never once in my life rode bareback. I am not 7 feet tall; I need the stirrups to get on the damn horse and the saddle to KEEP me on.” Bri retorted.

“I wasn’t talking about the horse anyway …” Iris giggled, receiving a hail of swats from her sister.

“Ladies – seriously. I have no idea what this is about. And if you start slapping each other, let me get a kiddie pool full of pudding, so I can record it and get rich selling that to creeps on the interweb!” Jasper joked while separating the two.

“Nor will you know anything – right Iris!” Bri warned.

Iris wiggled her eyebrows at Jasper, who had grown up with them and could read them well.

“Ooooh, something extra-juicy. Someone is doing something they shouldn’t be. Tell me more!” Jasper laughed.

“Iris – I am warning you! Not a word! You promised.” Bri’s warning intensified.

“This is Jasper, not some rando! He’s basically the missing piece making us kinda-sorta triplets in spirit. We don’t have secrets from Jas. And I don’t do threats, girl. That just makes me wanna say it more.” Iris told her sister.

“And no, you don’t keep secrets from me, cos now I REALLY wanna know. You can’t just cancel me just because my parents decided to move us, right? This is how you do me, Bri?”

“I am not doing you any which way, Jas, it’s nothing. Just complicated. You wouldn’t understand.” Bri told him.

“Nobody understands her. She’s got a side-dude.” Iris let the cat out of the bag unceremoniously.

“IRIS! Are you crazy? You promised me! And Colton is right over there! You suck!” Bri jumped up, stuck her raised middle finger right into her sister’s face, then ran off.

“Okaaaaaaaay. That’s odd even by Briar Rose standards, wasn’t it, or am I already so desensitized to your girls’ quirks after barely half a year? Since when does she have a problem with my dad? Not to mention since when does she go around throwing one-finger-salutes into people’s faces, and above all: since when does she not trust me anymore?” Jasper wondered.

“Oh, don’t take that personal, you have NO idea. Nothing is normal with Bri anymore. Okay, listen, here’s the full story as I have been told, but you have to swear not to tell ANYONE …” Iris told him.

Chestnut Ridge
Jackson Kershaw's cabin

Briar Rose’s excitement grew as she took the familiar left turn up to Jackson’s ranch in the car which she had just taken from her grandparents’ garage, which was still crowded with mostly Blaine’s late father Everett’s ‘babies’, he had been a car afficionado and collector all his life. Blaine and Scarlett didn’t need them, even though many vampires tried to keep up appearances by travelling like mortals, as Briar Rose and Iris’ vampire parents usually did, since their daughters were both mortals.

She parked it, didn’t see Jackson outside, so she just entered his cabin after a brief knock, only to find a stranger inside, looking at her equally as shocked as she did at him.

“Who are YOU!? Are you a real life Indian or is it Halloween already?” she blurted out.

“That was insensitive, rude and racist. I think the term you were looking for is indigenous or native. Also, a dumb question, since it’s obvious. Maybe read something other than fashion magazines every once in a while.” he replied.

“Well, cool, thanks for the lesson. Native then. No need to be rude though! What are you doing in Jackson’s home?”

“Straight back at ya.”

“This is stupid. I’ll go find him and I will tell him you were in here!”

“Go ahead, seeing as he sent me here to get his knife.”

“Knife? You know Jackson? Why does he need a knife?”

“To carve the notches into the wood. The axe is too big.”

“WHAT?!”

“Who are you again?”

“I am Bri. Briar Rose. And you?”

“Chayton Greywolf, a real-life ‘Indian’, apparently. Also, Jackson’s best friend. Oh, you must be that chick from the parties he goes to.”

“Chick from … wait what? He said that?”

“He didn’t, but Taylor did.”

“You know Taylor too?”

“I feel like I already answered more than you did. Why are you in Jackson’s house?”

“Why do you think? Obviously not to steal any of this. I wanted to talk to him. And see the puppies.”

“Ah right. Puppies are all gone now. And Tay was right. I see it too. Look, I’d suggest you get back in your big fancy gas guzzler and go back home. But you probably won’t do that, so he’s up at the Big Sky ranch, up on that hill you drove towards when you drove in. Guess he does know ya, and Jack definitely knows your brother, so suppose it would be all right for you to grab one of his horses and ride up there. I gotta get back there now. They’re waiting for me.”

Chayton just started to walk off, Bri blocked the door.

“Wait … can’t you wait for me. And help me? I can’t …. can you … like …” Bri stuttered.

Chayton turned to her, looking mildly annoyed.

“Oh, please don’t tell me you can’t ride! Goddamn Jackson, what were you thinking with this chick?!”

“I can – too – ride and I am not a chick, BRUH! It’s just the saddle … it’s … heavy and the horses are very … tall … and I am …. not. And I think I forgot what Jackson said where all those straps go.” Bri said.

“You want me to saddle Jackson’s horse for you? You gotta be kidding me! You know, I tell ya what. You wait here and I will tell him you’re here. Either he comes or he won’t, that should be your answer. I am not saddling horses for Nepo-baby white girls trying to stir up trouble!”
Chayton left the cabin, then started walking off at a fast pace, whistled, and out of seemingly nowhere a horse came running, stopping next to him, he barely missed a step and just swung himself onto the animal, then cantered off.

“Okaaaaaay, so … everyone here is just really good at riding. Got it. And rude. Wow. Screw this. Work smart, not hard. Taking my frigging gas guzzler up there.”

Bri drove up in her grandparents’ Mercedes SUV, immediately regretting it when she saw a bunch of people working on various places of some wooden cabin that looked like all the others around here, most of the people staring at her now as she exited the car, before they went back to their tasks.

One person stood out to Bri.
Taylor.

She looked up, then nudged the person crouched down next to her working on something, who now looked at her, as she pointed at Bri. He rose up and turned.

Jackson.

Bri’s heart pounded!

He came to her, wiping his hands on his jeans.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, but didn’t even attempt to hug Bri, as Taylor had followed him.

“I was in the area and thought I’d say hi. So … hi.” Bri gave an extremely filtered reason for her visit.

“Well hi, I guess. Since ya here, wanna help? Make yerself useful?” Taylor decided.

“Tay …” Jackson intervened.

“What? I wasn’t gonna have her haul lumber with the boys, especially not dressed like that. I know her delicate little skin can’t handle being outside too long. I was thinking maybe she could get supper started. You can cook, right?” Taylor said it in a manner that made Bri wonder if she wasn’t implying there was no way Bri could cook. Which wasn’t wrong …

“Taylor, I don’t think Bri can … it’s a different life.” Jackson tried his best to remain diplomatic.

“So? She can take instructions, can’t she? Ashton-Leigh is helping, working hard like everyone else and you only have to show her once. She only moved here a year ago from Windenburg, very different life there too, wouldn’t ya say? Ash WANTS to help, girl’s got skills and isn’t afraid to get dirty. Come to think of it, you’re right, Jackson. Bri isn’t like that. Maybe she can make coffee? You know how to push buttons, that much we know.”

“Maybe you could quit riding my ass for a hot second, little Miss Horsebuckle Smalltown Beauty Queen?! Best out of 10, 5 of them had four legs. Who do you think you are?!” Bri exploded at Taylor.

Jackson grabbed her by the upper arm and pulled her with him away from Taylor a bit, before he whisper-yelled at her.

“Bri what are you doing!? Are you trying to get us both in trouble now? I thought you did NOT want anyone to know about us, nor for us to leave our partners, so why just show up like this? How am I supposed to explain you coming here without it becoming obvious?” Jackson pressed.

“We’re visiting family and Colton, Maddie and Jasper in Del Sol Valley for a few days. I wanted to see you. I missed you. Clearly, that was not reciprocated.” she hissed back.

“Has nothing to do with reciprocation, don’t you see that you being here like that is gonna get us caught? I was willing to try this, but you did not, so I went back to my life as I know it and now you are here stirring things up like all that? Why didn’t you at least text me first, I would have told you that it was a bad time and saved you the trip and me some serious problems trying to explain you being here? Several people have already dropped hints about what they think is going on, so far I could blow them off, but now? Just get in your car and go back home.” he told her with his voice still lowered.

“Why are you being so cold? I didn’t text, cos I didn’t know it was required and this was supposed to be a surprise, duh! A good one, not …. whatever THIS is now!”

“I am not cold, I am confused, Bri! By you! You’re in, then you’re out, in again, out again, hot, then cold. Don’t want me, then you do, then you don’t, then you just show up here expecting me to roll out a red carpet for you … seriously Bri, that can’t make sense, not even to you! But the surprise part worked. I am definitely surprised. As is everybody else here. What were you thinking, Bri? You being here makes no sense and is impossible to explain without rumors shooting up like mushrooms in Fall!” Jackson stopped talking when Taylor approached.

“Well, we’re nothing if not hospitable. I am about to make dinner then and you are welcome to stay. Wanna help me?”

Bri shot Jackson a glance, his eyes warned her to say yes, her eyes narrowed, before she turned to Taylor with a fake smile.

“That’s the least I could do.” her eyes grazed Jackson’s, telling him he had hurt her so she would do the exact opposite of what he wanted her to do.

Bri was so wrapped up in the feeling of having shown Jackson, that she didn’t even care that she and Taylor never got along.

Once inside, Bri was tasked with clearly simple tasks suitable for a small child, but she bit back all the sarcastic comments. Once dinner, which was a huge pot of very spicy chili and grilled meats of some sort, along with fire baked seasoned potatoes, was served and everyone shared as if they all lived here, Bri sat there with all the others, feeling like an outsider looking into a home through a window at a big family laughing, trading fun stories. She really didn’t belong here, and it was obvious.

After everyone had their fill and started going back to work, she helped clean up and tried small talk.

“This house is kinda cute.”

“Thanks. Small but mine.” Taylor said.

“You live here? You OWN this?!”

“Yup. Just moved in. Wanted to be closer to Jackson, but we’re not really ready to move in with each other yet, so I did the next best thing. Bought this small plot of land and we’re building me a nice home. Community effort. If you go up to the edge of the hill, you can see Jackson’s ranch. All of it.” Taylor shot Bri a certain look, which Bri ignored.

“How do you afford land? Do you have a job? You look young.”

Taylor laughed as if that were the stupidest thing anyone could ask.

“I am 19. We all have jobs, usually more than one. Had them since we were about 14, except for Ashton-Leigh, since she just recently moved here like I said earlier. I waitress at the restaurant and sometimes help out barkeep at the bowling lot. But I made 1st at the last rodeo, and used THAT money for this.”

“Rodeo!? You ride bulls?”

“I barrel race. Evidently good enough to buy land. Now THAT’s achievement here, owning land. I know this won’t mean anything to you, we have family that are scattered all over, so I know how life goes elsewhere. But you clearly have no idea how we all live. We all can cook substantial meals with whatever we have in the pantry by the time we’re 13, boys and girls, and chicks like you who would burn water would never find a decent partner. We can repair things, saddle horses, and obviously build houses and grow our own food. We grow up with horses and those are more than fancy accessories to go with our Ralph Lauren equestrian collection. And above all, none of us would ever move away from here, Jack’s the exception confirming the rule, but he has a kid living abroad, so that’s understandable. His son will never move and if he does, he’ll be so unhappy and come back anyway.”

“Why are you constantly attacking me, then being nice, then attacking again? Pick a side and stick with it, okay? Super-schizo. Just be honest with me. I don’t need you to love me, just civil is good enough.”

“Look Bri, I am generally a genuinely nice person and I like most everyone, unless I realize someone wants to cause trouble. And before we go back and forth about this, let me ask you a question, since your dad is a musician. Do you know the song ‘Jolene’?”

“”Uh, no …”

“Figured. It’s Country Music, clearly not your usual genre, but you should listen to it sometime. I feel like it applies here, you may recognize yourself in the lyrics.”

“Huh?!”

“Think about it. Clearly, we’re not fancy like you, but we’re not idiots either …. Jolene, and that is all I am going to say about this. There is no point arguing. Won’t do anyone any good.” Taylor’s tone gave Bri a hot flash of shock. Did she know?!

“What do you mean? Jackson and I are friends. His dad and my brother …”

“Please stop, Bri. I know the official story, but I have eyes. I see you around Jackson, and I can see he likes your attention. Hard to blame him, considering who you are, and you are very pretty. But whatever you think will happen, won’t last.”

“You know nothing, Taylor, you’re just assuming things.”

“No. YOU are the one assuming. You think you can just swoop in and take whatever you want, because of who you are. Money really does not buy everything. You’ll learn that. Look, my parents could be wealthy too, maybe not like yours, but they stepped away from all of that to build a life here. For that, we all had to kinda sever ties with family, to a degree. We talk, but keep our distance. Or did you know that I am related to Jasper Hargrave? No? Well, his dad is my dad’s uncle. Like I said, we’re estranged. Shocked yet?”

“What? Jasper? Wait … what?”

“Ask him. My name is Taylor McCoy. As in his dad Colton’s sister Annaleigh’s last name. Yeah, your precious Jasper’s aunt is my grandma.”

Del Sol Valley
The Malton
Late afternoon of that same day

Without knocking Jasper’s room door burst open, sending him jumping up from the bed he had been laying on scrolling through his phone, before he laid into the unannounced visitor.

“Ever heard of knocking?! I could have been naked – or with a girl … or busy with … myself!”

“That’s disgusting, Jasper! Don’t you think if you had a girl in here your mom would have said something about that when she sent me up to your room? Do you know a Taylor? Are you related to her? And where is my sister?”

“I keep Iris in a box under my bed for when I am really bored. She went over to your grandparents’ place for a family lunch, some of your local aunts plus families were drummed together, like normal people do. I told them you wanted to go shop downtown for a new fancy dress and probably don’t hear your phone when you spotted something shiny. Not sure if they believed me, but I tried. Iris’ll be back later, she said. And I know a lot of Taylors, not exactly a rare name. Do you have that more specific?”

“McCoy. And thanks for the cover. Hopefully it worked, if not I am grounded AGAIN. I owe you one, Jas.”

“Aaaah. Right. Yeah, I know that Taylor. And yeah, kinda related, I guess, even though there is no real term for our relationship, that distant. I am her dad’s cousin. Obviously, there’s a big age gap between us, but it still sounds crazy weird.”

“OH MY GOD! Why did you never say anything?! She was at parties at Connor’s! You didn’t say anything about knowing her! OMG, that means she’s related to Keira as well, and therefore somehow to Connor and me. EEEEEW!”

“Because I don’t know her, I know OF her, and I kinda know what she looks like, but that’s about all. Not like we are BFFS or anything, she, her older brother and I could barely pick each other out in a crowd with certainty. Look, it’s complicated. That part of the family is kinda estranged. Her mom, Sasha, … well … you know your Aunt Vivien’s husband Liam? He has two sisters, Abigail, who lives in Windenburg with her kids and grandkids, and Leonie, who moved away after she got married. They have three kids. Oliver, who married an Auditore so they kinda keep to themselves, Christina, whom you know cos she is married to Drake who used to be at our house a lot when he was still in Strker’s band, and then there’s Lucas, whom we don’t really know, even though he lives in San Sequoia, has lived there since before Connor and Keira moved there. Lucas met a girl in college, Sasha, they had a little too much fun and she wound up pregnant. So, shotgun wedding. Not long after the kid was born, Sasha bailed, no trace, just a letter, and then they saw her one more time when she signed the divorce and custody papers. Eventually she met my cousin Sawyer, my Aunt Annaleigh’s oldest son. In no time she was pregnant again, with Taylor’s older brother, so they married and moved to Chestnut Ridge, where the McCoys owned a farm, which the oldest son, Sawyer, inherited when KC was turned and moved to Forgotten Hollow. Sasha, Taylor’s mom, settled down since and has tried several times to fix the old wrongs, but they just aren’t close with anyone else in the family. So, I didn’t tell you because I don’t actually know them, and it would take me 4 hours to explain how we are even related. Keira doesn’t know her any more than I do and no worries, you and Connor are not related to her.”

“At least some good news. The rest is great. Just great.” Bri sighed theatrically.

“Hey, before you go all pouty on me here for not disclosing extremely convoluted family relationships that basically have no bearing whatsoever on anything for any of us, let me tell you that you suck even worse! Let’s delve into THAT for a minute, shall we?” Jasper shot back at Bri.

“Me? How?”

“Okay, let’s start with you missing every single video chat now since Connor’s last party, Iris made it every time, you not so much, but … hello? Jackson Kershaw? Is THAT why you are grilling me about Taylor now? Seriously?” Jasper grimaced to underline his disbelief.

“OMG – Iris told you about it?! That bitch!”

“No, YOU are the bitch! You know, had I not moved away, I am sure you would have told me too. Guess now I am no longer part of that circle. Nice. I feel loved. Can’t wait for college, knowing every big family meet it’s like meeting you all over again cos you will have forgotten I even exist!”

“Don’t exaggerate like that. I wasn’t gonna tell ANYone … Not exactly my proudest achievement ever. So yeah, that happened. And was supposed to happen again today if my plan would have worked out as I imagined it, except I walked into humiliation and disaster instead.”

“Happen again?! The way Iris told it, it sounded like some one-time thing between two people who got a little too hot under the collar and just banged each other, even though they both have partners, which is bad enough. She didn’t say you were going after more of that! Okay, if I still matter enough to you to be allowed to have an opinion here …”

“Of course you matter! I love you, Jas, you know that. You are still my bonus brother. I am sorry I was flaky, I promise I’ll do better again. But this isn’t something you share with the world. You didn’t call ME to tell me whenever YOU did IT for the first time. I wanted to have my first time with Brad, but he was so awkward and lame about it, I bailed and somehow, when I went to see Jackson to fix another screw up, one thing just lead to the next. But I do want to hear what you have to say, even though I can already guess what that will be. Same as Iris told me. And it already was twice now with Jackson. Almost three times, had today worked the way I planned it. Which it most definitely didn’t. I have never felt less welcome in my life! Driving out there I was imagining moments – hours – of bliss, but all I got was humiliation and probably another round of grounding the moment I go over to Cameron Mansion, despite your excuse, cos I didn’t exactly ask before taking the car. Again. So whether they know I went to see Jackson or believed I was shopping downtown, I will get sentenced to house arrest – again.”

“Well, yeah, not exactly undeserving, but can I maybe offer a male view on all this? Look Bri, if my girlfriend had …” Jasper started, but was cut off.

“You have a girlfriend!?”

“Thanks for sounding THIS shocked about that, but yeah I do, and I already told Iris that tomorrow I’ll take you and her out to lunch and you get to meet her. And if you had made it to ANY of the video chats or ever looked at my socials rather than Jackson Kershaw’s nutsack, you would know I met someone and yes, I did tell Iris about my first time and she told me about hers, during one of the many chats you missed. Anyway, if my bae told me she’s a virgin, then we finally get there and I realize she lied, it wouldn’t make me feel good. Serious breach of trust. I mean, I could deal if she has done it before, no biggie, hell, even if she told me she used to be a hoe, but I can’t deal with her making me believe she’s untouched and then I find out in the worst possible moment that she lied to me. That probably is worse than her coming to me freely and fessing up to having cheated. I MAY be able to forgive her straying, if I care about her enough, but not for lying to my face. I’d dump her ass right then and there. Forgiving is one thing, but if I have to stumble on the truth I’d just always wonder if she’s lying about everything.”

“Boys can tell?!” Bri’s eyes got wide.

“Seriously!?”

“Okay. Okay. Okay… I take it you boys can and that was a stupid thing not to know.”

“Ya think? I mean, you think we feel nothing down there? Then why the hell would we even bother, not to mention all the hoops you girls make us jump through to even be allowed to go there? Because it feels good, duh! And yeah, we’re pretty sensitive downstairs, or why do you think kicking a dude in the nuts is so effective? Seriously Bri, I wanna flip you upside down and look for a factory reset button. Jackson Kershaw, gimme a million breaks here! I am also biased, you know Brad’s my friend. He’s a good guy, Bri, I don’t waste my time with assholes. Not saying Jackson is an asshole, I kinda like him, cool dude, but knowing what I know now, he isn’t exactly GOAT material doing what he did with you. This thing is bigger than you may realize, Bri. And not in a good way.”

“Okay. And you’re right, about everything. I never looked at it like that. But it’s not Jackson’s fault. I know I caused most of this. You know I can be very … ah … very …”

“Manipulative? Impatient? Self-centered? Careless? Immature?”

“OKAY OKAY – WOW! I get it, I suck!”

“No, you don’t. I told you, I am not friends with assholes. You’re pretty great, Bri, you have a good heart, you’re genuine. You are so smart, but just don’t have a clue, at all, right now. Like you wanting to take the blame for cheating. That takes TWO, Bri. You can’t make a guy nail ya. He wanted it, he knew he had a girlfriend, he knew you were taken, and he did it anyway. That wasn’t you, it was BOTH of you. I don’t really care about what Jackson does with his life, but I care about you, Bri and you are heading for disaster if you keep this up. It can’t work, you know it can’t. The only thing that can and probably will happen is a giant explosion of drama and heartbreak. You know that, I know you know that. So why?”

“All right. You’re right. Now what do I do, Jas?” Bri looked like a kicked dog.

“Well, wait for a good moment, go to Brad and fess up. You might have to kiss a lot of ass with him for this, but knowing him, he might even give you a chance. The first time is scary to everyone, so he might get why you wanted someone experienced. And if he doesn’t, you at least have clear lines again. Trying to hide everything from everyone is gonna make you sick.”

“How would you know that Jackson had experience?”

“By looking at him. That dude’s been places with his cowboy spiel, chicks dig that shit and he has eyes and a mirror, he knows he’s got things going for him and most men will use that, especially when we’re young. And he has a girlfriend, you think they don’t go past holding hands? And there were rumors floating around the Hargrave family grapevine that Taylor used to be the type of girl that ‘really likes to have fun’, which is code for slut, which didn’t sit well with my grandpa Riordan, because of the whole pristine rep for the precious Hargrave name.”

“Has everyone lost their minds now? WTF?! Good grief! And wait: so, that Taylor’s a hoe?”

“She’s older than us, not sure that makes her a ho, but when I am 18/19/20 I hope I am able to look back at more than steamy nights with righty and lefty and third base with my first girlfriend.”

“Gross!”

“No, honest.”

“I cannot believe I flew across the entire country to sit at people’s places talking about me having sex! That’s extreme, even by Cameron family standards. Which are low.”

“What? Who all are you talking about this with?”

“Nobody, at least not intentionally. It just seems to keep going there. Even Taylor brought it up.”

“Taylor knows?”

“I don’t know if she knows, but she definitely suspects something. Fine, so if I go to Brad and tell him, how honest should I be?”

“Are you serious? There are no levels of honesty, Bri. Did you hit your head or something? We’re 16, almost 17, not 7! We are driving cars, soon we can vote, can own our own places and will attend college! We’re pretty close to adults, so how about you act like one?!”

“Thanks for the lecture, dad, but what I meant is more complicated. I went to Chestnut Ridge to have fun with Jackson, to surprise him, which backfired, he almost yelled at me for not texting him first, and pretty much acted like he didn’t even know me, while Taylor was giving me speeches and telling me about some country song. ‘Josie’ or something. She even called me by that name at some point.”

“Now I KNOW my parents made a mistake moving us away, you need around the clock babysitting! What is wrong with you these days Bri? You used to be the sweet and innocent one out of you two! We all always thought it would be Iris we had to watch out for. Instead, she’s an angel and you are insane. Not to advocate some cheater 101 here, but if you and he are with other people and you go see him, Jackson’s right, you should have made sure he can see you. That’s the basics for sneaking around, duh! And I am pretty sure Taylor said ‘Jolene’, not ‘Josie’. Meaning, she DEFINITELY knows. It’s about a girl pleading with another girl not to take her man from her. That other girl is supposedly really beautiful, reddish hair and green eyes. So, if she called you ‘Jolene’, she’s onto you.”

“My hair is a warm blonde, not red, thank you very much. But if you are right, then oh shit. She looked me right in the eyes when she said that to me, and I just thought the country bumpkin had early onset Alzheimer’s and couldn’t remember my name. Jasper, what do I do? I am about to frigging panic big time here.”

“Well – don’t! That’s the last thing I need in my life now, some hysterical cheater chick laying the cray cray on me in my crib. Just playin’, Bri. First, come here you problem on two legs and gimme some love, while I think about this.” Jasper opened his arms, walking up to Bri, who embraced him immediately.

“Okay, here’s what we’ll do, Bri. Once you get back to the Bay, you have to tell Brad, I mean it, you need to tell him A.S.A.P. Lemme know when you did and how that went, so I can call him and massage him gently towards forgiving you cos I KNOW you are not really like that, just something shorted out in your noggin temporarily. You need to also find a way to tell Jackson that there won’t be any more sexy time with you, and that his girl is onto your affair or whatever you want to call this, so the brother knows what’s up and doesn’t walk right into an open knife. But first of all, we’ll do a pregnancy test. Or a few. Just in case.”

“Okay, I love you for helping me, more than you’ll ever realize, but OMG why does everyone think I am too dumb to use protection? We did. Double. We’re good. Not pregnant.”

“Okay, I know this is gonna be funny seeing how I am not even a Cameron by any stretch, but I know the Cameron Curse is a real thing. We’re testing you for uninvited passengers, and if I have to chase you with that stick till you pee your pants. I used to stick icecubes in you girls’ diapers cos it made you flip out which was funny to me, so I am not above sticking pregnancy tests down there if I must, Bri.”

“Cameron Curse is code for someone got so horny they forgot using birth control. I didn’t. We’re good! But thanks for the reminder, I am gonna keep an eye on you around any ice cubes.”

“Incorrect. The Cameron Curse is called a curse not an oopsie because conceptions happened DESPITE using birth control at the worst possible times. Several of your family tree twigs and branches were conceived when their parents were trying hard NOT to conceive. I mean, your Uncle Liam even had his pipes cut with a vasectomy and it grew back together, and he knocked someone up many years after the surgery. Not stupid, just really fertile.”

“OMG – you are right!!! Okay, take me to a pharmacy, PLEASE!”

“No problem. Let me just call your parents and make up some bullshit about where we were all day, together, somehow. We’ll be fine Bri. This isn’t beyond repair. You’re just gonna have to buckle up. We got this. Speaking of buckling up, which of Everett’s cars did you ‘borrow’?”

“Some SUV, black and squarish. It was parked up front in Rett’s garage, and I felt that was best for plowing around Chestnut Ridge in, since they barely have anything resembling roads.”

“Oh, the G-Wagon. Nice, I always wanted to drive one of those, so that’ll do, and I am getting the keys. Text and see if Iris wants to come along. We’ll see if we can manage to have some fun up in this bitch after all.”

Del Sol Valley
Some small convenience store

Jasper, Iris and even Briar Rose, who was now mortified and worried, had to laugh at the face of the cashier, when Jasper stacked three different types of multipack pregnancy tests, several packages of condoms, chips and a family-sized pack of tampons on the counter.

“Just takin’ care of mah bitchez AND saving money by buying in bulk. And a man’s gotta eat in between, ya know?” he said, sending the girls jackknifing for laughter, with tears rolling down their faces.

“Did you find everything you needed, or do you have any questions?”

“Yeah, I got a question about how can tampons be family sized? So, dad, mom, daughter and son all have to use them? Or is optional? And what about babies? I am not clear how that works? And aren’t pets part of the family? So I gotta chase down Fluffy and Barky with the tampons too? Well, those poor fish and pet birds. And why are most pregnancy tests multipacks when they all say ‘accurate’ on them? If they were so accurate as they claim, why do I need several? And how exactly do quality tests for condoms work? Is there an application process for that? Do you have the forms? So many questions …” Jasper rambled on bone-dry, not even a smile.

By now, snorts and gasps filled the store, as Bri and Iris were unable to contain themselves.

Getting into the car, both girls bright red, barely able to breathe, their eyes swelled up from the tears their laughing had caused, someone parked next to them glared at Jasper.

“Are you hurting these poor girls? Their eyes are almost swollen shut!”

“Almost? Damn, you’re right? Sounds like I need to get back to work on them then.”

“I am calling the police!”

“Cool, tell them to bring donuts. I got a sweet tooth now and only bought chips.”

“Jasper, staaaaahp! Get in the car, you idiot!” snorted Iris pulling him into the driver seat through the open door he was standing outside of.

Del Sol Valley
The Malton
Back in Jasper's room

Screams from Jasper’s ensuite bathroom send Iris and Jasper flying through the door to find Bri surrounded by used pregnancy tests.

Briar Rose stuck out her hand holding one of them at them.

“What does that mean?” Iris tried to decipher.

“Negative! YAS!!” Jasper read aloud, putting his arm around Bri.

“Just making sure here, all these tests mean you’re NOT pregnant, right?” Iris looked apprehensive.

“I am definitely not!”

“So .. negative is positive?”

“Yep. Negative is good, those that say ‘not pregnant’ obviously are and the ones with one line are also good. Two lines is bad, like bars on a jail cell. Mommy jail. Why am I the one in this room knowing this? Jeeze girls!” Jasper shrugged.

The girls both squealed, single lines and ‘not pregnant’ on every single display, making them hug each other, then pulling Jasper in with them, all of them hopping around excitedly and relieved.

Which is why they didn’t hear Maddie enter, Jasper’s mom, whose eyes grew wide looking at the three teens celebrating, while numerous pregnancy test kits were scattered around.

“Are those …. pregnancy test kits? THAT many?” she asked shocked.

“Yeah, sorry mom, I just couldn’t help myself and knocked them both up. I work fast, barely took me an afternoon since they just arrived here today. All in a day’s work.” Jasper said, sending the girls laughing hard again.

“Not funny, young man! Bri, Iris, I hope your parents know you are sexually active?”

“Trust me mom, few people left who do NOT know yet. Welcome to the inner circle of teen nookie.” Jasper smirked.

“Well, I guess as a parent you expect that once your kid starts dating. I don’t even want to get involved in any of this, looks like there is nothing to worry about, so I’ll keep my nose out of it, my mouth shut and will just leave, hoping if you kids need help, you still know where to find Colton and me. And talk to your parents’ girls, or I will. Hailey, Chase, Colton and I always raised the three of you very openly and made sure not to demonize sex and made sure you know why protection is very important for many reasons, but if you are worried enough that you need THIS many tests, I think a talk is in order.”

“Trust me, mom, we got this. Just being extra careful, maybe slightly paranoid cos they are Camerons. It’s all good.” Jasper smiled at his mom.

“Okay. Listen, we’ll have a BBQ later, everyone local’s coming for dinner, so come to the rooftop pool whenever you are done teenagering here. Oh, and baby, if you wanna call your sweet girlfriend, she’s always welcome. Have you girls seen her yet? Her name is Oakley, she’s GORGEOUS, and very sweet and totally in love with my baby boy. Well, why wouldn’t she be, my sweet little Jas-y is a handsome young man now too.” Maddie gloated.

“Will do, mom. Might use your speech for a Tinder profile in future. I’d swipe right on myself reading that!”

“I know you are joking, but if I ever catch you on Tinder, I will spank you!”

“Just – how would you catch me on Tinder if you’re not on there too? Dad might want that explained. Me too, actually.”

“Smartass! Well, have fun kids, and don’t forget the dinner.”

“Thanks Mads.” Iris said.

The door was shut and they all giggled, before the girls embraced Jasper.

“We miss you so much!”

“Well, took you long enough to come visit and you’re not even staying with us but with your grandparents, as if they were something special. Seriously now, invite me to come visit for a week, I have been sitting here waiting for that!” Jasper told them.