Unless it Happens to be Her

She reached for the doorknob, expecting to pull it open and see Maya, Chris's wife of two years, standing there. Maya had grown up with parents who had drilled "proper" manners into her head and no matter how much Daphne insisted that Maya was family and could just walk in their home without knocking, Brittney's sister-in-law wasn't comfortable doing that. Brittney yanked open the door, ready to give Maya a bunch of crap. Instead, there was the happy face, curly auburn hair, and bright blue eyes that were so familiar and so welcome. Brittney couldn't contain her smile. "Hey, Cal!"

"Hi, lady," Cal said. She wore a teal knee-length dress that left her arms bare. She had pulled her curly reddish-brown hair into an upswept do that left stray coiled strands framing her face. Before Brittney could do more than smile in return, Cal stepped forward and hugged her. Brittney closed her eyes and sighed; her friend's body was warm and her skin soft. After a moment, Cal stepped back.

Brittney's eyes fell on the other person there. "Hi, Deborah. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Same to you, Britt."

"Come in, come on in." She stood aside to let them enter.

As they stepped inside, Brittney's mom appeared. She swiveled her head, spotted them, and grinned. "Hey, you two. Come into the living room. Everyone but my number three and his wife are here."

Deborah hefted a wine bottle. "I brought a bottle of wine."

"Oh, you!" Daphne said in a simpering tone, "You shouldn't have."

Brittney rolled her eyes. "Mom, you told her to bring it because that's all you would accept."

"It doesn't feel like enough." Cal's mom peered into the kitchen. "Can I help with—"

Daphne gave an emphatic shake of her head. "Absolutely not. I insist you come relax. There are snacks laid out and I'll get you a drink."

Deborah opened her mouth to argue but Brittney shook her head and put her index finger on her lips. She leaned toward Deborah and mock-whispered, "Don't offer to help. You'll just get yourself thrown out for challenging Sergeant Sourpuss."

Daphne shot Brittney a dirty look but handed the wine to her, then took Deborah by the arm and led her into the living room, leaving Brittney and Cal alone in the hallway. Welcomes and happy conversation drifted out.

Cal put her arm around Brittney's shoulders. "Your mom is kind of intense today."

Without thinking, Brittney snaked her own arm around Cal's waist and gave her a friendly squeeze. "She always gets like this when she's hosting people ... even friends and family." Brittney stepped back, then looked Cal up and down. "Not too bad, woman. You clean up nice."

"You like it?" Cal smiled with girlish glee and spun in a slight circle. "New dress."

"It looks great on you. Want to help me for a moment?"

"Yeah, lead the way."

She walked to the kitchen with Cal at her side. Brittney bit her lip. The dress wasn't low cut or tight or anything but still offered a hint of cleavage and the soft material meant Cal's bust and hips were clearly outlined. She knew she shouldn't have been staring but something compelled her to keep swiping peeks at her friend. Then, just as they reached the kitchen, she caught Cal's eyes on her. "What?"

Cal blushed. The rosy glow spread over her cheeks. "Nothing."

Brittney glanced down, concerned. "Did I get food on myself or something?"

"No. It's just ... you look nice too."

Brittney set the bottle on the counter and looked down at herself again. She'd worn a blue and white striped shirt, khaki pants, and leather sandals. She'd braided her hair and tied a white ribbon in the shape of a bow to hold the braid in place. She supposed that if someone made a reach, they could say the pants highlighted her ass, but even that would have been a stretch. Nothing about the outfit screamed "effort."

I'm sure she's just being nice.

Cal looked around as she entered. "Whatcha need help with?"

"Are you kidding me?" Brittney asked with a snort. "Her Highness out there will have an aneurysm if I do anything other than taking this pie out of the oven. I just wanted a few minutes with my best friend before she gets swallowed by the mob."

"Well, gee shucks, I love you too."

"Ha! You want a beer?"

"Please."

Brittney had to root in the fridge, behind her father's beer, to find the brand of lager that both she and Cal liked. She finally did, plucked the two bottles out, and straightened. As she shut the refrigerator door, she felt Cal's eyes on her and a semi-alarming thought occurred. Brittney spun and looked at her friend, who had a mischievous smile on her face. "Were you looking at my ass?"

"It's a nice ass."

Brittney gawked at her.

Cal's husky laugh filled the room. "I'm just messing with you, Britt."

"Oh." Relief warred with something Brittney couldn't identify right away. It took her a moment to realize it was disappointment that her friend's compliment wasn't genuine. "Then why were you looking at me?"

"You'll tear yourself up if I don't tell you, right?"

"Right."

Cal smiled, plucked her beer from Brittney's grasp, and walked out of the kitchen.

She's screwing with me again. Brittney rolled her tongue over her teeth, then gave a rueful laugh. Before she could so much as take another breath, another thought pierced her mind.

What if she wasn't?

Brittney pondered it for a moment, then followed her friend and joined the crowd.

Almost immediately, Cal fell in with Monica and Paul's wife Haley. Haley, who was always the touchy-feely type, gushed over Cal, touching her arm, complimenting her dress, and calling Cal, "absolutely adorable." Moments later, a smiling Cal sat surrounded by chattering people, cradling Paul and Haley's youngest in her arms.

At that moment, Brittney thought her friend was so beautiful and serene that her own heart actually skipped a beat.

Chris and Maya arrived a short time later, and Daphne called them all to dinner. Brittney sat next to Cal, who leaned over and whispered, "Thanks for inviting us. Your family is awesome."

Brittney nodded. "I'm glad you could come."

Cal's eyes lingered on Brittney, an unfathomable look deep in her gaze.

The group ate, laughed, and shared stories. Brittney blushed as Paul told the story of how Brittney, as a toddler, used to strip off her clothes and run around the front yard in full view of the neighbors. Everyone around the table laughed, including Deborah and Cal—the former gently, the latter uproariously to the point of getting the hiccups. Her cheeks flushed, Brittney crossed her arms and pouted.

Cal leaned toward Brittney. Her voice was soft and teasing. "I didn't know you were into streaking."

"Hmpf."

"Oh, relax." Cal patted her knee. "He's just picking on you. Besides, it's a cute story."

Brittney smiled. "I know. Thanks."

They stared at each other for a moment. Then Cal's eyes widened slightly and she yanked her hand off Brittney's knee. Cal whipped her head the other way but not before Brittney caught the tears pooling in her friend's eyes and the trembling of her lower lip.

Concern flared. Brittney said, "Cal? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," came the hoarse, whispered response.

Brittney started to say something but her father Mario chose that moment to stand, clink his knife against his glass, and make the same speech she had heard him give at every Thanksgiving for as long as she could remember. Cal turned back to watch him as well. She flicked her eyes at Brittney and gave her a forced smile.

Brittney glanced past Cal and saw Deborah watching her with an undecipherable expression. She slumped against her chair, trying to pay attention to her dad's words, though her thoughts were on the woman at her side.

#

The phone rang and a woman's soft voice came over the line. "Hello, Brittney."

"Hey, Deborah. Got a moment?"

"Sure."

"Do you know if Cal is mad at me or anything? I thought things were going good the other day and then all of a sudden she clammed up and got very quiet. She was kind of subdued tonight at work. I mean, she said nothing was wrong but ..." Unsure what else to say, Brittney trailed off.

"No, I don't think you made her mad, Britt." Deborah paused. "She just gets overwhelmed by emotion sometimes. She'll be okay. She gets excited about Christmas."

"Oh. Well, that was the other reason I called. I've been thinking about Christmas. Cal told me about a doll she had as a little girl and even showed me pictures of it online.

Deborah chuckled. "Oh, you must mean Princess Posey. It was a cheap doll but she loved that thing. I don't know how many times I stitched it back together. Cal was nine when it finally fell apart. She cried for two days. I looked for a while but couldn't find a replacement."

"That's the one." Brittney fought to keep her mounting excitement under control. "I found a new one on eBay, still in its box. Do you think she'd like that?"

"Uh, I think she would, Britt, but I'm sure it's too expensive."

"Oh, I have a fair bit of money saved from when I was going to buy a house. I can spend a little, especially on my best friend."

"I don't think this is a good idea, Brittney."

She frowned. "Why? Are you not sure whether she'd like it? Is the memory going to be painful?"

"No, it's just ..." Deborah sighed. Her voice grew resigned. "Never mind, Brittney. I think she will like that very much. Look, I need to go." They said their goodbyes and disconnected.

Brittney stared at her phone. She was tempted to call back and grill the woman for more details. No, I might just make her mad. She said Cal would be okay. I'll have to ride it out. In the meantime ... She pulled up the auction website on her phone, hit the "Buy Now" option, and paid. The doll was a little expensive but a slow grin spread over Brittney's face as she anticipated Cal opening it. Brittney fell asleep, optimistic that things were going to be all right.

True to her mother's words, Cal seemed a little more upbeat that night. She smiled more, though Brittney caught her friend watching her more often, and thought, She must have felt the disconnect too. Nice to have my friend back. They ate their lunch that evening and as near as Brittney could tell, things between them were as they always had been. She smiled to herself, the excitement of the gift burning a hole in her mind.

Weeks fell off the calendar.

Brittney proposed an early gift exchange with Cal, who agreed. Brittney would be working Christmas Eve and Day but Cal and her mother would be leaving four days before Christmas and going to Salt Lake City for a week to spend the holidays with extended family. She managed to smuggle the box in and stash it under her desk without Cal seeing it. Thinking about Cal opening her present made Brittney positively giddy and she could hardly contain herself through the first few calls before they placed themselves on break.

Cal stretched as they walked to the break room. She gestured to the garlands and decorations around the Three Spark office. "It doesn't matter how many wreaths I see or noels I hear. It's hard to get into the Christmas spirit when it's still getting over sixty every day. I much preferred the holidays in Colorado. 'White Christmas' was a thing there."

"I'm not sure I have ever seen snow on the ground here on Christmas day. That would be neat to see it."

"Maybe we could go see it together one year."

"That might be fun."

While their dinners were heating up, Cal dipped her hand in her pocket and pulled out a small wrapped box. She held it out in front of her. "Merry Christmas, Britt. I hope you like it since you wouldn't tell me what you wanted."

Brittney smiled. She took the gift and opened it, revealing a small box. When she doffed the lid, she gasped. A pair of sparkling earrings lay within. Green gems glinted under the break room light. "Oh my ... are those emeralds?"

"Yes."

"Oh God, those are beautiful! Thank you, Cal!" Brittney hugged her friend, who gave her a soft pat on the back. When Britt pulled back, she pocketed the box. "Wait here." She hurried back to her desk, grabbed the present, and trotted back to the break room.

Cal's eyes lit up when she saw the box. She took it with eager hands. "Oh my. Let me guess, a pair of shoes?"

"Maybe. Merry Christmas!"

She shook the box and Brittney laughed. "That's cheating."

"I always like to try and figure it out." Cal peeled the paper back and exposed the doll, in its original box, but clearly visible behind the cellophane window. Her eyes widened; one hand covered her mouth and she became stock still.

Brittney held her breath.

Cal stared at the doll for a long moment. "Where did you find this?"

"I have my sources. It took a little while. I had to keep a close eye on some different sellers and—"

Cal looked up and Brittney was alarmed to see tears streaming down her face. "Cal, are you—"

"Thank you!" Cal sprang out of the chair, somehow placing the doll on the table and tripping into Brittney's arms at the same time. Her arms locked behind Brittney's head, crushing their bodies together so tight Brittney wasn't sure she was going to be able to breathe.

A soft kiss touched her cheek and Cal's sultry voice, now quivering with barely-contained sobs, whispered in her ear. "This is absolutely the nicest thing anyone has ever gotten me for Christmas. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome."

"Not just for this." Cal separated herself. She placed her hands on either side of Brittney's face. "Thank you for being my best friend. What did I do deserve you?"

"I don't know but I'd say we're both lucky."

Cal bit her lip. Her luminous eyes never left Brittney's. They gazed at each other for a good thirty seconds without moving or speaking.

Brittney's breath caught in her throat.

Voices drifted from just outside the break room.

Cal flinched and pulled away. She wiped her eyes and turned to the microwave.

Brittney stood stock still. What the hell? What the ... She shivered and gathered her meal as well.

#

They texted the whole time Cal was away. Brittney had never been someone who panicked when she didn't get an immediate text back from someone but she found herself growing impatient, waiting on Cal to get back to her. She knew she would miss having her friend around but it felt more than that, as if part of her own soul had been cut away. The nights at work were the hardest and the quiet she had enjoyed immediately after John had left now felt ominous and depressing.

On Christmas Day, she took a break from opening presents with her family and shot a text to Cal wishing her a Merry Christmas. A few minutes later, her phone chirped with an incoming message, which she eagerly opened. It contained a picture of Cal lying on her back on a bed. She wore a simple tank-top and her glorious hair fanned out on the bedspread. In her arms, Cal clutched her doll to her chest. The message accompanying the picture read, "Merry Christmas from your favorite girls."

Brittney stared at the image. Even though it was static, she could plainly see the joy in her friend's eyes. She's happy and I did that for her. She held up her phone. "Hey, I just got a message from Cal."

Her brother Paul rolled his eyes. "Jesus, Brittney, again? Are you ever going to stop talking about her?"

She blinked. "Huh?"

"You've been yammering about Cal nonstop for three days. Give it a rest."

She stared at him. Have I? I didn't even realize it.

Paul's wife Haley slapped his arm. "Shut up, you." She turned her attention back to Brittney and beamed her a smile. "You're fine, Britt." She noticed her mother and her sister Monica smiling as well. No one else paid her any further mind.

What was that all about? Then Monica's son tried to get his "Aunt Briti's" attention and she forgot about it.

#

Brittney stretched and groaned. "Another Sunday night, and I ain't got no-bod-eeeee."

Cal winced. "Don't sing. Please."

"I have the voice of an angel."

"No, you have the face of an angel. You have the singing voice of a cat being slow-cooked."

"Harumph." Brittney adopted a mock-glare but was snickering too hard to pull it off. "Well, fine, then, I won't share any of mom's cookies with you."

"Daphne made cookies? Okay, I take it back. Hand them over."

"After your dinner. Didn't you learn anything as a kid?"

"Nope." Cal glanced back at her meal, rotating inside the microwave. "Besides, perks of being an adult is you can have your dessert first."

"Yeah," Brittney said, snickering. She gazed at her friend.

Since Cal had returned to work right after New Year's, they'd spent almost all their time together, both at work and their time off. Brittney was always happy to see her pretty, wonderful friend; she hated every time they had to separate and looked forward to every time they got back together. The more she thought about it, the more Brittney realized that Cal had become the most important person in her life. The thought made her a little uneasy at times, since she wondered if she was becoming obsessed with Cal ... but when they were together, all she knew is that she was happier than she was at any other time.

She shrugged. Worrying about nothing. She said, "So, Valentine's Day is Tuesday. Any big plans?"

"You know I don't. You either, right?"

"Nope," Brittney said with a laugh. "A couple of dateless wonders. Maybe we can hang out and watch sappy movies and cry or something. You know, misery loves company?"

Cal flicked a glance in her direction. "We don't have to be miserable."

The microwave beeped, saving Brittney from having to answer. Cal rotated the container and started a second heating cycle. Delightful scents wafted past Brittney's nose. "Smells good."

"Oh, it is. Mom's homemade meatballs, plus some provolone, equals deliciousness."

Brittney looked at her grilled chicken salad and scowled. "Me, I've been pigging out lately. I'll be on rabbit food for the near future."

"I think you look good."

"You only say that because you've got the body of a Victoria's Secret model."

Cal blushed and lowered her eyes. "Kind of you to say so."

Awkwardness filled the room. Brittney stammered, "Yeah, I ... uh ..."

The microwave beeped a second time. Cal removed the tray and joined Brittney at the table. She spooned the meatballs into her hoagie bun, laid the cheese on top, mashed it together, and took an enormous bite.

Brittney giggled. Whatever else Cal was, she was no dainty eater.

Cal's eyes closed in half-lidded pleasure. "Mmm. Good." A smear of marinara decorated the corner of her lip.

Brittney leaned across the table. "You have a little ..." She wiped the smear from Brittney's lips with her thumb.

Cal froze, staring at her wide-eyed.

Recognition of what she'd done dawned. Heat filled Brittney's cheeks.

Cal set down her sandwich. She whispered, "I can't take this anymore."

"Huh?"

"Brittney, you know how much I've come to treasure our friendship, right?"

"Yes, so do I."

"And I think you're really great." Cal laid her hand atop Brittney's.

A lump formed in Brittney's throat. "A-and I think you're great too."

Cal removed her hand and stood. She stepped to the side of the table, closing the gap between them.

Brittney sat transfixed. Her body felt cold and the palms of her hands erupted in clammy sweat. Her lower lip started to shake. The feeling of anxiety paled in comparison to the terror coursing through her system. Despite all that, she could not take her eyes from Cal's.

Cal glided her fingers of her right hand across Brittney's cheek and brushed her dark hair back from her face. She leaned across Cal, propping herself with one hand on the table. Her blue eyes shone with excitement. Ever so slowly, she tilted her head in. Her eyes were half-closed and hot breath skittered over Brittney's skin. Unable to help herself, Brittney closed her eyes as well.