Author's Notes:
And we're back for yet another installment of my fiction named after a pregnancy test commercial… :p Not too much to say right now, so…
The usual spiel… I don't own 90210 or any of its characters. Never have. Never will. If I had the show would have ended much differently and also, I wouldn't be trying to write this story on a busted up laptop keyboard that is missing 15 keys. Don't sue me because I don't have any money.
And on with the story…
Chapter Two
"I love Italian"
Washington, DC
A sly smile played across Brenda Walsh's well-made up lips as she allowed her gaze to flit across the opulently decorated Italian restaurant her twin brother, Brandon, had brought her to in order to celebrate her first time being in their great nation's capital. The high-backed booths and darkened lights lent an almost hushed, romantic atmosphere to the restaurant and Brenda would not have been surprised to find that several of the booths were occupied by nervous young men slowly working up the nerve over the course of their meal to propose to the woman sitting across from them.
Slowly, she inhaled and savored the rich aromas of garlic, olive oil, and rosemary, her stomach rumbling softly within her. Growing up in a small town in Minnesota, Brenda had not had much experience with fine Italian restaurants until she had arrived in Beverly Hills. Dylan had introduced her to her first one and she had been addicted ever since. Unfortunately, there had not been many Italian eateries in London and she had been in withdrawal for over six years.
"So, what do you think?" Brandon inquired, his voice lowered to keep with the mood of the restaurant. "Did I do good?"
"This place is fabulous, Brandon." Brenda returned, her eyes darting back to the handsome young man sitting opposite of her. Just before her flight had left London, she had spoken with Brandon, issuing him the challenge to find her the best Italian restaurant in Washington DC and take her there as soon as possible. She had informed him that she had been without good Italian food for far too long. "Though I suppose it's still too early to pass judgment. I haven't tried the food yet."
"Believe me. It's great." He assured her with his overly-confident smile that only he could manage to pull off without coming across as arrogant. "I've been here a few times and have never been disappointed."
"Oh really?" Brenda cocked a suspicious eyebrow. This was exactly the sort of place that Brandon would bring a date to in order to wine and dine them. "Anyone special?" Though the two had attempted to maintain a close relationship, time and distance had changed that and Brenda found that most of her information on Brandon's personal life had come second-hand through their mother, who, needless to say, never had any of the juicy details.
Brandon, who had been looking over his menu, glanced up and shook his head, a mischievous smile on his lips. "Did Mom tell you to ask me that?"
"Are you kidding? I'm the one who's always asking Mom that." She rolled her eyes while tossing her long, currently jet black hair over her slim shoulders. "You never tell me anything anymore. Mom's been complaining about the same thing."
"That's because there's nothing to tell." Brandon answered her with a shrug of his shoulders. "I've been too busy concentrating on my career to worry about women. They take up too much time and too much money."
Brenda suppressed the urge to roll her eyes again. Brandon was always complaining about money and how expensive things were in Washington, DC, but she happened to know he made an exceptionally good wage as a reporter with the New York Chronicle. "That's pathetic, Brandon." She chastised him. "It's not like you're still in high school living off from lousy tips from the stingy customers at the Peach Pit. You really need to get with it. Mom and Dad need grandchildren."
"Well, I see you're none too eager to supply them with some anytime soon."
Brenda's catlike green eyes narrowed at her brother as the corner of her mouth turned up in a small smirk. "I'm concentrating on my career." She mocked with a laugh, and then quickly added, "Truthfully, though, I think Mom and Dad have given up on me being the one to produce a Walsh heir. Mom used to ask me every time we spoke if Ashton had proposed yet. After a million times telling her no I think it finally sunk in that neither Ashton nor I are ready to settle down yet."
"How are you and Ashton doing?"
"Good. Really good, actually." Brenda answered with a happy smile. "You know he's moving to Beverly Hills with me, right?"
"I had heard that. You sure that's a good idea?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" Brenda looked startled at Brandon's question. She and Ashton had been discussing the possibility of moving to Southern California since her audition nearly six months ago. Ashton had been almost as excited and eager as Brenda. He had lived in England his entire life and wanted to escape. "He's really looking forward to experiencing something new."
"Yeah, but to pack up everything and move to a completely different country… It's just a really big step and I'm sure it won't be an easy adjustment for him. Plus, think about what it could do to your relationship." Brandon paused, looking directly into Brenda's eyes and making her feel slightly uncomfortable. "You do know Dylan's back in Beverly Hills?"
"Of course I do." She snapped, not meaning to sound as irritated as she did. In truth, she and Ashton had discussed Dylan several times over the course of the past few weeks. She doubted he would be much of a problem at all. Especially not after the news she had recently heard. "And you do know he's back with Kelly Taylor, right?"
Brenda hadn't meant to tell Brandon. Donna had made Brenda swear to not to tell Brandon when Brenda had finally gotten it out of her long-time friend. But Brandon's comment about Dylan had upset her. Not so much because she still had feelings for the charming young brooder, but because Brandon had assumed she did.
"No." Brandon, who had been quiet for several seconds after Brenda's sudden announcement, finally said. "I didn't know that. How did you find out?"
"Uh…" Brenda swallowed hard, looking down at her napkin, wishing that the waiter would arrive to take their order and rescue her from this uncomfortable situation. She knew that Brandon would find out eventually. She had just wished one of his friends had been the one to spill the beans, not her. "Donna told me, actually."
"When?" His voice was strained and Brenda looked up, searching his blue eyes that were so unlike her own.
"Awhile ago, actually. I guess they hooked up at David and Donna's wedding." Brenda knew she had to be completely honest with Brandon. He deserved it, even if it hurt him. "He's planning on proposing to her on her birthday."
Emotions raged across Brandon's face far too quickly for Brenda to be able to discern them all. Anger. Irritation. Hurt, though it was quickly masked. Brandon let out a long sigh and slowly shook his head. "Well," He frowned thoughtfully, once again regaining composure, his emotions once again quickly packed away and refused to be dealt with. "Good for her. I guess. You okay with it?"
With a melancholic smile, Brenda nodded. "Yeah, I am. I got over Dylan quite some time ago, now. I suppose he'll always have a piece of my heart. After all, he was my first love, but that's all. I'm not going to waste any more of my life waiting around for Dylan McKay to grow up, you know?"
"Yeah, I know. But at least you learned your lesson. Some people never do. I thought Kelly had, but obviously not."
Brenda studied her brother thoughtfully, wishing he wasn't quite so good at hiding his emotions from her and the rest of the world. When he was in high school he had always been so open, so vulnerable. Or perhaps that had only been with her. Time and distance had changed that as well.
"You still not over her?" She asked him quietly, hoping that she wouldn't get snapped at for the question. Both her parents had warned her several times not to bring up the subject of Kelly Taylor and the anti-wedding, but Brenda couldn't help it. She had to know.
Brandon scowled across the table at Brenda and for a moment she thought he was about to stand up and leave. But, he quickly pulled back his annoyance and forced an overly-pleasant smile on his face. "Did Mom and Dad ask you to ask me that or something?"
"No. Mom and Dad told me not to ask you that."
"You should have listened." He hesitated, "But in answer to your question, yes, I am over Kelly Taylor. I've been over her for years now. Mom and Dad just can't seem to accept that fact. There was a reason she and I didn't get married. We just weren't in love anymore. I loved her. I still love her. But like I love you, Bren. Nothing more."
"Right. Like a sister." Brenda nodded. She had heard the rather pathetic excuse that had been given for calling off the wedding. Just like back then, she wasn't buying it now. However, she was not about to press Brandon about it right now. He seemed upset enough as it was. "Look, Brandon, I realize that-"
"Good evening." A thin young man suddenly approached their table, a polite smile on his narrow face and a bottle of wine in his hands. "I apologize for the wait. Could I interest either of you in a glass of Gaja Barbaresco Conteisa?"
"None for me, thank you." Brenda shook her head.
"Me either." Brandon also declined.
"Are you ready to place your order then?"
Brandon glanced over at Brenda and she quickly gave her assent that she was. He cleared his throat and quickly told the waiter what he wanted then turned expectantly towards Brenda. She had been debating over a few different items when she and Brandon had begun discussing their love lives but really hadn't settled on anything yet. Glancing down at the menu once more, she ordered the first item her eyes landed on, which didn't happen to be any of the ones she had been trying to choose from.
"An excellent choice." The waiter complimented her with fake enthusiasm. "It will be just a few moments."
Once the waiter had finally departed, Brenda focused her attention back on Brandon. With their menus taken away, they really had nothing to look at besides each other and Brenda found she was uncomfortable meeting her twin's gaze. "Look, Brandon, I'm sorry I brought up the whole Kelly/Dylan thing. I know it's a sore subject."
Brandon shrugged it off. "No, not really." He denied it. "I'm just upset that she's being so stupid. I know I really don't have any right. I haven't been a part of her life since right after the wedding, or rather, not wedding. But when you told me she was back with Dylan, well, I wanted to hop on the first flight to Los Angeles and shake her until she saw sense. She and Dylan are an unhealthy combination and she's only going to end up getting hurt all over again. I'd hate to see that happen to anyone."
Brenda had to agree. All Kelly and Dylan ever did when they were a couple was argue and hurt one another. She couldn't see the sense in staying in a relationship like that. "I hope she doesn't marry him." She found herself saying, her words soft. "Kelly deserves better than Dylan. She needs someone who will be there for her. Stand by her side through good times and bad. Dylan doesn't do that. First sign of trouble and he's off to go surfing in Baja. Even if he's changed, like Donna swears he has, I don't think he can change. Not that dramatically. He'll never be…" She trailed off, realizing she was about to say that Dylan would never be like Brandon, but stopped herself just in time.
"Kelly knows better." Brandon added. "Or at least she should. And, if Dylan really loves her, he should realize he can never be the man she needs and just leave her alone. It's just not right for him to keep coming back into her life like he does.
"You've got to warn her, Bren." Brandon murmured, his gaze intense. "When you get back to Beverly Hills, you've got to get her away from him. Before it's too late. She'll listen to you. She knows you know Dylan better than anybody. She'll-"
"She won't listen to me, Brandon." Brenda disagreed. Though she and Kelly had not managed to reestablish the closeness they had once had before the summer between their junior and senior years, Brenda still wanted to look out for the girl who had once been her best friend. "Exactly for all the reasons you've just said. She'll think I want Dylan for myself."
"Do you?"
"Of course not!" She exclaimed, irritation rising once again, but she pushed it back down. "I would just feel sorry for any woman who had the misfortune of spending the rest of their life with Dylan McKay. I just know that if I show up there and start telling her that she's too good for Dylan or that they need to break up, she'll get stubborn and cling to him all the more tightly."
"You're probably right." Brandon had a strange smile on his face. "Remind you of anyone?"
Brenda stared at him in confusion, then realization dawning on her, her cheeks flushed scarlet. All through high school her father had been telling her that she could do so much better than Dylan, not to get too attached to him… All it did was push her further into his arms.
"Shut up, Brandon." Brenda growled at him playfully. "I'm not seventeen anymore. And neither is Kelly."
"So maybe she'll see some sense if you talk to her."
"No, I don't think so." Brenda shook her head.
"What if you tell her what he did to you in London?"
A shiver raced down Brenda's spine and she slowly shook her head. She didn't want to tell Kelly that. Didn't want to tell anyone that. Dylan had begged her not to tell anyone. She had kept that promise for the longest time, but one night, shortly after she and Dylan had broken up, she had called Brandon in tears, missing Dylan so badly, and it had spilled out. She wished she could take that evening back, but in a way it was comforting to know that someone else knew. Someone else understood. Sort of.
"I can't do that, Brandon." Brenda whispered, her voice suddenly thick and hoarse. "I promised him."
"But if it means saving her from him?"
"He's not a monster, Brandon." Brenda began to blink back the tears that had begun to form in her eyes. "He really isn't."
"Brenda…"
"No, Brandon. I won't do it. If you want to save Kelly from Dylan, you can be the white knight and rescue her yourself. Don't ask me to do it because I can't. I just can't."
Brenda grabbed her napkin off her lap and quickly dabbed at her eyes, not wanting to cause a scene. Again, she found herself praying for a distraction, but this time, unlike the last, her prayers were answered and their waiter brought them their food, which Brenda attacked immediately with gusto.
Author's Notes:
Awww… My beloved Walsh twins. Hope you guys love them as much as I do. I'm still getting a feel for writing these characters – all of them as this is my first 90210 fan fic – so any insights and suggestions you have would be most appreciated.
Coming soon… Chapter Three: The Elusive Ms. Taylor
!!Spoilers!!
Back to sunny Southern California
A new character is introduced
What is this guy up to?
Till next time…
Jianna
