TIANA'S POV :

     We had a great time in LA , for the most part . Kelli got a kick out of going to the studio and seeing how things were done there , and of course we had to go to all the touristy spots so she could take selfies and post them to her social media . 

     We got back to Vegas yesterday , and she's gonna be here for a couple of days before she flies out to Florida to do the Disney thing with her kids and , weirdly , her ex in - laws . Apparently , they're so pissed off at their son that they took her side over his . Which sucks for him , because his folks are loaded . 

     Scott is out for his morning run , and Brian and I are in the kitchen making breakfast , when we hear Kelli shout from the living room , "Oh , fuck a duck sideways !"

     "I never quite understood that one , did you ?" , Brian snickers .

     "Sounds like animal cruelty to me . Not to mention unnecessarily complex ." , I reply .

     She walks into the kitchen with her phone , and asks , "Hey , guys , do Scott or Shannon have access to y'alls social media ?"

     "Of course he does !" , Brian says .

     "Not specifically , why ?" , I inquire .

     "Because I may have fucked up the other day ." , she responds .

     She holds out her phone , and shows us a picture she posted to her Facebook when we were at the studio. It shows me ,Scott , CC , and Juliet holding Andy crossways in front of us , with him acting like he's propping himself up on his elbow in midair , with Jinxx and Ashley in the background . 

     "Yeah , so what ?" , Brian queries .

     "Read ." , she says .

     We start reading , and find several comments from people we knew in high school . Most of them are pretty innocuous , but several of them reference my relationship with Ash , in one way or another . A couple of people seem to be hoping that we've gotten back together , because they think "you guys were so cute together " , and a few of the girls he ignored back then still being bitchy , wondering why he went out with me in the first place .

     "Oh , joy ! Just what we don't need right now ." , I groan .

     Brian immediately grabs his phone , and blocks the majority of these people from his accounts , then calls Rick and advises him to do the same .

     "Aren't you going to do yours , T ?" , Kelli asks me . 

     "Not necessary , I don't have any of them on my friends list . The only people from school I have on my accounts besides you are your brother and Diana , and neither of them have commented on that ." 

     A shadow seems to move across Brian's face as I say this , and Kelli and I both give him a squeeze . Diana Tolliver was his boyfriend Kyle's little sister , and it's always sad to think about him not being here anymore . He was a really sweet guy , and he basically treated me like another sister . He literally helped save my life at least once , and I still miss being able to talk to him . 

     The back door opens , and Scott walks in , followed by Shannon , Rick , and Ashley . "Look who I found on the way home !" , Scott announces .

     Everyone sits down at the table , and I pull my breakfast casserole out of the oven , while Brian starts making waffles . I serve up slices of the casserole , which is eggs , hash browns , cheese , onions , mushrooms , and cream of chicken soup , all mixed together and baked .

     As we're eating , Kelli's phone pings again . She looks at it and mumbles something that apparently only Shan catches , because she says , "Whoa , who peed on your waffle ? I'm not sure I've ever heard anyone called that before ." 

     "Called what , babe ?" , Rick asks .

     "A low - life , shit - for - brains peckerhead ." 

     "That's actually a line from a movie ." , Ash tells her . " Peter O'Toole , I think ."

     I hold out my hand , and she hands me her phone . I look at what's on there , and just shake my head . 

     "What ?" , Scott asks me .

     "That's it , I'm done ! " , I announce to the table at large . "This is getting stupid , and I'm through fucking around ! Apparently since people don't know how to mind their own damn business , it won't work much longer anyway , so this is as good a time as any ." 

     Scott and Shan look thoroughly confused , while everyone else is either nervous or resigned .

     "What exactly are we talking about , Tiana ?" , Scott queries .

     "We're talking about the fact that I wasn't entirely honest about what happened the first day you guys got back , when I had it out with Rick , here . Yeah , what he did basically qualified as a dirty trick , but there are details I decided to leave out , because I didn't want to risk causing any sort of problems for you and Brian ." 

     As they sit here , letting their breakfast go cold , I finally tell them what happened , with some help from Ashley , surprisingly . Needless to say , the story is NOT greeted with cheers , and both Rick and Ash get some choice words from both of my siblings .

     "I'm not even going to try to argue with you ." , Ashley informs them . "You're not saying anything that I haven't said to myself . But just so you know , I have apologized to Tiana , and she's been gracious enough to accept . I can't change the past , but I have learned from it , and I'm doing what I can to try to make up for it ."

     "I'd like to do the same , if I could ." , Rick chimes in . "I never thought things would go as bad as they did , it never even occurred to me . Hell , I was a dumbass seventeen year old kid , I barely knew what the word 'consequences' meant ! But just so you know , Tiana , I'm a lot smarter now , and I would never even THINK about doing something like that to your sister . She means everything to me , and if I'm ever that dumb , you have my cheerful permission to use me as a practice dummy ."

    " Don't worry , Rick , I wouldn't need your permission ." , I inform him .

     "I'm glad to hear you feel that way , but I think you might still be sleeping in the guest room tonight ." , Shannon announces .

     "Yeah , I kinda saw that one coming ." , he says . He then turns back to me and says , "Well , is there any chance that you might be willing to accept my apology , too ?" 

     I sigh , hold out my hand to him , and reply , "Yeah , I guess so . It would be kind of unreasonable to accept Ashley's , and not yours , wouldn't it ?" 

     "Especially since I was the fucking idiot who thought up the idea ." , Ash interjects .

     "Dude , you're not really helping yourself there !" , Rick sort of chuckles .

     "Just being honest . You already took your share of the crap for that , and mine , too . No reason to let you take more of the blame than you earned ." , he answers .

     "Whoa , maturity !" , Brian exclaims .  "Someone alert the media !"

     Kelli gives a very un- ladylike snort and shoots back , " Hell , call Ripley's ! These two ass - monkeys have finally turned into grown - ups !"

     "Does that mean you don't hate us anymore , Kel ?" , Ashley inquires .

     "Just as long as you remember what I can do to you if you fuck my friend over again , guys ." , she says , with a rather evil grin .

     "No offense , Shaw , but you're the size of a lawn gnome ! Are you telling us you took martial arts like Tiana ?" , Rick teases .

     "No , not at all . But I am at exactly the right level to tear your junk out by the roots , y'know ."

     Every man at the table involuntarily flinches and crosses their legs at this .

     "OK , breakfast is officially over !" , Brian announces . "I think I can speak for everyone when I say that you've officially killed our appetites ." 

Kelli smirks , "Always glad to be of service ."