When broken down like that, Roni realized her feelings were quite simple. She took another step closer and cradled Gina’s face. “I’ve never stopped loving you. It’s something I’ve tried to suppress because I was afraid. But in the past few months...pretending I don’t mean anything by the touches I give you or not hearing your voice even though I want to, that’s what hurts.” Roni grazed her thumb lovingly over Gina’s cheekbone. “I miss you. I miss us.”
“I never stopped loving you either.” Gina leaned forward and captured Roni’s lips with her own in a kiss that quickly deepened the cracks in their emotional dam until the walls exploded. Their mouths crashed into each other again and again as the passion of lost years flowed over them.
“God, I’ve missed you,” Roni uttered between kisses as her fingers gently grabbed fistfuls of Gina’s hair.
Gina melted into the sensation and pulled Roni closer. The warmth she was feeling from her love and arousal, spread exponentially through her body. She had fantasized about their reconciliation, but still, Gina reluctantly broke their kiss. “Should we slow down?”
“Do you want to slow down?” Roni asked, her skin flushed and heart racing.
“No. And I don’t want to stop either.”
“Then don’t.”
They stumbled down the short hall in a tangle of limbs. To prevent losing their balance, Gina pinned Roni against the drywall and placed her thigh between Roni’s legs. The direct sensation caused Roni to open up further, both her heart and her body. Gina’s lips assaulted the most sensitive area of Roni’s neck and her strong hands snaked up Roni’s tank. After deftly unclasping Roni’s bra, Gina’s fingers touched her breasts feather-light and felt the hand in her hair tighten its hold. Desperate to feel more, Gina grasped the backs of Roni’s legs and increased the pressure with her thigh and lips.
Everything below Roni’s waist came alive and she raked her nails along Gina’s back, but it wasn’t enough. She grabbed the black tee and swiftly removed it from Gina’s body. Their lips made contact again in a heated exchange as they rushed from the wall to the bedroom.
Once the remainder of their clothing lay in a heap, Roni playfully pushed Gina onto the bed, and settled her pelvis between her thighs. The direct skin-to-skin pressure to her center caused Gina to moan, which spurred Roni to lower her mouth to Gina’s neck. Then, lower to her aching nipples. Then, even lower, down her toned abdomen.
Gina felt Roni’s hair tickle her stomach and hips. She kept waiting for the next touch. The touch she wanted most. But Roni wouldn’t give it to her. Instead, her tongue danced circles around Gina’s navel and her fingers traced figure eights on her inner thighs. “I forgot what a tease you can be.”
Roni glanced up, through the valley of Gina’s breasts, and grinned mischievously. “I’m just waiting for you to take off your watch.” Gina unclasped the gift Roni had given her so many years ago and it landed with a soft thud on the carpet. Roni slinked her body up Gina’s once more and took Gina’s hand. She kissed each finger lovingly before creeping Gina’s hand south on her own body, keeping it paused just outside of her darker blond curls.
Gina understood the cue and led Roni’s hand. “Together?” she breathlessly asked.
Roni smiled sweetly, yet seductively. “Together.”
***
Steven smiled broadly and high-fived his son from the comfort of their living room after they watched Ryan Howard’s hit go soaring over the outfield fence and begin his slow jog around the bases. “He’s got their number today! Take that Atlanta!”
Stevie grinned as he rubbed his sore hand. “I hope I can hit like that someday.”
“So do I. Maybe you’ll buy me that truck I want.” He smiled and prepared to drink his soda, which seemed a little light. He shook the bottom of the can and confirmed that it was empty. “I’m going to get another one. How ‘bout you? Want another root beer?”
“No, thanks,” Stevie beamed back.
This was the best day of Stevie’s life. He woke to learn that his mother hadn’t killed him in his sleep, then to the smell of Early’s chocolate chip pancakes. When he left his room, he confirmed his suspicions from the night before—when he stayed awake until one a.m.—his mother’s bedroom door was open, which meant she probably had never come home. After a brief moment of debate whether he should confirm his suspicion, he decided to poke his head into her room, mentally preparing himself for seeing something that he may have never been able to unsee. To his delight, the room was exactly how she left it.
Once Stevie finished breakfast, he killed time by watching an edited version of Die Hard on TV. He saw the minutes of the clock tick by as he waited for Gina to pick him up for church. But she never showed. And now, the Phillies were totally spanking the Braves.
When Steven came back into the room, drink in hand, he did a double take when his peripheral vision caught movement out of the bay window. He chuckled to himself and returned to his seat on the couch.
“Why’re you laughing, Dad?”
“Just something I saw outside. I don’t think you’d find it very funny though.”
Stevie wasn’t going to let his father dictate to him what was funny or not. He pushed himself off the other end of the couch and went to the window, moving the curtain to the side. His green eyes opened wide and his eyebrows disappeared under his baseball cap at the sight before him.
His mother and Gina were making out in the front of the car.
Stevie squeezed his eyes shut and turned away. He feared the image of Gina kissing his mother’s neck, with her head thrown back, would be burned into his brain forever.
Steven smiled broadly at his son’s reaction. He memorized every detail so he could report it to Early when he came home from work. “I’d say your plan worked, Stevie. They’re not coming up for air anytime soon.”
***
Through the night and during the morning, Roni craved Gina’s caresses and Gina longed for Roni’s lips. They had made love for hours, taking breaks only to drink the wine that had substantial time to breathe on the counter and eat breakfast. The syrup for their waffles turned out to be an unintentional, yet highly effective, foreplay tool that led to another few hours in each other’s arms.
“You should go inside.” The skin at Roni’s neck muffled Gina’s suggestion.
“I should.” Roni continued to be pleasured by Gina’s mouth and hands that had once again found their way under her tank top. “Okay, stop on the count of three. One, two, three—You didn’t stop,” Roni said with a giggle.
“You told me to never stop,” Gina retorted, but did pull back, a dimple appearing from her huge smile. “But if I don’t stop, then we could be arrested for lewd conduct or scar Stevie for life if he saw us.”
“It would serve him right though, devious manipulator that he is.” Roni slid back to the passenger seat. “Are you sure you don’t want to come inside?”
“I’m sure. I think it could be a little overwhelming for Stevie if I came in. Just follow through with what we talked about. We’re just going to slowly transition until my lease runs out.”
“Just to be clear, slowly transition still includes incredible amounts of sex?”
Gina leaned in close. “I’ll answer that after I take you to dinner tonight.”
Roni gave Gina one final farewell kiss before extracting herself from Gina’s embrace and leaving the car. She blew Gina a kiss and then waved shyly as she turned the doorknob and went inside. Roni wasn’t expecting the looks directed at her when she entered. Steven wore a rare smirk and Stevie stared at her, completely shocked. And she knew why. “Catch a show, did you?”
“We all got tickets to that show,” Steven answered.
Roni strode over to Stevie and lifted his cap to kiss him on the forehead. “Be careful what you wish for, young man. You just might get it.” Roni took to the stairs to shower and change, but paused on the third step to grin at her son. “Thank you, Stevie.”
Stevie may have still bee
n in shock, but he had also never been happier.
SEPTEMBER 2014: FULL CIRCLE
BRADYN PUNCHED STEVIE PLAYFULLY, BUT firmly on the shoulder as they walked back to her dorm under the campus streetlights. “You jerk! You had me going that they broke up for good.”
“Not the pitching arm, please.” Stevie smiled and held Bradyn’s hand while he rubbed his shoulder with the other. “I thought that this version would make it a more exciting story.”
“You definitely get points for dramatics. How did they all get engaged?”
“Well, Dad had Early pulled over—”
“Shut up!” Bradyn yelled with glee.
Stevie smiled back at his exuberant girlfriend. “Oh yeah. They went to dinner together and on their way home Early saw the lights in the rear view mirror. Finley comes strolling up, reaches across Early and gives Dad the ring box. Finley recorded the whole proposal. That was the day after DOMA was overturned. Dad had bought the ring like five years before that.”
“That’s amazing. How about your mom and Gina? Let me guess, Gina proposed.”
“Actually, no. I helped Mom memorize her proposal in Italian and she proposed to Gina after they watched Silence of the Lambs on its twentieth anniversary. They’ve been engaged for a while.”
“That’s a long engagement. Why didn’t they get married a few years ago when states started legalizing it?”
He understood the question completely since he had asked his four parents the very same one. “They thought about going to D.C. or New Hampshire, like Becky and Gretchen, but Pennsylvania wouldn’t have recognized it. It was important to all of them that when they got married it was in their home state.”
“And your Dad’s not worried about what his cop friends will think?”
Stevie shrugged. “I think the only person’s opinion he’d really care about would be Finley’s and he’ll be at the wedding. Plus, Dad’s retired now so it’s not like he’ll run into them all the time. Except for Underwood. That douchebag joined the same gym as him.”
“I bet your dad loves that,” Bradyn laughed. “Is it going to be a big wedding?”
“There’s a few other people in the wedding party other than me. Becky and Allison are maids of honor and Finley and Gretchen are best ‘people’. There are about a hundred guests. Believe it or not, everyone, but Early, has relatives coming.” He noticed Bradyn’s lingering smile and sparkling eyes. “I’m going to take a guess and say that you’re still interested in being my date?”
Bradyn got on slight tiptoe and kissed him. “I would love to be your date.”
ONE MONTH LATER, OCTOBER 2014
A SIMPLE PIECE OF PARCHMENT lay on a desk, devoid of signatures. Gina DiCarlo, in a well-tailored off-white suit, and Veronica Mullins, in an off-white sheath dress, stood in front of their marriage license. They were each armed with slightly graying hair, dazzling smiles, matching gold bands, and pens.
This was it. Their moment had arrived.
“Jesus Christ people, would you sign it already?” Early demanded from his seat in the church office. “We had to wait long enough for this without you two dragging it out.”
“Early,” the Reverend used his sternest voice, “what have I told you about using the Lord’s name like that?”
“That it’s wrong,” Early recited petulantly. He looked to the heavens and whispered, “Sorry.”
Steven, who decided to shave his head rather than go completely gray for his second wedding, patted his new husband’s hand. “Let them have their moment. It’s not like people are expecting us to show up to the reception right away. Jessica has all of that under control.”
“Actually, I do have a tee time in thirty minutes,” the Reverend informed the brides.
“We’re getting the hint.” Roni grinned and signed above her printed name on the marriage license.
Gina’s smile stilled beamed as she received the pen from Roni and then signed her name. “Stevie, it’s time to bear witness again.”
Stevie stood from his seat to repeat what he had done five minutes before when he had witnessed his fathers’ marriage. He stood nearly a foot above both Gina and Roni, had a darker and fuller goatee than Early, but part of him still felt like the little boy he was the day he had schemed his mothers back together.
***
The rest of the wedding party and Bradyn sat patiently outside the doors of the church office, for the exception of Gretchen who preferred to stand and tap her foot impatiently. “What the hell is taking them so long?” she asked.
“Gina and Roni stared at each other all googly-eyed for like five minutes,” answered Early, as he came through the door with his arm looped inside his husband’s. “But we’re all ready to party. Who’s ready to dance?” He eyed his godson’s gorgeous date. In another life, he could have rocked the bright yellow dress she wore. “Bradyn, do you dance?”
After meeting Early, Bradyn no longer had any doubts why Stevie could be so dramatic sometimes. “I took jazz lessons when I was a kid.”
“Oooh. Did you hear that Roni?” he asked while the group exited the church.
“I did hear that,” Roni said, still smiling ear to ear. “Jessica was able to get her best DJ at the last minute. We’re going to have the best dance circle!”
“Now, now,” Gina interjected, “if anyone pulls Bradyn into a dance circle against her will, Finley here will arrest them. Isn’t that right, Officer?”
Finley smirked. “Anything you say, Captain DiCarlo.”
Gina puffed up her chest proudly and Roni gripped her hand tighter. She had recently been promoted and the title, not to mention being the highest ranked female, still resonated with them.
The group reached the parking lot to find their rides waiting. “Three limos? Sweet!” Stevie shouted in a booming voice.
“Don’t get too excited. You get to share with the rest of the wedding party,” Steven informed his son. “The recently married get their own.” He punctuated that statement with a kiss to Early.
Not to be outdone, Gina kissed Roni.
Bradyn watched both couples kiss and rotated in her yellow heels to see if they were alone in the parking lot. She was surprised to learn that they weren’t. She nudged Stevie with her elbow. “I guess they don’t care that other people can see them.”
Roni kissed Gina again and smiled, never taking her eyes off of her new wife. “Let the entire world see.”
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK my wife for encouraging me to write, editing the first draft, and creating the cover to the first edition. You’re the best and I love you.
I am forever grateful to Korrie (teaching me about the “no fly zone”), my mother, Mayme, and “Two Sandwich” for their insight and editing contributions.
I would like to compliment “Dr. Twinkie” for her calm reaction when she learned I wrote a novel during the “downtime” of my thesis. I finished both...eventually.
I also need to thank all of the television, movies, and books I referenced in this novel.
Lastly, I would like to thank the trailblazers of the gay community, including my Yodas, for standing proud and fighting the good fight.
BOOK CLUB SUGGESTIONS
1. LIKE STEVIE DOES WITH Bradyn, have you ever been “prepped” before going to a wedding (maybe a funeral)? If so, how?
2. Roni’s downstairs neighbor comments that she never liked Roni since the day she received some of her mail accidentally. What do you think Roni was getting in the mail? Have you ever received any mail that was embarrassing or disclosed too much?
3. The L.A. Law lesbian kiss (and subsequent controversy) was in 1991. How does television controversy compare these days?
4. How wonderful is Fried Green Tomatoes (both the book and movie)? Discuss.
5. Roni and Gina have their first real connection when Gina comes to a canceled book club night. If Gina wasn’t married, how do you think this evening would have played out?
6. The book club meeting
of Fried Green Tomatoes provoked strong and oppositional responses. What other books have you read that caused that kind of intense discussion?
7. Take a moment to reflect on the greatness of Jodie Foster.
8. Roni cuts her palm with a corkscrew. What’s the strangest way you’ve ever injured yourself?
9. You know how Roni reacted to the news of Gina’s sham marriage. How would you have reacted to Gina?
10. Do you think Steven was justified in being angry with Gina when he learned of their secret?
11. Was it hypocritical or smart thinking on Steven’s part to lie and use Roni as his girlfriend?
12. I love Early. Why do you love Early?
13. Officer Carl Underwood. Love him? Hate him? Love to hate him?
14. Could you see yourself in the marriage arrangement the four main characters placed themselves in?
15. At Roni and Steven’s wedding, their color was lavender. Have you heard of the phrase “lavender marriage”? Do some quick research and learn of its origin.
16. Steven’s sister, Monica, causes quite a bit of tension with her “traditional” values. How do you handle anti-feminist women in your life?
17. Like Gina experienced, was there ever a moment in your life when you felt powerful because you could protect a child?
18. Given their situation, was it selfish to have Stevie?
19. Of the four main characters, who do you think changed the most once Stevie was born?
20. The ambition Roni, Gina, and Early share eventually creates conflict in the group dynamic. Is there such a thing as “too ambitious”? How does Steven create balance?
21. Did Becky, the Gaia-esque art therapist, and Gretchen, the spitfire redhead, remind you of anybody? Just curious.
22. Smoked Gouda is an excellent cheese. Discuss your favorite cheeses.
23. Should Roni have expected Stevie to “out” the family at some point?
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