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Description

As the middle sister, Bri was in a constant state of hrumph with her family. It wasn’t that noticeable when she was in elementary school or even middle school -- which was just its typical horror show on par with everyone else’s.   But when she reached high school and Alyssa was in college and going abroad and getting an apartment and Michaela was doing the deep dive into gymnastics and dad was carting her everywhere while mom was busy with her promotion and . . . it exhausted her to even remember it.

But Bri couldn’t help it. The holidays are built on a bedrock of memories and traditions and she would have to wrestle with those feelings once again. Despite her paper and wine shop doing reasonably on the margins of well. Despite her bank refinancing her loan so she could buy her loft outright instead of renting. Despite Aaron finally willing to concede that maybe he actually could do a little more to make their relationship an actual thing and not just . . .y’know . . . fun and everything, but not complicated. Ugh. The worst. Still. . . not as bad as the annual holiday gathering.

But Bri could put a brave face on. She could smile in the face of whatever feelings of inadequacy Mom’s passive aggression brought her way or however aloof Dad seemed to be with regards to anything she’s told him about the shop.   She got her hair done. She put on her favorite jeans. She played Words with Friends for the first time in months.

This year, Alyssa had insisted she host.   She and Rob were moving into their new house in Stepford the week before the gathering and rather than seeing that as a sensible reason NOT to host, Alyssa said it would keep her motivated and be more thoughtful about decorating.

Fine. Mom thought it was a good idea. Dad didn’t care. And Michaela was going to be there anyway because she’d been staying with Alyssa and Rob during breaks on tour, rather than paying rent for an apartment she never saw. (Bri didn’t think back up tumblers made that much on the touring musical circuit anyway, so it was probably for the best that Mikey be smart with her money. But money was a no-no talking point with her sisters -- Dad’s rules -- and it wasn’t worth irritating him just to know she wasn’t the only Houston sister struggling to make ends meet from time to time.)

It took a couple of hours and a couple cups of coffee, but Bri eventually piloted her rental on to Maple Street and pulled up in front of an idyllic Cape Cod with window boxes in full bloom, a manicured lawn and a white picket fence keeping the whole affair in apple pie order.

“Jesus, Al. This is something,” Bri said to herself, gathering up her phone and her empty coffee mugs. There weren’t any cars in the yard which begged the question of anyone being home. She’d tried to call ahead but service was spotty. “AL!” she called out. “AAAAAAALLLL!”

Bri opened the gate and went up the front steps and pressed the doorbell. She heard the locks undone from the other side and watched the nob turn.

***

A fresh touch of gloss on the lips and a smoothing of her new bob in the mirror and she was ready. The radio played its soothing songs of yesteryear, calming her motions, alleviating her stresses, her constant companion since Helen and Robert had offered her this lovely guest room until she could make some young man the happiest in all of Stepford.

“Barbara, please do come to the door! They shall be here any moment!”

A squirt of the atomizer and a final check of her spring green frock and she was gingerly stepping out the door and down the stairs. Robert was to be bringing a new beau for her to dinner and she shouldn’t want to disappoint her brother-in-law or disrespect all of his hard work at finding a suitable provider.

She slipped down the stairs to find Maxine checking her pearls in the hallway mirror, humming a familiar tune to the radio playing. Her robin’s egg blue dress was a revelation, thought Barbara.

“Goodness, Babs, do you think Robert may have a match for me as well?” asked Maxine, her wide eyed innocence such an utter delight.

“One never knows, Maxie!” as the two sisters clasped their hands and giggled with delight.

“Barbara, Maxine, I believe they are coming up the walkway now!” called Helen from the entryway, smoothing her pink two piece dress, adjusting the cuffs of her white gloves, and primping her elegant flip.

Barbara tugged nervously at her neckline, Maxine toyed with her pearls once more, and Helen opened the door. Barbara knew Helen was the first to find such utter calm and happiness and peace and purpose and prettiness here in Stepford and she knew, just knew that her turn was next.

Description

As the middle sister, Bri was in a constant state of hrumph with her family. It wasn’t that noticeable when she was in elementary school or even middle school -- which was just its typical horror show on par with everyone else’s.   But when she reached high school and Alyssa was in college and going abroad and getting an apartment and Michaela was doing the deep dive into gymnastics and dad was carting her everywhere while mom was busy with her promotion and . . . it exhausted her to even remember it.

But Bri couldn’t help it. The holidays are built on a bedrock of memories and traditions and she would have to wrestle with those feelings once again. Despite her paper and wine shop doing reasonably on the margins of well. Despite her bank refinancing her loan so she could buy her loft outright instead of renting. Despite Aaron finally willing to concede that maybe he actually could do a little more to make their relationship an actual thing and not just . . .y’know . . . fun and everything, but not complicated. Ugh. The worst. Still. . . not as bad as the annual holiday gathering.

But Bri could put a brave face on. She could smile in the face of whatever feelings of inadequacy Mom’s passive aggression brought her way or however aloof Dad seemed to be with regards to anything she’s told him about the shop.   She got her hair done. She put on her favorite jeans. She played Words with Friends for the first time in months.

This year, Alyssa had insisted she host.   She and Rob were moving into their new house in Stepford the week before the gathering and rather than seeing that as a sensible reason NOT to host, Alyssa said it would keep her motivated and be more thoughtful about decorating.

Fine. Mom thought it was a good idea. Dad didn’t care. And Michaela was going to be there anyway because she’d been staying with Alyssa and Rob during breaks on tour, rather than paying rent for an apartment she never saw. (Bri didn’t think back up tumblers made that much on the touring musical circuit anyway, so it was probably for the best that Mikey be smart with her money. But money was a no-no talking point with her sisters -- Dad’s rules -- and it wasn’t worth irritating him just to know she wasn’t the only Houston sister struggling to make ends meet from time to time.)

It took a couple of hours and a couple cups of coffee, but Bri eventually piloted her rental on to Maple Street and pulled up in front of an idyllic Cape Cod with window boxes in full bloom, a manicured lawn and a white picket fence keeping the whole affair in apple pie order.

“Jesus, Al. This is something,” Bri said to herself, gathering up her phone and her empty coffee mugs. There weren’t any cars in the yard which begged the question of anyone being home. She’d tried to call ahead but service was spotty. “AL!” she called out. “AAAAAAALLLL!”

Bri opened the gate and went up the front steps and pressed the doorbell. She heard the locks undone from the other side and watched the nob turn.

***

A fresh touch of gloss on the lips and a smoothing of her new bob in the mirror and she was ready. The radio played its soothing songs of yesteryear, calming her motions, alleviating her stresses, her constant companion since Helen and Robert had offered her this lovely guest room until she could make some young man the happiest in all of Stepford.

“Barbara, please do come to the door! They shall be here any moment!”

A squirt of the atomizer and a final check of her spring green frock and she was gingerly stepping out the door and down the stairs. Robert was to be bringing a new beau for her to dinner and she shouldn’t want to disappoint her brother-in-law or disrespect all of his hard work at finding a suitable provider.

She slipped down the stairs to find Maxine checking her pearls in the hallway mirror, humming a familiar tune to the radio playing. Her robin’s egg blue dress was a revelation, thought Barbara.

“Goodness, Babs, do you think Robert may have a match for me as well?” asked Maxine, her wide eyed innocence such an utter delight.

“One never knows, Maxie!” as the two sisters clasped their hands and giggled with delight.

“Barbara, Maxine, I believe they are coming up the walkway now!” called Helen from the entryway, smoothing her pink two piece dress, adjusting the cuffs of her white gloves, and primping her elegant flip.

Barbara tugged nervously at her neckline, Maxine toyed with her pearls once more, and Helen opened the door. Barbara knew Helen was the first to find such utter calm and happiness and peace and purpose and prettiness here in Stepford and she knew, just knew that her turn was next.