I walked into that bathroom to use it and there Amy stood doing her morning routine. Wearing her donut shirt and plaid pajamas, she smiled at me briefly before it vanished. Worry flushed her face as she looked me over, sadness shining in her eyes. "You OK? You're trembling and its 75 in here."

I brushed my black and pink floral bra, relieved that my party hats weren't showing or that my kensie Maya' boyshorts were still dry. "I'm so sorry. I knew I just didn't want to admit it to myself."

She looked at me confused yet receptive. "It's OK. I forgive you. There is nothing that can ever come between us. I'll be fine. Sabrina really got under my skin."

I shook my head, walked over and rested her hand into mine. "Remember, when we were getting ready for Farrah's wedding and you wanted my opinion for the speech."

She nodded, smiled yet still unsure why I was holding her hand. "You said, 'What if my heart says something stupid that I can never take back?'

Amy frowned. "I was worried how you would react to me saying 'I love you' the first time. You confirmed my fears. You were still in love with Liam."

"I thought I was. That's why I am sorry. Your heart can never say something stupid you can never take back. I made a terrible mistake that day because Liam snuck in and…"

"You wanted him. You didn't want me that way. I understand." Tears started to pool under her eyes and she released my hand. Suddenly my heart clenched like when I was fighting with Liam. I knew it. "I am not waterboarding your heart." I inhaled but only a short breath came in. "I can't lose you to anyone else. Sabrina taught me that. I can't see you lose hope. And I want each of our tomorrows to be better than our yesterdays."

She turned back to me, confused and flushed. "Karma, I love you but I really don't what you are saying. We decided that-"

I shook my head and she stopped, slowly realizing what I was trying to say. My own face and chest was flushed and I just couldn't focus on anywhere but her face. I can't let this go.

Yet as we stared at each other silently, I reached out and held her. "I'm lucky. I've fallen in love with my best friend. The person who accepts me at my worst. The person who laughs at my stupid jokes. The person who knows me better than myself. I would kill to spent the rest of my life with that person." I blew out a breath, trembling.

Farrah shouting in the distance about breakfast being ready. I wasn't hungry. My stomach was filled with butterflies again. "I have feelings for you, just like I asked you if you did a year ago right here."

"We got into a fight over that. Over Liam." Then she blinked. "You HAVE feelings for me like I did…do." She gulped. Letting go of me, she turned, and walked out of the bathroom.

I followed still in my bra and panties. I didn't care. Farrah would flip but I didn't care. "It took Sabrina to see that. I want to be more than best friends. We will be that forever. We recovered from Liam, from Reagan, from a road trip and this," I pointed to the tattoo I still had. "If I really love you, it's not fair to anyone else."

She smiled. "Scary?"

"Butterflies. It's like bungee jumping. I went during the summer. Me and Shane. Step off the edge with me?"

"Absolutely." She leaned in and we kissed, like in the pool, only hotter. When I broke, I simply said, "Whoa."

"I know, right?" She laughed. "You need to get dressed."

"Eww. I need to take a shower."

"We can-"

A knock on the door, stopped that and I ran into the bathroom.
Farrah opened the door and shook her head. "I know its New Year's eve but breakfast is getting cold."

"Mom I'll be down in moment. Karma was about to take a shower." She looked that way but only saw the closed door and heard the water running.

"OK. Tell her that her furniture arrived and they are waiting outside to bring it up."

I'm staring at the door, naked and jumping up and down. Tom came through. He texted me yesterday that they were moving my undamaged stuff over today. Then I realized that I could smell myself. Whoa, I smelt like a ten minutes with Liam.

After the shower and a quick change, I checked Amy's room. She was gone so I checked myself in the mirror. The crew neck, accordion pleats, crochet detailing, fringe trim, and button closure at sleeves worked. It was a new white crochet blouse cropped at my waist. It fell well but exposed the top seam of my beige suede mini skirt. The gold buttons shined in the light. The scallop hem worked well. Even the peep-toe booties matched. No, I wasn't wearing anything I saw myself in the dream.

Running down the stairs, I stopped at the landing as Amy sat with Farrah and Bruce. They seemed to be chatting. He looked over at me and smiled. "There's still plenty."

Farrah smiled. "Bruce stopped by on his way in town."

He nodded. "I heard that your ex-boyfriend is now dating Lauren. I TOLD him that if he touched her I'd cut his nuts off."

Amy gagged, stifling a laugh. I sighed, glanced at her with an amused smile. "It's all fake. She's using him for popularity and her brand."

"Life with Lauren." Amy said with a touch of sarcasm. "Her aspirational lifestyle brand. I am making videos for her on occasion."

Bruce seemed taken aback. Shaking his head, he simply sighed. "I heard you moved in because your house burnt down."

"On part of it. I got lucky my stuff is fairly undamaged." I pulled myself up to the table and grabbed some bacon waffles and fried chicken strips.

"Noticed Tom was talking to some guys standing outside as I approached."

I about choked. It's one thing for Tom, with his lithe swimmers physique and short black hair to show up and help and entirely another for just the movers to. "He's here?"

Amy's eyes grew as well. Putting down her fork, she said, "He say something?"

"No, just pleasantries. And this weird tube thing." He reached from the leather briefcase he had sat down, a murky grey tube encrusted with tiny zebra mussels. It smelt of fish and salt. Sealed on both ends with wax embossed with three waves. A small, red, broad pennant with two tails, bearing a white five-pointed star hung from a stiff gold and copper braided thread.

Bruce shoved it across the table, it loudly sloshing when he stopped. "He insisted I give it to you. It's to add to your collection." He shrugged and rose.

"It's been pleasant but I have to clip 'em high before my show pony gets a foal." Amy spat out her coffee across her plate, laughing. I shook my head, grimacing. I might not be dating Liam but I didn't hate him.