“Uh,” Trinity said, “This is your stuff.” Her eyes went to Sara’s face.
“I do not just live here. I live here.” Sara’s arm and hand movements included, first the house, then the room they were in.
Trinity’s eyes cut to the single king size bed.
Sara nodded. “We share the bedroom and bath. And we sleep together.”
“Wow!” Trinity said, walking over to the bed. She stared down at it for a moment, then looked over at Sara again.
“Wow!” she repeated. “I have not let Alan even get to first base! Wow!”
Sara looked a bit confused. “What?”
“I really like Alan, and I have thought about… it… you know. But I have been too chicken. You and Jason! Wow!”
There was a knock, then Jason entered the room.
“Wow!” Trinity said again, looking at Jason, then the bed, then at Jason again.
“Trinity,” Sara said, “We do not… uh… do… Trinity, Jason and I do not have sex. We sleep together.”
Trinity’s eyebrows knotted. “But if you sleep together…”
“That is all. Just sleep. Jason has never tried to do anything.”
Trinity looked over at Jason. “You are gay?”
Jason had to grin at Trinity’s expression, then again at Sara’s explosive, “NO, He is not gay! We just do not…”
“Wow!” Trinity said
“Will you stop saying that!” Sara said with a wail.
Sara sat on the bed, and cupped her face in her hands. Jason and Trinity could both tell Sara had started to cry.
“Now see what you did?” Trinity said to Jason accusingly. “Sara is crying.”
Trinity sat down beside Sara and put her arm around her shoulders, glaring at Jason.
“I am sorry. I will go back downstairs and wait. I was just going to change…”
Sara looked up, tears still rolling down her cheeks. “It is okay. Go ahead and change. I want to, as well.
“Trinity, Juliet should have something ready for you now. Just through that door.”
“Wait a minute!” Trinity said. “He is just going to change? And you, too? Together? Wow!”
Sara bit her lip. The word was really beginning to annoy her. Trinity was not reacting in any way Sara thought reasonable.
“We do not change together. One of us uses the bathroom, the other changes in here, when we both need to be here at the same time.”
“But you have seen each other naked!”
Jason shook his head.
Sara gave an adamant, “NO!”
Trinity looked at Sara. “Are you gay?”
“NO! I AM NOT GAY, EITHER!” Sara almost shouted.
“Okay. Okay,” Trinity said. “You do not have to get upset. I am just trying to understand this.”
“I am sorry, Trinity,” Sara said. “I just…”
Trinity glared at Jason’s back as Jason went into the bathroom. “See what you did? She is crying again.”
“It is not his fault,” Sara said, controlling the sobs, if not the tears. “It is me. I just do not quite know what to do.”
“Just tell me, from the start, what is going on! This is driving me crazy. But first… Uh… You really sleep with him, but have not seen him naked? And he has not seen you naked, either?”
“No, Trinity,” Sara said tiredly. “We have not seen each other naked. We go to great lengths to avoid it.”
“Wow! Oops. Sorry.”
“Let me change, then we can go down to the study, and I will explain everything in detail,” Sara said, rising.
Trinity looked over at the bathroom door as Sara took out pajamas and a robe from the closet. “You do not even peek? Wow!”
Sara shook her head as Trinity finally went through the adjoining room door.
When Sara heard the light knock on the bathroom door, she quickly said, “Just a moment.” She hurriedly slipped into the pajamas, then belted the robe around her waist. “Okay.”
Jason came into the bedroom from the bathroom. He was dressed nearly identically. “Are you sure you are all right?” he asked.
“All right is probably not the correct term,” Sara said. “But I am coping. So far. In a fashion.”
“I will wait for you in the study. I just had to get out of that get up.”
Sara smiled faintly and nodded.
“I asked Mrs. MacDougal to have Duchess bring in a pot of hot cocoa.”
“Good,” Sara said. “I think I will need it.”
With a shake of her head, Sara asked, “Think she will bring any marshmallows? I may need to stuff a couple in Trinity’s mouth, if she does not quit saying, Wow.”
“I will check,” Jason replied.
Sara went over to the adjoining room door and knocked before she entered.
“Oh,” Sara said, turning her back. Trinity was still changing. “Sorry.”
“For what? We see each other naked in the shower after Phys Ed, every other day,” Trinity said, making no effort to turn away as she slipped into the satin pajamas Juliet had found for her.
“I am just in the habit of being careful not to walk in on Jason. He shows me the same courtesy. We got into the habit of knocking, then waiting a moment for the other to say if they were not ready.”
“Have you ever thought about not saying anything and letting him come in, anyway?”
“No! Of course not!” Sara replied.
“But how can you not? The curiosity would be driving me crazy!” Trinity said. “He may not be a hunk, but Jason is nice. If I was going to let anyone…”
“Please, Trinity, do not say that. Kathy… Please just do not, okay?”
Trinity nodded. “Okay. That idea really does bother you. I will do the best I can.” Trinity belted the matching robe around her.
“We just go down like this?”
Sara nodded. “Unless you are not comfortable. We usually just wear our PJ’s in the evenings. I can have Juliet get you some clothes, if…”
“No, this is fine… I just did not know.”
As they headed downstairs Sara said, “Trinity, there is one thing I need to tell you…”
“A lot more than one!” Trinity interjected.
Sara shook her head. “I will tell you the whole story. But one thing you should know, that may not come out, otherwise.” Sara took a deep breath, held it a moment, then released it before continuing.
“Jason thinks he is in love with me.”
Trinity said nothing. Sara looked over at her.
“Well?”
“Well, what? I need to know a whole lot more before I say anything.”
“Since when?” Sara muttered.
Trinity smiled. At least she had got one little dig in. The whole situation had come as a complete surprise. Trinity was not used to being this surprised.
Jason had three cups of hot cocoa ready when Sara and Trinity entered the study.
They were on their second pot when Sara had explained and Trinity had read the contract.
“Wow!” Trinity said. She did not apologize. Instead she said, “Wow! Double Wow! Wow in all caps! WOW!”
She took another sip of hot cocoa. “This is so cool!”
Sara nearly dropped her cup. “Cool?”
“Yeah!” Trinity insisted. “So romantic! Jason loves you, Sara.”
“But I do not love him,” Sara said, unable to meet Jason’s or Trinity’s eyes.”
“So what?” Trinity said. “Jason knows that. He is a nice guy. You are giving something I did not realize he wanted, but it is obvious now. And you are getting a chance! A real chance. You did not have much of one before. It is still romantic, even if there is not any romance.”
Sara frowned slightly. “I still do not see…”
“It does not matter, Sara,” Trinity said softly. “You each get something very important. That is the romance in it. Jason has someone to love. To fuss over. He is not taking care of you, that is obvious. You take more than adequate care of yoursel
f.
“But he is not alone. Even if you left, like the contract allows you, he would still have the memories. It is just like in Casablanca… He is doing the best thing for everyone.”
“Do not get carried away, Trinity,” Jason said quickly. “I am nothing like Rick. I just like pretty girls. You know that. I have told you often enough.”
“Yeah. That was a crock the first time you told me, and it still is. Sure you like pretty girls. And I am a pretty girl. But you do nice things because you like to do nice things. You have done nice things for ugly girls. And boy, oh, boy, for really ugly guys.”
Sara looked over at Trinity. “Just like with Kathy, Sara,” Trinity said.
“I guess you are right. I have actually told myself that many times.”
Trinity grinned. “Does not help much, though does it? Because you know he loves you. He does not love Kathy, or Bootsi, or me. Well… he does, but as friends. Not like he loves you.”
Sara’s eyes cut to Jason. He looked back calmly. “I do not know what to do about it. I just do not feel the same way.”
“He knows that, Sara. And it does not matter to him. Only you cannot let it matter to you.”
Sara looked at Trinity again. “I know, intellectually that you are right, I think. It just does not seem to be that easy.”
“Are you sure you are not in love with him?” Trinity asked.
“I am sure,” Sara said.
Trinity noticed how quickly and surely Sara had said it.
Trinity had believed her the other times. But she knew at that moment that Sara was in love with Jason. Sara did not know it. Even Jason did not. He took Sara’s words at face value. Because he loved her. He would never, ever, doubt her.
“Okay then. I certainly would not go shouting from the rooftops that you are sharing a bed with Jason, but do not worry about it. It has to be the reason you have been so uptight.”
Trinity suddenly grinned. “Well, not the only reason. I have read that being frustrated can…”
“Trinity, if you want to live through the night, I think you should drop the subject. If Sara does not do you lethal injury, I might,” Jason said.
“Yeah, I suppose that subject is… touchy?”
Sara groaned. “I should have suffered in silence. Never told her. For I am destined to suffer in non-silence, now!”
“Wow! You really have to get a part in a play! Miss Murcheson would have loved that!”
Sara glared at her.
“Okay. Look. I cannot help it. You both know my wit. I will be careful about what I say around the others. But do not ask me to not let out a comment from time to time. I might really die!”
Jason and Sara both chuckled at the agonized look on Trinity’s face.
“Just, please, do not make Sara uncomfortable. Okay, Trinity?” Jason asked quietly.
Trinity nodded. “One condition.”
“I am afraid to ask,” Sara said.
“It does not involve you. I want Jason to ask me out,” Trinity said, looking over at him.
“But you are going out with Alan. Steady.”
“Yeah. But I can have a casual date. Alan has to take Bootsi to that cheerleading dinner in a couple of weeks. I do not mind him doing that. We could go out that night.” Trinity kept her eyes on Jason, despite the urge to look at Sara to judge her reaction. Trinity knew she would have a chance, later. The subject was bound to come up, without Jason around.
“Trinity, I know you will not make it difficult on Sara. I feel no compunction to take you out,” Jason said.
“Please?” Sara said. “I agree with you that she would never say or do anything. But she has wanted a date with you for a long time. This is her chance.”
“Well, thank you, Sara. Apparently Jason told Alan I was desperate, too.”
“I did not mean it like that!” Sara said, chagrined.
“I know,” Trinity giggled. “I just owed you one. Or a thousand.” She looked over at Jason. “But she is right about it being my chance. I have you over a barrel. You are going to start feeling sorry for me. You will not be able to refuse. You asked Kathy out.”
Trinity turned to Sara and winked with the eye away from Jason. “You will see. He will ask me before the end of the week.”
“Okay, okay,” Jason said. “Trinity. Will you please go out with me the night Alan takes Bootsi to the Cheerleader’s dinner?”
Trinity stood and curtseyed. “Why, kind sir, I would be ever so delighted! I had no idea you felt this way toward me.”
This time it was Jason that growled. “I think I shall go get another pot of hot cocoa.”
“No more for me,” Trinity said. “My teeth are floating as it is. I was afraid to go to the bathroom. I might have missed something.”
“I am ready to turn in, too,” Sara said. “This was a tiring evening.”
“But man, oh man, was it ever a blast!” Trinity said.
“Very well,” Jason said. “I do want to return these to the kitchen. And let the staff know everything is all right. They all looked rather worried when you came home crying, with Trinity to comfort you. I want to make sure they do not drag me out in the middle of the night and keelhaul me.”
When Jason was gone Trinity let out a delighted squeal. “I finally got him! Finally! He gave in!”
“What on earth are you talking about?” Sara asked, taking Trinity’s arms from around her, where Trinity had grabbed her in a bear hug.
“The date! I do not really care about the date. It will be fun, and I am curious. But it was not getting a date. It was getting him to do something he did not want to do! I finally got one up on him!”
“You are too much, Trinity,” Sara said with a laugh. “Here I am, spilling my guts to you about sleeping with a guy, and all you can think about is getting one up on Jason.”
They were going up the stairs. “It is JASON!” Trinity said adamantly. “Tell me you do not feel the same way when you get him.”
“I do not think I ever have,” Sara said with a sigh.
Trinity grinned. “You will, Sara. You will get him eventually.” Sara had not a clue as to the true meaning Trinity was stating.
Sara led Trinity into the bedroom, then over to the connecting room door. “I will see you in the morning, Trinity. I am really glad you are my friend.”
“Me, too,” Trinity said, as they shared a tight hug.
“And you really are not tempted,” Trinity said, looking over at the bed.
“I did not say that,” Sara said, suddenly grinning, as she closed the door in Trinity’s surprised face.
“Hey!” Trinity called through the closed door.
“I will see you in the morning,” Sara called back, moving over to the bed, smiling. “Gotcha, Trinity!” she whispered.
When Jason slid into the bed Sara rolled over to face him. “You were right about Kathy. I am glad I did not have a chance to interfere. Her doing what she did was much better.”
“Yes. And thank you.”
“I really did not have a chance to do anything, anyway,” Sara replied.
“Not about that. About the party.”
“Everyone helped. I should not have been singled out…”
Sara’s words faded away as Jason looked at her.
“You did just as you agreed you would. You looked beautiful, not just pretty. You sang wonderfully. You are a terrific dancer. I had a wonderful time being there, with you.”
“But I did not even know it, when you were there. When we danced.”
“Ah, but I did,” Jason replied. “And you did do a great job on the party. Not just on our agreement. You had a lot of help, of course. But it really was your driving force that made it such a success. The Commodore was extremely proud of you. I doubt there is anyone left in the city that does not know he is your guardian.”
Sara smiled. “I wondered why a couple of people came up to me, making the comments they did.”
She settled herself slightly more comfortably on her
side, still facing Jason. “You were right about Trinity. She has been her regular wonderful self about this. Sharp wit and all.”
Jason smiled in return. “I was sure she would. Of course, she did have to get her revenge on me. Trinity took her training to heart.”
“What do you mean?” Sara asked, seeing the rueful look on Jason’s face.
“She was waiting for me when I came upstairs. Punched me in the stomach and told me I had better not be mean to you.”
“But I told her…”
“She just had to do something. Trinity really thinks a great deal of you. You have become her best friend in just a few weeks.”
“But she has known the others for years!” Sara protested. “And you and her…”
“Are still best of friends. It is just slightly different than her friendship with you.”
“Why do you put up with me, when you know I do not love you,” Sara whis-pered.
“Because you are worth the effort. Tonight was the best time I ever had in my entire life. I would not have had it, were it not for you. Good night.”
Jason rolled over and turned out the lamps.
“It was the best time I ever had, too,” Sara said. “Good night.”
A few minutes later Sara quietly said, “Jason?”
“Um?”
“Do you think I am prettier than Kathy?”
“I think you are beautiful. You know that.”
“But am I prettier than Kathy?”
“I do not make comparisons. You are two different people. You have two different styles.”
“I really don’t even know why I asked,” Sara replied after a moment. “It was not an appropriate question, anyway.”
Sara was drifting off to sleep quite some time later, but she heard the quiet murmur from Jason. It put a beatific smile on her lips.
“If push came to shove… You are much prettier.”
When she heard the tentative knock, Sara smiled and said, “Come on in, Trinity.”
“That was not very nice, what you did last night!” Trinity said, looking around the bedroom.
“He is already gone,” Sara said, stretching, then flipping back the covers to climb out of bed. “He is a really early riser.”
“Oh,” Trinity said. She slipped under the covers as soon as Sara got up. “You know, I almost never fell asleep last night, after what you said.”
The Contract Page 24