Fusion

by Diana Kane

  “You know, a nice little fling with her sister might be just what you need.”

  “I’m not going to sleep with Catherine’s sister.” I give Abby a look to let her know that the subject is closed. “What about you? Ready to invite the neighbor to the party?”

  “Oh that? Well he and I aren’t seeing eye to eye at the moment.” The disappointment is clear on Abby’s face.

  “So you slept with him, now you want some commitment and he doesn’t. Am I warm?”

  “Basically, yes.” Our appetizer arrives just in time. I know we will be going over this a few times. I am going to need food and another drink if I am going to survive it. Poor Abby.

  *****

  I arrive home just after 10 pm and can hear murmuring voices as soon as I enter from the garage. This is why I need a private entrance, I think to myself as I take off my shoes in hopes of sneaking down to the basement without disturbing Catherine and her guest. She never mentioned having someone over tonight or I would have stayed elsewhere. I don’t make it halfway to the basement steps before Catherine rounds the corner.

  “There you are. I was starting to worry about you.”

  “About me? I’m fine. I was, however, trying not to disturb you and your guest. Sorry. Go back to him, I’m going to grab some water and head downstairs.” Catherine wears a heated look, I know she is pissed, I just have no idea why.

  “Well you are certainly drunk. I hope you didn’t drive home like this.”

  “Don’t worry I didn’t. Abby and I went to dinner after work tonight. We ran into Dahlia and Derrick while we were there. They both have to work tomorrow so Dahlia drove me home and Derrick followed us in my car. You really should go back to your guest.”

  “Actually I thought—.”

  “Hey Cat, everything ok?” Not a man’s voice. It dawns on me as soon as Taylor turns the corner that today is the 24th. Catherine may have alleged that she and her sister are nothing alike, but she may as well have been lying to me. Taylor possesses the same blond hair, blue eyes and cheekbones that Catherine does. Her hair is kept much shorter and in a messy style. She stands a few inches shorter than Catherine and has a more athletic build compared to Catherine’s sleek swimmer’s body.

  “Right. Anyway, Alex this is my sister, Taylor. Taylor this is Alex.” Taylor flashes me a grin as she shakes my hand. Unlike Catherine’s grin, Taylor’s is full of mischief and bad intentions. Maybe it is the drink and the bias Catherine has instilled.

  “Nice to meet you Taylor. Sorry I missed your arrival, I honestly forgot that today was the day.”

  “Not a problem. Gave me some alone time with Cat.” Cat? Calling Catherine Cat is just not working in my book. One glance at Catherine is enough to know that she is not as accepting of my apology as Taylor.

  “Taylor, can you give Alex and I a minute please? I’ll join you in a few.”

  Taylor looks at Catherine, then at me, then back at Catherine. As she makes her exit she gives me a look that seems to be equal parts cat ate the canary and you’re fucked.

  “Alex, I really wanted you to be here tonight. You weren’t here and now that you are you’re drunk.” I still don’t understand why Catherine is so upset.

  “I’m sorry Cat, I really am. I honestly forgot that today is the 24th. Abby and I both have the next few days off and we’ve been missing each other lately so we took advantage of it. Had I remembered the date I would have been here.”

  “Do NOT call me Cat!” I have never seen anger flare across Catherine’s features like this. I only tried it to see if it sounded as wrong coming from me as it did from Taylor. I already have two strikes against me and I have barely made it through the door. I’ve hit the intersection of I can’t win and I just want to go down to my apartment and try again in the morning. Catherine is not willing to let me off that easy though. “Nothing else to say?”

  “I apologize. Yes I forgot the date, but I honestly didn’t even know that it was that important that I be here when Taylor arrived.”

  Catherine isn’t appeased. She simply shakes her head and turns to rejoin Taylor in the sitting room.

  *****

  About two hours after Catherine’s dismissal I hear someone coming down the steps. “Mind if I join you?” There is no familiar vanilla scent to accompany this voice.

  “Be my guest. Sorry again for missing your arrival.” Taylor seats herself on the couch with me.

  “Don’t sweat it. Why was Cat so worked up about it anyway?”

  “Don’t know. I thought she had company, you know, male company. I really did forget today’s date.” Taylor sarcastically laughs.

  “My sister? Male company?”

  “Well yeah, she is into men. I’m sure men are very much into her. Eventually it is bound to happen.”

  Taylor scoffs. “I thought you had met my sister before tonight. I doubt she could remove that prudish stick from her ass long enough to think about bringing someone home.”

  “Come on. She isn’t a prude. Maybe she just has different ideas about how relationships work than you do.”

  I can feel Taylor’s cocky facade slip back into place. “So Cat has told you all about me then.” Not a question, simply a statement of knowledge. Apparently Catherine isn’t the only one who believes that she and her sister are as different as night and day.

  “Not at all. Just a logical deduction from you assessment of Catherine’s hypothetical behavior.” The white lie in this instance feels justified. I have no desire to stir up any animosity between the sisters.

  “Uh-huh.” Taylor shifts her focus from me to the television. “You stay up late watching Harry Potter all the time?”

  “Honestly I have barely perceived any of it. It has mainly served as background noise and a momentary distraction while I have been lost in thought.”

  “I see. What’s on your mind?”

  I turn and look at Taylor, Catherine’s warning and Abby’s suggestion playing in my head again. It’d be easy to have a meaningless fling with her. She is attractive, to be sure. I also have a feeling that she wouldn’t be opposed to it. I just can’t do it. Something tells me that if it did happen Catherine would end up being the one hurt. Or maybe I just hope that if it happened that Catherine would care enough to be hurt. Either way I’d only be using Taylor as a substitute to fulfill some fantasy involving Catherine.

  “You thinking about Cat?”

  “Partly. I’ve never seen her as pissed off as she was tonight.” I have no intention of letting Taylor know any real thoughts I’m having about Catherine. I know my feelings for Catherine are evolving, I just can’t find a way to shut them down.

  “She’ll get over it. She always does. I don’t even know why she got so upset in the first place. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

  “Yeah but I will. I hate fighting with anyone.” I don’t just hate fighting, I actively avoid it. Too many screaming matches between my parents when I was young have given me a natural aversion to them.

  “So does she. She will be over it by the time you get out of bed tomorrow.”

  “Maybe. Speaking of, I really should head to bed soon.”

  “Kicking me out huh?”

  “Afraid so.”

  “You sure?” Taylor slides closer to me on the couch.

  “I’m sure. I doubt that would help me out with the Catherine situation anyway.”

  “She can’t give you everything you need you know.” Taylor moves her hand to my thigh to emphasize her point. If I had any doubts about my ability to reject Taylor earlier, I have none now. The soft press of her hand fails to stir any feelings of lust or desire, I simply want it gone. My inner self is applauding Taylor for her effort though. She certainly knows how to bob and weave her way through a situation, and I’m sure into many women’s beds.

  “I know and I’m still sure.” I gently take her hand and place it on her own leg.

  “Alright. I had to try though.” Taylor rises and heads towards to stairs.

  “No
worries. Hey I don't know what you and Catherine have planned, but on Saturday we are having a mini bar crawl followed by our holiday get together we hold every year. It really isn’t much about the holidays, just an excuse for a bunch of us to get together, drink, play cards, and whatever else we get into.”

  “Yeah that sounds fun to me. You’ll have to run it by Cat though.”

  Catherine

  I can’t sleep. I have been unnecessarily harsh with Alex. Knowing I won’t sleep until I speak with her I leave the comfort of my bed and grab my bathrobe. Time to swallow my pig headed pride and admit that I was wrong.

  As I reach the stairs and am about to head down I realize that Alex isn’t alone. Taylor is with her. I know it is wrong but I can’t help but eavesdrop on their conversation. As predicted Taylor has wasted no time in trying to bed Alex. She is an expert at this. A surge of emotions hits me, anger that Taylor has little regard for boundaries, sadness that Alex is going to be another notch on Taylor’s belt despite my warning, confusion as to whether I should reveal myself and try to derail this train or just step back and let the wreck happen. Alex is rebuffing Taylor on her own before I can make my decision. Firm in her resolve even when Taylor tries to change her mind. I realize Taylor is making her way towards the stairs so I quietly slink back to my room as quickly as I can. As I sit on my bed waiting for Taylor to retreat to her own room a new emotion has taken over, one I can’t identify.

  I wait 15 minutes before making my way towards the basement again. I need to talk to Alex, to clear the air. I reach the stairs to find that the lights are off and it is quiet. I debate for a moment whether or not I should disturb her. Ultimately I decide she probably is not asleep yet and make my way towards her bedroom door. I can detect a faint light at the base of the door, Alex is still awake. I knock softly just in case. It takes a second before Alex tells me to come in. She is sitting up, the sheet pulled to the top of her breasts, Kindle in her lap.

  “Sorry to disturb you. Do you want me to step out so you can put some clothes on?”

  “I think we will be fine. I’m pretty certain I lost any modesty about partial nudity many years ago.” Despite saying this Alex looks nervous.

  “Look, I just want to to apologize. I was far too harsh with you earlier. You were not obligated to be here. We never made an official plan.” Despite the remorse I feel for treating Alex like I did, I can’t take my eyes off of her.

  “It is alright. I would have been here had I remembered the date. Are you alright though? I’ve never seen you go off like that before.”

  “I am fine. Just stressed out having Taylor here.”

  “Because of me? If so you can relax, I already took care of that.”

  “You did?” I opt for the lie of omission. I know it is wrong but so was eavesdropping on her conversation with Taylor earlier. I feel a sense of shame settle over me.

  “Yeah, at least I think I did.” Alex pauses for a moment debating whether she should finish her thought. “I did it for you.”

  I am at a loss for words. Did Alex only reject Taylor because I asked her to? I am unsure how long I stand there attempting to figure it out before Alex breaks my concentration.

  “Was there something else?”

  “Hmm? Oh…no…sorry. I couldn’t sleep because of how I was with you earlier. I just wanted to smooth things over. Again sorry to have disturbed you.”

  “It’s alright. Goodnight Catherine.”

  “Goodnight Alex.”

  *****

  Sleep continues to elude me. ‘I did it for you’. What did she mean? I can accept Alex turning Taylor down because I asked her to. What if there is more to it then that? Is there a storm forming, threatening to strain our friendship? What would I do if Alex was developing feelings for me? Better yet, what should I do?

  Giving up on sleep again I switch on the bedside lamp and open the borrowed copy of Fingersmith. The writing pulls me in, carrying me along the current. I can feel the highs and lows of the characters involved, can feel a bond of sympathy and understanding toward each one. I am about half way through when I reach one of the scenes Alex had warned me about. I devour it, not a bit uncomfortable. Instead I realize I am actually becoming increasingly turned on. It momentarily gives me pause before I recall Alex telling me that she had found herself aroused by straight sex scenes in cinema and literature before. I tell myself that if it works one way then surely it must work the other and fall back into reading. I’m not sure how long I last before finally succumbing to sleep.

  Alexis

  We are at the second stop on our holiday bar hopping tour. Catherine and Taylor seem to be fitting in with our gang of misfits perfectly. Derrick and Dahlia are telling Catherine, Abby, Sara and me about their upcoming wedding. Taylor is off playing darts with Shannon, Kevin and Nikki. From my vantage point it is easy to see that Taylor is trying her game on Nikki. Catherine either hasn’t noticed or doesn’t care.

  “So how does your open relationship work once you’re married?” I hadn’t realized that Derrick and Dahlia have shared every detail with Catherine. The rest of us all know how their arrangement works, if they are happy we are happy for them. They really are perfect for each other.

  “It isn’t going to change. We will still go to parties and do what we do. Our big thing is to be open and honest about it. Neither of us is going to have a second relationship on the side. At the end of the day we love each other and want to come home to one another.”

  “I see. Good for the two of you. Sounds like you are on the same page at least, which I hear is the best place to start.”

  The four of them continue talking. I realize Abby has stepped away and has been gone for a few minutes. I look around for her, finally finding her near the bar. She is talking with someone I don’t know. Good for Abby I think to myself. Then I notice she is quite fidgety. Not like Abby. So I pay closer attention. “Alex, everything alright?” Derrick and Dahlia turn to see what it is that I am looking at.

  “Maybe. I’ll know in a few.” Catherine gives me a concerned look. Sara, Derrick and Dahlia have seen this before. They always find it amusing, waiting to see how things will play out each time.

  “Oh yes, and so early! This should be fun. We taking bets?” Leave it to Derrick to turn it into a game.

  There it is. Abby finally realizes that she has my attention. “I’ll be right back.”

  I approach Abby and her unwanted suitor. “Hey baby there you are!” I put my arms around Abby and kiss her. Not a real passionate kiss, just a soft press of the lips that lingers too long to only be friendly. “I was wondering where you disappeared to.”

  “Hello darling.” Abby looks back to the young man. The look of sheer confusion on his face nearly causes me to lose it. “Nice talking to you. Shall we?” Abby takes my hand and leads me back to our group. The look of confusion and shock on Catherine’s face is one of the greatest spectacles I’ve seen in a long while. Finally something dislodges her permanent poker face.

  “When did you two?” Catherine barely manages to stutter out the question.

  “We aren’t. Abby and I have a rescue signal system worked out. If we feel trapped by someone we don’t want to be trapped by we wait for the other to be paying attention, scratch our eyebrow with two fingers, play with our hair for a second and then scratch at the base of our ear. Three movements that wouldn’t happen together by chance, but can easily be drawn out slowly enough to look natural. If one of us signals the other we go and rescue them from their unwanted attention. These guys have all seen it and enjoy watching how things play out.”

  “I’ve gotta say that one was underwhelming. Hope you two do better later.” Derrick clearly had either not been entertained or had lost a bet. I see a small look of triumph on Sara’s face and know that she was the winner.

  Catherine looks at me. Her grin is back in place, at least she is having fun. She leans in and whispers “For a second I thought you had forgotten to tell me something.” The scent of vanilla
and her warm breath tickling my ear give me goose bumps. She looks around for a minute then adds, “Does your friend Nikki have the same signal worked out? Taylor looks to be working pretty hard on her.”

  I laugh. “I wouldn’t worry about Nikki. Clearly Taylor hasn’t figured out that Nikki is straight.” I notice that Catherine doesn’t seem half as concerned about Nikki as she did when she warned me.

  *****

  By our sixth and final stop of the bar tour none of us are feeling any pain. After a few drinks and a lot of dancing at Velvet we decide to head back to Shannon and Kevin’s house before anyone gets too out of control. We need three taxis to get to the house, so Catherine and I volunteer to take the last one. We are waiting at the bar for the cab to call when I feel a presence on my left. I turn to see an attractive woman has taken the seat next to me.