"Over here, guys," said Nick. The tall Greek
stood at the gate with two dozen roses in his arms. After
kissing them both hello and taking their bags, he handed
a dozen to Gary and one to Parker. "Come on, I have the
car parked outside and the Terminator down waiting for
your bags."
"Kimmie's here?" asked Parker. She hadn't
seen her sisters in six months due to conflicting schedules.
While Parker dominated women's tennis, her sisters Kimmie
and Gray did the same in the sand playing volleyball.
"Yeah she and Gray are here for today. They
are heading out in the morning for a tournament in Palm
Beach, so they're cooking you dinner and crashing in your
guest rooms tonight." Nick pointed them toward the exit
knowing that he and the King sisters had more than exceeded
their welcome outside, then again they didn't call Gray
the Viper for nothing. One look had sent the young security
guard back to his booth for the hour they had been waiting.
"Remember workout first, then family reunion,"
said Gary knowing the reprimand was unnecessary but he
said it anyway.
"Yes, master, I remember."
By the Suburban outside stood two women
that looked almost exactly like the tennis pro except
for the hair. Kimmie and Gray both kept theirs cut short
for easier maintenance when they played, but all of them
had the same powerful build. They where all two years
apart with Parker being the baby of the family and Gray
being the oldest. For each, sports had been an escape
from overly conservative parents that wanted prim ladies
and lots of grandchildren to show off. Instead they had
gotten three of the most famous lesbians in sports, which
had been more than enough for their parents to disown
them. With Nick's careful management all three had no
more money concerns, just the heartache that came from
their parents' rejection.
"Is that the Wimbledon champion we see?"
asked Gray as she stepped out of the driver's seat. The
surprise for Parker was cutting two days off their training
schedule but had been worth it to see the smile on her
little sister's face. It killed the older two not to be
there for any of the matches Parker had played in, but
hopefully in September they would be in the stands for
the entire Open.
The family caught up on the happenings in
their lives since they had seen each other last, having
Gary write down some dates when Parker could go and watch
her sisters play. From inside the airport Emily arrived
at the exit in time to see Parker get into the vehicle
right before it drove away. Gail as usual was running
late and Emily waited inside in the air-conditioning not
wanting to brave the heat until she was wearing a bathing
suit.
Emily ended up leaning against the glass
wall by the entrance for forty minutes before she saw
Gail get out of a rented car outside. By the way she was
walking, Emily could tell where she had been since she
had arrived. When the broker made it inside and bent to
kiss her, the scotch on her breath only confirmed it for
her. The blonde got behind the driver's side while Gail
loaded her luggage and wondered if the dent in the front
fender she had seen was there when Gail picked up the
car. The passenger door slamming shut made Emily look
at the woman she had spent three years with as she closed
her eyes and fell asleep instead of talking. If it hadn't
been so sad, Emily would've found it humorous that they'd
been away from each other for almost a month but neither
of them could find anything to talk about as Emily pointed
the car in the direction of the place they had rented.
The three sisters made the circuit of the
workout room as the older two gave Parker a hard time
about Alicia. The two tormentors had mentioned every tabloid
headline before Parker changed into her running clothes
and hit the beach. This stretch of paradise was what she
missed most grueling tournament play kept them away for
months at a time. The pristine white sand and blue green
waters were like a blanket of calm in an otherwise busy
life. Coming back here, Parker was convinced she could
walk away from tennis and not miss the crowds or the action.
Parker's house was built on a large parcel
of water front property in Press Cove. In the opposite
direction from Nick and Gary's house there were only a
couple of houses along the beach for miles. After that
there wasn't anything really until you hit the more populated
stretch that marked Clearwater. Parker didn't mind sharing
the space close to her since all of her other neighbors
were weekenders that mostly came in the fall to enjoy
the still warm but cooler temperatures.
Leaving her sisters in the kitchen, Parker
stood on the shoreline and stretched. The usual route
she took brought her five miles down the beach before
turning around and heading back. Her dedication to roadwork,
as Gary called it, kept her legs fresh during grueling
matches. The women on the other side of the net were usually
cursing by the second set when Parker used the same speed
to chase down balls as she did in the first game.
In the summer Parker's usual companions
were the gulls flying past her and the sandpipers that
ran ahead of her to escape the oncoming surf. It was one
of the reasons she ran without the usual headphones most
people used during their runs. The sound of the waves
and her feet hitting the sand were Parker's form of meditation.
The enjoyment of her surroundings and the joy of being
home almost made her trip over the couple locked in a
heated kiss on a red blanket laid out on the sand.
Parker could see that the bigger of the
two had her hand firmly ensconced in her partner's bikini
bottom and the blonde on top of her seemed to be enjoying
the attention. Returning her gaze to the water, Parker
ran past them without saying anything not wanting to embarrass
the two lovers any more than she already had. That
is if they even noticed me. She thought as her pace
put her far away enough to miss the ensuing argument she
had unwittingly caused.
"Goddamn it, Gail, when I tell you to stop,
I would appreciate it if you did just that. I told you
I heard someone coming and I was right. I don't much enjoy
being a floor show for anyone," said Emily in a heated
voice. She had pushed off Gail as soon as she heard the
footsteps fading with the surf. Any of the good feelings
of seeing Gail again after three weeks evaporated like
the foam on the sand near the water.
"Funny that, Em, three years ago it wouldn't
have mattered where we were or who was watching but now
everything seems to be a problem. I'm sorry if I don't
think a dark room with the curtains closed is the only
appropriate place to show you that I love you. Jesus,
I haven't seen you in almost a month and you're already
pulling this shit. Enjoy the sunset, I'm going into town
to get some groceries for our stay," said Gail. These
little outbursts and reprimands from Emily were getting
tiring, and to avoid another fight Gail got up and walked
away.
"You didn't miss me enough that you could
forget about stopping at the airport bar for a few before
you went to get the car. I hope you got insurance because
I'm doubting they gave you one with a messed up fender."
Gail stopped walking but didn't turn around.
"I'm finding the bottle a more passionate and warm lover
than you, Emily, and your lectures aren't going to change
that opinion anytime soon. Think about that while I'm
gone, before I really am gone," threatened Gail.
"You mean Sophia wasn't passionate enough
for you?"
"I was an idiot to think there'd be any
forgiveness in that heart of yours, Emily."
"Yeah well, you know what they say about
learned behavior?"
Gail clenched her fist but still refused
to turn around. It wasn't like Emily to bring up a past
mistake, at least the only one Emily knew about. "What's
that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, just go."
Emily sat on the blanket with her eyes closed
for over an hour before getting up and going for a swim.
The pilot was tired of working only to come home to constant
fighting with Gail, and the thought of doing it on her
vacation made her want to pack up and ask for a new flight
assignment. It was becoming apparent to Emily that she
should turn her thoughts to how to end the relationship
instead of spending any more time trying to fix it, but
they were there so she would try again.
The lesson that she couldn't stop Gail's
drinking should have been learned a long time before this,
but Emily felt guilty just leaving. Gail had never been
abusive, she just knew how much alcohol she could get
away with and still be functional on the trading floor
the next day. Emily shook her head and tried not to think
about their problems. They would still be waiting for
them when they got home, it was time to enjoy the house
and the sun even if she had to do it alone.
Well into chapter two of her book, Emily
looked up to see who the footsteps belonged to. She was
sure whoever the runner was; it was the same person that
had interrupted them earlier. The woman ran past her oblivious
to her presence, and Emily held her breath at the sheer
rotten luck she was having today.
There in all her sweaty glory was Parker
King. Wearing only running shorts and a sports bra, Parker
was giving Emily the opportunity to just stare without
guilt or fear of being caught. Parker was like some work
of art found in museums. Muscles stood out in every uncovered
area from the weight lifting session and her run, and
then Emily moved to Parker's face. Here in this mostly
untouched area Parker seemed happy like she was free.
The young woman who had slowed to a walk
past her, held no trace of the sarcastic person that had
traded barb for barb with her on the flight. Emily thought
maybe she had misjudged Parker after finishing chapter
two of the book she had made Gail stop for before driving
out of Tampa. Anyone who read 'To Kill a Mockingbird'
couldn't be all bad, right?
The notion of announcing her presence died
on Emily's lips when Parker stripped naked and jumped
into the surf in front of the house next to the one she
and Gail were staying in. Emily hadn't noticed the beach
house when she and Gail had first come down. The tennis
court built on plyings over the water would have given
her a good clue as to who owned the house had she bothered
to look.
So this is where the Romeo of the circuit
lives, thought Emily. Her mental musings were instantly
confirmed when two other naked women ran out of the house
to join Parker in the water. Yes she's a pig with a
soft spot for classical books. Emily walked back to
the house carrying only her book and her bag, leaving
the rest for Gail to worry about. Staying here for a week
was only going to magnify how out of whack her life had
become Emily had a gut feeling. What would it be like
to go through life without worrying about the consequences
thought Emily as she took one last look at the three women
having fun in the surf?
The next morning Gail walked out to the
beach with her own book as Emily headed out the front
door with the car keys. When Gail had gotten back the
night before, six hours after she had left, Emily had
taken a shower and was already sleeping not giving them
a chance to talk anymore about what was happening to them.
That morning wasn't much easier when the pilot had informed
Gail that she was going into town alone. Emily had been
in the area once before and enjoyed walking in the small
downtown area of Press Cove. With any luck she would find
gifts for her mom and sister who both had birthdays coming
up later in the summer.
Emily relaxed in the coffee shop before
starting her shopping, trying to forget the growing awkwardness
between she and Gail. She was starting to get angry at
the late nights of not knowing where Gail was, but wasn't
ready to take that final step. The thought of Gail cheating
on her wasn't the issue, but if you found peace at the
bottom of a glass, how long would that lead to the arms
of someone else again? If it came to a breakup her mom
would take it hard Emily figured. Her mother had always
thought Gail had been a calming figure in her daughter's
life, but Emily had never shared the whole truth with
her family not wanting to worry them. And in reality she
wanted more than what she was getting. Shouldn't there
be passion, and not just for arguing? Emily sat with
her eyes closed running through a litany of questions
in her mind on how to fix her life when the familiar voice
interrupted and put a frown on her face.
"Sorry it took so long, ma'am, but I'm still
recovering from a bumpy landing in Miami yesterday." When
Emily opened her eyes there was the tennis player holding
a tray with the cappuccino she had ordered sitting on
it. The heat in her ears was a combination of a blush
and anger over Parker's statement. Bad weather and wind
shears had made for a less than perfect landing and she
didn't want to take anyone's shit about it. "I'm sorry,
Captain, I was only kidding. You looked so lost sitting
there I thought I'd cheer you up."
"Why are you harassing me on my vacation,
Miss King?" asked Emily. Oh no, I will not fall for
a cute smile and a cute butt. Emily, she sleeps with two
women at a time, Emily had to remind herself as the
dimples Parker was displaying made her want to smile in
return. Emily continued the lecture in her head as a way
to get her defenses up. Today they are sky blue.
The other voice in her head chimed in as Parker leaned
down to put the cup on the table and Emily got a good
look at her eyes.
"I was on my way home from the airport,
Captain, and I love the hot chocolate here. Pardon me
for bothering you, it won't happen again. I hope you enjoy
your stay." The smile disappeared from Parker's
face as she thought, God this woman was such a bitch.
Parker turned to walk back to the counter to wait for
her order when she heard the more gentle tone come out
of Emily.
"Do you like hanging out in airports? Or
is it where you perfect your sarcastic comments for airline
employees?" The question was Emily's effort, against her
better judgment, to get Parker to stay after she had snapped
at her.
"No, that's your job I would guess, and
I'm not sarcastic. I was just dropping my sisters off
for their flight this morning. They surprised me with
a visit yesterday before having to fly out for their own
tournament today," answered Parker. A teenager with acne
walked up and handed Parker a large steaming cup before
heading back behind the counter.
"There's more than one of you?" A look of
disgust crossed her face as the kid came back with a large
cinnamon roll for Parker to go with the hot chocolate.
Jeez she eats like that and still looks like she does.
Emily looked up at Parker now holding the cinnamon roll
and the cup and realized the tennis player was waiting
for an invitation to sit down. "I'm sorry, would you like
to join me?" Emily waved to the empty chair facing her
own suddenly wanting Parker's company.
"Thanks, and yes there are three of us,
but Gray and Kimmie are way different from me. First off
they are both taller, and they are into sand." Parker
took a big bite of the gooey roll she had ordered and
held it up to Emily to take a bite. The blonde head shook
no knowing that she had the metabolism of a lazy slug.
"Sand?" She was regretting not taking the
bite Parker had offered seeing the blue eyes roll back
in an expression of how good the pastry was.
"They play volleyball, as in sand volleyball.
A two man team that can make you eat the ball if you're
not paying attention," explained Parker. Emily watched
Parker continue to eat the roll and stop every so often
to lick icing off her fingers. God that looks good.
Emily's brain was having a hard time distinguishing the
comment between the roll and the long fingers holding
it.
"Sort of like their sister serving the ball
up at over a hundred miles an hour," said Emily without
thought. The minute the words had left her mouth Emily
could have kicked herself. All Parker needed was encouragement
from her. The smile with a slight chocolate moustache
told Emily of her folly.
"Why, Captain, I didn't know you cared"
Parker was teasing, and the squirming and blushing Emily
was doing was making her want to laugh, but she stayed
quiet.
"I watched a little of your match at the
airport lounge just because there was nothing else on.
Your talent on a tennis court impressed me, Ms. Parker,
then I met you and you called me sweetheart and essentially
asked me to make you coffee and a sandwich," said Emily.
This is an equal opportunity squirming table, big guy,
thought Emily as she watched Parker doing a bit of her
own.
"It was hot chocolate, I don't drink coffee."
"A splitting of semantical hairs, Ms. King.
I don't serve either."
"Ah, but I beg to differ. Yes you do, Captain."
Emily narrowed her eyes and Parker decided it was time
for a change in subject moving away from beverages before
the conversation landed her at another table. "I never
did ask where you are staying?"
"The Pelican Villa house." The question
had been the bell that had ended the round and now they
retreated to their respective corners. Yes the house
right next to yours, oh naked swimmer, though now I know
who the two other women were. Might I have misjudged you,
Parker?
"Hey we're neighbors," said Parker sitting
up and smiling. It hadn't occurred to her yet that the
blonde in the bikini was Emily. "How about I take you
out to dinner to make it up to you, or better yet I could
cook for you?"
Ok, off beverages and onto flirting.
Did she just ask me out? Jesus this girl moves so fast,
I wonder if she slows down the car when she comes to pick
you up. Time to slow this down a bit. "I'm here with
someone, can she come?" The coffee encounter if Emily
was honest with herself had slid into flirtation the minute
Parker had sat down, and it was time to pull back some.
Emily was here to work on her relationship with Gail,
not play footsie with Parker King.
The photogenic smile across from her faltered
a bit but didn't completely fade away. "Sure just come
over tonight anytime after six. I have practice and workouts
until around five thirty. See you then." Parker got up
and left without waiting for an answer and Emily watched
her get into an older model Land Cruiser and drive away.
"Well this ought to be interesting," Emily
muttered softly. She popped the last bit of cinnamon roll
that Parker had slid across the table to her before she
left. Now Emily had two things to feel guilty about.
Shopping had lost its allure after her bizarre
coffee adventure, making Emily head back to the beach
house after Parker had left taking all the life out of
the downtown area with her. The chilly interior of the
house was devoid of sound, so Emily figured Gail was out
on the beach. Looking out the back windows she could see
the sun sparkling off the soft waves and the tops of the
sea oats were bobbing gently with the slight breeze. Stripping
as she walked through the house to the bedroom to get
her bathing suit on, Emily was relieved not to have to
go another round with Gail.
Emily dropped her bag on the blanket that
was still in the spot it had been the day before and ran
out into the surf. The water was shockingly cold at first
so she just dove in head first getting lost in the thrill
of no responsibility. When she came up was when she first
became aware of the popping noise.
Next door on the court that seemed to float
above the water was Parker and another woman seemingly
trying to kill each other with a tennis ball. Parker was
wearing a t-shirt and baggy shorts, but even that couldn't
hide the raw power that wielded the tennis racket like
it was a sword. Whoever her opponent was, she was holding
her own in a volley that was as blistering as the unrelenting
sun. Emily could hear a man's voice every so often barking
out corrections. She felt happy all of a sudden in that
Parker still looked like she had fun playing what was
essentially just a game. It seemed to suit the young woman's
free spirit.
"Natasha, hit them more toward the forehand
please, Boris needs more work on that right now since
the ball will bounce differently at the Open. Park, pay
attention and lengthen the shots. We all ready know you're
a big girl that can hit it hard, let's try finesse now,
sweetheart," said Gary. The service stance swiveled a
bit and the tall man found himself dodging the bullet
Parker had shot his way. "Funny, Parker, funny."
Emily found herself laughing at Parker's
playful side. The pilot was only twenty-eight but had
lost that part of her inner child some time ago. It was
refreshing to see someone take such gusto even when no
one was watching. One of the lobs Parker sent up went
over the fence and into the water making Emily think it
was the downfall of the court's location, and also that
Parker was getting tired to make such a mistake. Parker's
order of, "Abby, go," told her differently.
The ball of fur that dove into the water
was the biggest conglomeration of dog Emily had ever seen.
It was just a big black blur that hit the water and swam
for the yellow floating ball. He met Parker on the beach
dropping the ball at her feet and shaking the water from
his fur.
"You, big goober," Emily heard Parker's
deep voice fuss at the surprise shower. So intent on her
neighbor, Emily didn't hear Gail swim up behind her and
jumped a little when the two arms wrapped around her waist.
"Hi, baby, I missed you." She pushed Emily's
hair aside and kissed her neck making Emily stiffen momentarily
at the move. Emily forced herself to relax and patted
the tops of Gail's hands on her mid section. Gail turned
her around and was about to kiss Emily when the barking
from the shore scared them both apart. The black mutt
was dancing from paw to paw with the wet ball sitting
in front of him. Emily laughed at the thought that if
Parker had been a dog, this would be it. He just wanted
to play and his master had headed for the house.
"Come on, Abby, time to go, boy," they heard
Parker's voice from behind the dunes. Abercrombie sat
for a second and waved his paw in their direction then
nosed the ball into the water as a gift before turning
and running toward home.
"Get any shopping done?" The look on Gail's
face let Emily know what she was in the mood for and thought,
so much for talking about what happened yesterday.
"No I decided to come back for a swim after
running into our neighbor. She invited us over for dinner
tonight, I hope you don't mind but I accepted." With a
little force she broke Gail's embrace and headed for the
shore and on impulse picked up the ball Abby had left
behind.
"Sure, whatever you want. How about a nap?"
offered Gail. It was already four; they had a few hours.
"Sure."
An hour later Gail laid next to her, sated
but frustrated at the same time. Emily touched her and
made love to her but didn't want any return affection
from her. It was happening with more frequency and Gail
didn't know how to fix it. Did Emily just want to be conquered?
"We'll have to talk about this sooner or
later you know," Gail told her not moving the arm that
she had draped over her eyes. Emily just rolled out of
bed and headed for the shower hearing the sigh behind
her before she closed the door.
"I can't talk about something I have no
answers for," she told her reflection in the bathroom
mirror.
Gail and Emily walked along the shoreline
at six to get to Parker's house in silence. They both
watched the undulations, which really couldn't be called
waves, in the water as if they held the answers to what
was wrong with them. Gail noticed the ball the dog had
left in Emily's hand, the hand closest to her so that
she couldn't hold it.
"You go out into that sand and I'm throwing
you on the grill." The voice held no hint of teasing and
Emily and Gail stopped in their tracks. "I mean it, Abby,
it takes an hour to blow dry all that damn fur of yours,"
Parker finished. Emily could see him standing on the edge
of the deck looking at her hand and quickened her steps
not to get the pooch in trouble.
"Hey," Emily called up. Emily's greeting
was followed by Abby's loud barking, alerting a ten-mile
radius of the women's arrival.
"Hey come on up. Don't worry Abby's h-a-r-m-l-e-s-s,"
said Parker. Gail quirked an eyebrow at the spelling and
thought this was going to be a really long night.
"Go on, Emily, obviously he's harmless."
No sooner had the word left Gail's mouth Abby underwent
a transformation. Like a cat his fur stood on end and
his teeth were bared in a snarl.
"Abercrombie Princeton King, down," shouted
Parker. The yell made the dog whip his head around and
instantly sit. He looked up at Parker and seemed to wait
to see how much trouble he was in. "She didn't mean it,
boy, everybody knows you're the real King Kong around
here," Parker cooed to the dog. The wagging tail was back
and he was back to trying to coax the two women in the
sand to join them.
"What in the hell was that?" demanded Gail.
If the woman had some kind of vicious dog, she shouldn't
have invited people over without locking him up first.
"Sorry Abby takes exception when people
call him what you just did. Makes him feel like a weenie
I guess. Say you're sorry, boy," ordered Parker. Abby
walked to Emily first and offered a paw with his head
bowed, which she accepted giving him his ball back. The
dog offered the same to Gail but pinned the woman with
eyes surprisingly like his master's.
"Hey I'm glad you came and I hope you're
hungry." Behind Parker a formidable sized grill was burning
logs of hickory down to coal, and next to it sat large
steaks of salmon. Everything looked organized and within
easy reach to an experienced cook like Emily. It was one
of her hobbies that she didn't get to practice very often.
"You cook, Miss King?" It wasn't until just
then that the pilot wondered if Parker knew her name.
They had never used a first name basis in all their previous
meetings.
"Please, Captain, call me Parker." She held
a large tanned hand toward Gail and introduced herself
to Emily's companion. "Welcome to my home, I'm Parker
King and you've met Abercrombie."
"Thanks for the invitation, I'm Gail Ingles
and I see you already know Emily. And I hardly think you
need an introduction Parker, congratulations on your recent
win." Parker nodded at the greeting and pointed to some
seats after the formalities were out of the way and moved
behind the outside bar.
"Can I get you two something to drink?"
"White wine and a scotch if you have it,"
answered Gail for the two of them. Parker saw the look
that Emily gave her partner for doing so and waited to
see if the blonde would answer for herself.
"I'll have a hot chocolate actually."
"With or without marshmallows?" asked Parker.
"What the hell, with."
"Hot chocolate? What are you crazy, it's
a hundred degrees out here." Gail's admonishments stopped
when Parker uncapped the thermos on the bar and poured
two cups of hot chocolate dropped in a handful of marshmallows
into both then poured a scotch. "How did you know I'm
not the wine drinker among us?" Brown eyes closed into
an almost leer as Parker got their drink orders correct
without having to ask.
"Just a hunch, Ms. Ingles."
"Gail, please." She accepted her drink and
watched Emily wrap her hands around the mug Parker had
given her like it was cold outside. Where in the hell
had Emily met the number one tennis player in the world
and why did they look so familiar with each other?
"Now why don't you two entertain yourselves
for a moment while I cook some fish. If you ask nice enough,
Abby will be happy to run the gamut of tricks he knows,
just start with play dead and work your way down." It
had occurred to Parker to walk next door during her run
and cancel since Gary had moved their photo shoot up a
day, but despite the partner, she had wanted to see Emily
again before they went home from their vacation.
"Abby, play dead," said Parker to start
them off. Parker pulled an imaginary gun from her hip
and shot him. The ham with fur put a little more into
it than the usual just falling and not moving most dogs
did. With a paw on his head he howled like Parker had
actually pulled the trigger then staggered a bit before
falling down at Emily's feet and moaning a few more times
before he died. While Emily laughed at the big dog's antics
Gail got up and poured herself another drink, filling
the glass up more than Parker had. This was the Emily
Gail had first met one night out with her friends. She
was lost to Gail, but if seemed Parker had found her and
coxed Emily out of the shell she had wrapped around her.
"Abby, dance," Parker prompted again. Gail
kept her eyes on Parker, as Parker kept her eyes on Emily,
who had her eyes on Abby. Leaving the dog to do a jig
on his hind legs Parker asked Gail to watch the steaks
for a minute while she ran inside. Emily praised Abby's
efforts watching Parker retreat into the kitchen for a
minute. The tall brunette returned with a bowl of marinating
asparagus for the grill, and a smile for Emily.
Now that would be fun, to have a someone
to cook with, thought Emily as she watched the young
woman work away at the grill. Gail didn't like to do anything
in the kitchen, while Emily loved to spend the day trying
new recipes when she had the time. Why in the world
am I thinking about this person like this? Parker's
call to the table didn't give Emily time to contemplate
the answer to her silent question.
During the meal Parker switched to water,
as did Emily leaving Gail to finish the bottle of white
wine in the cooler on the table. The trader declined coffee
or hot chocolate and moved back to the scotch bottle she
had started with at their arrival. They had run out of
polite conversation twenty minutes before that and both
Emily and Parker could see Gail's growing dark mood.
"Maybe we should go." Emily was reluctant
to leave and deal with Gail, but couldn't find an excuse
to stay.
"Could I walk you both home?" asked Parker
seeing Gail's glassy look. If she stumbled in the dunes
on the way back, Parker didn't think that Emily could
handle her alone.
"I think we are fucking smart enough to
find the house next door, Parker, so back off."
Gail didn't know what this dinner had been about, but
she and Emily had some things to discuss when they ditched
the tennis star and her goddamn performing dog.
"I'm sorry if I offended you, Gail, I just
thought you could use some help getting back." This was
not the time to show the drunken woman sitting across
from her that she could knock off more than the covers
of tennis balls. "If you don't mind I have an early morning
tomorrow, but I do appreciate you both joining me tonight."
Gail got up from the table and stumbled
right back onto it breaking every dish on her way down.
Abby bared his teeth again without growling and Emily
looked like she was about to help the dog out by contributing
her own growl.
"It's all right, Captain, Rosa will get
it in the morning don't worry about it." Parker stopped
the blonde before she picked anything up. Gail had turned
already and made her way off the deck not waiting for
Emily. "We can just say the dinner party was a smashing
success."
"I'm sorry, Parker. Good night," was all
Emily could think to say before she too stepped off into
the darkness. At almost the half way point between the
two houses Emily saw Gail waiting for her. The anger that
had erupted on Parker's deck minutes before that had only
gotten worse Emily could see so she walked up slowly.
"Thank you for embarrassing me like that."
"You want to tell me when you became so
fucking chummy with Parker King? Or did you fuck her to
see what all the fuss was about?" Gail grabbed Emily's
arm and squeezed as if trying to force her to answer the
question.
"Maybe I did. At least she is sober past
ten in the morning." For the first time they had been
together, Gail balled her hand into a fist and cocked
it back. Emily just looked at her as if daring her to
carry through with the threat. "Let me go." She was shaking
inside but Emily's voice sounded calm and clear.
"I'll decide when to let you go, don't forget
that," said Gail squeezing Emily's arm harder. "Don't
worry, I'm not going to hit you. There's no way you fucked
someone else, Emily, because we both know you are too
cold for that. I should tell your crew just how appropriate
the nick name ice queen really is."
"I said let me go," said Emily with more
passion this time. She pushed Gail getting to fall backward
into the sand. When the grip came loose, Emily started
to shake and tears filled her eyes. She turned and ran
for the house leaving Gail sprawled out in the sand. The
fact she never looked back should have been a clue as
to what point she was at with her lover of three years,
but Emily didn't care. Gail had crossed a line that night
and there might not be a way back.
