That Girl Next Door Ch. 02

Once they had taxied to the ramp and shut down in front of The Flight School, Jessica climbed out of the left seat. Once she had walked forward and clear of the wing, she jumped as high as she could while thrusting her right fist high above her head, screaming out "YES!" as loud as she could. Jason gazed on his sister with love and amusement.

"I'm sorry that you didn't enjoy yourself," Jason accused facetiously.

"What was that? Are you fucking kidding me? Best...FUCKING...Day...Of my entire life!"

"JESSICA! Watch your language, young lady!" Her father had just stepped outside from the FBO. "I'm sure that you had a great time, but that is still no excuse to not remain a lady!"

"Sorry, Daddy. But you should have seen it! Jason let me fly the entire trip except for the landing! It was freaking awesome, Dad! Oh...My...God! I just now flew an actual real airplane! I really did it! Me! I actually flew! For real!"

Mr. Stewart smiled so broadly that you could have easily counted every single one of his teeth. His pride in his daughter clearly showed. Jessica's excitement was infectious. He was also very much aware that his son had intentionally chosen his own actions in order to lift up his sister. Thinking back, Mr. Stewart suddenly realized that Jason had always done this sort of thing for his sister. He was suddenly in awe of his son. He mentally kicked himself in the ass for not noticing this quality in his son's personality before. His daughter was so much stronger because of her relationship with her brother. They were a team. They always had been.

Sighing loudly, Mrs. Stewart commented, "She's going to be insufferable for the next month or two. That one story will be told over and over until it is totally beaten to death!" Shaking her head, she couldn't help but chuckle at her own remark. She too was caught up in her daughter's excitement. It thrilled her to see her so happy. Jessica had been suffering from fits of depression ever since Jason had left for college. It was good to see them interacting healthily again.

Repeating the same formula for the next trip, Jason had his father assume the left seat while his mother rode in the back. Since his father already had some previous flight time logged and had even soloed, it was just as easy to bring him up to speed as it had been with his sister. They were gone for about an hour or so before returning to park the Skylane. Jason installed the gust locks and Pitot cover. But since he would be leaving in a short time, he didn't bother with the tie down ropes. Everyone loaded up into the Suburban for the return to the Stewart residence.

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As Jason was packing his bags to leave, his sister quietly slipped into his room, shutting and locking the door behind her. When he heard the lock click into place, Jason stood up and turned to face his sister. Jessica had fully expected another heated confrontation with her brother, so she had locked them in. She held up her hand before Jason could address her.

"Okay, I get it. I understand that you're not comfortable with the fact that we are in love with each other. I'm not going to press that issue right now, but you already know me well enough that I would be lying if I told you that I was going to give in and totally drop it. We will discuss it again at a later date. But that's not why I'm here right now. I want us to talk about Melanie."

"What about her?"

"Tell me if I'm wrong, but you're in love with Melanie too, aren't you?"

"Damn it Jess! What the hell, sis? You turn 18 and now suddenly, nothing escapes your notice does it? Okay, fine! Yes, I'm crazy about Melanie too. But I respect you and love you too much to ever cross that line, so don't worry your pretty little head over it. I've been keeping my distance from her and I will continue to keep my distance from her."

"Jase! Look at me." When they locked eyes, Jessica continued. "I'm giving you a pass, Jase. Mel and I had a really long talk last night after you and I fought. A lot of buried secrets came out. Yes, she knows about you and me. She also confessed to me her feelings for you. Mel and I, we're both in love with you, Jase. Both of us totally besotted. Maybe I can't have you, but there isn't any reason that Melanie should suffer the same fate. I gave her my blessing last night and now I am doing the same with you. I want you to be both my brother and my boyfriend. But if I can't have you as my boyfriend, at least make me happy by dating my best friend. I want you to be Melanie's boyfriend. I want this, Jase. Please."

"You're kidding, right?" When Jessica shook her head 'no' he continued, "Are you sure, Jess? I mean...of sound mind and body sure?"

Jessica smiled and nodded. Jason opened his arms and invited his sister in for a hug. "I'll call Melanie tonight from Nack. I promise."

'That went easier than I thought that it would.' Jessica pondered. 'I really expected him to balk at that idea as well. Maybe in his mind it is some sort of compromise after all.'

"By the way, Jase. Thanks for today. It was really so totally awesome that I just can't find the right words to tell you what it means to me. Seriously. I love you so damn much!"

"I love you too, Sis."

She left his room while Jason finished packing his clothes and gear. Mom had made sure that everything was freshly washed with the exception of what he would wear back to Nack. After everything was packed into the car, he hugged and kissed his mother goodbye. She made him promise to come back home for the Fourth of July holidays. Jason surprised Jessica with a kiss directly on the lips that was for all intents and purposes just a brotherly show of affection. It wasn't at all passionate like the kiss that they had shared the previous evening. Melanie was present, but without her parents. Jason stepped in front of her, then gently cradled her cheeks in his hands.

Looking deeply into her eyes, he leaned forward kissing her directly on the lips for the first time. She was stunned for a moment before throwing her arms around his neck and returning his affection. They both opened their lips and touched their tongues together, deepening their kiss. Almost three full minutes later, they broke their kiss and gazed in wild wonder at one another. Jessie glanced over at her parents and found them both staring at the new couple with their jaws dropped.

"That's a great way to catch flies," Jessica commented and grinned as she walked past her parents and into their house. She glanced over her shoulder and noticed that Melanie was watching her retreat. Jessica flashed her bestie a thumbs up before slipping into the house.

"I'll call you tonight so that we can talk," Jason said to Melanie. "I promise."

"'kay." Melanie giggled. She turned to head home as Jason was climbing into his Dad's sedan.

Mom muttered something to the effect of, "Well, THAT was inevitable. I guess that I saw that one coming years ago." She found her legs to be slightly unsteady and staggered towards the front door. Dad quietly got into the driver's seat and started the motor. Not a word was spoken between father and son all the way back to the airport. Although Mr. Stewart did glance over at his son several times. He was still trying to wrap his head around what he had just seen transpire between Jason and Melanie. At the airport, a quiet handshake was followed with, "Goodbye, Dad". Jason removed the protective covers and gust locks before starting up the plane. Shortly thereafter, he was headed back north to his own current residence. Mr. Stewart watched the plane until it was out of sight before getting back into his car and returning home.

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That night, just as he settled into his bed to go to sleep, Jason picked up the phone and dialed a number that he knew by heart. It was saved in his contacts, but he found it faster to dial it straight out instead of going through the contact list to get to it. The number only rang once before a feminine voice came on the line.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe," Jason responded. "Did I wake you?"

"No! Not at all. I was just laying here reading 'The Dragon Reborn' when you called."

"Again?" Jason chuckled. "How many times have you reread that entire series?"

"Uh...mmm. I think that this makes the sixth time that I have restarted with 'New Spring' and read it from beginning to end. It's all your damn fault. You're the one who loaned me 'The Eye of The World' and got me started! So don't blame me for getting corrupted!" Melanie chuckled to herself. "The first time that I read the whole series, I read it in published order because you started me out that way. But I started with the prequel 'New Spring' and read it through that way the next four times. I prefer it that way."

"I haven't stopped thinking about us since I kissed you earlier today. I'm scared that I may have fucked up."

"No, honey! You surprised the hell out of me, sure. But I wouldn't change a thing about today. At least, I don't think that I would. Am I wrong for thinking that you and I are a couple now? I mean...I hope that we are. When you kissed me, I thought that we were like skipping that whole first date thing."

"Mel, babe. I've been nuts about you for a long, long time. If you had been anyone other than my sister's best friend, I would have asked you out on a date a long time ago. The whole dating thing, is there really any point to it for the two of us? We've already known each other for so damn long, the only reason for us to go on dates anymore is to have some fun and get to be closer than we already are."

"You're absolutely right, honey. I feel the same way. I love you, Jase. I have for years and years. But, if you don't mind me asking...how was I?"

"What? Do you mean the kiss? It was fantastic! I thought my heart was going to blow up it was beating so hard!"

Melanie giggled again. "Yeah, you had my stomach really tied up in knots. I was totally surprised. Jessie had said that she was going to talk to you and all, but I didn't expect you to do what you did. I mean not so soon. I thought that it was going to take you a while to come around."

"It feels really surreal to me. I mean, like with other girls I had to get my courage up to ask them out because I was always scared of being rejected. It's like, you know, I am beating myself to death because I am not sure whether or not she likes me enough to say yes. But with you, no offense...I mean, you were a sure thing. You told Jessie that you were crazy about me. Then Jessie tells me. Then I decided to kiss you and when I looked into your eyes, I saw it for the first time. I saw your love. I knew then that everything would work out fine. I've never had a sure thing."

"Okay, now I feel really slutty."

"No Mel! Not what I meant at all! I'm sorry!"

"Sweetheart! I know what you meant. I just wanted to yank your chain a little! I'm fine, really. But I would like a little affirmation. I know you love me, but other than Jessie I am the only one in your heart, right?"

"Yes, babe. You are. But this other thing with my sister. What did Jessie say about the two of us, exactly?"

"Oh, she told me everything. She told me all about getting the best kiss of her entire life from you on the patio last night. She and I had fallen into a bad habit of keeping secrets from each other. It wasn't malicious or intentional, we just were scared of damaging our friendship. But we cleared all of the debris away last night. I honestly tried to think of anything that I may have not told her simply from omission. We both promised to not let fear take us there again. If something causes problems, we are going to work through it and not let it break us apart. And just for the record, I want the same promise from you. Don't ever, EVER be too afraid to talk to me about ANYTHING. Even if you find yourself attracted to another woman. We will make this work, Jase. I mean it."

"So, you know then," Jason faltered. "You do know that I have the same feelings for my sister that I have for you."

"Yes, dear. And it is just fine. Really. As hard as it is to believe, it actually makes me love you even more."

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Jason had called Roel just as soon as he got back to his apartment, right before he had called Melanie. They started trying to coordinate their schedules, but current commitments caused them to put off getting together until Friday evening around 9pm. Jason told Roel to bring a pillow and blanket because he fully expected them to get wasted together and he was going to take Roe's keys away before they got started. It wouldn't be the first time that either of them had slept on one or the other's couch.

Roel managed to make it over to Jason's place about 8:35pm. He stepped through the door and tossed his gear onto the couch before turning to his best friend with a grin. They reached out their hands and greeted each other by clasping palms, four fingers around the heel of each hand, thumbs locked together. Then they pulled each other into a 'bro hug' patting backs with the free hand.

"Que paso 'mano? I haven't seen you in a coon's age!" Roel exclaimed.

"I've missed you too, bro! We've both been too damn busy for our own good. We have got to start making more time for each other, starting today. Deal?" As they studied each other, Roel could tell that something was definitely off about his best friend. He launched into his best Scooby Doo impersonation.

"Ruh roh...you've got that haunted look in your eye that I recognize from back in High School. Something heavy is troubling you, bro. I know you well enough, 'mano. You can't hide shit like this from me. Let's get a couple of glasses of Walker and talk about it."

"I got your Walker, but I'm having 'Nuclear Waste'. I've been on an Orange Juice kick lately."

"I don't know how you can drink that shit, 'mano. It's too damn sweet! What do you put in it again?"

"It's one shot of Triple Sec, one shot of Blue Curacao, and eight ounces of Orange Juice. Unless you're wanting 'Toxic Nuclear Waste'. That requires a shot of Everclear added to it in addition to all of the rest."

Jason pulled a tall glass and a tumbler out of his kitchen cabinet then crossed over to the refrigerator. Opening the freezer, he put two ice cubes in each glass before ambling over to the bar that divided his kitchen from his dining room. He poured roughly 4 shots into the tumbler filling it halfway with Johnny Walker Black Label. He added the liqueurs to his own glass before returning to the fridge for the Orange Juice he required.

"How ironic is it that my best friend, a Tejano 'messkin' no less, prefers Scotch from Scotland and yet, I am the one with Scottish ancestors." Jason commented as he handed Roel his tumbler.

"Don't be hatin' bro! Your ancestors knew how to brew a real man's drink! Not that prissy shit that you're drinking tonight."

"Well, it was either this or go out and buy a couple bottles of Messina-Hof Angel and down one of those."

"Okay, you got me to come over here for a reason. The way that I see it, I figure that you need a shoulder. Spill it, 'mano"

Jason took a huge breath and made a long sigh. "Roe, I need you to help me with a problem. To begin with, you need to know that this isn't a new problem. It is actually one that has plagued me off and on for a long, long time...at least since I was 12 or 13 if not longer than that."

"Damn, bro! I thought that I knew everything about you. Dude! I have ALWAYS had your back. You know that! Why haven't you shared this with me before now? We are brothers man! Brothers from different mothers! There's NOTHING that you can't share with me. Not a damn thing!"

"I don't know man," Jason paused. "This is some really fucked up shit. I mean dark, dark shit. Go to hell and burn forever shit. You might never want to speak to me again after I tell you this."

"Wow, so you must have killed your next door neighbors and buried them in your back yard then." Roel chuckled. "Look dude, I am 99% positive that there is absolutely NOTHING that you can say to me that will come between us. Even if you are coming out gay, I'm still your best friend 'mano."

"If only," Jason replied. "That would be far easier to deal with. This is far and away much much worse even than offing my neighbors or being gay." He sighed again.

"I'm here bro. I promise not to judge."

Jason paused as he gathered his courage. He took a long pull on his mixed drink to gather even more. Then he took the plunge. "I am so fucked up, Roe. Okay, here goes nothing. For a long long time now, I have been totally in love with Jessie. I often have wet dreams about her."

Roel sat there just staring at his best friend for about 45 seconds as a smile slowly crept over his face. Then he burst into uncontrollable hysterical laughter. He would look over at Jason, almost catching his breath before another wave of hysterics crashed over him. Tears were pouring out of both of his eyes. Roel even flopped backwards onto the couch almost spilling his drink while laughing. After a couple of minutes, he managed to calm down slightly and catch his breath.

Jason stared at his best friend in disbelief. "DUDE! I'm so glad that you find this so fucking funny, but I'm not playing! I am totally serious. I'm totally in love with Jessica! Not brother/sister love either. I'm talking girlfriend/fiance'/marry me and have my babies love!"

Roel slowly regained control, still giggling between gasps for breath. "Mi hermano! Do you really think that this is something new to me? Please! I figured out that there was a deeper connection between the two of you about a month or two after we started hanging together! I have told you many times before that you're a better man that me. I have watched you struggle with that demon sitting on your shoulder for years and years now. I really thought that you were going to reveal to me some deep dark secret that I didn't already know!

Look, my two sisters and I have a really good relationship and we have always been pretty close. But lucky for me they are both older than me. Because of that, they have always bossed me around so I never got attached to them like you did with your sister. But if one of them, especially Marisol, had been younger than me, I could have easily found myself in your shoes. Mari is pretty enough that if she treated me the same way that Jessie treats you? I would have hit that shit years ago. Hell, there still might come a day when Mari and I cross the line. But you 'mano, you're the man! You're so much stronger than me. I really respect you, dude."

"It gets worse, Roe." Jason looked at his friend with mournful eyes. "After her birthday party was over, I kissed her. On the mouth. With lots of tongue."

Roel's face dropped. He quickly took a large pull from his glass downing all of it in three gulps. He stared straight at Jason and muttered, "Mother Mary preserve us! H-o-l-y shit!" After a short pause he added, "Mount Everest has fallen into the sea."

"I haven't totally caved yet, Roe. All we did was kiss that one time. But God help me, I was nearly there last Saturday night. I almost crossed over the line of no return. We were alone together on the back patio. I was holding her close to me in my arms. She kissed me and I kissed her back. You should have seen her Roe. She was dressed up just exactly right to tweak all of my weaknesses. The outfit she wore made her look like a Scottish Princess. I know that she didn't plan it that way, but she was pushing all of my buttons and pushing them hard. And you saw the necklace that I gave her before I wrapped it. She put it on immediately after she opened it and the Celtic Knot with the Plaid Skirt and White frilly blouse just notched it up about 5 notches higher. Oh God, and she had on the anklet that I gave to her too. She was sexy to a 12 on the 10 point scale Roe. She was killing me, man. I actually walked out of her party and sat on the back porch because I couldn't take it any longer."