by Annette Mori
Toby nodded.
“Need some pointers from your old man? That first kiss is the one that reels 'em in, ya know. The famous Kaufman smoocharoonie.”
“You did not just say smoocharoonie, did you? As I recall, Mr. Smooth, you waited until our fifth date, and when you went in for the kiss, you missed my mouth completely,” Kathleen noted.
Olivia held her hand over her mouth snickering quietly, as Bri and Siera giggled.
Toby finished his steaks and was still chewing when he got up and smacked his father on the back. “Nope, don’t need any pointers from you, Mr. Smooth.”
Bri couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt as comfortable around other people. She took a seat at the table next to Siera and ate the mushroom Kathleen had nestled inside a hamburger bun. It was different, but she decided she liked the taste and not having to think about eating a cow with those big brown eyes.
Siera was munching on her own mushroom burger and kept looking in Bri’s direction, smiling between bites. She dumped a large pile of potato chips on her plate, along with a generous portion of potato salad.
Bri kept eyeing the potato salad and deviled eggs. She wanted to fill her plate with seconds, but didn’t want Siera to think she was piggy. When Siera dipped the large spoon into the bowl of potato salad and served her a big scoop, Bri couldn’t stop the smile from blossoming on her face. “I love potato salad.”
“Me too. Dad always brags about his steaks. I like filling up on mom’s potato salad.” Siera leaned in close and brushed her lips against Bri’s ear. “Don’t tell Dad. It’ll hurt his feelings.” The whisper in her ear caused goosebumps on Bri’s skin, but she liked how it made her shiver.
The pie that Siera’s mom served after dinner was the best pie she’d ever tasted, and she felt so full she was squirming on the big wooden bench Jeremy had moved in front of the fire pit. She sat right next to Siera. Their knees were touching. It was nice to sit close to her best friend. “I think I ate too much.”
“I did too. I love pie. Are you gonna feed the geese again tomorrow?” Siera asked.
Bri nodded. “Do you wanna go see that Twilight movie with me after we feed the geese?”
Bri hoped Siera asked about the geese because she wanted to meet her at the park again, and she thought seeing a movie would be fun. Kind of like a date. She’d never been on a date before. Aunt Olivia told her sometimes boys asked girls on dates and sometimes girls asked other girls. She’d said there wasn’t anything wrong with two girls going on a date.
“I’ll ask my mom and dad. How will we get there?”
“I’ll ask if Aunt Olivia can take us. She won’t admit it, but I saw her. She read one of my Twilight books. I think she liked it. It was different from some of the other books she reads. They have just girls on the covers. I know she likes mushy books where people fall in love.”
Siera sighed. “I want to fall in love.”
“Me too.” Bri clasped Siera’s hand. It was nice holding her hand. She wanted to do that all night long, but pretty soon her aunt was telling her it was time to go.
Chapter Nine
Kathleen pulled back her dark, wavy hair and splashed warm water over her face.
Jeremy was brushing his teeth next to her. He yawned and stretched his tall frame. “Olivia seems nice, but I guess setting her up with Frank is out of the question. We should try to set her up with your sister instead.”
Kathleen grabbed the hand towel and began blotting her face. “What? Olivia’s not a lesbian.”
“Jeez, hon, how can you have a gay sister and not recognize other gay women? I think you still have issues with her. I never could understand why you always insisted Deb’s lovers were her roommates or good friends of the family, when she brought them over. I could see the hurt on her face when you did that.”
“The kids were younger and it would have been too confusing for them. Besides, how did you know all of them were her lovers? There’s been so many since Carrie, and she also brought home a fair number before she met Carrie.”
Jeremy shook his head. “I can spot 'em a mile away. It makes sense now. Remember when Siera told us Olivia had a best friend who went to heaven?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean she’s gay and her best friend was her lover.”
“It’s all in the way lesbians interact with other men and women. I can always tell. Your sister does it too. It’s the eye contact and intensity. There’s this woman-to-woman energy that’s different from when they talk to men. You’re just pissed I’m more observant than you. I’m a sensitive guy.” Jeremy lightly smacked Kathleen’s behind. “I pick up on emotions you often miss, like with Siera.”
“What do you mean?”
“You never did see how miserable she was at school. She was all alone. I’m glad she met Bri. I worry about how she’ll feel when she goes to Big Bend. I’m still not sure that’s the right thing for her.”
“We’ve talked about this before. I’m not about to expect less from her because everyone else tells me I should. Look how far she’s come. She was accepted to Big Bend and earned the right to attend that school. Don’t take that dream away from her.”
“Whose dream, yours or hers?”
Kathleen sighed. “I have to fight the school and everyone else. Do I have to fight you as well?”
“I want you to pay attention to the subtle things now and again. For example, you might want to pay a little more attention to how Siera feels about Bri.”
Kathleen raised her eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, homosexuality is hereditary. Siera could be a lesbian, and so could Bri.”
“Now, you’re being ridiculous. Besides, you don’t seem to have much intuition when it comes to your creepy brother. There is something definitely off about him, yet you fail to recognize that.”
Jeremy frowned. “No, I know he’s a bit odd, but he’s my little brother. I’m supposed to look out for him, like Toby looks out for Siera.”
“I am grateful for that. Toby’s a good kid under all that adolescent bluster. Amy is cute, isn’t she? I wouldn’t mind if he started dating her. I also wouldn’t mind if my free-spirited sister settled down with a nice woman. Maybe we should try to get them together, if your so-called gaydar is accurate. I’m still not convinced.”
“How much do you want to bet?”
“You’re on, Mr. Sensitive. Winner gets a one-hour massage every night for a week.”
“Deal.” Jeremy stuck out his hand, and Kathleen vigorously shook it.
“So, how are we gonna find out?”
“Call her up tomorrow and ask.” Jeremy walked into the bedroom and pulled back the covers on his side of the bed.
“I’m not doing that. She’ll think I’m nosy or have a mild form of Asperger’s. People don’t blurt out something like that to someone they barely know.” Kathleen shook her head. “You ask her.”
“All right, I will.”
“No, don’t do that. She’ll think we’re nuts. I’ll figure out a way to find out. And do not get Siera to ask, either. I know how that little pea brain of yours works. You think if the question comes from sweet little Siera, she’ll answer without thinking it’s odd.” Kathleen climbed in beside Jeremy.
Jeremy pulled Kathleen into an embrace and kissed her lips. “Pea brain, huh? At least I have a ginormous…”
Kathleen slapped her hand over Jeremy’s mouth. “Do not finish that sentence.”
Jeremy grinned. “Well I do, you know.”
“Braggart. Please do not teach your son to be uncouth. I’d rather you role model that sensitivity you seem to think you have an abundance of.”
“Mr. Sensitive. Yup, that’s me.”
Jeremy looked at his beautiful wife who was half Italian and half Cuban. The combination was lethal at times. She was a strong woman, someone who got her way often, as she barreled through life. Her strength was both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes he loved her tenacity, and other times he wonder
ed if she’d ever allow a different perspective to seep into her stubborn head.
When they’d first started dating, he considered himself lucky. He’d only asked her out on a dare. His friends wanted to watch as she turned him down. When she agreed, he said to her, “Really, you’ll go out with me?” He smiled to himself, as he remembered her chuckling and tossing back her beautiful hair. It was love at first sight, and on their fourth date, he knew this was the woman he wanted to marry.
They were both in the medical field. People in health care don’t think like normal people. They were sitting out on her front porch, gently sliding back and forth, and she was absently stroking his arm. It was so sensuous and arousing. Then she said, “You’ve got great veins. I could slip a 14-gauge needle in there.”
Most guys would have run for the hills, but he understood the compliment—he was a paramedic. They’d laughed about it later.
Yeah, Jeremey adored his wife, but when it came to Siera, she was blind to the obvious. He couldn’t think of a single way to penetrate that tough exterior.
†
Kathleen woke up early the next morning and stared off into space, as she replayed the conversation she’d had with Jeremy the night before. She’d never considered the possibility Siera would feel attraction to anyone, male or female. If she were honest with herself, she supposed she saw Siera like most people saw Down’s adults—childlike, asexual beings with a degree of innocence, regardless of their age. She was hypocritical to ignore the possibility Siera would develop any kind of sexual feelings. Add the possibility Siera might be a lesbian, and it was too much for her to handle.
She’d agreed to let Siera go to see Twilight with Bri, and now she was regretting her decision. She wondered how she was going to squash this new friendship, lest it evolve into something she was definitely not ready for. Maybe she should call Olivia and invite her over for a serious chat. Certainly, she’d understand the need to watch over the two friends and make sure things didn’t get out of hand.
Kathleen brought her coffee mug to her lips and took a large sip. When she heard Jeremy come into the kitchen, she looked up and watched him pour his own cup.
“You’re up early.”
Jeremy brushed his hand over Kathleen’s shoulder. “I thought I would fix that old glider on the porch. I think the girls would like spending time in the evenings talking and watching the stars and moon. Summer nights are made for star gazing.”
Kathleen frowned. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to encourage their friendship in light of your observation last night? If Siera really does have confusing feelings toward Bri, we should try to corral them before it’s too late. I know she can’t get pregnant if they take their relationship too far, but other disastrous things could happen.”
Jeremy’s voice rose in irritation, “Like what?”
“You know.”
“No, Kathleen, I don’t. Please, don’t tell me you have a problem with your daughter being a lesbian. I thought you’d worked through all that with your sister, so what’s the issue?”
“I can’t talk to you about this. You’re always fighting with me on what’s best for Siera. She’s had to fight her whole life for acceptance. Surely you don’t want to add to her burdens.”
“No Kathleen, she hasn’t had to fight for acceptance. She would have easily gotten that. You were the one who fought for it, not her, and whether you like it or not, you didn’t really win.”
“She’s going to college, isn’t she?”
Jeremy sighed. “Yes, and I’m very proud of her, but I’m not sure that’s what she really wants. She told me she wanted to work with animals like Bri. She’d be a whole lot happier doing that this summer, and maybe for the rest of her life, rather than spend the summer at Walmart and trudge off to community college in the fall without the foggiest idea of what to do.”
“I love her and only want the best for her. Her life has been hard enough. Don’t you think?”
“On that, I agree.”
“I’m going to talk to Olivia.”
“Good idea, you should ask if she has a spot for her in her clinic.”
“No, not about that. I want to discuss…oh, you know…my concerns about Bri and Siera. Do you want to join us? I can probably get away for lunch, and we can go to her clinic today.”
Jeremy shook his head. “Nope, you leave me out of this. You’re on your own. I sure hope you don’t offend the woman with your regressive stance. Maybe you should weave into the conversation you have a gay sister who you accept and adore. Perhaps she’ll ignore the ignorance that will surely follow.” Jeremy stalked out of the room and slammed the door.
“Damn! I am not an ignorant bigot!” Kathleen shouted to the empty kitchen.
Kathleen decided to call Olivia from her office. Most days, her position as the emergency department director meant craziness from the time she entered the hospital until well past the dinner hour. Maybe it wouldn’t be too busy in the emergency room today, and she could get away for lunch.
She wasn’t sure if there was someone else to help with Olivia’s clinic besides Bri. Surely there’s another doctor or tech that helps out. Bri seems like a high-functioning kid, but that would be a lot of responsibility to place on her.
She propped her head in her hand and wondered if maybe she was blowing things out of proportion. It was preposterous to imagine Siera and Bri would be anything besides sweet friends. Why did Jeremy try to suggest it was something more than that? Kathleen convinced herself a conversation with Olivia would clear everything up.
†
Olivia was having a rough morning. First, the aptly named Mrs. Piddles peed on the stainless steel examining table. The cat had a tendency to squat and urinate wherever the mood hit her. The next appointment was Mr. Simpson, who brought in Rover for his annual exam. Rover was a vicious pit bull-rottweiler mix Mr. Simpson had trained for hyper aggression. Bri was the only person who had ever managed to calm the nasty dog, but she was busy with Mrs. Carlson’s nervous mini lop. Before Olivia was able to calm Rover down, he’d chomped down on her arm. Mr. Simpson smirked and looked close to handing Rover a treat for maintaining his ferocious reputation. An apology was not forthcoming.
She chastised herself for not recognizing Rover’s aggression before it was too late. He’d telegraphed his intentions with a loud growl, but by the time she reacted, he’d already lunged. Olivia was seconds away from kicking Mr. Simpson’s despicable ass out, along with his fierce companion, when Bri rushed into the room and soothed the savage beast. Sometimes, Olivia regretted her decision to continue caring for Rover and dealing with his vile owner. She was thankful Bri had heard the commotion. Rover was not a quiet attack dog.
“I can help, Aunt Olivia. Rover didn’t mean to hurt you.” Bri smoothed his fur, and he licked her hand. He even rolled over, showing Bri his belly.
Mr. Simpson screwed up his face but didn’t say a word, as Olivia managed to complete the exam and administer Rover’s annual shots. “Next time you bring Rover in, you need to muzzle him if Bri isn’t present.”
“Mmf.” Mr. Simpson yanked Rover, pulling violently on his collar.
Rover yelped and tucked his tail underneath his backside, as he dutifully followed his owner.
Olivia’s arm began to throb. When she looked down, she noticed the blood flowing down her wrist. She turned to the sink to wash away the germs and disinfect the bite mark.
“I’m sorry, Aunt Olivia. I saw Rover on the schedule this morning. I should have come quicker. Why is Mr. Simpson so mean to him? You know he bites out of fear. Is your arm okay?” Bri grabbed a large piece of gauze and some antibiotic ointment. Olivia turned back around, and allowed Bri to apply the ointment and wrap the wound in the white gauze.
“I don’t know, hon. Sometimes people aren’t very nice and it’s hard to figure out their reasons.” Olivia sighed. “If I didn’t have you around, I would refuse to see Rover. I suspect the loving attention you give him is the only kindness that poo
r dog will ever experience. If I had proof Mr. Simpson was abusing him, I would call the authorities, but he skates right on the edge.”
Olivia’s cell phone buzzed in her white coat. She pulled the phone out and glanced at the number. Whenever she didn’t recognize the person calling, she would hit the red button to ignore the call. If it was anything important, they could leave a voice message. Then she could decide whether to call back or not.
When the ding indicated a message, she pushed the button to listen and tilted her head as Kathleen’s voice played through the tiny speaker.
“Is it bad news, Aunt Olivia? You have a funny expression on your face.”
“No, no, it’s your friend’s mom, Kathleen. She wants to meet for lunch today.”
“I can’t have two best friends. Maybe Kathleen can be your new best friend. You can’t kiss her like Aunt Irene, ’cause she’s married. Married people can’t kiss anyone but who they’re married to. Right?”
Olivia smiled. “That’s right. You can have friends you don’t kiss.”
“Siera’s not married. I could kiss her, right?”
Olivia chuckled. “You could. Do you want to kiss Siera?”
Bri shrugged. “She’s pretty and nice. She said she likes my hair. I wish I had dark hair like hers. It’s so thick. I like holding her hand. It’s soft. Sometimes I wonder if her lips are soft too.”
The wood door to the exam room slid open, and Evie poked her head in. “Your noon appointment just cancelled, do you want me to call the next person on the waiting list to get them in?”
“Wow, perfect timing. No, I think I’ll call Kathleen back and tell her I can meet her for lunch.”
Evie wiggled her eyebrows. “About time you started dating again.”
“Oh no, Kathleen is Siera’s mother, straight and married.”
“Oh, too bad. Is that the Siera Bri has talked about, nonstop, for the last two days?”
Bri grinned. “Yes, my new best friend.”
“Well, have a good time anyway. You deserve to get a proper lunch away from here now and again, especially after dealing with Rover.” Evie glanced in the direction of Olivia’s bandaged arm. “He bit you, didn’t he? I’ll bet that a-hole Simpson didn’t even try to stop it.”