"Alex, can you get Terry for me?" Susan asks sweetly.

"What do you want him for?" Alex asks incredulously.

"Sayer needs to know their sizes, for their suits," Susan tries to explain.

"He left without knowing? Brainless jerk." Alex says exasperated.

"Hey, you got a call," she says coolly to Terry as he passes by. Before handing him the phone she says into it,

"You are taking care of my car?" Alex growls almost threateningly.

"Yes, Alex." Susan says, trying to forget about the wild ride to school.

"Here." Alex hands Terry the phone.

"Hello?" His polite low voice sending tingles through Susan's body.

"Oh, hello. It's me, Susan." She says quickly, so nervous was she.

"Hello, Susan," hearing her voice on the other end for some reason makes him smile.

"Sayer asked me to call you. We're at the clothing store and he chose your tuxedos, but he doesn't know your sizes." It all spills out in one nervous breath.

"Oh, Sayer." Terry sighs with a chuckle, "Please, tell him I wrote it all down for him already. I told him, but guess he forgot. I put it in his right back pocket."

"Oh, all right." Susan says meekly. Just then Sayer and the clerk come up, dumping a monstrous pile of clothes on the counter.

"Oh, here's your brother now." Susan says to Terry, sticking the phone in Sayer's face, embarrassed.

"Hey, Ter," Sayer says. "In my pocket? No, it's not –" he protests as he feels around in his back pocket. "Oh," he says suddenly, pulling out the errant piece of paper, "Here it is!" He smiles as if he just discovered it on his own, handing it to the salesman. "Mine here too?" he asks.

"Of course. You don't know it, do you?" Terry teases his little brother.

"Sure I do," Sayer snaps back, "just making sure," he lies.

"Alright," Terry smiles knowingly, "I'll see you later then—"

Robin's voice suddenly cuts in on the line.

"Don't get me anything ugly, Sayer."

"Why would I get you anything ugly?" Sayer answers angrily.

"Because you have no taste." Robin's sharp-witted remarks come with a snicker.

"You're lucky if I get you anything at all now!" Sayer growls, slamming down the phone hard. Then he turns to Susan with a sweet smile. "Are we ready to go?"

"Just about, sir." The clerk says from behind the cash register as he quickly rings up the numerous items on the counter.

"Shall I bring these packages to your car sir? Or would you like me to send them to your house?"

"Put everything in the car," he says, holding his hand out to Susan, who then hands him the keys. "It's parked right out front — the slick yellow Ferrari," he says showing off, obviously enamored with the vehicle, as he hands the man the keys.

"Yes, sir. Thank you very much for visiting our establishment. Do come again." Happiness meant commissions filled to the high price utmost.

Five minutes later, Sayer and Susan were driving home, the trunk and back seat filled to the brim with bags and boxes of clothes.

"You certainly bought enough." Susan says looking in her rear view mirror at the mountain of boxes in the back.

"Yeah. But watch Rob not like any of it." He says knowing his brother's selectiveness.

"What about your other brother? Is he hard to shop for as well?" Susan sneaks in the questions.

"Terry? Nah, no way. He'd like anything I brought." Sayer says with a far-off smile.

"You must be very close." Susan observes.

"I guess we are. I feel I can tell him anything and it'll be alright," Sayer says, thinking. "I mean, Rob's my brother too, but — Ter and I — we always were special." He closes his eyes letting the wind sweep over him.

"Yes," Susan looks at him, smiling, "I think you both are very special."

"Where are they?! What's taking so long!" Alex paces back and forth continually looking out the studio window at the driveway. Michelle and Robin share a smile.

"Don't worry so much, Amara dear. They'll be back soon, I'm sure they're fine." Michelle says as she puts the final touches on her latest watercolor.

"I don't care about them!" she says angrily. "It's my car I'm worried about."

"And Sayer can't drive a lick," Robin taunts at his brother's expense, finding it almost as irresistible to tease this female as it is to tease his troublesome brother. Alex spins to face them.

"Susan better have been driving."

"Amara, be calm." Michelle giggles at her cousin's tenacity.

"There. I'm done." She turns her easel around for them to see. Two brightly shining figures drifting over a peaceful ocean, surrounded in a blue green aura, their arms reaching out to one another, fingertips touching. Though shadowy, the figures were strikingly familiar. Way too familiar for Alex's taste.

For Robin, it was exactly as it was, everything so vivid and dreamy. Their encounter to perfection.

"Beautiful." He whispers in awe.

"I'm glad you like it," Michelle whispers back.

That's just how I saw it, his thoughts connect with hers.

Me, too, her mind answers, "I'll add it to my exhibition tonight." She says aloud.

Alex studies the two of them, suddenly feeling left out, knowing something was happening between them. That's why I spent my entire morning in here. Michelle needs me, my protection, I swore that to her long ago. I'm not gonna let some shrimp of a man take her away from me, she thinks with conviction.

Just then, she looks out the window and sees her beloved yellow Ferrari pull up in one piece. As fast as the wind, she's out the door.

Busy in the living room composing a surprise song, Terry sees the car as well, and goes out to greet them.

Susan and Sayer step out of the car to see Alex waiting for them.

"Did you take good care of her?" She says, stroking the golden hood.

"Of course, Alex." Susan smiles, her fingers only slightly crossed behind her honest back.

"You drove," The short cropped golden woman says accusingly at them, "right, Susan?"

Sayer holds his breath, waiting for the next response.

"Yes, Alex," Susan tells a small white lie. I did drive…most of the time, she convinces herself.

"Good." Alex says, satisfied. "What are all those?" She points to the full back seat.

"There's more in the trunk, too." Sayer says with a bright teasing smile.

"Just get your junk out of my car." She says, annoyed, going back into the house.

"There is an awful lot here," Terry says, appearing at the automotive's side.

"Well, I didn't know what to get." Sayer says. "So I got everything. Susie helped me pick out everything!" Sayer throws a too familiar arm around his 'big sis'.

Terry smiles that beautiful understanding smile at Sayer.

"Except the underwear! Don't worry, I chose them myself!" And out the window goes all propriety, as the brash boy practically shouts the tender tidbit across the open lawn.

"Let's get it inside," Terry says, shaking his head with a chuckle as he lifts several large boxes from the backseat.

"Yes, we'll help." Susan says as Michelle joins them at the car. They pick up a few small boxes each.

"No, ladies, please," Terry interrupts. "Thank you for your kind offer, but—"

"Let us show off our manliness. We can handle it." Sayer winks at them as he lifts a heavy pile stacked high, carrying them into the house. On the way he passes Robin, who was standing in the doorway, just watching them.

"Can't we, Rob?" He asks wickedly. All eyes turn to Robin, who flushes in embarrassment in front of Michelle.

"Uh, sure." He pushes aside his dislike of physical exertion and manfully takes a load into the house.

Susan and Michelle watch the three men and smile to each other.

"How nice it feels to be treated like a lady. It is SO rare these days." Michelle says haughtily.

"Yes, it is nice." Susan agrees.

"Let's all get ready for the rehearsal," Michelle says with enthusiasm as they follow the three boys inside.

"This is what you got me?!" Robin holds up a jacket in disdain.

"What's wrong with it?" Sayer asks, half-expecting this response.

"It's — it's — it's just not me." He holds it up to his chest.

"What about your blue and pink one? I found the same one you used to have, didn't I?" Sayer says angrily.

"Yeah, well, it's the only good one you got." Robin says simply.

"Fine! Get your own clothes next time!" Sayer's temper gets the better of him.

"I think I will." Robin tosses the unwanted jacket aside with snooty disdain.

"How about you, Ter?" Sayer asks, now afraid of his choices.

"Oh, it's all fine." Terry smiles looking up from folding clothes into drawers.

"Good." At least I have one friend, he thinks. A knock comes to the door. Robin opens it with an uncharacteristic smile.

"It's time to go." Her billowy artist's shawl flowing about her divine shoulders, Michelle Moreau peers her head in the door, giving the silver lad a pleased pursed lip look of pure 'ooh-la-la'.

© ETLW