by Donna Raider
“I am so sorry I can’t…” Leah started.
“Shush,” Mika kissed her lightly. “It’s okay. I just needed to taste your delectable lips. I’m a big girl. I can live for three or four days without…” her sentence trailed off.
“Without what?” Leah’s teasing eyes searched Mika’s face.
“You know,” she laughed hoarsely. “Please, don’t tease me. That only makes me want you more.” They started walking again, lost in each other’s warmth.
“I love you deeply,” Mika sighed. “Today was particularly difficult because I had to go all day without even seeing you. Then, when I did get to be with you, there was a cast of thousands.”
“The feeling is mutual,” Leah assured her. “Do you think we will ever outgrow our constant need to be together?”
“I will always feel this way about you,” Mika chuckled.
“Yes,” Leah smiled. “It seems to get worse every day, and I can live with that as long as the feeling is mutual.”
“Oh, honey,” Mika groaned, “I can guarantee you the feeling is mutual.”
A light snow had covered their town and the surrounding area by the time they reached their home. Mika hung up their coats as Leah went upstairs to take a hot shower. Mika checked her personal email on her laptop, then left the entryway light on for Richie.
Leah was sitting in front of her dressing table, brushing her shinning black hair when Mika entered their bedroom. She had on one of Mika’s t-shirts. Mika bent behind her and kissed her shoulders and neck. “You think the sight of you in my t-shirt is less attractive to me than your pajamas, don’t you?”
“No,” Leah said in her deep sultry voice, “I know the sight of me in your shirt drives you mad. Take your shower and I promise I will find a way to help you get rid of some of that energy.”
Mika took a long, hot shower, unable to get the thoughts of Leah out of her mind. She never wanted her feelings for Leah to change, but she did hope that someday she would gain control of her need for the brunette.
The lights were off in their bedroom when she entered. Mika could see her faintly in the moonlight as she lifted the covers for her to join her in bed. Leah pulled her into her arms and nestled Mika’s head between her breasts. She wore only pajama bottoms. She moved her hands lightly over Mika’s body drawing the anxious energy from her.
“Um,” Mika hummed, “do I detect Magic Leah in my bed?”
“I am having a hard time with this, too,” Leah whispered. “But I’m sure I can help us both.”
Mika knew from experience she could.
##
When the alarm went off the next morning, Leah snuggled deeper into Mika’s arms. I am sure this must be heaven , she thought as she melted into the warmth of her wife.
The smell of coffee and bacon frying pulled her from her thoughts and she reluctantly moved to get up, when strong arms tightened around her. “I believe our son is cooking breakfast,” Leah said kissing Mika softly.
“I guess we really should go downstairs,” Mika sighed as she reluctantly released her. “Thank you for last night,” she smiled, as she sat up against the headboard. “It was most enjoyable and very much appreciated.”
“I can’t have you bouncing around the bowling alley today,” Leah grinned.
“I know,” Mika laughed, “like a Chihuahua on meth. I do believe you took care of that problem.” She leaned over and kissed Leah thankfully.
##
“You are going to make some lucky woman a great husband,” Leah hugged her son and then poured two cups of coffee for her and her wife.
“I thought we would just eat at the island today,” Richie placed their breakfast in front of them. “We have to be at the bowling alley at eleven.”
“Everything is delicious,” Mika grinned at her son. “As always, your mom is right. When the girls find out what a great cook you are, they will be all over you.”
“And so handsome, too.” His mother smiled.
“Okay, enough of that,” Richie laughed. “Just see if I cook for you two again.”
“What time did you get home last night,” Leah asked. “I never heard you come in.”
“A herd of elephants could have come in,” Richie laughed, “and you wouldn’t have heard them for the noise you two were making.”
“Wish I hadn’t asked that question,” Leah blushed.
“It’s okay, Mom. Mika and I have had the talk. “Although…” Mika shot her son a look and Richie stuffed his mouth full of bacon.
“Just so you know,” Richie mumbled around the bacon in his mouth, “Emily didn’t follow me home last night.”
“Why not?” Leah demanded, anger flashing across her lovely face. Oh, here comes Cranky Leah , Mika thought.
“Uh…, um…,” Richie stuttered.
“She hooked up with that waitress from Brighton?” Mika said, raising her eyebrows.
“Yeah,” the boy said softly. “I’m not trying to get her into trouble. I just didn’t want you to think I would intentionally disobey you. You know, if I had my own car, I wouldn’t have to know about Emily’s antics. Anyway, Amber followed me home.”
“We have had this car discussion too many times,” Leah frowned at her son. “There is no way…”
“Let us discuss it later, son,” Mika knew she was inviting the wrath of her wife, but she also knew they probably should think about getting the boy a vehicle for his sixteenth birthday.
Leah shot Mika the death glare making Mika thankful her hair hadn’t caught on fire. Richie was smart enough to run upstairs for his bowling shirt.
“I thought we discussed this car business,” Leah hissed through gritted teeth.
“No, you talked. I just listened.” Mika’s smile turned into more of a grimace. “I think we should revisit it. Isaac just got his hardship license and he’s only fifteen. I don’t really want Richie driven around town by Isaac. Isaac really isn’t the brightest ember in the campfire.”
“You mean get him a car now?” Leah growled.
“No, just promise him one on his sixteenth birthday, if he doesn’t ride in Isaac’s car.” Mika knew she was running into the eye of the storm.
“We need to dress for the tournament,” Leah frowned. “I don’t like this one bit.”
The priest followed her wife upstairs. Leah had that extra little sway in her walk that always made Mika’s breath catch. No woman that drop-dead gorgeous should walk that sensuously , she thought. She knows exactly what she’s doing to me.
Mika pulled on her jeans and bowling shirt and Leah did the same. They dressed in silence as Leah scowled at her from under long, dark lashes.
“Honey,” Mika pleaded. “Don’t be angry with me.”
“He’s the only child we have,” Leah fought to control her anger. “What if something happened to him?”
“Leah, he’s almost a man,” Mika reasoned. “You can’t keep him from growing up, no matter how hard you try.”
Mika knew she was running face first into a forest fire and tried to end the conversation. “Let’s discuss this next week when we are all free of the pressures of the tournament.”
Leah tried to avoid touching Mika as she walked around her to get to the door. “Leah,” Mika’s voice was low and commanding, “Don’t treat me like this.”
Leah whirled around to face her wife, eyes blazing. Cranky Leah is definitely riding that horse, Mika thought.
The look in Mika’s eyes was darker than any Leah had ever seen. She wasn’t sure what that look meant and she didn’t really want to find out. There was much about her wife, she didn’t know.
“I’m sorry, darling,” Leah moved into Mika’s arms and kissed her slowly, tenderly. “I love you. I don’t want to fight with you.” She could feel Mika physically relax and melt into her, pulling the full length of her body against her own. It was a glorious feeling, and Leah didn’t want to let it go. Mika bent to kiss her again.
“Come on. You guys can make out in the back room of t
he bowling alley, but right now we need to get signed in on time or forfeit.” Richie yelled as he skipped downstairs.
##
Bowling teams from all over the state were checking in and picking up their packets. Kathryn and Frederick were running the registration counter. The alley had twenty-four lanes so twenty-four teams could bowl at the same time. Strand and the sheriff from Brighton were the officials for the tournament.
Thirty teams had been eliminated by the time the Cross family arrived. After their competition, only two of their town’s teams remained in the competition, Richie’s team and Emily’s team. They wouldn’t bowl again until later that night in the semi-finals. Eight teams would go into the finals on Saturday.
Max had dropped Mary off on his way to the pet shop with a promise to return as soon as he could close for the day. Mary was in unusually high spirits.” She looks like she got some last night,” the sheriff nudged Ruth as Mary walked between tables taking drink and pizza orders.
“You’re such a pig,” Ruth moved away from the sheriff, tired of her teenage boy mentality about sex.
“You really could be a little more genteel,” Samson chided his daughter. “That poor girl has been through a lot. Leah has been an excellent mentor for her and her husband. If the wicked queen can become as elegantly empathetic as Leah is, you could develop a little compassion for those less fortunate than you.”
That was the problem. Emily didn’t think anyone was less fortunate than she was. For most of her adult life, she had wallowed in self-pity. She was the queen of excuses and blamed everything bad in her life on someone else; her parents, Leah, even Richie, but especially Leah.
“Oh! My mistake!” Leah’s words and shocked expression ran through her thoughts a dozen times a day and haunted her dreams at night. Those three words had ruined her life. She never stopped to think that she had caused the utterance of those three words.
The sheriff glared at her father, then turned on her heel and stomped away.
Samson watched the priest and the mayor as they slipped into the darkness of the under-construction cafe area to steal a few minutes alone. He was truly sorry that he and his wife had been so critical of Leah when she started trying to change. If they had kept their mouths shut, perhaps their daughter would have worked things out with the beautiful woman. One thing he knew from many years of co-existing with the former wicked queen, was that when Leah loved, she loved completely. She was faithful, fiercely loyal and protective of those fortunate enough to be on the short list of people she truly loved. Infidelity was one thing the mayor would never tolerate.
Samson desperately wished there was some way he could help his daughter work out her commitment issues. He and Delilah set the right example for her. He couldn’t imagine ever cheating on Delilah or her cheating on him. One didn’t do that to those they loved.
##
“I feel like a teenage boy sneaking under the bleachers with my best girl,” Mika grinned as she led her wife to a dark corner in the closed café area. “I just couldn’t wait a minute longer to do this.” She pulled Leah into her arms and kissed her passionately. She wanted Leah to feel how much she loved her. Leah slid her arms around Mika’s neck and pressed her body against the priest. She slowly moved her soft, full lips against Mika’s setting her entire being on fire. Mika held her tightly, trying to quell the raging desire Leah had aroused in her.
Leah slid her hands down Mika’s stomach and under her shirt. The feel of Leah’s warm, soft hands on her body elicited a soft moan from Mika’s lips. “How much longer,” she said softly.
“Sunday,” Leah whispered.
“If I live that long,” Mika whimpered as Leah slowly moved her hands to her back.
“If you let me, I could…” Leah’s voice trailed off into a whisper.
“Not here,” Mika murmured against her lips, “but definitely when we get home.” Mika exhaled a breath she had been holding since Leah had slipped her hands under Mika’s bowling shirt. “We’d better get back. Everyone will be looking for us.”
“You feel so good,” Leah kissed her longingly as she slowly slid her hands from beneath Mika’s shirt. She could feel her wife’s need for her continuing to build. Mika had been antsy all day and was almost vibrating, just barely keeping control of her emotions that were seething under the surface. She bounced on her toes, rocked back on her heels and clasped Leah’s hand tightly.
“I don’t know how you courted me for two years,” she smiled. “You can barely go two days without coming apart at the seams.”
“Then I had no idea what I was missing,” Mika chuckled. “Now, I am very aware of what you can do to me.”
##
“We’re going to Naomi’s for dinner, then return here to bowl the final bracket tonight,” Leah informed her son and Amber. Why don’t you join us?”
“That would be delightful,” Amber smiled, grateful to be included in their group. “Your conversation is so much more interesting than the town gossip going around.”
“That is because the gossip is usually about some member of our family,” Richie laughed. “When you are related to everyone in town, you tend to be the topic of conversation.”
“Yes,” Amber nodded tentatively. “The topic of the day seems to be the sheriff’s cell phone. I am not sure what is so interesting about that. A Betty Boop screensaver or something.”
Richie blushed slightly, “One never knows what is going on with Emily,” he shrugged.
Gloria Thomas joined the group. “I need to speak with you for just a minute,” the young priest addressed Mika.
Leah watched as Gloria led her wife to Mary who seemed upset about something. Mika took Mary’s hands in hers and led her to a table away from the crowd of bowlers. Gloria went to Max. Both priests seemed to be counseling the couple. David soon joined Max and Gloria. Mary appeared to calm down, smiling at the priest and nodding her head. She leaned her body against Mika as if seeking support. Leah watched as her wife bent her head to speak softly into Mary’s ear. She knew Mika was trying to keep others from overhearing their conversation. Mary laid her head on Mika’s chest for a long time, before returning to waiting on the tables.
“Everything okay?” Leah slipped her hand into her wife’s. Mika frowned and shook her head yes. She didn’t want to discuss Mary’s personal matters in front of others. She led Leah toward the door leading from the bowling alley.
“Please place our order,” the priest addressed her son, as the group walked toward the diner. “Your mother and I will join you shortly.”
##
“Did he hurt her last night?” Leah asked as soon as they were alone.
“No, he wanted to have relations,” Mika spoke hesitantly, “but Mary wasn’t ready yet. She said he respected her wishes, but a few minutes ago, he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the unfinished café to chastise her for spending too much time at Levi’s table taking drink orders. It scared her. She’s afraid to go home tonight. I assured her she could stay at the convent.”
Leah nodded. “It must be terrible to love someone so volatile. It would be difficult to function, never knowing how your partner would react to even the smallest thing.”
Leah shivered from the cold. Mika embraced her, kissing the top of her head. “We’d better get inside. It’s getting colder.”
The couple greeted their parishioners and visitors from other towns, welcoming them and thanking them for supporting the tournament. The mayor of Brighton and his wife sat at the table next to the Cross family. He kept talking across the aisle to them.
Several couples were dancing at the back of the diner, and everyone was in a good mood. Brighton and Leah’s town had two teams going into the playoffs tomorrow, and they were good-naturedly teasing each other.
Either the sheriff was drunker than usual or had been sniffing something. She stomped to their table and held her hand out to Leah. “Dance?” she barked.
Mika watched as her wife glared at Emily as if
she had lost her mind. Mika also saw the slight glow beginning to appear in the palm of her hand. Cranky Leah was on a short leash tonight.
The priest quickly stood and took Emily’s elbow, “I’d love to,” she grinned as she shoved Emily toward the dance floor.
“What the hell?” the sheriff growled as Mika began moving her around the dance floor. “I wasn’t talking to you.”
“I am aware of that,” Mika said, “but she was about to fry you. We don’t need the world to know what she is capable of.”
The sheriff relaxed and enjoyed the dance. It had been a long time since she had danced with anyone as accomplished as the priest. “Where did you learn to dance like this?” she asked.
“Years of practice,” Mika answered.
“Look, priest, I’m sorry. I…” Emily faltered.
“It’s okay,” Mika sympathized with the woman. Nothing was more devastating than unrequited love. “It is best not to confront her tonight. She is a little out of sorts right now.”
“Oh, yeah, last week of the month,” Emily grinned. “I remember those days. It was like living with the wicked queen, but so hot.”
A slight pang of jealousy shot through Mika as she thought about her wife being with the sheriff.
“I believe our dance is over,” the priest said leading her back to her friends.
As Mika sat down, Leah caught her hand. “That was very kind of you,” she murmured, “but look at what you started.”
Mika looked up to see several of the town’s women heading toward their table. “Are you letting Mika dance tonight,” one of them inquired sheepishly.
Mika gripped Leah’s hand tightly, silently pleading with her wife to save her. “No, dear,” Leah smiled patiently. “We are just here to dine.”
##
After dinner the New Judah teams walked to the bowling alley and signed in to begin the playoffs.
Richie, Amber, Leah and Mika moved to the lane assigned to them for their final game of the night. Isaac, Emily, Gloria and Ruth were in the lane next to them. Everyone was waiting for Emily and Ruth to show up. Mary quickly appeared to take their drink orders. As always, Mika and Richie ordered soft drinks. Leah and Amber opted for hot tea.