After her New Year’s adventure Twyla had needed to talk to three people: Henrietta, Nate, and Gawain/Maya. In that order. Early New Year’s morning she’d had her talk with her other best friend (besides Maya/Gawain) and that left the council of her brother Nate. She called him at ten in the morning her time (that next Saturday), which was nine a.m. his time, from the tiny TracFone she always used (along with a minutes card) to call home. Her brother picked up on the first ring like she knew he would. He always answered first when he saw a funny number on the caller ID.

“Hello, this is Heaven, God speaking.”

The familiar comment made Twyla roll her eyes. “Um, yes. I would like to place an order...God Nate, you’re such a dork.”

This earned a chuckle from the other end. “Hey baby sis. To what do I owe this degrading conversation?”

“I have an issue that I think you can help me with...” She trailed off as she began pacing around her bedroom.

“Alright, shoot.”

And that was why, out of all her siblings, Twyla went to Nate about her...boy issues. He was the only one (besides Jonathan, who was way to young for advice giving in this department) that wouldn’t ask any question until she got out what she needed to. She loved her sisters, but girls jumped all over things way too fast for her taste. Nate went with the flow, only prying if he got confused. Twyla also hoped that he’d roll with the boy/girl thing as well.

“So there’s this boy...kinda...” As the girl walked around her room she proceeded to tell her most trusted sibling every detail she could summon up of the ‘issue’. He remained silent the entire time, soaking it in and letting her get everything off her chest. “I just don’t know, Nate. I just don’t know.”

There was a long pause that was silent except for the even breathing that told her that Nate was holding the receiver too close to his mouth like he always did. He was thinking, so it was her turn to shut up and roll with it. “Well,” He began after a few more minutes. “I’m gonna tell you something that dear Jeanie told me when I was thinking about going for it with Marsha, you remember Marsha?” He waited for her to respond.

“Yeah, the girl you dated your senior year.”

“The girl I’d still be dating if she hadn’t decided to go to school in Plattville instead of Lacrosse.” Nate corrected her. “Jeanie, in her infinite older sister hippie wisdom told me something I’ll never forget: she’s your best friend for a reason. So this Morris kid, heshe”(he mashed the words together) “is your best friend for a reason. There’s a reason that you clicked right away. Now wether that’s because you were meant to be amazing friends or...something else, that can only be determined one way–you gotta jump. If you’re meant to be friends, nothing will change that, no matter how weird being in a kissy-relationship gets. Alright? Does that make sense?”

“I think I get what you’re saying...” Things were clicking in her mind, things that had been turned on by talking with Henrietta but hadn’t moved until her brother began speaking.

“Good. And I want you to know that if you decide to become a part-time lesbian I wil totally support you. Jeanie did that full time for a year in college, so I think I can handle it from you.” There was a laugh in his voice, but she knew Nate was serious. “And one more thing: live like thou is dying.”

Twyla blinked a few times at this. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’ve been listening to Kris Allen, I was going for a lyric in a Yoda way.”

“That was so not Yoda. You sounded like the Bible or something.”

“Yoda say: live like you’re dying.”

“That’s Confucius.” Twyla was laughing now at her brother’s expense.

“Whatever. Just remember that you only get so much life and all that good stuff...Crap! I gotta go now, the boys are here, we’re going snowmobiling. Catch ya later! Love ya.” Click.

And with that, her brother was gone. Twyla hit the ‘end’ button and sat on her bed, contemplating the wisdom of her other brother (and sister). She’d have to talk to Maya/Gawain soon, while things still made sense.


((OOC: Note that this solo is after ‘What are You Doing...’ and ‘Boys Have Cooties...Kinda’ but I just posted it because I had it done.))

A few days later...


After the Katy Perry song ended, Twyla fished her cell phone from it's charging spot on the floor next to her bed. The plan was to call Nate and ask him advice on...asking out other girls. He was pretty much an expert in the field after all (or the closest thing to an expert that the girl knew). She had a missed call from home but no message. "Curiouser and Curiouser." She mumbled to herself as she dialed the familiar number. It took a few minutes for someone to pick up (the phone kept ringing because the Ashby's had never had an answering machine). When the dial tone finally ended her older brother's voice was on the other end.

"Twyla!" He exclaimed in an overly excited tone. "Just the sister I wanted to hear from. What's shakin', bacon?" The pause was hardly enough time for Twyla to collect her thoughts. "That's just wonderful, I have some good news as well. I got my birthday present from Grandma K early. Guess what it was."

Twyla was taken aback by Nate's strange mood and was a little put off that he'd brushed anything she had aside to talk about whatever snowmobile part their Grandma Kleinsmith had gotten him. Sighing she replied after a moment. "What did she get you?" Her tone was much quieter than his had been.

The young man seemed not to have noticed his sister's bland tone because he went on in his excited voice. "She got me plane tickets!"

It took the blond a moment to catch his meaning and as soon as she did she shot up from her lying state on the bed and began jumping around on the mattress. "EEEEEEH!!!" She screamed into the receiver as she hoped like a crazy, messing up her already unmade bed covers. This went on for a few minutes until Twyla, exhausted, fell back onto the bed.

"I'm excited too." Her brother was laughing. "I ain't never been out of dese hills here." The fake accent made the girl laugh. "Oh, and I suppose I miss some family I got out in the big city too. Not that she's much to miss..."

"Jerk."

The phone conversation ended soon after that because Nate had to get to his class at the local Tech with Twyla forgetting that she had decently big news as well, although it was of a very different nature.