"I think it would be nice to see some museums," Frank said, a little too innocently.

Callie glanced in his direction, and held back a smile. "I think that’s a great idea, Frank," she responded. She turned to Vanessa and added, "Gee, Van, where should we take the men? The Fashion Institutes? The Museum on Women’s History?"

Vanessa, playing along, added seriously, "I hear there’s a display of the gowns that the Presidents’ wives have worn going on around Pennsylvania Ave., near the White House."

Frank and Joe looked at each other in panic. "I, um, was kind of thinking something different," Frank said at last.

Callie laughed. "I know you’re dying to go the National Air and Space Museum, Frank," she said. "But I wish you’d come out and say it, already! Enough with the hints. There’s plenty of time to do everything and, since it’s the weekend, the colleges are closed. You’ll have the pleasure of my company!"

Frank blushed. "Well, it is an interesting museum, Cal," Frank said, thinking of how he couldn’t wait to get a look at the planes, one of his passions.

Callie winked, and replied, "I know. I’m just teasing you. That’s fine with me."

Joe groaned, audibly. They all turned to look at him.

"Dare I ask?" Vanessa questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"It’s just that it’s such a gorgeous day, guys! I mean, why can’t we stay outside, have a picnic, throw around the Frisbee, go swimming- something! I don’t think it’ll be much fun to be cooped up all day in a museum. Right?" He gave Vanessa puppy-dog eyes, and she just shook her head.

"You know, Joe, doing something educational once in a while wouldn’t kill you. Besides," she added, noting that Joe did look kind of bummed out about being indoors, "there are lots of interesting things in museums. AND, we don’t have to stay in them all day- they’re right on the mall."

Joe felt his eyes grow wide. This was worse than he thought! "The MALL?!" he cried. "I don’t want to go … shopping. Yuck!" He shuddered at the thought.

"You did NOT just say that, Joe," Frank said to his brother in disbelief.

"Yeah, I think he did," Vanessa said, joining Frank in his laughter.

Joe felt his face grow red. He hated being laughed at, especially when he had no idea what was so funny. Callie noticed that Joe was getting perturbed, and didn’t join in the teasing. Instead, she spoke up. "You know, guys," she said, matter-of-factly. "A lot of people don’t know what the Mall is, and I don’t think it’s nice to make fun of Joe."

Joe couldn’t believe his ears! Callie was sticking up for him?!

"Joe," Callie said, turning to him, "The Mall is a really large, pretty area outside. Most of the museums are on the right and left- hand sides of it. At one end is basically the Capitol building, and the other end is the Washington Monument. And you know what?! I think it would be lovely to spend some time outside. As a matter of fact, why don’t we meet up with Frank and Vanessa for dinner, after they’ve covered that museum, and we’ll … oh, I don’t know…go to the parks." Callie had no idea WHY she was defending Joe, but they HAD gotten a lot closer in recent months. Besides, she really did think that Frank and Vanessa had been out of line that time. Joe was far from stupid.

Joe held back laughter as he watched his brother and his girlfriend stare at Callie, mouths open. This trip had been worth it already for that moment, alone.

"Sounds good to me!" he said to Callie, offering her his arm. "We’ll meet you guys back here around 5:00, so we can all go to dinner- together!" He knew he was risking getting Vanessa mad at him, but a day outside did sound better than a day at Frank’s museum. Joe actually didn’t mind going to museums, but that one simply didn’t interest him.

"Bye!" Joe and Callie said together, and left Frank and Vanessa staring after them.

After a few minutes, Frank turned to Vanessa. "Alrighty, then," he said to her. "That wasn’t how I expected the day to start."

Vanessa sighed. "Yeah, but we deserved it, I guess. I would have expected Joe to get mad, though, not Callie!" she said, surprised.

"Well," Frank replied, a small smile beginning to form on his face. "At least I’m glad that Callie and Joe are getting closer. I think that’ll make my life a heck of a lot easier."

Vanessa agreed. "Okay, buddy, I guess it’s you and me then," she said. "Let’s go!"

Over the course of the next several hours, Frank and Vanessa excitedly toured the museum. Vanessa laughed as she watched Frank enthusiastically soak up all of the information he could get about older airplanes, and she enjoyed seeing Frank so happy viewing the models presented. He looks like a kid in a candy store, she thought to herself.

"I could spend a week in here alone!" Frank said to her, as they walked through yet another informative display.

"I be you could," she said dryly to him. At this point, even she was growing a bit tired of the museum. She liked the displays and all, but she’d seen enough about planes at this point that she felt like she could build one, herself!

"Um, Frank? Would you mind if we took a break and maybe got a late lunch? It’s almost 3:00, and I’m starving."

Frank paused, and then turned to her with an apologetic look. "I’m sorry, Vanessa," he said with a self-deprecating smile. "I guess I kind of got carried away, huh? Sometimes I forget that not everyone likes the same things I do. It’d be like Joe dragging me through a motorcycle museum. Forgive me?" he asked.

Vanessa smiled. "Forgiven."

Frank and Vanessa got a quick lunch, and then continued their tour of the museum, sipping sodas along the way. They were so busy chatting that they didn’t notice the person walking towards them until it was too late.

With a thud, the person walked right into Frank and Vanessa, sending Frank’s soda flying right into Vanessa, who stood there with her mouth open. The girl’s papers scattered all over the place, and she stood there, stunned.

"I… I’m sooo sorry!" she gasped. " I don’t know what’s the matter with me." She was fumbling, trying to get herself together, and bending down to pick up the papers. "I just…" she paused when she looked up and saw Frank. Vanessa noticed that her whole expression and countenance changed when she looked at him. Uh oh, she thought silently.

"Let me help you with those," Frank said, and helped the girl pick up her papers. "It’s no problem, really," he added. When he finished helping her, Frank took a look at the girl, and noticed that she was pretty cute. His first thought, however, was how different from Callie she was. She was tall- about 5’9", and had dark hair and light eyes, the total opposite of Callie. However, that was about all the thought he gave to her. "Here you go," he said to her, kindly.

"Oh! I… I didn’t mean to bump into you. Are you okay?"

Vanessa rolled her eyes. She was the one with the soda spilled on her.

"Thanks so much for helping me," the girl continued, her eyes on Frank the whole time. "My name’s Jenna- Jenna Barkalow," she added.

"Oh!" Frank said. "Sorry about that. My name is Frank Hardy," he replied, and shook her hand. "I see you work for the museum," he said to her, noting her uniform.

"AHEM," Vanessa said. "I hate to cut in here, FRANK, but I’m kind of a mess, and I think maybe we should get going."

Frank turned to her, surprised by the slightly hostile tone in her voice. "Jenna, this is Vanessa Bender." Reluctantly, Vanessa shook her hand. Something about the way this girl was looking at Frank was irritating her.

"Your girlfriend?" Jenna asked, hopefully.

"Actually, no," Vanessa said, hoping to end this right here. "I’m the girlfriend of his brother, Joe. However, Frank’s girlfriend, Callie, is here with us, too. Isn’t that right, Frank?"

Perplexed, Frank looked at Vanessa. "Yeah, of course," he responded.

"Oh," Jenna said, and Vanessa could se she was barely able to mask her disappointment. Vanessa sighed inwardly. Frank really was handsome, and he often got a lot of stares; Vanessa noted that he never paid attention to them, though, since he was devoted to Callie, who, herself, was beautiful. But, this girl was good-looking, and she knew it. Vanessa also saw that spark of interest in her eyes that didn’t seem to be going away, despite the revelation that Frank had a girlfriend.

"Anyway," Jenna continued, ignoring Vanessa, "I sure do work here!" she said, flashing a bright smile. "AND, I’d love to make it up to you for being so clumsy. How about you let me take you out to dinner? You know, to make amends."

To Vanessa’s utter astonishment, Frank replied, "Well, sure! That’d be great!"

"Frank!" Vanessa sighed, exasperated. "Don’t you think Callie would have a problem with that?!"

"Oh…" Jenna stuttered. "I… I meant all of you."

Sure you did, Vanessa thought angrily, already feeling defensive of Callie.

"That’s nice of you, Jenna," Frank responded, seeing no harm in their conversation. "Maybe you’d like to come to dinner with us, tonight, instead."

He’s either the most naïve or the most polite person I have ever met, Vanessa thought, stunned.

"Oh! That’d be great!" Jenna responded with a smile. She walked with Frank and Vanessa towards the bottom floor, by the back entrance. "Hey! I noticed that you seemed interested in the museum. Maybe I could give you a private tour sometime!" she said to Frank.

"That’d be fantastic!" Frank responded enthusiastically.

Vanessa’s mouth fell open. This girl was so transparent, and Frank seemed to be falling for her- hook, line, and sinker.

"Maybe tomorrow?" she asked.

"Great!" Frank replied with a smile. "My girlfriend and brother would love that!"

Jenna’s smiled faded a bit. "Well, I don’t know how many people I could get back here. I was sort of thinking just the two of us- since you like the museum so much and all."

Frank suddenly felt uncomfortable. Had he been reading this girl the wrong way? He hadn’t done anything wrong, but Frank suddenly felt guilty as Callie flashed through his mind. "Oh," he said at last. "We’ll discuss it over dinner, I guess. You can meet my girlfriend then," he said, pointedly.

"Okay," the girl said. "But that offer still stands!"

With a wave, she got the address of the hotel they were staying at from Frank, and bid Vanessa and Frank good-bye.

"She was nice," Frank said, as they made their way outside.

By now, Vanessa was fuming. "Nice? NICE?" she practically shouted. "Frank, that girl was all over you! Hello?! You have a girlfriend, remember?! Not just any girlfriend, either. Callie is smart, funny, brave, gorgeous—and maybe the best person I have ever known! How could you let that girl get to you like that?!"

Frank felt his face grow red. "She wanted to give us a private tour!" he snapped at her.

"Private tour my…"

"Vanessa!" Frank said angrily. "Can it, now!"

"Don’t talk to me like that!" She said angrily to him.

"Callie IS my girlfriend, Vanessa. You don’t have to sing her praises to me. I resent what you’re implying. I love Callie very much!"

"Just don’t forget that!" Vanessa answered.

They headed back to the hotel in silence.

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