Monogamy

by Susan X Meagher

  Jamie stroked her back with her free hand, feeling sorry for the woman – who obviously had some serious problems with intimacy. "Sure you can, Juliet. You have to be more open with people, and let them get to know the real you. But you can do it."

  "No, no, I can’t," she said again, crying harder. "I’m so damned lonely."

  "Hey," Jamie said softly, stroking her hair, "you don’t have to be lonely. You’re a nice woman, you’re very attractive, and you’re gonna be a big success in your field. I think you’re quite a catch, Juliet."

  Suddenly, the larger woman’s arms were around Jamie’s waist, and Juliet was holding on tight, crying her eyes out. Jamie didn’t know what to do, so she continued to stroke her hair and her shoulders, murmuring soothing words. "Come on, now, lie down," Jamie said.

  Juliet did as she was told, but she failed to remove her arms from Jamie’s waist first. The pair tumbled to the bed, their legs entwined. For a second, Jamie was too surprised to move, but when Juliet started kissing her chest, making her way towards her mouth, the shock turned to outrage. "Hey!" Jamie got her hands between them and pushed Juliet roughly, then disentangled her legs and stood up. "Don’t you ever try anything like that again!" she said, her face flushed with anger. "Only Ryan touches me that way!" She straightened her shirt, then ran her hands through her hair, trying to control her temper.

  By this time Juliet was crying helplessly, and Jamie’s conscience reminded her that scolding the woman at this point was a complete waste of time. "Juliet," she said, putting her hand on her leg, "get some rest and try to sleep it off. I know that being drunk can make you do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do."

  "I’m sorry," she got out, sobbing roughly.

  "It’s all right," Jamie said, soothingly. "Just go to sleep. We’ll talk about this later."

  "Do you hate me?" she asked timidly.

  "Of course not. Not at all. Now, just relax, will you? I’ll see you on Monday morning."

  "I’m sorry, Jamie," she said once again. "I’m so sorry. I couldn’t help it …"

  "We’ll talk later, Juliet. Now, get some sleep, and try to feel better, okay?"

  "All right."

  A few tears were still sliding down her cheeks, and Jamie gave her a compassion-filled look and said, "It’s all right, Juliet. Don’t worry about it."

  "I’m sorry," she murmured, lying down with a heavy thump.

  "Goodnight," Jamie said, quickly backing out of the room before she had to hear another apology. As soon as she was on the street, she called the house, and Ryan answered on the first ring. "Hi, speedy. I just left the house, so I’ll be home in a few. I didn’t want you to worry."

  "Oh, good. I wanted to get into bed, but I wasn’t gonna take my clothes off until you were home. I wanted to be able to come get you if you ran into any trouble."

  "I’m fine, hon. Get in bed on my side and warm it up for me, will ya?"

  "Will do. Hurry home, baby-doll."

  "Baby-doll?"

  Ryan shrugged, even though Jamie couldn’t see her. "They just pop out. Lord knows why."

  "I’ll be right there," Jamie said, smiling at the image of her partner, knowing that she had likely shrugged her broad shoulders when she was explaining herself.

  When Jamie got home a few minutes later, her side of the bed was toasty warm – at least it looked warm underneath Ryan’s soundly sleeping body. Well, I guess we’re switching sides, the blonde decided, getting in on the other side. Ryan immediately cuddled up to her, her warm, sleep-heavy body feeling like a familiar, warm blanket. Damn, Juliet, Jamie sighed, I can’t believe you had the nerve to make a move on me after you saw your competition. Do you have a death wish?

  After sleeping in, and taking a few minutes to check on Mia, Jamie and Ryan went to Noe Valley to spend the day with the family. Martin and Maeve and Caitlin had saved them seats at Mass, and the five-some spent the service passing Caitlin from one person to the other – playing the usual game of "who can entertain a 16-month-old for more than 10 minutes."

  Ryan had possession of the toddler when it was time to file out of the pew for communion, and as usual, she and Jamie stood side-by-side in the line. It wasn’t a common thing at their parish, but a few couples stood next to one another while receiving the Eucharist, and Ryan liked the idea, so she and Jamie had adopted the practice not long after they’d started attending St. Phil’s. When they got near the front of the line, the usher directed them to a Eucharistic Minister who stood to the right of Father Pender. Jamie started to go where she was directed, but Ryan tugged on her, staying right where she was. Jamie looked up at her quizzically, then shot a glance at the man from whom they were supposed to receive the sacrament. He gave her a very perturbed look, but she merely shrugged slightly, waiting for Father Pender as Ryan was intent on doing.

  After Mass, they went out to the patio to purchase some coffee and donuts that the parish Girl Scout troop was offering. While they waited in line, Jamie asked, "Hey, why were you so intent on receiving communion from Father Pender?"

  "Oh, I wasn’t," Ryan said. "I didn’t like the alternative."

  "Well, that guy was pissed off. He gave me a look like he wanted to throttle me."

  "No, honey, he was giving us that look before we were directed to go to him. That’s why I refused to do it. That kindly soul is Robert Andrews, Sara’s dad."

  "Oh! So, I wasn’t imagining the look!"

  "Nope. As soon as he saw us, he started to put a puss on. No way I’m having him try to choke me with a communion wafer."

  While they were chatting, Father Pender came up to say hello. Martin and Maeve were sitting at a table with Caitlin, everyone knowing that having the child near the donut table was a recipe for disaster. "Siobhan, Jamie, how are you both?"

  "We’re good," Ryan said. "Buy you a cup of coffee, Father?"

  "That’d be lovely," he said, smiling.

  "Could you steer me to a list of good retreat houses, Father?" Ryan asked. "I’m thinking about going away for a week this summer, and I’d like to find a good place."

  "Oh, certainly. What type are you looking for?"

  "Well, I’m not sure how many options there are," she said.

  "There are more styles of retreat than snakes in Ireland before St. Patrick," he said, his eyes crinkling up. "Stop by the rectory before you leave. My secretary has a list of all of the places in the Archdiocese."

  "Thanks, Father. I will."

  Looking at her for a moment, he asked quietly, "How are things going with you personally, Siobhan? Feeling better?"

  "Yeah, I’m feeling less guilty about shooting that guy," she said, "but my temper’s still pretty explosive. I’m about out of cheeks to turn, Father."

  "You’ll get there," he said, gripping her shoulder. "You’re a very forgiving girl."

  "Up until now I have been," she said, "but I’ve never really been tested before."

  Jamie gave her a look that questioned her sanity, and Ryan chuckled softly, "Okay, I guess I have been pretty even-tempered before now. My reserves are dangerously low."

  "Time and prayer will help you store up all the reserves you need," the priest assured her.

  "I hope the reserves are back up before I need them," Ryan said. "I don’t want to find out what I’m capable of."

  Martin and Maeve stayed behind to socialize, since Caitlin had found a boyfriend and was playing happily with the little fellow. On the walk home, Jamie held Ryan’s hand, looking up to ask, "How are you feeling?"

  "Uhm … good?" Ryan replied.

  "Nice and peaceful? Full of good will towards your fellow person?"

  "Who am I going to want to kill, and why?" Ryan asked, giving Jamie’s hand a squeeze.

  "Mmm … maybe Juliet."

  Stopping dead in her tracks, the blue eyes narrowed and Ryan turned slowly, gazing at Jamie for several seconds before she asked, "What did she do?"

  "Uhm … you know how drunk she was last night, honey …"

  Giving h
er a look that could peel paint, Ryan repeated herself, slowly this time. "What… did… she… do?"

  Knowing that she was unable to make it sound better than it was, Jamie told the tale. "I got her into bed and she started crying, saying that no one liked her and things like that. I patted her back and smoothed her hair a little bit – just being nice," she said. "She either got the wrong impression from that, or she just lost it, because she put her arms around me and we fell onto the bed together. She uhm … kissed my chest, and my neck, and was on her way to moving up when I pushed her away and got up. I told her off, Ryan, and warned her to never do anything like that again."

  Jamie looked up at her partner, practically able to see steam coming out of her ears. Without a word, Ryan turned and started to walk home, her grip on Jamie’s hand just short of painful. Knowing that her partner needed a few minutes to calm down, Jamie didn’t say a word. When they got to the house, Ryan strode up to the BMW and beeped the doors open. As she started to get in, Jamie asked, "Where are you going?"

  "We’re going to Berkeley," she said, her voice flat, but bursting with menace.

  "Oh, no, we’re not. No, way, Ryan!"

  "There is no way in hell that I’m gonna let her get away with that, Jamie. You are not some piece of meat that she can paw whenever she wants to."

  "I’m also not an airhead who can’t protect herself," the blonde said, her voice starting to rise.

  "Get in the car!"

  "I will not!"

  "Get in!"

  "NO!"

  Jamie started for the stairs, not slowing down when she heard the car door slam loudly.

  Conor and Kevin were in the kitchen when Jamie entered, and they called out a greeting. Before Jamie could reply, Ryan strode into the house, saying only one word – in a very loud voice. "Downstairs!"

  Rolling her eyes at the boys, who each gave her a wide-eyed look, Jamie shook her head and followed her furious partner down to their room. Closing the door, Jamie gently pushed her partner down onto the loveseat and straddled her. "Listen to me," she said, her cheeks pink with anger, "you have every right to be upset by someone trying to touch me against my will, but it was me who was touched, Ryan. I’m the one who should be indignant – not you. I’m not your property, and I don’t like being treated as such. Now, calm down and chill." She got up and went to the built-in drawers, pulling out a sweater and a pair of jeans. While Jamie changed, Ryan didn’t say a word, she just sat on the loveseat, looking like she was about to explode.

  When Jamie was finished, Ryan rose, changed into sweats and laced up a pair of running shoes. "I’m going out for a run," she said, not waiting for a response.

  The blonde shook her head and went upstairs to chat with the boys, trying to think of an excuse for her partner’s bad manners that wouldn’t reveal anything too personal.

  Ryan was gone for a long time – a very long time. Jamie had called her father, her mother, her grandfather, and had made a good dent in her accounting homework by the time the sweat-drenched woman returned home.

  Jamie looked up from her book, trying to meet Ryan’s eyes to see if the dark woman’s mood had brightened. From her initial glance, it seemed unlikely, and she mentally rolled her eyes – hoping that their entire day wasn’t going to be ruined. But Ryan surprised her; sitting down on her desk chair and gazing at Jamie with a contrite look. "I’m sorry for how I behaved. I don’t have a lot of control now, Jamie. My mouth gets away from me."

  The blonde reached out and stroked Ryan’s wet arm. "I know things are hard for you, honey. Having something like this happen doesn’t help the situation in the least."

  "No, it doesn’t," Ryan said, nodding. "But I’m in bad shape when I can’t shrug off some woman making a fairly harmless pass at you. I’m not normally jealous of things like that."

  "I know you’re not, Ryan. Don’t worry, this will pass."

  Ryan sighed, stretching in her chair. "I went over to the church and talked with Da and Maeve for a while," she said. "Then Father Villarreal came over, and I asked him for some advice. But even after having 3 people, whose opinions I trust tell me the same thing – I was still steamed. So, I ran until I could finally feel my anger start to dissipate." She chuckled softly, and said, "It’s a good thing I don’t know where Juliet lives, ‘cause I could have easily made it to Berkeley – on foot."

  "I can handle her, Ryan. I’m gonna tell her in no uncertain terms that she is never allowed to touch me again. I won’t stand for that kind of crap – from anyone. I feel sorry for her because she seems so lost and alone – but I don’t feel sorry enough to let her touch me."

  "I know you can handle yourself, Jamie. I have to make the irrational part of my brain listen to the rational side a little more."

  "Hey," the blonde said, giving Ryan a sultry smile, "remember when we were on our honeymoon and you told me that your father said you should always get naked to have an argument?"

  "Yeah," Ryan said, nodding. "Are we still arguing?"

  "Noooo … but it might be a nice way to make up. Let’s hop in the shower and see if we can wash away some of the remnants of our little spat."

  "But you’re not dirty," Ryan said, giving Jamie a sexy grin.

  Standing, Jamie extended her hand and pulled her partner to her feet. "I can be as dirty as the next girl – given the right motivation. Come motivate me, hot stuff."

  After their make-up shower and a nice nap, the girls went upstairs to socialize a bit. Martin and Maeve had come over to start Sunday dinner, and Brendan, Maggie, Conor, Rory and Kevin were all jammed into Conor’s room, watching a basketball game. Since there wasn’t room for them in the bedroom, Jamie and Ryan went into the kitchen to chat with Martin and Maeve. Ryan sat on a stool and pulled her partner to her, nuzzling her neck and hugging her constantly. "Looks like someone’s feeling a little better," Martin said, giving his daughter a wry look.

  "Nah, this is how we fight," Ryan said, kissing a path across the back of Jamie’s neck, while the blonde giggled and wriggled on her lap.

  "Why don’t we fight like that, Marty?" Maeve asked, giving her husband a bump with her hip. "The girls have the best ideas."

  "It’s never too late to learn a few new tricks," he said. "Maybe we should fight right now." He wrapped his arms around his bride and started to kiss her neck with as much gusto as his daughter had just demonstrated.

  "My eyes! My eyes!" Ryan cried, dramatically cupping her hands over the bright blue orbs.

  Jamie laughed at her partner’s antics, while encouraging the older couple. "Go for it, Martin!"

  "I’ve had to get used to seeing the two of you rubbing against each other like a pair of cats in a sack. It’s high time you had a dose of your own medicine," he said, laughing evilly while he continued to kiss the giggling Maeve.

  Ryan pushed her partner from her lap and ran from the room. "I’m gonna go watch the game – if my retinas haven’t been burned out!"

  The only spot available to Ryan was on the floor, next to her cousin. "I haven’t had much time to talk to you lately, buddy. How’s it going living with us and the boys?"

  "Good," Kevin said, smiling brightly. "Better than I thought, really. It’s like when Tommy and Michael were still at home. Ya know, I think I’d rather stay here than move back to my ma’s place."

  "Have you told your mom that, Kevin? You know, the whole reason they’re gonna move to Niall’s is to give you the house."

  "I’ve kinda hinted at it," he said, "but we haven’t had a serious discussion. I guess we should, though. I like being around the guys, Ryan, and it’s nice to share the responsibilities, not to mention the expenses. Now that we’ve gotten rid of that ‘no overnight guests’ thing, it’s perfect living here."

  ‘Do my father and your mother know you’ve abolished the rule?" Ryan asked with an impish grin.

  "What they don’t know won’t hurt them," Kevin said, adding a wink.

  Tommy, Annie and Caitlin joined the already full house, and while
they were eating, Ryan brought the subject up again. "When is Niall’s place supposed to be ready?"

  "It’s going well," Martin said. "I think, a few weeks, at the maximum."

  "Well, Ryan and I were talking about it, and I don’t think I want to move back to the house, Ma," Kevin said. "I like living with the guys."

  "Really?" Maeve asked. "Well, goodness, Kevin, if you don’t want the house, it doesn’t make any sense for us to move."

  Ryan had a hard time keeping the obvious signs of relief from her face. A persistent thread of worry had been niggling at her over the thought of her father and aunt moving several miles away, and the possibility that they would stay right where they were was overwhelmingly heartening.

  Martin sensed her relief and said, "If we don’t have to go, we’ll stay right where we are. I need to stay close to keep my eye on you children." He spoke to all, but his eyes were firmly planted on his smiling daughter. "I’ve been worried about prowlers," he said, scowling a bit. "I saw a young woman walking down the stairs just after dawn the other morning. I think she may have been casing the joint."

  Conor, Rory, and Kevin all put on their most innocent faces, no one willing to confess to that particular encounter.

  Partially to deflect the focus from his brother and cousins, Tommy piped up and said, "If you don’t take Niall’s, I think Annie and I might. Our place is too small to change our minds in, and we just found out we’re getting another rent increase. We’ve got to do something."

  "Well, that would work, Tom," Martin said. "Although we’d hate to have you so far away."

  "Oh, my yes," Maeve said. "Sunset is far too distant to walk to."

  "It can’t be that far. You were going to live there, Mom," Tommy said. "It’s too good of an opportunity for all of us to pass up. The rent is less than we currently pay, and the place is twice as big."

  "I realize that," she said. "I just wish there were a better way."

  "Well, it’s not decided," he said. "Let’s see how things go."

  "All right," Maeve said, but it was obvious she was very unhappy at the thought of Caitlin being so far away.