Peter led Anne to the dance floor. "Sorry I was late. My mom cornered me at the door and I had to unload the dishwasher. Not the most elegant excuse, but true," Peter apologized.
"That's okay. We were just having a friendly run in with Wendy. Jess totally took her down a peg, but I think it would have hurt worse if it hadn't been true." Anne smiled.
"Stay away from Wendy. Out of all the girls at that school, she's the worst. Trust me I know."
"How do you know?"
"She's my sister."
"Wait, your parents named their children Michael, Wendy, and Peter. I'm going to go with they were Peter Pan fanatics."
"It's not that funny."
"No, it's just that my Mom's name was Tomorrow and everyone used to call me Annie. I swear I even had a dog named Sandy. My dad used to joke that he should change his name to Daddy Warbucks."
"So we both came from weird families."
"Yeah, but mine's a little weirder than name choices."
"Tell me about it."
"There's not much to tell. I grew up in L.A. with my cool, understanding parents and now I live here in Sunnydale with my over-protective grandpa."
"Must be quite a shock for you."
"It is, but I'm adjusting. I have friends here that are trying to help."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"I could go over there and tell her someone's in danger. It's Sunnydale; I'm sure we could find someone to rescue. So, it wouldn't be a complete lie." Brian said at the table.
"And I could break your arm. In Sunnydale, that kind of stuff happens all the time. So, I wouldn't get in complete trouble." Jessica glared at him.
"Jess is right," Beth patted Brian's arm. "I mean about letting them dance, not about hurting you. They're just dancing in a crowded room with all of us chaperoning. She'll be fine."
"I guess you're right." Brian relented. "But I still can't bear to watch my little niece being oogled by some guy. I'll see you three in psych tomorrow. Night."
"Why does Anne dating bother him so much?" Beth asked after Brian left. "You two know him so much better than I do."
"Well it's complicated," Violet started.
"It's because most members of our family go through some really bad relationships before they find the right person and Brian doesn't want Anne hurt." Jess finished. "He loves her a lot. Seeing her hurt and vulnerable again isn't on his top ten list."
"I see." Beth sighed. "If you'll excuse me, there's a guy I need to go chasing after."
"So what's up with you tonight?" Violet stared at Jess the only other remaining occupant of the table. "You've been bitchy to everyone. What's wrong?"
"Max" Jess said gloomily.
"Max? Your brother? What about Max?" Violet asked.
"He's coming home."
"That's okay. We were just having a friendly run in with Wendy. Jess totally took her down a peg, but I think it would have hurt worse if it hadn't been true." Anne smiled.
"Stay away from Wendy. Out of all the girls at that school, she's the worst. Trust me I know."
"How do you know?"
"She's my sister."
"Wait, your parents named their children Michael, Wendy, and Peter. I'm going to go with they were Peter Pan fanatics."
"It's not that funny."
"No, it's just that my Mom's name was Tomorrow and everyone used to call me Annie. I swear I even had a dog named Sandy. My dad used to joke that he should change his name to Daddy Warbucks."
"So we both came from weird families."
"Yeah, but mine's a little weirder than name choices."
"Tell me about it."
"There's not much to tell. I grew up in L.A. with my cool, understanding parents and now I live here in Sunnydale with my over-protective grandpa."
"Must be quite a shock for you."
"It is, but I'm adjusting. I have friends here that are trying to help."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"I could go over there and tell her someone's in danger. It's Sunnydale; I'm sure we could find someone to rescue. So, it wouldn't be a complete lie." Brian said at the table.
"And I could break your arm. In Sunnydale, that kind of stuff happens all the time. So, I wouldn't get in complete trouble." Jessica glared at him.
"Jess is right," Beth patted Brian's arm. "I mean about letting them dance, not about hurting you. They're just dancing in a crowded room with all of us chaperoning. She'll be fine."
"I guess you're right." Brian relented. "But I still can't bear to watch my little niece being oogled by some guy. I'll see you three in psych tomorrow. Night."
"Why does Anne dating bother him so much?" Beth asked after Brian left. "You two know him so much better than I do."
"Well it's complicated," Violet started.
"It's because most members of our family go through some really bad relationships before they find the right person and Brian doesn't want Anne hurt." Jess finished. "He loves her a lot. Seeing her hurt and vulnerable again isn't on his top ten list."
"I see." Beth sighed. "If you'll excuse me, there's a guy I need to go chasing after."
"So what's up with you tonight?" Violet stared at Jess the only other remaining occupant of the table. "You've been bitchy to everyone. What's wrong?"
"Max" Jess said gloomily.
"Max? Your brother? What about Max?" Violet asked.
"He's coming home."
