What Friends Are For

My oldest son, Andrew, Jr. (AJ), was visited over Snowflake Day by his old pal, his bestie, Princess Alexandra of Hidden Springs.  (I've always felt like she wanted to be more than friends but because of her position it wasn't possible.)

He was down because of the breakup of his relationship with his college girlfriend, Samantha Grey.  The reason AJ and Samantha broke up finally is as shocking as the fact that they even got together in the first place.

He was at Barnstormer's picking up his final report card from the University when he ran into Sierra.  The two of them were chatting over pizzas when AJ mused that he thought he might want to marry Samantha at some point.
Sierra interjected, "You know, AJ, you might want to reconsider that."
"Why?" AJ asked.

"Your girlfriend tried to hit on me last night at a party."

Sierra got uncomfortable and left the party.
When Sage told me the story my mouth just about flew open.  The fact that Samantha had attempted to hook up with AJ's own sister is just unbelievable.

So AJ and Samantha had broken up, and he was feeling down about it.  Princess Alexandra just 'happened' to be in town for a military meeting on funding for a super rocket.  And AJ, of course, just happens to be one of the military officers she was meeting with.  (She was in AJ's cadet class in Hidden Springs' royal military academy, that's how they met).  Both are high ranking military officers.

In many ways their reconnection was just like old times.

They shot the breeze at the local sports bar...
 

...then stayed up talking and beating the crap out of each other in Call of Duty half the night.

 
"She did what?" I heard Alexandra exclaim in disbelief.  "She hit on your little sister? Oh, that's real low.  I mean, I'd think she'd try it with anybody but not one of your own siblings.  I mean, sheesh."

"That's just it, Alex.  Why would she do that to my own sister... it just didn't seem right.  Nothing happened, though, Sierra ran out before anything could.  Could you imagine if anything had actually happened?"
"I'm not sure I want to, actually."
"I didn't believe Sierra at first, especially with her history of telling tall tales, but -"

"You didn't want to believe her."
"Well, yeah!"
"She did cheat on you with a girl before, AJ.  I told you back then that she was no good for you.  You could do so much better."

"Like you?" AJ asked, the words having slipped out of his mouth without even thinking.  And he surely couldn't take them back now.

Alexandra gave AJ a surreptitious smile.