Sisterly Duties
AN: Thank you for the review I received, as well as the alerts. I promise to reply to everyone, but I teach high school and started back to work this week. Students don't show until next week, but the meetings and planning (and frustrations at not having a room to teach in yet-long story!) have taken their toll. I finished Ch 2 and have Ch 3 to finish and post tomorrow. As always, if you have any thoughts or ideas, please share!
I do not own Bones or any of the characters within, nor can I take credit for Oleg Cassini. (But the dress I found when researching was smokin'!)
Typical for her recent sleep patterns, Brennan had awakened before 4 in the morning, a cold sweat on her skin, and the covers on her bed binding her legs. She had been unable to relax, and unable to remember the disturbing dream. Finally, frustrated with herself she threw the covers to the floor and walked out of the room and to her couch.
She wouldn't risk going to the lab and working. She would end up losing track of time and upsetting Angela even more. She knew Angela was concerned for her, but Brennan doubted if she could withstand any more concern. So she waited patiently, tidying her already clean apartment, reading her newest copy of the Journal of Forensic Anthropology she had already read three times in the past week and even went back to the chapter she had abandoned last night and tried yet again to find a way to make the words on the page match what she needed the characters to convey.
Now she smoothed her hand over her hair and down her smoke grey dress. Angela had tried to convince her to buy the second outfit she had tried on at the boutique. Long sleeved, it had been sapphire blue with tiny sequins lining the neckline, which had plunged to showoff Brennan's cleavage in an extremely flattering manner.
"Sweetie! That is the dress for you!" Angela gushed.
"Angela, this is a work function and the forecast for tonight's wind chill factor is eighteen degrees. I think I will require more warmth than this outfit can provide."
"Brennan! You look hot in that dress! It was made for you!"
"Ang, this dress was probably made in an Asian country by a young woman who was paid a pitifully lacking salary. It certainly was not made with my body shape or social needs in mind".
Angela gave Brennan a blank look and simply lifted the tag at the end of the long sleeve of the garment in question. "Sweetie. This boutique sells designer dresses. This is an Oleg Cassini Design. The dress looks like it was made just for you: your coloring, your body and even your eyes. It actually brings some life back to your face."
Angela crossed her arms over her slight belly bump "Besides, the party is indoors, you park in a covered garage and you brought your full length wool coat. I think you can make it from the elevator to your car and home without turning into an instant popsicle."
"Angela, don't be ridiculous. Human bodies would need to be at a temperature of at least -195.8ºC to instantly freeze the blood in their veins. "
"Thank you for clarifying that fact for me." Angela replied drily.
"It is a common misconception, however at median expected atmospheric conditions during the winter solstice, human blood would actually require a minimum of-"
"OK Brennan! I get it! You don't want the dress." Angela turned around and walked out of the dressing room. Brennan watched her friend leave, her annoyance more than obvious even to Brennan's eyes. She sighed and turned back to her dressing room to change clothes. Now she was alienating even Angela. Ang was one of a few people whom Brennan had come to know would listen to her rationalizing and scientific rhetoric and see the true meaning behind the technical jargon and explanations. Even replaying the exchange in her own mind, Brennan could hear how obtuse she had sounded and unwilling to even accept the compliments Angela had freely offered.
Brenna hung the cerulean dress and the first dress she had tried on and opened the curtain to return to the main sales floor. Angela was off to one side looking through a display of silk scarves. Cam was already at the register paying for her purchases. Brennan placed the dress in question back in its place on the sales rack. She held the second dress in her hand and walked to the register. She paid for the dress.
A few minutes later the women regroups and left the boutique together, braving the bitter wind outside to make it to their salon appointments in time.
Brennan looked intently at the skull in her hand. She had thought sneaking off to Bone storage for an hour or two would not be noticed by anyone, especially Angela. Yes, she has enjoyed her afternoon and the facial and massage that she had treated herself to before having her hair and manicure and pedicure had both relaxed her more than she had been in weeks. Her procerus and occipitofrontalis muscles in particular were more relaxed and even the constant minor constriction of her temporal muscles had been relieved. But once the trio had returned to the Jeffersonian, Brennan knew of would not take her the full two and a half hours to prepare for the function.
However, twenty minutes before she was to be upstairs in the Jeffersonian Ballroom, Angela came into the room. She had a brightly wrapped package in her hands and a very determined look on her face.
"Ang! What time is it? Did I—"
Angela raised one hand, effectively halting Brennan's questions. "It is twenty till eight. I came down here to give you your Christmas Gift."
Angela held out the box for Brennan. "Go on, open it.
Brennan carefully set down the skull and stood up, walking to Angela. Brennan looked from the box and back to Angela questioningly. "Angela Christmas is not until-"
"I know the date Brennan. This is one of those times where you say 'Thank you Angela!' and just go ahead and open the damn gift."
Brennan tentatively fingered the bow, loosening the knot. She slipped her finger under the wrapping paper and gently unwrapped the large box. She lifted the lid and then removed the tissue paper. "Angela what is this?"
"Brennan, I love you. You are my closest friend and I think of you as my sister. So as my sister, I decided that since you seemed to have lost your ability to look at yourself rationally, I would do it for you."
"Angela, I am a very rational person. I explained that I did not want this dress when we were at the boutique earlier. How did you even manage to purchase it? I saw what you bought before we left."
Angela lifted the garment from the box and held it up to Brennan. Cell phones, credit card and a guaranteed tip go a long way in this town sweetie. Now, true or false, you are a reasonably attractive woman in the prime sexual age of her life?"
"True"
"And are you looked at as being the one of the leading if not the leading scientists here at the Jeffersonian Institute?"
"True again."
"And are you or are you not the prominent forensic anthropologist in the Metro DC area?"
"On the eastern seaboard." Brennan corrected automatically.
"So it seems only rational to me that if you find an appropriate garment which not only is suitable to the theme of the occasion, but also showcases you as an attractive, well poised and professional woman who also manages to maintain her sense of style of sexiness, to wear said garment and knock the socks off of everyone in the room."
Brennan looked at Angela. She was tired of arguing. Angela's reasoning was sound. She could find no other reason to refuse the gift other than Brennan's own state of mind. "OK Ang."
"OK? You mean I won? You'll wear the dress?"
"Yes, I concur with your hypothesis and reasoning. If you give me twenty minutes I will change and meet you in the Ballroom. I'm sure Hodgins is already trying to hide a vial of ethanol to add to the custard based beverage."
"Eggnog sweetie. Are you sure you don't want any help? I can redo your makeup-"
"Ang, I'll be there. I just need a few minutes to prepare myself to see- - everyone." Brennan looked away from Angela at her almost-admission.
"OK Bren. I'll meet you upstairs." Angela reached forward and gave Brennan a crushing hug. She wished she could wave her magic wand and help her friend move past all of the anguish and pain she seemed to be feeling. But since that wasn't possible, she would push and shove her way into Brennan's life and be there for her whether or not Brennan thought she needed help. That's what sisters did, right?
