"Bren, are you going to be ready any time in the next century?" Brandon was standing in the hall of his parents' home yelling up the stairs at his twin sister. For a brief moment he felt as if he hadn't moved on at all, then his brain reasoned that he'd always be waiting for Brenda, whether they were eighteen, twenty-eight or ninety-eight. He was tingling with the anticipation of seeing his friends again, he met up with them all individually at least a couple of times a year but the last time they'd all been together had been Dylan and Kelly's wedding two years ago and even then Brenda hadn't shown up. It was what she was famous for, not attending group gatherings and he was known for making her excuses. Adding her name to the gifts he bought and the cards he sent but in truth he could count on his fingers the number of times he'd seen his sister in the last nine years, since she'd moved to London.
"Brenda, tonight please not next year!" Brandon heard a car pull into the drive. "I'm almost ready Brandon." Brenda yelled back
"You're always almost ready, the car's here now Brenda." Brandon opened the door before Steve could knock on it. "Hey buddy, we're almost ready." He said by way of a greeting.
"We?" Steve looked momentarily confused before he saw Brenda walking down the stairs behind Brandon.
"My word, Brenda Walsh. To what do we owe the honour?" Steve got over the shock of seeing Brenda quickly enough to deliver his trademark wit.
"Looking good Steve." Brenda noticed that Steve's hairline was receding and that his stomach muscles had softened over the years.
"Same to you, Bren." Steve looked Brenda up and down taking in her trim figure clad in a short silver dress, her glossy dark hair and her smoky eyes that seemed to be laughing at a private joke. He whistled softly at her and Brenda felt a flush rise in her cheeks, she reached out and slapped him lightly to diffuse the situation.
"No date Steve?" Brenda was surprised Steve was going to the reunion stag, she'd heard from Brandon that he'd got married, it had been yet another gathering she hadn't attended.
"Divorced six months ago. I'm back to being young free and single, just like high school except I get to see my daughter at weekends."
"I'm sorry." Brenda felt ashamed that she hadn't known that Steve's marriage had broken up.
"Hey guys, we'd better get a move on, Donna won't be impressed if we're late." Brandon ushered them towards the door.
"Are you sure I should go?" Brenda looked up into her brother's open, honest face and noticed for the first time that he'd aged.
"Yes Bren, you should go, you've been running away from everyone for too long. Now can we go?"
