Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
You'll be quite a lot.

 

The doorbell rang and just as he had done years earlier, Larry Lynch looked down at the foyer below, watching. Instead of a party like his older sister Di had always seemed to have, this time it was his best friend arriving. Larry was apprehensive as he observed the proceedings.

“Good evening, Mr. Belden.” Harrison greeted him in his typical stiff and formal manner when he opened the door. “Miss Anna will be ready momentarily.”

“Thanks, Harrison,” Bobby responded automatically. His hand flew to the collar of his shirt and he checked to be sure his tie was straight.

He’s nervous , Larry thought to himself. Why is he so nervous? It’s just Anna? He better not be planning anything with her.

“What are you doing?” the familiar voice asked him quietly as he jumped.

“Just watching,” he mumbled in reply.

“Watching what?”

“Watching your date, he seems awfully nervous. You two aren’t planning to do anything tonight, are you?”

“Larry Lynch! I’m shocked at you. You know good and well if we were planning to pull any pranks you would be in on it.” Anna Alyn Lynch was indignant. The two of them had always been close and Bobby had fit right in with them.

“It’s not pranks I’m worried about,” he told her honestly. “Listen Anna, Bobby is older than you, he’s a big shot football player now at Syracuse and he’s used to girls throwing themselves at him. I don’t want you thinking you have to compete with them.”

Anna studied her brother for a minute wondering how her twin brother would ever think she would think such a thing, much less act on it. “I’m thinking I should feel insulted,” she told him. “You act like I’m lucky that Bobby Belden has asked me out. In fact, you should be thinking that Bobby Belden is lucky I’m going out with him.”

“Anna, you know that’s not what I mean…” he started before she interrupted him.

“No, I don’t know that’s not what you mean. I thought Bobby was your best friend. That’s a pretty insulting way to talk about your best friend.”

“Best friends don’t ask out their best friend’s sister!” Larry retorted.

“Oh, please!” Anna told him. “What about Trixie and Jim? Aren’t Jim and Brian the best of friends?”

“I don’t care, Anna; he should have talked to me about this.” Larry insisted.

“Larry, you forget too easily. He did talk to you about it, before you and he went off to college. Don’t you remember? Daddy wouldn’t let us date until we were fifteen, and then when that happened, he said no college guys until we were sixteen.”

“I guess I just thought he would have gotten together with one of those girls at Syracuse,” Larry mumbled. “You know, a cheerleader or pom-pom girl or something like that.”

“Thanks for the compliment, brother. I guess I’m more forgettable than I realized.” Anna rolled her eyes and tapped her foot.

“No, Anna, you and Alice are anything but forgettable.” All three of his sisters were gorgeous and turned heads constantly when they went out. The combination of dark hair and violet eyes drew the attention of men, both old and young. He looked her over noticing she’d made an extra effort that evening.

“The two of you look just like Diana and you know how gorgeous she is. You should see Bobby’s roommates go wild over her. If they ever got a look at you and Alice, they would tackle Bobby to ask you out first.”

“Listen Larry, you’re my older brother and I love you dearly, but I’m only going to say this to you once. Butt out and stay out! Bobby and I are the best of friends. We always have been and we always will be. We’re going to date now that Daddy has given us his blessing and I’ll be totally honest with you - and only with you. I can tell you right here and now Bobby and I are going to get married after I get out of high school. Don’t tell me I’m too young to know that; I already know. So does he, even if he hasn’t said anything to you or to me. Some things you just know. Bobby’s seen firsthand the problems his sister and Jim went through to get together and he’s not going to make that mistake. He’s much more like Mart. He’s staking his claim, Larry. If you’re going to have a problem with us being together then you need to say something now, otherwise get this and get it good. Bobby Belden is going to be your brother-in-law in a few years. Now, you might as well start trusting him with your baby sister tonight because she’s not going to put up with any of your silly alpha-male shenanigans. Understand?”

She shocked him. It was the last thing he’d expected to hear. “Marry him? Are you out of your mind?”

“Didn’t you hear me? I said in a few years. Don’t ask me how I know this, I just know it. Now, are you going to let this ruin the friendship between the five of us?”

“No, I guess I’m not,” Larry answered reluctantly.

“So what’s the real problem between you and Bobby?” Anna asked softly.

“Nothing…” he mumbled.

“Don’t lie to me Larry, I know you too well,” Anna cautioned.

“I’m transferring to Syracuse next year,” he mumbled.

“Yes, I know that. Why is that a problem with you and Bobby?”

“I haven’t told him,” Larry told her, looking her straight in the eye.

“Oh Larry, why not?” she cried. “You know he’ll be excited. He tried to talk you into Syracuse when he went.”

“Because now he’s the big man on campus, and I don’t want to be the shadow friend, the hanger on. He’s got all his football roommates he hangs with. You met them, didn’t you, over the holidays?”

“Yes, of course I did. They were nice. Didn’t you like them?”

“Yeah, I liked them. But I’m not going to be playing football Anna, you know basketball’s my game. I just want to play! That’s why I went to junior college first, so I could play the game more.”

“Larry, we know that, all of us know that. Terry, Alice, Bobby, me…. Remember we all talked at your graduation. Why would you think Bobby’s friends will care if you don’t play football?”

“I guess they probably won’t,” he mumbled.

“Larry, you know that you need to tell Bobby about transferring. Go tell him now, you can say I need a few more minutes to primp and you can roll your eyes like you always did when Alice and I told you we needed more time to get ready.” She smiled as she touched his arm. “Then you can give him your alpha-male speech about hurting your little sister and the two of you can keep being friends.”

“You think?” he asked falling into the shorthand version of speech the two sets of twins had used with each other for years.

“Go!” she demanded giving him a push. “I’m giving you ten minutes, not a minute more.”

Larry walked down the stairs and into the parlor where Bobby was waiting.

“Hey Larry,” Bobby greeted his old friend cheerfully, “What’s up with you tonight?”

“Bobby,” he started hesitantly, “we need to talk.”