by G S Binkley
Lacy ran a lazy hand up and down her partner’s arm. “I’m really sorry, sweetheart. That day everything was…”
“We already sorted that out, Lacy.” Gage looked up at her lover. “We always do.”
Lacy cupped her partner’s face with her hands. “You forgive me so easily. Why…. why does it…. with your mom?”
Taking her lover’s hand in hers, Gage kissed the exposed palm. “Lacy, you’re comfortable in… venting…” The blonde smiled at the use of the gentle way of explaining Lacy’s rare fury. “…and you know I love you… always will. You’re secure in that knowledge.”
“Are you? Secure about my love for you.”
Gage spied a fraction of doubt momentarily claim Lacy’s blue eyes. “Yes, one hundred percent.” The blonde flipped on her back taking Lacy with her. As her lover melded against her, Gage attempted to explain her logic where her mother was concerned. “She… Stella….. I don’t know why she did what she did.” Gage found it hard to even say the word abandon. When Lacy’s head sprung up off her lover’s shoulder, Gage knew she was trapped. “You’re going to tell me again that I should just ask her, aren’t you?”
Lacy ducked in for a quick kiss. “You think you know me so well. So… are you?”
“Hmmmm….” Gage ran her fingers through Lacy’s dark locks. “I’ve been thinking about it.”
Returning her head to Gage’s shoulder, Lacy smiled. “You know, sweetheart, I don’t think you really believe how sorry I am about that day on the set when you suffered my wrath.”
Gage voiced her concern. “Lacy, I do… really. I told you I understand why you did it.”
The younger woman’s hand found its way under the blonde’s shirt. “I still don’t like it when I take it out on you.”
Inhaling a sharp intake of breath when Lacy’s fingers climbed to the apex of Gage’s breast, the excited blonde offered a playful resolution. “Well, you can make it up to me now.”
Lacy did. Before the early morning, Gage was completely whipped, sautéed and marinated, much to her delight.
Chapter Three
After a very hectic morning getting the kids ready for school, Gage dropped them off before stopping by the store for a few last minute items Lacy needed. When she returned home, Gage found Lacy in the kitchen feeding the two youngest children. Nodding at their youngest child, Gage watched Hayley grab the spoon from her distracted mother and immediately plastered the food-filled utensil to her curly locks.
Lacy had reached over to offer Sammy another piece of toast before catching a bit of baby food splatter on to her. “Hayley, let me have that.” Her daughter did as she was requested. “Did you get everything?”
“Yes, dear.” Gage placidly replied. “I hope this makes Dani happy.”
Lacy got up and grabbed the bag from Gage, eyeing the contents. “Perfect. Now, you know what would be even more perfect?”
Swinging her green eyes from one child to the next, Gage surmised her next assignment. “Clean the kids up?”
Lacy cupped her lover’s cheek. “You are such a sweetheart…. that’s why I love you so much.”
Gage grunted then waggled her eyebrows. “I thought you loved me so much because of last night.”
Before Lacy exited, leaving Gage to take care of the messy kids, she said. “That too.”
Slapping her hands together, Gage asked. “Which one of you wants to be first?”
Hayley stretched out her short arms while Sammy yelled. “Me, me.”
When Lacy finally returned to the kitchen, she heard Stella laughing hysterically. As she stepped past the older woman, it became clear what provoked Stella’s outburst. Gage was up to her elbows with their two kids bathing in the double kitchen sink. The blonde deftly averted several splashes of water by Hayley only to be doused with a cupful thrown by Sammy. Lacy cocked her hands on her hips as she moved in for a closer look.
When Gage saw the slightly perturbed look on her partner’s face, she pleaded. “Be helpful not hurtful.”
“Oh, I’m not gonna hurt you. At least not while you’re under attack.” Lacy laughed at her partner’s predicament. There seemed to be more water on Gage and the floor than in the sink.
“Thank y…..” Another splash of water slapped Gage in the face. Turning steely eyes on her daughter, she saw Hayley point to Sammy. Gage redirected her stare. “Oh, it was you.”
“Momma…momma.” Sammy reached for his would be savior. “Me, me.” Upon hearing Sammy’s last words, Hayley cocked her head and stared at Gage.
Wrapping a kitchen towel around her son, Lacy ordered her partner. “Get her…. and bring her upstairs.” Shaking her head as she left the room, Lacy mumbled to anyone that would listen. “I can’t leave you guys alone for one minute.”
Stella shuddered under Lacy’s mock glare and she definitely thought she heard her daughter-in-law blame her for Gage’s actions. Guess I should get the mop.
Gage trotted off after Lacy with daughter in hand. “Lacy, you were the one that got them all messy. I was just trying to clean them up like you said and I thought why not do it .…. Anyway, the sink was right there so I stripped off their clothes and…”
After dressing her son, Lacy took Hayley from Gage. With pursed lips, she shook her head one last time.
Getting frustrated because her lover was ignoring her explanation, Gage continued. “…it was just a little water on the floor.” Finally, Gage cocked her hands on her hips in frustration. “Besides, we had fun!”
When she finished putting fresh clothes on her daughter, Lacy sat Hayley beside her brother on their bed. Drawing her full attention to her neglected lover, Lacy slowly allowed a wide grin to adorn her face. She shook her head slightly as she approached her wet partner. “What am I going to do with you? You’re all wet.” Lacy leaned in brushing soft lips against Gage’s cheek before her traveling lips stopped at her lover’s ear. “Just the way I like you.”
Pulling Lacy closer, Gage rubbed her sodden clothed body up against her lover and smiled. Oh, God, baby… this is so nice. It’s going to be fun getting you just the way I like you. This lascivious thought ran rampant through the blonde’s mind over and over again until it came to a screeching halt upon hearing Sammy yell.
“Haywee. Stop that.”
Neither woman needed to look in order to know what their little angel was up to.
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“Are you sure you don’t want me to take her to Katie’s?” Stella offered.
Lacy pushed in the last item in Dani’s backpack. “No, Gage is going to do it. After she drops Dani off at Katie’s, she’s taking Derek to his gymnastics’ lesson.” Handing the bag to Stella, she asked. “Here. Can you give that to Gage? And, tell her to make sure she tells Dani to call me as soon as they get back from the movie.”
Stella watched the busy mother hurriedly chase after the two youngest children. She saw Sammy steal away his yellow rubber duck from Hayley who was crawling as fast as she could after him, hot on his heels.
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Gage picked up the kids from school and then dropping Dani off at her best friend’s house. When Dani entered Katie’s house, she expertly maneuvered through the crowd her friends had formed as the five young girls squealed in delight upon her arrival.
Gage drove Derek to his gymnastic lesson. Dressed in his gym clothes, the seven year old maneuvered the tumbles, jumps and turns with expert precision. After the group warmed-up Derek was ready for his short routine on the mats. He ran a few feet and completed a cartwheel while his sister across town nearly did a cartwheel all her own when Lane Grayson showed up at the movie theater. The girls were to meet several boys from school so they could all go to the movie together. They would gather at Katie’s house for a party after the show was over.
After his show was over, the slightly perspiring young boy shot the blonde a huge smile, happy that his routine landed him a perfect ten by Gage. He was rewarded with an ice cream cone on the
way home.
Dani was going through her own routine of pretending not to care so much that Lane was actually attending the party. When he tapped her on the shoulder, Dani’s face lit up. For one brief moment, she didn’t mind that her best friend had asked Lane if he would be interested in going steady with her. When Dani found out that Katie asked Lane this question, she was all at once miffed and excited at the prospect of his answer. She was awarded with an affirmative response. I gotta talk to mom. But first I have to ask her a question.
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Stella was watching a Disney movie with the kids as Lacy and Gage lounged on the couch. Gage finished her soft drink then chucked a few bits of ice in her mouth to chew on.
Patiently waiting for the telephone to ring, Lacy caught a glimpse of her watch but not the fact that Gage was munching on the ice.
Half-heartedly flipping through the movie magazine, Gage spied a glamour shot of Koda Kannon. She perused the article for a brief moment before noticing who wrote it. “Wacy..” She mumbled as she shifted the chunks of ice in her mouth with her tongue.
The sound of Gage mispronouncing her name barely got her attention. Until, she noticed the blonde chomping on the ice. “What are you doing?” Her voice cut like a hot knife with that question, effectively melting the ice in Gage’s mouth.
Barely swallowing the evaporating ice, Gage spat. “What?”
“Gage Ballant, you better be taking your iron pills.”
“I am. I am.” Gage crossed her heart with her hand. The doctor had explained to Lacy that her partner’s sudden desire to chew ice earlier during the summer was one indication of Gage being anemic.
Relieved with that bit of news, Lacy anxiously waited for the expected telephone call from Dani. Staring at the telephone, Lacy said. “If that phone doesn’t….” The shrill sound of the ring made her jump. “Hello.” Lacy briefly remained silent while her daughter spoke to her. “Okay, Dani, that sounds great. I’m glad you liked it.” Lacy’s face turned gloomy when Dani asked her a question. “Oh, Dani, I don’t know. You didn’t take any overnight clothes.” Again, she remained quiet but the look on her face did not brighten as she listened to her daughter beg her to stay overnight at her friend Katie’s house.
Finally, Lacy said. “Let me talk with Ellen.” While waiting for Dani to get Katie’s mother, she placed a hand over the speaker. “Dani wants to stay over.”
“And?”
Lacy ignored Gage’s question when she heard a motherly voice on the telephone. “Hi, Ellen. Are you sure it’s alright?” Lacy searched for any excuse to deny Dani her wish to stay over. With a heavy sigh, she relented. “Okay. I’ll pick her up at ten in the morning.” Reluctantly, Lacy hung up the telephone.
Rubbing Lacy’s arm, Gage finally reached for her partner’s hand, squeezed it then brought it to her lips for a reassuring kiss. “She’ll be okay.”
“I know.” Lacy’s mind reverted to the short talk she had with Dani before school that day. This was the first time Dani had ever stayed over at one of her friend’s house. Dani was used to staying with family members and did reluctantly get through that short weekend at the boarding school when both her parents had a business commitment in New York. Dani had agreed that morning before school to call her mom when they came back from the movie. She wasn’t prepared for the unexpected request to stay over at Katie’s house.
Lacy’s mind drifted back to her first sleepover. That was a lot of fun. It sure is different from a mother’s perspective though. It’s one of the first sign of them growing up… and leaving…and…. Lacy welcomed Dani’s friends for sleepovers but it was entirely different when her daughter wanted to stay over at her friend’s house.
Bringing Lacy out of her forlorn musings, Gage nudged her and nodded toward Stella and the kids. A brief smile lazily rose on her face as she watched her three children and their grandmother intently glued to the set.
“Hey, look at this.” Gage shoved the magazine at Lacy in hopes of further distracting her. “Guess who wrote the article?”
Lacy did a double take upon seeing the caption under the picture of Koda Kannon. “Tony Kussler is working for that magazine?” It was the premiere entertainment magazine in the industry.
“Yeah…. the scuttlebutt is that Koda got him the job.” Gage heard the news from Mark who got the bit of information from his old college roommate. Ron Griffen had his finger on the pulse of Hollywood and he prided himself in the fact that if something happened in the showbiz town, he knew about.
Leaning against her lover, Lacy said. “I’m glad. Now maybe he’ll get past his little resentment toward me.”
Unwilling to accept his own responsibility in getting fired from his lucrative contract on the entertainment television show he hosted, Tony Kussler had pointed the misaimed finger of guilt at Lacy.
They spent the rest of the evening in quiet solitude and after the kids were tucked into bed, Gage crawled up next to Lacy with a heavy thought weighing on her mind. With Lacy’s encouragement, Gage had determined that before the weekend was over she would talk with her mom. Settling, she hoped, once and for all the distant and disheveled relationship between them would be resolved.
Chapter Four
Saturday morning Lacy was up early, dragging Gage with her. “I want to get the kids fed and ready before we pick up Dani at ten.”
Gage gave one last half-hearted attempt to sneak back under the covers. She spied the digital clock on the nightstand and groaned. Her rebellion expired quickly when she heard Lacy yell out her full name. Springing out of bed, she complied dutifully. “I’m up. I’m up.”
Lacy was like a whirlwind, dressing the kids, gathering various discarded clothes on the floor and corralling everyone to the kitchen where she prepared the morning meal.
Derek and Sammy were excited when their mother informed them they were going on an early morning excursion while Hayley shot Gage an evil green eye. At least it felt that way to Gage, realizing that when her young daughter woke up and found herself not sleeping next to her two moms, Hayley knew who was the culprit for the unwanted deed. I’ve seen that same look from Lacy when I…. Gage never finished her thought as Lacy placed a plate of food before her. Seeing several pieces of bacon, Gage waited until Lacy turned away before she used a strip of bacon to get back on her daughter’s good side. I know Lacy doesn’t like it but Hayley loves sucking on this stuff. Sure enough it did the trick as the tiny curly haired blonde couldn’t resist.
Smiling, Gage thought she had successfully escaped the watchful mother’s eye of her partner until she turned and saw Lacy staring at her. Uh oh, that’s the same look Hayley just gave me.
When breakfast was over, Lacy herded the children and Gage out the door after she waved goodbye to Stella who was going shopping with Lacy’s mother. Lynn and the ex-nanny had become fast friends especially after Stella revealed her relationship to Gage.
Gage pulled up in front of Katie’s house precisely at ten. Lacy resisted the motherly desire to meet her daughter at Katie’s front door. Instead, she waited patiently in the car. Waving back to her friend, Dani ran from the house and jumped in the backseat of Lacy’s minivan. With Hayley’s arrival in the family, it was decided that Gage’s Jeep was not big enough. So, they bought a minivan much to the self-appointed chauffeur’s chagrin. Gage loved driving her jeep and refused to refer to the minivan as theirs. Henceforth, it was Lacy’s van.
“Did you have to bring everybody?” Dani’s counterfeit sarcasm drew a sly look from her mother. In truth, the oldest sibling rejoiced in seeing her entire family. She was spending more and more time with her friends; however, it was her family that always came first.
Derek crawled out of his seatbelt and plopped over the middle seat’s back. “Mom made us get up extra early because she was worried about you.”
With that comment, he was next in line to receive the same look Lacy had given Dani just a minute before so he changed the subject. “Did you kiss any boys?”
Twisting around in her seat, Dani declared. “Derek!! You are so immature.”
His response was to stick out his tongue then make kissing noises.
Turning back around, Dani complained. “Mom, would you do something about your…. child?”
Ignoring her daughter’s pestering brother, Lacy asked. “Did you have a good time?”
Feeling like she was going to be bombarded with an array of question, Dani said. “Yes.” Before she asked her mother. “Can we talk… privately?” She shot Gage a quick look then nodded back over her shoulder at Derek.
“Sure. Later.”
Dani reached over to Hayley who was secured in her car seat. She tickled the little girl and asked. “Did you miss me?”
Hayley smiled at her and then she heard Sammy yell. “Me, me.” He tried to wiggle from his own car seat to get to his oldest sister. Hayley’s eyes drifted to the driver of the car.
“Sammy, hold on. When we get home, I’ll get you out. Okay?” Dani gave him a quick wink when he acquiesced to her offer.
Derek spied Gage give him a look through the rearview mirror that said ‘get back in your seat’ before she put the car in gear and drove away. They decided to stop by the mall and do a little shopping before heading home.
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Lacy and her daughter sat on the covered seat in front of the bay window in Dani’s room. “What’s on your mind?” The mother swept back an errant piece of her daughter’s bangs.
Dani sighed. “Boys.”
“One in particular?”
Nodding, Dani confirmed what her mother already knew. “Katie asked Lane if he’d like to go steady with me.”
Giving Lacy her due, she stifled her shocked initial reaction. “She did. What do you think about that?”
Dani shrugged. “At first I was sorta mad then kinda glad when she told me what he said.”