INSTALLMENT FOURTEEN

INSTALLMENT FIFTEEN

Cole and Tori walked hand in hand back to the house and the party was now in full swing. Heads turned as Cole and Tori entered the living room from the patio. Everyone welcoming them back to the party. Tori searched the room and immediately found Brett sitting on the arm of the couch where family members and guests were observing Erin while she opened her gifts. Brett had seen Tori walk in with Cole and tried not to look too anxious when their eyes met. Tori immediately headed for the couch and Brett held up her hand. Tori took Brett's hand and sat behind her. Brett leaned back and Tori wrapped her arms around her. She kissed Brett on the cheek and without a word, they happily watched Erin open her gifts.

"Oh that one is from Tori and I." Brett had announced. Erin looked up and saw Tori sitting behind her sister.

"Hey…you're here." Erin got up and went to give Tori a hug. Erin was a little taller than Brett was and she was utterly adorable. She had light brown hair and blue green eyes. She looked a lot like Lauren but was a real ham with more energy than an atom bomb. She didn't have Lauren's reserve and she was a lot more care free than Brett. Brett was a balance between her two sisters in Tori's mind. When you saw Erin, you couldn't help but feel exhausted. She was really hyperactive and most people could only take Erin's enthusiasm in doses. She was graduating from Georgetown University this year and in the family tradition would be joining the law firm once she passed the bar.

"Yeah, like I would miss your birthday." Tori got along with all of the Montgomerys and they accepted her as if she was one of their sisters. When Brett and Tori told Erin that they were seeing each other, she exploded with happiness and said it was about time. She then confided to them that she was involved in a lesbian relationship also. She had not told anyone and the news had surprised them both. Brett had encouraged Erin to tell their parents but she claimed that she wasn't ready to come out. She said she wasn't ready to settle down yet and since she had only been in one relationship with a woman the experience was rather new to her. She had met the girl in college and they had been seeing each other for the past three months. The girl was living in Washington D.C. and was going to practice medicine at Georgetown hospital when she graduated. Erin was torn between staying in Washington D.C. and coming home to South Hampton. She didn't know what she wanted to do and she had yet to make a decision. Tori remembered what Erin said at the time.

********

"Hey…. for so long I was just sampling half the platter. Now I've got a whole buffet to choose from and I don't want to limit myself." Brett frowned at her sister's comment and looked at Tori for some help. What could Tori say, she herself had been with quite a few people and in the end, she herself was more than certain that there was no one in the world for her but Brett.

Tori bent her head down so she could whisper into Brett's ear. "Honey, she's 24 years old. She's old enough to make her own decisions. Just be there if she needs you and let her make her own mistakes. Let her be the judge of what's right for her. The only way she's going to know what that is exactly is if she samples the 'buffet' as she has so eloquently stated." Brett rolled her eyes and turned to her younger sister. How had her parents been able to deal with these issues? She would have to remember to tell her parents how much she appreciated them.

"Well sis, if you need any advice or you need someone to come to….Tori's available." Tori shot Brett an evil look and Brett laughed.

"Excuse me Erin. I have a bone to pick with your sister." Tori swept Brett up and proceeded to tickle her senselessly.

*******

"Come on sis. Open your present." Brett exclaimed.

Erin picked up the envelope and smiled. "Ooh money. I can always use that." She had received some peculiar gifts from some of the guests. She knew that it would be a cold day when she would use a George Forman grill. She didn't even know how to boil an egg. Erin opened the envelope and a key fell out. She looked at both Tori and Brett and they both shrugged their shoulders.

"What is this for?" Erin asked them.

"Let's just say it's your birthday and graduation gift. Tori thought you could use this for when you are sampling the 'buffet'. She says it's very impressive to both sides of the 'platter'." Brett stated this in a sarcastic tone and Tori placed a hand over her lover's mouth stopping Brett from continuing her rant. Everyone looked at Brett with a confused expression not understanding a word of what she was saying.

Erin took a closer look at the key and noticed the writing on the key. Her face lit up and she jumped up to her feet

"No way! No way! Tori….this was your idea? Have I told you how happy I am that you're seeing my sister. You are the bomb!" Erin had mentioned that she wanted to get a Porsche Boxster after her graduation and she was saving her money to get one. She ran to her sister and pushed her out of the way. She slammed her body into Tori as they went tumbling off the edge of the couch and onto the floor. Erin encased Tori in a bear hug and kissed her all over her face as everyone watched in amusement.

"Umm Erin? Do you think you'd like to get off my girlfriend?" Brett tapped her sister on the shoulder and stood there with her hands on her hips.

Tori lay helpless on the floor trying to fight off Erin's attack.

Erin just kept up her onslaught.

"Ah honey, a little help here." Tori begged.

"Erin.. can you please let Tori get up? I think you're sister's about to beat the stuffing out of you." Janice yelled at her daughter. Everyone else was laughing hysterically at Tori's predicament. No one knew what Tori and Brett had gotten for Erin but it must have been quite a present.

"Oh Tori, thank you. That was better than sex." Erin got up and stood in front of Brett.

"You're the best too." Erin kissed Brett on the cheek and gave her a quick hug.

"Hey, that's all I get. I did have something to do with your gift also." Brett continued to keep her hands on her hips and scowled at her sister.

"Yeah I know. But you aren't as much fun to kiss as Tori. Ooh she's hot." Erin turned and winked at Tori who was still recovering on the floor.

"Okay, so when do the rest of us get to find out what you got for Erin. It must be something else." Gordon turned to Brett and Tori for answer.

Brett helped Tori off the floor and checked her out for bruises.

"Did hyper girl hurt my baby?" Brett held Tori's face in her hands and planted little kisses on her lips.

"Yeah, she's scary." Tori poutted like a little girl but was thoroughly enjoying the attention she was getting from her lover.

"Excuse me. We're waiting. You know if you don't say something those two can go at it for hours." Lauren turned to the group and held up her hand.

"So what did you get the Brat?" Lauren, Adrian and Alexi were sitting on the floor beside the couch. They knew all too well how Brett and Tori could forget everyone and everything when they were together.

"Well why don't we take a look…." Tori offered, pointing in the direction of the door.

"You mean it's here?" Erin jumped up from where she was sitting and Tori quickly hid behind Brett.

"Honey protect me."

"Stay behind me babe. I won't let her get to you." Brett held an arm behind her to keep Tori in place and another in front of her in case her maniac sister attacked again.

"Oh I'll be good. Is it really here? I figured it was still at the dealership." Erin pretended to be on her best behavior but no one was buying it.

"Yeah it's here." Brett replied.

"Oh…MY… GOODNESS." Erin ran up to both women and wrapped them both in a hug.

"Umm maybe you'd like to go see it." Brett barely croaked out from her position sandwiched between Erin and Tori.

"Yeah, Yeah, Oh yeah." Erin screamed, shattering everyone's eardrum.

"Well after you." Brett winked at her sister and every one followed or at least tried to as Erin ran off leaving everyone behind. Erin flung the front door open and stood at the door for a moment. There in the circular driveway was a shiny red convertible Porsche Boxster.

Erin ran to the car and ran her hands over the hood. She opened the door, fell into the black leather seats, and let out a scream.

Gordon and Janice looked at Erin's enthusiasm and then looked at Tori and Brett.

"You know, not that you can tell but you've made her very happy. That is a very extravagant gift, girls. Now she'll have enough money to get a place in the city and set herself up quite nicely. Thank you." Gordon and Janice hugged the women and went back to watching Erin drive the car around the drive.

Tori got behind Gordon and whispered in his ear. "Like you would ever let one of your kids go without, you big softy."

Gordon looked at Tori and he shrugged his shoulders. "It's a parent's prerogative to spoil their kids if they want. And I want." They all looked on as Erin dropped the top and was yelling her head off as she tore down the driveway.

"Well everyone, why don't we go and polish off the food and liquor. I don't think Erin will be back anytime soon." Gordon offered laughing as he heard his youngest child hooting and hollering as the image of her driving off got smaller and smaller.