Triple Exposure

by Jackie Calhoun

  Nicky set a cup of coffee before her mother and met her eyes. It was the look, the tone of voice, the insistence on clearing something up while it was “still fresh” in her mother’s mind that set off her warning system. She took a deep breath.

  “You know we play bridge with Mark Forrester’s parents. They told us that Beth left him, that he’s devastated.”

  Something akin to a hot flash raced through Nicky, bringing a flush to her face. She nodded in answer to her mother’s raised eyebrows.

  “They have a son, who stayed with his father, who needs his mother.”

  Nicky licked her lips nervously. She felt like a teenager again with a guilty secret and found herself unable to turn away from her mother’s eyes.

  “What I’m wondering is, did you have anything to do with her leaving her husband?”

  “Mom, I don’t mean to be impolite, but that’s just none of your business.” Her voice shook a little, betraying her worry at talking to her mother this way.

  “I thought so. You and Beth were just too close.”

  She couldn’t move or look away. Instead, she chewed on her lower lip and listened to the thudding of her heart, her body uncomfortably suffused with heat. There was no way she could explain her feelings for Beth, and she made no effort to defend herself.

  “Is she going to move in with you? Can I ask that?”

  Shaking her head, she replied, “No, not now anyway.” A long pause followed, during which her discomfort reached the squirming level. “Mom, don’t look at me that way.”

  “What way?” Her mother sighed. “You’re my first-born.”

  “I don’t need any more guilt.”

  “If you would like to see a counselor, your father and I will pay for it.”

  Maybe she should take the offer, Nicky thought, remembering her confusion over Meg and Beth. “It’s not something you change even if you want to, Mom.”

  Her mother pressed her lips together, a sure sign of displeasure. “Okay. I tried,” she said, dismissing the subject. “We’d like you and Natalie to come to dinner next Saturday night. The rest of the family will be there. We’re cooking out.”

  Relief washed through her at being let off the hook so easily. But it left her feeling that her mother had only been confirming long-time suspicions. “Can we bring anything?”

  “Just yourselves.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “You’re going to what?” Nicky asked, looking up from the Sunday funnies.

  “Denise wants me to go to counseling with her. I said I would.” Meg shrugged. “What harm can it do?”

  “I thought you had already split.”

  “Well, I’m not moving back in. We’re just going to find out what went wrong.” Meg leaned forward in her chair, her arms on her knees. She looked troubled.

  “Why are you doing this? Do you like punishing yourself or what?”

  Throwing the paper on the floor, Nicky leaned forward too. “I can tell you what went wrong. Denise wants to control you.”

  Meg studied her hands, her shoulders slumped. “I have to do this. I can’t even tell you why. Maybe because I feel so guilty.”

  “Oh, for Christ’s sake,” Nicky exclaimed, getting to her feet and pacing the porch.

  “I know, Nicky.” Meg spoke softly. She got up and put a hand on Nicky’s shoulder. “There’s something between you and me. I’m not sure what, maybe just a spark. But you’re not ready to give up Beth either.”

  Nicky felt stricken, her arguments shot down by the truth. “I knew you were going to give her another chance.” It was going to be lonely if Meg moved out. “If you’re not going back to Denise, will you continue to stay here?”

  “Do you want me to?”

  Would that be less painful? Nicky nodded. “Yes, I hope you will.” Perhaps she would have some influence that way. Maybe she would be able to rescue her from what she considered a fate worse than death—living with Denise.

  Meg visibly brightened. “It’s time to start showing anyway. Will you still go with me?”

  “Sure.” Nicky was resigned. “Do you feel better now that you know Brittle was probably taken by those guys who tried to steal Dan’s cattle?”

  “I feel that he’s pretty safe. They’re not going to take him again, even if they don’t end up being jailed very long. That would be too stupid.” She added, “I’m glad it wasn’t a horse person.”

  “So am I,” Nicky agreed.

  ***

  Comparing her present life to her circumstances last spring brought Nicky satisfaction. She had toughed it out, had made a niche for herself doing the work she enjoyed and at which she excelled—selling her prints through Margo, setting up a successful part-time business in Photo Perfect, even working at Photoplay. And now Margo was suggesting a one-woman exhibit of Nicky’s photography.

  Resting her elbow on the open windowsill, she ran her fingers through her wind-blown hair. What if no one came? What if none of her work sold? Agitated, she shifted her position on the truck seat and agonized over yet another worry.

  Should she confront Beth with her suspicions or just ride them out? That was the question she needed to answer before she got home from work that afternoon. Beth was due back from New York, might even be at the house. She knew that if Beth was fooling around with Nancy Brown, she couldn’t stop her. And she struggled nearly every waking moment to not think about the two of them in compromising positions. If she asked and Beth confirmed her hunch, she would have to do something. But if she did nothing and said nothing, would the end result be any different?

  No cars were parked in front of the barn. Nicky breathed deeply with relief. She walked toward the house through warm sunshine, sensing that if she stood still long enough she would see the grass grow. The urge to plant was upon her. She longed to set out tomatoes, beans, squash, flowers, but knew if she did, they would surely freeze out.

  As she freed Scrappy from the confines of the house and he threw himself against her legs in mindless adoration, Beth’s Probe pulled up next to Nicky’s truck. Absently, she patted the dog while she watched Beth get out of the car and remove her suitcase from the trunk.

  “Here, let me help you with that,” Nicky said, hurrying toward her.

  Beth smiled in welcome. “Good to see you, sweetie. How about a hug?”

  Taking Beth in her arms, she smelled her familiar odor—her particular cologne, the soap she used, the scent of her skin. Her warm, pliant softness comforted Nicky. Could she give this up? She held Beth at arm’s length and looked into her hazel eyes, admired the high cheekbones, the trim figure. She longed to let down Beth’s hair and run her fingers through it. Leaning forward, she kissed her lightly on the mouth.

  “What is it, Nicky?” Beth asked, her smile turning hesitant.

  You’re cheating on me, that’s what. She smiled crookedly and shrugged inwardly. Since she wasn’t ready to let go of Beth, she would play what she called the pretend game. She would ask nothing, figuring the less she knew, the less it would hurt. “Tell me about the trip.”

  “Not much to tell, really. I went to meetings. I did eat some good meals, though.” She put her free arm around Nicky and threw her head back. “What a glorious day to come home.”

  “I have to tell you about the cattle rustlers.” She’d told Beth some of it over the phone.

  “I want all the details.”

  Nicky gave them to her in bed. Hungering for Beth as she hadn’t since she and Meg had succumbed to desire, she experienced a fierce possessiveness and wondered if it was rooted in fear. Reaching inside, she felt the moist walls tighten against her fingers. “I want you,” she muttered between clenched teeth, meaning she wanted to establish territorial rights.

  “You’ve got me,” Beth said, catching her breath when Nicky, hovering over her, turned around to burrow between her legs and take her in her mouth.

  Feeling Beth scoot under her and wrap her arms around her hips to pull her down, Nicky too gasped at the warm touch of
tongue. Consumed by the hot river of desire flowing between them, she heard her own harsh breathing as she struggled to hold off climax. Then, shuddering with release and feeling Beth respond in kind, she collapsed face down on Beth.

  Slowly, Nicky reversed her position to taste Beth’s breasts, to embrace her and kiss her lips, her fingers still engulfed in passion. She smiled and sighed contentedly.

  “Nice homecoming. I’ll have to go away more often.” Beth covered Nicky’s dampness with a hand and leaned over her to gently take a nipple in her mouth. “So even Denise is a hero. And it looks like these rustlers took Brittle. Does that mean Meg is going to start showing him in earnest again?”

  Nicky arched her back. “Yep. She’s getting Brittle ready for this weekend.” Why had she let Denise go with them on that harebrained attempt to stop the rustlers, thereby making her look good in Meg’s eyes? “What I did was just a knee-jerk reaction. It wasn’t heroic. Meg was my support. Denise was scared to death. She and Meg are going to counseling.”

  “Together?” Beth raised her head in obvious surprise.

  “Yeah,” Nicky said, feeling a stab of pain. What was it about Meg that she couldn’t give up? “And on Saturday Natalie’s going to tell our parents about her new living arrangements. Mom will be thrilled.”

  Beth rested her head on the pillow and studied Nicky’s face. “You’re just full of news. But I bet you’re wrong about Cleo. She’ll handle it with her usual aplomb.”

  “Think so, huh?” Then she confided her mother’s questions regarding Beth’s separation.

  “And you told her to mind her own business? Nicky, you never cease to amaze me. I would have said that your mother intimidated you.”

  And you would have been right, she admitted silently, unwilling to give voice to it. “Wish you could go with me Saturday, be a part of the family.”

  “Well, I certainly couldn’t do that after this revelation.” Beth looked thoughtful. “Someday we’ll go to family functions together, sweetie. Maybe we’ll even instigate them when we’re living together.”

  Nicky smiled and gave Beth a hug. At this moment she chose to believe her.