Danielle was waiting in the living room when I came in. I saw that

Nataliya, Danielle's Russian friend, was on the other couch. The girls looked up from their magazines, casually relaxed. Just another lazy

Saturday.

“Soo00, looks Like my Little bro got Lucky, did he?"

My blush gave me away, along with the sheepish grin. Nataliya grinned right back at me, relishing the innuendo.

“Hey, I'm really happy for you. I think that's the first real smile

I've seen on your face since..." Danielle suddenly stopped.

“Well...”

Now she Looked apologetic. "Sorry, didn't mean to bring that up."

“Hey, it's okay. I'm... well, I can't say I'm good with it." I sighed and briefly thought about Ellie's pretty face. But then the moment passed. "But I'm alright."

“Well, you're alright for now."

And then Danielle stood up and folded her arms over her chest, fixing me with a withering glare that she MUST have Learned from our mom. "So,

WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU LAST NIGHT, YOUNG MAN?"

I actually got a little freaked out and backed up two steps, staring at

Nataliya, looking for reinforcements. But Nataliya's maternal instinct had taken over and she looked just as angry as my sister did.

“You didn't call. You didn't tell me you had a date. I would have been running around the campus calling everyone I knew if Kevin hadn't called me first!"

“Jeez, Dani. You're not my mom."

“No, but I AM responsible for you. If we'd been at home and you tried to pull this shit, mom would have had your ASS, and you know it."

"I thought that was half the point of going to college? No curfews. No need to inform the parentals of your evening plans."

“Yeah, yeah. But you still had me worried for a couple of hours."

Danielle sighed and then opened her arms. Automatically, I stepped forward and hugged her with sibling affection.

We pulled back until her arms were straightened and yet still on my shoulders. I waggled my head trying to figure a solution that would satisfy her obligation to feel responsible and yet give me my college freedom.

“Look, last night was just my first date and I hope to hell that there will be many more. Can you at least give me the overnights before you panic? As long as I'm back in the morning, you've got nothing to be afraid of. No worries. But if I'm not back by... say...

1@am or don't call by then, then you have every right to go all righteous fury on my ass, okay?"

Danielle sighed and looked over at her friend.