The Smell of Lilies

Chapter 18

Kel's eyes flashed open. A sharp, bell noise had penetrated her dreams that she could no longer remember. 

Ding-dong.

The door bell. Kel's mind didn't process, she was still in the in-between-sleep-and-awake phase. 

Another ring, and then another three rings consecutively. Suddenly Kel sat up, accidentally knocking Brandon's arm off of her waist. A movement harsh enough to stir him into consciousness. 

"Leila," Kel blurted out. 

Get up, get dressed. Go!

She kicked the covers off and tried to locate all of her clothes.

"Brandon! Wake up!" she called as she struggled into her underwear. 

Another ring at the door.

"Brandon!" this time wiggling into jeans.

Brandon groaned as he stretched rolled over, sitting up. His back muscles rolled, slightly flustering Kel as she looked on. 

"Hurry, get your clothes on," Kel said rushing over to him, tossing his pants in his lap. 

"Where's the fire?" he muttered, holding his jeans.

"At the door. You're about to meet my sister."

Once Kel got her sweatshirt over her bra, she glanced at her mirror before running to the door. Ugh. She had sex hair and sleepy eyes. 

Two more rings. She could almost hear the annoyance of Leila seeping through the tone of the bells. 

"Hurry!" she called out one last time to Brandon before rushing to the door, flattening her hair on the way.

She threw open the back door.

Leila was not smiling. She was a tall, slender woman. Not as tall as Kel, about three inches shorter and twenty pounds lighter. She had short, bob-styled brown hair. Her eyes were just as large as Kel's eyes. Growing up they both decided they had gotten in from their mother, just for kicks. The only difference was that Leila's eyes were a greenish-blue color, making her absolutely irresistable to look at. She was beautiful. More feminine looking and soft. Her cheeks were pink and her lips were rosy. 

"Hey," Kel said, a little breathless, but smiling. She missed her best friend.

Leila was obviously put off. But it wasn't from being kept at the door that had her in a stressed disposition.

First she looked Kel in the eyes suspiciously. She examined her rushed state and messy hair. 

You had sex with him didn't you? her eyes read.

Kel half grinned and shrugged, embarrassed.

Leila's face turned amused and she chuckled, but then it fell again and she was serious.

"Listen. I've been trying to call you. I have bad news and we need to hurry."

"Bad news?" Kel asked.

Just then Brandon sauntered into where Kel and Leila were standing by the door with nothing but jeans on. 

Leila's eyebrows raised as she finally saw him. "And why on earth would you not want to describe him on the phone to me again?" she whispered to her sister.

"Hi," Brandon said, extending a hand. "I'm Brandon. You must be Kel's sister."

Leila smiled, but Kel could see that it was stiff and hiding something. "Nice to finally meet the man who has been taking care of my sister. Thanks for that."

Leila turned back to Kel.

"Kel. There isn't much time left. There would have been except you weren't answering my calls."

"Just tell me what's wrong," Kel pleaded.

Leila sighed and looked directly at her sister. "Well, first of all, you're going to have to look a little more presentable."

"Leila, just tell me."

She paused, not wanting to be the giver of bad news. Her normal, bouncy, sweet self had gone out the window the moment she had found out. He'd called her just yesterday, after Kel's home phone was being picked up.

Leila had raced to Kel's house as fast as she could. Finally, she spilled the news that no one wanted to know. "Craig is here."