by Donna Raider
Brighton won the first game, and Richie’s team won the second game. Amber and Richie bowled nothing but strikes and spares. Mika and Leah were having trouble maintaining their perfect game of the night before. The teams tied in the ninth frame. The priest led off, getting a spare and a strike. Brighton’s bowler matched her. Amber and Richie matched their scores with the opposing team. The two bowlers left to break the tie were Brighton’s mayor and Leah. Brighton’s mayor threw a strike and a spare. “I believe we will be taking home this trophy,” he bragged to Leah. “There’s no way you can beat that little lady.”
“I believe three strikes will beat that,” she smiled sweetly, but the dark thrill of competition was glinting in her eyes.
She threw two strikes. A hush fell over the bowling alley as they watched to see what their beautiful mayor would do.
“You got this, Mom,” Richie whispered encouragement.
She waited for as the pins reset. A radiant smile lit her face as she stole a glance at her wife. Mika winked her encouragement. It feels so good to be normal, Leah thought, to do what normal people do. Of all the wonderful things her wife had brought to her life, normalcy was the thing she cherished most.
“Looks like you have to do this by yourself, Madam Mayor,” Emily leered. “No one can step up and take care of it for you.”
Leah gracefully picked up her ball and threw a strike. “I believe I can take care of myself, Sheriff,” she smiled as her wife and son engulfed her in hugs and congratulations.
“Wow! You’re the best, Mom,” Richie danced around Leah as Mika pulled her in for a hug. Mika wanted to pick her up and swing her around, but Leah hated that, so Mika settled for a frontal hug.
All the teams congratulated each other and milled around the bowling alley. They had about three hours before the awards ceremony. Samson found the mic for the public address system and began talking to the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, we want to remind you that there is a free dinner and dance following the awards ceremony at the town hall, compliments of our mayor. The awards ceremony starts at seven, and everything else will follow. We hope you all can be there. Mika asked us to remind you that church services will be on regular schedule in the morning. Everyone is invited to attend. Applause spread throughout the facility as people left to get ready for the night’s festivities.
Richie drove home, insisting his mother sit in the front seat with him. Even though she was in her seat belt, Leah kept turning around to look at her wife sitting behind her son.
“So, have you thought any more about me getting a car,” Richie asked hopefully.
“Mika and I discussed it,” his mother answered in her stern voice, and his heart dropped. “If you promise not to ride in the car with Isaac, you can have your vehicle for your sixteenth birthday.”
“Yes!” Richie would have hugged his mom, but he knew her rule of both hands on the wheel. “But I still need lots of practice.”
He watched his Mother out of the corner of his eye. “I would kind of like to go on a date,” he said softly. “Could I just use your car? I will be careful.”
“No,” Leah answered without thought. “Mika and I will be glad to drive you and your date anywhere you want to go.”
“But, Mom,” Richie whined.
“Where do you want to go,” she frowned. “Everything in our town is close enough to walk.”
“Don’t you sometimes enjoy riding around the countryside with Mika?” Richie searched for a good argument.
“Yes, but we always…” Leah’s eyes widened as she recalled what they always did. “No way! You can’t car date, young man” she huffed. Leah shot Mika a help me glance and settled deeper into her seat as her wife laughed.
##
Mika and Richie waited at the bottom of the stairs for the woman in their lives to join them. Richie was standing with his back to the stairs and Mika was facing them.
“She just doesn’t trust me,” Richie whined. “I’m responsible. I would never…” he stopped midsentence as he watched Mika’s face light up with, what could only be described as, wonder.
Richie turned to see his incredibly gorgeous mother standing at the top of the stairs. He prayed he would find a woman like his mom. She was dressed in a dark purple, form fitting dress that reached the floor. A slit ran to just above her knee. She had on black high heels with soles the same color as her dress. The neckline of the dress was almost indecent. It was the neckline that always made Mika grin like an idiot, just as she was now. An incredibly expensive diamond and Ruby necklace covered a good part of her chest directing the eye of the beholder to her ample cleavage (Richie was sure it was a holdover from her wicked queen days). Her hair was beautiful, softly swaying as she moved, shining when the light hit it. As always, her makeup was flawless. Isaac had said she had the perfect face. Richie had to agree with him.
She looked like a queen as she descended the staircase. Richie and Mika both fought the urge to kneel before her. Mika was still mesmerized as Leah approached her. “See something you like?” she smiled.
Richie thought Mika was going to faint. The woman had stopped breathing when she first saw her wife at the top of the stairs.
“Here son, you can take my car,” Mika handed Richie the keys to her personal car, never moving her eyes from her wife. Richie gasped. Mika never let anyone drive her new Lexus. In fact, she only drove it when she took Leah on date nights. Before either of them could come to their senses, Richie grabbed the keys and dashed for the garage. He had the Lexus. He would call Amber on the car phone and ask if he could pick her up.
“You look stunning,” Mika sharply exhaled as she held her hand out to Leah. “I never cease to marvel at your beauty.”
“Um,” Leah purred, “I hope you remember that when our son wrecks your new car.” She tiptoed and kissed Mika’s lips very lightly. “Don’t mess up my makeup,” she smiled when Mika put her hands around her waist.
##
Richie and Amber were seated when the mayor and the priest arrived. Cupping Leah’s elbow, Mika guided her to her seat at the head table. They were sitting beside the Brighton Mayor and his wife, who paled in comparison to Leah. Every woman in the room paled in comparison to Leah.
“I believe your wife is more beautiful every time we see her,” Brighton’s Mayor commented as they dined. “You’re a very lucky woman, Mika.”
“Yes, I am,” Mika agreed.
“Your wife is the kind of woman; one feels lucky to breathe the same air with,” Brighton’s Mayor added.
“Yes, yes, she is,” the priest nodded.
Samson welcomed everyone and thanked them for participating in the tournament. He made a few comical comments that relaxed the crowd and then introduced Leah. An awed, collective murmur spread throughout the crowd as she stepped up to the microphone. Mika thought she was almost too beautiful to look upon, one of those gorgeous, unattainable women about which one can only dream.
Leah smiled her most dazzling smile and thanked Samson for his flowery introduction. She quickly moved through the awards and was particularly proud when she presented the top trophy to her son. She hugged Richie and whispered, “There better not be a scratch on that car when you get home.”
Everyone began dining, and Richie’s band played requests. The dance floor filled with old and young alike tripping the light fantastic.
Mika held Leah close as she moved her around the dance floor. She had been very subdued all night. “Are you okay, darling?” Leah whispered in Mika’s ear, knowing how that affected her. “You’re very quiet.”
“I am just…in awe of you, Your Majesty,” Mika said honestly. She was sure her heart had stopped beating, and her lungs were only functioning occasionally.
“Why, priest?” she drawled in that slow sensuous way only she could, “it’s just little ole’ me. The woman you sleep with every night.”
Mika whimpered and buried her face in Leah’s hair. “You’re killing me,” she moaned.
“Conside
r it foreplay, darling” Leah looked up at Mika from under her long, dark lashes. “A prelude to what happens after midnight when I properly thank you for all you have done for Richie and me.”
Mika groaned. Midnight was two hours away. “I may be dead by midnight,” she said hoarsely.
Leah laughed; delighted that she had affected her wife just as she had planned. “Would you get me something to drink, please?”
Mika nodded and led her to the round table where they joined their friends. Leah disliked sitting at a head table and was pleased to join their friends. Mika quickly returned with a glass of wine for them. Delilah and Samson had joined her. They were in deep conservation about Richie driving.
“Well, all I know is that Emily wants to give Richie his first car,” Delilah grinned smugly. “It’s very important to her.”
“Emily doesn’t even have a decent car of her own,” Leah frowned. “How could she possible get one for Richie?”
Mika sat silently, openly staring at the beautiful woman that was her wife. She looked like she should be walking down a fashion runway, or posing for a magazine cover photo shoot, or holding court in an opulent palace. Instead, she was discussing whether her son should have a car. How does she make ‘down-to-earth’ look so incredibly sexy? Mika thought. Leah tilted her head, causing her dangling earrings to swing sensuously. She smiled at Mika her eyes communicating the things she had in store for her after midnight. Mika’s heart was trying to jackhammer outside her chest.
Ruth sat down next to Mika. “Everything was a success,” she smiled. Mika nodded, and Ruth noticed Mika couldn’t tear her eyes away from her wife.
“Bet you’d like to hit that, huh priest?” she grinned mischievously.
“Oh, yeah,” Mika exhaled slowly. “Wait what! No! I mean…yes, uh…”
“It’s okay,” Ruth laughed, “I knew you were lying when you said you had never thought that about her.”
“You’re a dog, Ruth,” The priest scolded. “But a loveable one.”
“Yeah,” Ruth smirked. “So, can I dance with her?”
“No!” Mika answered emphatically.
“Ruth sighed deeply, “I didn’t think so. Had to try, though.”
Leah raised an eyebrow but quickly turned her attention to Delilah, who was hailing the sheriff.
“Emily, sweetie,” Delilah called her daughter from across the room. “You need to be in this discussion.”
“Not really,” Leah growled.
“Leah and Mika are planning to buy Richie a car for his sixteenth birthday,” Delilah grinned as if she had a secret. “I know you wanted to give your son his first car.”
The priest was still enthralled with her wife and was surprised when a dark, hateful look crossed her lovely face. “This isn’t the place for this discussion,” Leah frowned.
“What discussion?” Richie and Amber joined the Cross table.
“Nothing, darling,” his mother waved her hand as if the matter was settled.
“We were just discussing getting your first car.” Delilah wouldn’t’ leave it alone.
“Yeah, kid,” Emily ruffled Richie’s hair as if he were still ten years old. He ducked away from her hand, frowning. He was almost sixteen. He didn’t want Emily ruffling his hair in front of his date. Of course, only he thought Amber was his date.
Finally pulling her thoughts away from her wife—and after midnight—Mika joined the discussion. “Let’s discuss this at lunch tomorrow after church,” she smiled her most charming smile.
“There isn’t anything to discuss,” the sheriff scowled. “I am giving Richie the Cuda for his birthday, and that’s that.”
Leah slowly leaned across the table. “I will turn that death trap into a bedpan before I let my son drive it,” she hissed in Emily’s face.
Man, they are so destroying the night I had planned, Mika thought.
“Yeah, that is something the wicked queen would do,” Emily growled.
So ruining my night, Mika frowned. She caught her wife’s wrist as she turned her palm upward. The electricity from Leah’s anger shot through Mika. The jolt made her catch her breath. Angry sex has always been awesome, too, Mika thought.
Leah whirled to face Mika, anger dancing in her dark eyes. Mika quickly gave Leah her best little girl look, and Leah burst out laughing. “You are incorrigible.” She leaned over and kissed Mika.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Samson had gotten to the mic and successfully ended the dangerous discussion at their table, “we have had many, many requests for our power couple to sing a song they made famous while visiting New York last year. A titter ran through the crowd.
Visitors and townspeople jumped to their feet, applauding until Leah led her wife to the microphone. She had drunk just enough wine to perform for the audience. Mika was still thinking about her, after midnight, so they were in a good frame of mind to sing That Old Black Magic Called Love.
Try as she might, Mika could not keep her eyes off her wife and true to form, she had to fight to keep from staring at her cleavage during most of the song. They bowed as the audience clapped and wolf whistled. “I swear if you don’t look into my eyes instead of at my—” Mika cut her off.
“If you don’t want me to look, don’t put it out there so gloriously,” Mika conjured a blush.
Secretly, Leah loved the way Mika craved her. If she had responded any differently, Leah would have been disappointed.
Richie was on the mic. “Mika requested that we play this song. It is for you, Mom from both of us.” The band started playing You Raise Me Up.
Leah melted into her wife’s arms, laying her head on Mika’s breast and listening to her heartbeat. They danced in silence, sharing the words they knew were true for them.
##
After midnight had been everything Leah had promised and then some. As the sun came up, Mika was propped against the headboard her legs pulled up so her wife could lean back on them, facing her. Mika slowly trailed her fingers from the scar on Leah’s lip, down her neck, coming to stop at the hollow of her throat. “You’re amazing,” she said softly. “You are everything I have ever dreamed of.”
“Darling,” Leah started, but her throat seemed to close. She took a deep breath. “I didn’t even know how to dream of someone as wonderful as you. You are so much more…we are so much more than I could have ever imagined.”
“Well, my immortally beautiful wife,” Mika pulled her closer for a kiss, “we must get ready for church.”
“Aren’t you exhausted?” Leah asked. “We haven’t slept in forty-eight hours. Honestly, you have had quite a bit of emotional and,” she shrugged, “physical trauma.”
“I am a little,” Mika admitted, grinning. “How about you?”
“Totally,” she nodded.
“We have to resolve the car issue at lunch today,” Mika frowned. “Then we can sleep the rest of the day or just lay around and watch TV. Whatever you want to do.”
“Sounds heavenly.” She slid off the bed and headed for the shower. “Want to join me?”
##
All the church pews were full. Many of the visitors had attended the Morning Mass and stopped to shake the hands of the mayor and priest, thanking them for an outstanding weekend.
Ruth had just placed their lunch in front of them when the Samson and Delilah walked in. Delilah was babbling about the Cuda being a family tradition, as Richie ran to sit with his Mother and Mika. He was very subdued.
“Family crests are traditions,” Leah smiled up at Delilah, “Not rusted out pieces of green junk.”
“It’s okay, Mom,” Richie hung his head. “It’s important to Emily.”
“Yes, well, your life is important to me, Richie” his mother scowled at the sheriff. “I suppose it is one of those stick shift thingies.”
“If it’s any consolation,” the priest whispered in her ear, “it should certainly curtail his dating.”
A smile of glee lit up Leah’s face. “I think that is wonderful. Thank you
so much, Emily. I know Richie will be proud of his first car.”
No one could believe her complete reversal in demeanor. Richie had so counted on his mother destroying the pea-green Plymouth Barracuda.
As soon as they reached home, Richie asked if he could speak with Mika alone. “Private talk,” he answered his mother’s raised eyebrow.
“Mika, help me?” the boy begged. “I will be the laughingstock of our town. No girl in her right mind would be caught dead in that green bomb. I wanted something cool, like a pickup truck. The girls love pickup trucks. Cool girls don’t dig antique cars.”
“What does Emily plan on doing for a car, if she gives you her Cuda?” Mika asked. “I thought she was married to that car.”
“I don’t know,” Richie answered thoughtfully. “She surely has the money to buy a new one. I mean, she has lived with her parents for six years. She doesn’t pay rent or buy groceries. She just saves her money, except for drinking. Delilah and Samson refuse to buy her booze.”
“I guess there is some sentimental value to the car,” Mika said. “It was her first car. She wants it to be your first car. Maybe she wants a cool new pickup, too.”
“Yeah, she is dating that pretty waitress in Brighton,” Richie nodded. “It would be nice for her to have a vehicle that doesn’t breakdown every time she goes on a date.”
“We have a few months to work things out before your birthday,” Mika smiled. “I’m betting your mother will resolve this. She’s not about to let you drive that safety hazard to college. I just hope her solution doesn’t involve anything incendiary.”
“Humph,” Richie huffed. “I thought she threw me to the wolves.”
“Your mother would never do that,” Mika laughed. “Trust me. She will work it out so everyone will be happy. Just trust her. She is a great politician, you know.”