The next morning, Haley found herself at her favorite cafe. It felt cozy and comfortable, especially with the fall treats on the menu. What felt not as cozy and uncomfortable was the situation. She had been the one to initiate though, so she had to follow through. Haley knew it was time.
"Do you want me to start?" Sabrina asked, seated across from Haley at the table. It was just the two of them. Haley had gotten there first so she had already ordered coffee. Knowing her best friend as well as she did, she had Sabrina's favorite coffee waiting for her too. A peace offering in the form of a salted caramel latte. Haley nodded for Sabrina to go ahead.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was going on." Sabrina began, "I honestly didn't know what we were doing. We started hanging out some. You know how it's always been, we mess with one another. Then one thing began to lead to another....and it was fun. I don't think you and I really see it often, but he has grown up. And God the sex was good-"
Haley covered her ears. "I'm pulling the twin sister card, sex is off the table for discussion." She told Sabrina, not wanting to know any of those details. She took her hands down and picked up her coffee mug. "You may continue a censored version."
Sabrina made a face. "Sorry, H. I forgot. I'm used to us being able to talk about guys. This is different though," She replied, and Haley nodded in agreement. "I enjoyed spending time with him and it was mutual. I didn't really see him as your asshole brother anymore. He still is that but I like being with him. We both wanted to tell you, but we also hadn't labeled anything. And still haven't, besides we like spending time together, and aren't seeing anyone else." She explained. Sabrina seemed to be speaking very carefully and watching Haley's expression closely.
"We can still talk about it....just not your sex life if it's with him." Haley said slowly. She knew that was giving the implication if they continued to see each other. "When did it start?" She asked.
"Not long after you and Rooster. It's not as serious.....but I like him. And spending time with him." Sabrina answered Haley. "I love you, you are the sister I never had. And if this is too weird for you then I-" Haley stopped Sabrina before she could finish.
Haley shook her head. "No, we're not going there. If.....Jake makes you happy then I will be okay with this. It's just weird and will take some adjusting." She said, "But I want to be okay with it. For you. And him I guess, but mostly you." She added, partially joking.
Sabrina gave Haley a faint smile, in which Haley returned. "What about the pregnancy scare?" Haley asked, "I wish you could have talked to me then. I can't imagine being alone during that."
Sabrina bit her lip. "I almost talked to you. But I knew you'd want details, and I didn't feel comfortable lying to your face. Which I know I was, but not telling you about Jake was more....just leaving out details." She replied, "I was late, which was odd. So I did a test and saw the doctor, but it was a false positive. Everything is fine, just happens. Doesn't mean it wasn't scary as shit, though." She added. Sabrina took a sip of her coffee then looked back over at Haley. "Probably would have stayed under wraps if you hadn't dumpster dived." Haley could tell by her tone she was joking.
"Hey, it was a trash can, not a dumpster. And secondly, my phone fell in there. I wasn't digging through it like a raccoon on purpose." Haley said in her own defense. "Was.....was Jake upset you didn't say anything?" She inquired. It felt weird asking something like that. She'd caught on that night Sabrina hadn't said anything to him.
"A little. More for the reason you were just expressing, me dealing with it by myself. When obviously he was involved." Sabrina answered. "We talked for a while after we left you that night. He's taken it hard, you finding out the way you did about everything. I did too. I was relieved you wanted to talk."
Haley felt bad hearing her brother had been having a rough time. She had too, but for different reasons. She also never went this long without speaking to either him or Sabrina. "I'm sorry too, by the way. For how I acted and icing you out." She said, "I was angry, and know that was a normal reaction. This was a big deal to find out.....but I also shouldn't have cast judgement when I wasn't being honest either with Jake." She told Sabrina. Despite the other secret being worse, she still knew she owed an apology too.
Sabrina shook her head. "Your reaction was justified. I wish things had come out a different way, but especially given the circumstances, you had a right to be upset. Plus throw in the pregnancy scare, your relationship status being outed and our news, it was a lot to take in." She said, sincerely. "Jake isn't upset about you and Rooster, by the way."
Haley had glanced down at her coffee and looked back up at Sabrina when she mentioned the last part. "He's not?" She asked. She couldn't help but feel a little surprised.
"No. I think he probably would have teased you both about it but he isn't upset. He was a little that you felt like you couldn't tell him, but not your choice of boyfriend." Sabrina answered. "This was after he calmed down from being ready to murder Rooster when he thought he got you pregnant. He explained all of that to me later."
Haley rolled her eyes. "Ironically he was the one who had something to worry about." She said, then quickly added, "No offense." Sabrina shook her head, not taking any. "I'm going to talk to him next. I just wanted to see you first. And tell you I'm sorry."
Sabrina shook her head again. "I'm sorry, again, too. No more apologies okay?" She asked, and Haley nodded.
Haley reached out and put her hand on top of her friends on the table. "And I'm serious. If you, for reasons I cannot imagine, want to be with Jake, it's fine by me. Just girl talk will have to be censored from now on. But I am here for you, that will never change." She told her. Haley withdrew her hand after Sabrina gave a nod.
"Deal."
Haley's next meeting was the one she was looking forward to less. Sabrina was an easy person to get along with. Her brother was as hot headed as she was and stubborn. She had reached out to him too after she met Sabrina that morning. He didn't reply immediately. Haley wasn't sure if that was intentional, but he had agreed to meet her down on the pier that afternoon.
When Haley arrived, she saw Jake standing on the pier. He was leaning on his elbows, looking down at the water below. She came to a stop when she reached her brother. She had seen him all the last week in class, but this was the first time they had spoken about something that wasn't related to flying.
"Hey," Haley said as she leaned against the pier deck.
Jake looked over at her when she appeared by his side. "Hey." He said back. He had on a pair of Ray-Ban wayfarer sunglasses. He was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. Haley suddenly felt like this was going to be uncomfortable. They stood in silence for a moment. She hated that they were both so stubborn. She wanted to make things right with him, and Haley knew her brother well-he'd want that too.
"I am sorry that I didn't tell you about Rooster." Haley finally said, "I knew you'd have a negative opinion, and I didn't want it to sour something that meant a lot to me." She paused. She was trying to figure out how she wanted to word what she needed to say. "I also....I know that I feel pretty seriously about him. I don't know what the future holds, but I hope things with him continue to go well and grow. I started to realize I feel like I'd be leaving you behind. Which is bound to happen one day. We won't always be together. I guess just the idea of moving forward with a relationship, jobs and all made me feel sad and a little guilty. I didn't want you to feel like I'd be ditching you." Haley hoped that made sense.
Jake was quiet while Haley spoke and when she finished he finally looked at her fully. He took his sunglasses off and hooked them on the front of his shirt. "You were concerned I'd feel left behind? Haley, come on. You can't plan your life around me." He told her. "I'd never expect or want you to do that. It's inevitable that we're going to go our own paths, that's being an adult. We've been fortunate to mostly be together after mom and dad died, but it may not always be that way. It doesn't change us, though."
Haley nodded. She knew he was right, and that had been the rational part of her brain. Haley knew they'd likely take different career paths to start. "I know. And I rationalized it later.....by the point I felt like I wanted to tell you, you were acting really weird. Which I now know why." She replied. She was referring to him and Sabrina.
Jake pursed his lips together. "And that's my cue. I knew Sabrina was off-limits in your book and I betrayed that. And I am sorry for the betrayal. I'm not sorry though for seeing her. It's been.....pretty damn great." He told her. "I know what she is to you and I wouldn't jeopardize your friendship. I'm not out to break her heart, contrary to what you think of me." He added.
Haley felt bad that he knew she had a low opinion of him when it came to women. His track record spoke for itself though, which was totally his business. But she hadn't wanted her best friend to end up as one of his conquests and never be thought of again. Haley had realized from talking to the two of them, that wasn't exactly the case. They weren't in love, but seemed to enjoy one another's company. Haley knew Sabrina could handle herself too. If anyone could deal with her brother, it honestly was Sabrina.
"Treat her like a queen and you won't hear any complaints from me. And lets promise to not harbor any more secrets." Haley said, holding out her pinky to him. It was something they had done as children. She grinned a little when he held out his and they hooked to 'pinky swear'.
"Promise. And don't worry about you and me," Jake said, "No matter where we end up after this program and in life. Whether you like it or not, I will always be here to be your pain-in-the-ass brother. Whether we live next door or across the country. Or you run away and pop out little chickens with Rooster-"
"Okay, okay! I get it!" Haley said, laughing. "I'm stuck with you. And wouldn't have it any other way. Life would be dull without my womb-mate. Like roommate? Get it?"
Jake rolled her eyes at her lame ass joke, but she could tell that he did think it was a little amusing. He pulled her into a hug. "Love you, Hales." He told her. Haley wrapped her arms around him and returned the hug. She felt herself tear up a little, she wanted to dry it up but that only made it worse. "Love you too."
Jake pulled back and looked at her. "What's wrong?" He asked.
"Nothing. I just really missed you. I feel like for the first time since we got here at the end of August that things are right with us. Open." Haley answered. Things hadn't felt the same since she had started sneaking around with Rooster, then everything else that followed.
Jake nodded in understanding. "We get a week of leave for Thanksgiving. The last week before our final week in the program and graduation. Why don't we go somewhere?" He asked, "You, me, Sabrina and......Rooster. If you want." Haley could tell it was hard for him to think of Rooster in that way but she felt the same way about him and Sabrina. "Or no trip, or just us. Or if you had plans with him-"
"I'll ask him. I think it could be nice. Probably awkward too, but," Haley answered with a shrug. "It could be good to spend time together. If you and Sabrina are going to be....whatever you are to each other, I need exposure to get used to it." She paused. "And Bradley is important to me. So it would mean a lot to me if you at least tried with him."
Jake sighed dramatically. "I suppose I can try." He said as if it was some mighty task. "He claims he wants to marry you one day so I need to evaluate him anyway."
Haley jerked her head back in surprise. "And how would you know that?" She asked. She didn't even know that.
"He told me. He came to see me last weekend and we talked. I quizzed him about his intentions with you-" Jake answered and Haley interrupted.
"You didn't!" Haley exclaimed, but she knew he did. That sounded like something he would do. She felt embarrassed that Rooster had been interrogated. It also pulled on her heart a little that Rooster went to go see Jake though.
"I did. And the rest of it is between me and Bradshaw. But I'm going to try for your sake. He's really not that bad, but I'm not going to tell him that." Jake said to Haley. His tone grew a little more sincere as he asked his next question. "And you love him?" He asked her.
Haley nodded. "I do. So try to be a little nicer." She answered.
"I'll try. And the price for my blessing is your first born son shall be named Jake Bradshaw-" Jake teased and Haley punched his shoulder lightly as he laughed.
Haley felt like a major weight had been lifted that had been weighing her down.