“Well… seems simple enough…” Brooke walked into the room and took her seat, “marriage is supposed to come before the kids, right?” She looked at her older sister with a little upturned smile to her lips.

The lawyer skirted the underlying implication, “In a perfect world… or are we talking C.C.’s?” Randi let her gaze go to the youngest sister.

“Hey, I resent that,” C.C.’s head popped up from her beer can.

Clearing her throat, Brooke drew the attention back to herself, “I just wanted to know for future reference…”

“Future reference? Brooke… you changing in mid stream?” Randi smirked as she watched her sister shake her head adamantly. “Then why would it matter to you?”

“I told you… for future reference. I won’t be single forever.”

Randi watched Brooke closely, trying to figure her sister out. “Then you are switching.”

Brooke grabbed a slice of pizza, and then took a pull from her beer. “Nope. It may not be legal, but I could get married… eventually,” she shrugged.

“What are you planning to do… have your own harem like I suggested at dinner the other night? I guess it got you thinking, huh?”

Terri and C.C. both spit out their food and drink at the thought, causing both of them to jump at the same time for napkins, smacking into each other in the process.

“I mean with one person… just like you and Terri have done. Ring any bells?” Brooke smiled innocently.

“Cute Brooke, but those bells would be wedding bells then?”

“Hey, I was just thinking about the ‘grandchild’ discussion over dinner at Mom’s.” The musician winked at C.C., “Not anytime soon.”

The youngest sibling covered her ears, while scrunching up her face at the thought of giving birth. “Long time for me, I hope.”

“Why the face C.C.?” Randi looked over at her baby sister. “At the rate you’re going through the guys… you’ll be the next one.”

“And to think, I was the one who invited you.” C.C. stuck out her tongue, causing Brooke to nearly spit out her beer as she burst into laughter.

“Hey, let’s not forget why she’s here. Go on,” the physician pointed to her sister and winked, “tell them about giving birth to a Gordon baby.”

“Come on, can either of you honestly say that you can picture Chase giving birth?” Brooke paused. “Oh yeah, that’s the other question.”

“NO!” C.C. dropped her food, holding her fingers together as a cross in front of her like she was warding off the devil himself. “I’m not ready for that.”

“Randi,” Brooke got her sisters’ attention, “Let’s say that I eventually give my heart to someone and we… uhm… commit ourselves,” she smiled and shrugged her shoulders, “for lack of a better term other than marriage. Let’s say we decide to have a family…”

“Here it comes, the immaculate conception all over again,” Randi choked out around her laughter, then waved her hands, “Go on.”

“Should I warn her about the size of Gordon babies?” Brooke was hoping for Randi to play along, teasing C.C. without mercy. She watched, as Randi thought for a moment, letting C.C. be the center of her attention. “You know, before she gets pregnant?”

“Whoa, how is she going to get pregnant? You’re not…” Randi sat forward in the recliner, “Did you not pay attention in health class during high school?”

The sly woman laughed, “I just wanted to make sure you caught on.”

“Somehow, Brooke… I’d never imagine you barefoot and pregnant.”

“I didn’t say it would be me. You never know, someone might be willing to have a baby for me.”

Both Terri and her younger sister looked over to Brooke, trying to imagine it, then shook their heads vigorously. “Well, it would definitely have to be somebody younger…” C.C. clamped both hands over her mouth.

“Actually C.C., you’re right.” Brooke winked at her sister openly.

“God, Brooke… can’t you find someone your own age? That would be like you setting up house with Sam.”

“What would be wrong with that? She’s legal,” Brooke offered defensively. She’s twenty-one.”

“Well, she may be young…” Terri rolled her eyes, “but at least she’s more mature than C.C. here.” She slapped at her sister’s knee, just missing it.

“Hey,” C.C. moved her leg just in time, “Are you saying I’m a baby?”

All the sisters looked first at each other then simultaneously directed their stares at C.C., “YES.”

The brunette smiled impishly, “Okay, just checking.”

“So, Randi,” Brooke turned to look at her sister. “What’s wrong with Sam?”

Randi shook her head and chuckled, “Brooke, are you trying to tell us that some young, overzealous Anti-Zero fan has you thinking of marriage? You don’t even know anything about her.” The lawyer folded her arms smugly over her chest, “I probably know more about her than you do.”

“What makes you say that?” Brooke challenged her sister with a cold stare.

“I had a feeling this was going to happen. You seemed just too enthralled with her. I had her investigated for your own good.”

“You what?” Brooke’s eyes popped open as she jumped up from her seat, trying hard not to go ballistic on her own sister. “Tell me you didn’t.”

“Oh, boy…” C.C. muttered out loud while Terri supplied the ending of the thought in her own voice, “Here it comes.”

“What the hell are you talking about? What do you mean, investigated?” Brooke started over toward Randi.

“I’m getting my doctor’s bag.” Terri said under her breath before looking at C.C., “Chase, is there something you need to tell me?” The older sister motioned toward Brooke.

“Stick around Terri, you’ll hear it all firsthand from Brooke herself,” C.C. sat back and got comfortable, thankful that she wasn’t a part of the confrontation that was about to take place.

“Investigated… you know, what I do every day when I need to find out the real story.” Randi stood up and started pacing like she was in a courtroom. “Did you know that Sam hasn’t lived with her parents in years?”

“Yeah… four, to be exact. She hasn’t lived with them since she was 17. Anything else?” Brooke squared off with her sister, the coffee table now separating them.

“Hmm…” Randi paced some more then stopped, turning to Brooke, “Well, did you know that she’s got a police record. Hmm… did you?”

“You mean for breaking curfew?” Brooke nodded. “Just how much homework did you do? Do you know how she got that record?”

Randi’s eyes narrowed onto Brooke, “Curfew… it doesn’t matter, it’s still a record. She was probably out partying and being wild like her idol Loran. I think that goodie-two-shoes act is just that… an act. She’s playing you, Brooke. She’s after Loran and you’re giving it to her.”

“No,” Brooke quickly retorted, “Her mother kicked her out of the house, all because she told her parents that she was gay. She packed a bag and left. Her mother was so pissed, she called the cops and they picked her up at the bus station while she waited for her aunt to come get her.”

“You’re really buying into that, huh? Keep it up and she’ll have everything she wants… you, Loran, and all your assets.” Randi extended her arms, leaning on the back of C.C.’s chair like she was pleading her case to some jury, “And what is her stake in this little escapade?” She let one eyebrow rise, challengingly.

“I have news for you Randi, she already has me. Sam Addams Moleson already has me… heart and soul.”

“She what?” Terri’s head turned in surprise.

Rocking back on her heels, Randi shook her head and sighed, “Brooke, everybody you’ve ever slept with had you.”

“Goddamnit, Randi. Sam is the only person I’ve ever been with…” blue eyes stared coldly at her sister. Brooke remained unyielding in her gaze.

“What…?” Terri’s lips trembled as her mind raced to make sense of what was going on in her own living room. “But the stories in the tabloids…”

“Damn the tabloids,” Brooke turned to face Terri. “I never slept with anyone else. I’ve never made love to anybody, but Sam.” The enraged woman spun around to look directly at Randi. “Get it through your head, I have never been to bed with anyone but Sam.”

“Ah… Randi… I can vouch for her,” C.C. spoke up.

Randi studied C.C.’s face, then that of Brooke’s, “Jesus, Brooke…” Randi took in a deep breath, “if that’s true, why the hell did you pick her? You could have had anyone…”

“Why her? Because she’s the only person I’ve ever been able to say, “I Love You” to. I love her more than anything on God’s green earth…”

“What would you know about love, Brooke. Your reputation has been to love `em and leave `em…” Randi shook her head, then threw her arms up in the air. “Well, at least as Loran it has.”

“I know it’s loving someone unconditionally, by caring about how they feel more than yourself, about doing anything in your power to make sure they’re happy while putting that other person’s needs before your own.” Brooke stopped for a second then looked off in disgust, “You know what? This is something you obviously need more experience in. Word of advice Randi, take lessons from Sam. She has more love in her little finger than you do in you whole body. She loves me unconditionally, as I do her. She comes first, before me, and if you can’t accept that, then I can’t accept you.” Brooke stood with her hands on her hips for a brief second then stormed out of the house.

“Hey, I’m the mother here,” Randi called out defiantly after her sibling as the door banged shut.

“No Randi,” Terri stood up and looked the woman in the eye. “You’re the sister here.” Terri turned on her heels, leaving the house in search of Brooke.

“You are such an idiot Randi.” C.C. stood up with her hands on her hips and stared at the open-mouthed woman. “Why can’t you just be happy for her? She’s waited all this time for the right person to come along, and when it does… BAM! Randi to the rescue.” The brunette started to walk away, then stopped, turning back to her oldest sister, “Remind me never to tell you about my friends. You might want to send them to the electric chair.”

Terri stood by the door for several minutes, letting her older sister have the space she needed before joining her. When she felt that the woman had settled herself down enough, she slowly opened the door, speaking softly, “Hey Brooke?”

The sibling stared straight ahead, answering quietly, “Yeah?”

“If it’s any consolation… I kind of like Sam. In fact I was hoping that the two of you would… well… that you might hit it off.” She crossed the porch to stand behind Brooke.

The sitting woman shrugged, “We did.” Brooke smirked and turned slightly to look up with very serious blue eyes at the physician, “I love her, Terri.”

“Don’t listen to Randi. You know she’s always been the mother hen where any of us were concerned.” Terri sat down on the step next to her sister.

“I know that, but she’s gone way overboard this time. She had no right to investigate Sam.” Brooke shook her head still shocked by her older sister’s actions.

“I know that she’d never stand in the way if you truly are in love.” Terri looked over to see a lone dark eyebrow raise high on Brooke’s forehead. “I’m not trying to make excuses for her, okay.” The woman assured her, nudging Brooke’s shoulder with her own. “I just think that it’s the only way she knows how to show her love. She does it like she does her job and investigation is part of it.”

“Well, it seems like she’s trying to stand in my way right now.” Brooke picked up a small stone and threw it into the bushes. “If I think about spending the rest of my life without Sam, I can’t even breathe. I get this ache, right here,” Brooke put her fist over her chest. “My throat hurts and my eyes sting. I hate being away from her for even a moment.”

“I know.” Terri tried to hide her smile; “I’ve been noticing how you act around her, trying to hide it from us. I was hoping that you weren’t hiding it from yourself, too.” The physician turned to look at her sister. “You’ve got it bad. I never thought that I’d say this, but my big sister is in love. And I think it looks great on you… love, that is.”

“I love her. I am totally, hopelessly in love with her…” Brooke’s thoughts trailed off. “It shows that much, huh?” She looked at Terri for the truth.

“I can tell, Brooke,” Terri confided, “I’m so happy for you. Everybody needs to have someone to love. I’m glad that you’ve found yours. I imagine that Sam feels the same way?” The woman watched as Brooke smiled exuberantly. Terri laughed, then looked up to the sky, “Okay, enough said.”

The chirping of Brooke’s cell phone broke the Kodak moment that the two sisters were sharing. “Hang on Ter,” Brooke’s attitude turned to one of total business as she grabbed the phone and held it to her ear, never glancing at the numeric display. “Brooke Gordon here.”