My Sister's Secret

(Chapter Fourteen: Just A Kiss)

Bailey sat on the edge of the bed watching as her sister riffled through both of their suitcases in search of the perfect outfit.

"I don't understand what the big deal is. It's just dinner," she said rolling over and looking annoyed.

"It's a date," Aubrey clarified. "My first real date and I really like this guy,"

"Woo hoo," Bailey replied less than excited as she twirled her hair in her fingers. "You have been out with guys before,"

"Not guys I really like. And not guys that mom and dad knew about, let alone approved of. And I never really got to go on a real date. It was more like sneaking around to hang out or meeting up to drink and make out," she paused for a moment. "I could see if has a friend for you."

"No thanks. I am perfectly capable of finding a date of my own. I don't want a pity date with a friend of the pool boy," Bailey replied trying hard to hide the fact that she was more than a bit jealous of her sister.

"He is the life guard, not the pool boy. He is a really nice guy. Look at me and tell me you don't think he is cute."

Of course Bailey thought he was cute. Desperate to catch his eye, she had wore her cutest outfits and used all of her flirty little moves every time she saw him. But nothing seemed to work. This particular guy was too busy looking at her twin sister, who happened to look exactly like her, to even notice that Bailey existed.

"Yea, I guess so. Your date isn't until tonight. Why don't you take a break from this so we can go to the beach? "

"I have to find the perfect outfit Bail, I want everything about this night to be perfect."

"What good does that do anyway? We go back home in four days. Do you think you will ever see this guy again?"

"Actually he spends summers here living with his dad to earn extra money working at the resort. During the rest of the year he lives in an apartment with his mother on the lower east side."

"Christian is from the city?"

"Yea. He is a really sweet guy, Bailey. And I know you would really like him if you just give him a chance. I think this could really work. He could be the one."

"You barely know him. I mean you sat and talked to him for a couple of hours at the pool one day and he flirted with you."

"Isn't that how it is supposed to start?"

"Just be careful," Bailey warned.

Aubrey stared at her sister.

"I just don't want you to end up getting hurt. I mean he is a guy. And he spends his summers here every year. He is an attractive guy who drives a sports car. Do you really think you are the only pretty girl in a bikini he has ever flirted with?"

"I wont go," Aubrey said softly.

"What?"

"If you don't want me to, I wont go. You are right. I've just met him and I don't know much about him. I am interested in getting to know him. But not if it jeopardizes my relationship with my sister. He's just a guy. I just met him, Bail. I've known you my while life. You are my absolute best friend and your opinion means more to me than anyone else's in the world. So if you don't think that I should go out with him, I wont."

Bailey sat there for a moment thinking about what her sister had just said. Aubrey watched as she began to shake her head.

"No, Bre," she said as she began to tear up. "If you like him, you should go for it. And I am sorry for feeling jealous. Jealous of you and jealous of him. I love you and I am happy for you. I want you to be happy."

Aubrey smiled and hugged her sister.

"You don't have to be jealous," she whispered as she began to tear up as well. "You are my sister and I love you. I am closer to you than anyone else. We shared a womb and everything else since before we were born. We have always been here for each other and we always will be. No one is ever going to come between us."

Bailey smiled as Aubrey wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I have an idea," Bailey said as she locked her fingers between her sister's and knocked on the door to her mother's suite.

"Come on in," Olivia said stretching as the girls entered the room and climbed onto the bed with her. "You guys are up awful early."

"It's almost eleven mom," Bailey said with a smile.

"Oh," Olivia sighed as she looked over at the clock on the night stand. "So it is. What have the two of you been up to?"

"Trying to pick out the perfect outfit for my date tonight," Aubrey replied. "But it's hopeless. I could really use your help."

Olivia smiled.

"Sure," she said climbing from the bed. "Why don't we order some breakfast, then we can do a little shopping."

"That sounds great," Bailey said scrambling from the bed to grab the room service menu.

"Where is dad?" Aubrey asked.

"He left a few hours ago to go play golf," Olivia said as she stepped into the shower.

Aubrey's eyes widened.

"Golf with Christian?" she asked in a worried voice.

"I think so," Olivia said as she rinsed the shampoo from her hair.

"Oh my God mom! He is spending the day alone with the guy I hope will soon be my boyfriend. This is so humiliating!"

"You worry too much," Olivia said wrapping a towel around herself and stepping from the shower.

She smiled at Aubrey who was sitting on the bathroom counter and kissed the top of her head.

"You know dad is going to say or do something to embarrass me. He'll try to do something he thinks is cool….he can't be trusted."

Olivia laughed as she finished brushing her teeth.

"You know your father. He wouldn't let any guy date one of his daughters without checking him out first. And Christian is really too young for a back ground check. What did you expect?" Olivia asked.

Aubrey exhaled in frustration.

"Can I give you a little bit of advice? Try not to stress the things you cannot change. It will drive you crazy," she said tucking a strand of dark hair behind Aubrey's ear. "Your father is trying to look out for you because he loves you. You will understand some day when you have kids of your own."

"Possibly, only I will never have kids because my father will chase away every guy I am ever interested in by telling him embarrassing stories about me."

"Lets go have some breakfast before your sister eats it all. I think what you need is a nice relaxing day of retail therapy," Olivia suggested as she hugged her daughter.

"Thanks mom," Aubrey exhaled. "Sometimes I wonder how you can be so cool and understanding and dad just doesn't get it."

"Baby, dad was never a teenaged girl," Olivia reminded her. "That's why he doesn't get it. I will talk to him. But try not to worry about it. You will only stress yourself out."

"And stress causes zits," Bailey chimed in chewing on a bit of bagel.

Olivia laughed again.

After breakfast, Olivia and the girls took a cab into town in search of the perfect date outfit. They looked and looked and both girls tried on dozens of outfits, but nothing seemed right for the occasion.

After lunch, Olivia treated her daughters to manicures and pedicures in the local mall. They went to salon where Aubrey spent some of the money she had saved up from her job to get her hair done, then they were off for some more shopping.

They arrived back at the hotel around three thirty and Olivia helped the girls carry up the shopping bags from the days purchases.

"I still don't know what I am going to wear tonight," Aubrey said dumping one of the bags out onto the bed.

"With all of the new stuff you bought today I am sure you will find something," Elliot said watching her from across the room.

"Dad, it has to be perfect. I cant just wear jeans and a tee shirt," she replied holding up the new clothes she'd bought.

"Of course not," Elliot mumbled as he left the room. "You just bought the clothes, how could I possibly think that you'd wear them?"

Olivia laughed at his remark as he entered the room.

"She's a girl, El. And she is about to go on her first date with a guy she really likes. She wants everything to be perfect."

"Well, I'm her dad. The holder of the credit card she purchased all of that stuff on," he said pointing over his shoulder into the other room. "And I'm about to go watch a ball game," he clarified. "I know nothing about girl dates and clothes and make up."

Olivia laughed again.

"Mom," Aubrey called from the other room.

"This one is all your's," Elliot said as he made his way to the sofa and picked up the remote control.

"Yes dear," Olivia said peeking around the door to the girl's bedroom.

"I still don't know what to wear," Aubrey said looking horrified. "He will be here in three hours!"

"Calm down," Olivia said reaching or her hand. "Come in here and lets see if I have anything that will work for the occasion."

A few hours later Elliot woke up on the sofa. Across the room Bailey sat watching TV.

"What'd I miss?" he asked sitting up and rubbing his hands over his face.

"Yankees are winning 8 to 3," she replied.

"That's good. But not exactly what I meant," he said pointing to the bedroom where his wife and other daughter were.

"Mom is helping Aubrey get ready. She is really nervous."

"She really likes Christian, huh?"

"Yea, she does. What do you think about him?" Bailey asked.

"He seems like a good kid."

"Do you think he's good enough for Aubrey?"

"Honey, I'm your dad, no guy will ever be good enough for my daughters," he said smiling at her.

"I just really don't want her to end up getting hurt again."

Elliot smiled.

"It's sweet of you to look out for your sister the way you do."

"Bre looks out for me too,' she replied.

"I know she does. But I don't want you worrying about her like this, okay? I spent the entire day with this kid and I think he knows better than to try anything. I promise you, if he disrespects her in any way, he is going to wish he had never been born."

"Wow dad."

"Hey, nobody messes with my kids and gets away with it. And if dear old dad isn't enough to scare them straight, I am sure your two older brothers would love the chance to talk some sense into them."

Bailey smiled and laughed.

"Should I go in there and check on them?" Elliot asked.

"Probably not," Bailey replied with a smile. "They are bonding over make up and a curling iron," she joked.

"She's ready," Olivia replied as Aubrey walked out of the room.

Bailey smiled.

"You look so pretty. I love your new hair cut."

"Thanks. What do you think, daddy?" Aubrey asked with a smile.

"You look beautiful, honey."

"Mom let me borrow her dress," she said smoothing her hands over the black mini dress that fell a little longer on his daughter than on his wife. "And her pearls."

"Are you sure you wont be too cold?" Elliot asked nervously eyeing the spaghetti straps on the dress.

"Dad, it is summer. It's like eighty degrees outside," Bailey said looking confused.

"It could get chilly, you should take a sweater."

"El," Olivia replied shaking her head.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have it," Aubrey said turning to look at her mother. "Can I borrow your sweater, mom?"

Olivia smiled and nodded as she rolled her eyes up to look at her husband. Aubrey moved back into the other room to get the garment.

"I know what you're up to, Stabler," Olivia laughed looking at him.

It wasn't long before Christian was there to pick up Aubrey. He formally introduced himself to Olivia, making a good impression with his manners.

"You guys have a good time," Olivia said as the young couple headed for the door.

"Have her back here by ten. Not five after, not ten after. Ten o'clock," Elliot reminded Christian.

"Yes, sir."

"Where are you guys going?" He asked.

"Dad," Aubrey whined.

"I plan to take Aubrey for some dinner and maybe a walk on the beach," he said looking back at Aubrey as she smiled at him.

"You mind your manners, young man."

"Dad!"

"My daughter deserves respect and she'd better get it."

"Yes, sir."

"If I find out anything otherwise…."

"We've got to go now," Aubrey said grabbing Christian by the arm and leading him out the door. "We will be back on time," she said waving to Elliot and Olivia as she closed the door to the hotel room.

"Are you happy?" Olivia asked looking at her husband.

"I am," he replied.

"You just humiliated her."

"I warned him. She'll get over a little embarrassment. But that boy now knows I mean business."

"I am so sorry about that," Aubrey said as she fell back against the elevator wall and smoothed her hands over her face. "My dad is so embarrassing!"

Christian smiled at her.

"It's ok," he laughed. "He just loves you and is trying to look out for you."

Aubrey drew a deep breath and pressed her lips together.

"So," she said softly trying to redirect the conversation, "where do you want to go for dinner?" she asked.

"I made arrangements," he said staring into her eyes and she couldn't help but smile. "I thought we could take that walk on the beach first."

"Okay," she said softly.

As the elevator doors opened, Christian took Aubrey's hand in his and lead her out the door and toward the club house.

"We're gonna eat here?" she asked.

"I thought we could take out a golf cart and go for a moonlit tour of the golf course. It is really pretty out here at night."

"That sounds nice," she said with a shy smile.

She climbed into the golf cart and slid over beside him on the seat.

"It is really pretty out here," she said as they parked near the pond to look up at the stars.

"I love it here. It is so peaceful and quiet. It can be a nice escape from the city."

"Yea," she replied.

Aubrey looked down as Christian slipped his fingers between hers. She smiled nervously.

"You look really nice," he said staring into her eyes as they sat down on the green to look up at the stars.

"Thank you."

"I had been thinking of asking you out for a while."

"I have only been here for a few days."

"I know, but I knew right away that I wanted to get to know you better. But I wasn't sure you'd say yes. And I didn't know if your dad would approve."

"My dad really likes you."

"He's cool."

"I'm glad you think so."

"You don't?"

"He isn't that bad, I guess. It just gets embarrassing when he is so over protective."

"He is your father, I can understand that. If I had daughters I'd probably be the same way."

Aubrey smiled.

Christian looked over at her and smiled. Aubrey watched as he leaned slowly toward her. Her heart was racing and she felt a moment of panic as she pulled back away from him.

"I'm sorry," Christian said noticing the look in her eyes.

"No, I'm sorry. I…."

"You don't have to be sorry. Aubrey, I don't want to try anything that you're not ready for. I didn't mean to scare you. I guess my timing is just a little off."

"I am just a little nervous."

"You don't have to be nervous. Why don't we head back and get something to eat?"

"Okay," she said with a smile.

They headed back to the club house to turn in the golf cart then walked down to the beach. Aubrey pulled off her black pumps and carried them as they strolled along in the sand. They talked for a while, getting to know each other a little better. Everything about this night with him felt so right, she though as they stopped walking and he stared into her eyes.

This would be the perfect place for a first kiss. She thought as the full moon glistened over the water and reflected in his eyes. Maybe she would like for him to kiss her after all. She had been kissed before, but it was usually by guys who were fast and all over the place and only had one thing on their mind. Christian wasn't like that at all.

He was handsome and smart and respectful of her. He was a gentleman and really listened to her when she spoke to him. She knew she didn't know him very well, but he treated her like a princess and it was so nice to finally be able to be herself and feel completely comfortable around a guy. And the cherry on top the cake was the fact that her mother and father approved of him. And she was really hoping that she hadn't already ruined her chances with him by pulling away when he tried to kiss her.

Aubrey watched as he spoke to her. She heard every word he said, but wasn't really paying attention at all. She was in some daydream, swept away by the romance of the night and a first date with the guy of her dreams.

"What is that?" Aubrey asked looking at a light further down the beach.

"Let's go find out," Christian responded with a smile.

They strolled hand in hand along the beach until they came up on a table set for two. In the center of the table were tall glass cylinders, each containing a white pillar candle and purple rose petals were scattered all around. Tiki torches lit the area and a warm summer breeze blew around them as he pulled out a chair for her.

"You did all of this?" she asked looking around them as she sat down at the table. "For me?"

"I made a few phone calls," he said with a smile. "These are for you," he replied handing her a bouquet of purple roses.

"Purple roses are my…."

"Favorite," he said cutting her off. "I know. I remembered you saying something about it when we walked past the dining room that day and they were setting out the new center pieces."

Aubrey laughed a little nervous.

"That was our first day here. You were helping to carry up our luggage and you remember something I said….before we were even talking?"

Christian smiled again.

"I remember everything you say."

"Thank you," she said as a waiter appeared from the country club behind them.

"Would you like something to drink?" he asked as the waiter sat two wine glasses on the table and pulled a bottle from an iced bucket.

"Umm…I'm not old enough to drink," she said raising her hand to cover her glass.

Christian smiled and laughed a little.

"I'm only seventeen, myself," he clarified. "It's sparkling cider."

"Oh," she said with an embarrassed grin.

Olivia had been sitting in the living room watching a movie with Bailey when she noticed Elliot had been missing for a while. She looked around her to see that Bailey had fallen asleep in the chair. She smiled as she leaned down to wake her daughter.

"Hey, why don't you go on to bed?"

"Is Aubrey back yet?" she asked with tired eyes.

"Not yet. She still has a little over an hour until curfew."

"It isn't even nine yet?"

Olivia smiled.

"She already has your father waiting up for her. Go on to bed," Olivia whispered. "I'm sure she will have plenty to talk to you about in the morning."

"I guess you're right," she said climbing from the chair and hugging her mother. "Goodnight, mom."

"Goodnight, sweetheart," Olivia said kissing her daughter.

She watched as Bailey disappeared into her bedroom and closed the door, then got up and made her way into her bedroom to check on her husband.

"Hey," she said softly stepping out onto the balcony beside Elliot. "Try not to worry so much," she said softly as she massaged his shoulders.

"I'm her father, it is my job to worry."

Olivia smiled and wrapped her arms around him.

"The moon is beautiful tonight," she said staring up into the blue glow.

"Yea," he agreed without breaking his stare.

"But it's not the moon you're looking at is it?"

Olivia moved to the other side of him to catch a glimpse of what was holding his attention.

"You're spying?" she asked as she recognized the kids he was watching.

"It's not my fault I can see them from our balcony."

Olivia laughed.

"How's it going? She was so nervous."

"He gave her flowers."

"That's sweet."

"And he was holding her hand."

"I see she took the sweater off," Olivia said and Elliot frowned at her. "What? It really is too warm out for a sweater."

"You didn't think she was showing a little too much skin for a sixteen year old?"

"I thought she looked beautiful. Very elegant and very grown up."

"Too grown up. I think that dress was a bad idea."

"You bought that dress for me. You said it was your favorite."

"On my wife! Not on my teenaged daughter. It is too short, too black and too sexy for a kid."

"She isn't a kid anymore, El. She is a young woman."

"She is my baby and if his hands wander anywhere that dress covers, I'll break both his arms when he brings her back. You should have made her wear jeans."

Olivia laughed.

"I though you liked Christian. You have done nothing but brag about what a great kid he is for the last two days."

"He is a great kid. He is also a seventeen year old boy."

"So."

"So, seventeen year old boys have one thing on their mind," Elliot said raising his fingers up like a gun and closing one eye to aim. "And if he tries any of that on my daughter….you know, if I had my weapon I could reach him from here."

"Elliot!" she said pushing him. "You know, Christian is a lot like you."

"He is," Elliot agreed. "Hey, I was once a seventeen year old boy. And as a father, I wouldn't want a kid like me anywhere near my daughter. I never should have let her go out with him."

"Elliot, you can't be so over protective all of the time. You have to let them grow up. You have to loosen up a little and eventually you will have to let them go off and start lives of their own. They are growing up."

"I liked it better when they were little and I could protect them and mommy and daddy were the only two people in the world who mattered."

Olivia smiled and hugged her husband.

"I miss those days, too. But they are not babies anymore. They are young women, now. And they are going to start dating and we are just going to have to deal with that. We have raised two smart and very level headed girls. And I think that Aubrey has pretty good taste in guys so far."

"They are dancing."

"That's romantic."

"There is no music."

Olivia turned around just in time to witness Aubrey and Christian's first kiss under the moonlight.

"And now he's kissing her," Elliot growled.

"El, they still have an hour until curfew. You have to trust her."

"I do. It's him I don't trust."

"Why don't you come back inside?" she asked sweetly as she pulled him by the hand toward the bedroom. "I can give you something better to look at," she whispered kissing him tenderly as she slid the balcony door shut behind them.

She turned around to face him once more as she began to unbutton her blouse.

"Now?" he asked raising an eye brow.

"Unless you don't want to."

"Of course I want to. But what about them?"

"We have a whole hour until they get back."

"Bailey is in the next room."

"No, she went to bed," Olivia said as she stepped out of her clothes and stood naked in front of him.

Elliot pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside, then picked up his wife and laid her across the bed. Forty minutes later, they laid naked in each other's arms.

"I have got to be the luckiest man in the world," he said kissing his beautiful wife once more. "I love you so much," he whispered as she smiled.

"I love you, too."

He drew a deep breath and exhaled.

"I don't like letting go," he choked out. "It's hard to think of them as adults. It wasn't that long ago that we were up every night pacing the floor with two colicky babies. Being there with them through first steps and first words and the first tooth. Through Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny and the Boogieman. Bed time stories and ballet classes, to a rape and a murder charge. Now driving and dating. They have had to grow up so fast. I guess I was just hoping they would be little girls just a bit longer."

Olivia smiled and raised up in the bed.

"They're not completely gone yet. We still have a little time before they leave home. We just need to take advantage of the time we have left before our little chicks leave the nest."

"Our babies are growing up," Elliot said as he stood up and began to put his clothes back on. "Time check," he said as she pulled her gown on and tied her robe.

"They should be back any minute," she said as they made her way back into the living room and settled on the sofa together to catch the end of the movie.

Christian had Aubrey back right on time and Olivia could tell by the smile on her face that she had a wonderful evening with him.

"How'd it go?" Olivia asked as Aubrey closed the door.

"Good. He is really sweet. And he was a perfect gentleman," she said smiling at her worried father.

"Did you have a good time?" her mother asked.

"I had a great time. Christian actually asked me for a second date."

"A second date?" Elliot asked.

"Yea, we're gonna have lunch tomorrow and he is going to give me a golf lesson."

"You like golf?" he asked.

"I might. For the right guy," she replied as she leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. "Goodnight," she said as she disappeared into the bedroom.

"See, nothing to worry about," Olivia said as she patted him on the chest.

"Yea, nothing at all," he replied.

"El, lets go back to bed."

The next morning Bailey was already up when Olivia made her way into the living room area of the girls' suite.

"Where's your sister?"

"Still in bed," Bailey replied.

"Oh, well I was thinking the four of us could go down to the restraint for breakfast this morning and eat together as a family."

"That sounds like a good idea."

"Dad's in the shower. Why don't you go ahead and start getting ready and I will go wake your sister."

"Ok," bailey replied making her way to their bathroom to grab a shower as well.

Olivia walked into the bedroom of the girls' suite and crawled into bed with Aubrey. She smiled as she watched her sleep for a moment. Olivia raised her finger and traced it lightly down Aubrey's nose.

"Good morning beautiful," she whispered as Aubrey slowly opened her eyes.

"Morning mom," the girl replied with a smile.

"So how did things go last night?" Olivia asked.

"I really like Christian. He was so sweet to me."

"I'm glad you had fun."

"We took a golf cart out on the golf course. Then we walked along the beach in the moonlight. He had a table set with candles on the beach and we had dinner right there. And he gave purple roses," she said pointing to the flowers across the room in a vase. "It was so romantic and he was such a gentleman."

"I'm so happy for you baby."

"Then we danced. There wasn't any music, but it was still romantic. And he kissed me," she said with a squeal of excitement as she rolled her eyes and pulled the blankets up around her. "And you know he doesn't even mind dad being all crazy around him?"

Olivia smiled.

"He thinks dad is cool. He said he understands him being over protective of me because he would be the same way if he had daughters. He is so cute and so amazing. I really like him mom."

Olivia hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

"Dad and bailey are getting dressed. We were going to go have breakfast all together as a family."

"Okay. Give me a few minutes and I'll be ready."

After breakfast, Aubrey borrowed Olivia's cell phone to call Christian and get the details of their lunch date.

"Mom, it says you have four voice mails," Aubrey said as she powered the phone up.

"It's fine," Olivia replied deleting the messages without listening to them and handing the phone back to her daughter. "It's probably just something about work anyway."

"So why don't they try dad? He never turns his phone off."

"It doesn't matter anyway. This is family time, it is our vacation. Everything else can wait until we get back home."

Aubrey smiled as she dialed her new boyfriend's number and made her way into the other room. Olivia took a deep breath and exhaled as she made her way back into her bedroom to take a nap.