Love Times Four

by Jeanne Mccann

"What do you mean it's over?"

  "Maddy's father is suing Catherine for custody of Maddy because of her relationship with me."

  "You're kidding me?" Anna held Tia as she cried. She couldn't believe what Tia was saying.

  "No, he won't let Maddy stay with Catherine if she's with me."

  "Oh Tia, I can't believe this."

  "I love her, Anna. She's the one."

  "I know, Tia, I know." Anna held Tia as she cried. "Did Catherine break it off?"

  "I didn't let her. I left. I can't take the chance that she might lose Maddy."

  "Honey, she doesn't need to lose Maddy because of you. This is the twenty-first century. No lawyer in his right mind would take a child from a good mother. But Catherine needs to get a lawyer to represent her, one that understands gay relationships."

  "I can't take that chance, Anna. I won't be the cause of her losing Maddy."

  "Tia, she won't lose Maddy, I promise."

  "Anna, what am I going to do?" Tia began crying, deep heart wrenching sobs.

  "It's going to be okay, honey." Anna rocked her as she cried on her shoulder.

  It was over an hour before Anna had settled Tia enough to lie down on Anna's bed. Tia had cried until she was limp with exhaustion. She wouldn't listen to a word Anna said. As soon as Tia fell asleep Anna was on the telephone.

  "Is she okay?" Emma asked after listening to Anna.

  "She cried herself to sleep."

  "Catherine's here. She's been looking for her. She's been crying the whole time."

  "Send her over." Anna sighed. She'd put her painting stuff away and make her house presentable. This was much more important than painting her living room.

  "They're in love."

  "I know."

  "Catherine won't give up Tia. She's going to fight her ex-husband."

  "She needs a good lawyer."

  "Melinda is calling as we speak. She's burning up the cell phone minutes."

  "So will you bring Catherine over here?"

  "Of course, we're on our way."

  "Good, Tia needs to see Catherine."

  It was a half hour before they arrived and Anna had just put everything away. She was washing her hands in the kitchen when Emma and Melinda burst through the front door with Catherine. One look at Catherine told Anna how deeply upset she was. Her eyes were red from crying and her face pale.

  "She's in there." Anna pointed to her closed bedroom door. Catherine sailed down the hallway into her room.

  Anna turned to Emma and Melinda. "Do you want something to drink?" She might as well make everyone comfortable.

  "Tia honey, wake up." Catherine spoke softly to her sleeping girlfriend, the remains of tears evident on her cheeks. She was curled up in a ball on Anna's bed.

  "Catherine? What are you doing here?" Tia struggled to sit up as she looked at Catherine. "Is Maddy okay?"

  "Maddy's fine, honey, she's at Lisa's for the night. I've been looking all over for you. Why did you leave?"

  "Catherine, I can't be the reason you lose Maddy. I won't be." Tia started to cry again.

  "Tia, look at me. I'm not going to lose you. I love you, and you promised to marry me in a week. I'm here to tell you your week is up." Catherine pulled Tia against her, smiling at her bewildered girlfriend.

  "Really?"

  "Tia, I love you. We're going to find our house, and live happily ever after."

  "With Maddy?"

  "Of course and our baby." Catherine smiled.

  "I love you, Catherine." Tia hugged her tightly.

  "I love you, honey, but you have to promise me that you will never walk out on us again. No matter what happens, we can work it out."

  "I promise."

  "Good, now will you kiss me, please?"

  Tia and Catherine shared a soft, gentle kiss before hugging tightly.

  "Hey you two, the lawyer just pulled up." Melinda called from the living room.

  "What lawyer?" Tia asked as she got up off of the bed.

  "The lawyer Melinda found to represent you."

  "She's here?"

  "Do you think you two could come out now?" Emma requested as they watched a small Mercedes pull up in front of the house.

  "We're on our way." Catherine kissed Tia again before they came out of the bedroom. They held on to each other's hand. Nothing could have separated the two of them.

  A knock on Anna's door caught everyone's attention. Anna went to open it.

  "Hello, my name is Michael O'Reilly. Are you Catherine Nobel?"

  "No, I'm Anna, this is Catherine." Anna smiled at the tiny woman standing in her doorway as she turned to point to Catherine.

  "Hello Anna, may I come in?" The woman named Michael grinned as twin dimples winked in both her cheeks. She was well dressed, petite, and absolutely gorgeous.

  Anna responded to the grin with one of her own. "Of course, please come in." She opened the door wide and gestured for her to enter.

  "Hello, my name is Catherine Nobel, and this is my girlfriend Tia. We're the ones who need your help."

  "My name is Michael O'Reilly. According to the woman who called my office, you need a lawyer that understands custody law, especially pertaining to homosexual relationships."

  "Yes, my ex-husband is threatening to sue me for custody of our daughter because of my relationship with Tia."

  "How about the three of us sit down somewhere and talk." Michael suggested, glancing around the crowded living room.

  "Why don't you go in the dining room?" Anna responded. "Can I get something for you to drink?"

  "I'm fine, thanks." Michael's dimples showed again as she smiled at Anna. Anna led the three of them to the formal dining room.

  "Thanks, Anna, we're fine." Catherine held tightly to Tia's hand. "Thanks for loaning us your home."

  "You're very welcome." Anna hugged Catherine. "Besides, you're family. I'll leave the three of you to your meeting. Call if you need anything." Anna rejoined Emma and Melinda in the partially painted living room. Anna was itching to finish painting. She hated half done projects.

  Tia and Catherine spent a good hour with the lawyer before all three came out of the dining room smiling. Obviously they had worked out a plan.

  "Anna, how about some wine for all of us? Melinda found us a crackerjack lawyer." Tia smiled, holding tightly to Catherine's hand.

  Michael blushed at the statement. "I should get going." She moved to the doorway.

  "We're going to have a barbecue since everyone is here. Van and Cara are on their way. Stay and join us, please." Emma suggested, with a smile.

  "Please Michael, stay." Catherine requested.

  "Well, if you don't think that I'm intruding." Michael was curious about the group of women. Her first impression was they were all very close.

  "Of course not." Emma reassured her. "Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone and get you a glass of wine."

  Catherine and Tia shared a slow sexy kiss. "Tomorrow we start looking for our home." Tia promised her.

  "Maddy and I can't wait, honey."

  With the arrival of Van and Cara, the party became festive very quickly, as the small circle of friends closed ranks around Catherine and Tia. It was after sharing a meal of grilled chicken and salad that the group sat quietly visiting on Anna's back deck. Anna's backyard was impeccably maintained with thriving gardens and the large functional deck. Her small house was equally pristine, with not a thing out of place. Anna was putting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher when Michael carried in several empty glasses. Michael had proved to be a very pleasant addition to the gathering, with her openness, and wonderful sense of humor.

  "Thank you." Anna took the glasses from Michael.

  "You're welcome. Thanks for including me. You have a nice group of friends."

  "I do. Thank you for helping Catherine and Tia. They were scared to death."

  "Someone threatening your child and your relationship is very frightening."

  "How long have you been a lawyer?"
<
br />   "A little over five years."

  "Do you like it?"

  "I love it." Michael grinned, her dimples deepening in her cheeks.

  "I bet you work all the time." Anna chuckled. She recognized a workaholic when she saw one, especially since she was one herself.

  "Of course. What about you? Emma told me you are an engineer at Boeing. How long have you been doing that?"

  "Eight years, all of them at Boeing. I work on the military side of things."

  "So do you have top security clearance?"

  "Certainly, and if I tell you about what I am working on I would have to kill you." Anna teased with a smile.

  Michael's laugh came easily. "You can tell you are an engineer by your house. It's beautiful, especially the back yard."

  "Thanks, it's a work in process."

  "Everything in this house is a work in process. She is always working on it. That's all she does is work." Van contributed as she darted into the kitchen for a couple of beers.

  "I do not." Anna protested as Van grinned while she slipped back out of the kitchen.

  "So are you a workaholic too?" Michael teased her.

  "Yes." Anna grinned as she wiped down the counters.

  "What do you do for fun besides work on your house?"

  "I go on long walks at the beach, I read, I watch old movies."

  "What kind of old movies?"

  "Right now I am into Alfred Hitchcock."

  "Ah, Rear Window, North by Northwest, The Rope"

  "You like Hitchcock?"

  "I do."

  "Uh, would you like to come over sometime next week and watch one of my movies?"

  "I'd love to." Michael's smile made Anna's stomach flip.

  "What night would be best for you?"

  "Any night but Tuesday night."

  "How about Wednesday evening? That would give me Sunday and Monday to finish painting the living room."

  "I'll come on one condition, that I provide the dinner."

  "That's fine by me."

  "What time?"

  "Any time after six."

  "How about six-thirty?"

  "Perfect."

  "Great. Now, I need to get home, I've stayed long enough. Thanks again for including me. I had fun."

  "We all appreciate your helping Catherine and Tia."

  "They're a nice couple, and I love helping families."

  "They are a terrific couple."

  "I can't wait to meet Catherine's daughter, Maddy. She sounds like a doll."

  "She is."

  "Well, thanks again, and I'll see you Wednesday."

  "Goodnight." Anna walked Michael to the door and waved as she drove away. Not only was Michael a very well dressed lawyer but she drove a very nice older Mercedes sports car. Anna grinned as she shut the door. She had a date with a very smart, sexy, and gorgeous woman.

  "So?" Tia grinned at Anna as she walked into the kitchen.

  "So what?" Anna innocently responded. She knew what Tia wanted to know.

  "Did you ask her out?"

  "She's coming over Wednesday night to watch a movie with me, and she's bringing dinner." Anna grinned happily. It had been a long time since she had looked forward to a date.

  "Very cool, I like her."

  "I do to, but I just want to make sure she takes good care of Catherine."

  "She is. Catherine is to call her Monday and make another appointment."

  "Is she expensive?"

  "No, actually, I was surprised at her retainer. She only asked for two hundred and fifty dollars. I think that was more then reasonable."

  "Does Catherine feel better about everything?"

  "She's amazing. She's not worried at all, she's just plain angry."

  "You love her."

  "I love her so much, Anna. It's unbelievable. We're going to start looking for a house tomorrow. And she wants to have another baby with me." The look of love and amazement on Tia's face made Anna's heart warm. Tia was so lucky.

  "Tia, I am very happy for you." Anna hugged her best friend tightly.

  "Thanks, Anna."

  "Let's join the rest of the crowd."

  The two of them walked out on to the back deck where the rest of the women sat visiting. Anna sat next to Catherine and Tia and felt a brief period of sadness. They were all so happy and in love, Anna felt out of place, and very lonely.

  "Anna, Tia says you have a date with my lawyer." Catherine teased her as she hugged Tia.

  "Tia!" Anna glared at her traitorous friend. She'd asked her to keep it quiet.

  "You asked Michael out? Good for you, I liked her." Melinda commented. "And she is very beautiful."

  "Way to go, girl!" Van crowed as Cara grinned.

  "It's just a video and dinner, no big deal."

  Emma started to tease Anna and then stopped herself. Anna's eyes were filled with tears. She squeezed Melinda's hand tightly in her own. Melinda had noticed Anna's difficulty along with Emma. The last thing in the world they wanted to do was make Anna feel uncomfortable.

  "Cara, tell Anna about your latest case." Melinda suggested, trying to take the attention off of Anna.

  Van glanced Anna's way and her eyes softened with affection and concern. "Cara, you have to tell Anna, she'll love it."

  They would do anything to keep Anna from remembering and reliving the hurt that went along with it. For a little while the group visited and kept the memories at bay. It wasn't until after they all left that Anna's composure got the best of her. She crawled into bed, her heart aching as she gave up the fight and felt the pain and anger wash over her.

  "Tia, why is Anna so sad at times." Catherine asked as they happily drove home. "Sometimes when she doesn't think anyone is watching she looks so heartbroken."

  "She is, Catherine. She has been for quite awhile."

  "What happened?"

  "About two years ago she met a woman at work. Her name was Joy. She was a supplier that Anna worked with for Boeing. She lived in Dallas, Texas but spent weeks at a time here in Seattle. She began to actively pursue Anna, and Anna fell head over heals in love with her. They saw each other every day, and then Joy started staying with her while she was in town. Anna was deliriously happy."

  "What happened?" Catherine shuddered before she heard. Somehow she knew she wasn't going to like it.

  "Anna decided to surprise Joy in Dallas, and she flew down to spend a week with her. What Anna found out was Joy had a girlfriend already and a whole different life in Dallas."

  "You're kidding?"

  "No, and Joy wasn't too happy when Anna showed up. You could say she denied everything, including her relationship with Anna. She made it sound like Anna had made everything up. She told her girlfriend that Anna was stalking her, and wouldn't leave her alone. Joy's girlfriend believed her."

  "How could she do that? What did Anna do?"

  "She came home, and for a week she didn't tell a soul."

  "Oh Tia." Catherine's voice was full of sadness and love for Anna.

  "Catherine, I have never seen anyone so heartbroken, and so devastated. What was worse is Anna still had to deal with Joy at work. She was crushed."

  "Poor Anna, didn't anyone say anything to that woman?"

  "Van did. She knocked her flat. She went to Joy's hotel with Emma one night, to tell her what she thought of her. Joy made some smart comment and Van flipped out. It took all of Emma's strength to keep Van from hurting her."

  "I would have done the same thing." Catherine's anger could be heard in her voice. "She deserved to be put on her butt and a whole lot more."

  Tia smiled at her girlfriend's comments. She wasn't surprised that Catherine would protect Anna. Catherine had adopted all of Tia's friends. They were now part of Catherine's extended family. She would protect her family at any cost. "Even though it happened over a year ago, Anna still hurts terribly, and she has a very hard time with trusting anyone."

  "Who can blame her? She's such a beautiful, generous woman. I'm surprised she isn't sna
pped right up."

  "Catherine, I adore you."