Much to Rhiannon's private delight, Val went down swinging on a full count, but Terry managed to steal second. Natalie stepped up next and flied out to centre on the first pitch. That brought the tall firefighter to the plate batting clean up.
Rhi stole a look from the corner of her eye and frowned to see her boss' attention fixed intently on the batter, who'd paused to take a couple more warm up swings before stepping into the box.
The firefighter coolly waited out the first two pitches, and then with a smooth, powerful swing, gave the third a ride right out the park. Her teammates whooped with delight as she took a deliberate jog around the bases. Terry waited for her at home, her hand raised in salute as the centre fielder crossed the plate. Palms met, and Terry draped her arm over broad shoulders as they headed for the dugout. Rhi glanced over at Jan, but the redhead was smiling in delight as she and Marika clapped loudly.
Show off! That pitcher just sucks. Rhi didn't voice her less than charitable thought, but her applause was perfunctory.
Gale grounded out to short, and the home team returned to the field. The game proceeded quickly, with the score remaining 2-0 in favour of Oly's. The firefighter had prevented a sure two runs for the opposition with an incredible diving catch in the top of the fifth, and had then stolen home while Dana was up in the seventh for an insurance run. The game ended in a 3-0 victory, and the team was in a great mood as loud plans were made to congregate at Oly's pub.
Rhi followed Jan and Marika down the steps, hanging back a bit as they approached the victorious team. The redhead rushed up to Terry, who laughingly pulled her into a tight hug.
"Good game, love," Jan told her, brushing sweaty curls back off her partner's forehead.
"Thanks, sweetheart. Good thing we had Darcy though, or we might have blown it in the fifth." Terry looked over Jan's shoulder and smiled at Marika's approach. "Hey, good to see you out here! Are you coming to Oly's with us?"
Marika nodded, and drew Rhi forward. "Terry, I don't think you've met my friend, Rhiannon Davies. Rhi, this is Terry Sanderson."
Terry raised an eyebrow in frank interest, then chuckled as Marika gave her head a subtly exasperated shake. Letting go of Jan long enough to extend her hand, Terry said, "Good to meet you, Rhiannon."
Rhi smiled shyly and shook her hand. Lee and Dana joined them, and the young woman listened quietly as plans were made to head over to the pub. She noticed the firefighter leaving with a group of admirers, and was unaccountably relieved to see her go. Maybe she has to go to work and can't go to Oly's.
Her hopeful thoughts were interrupted as Dana said, "Right, then we'll all meet there. We have to go tear Danny away from Tammy and drop him home first, so save us a couple of chairs."
The women dispersed, and Rhi walked with Marika back to the car. She rolled her right shoulder several times, and the lawyer frowned.
"Is it bothering you?"
"Itchy. It's driving me nuts not being able to scratch it!" Rhi complained mildly, aware that it was a good sign, but still aggravated by it.
They'd reached the Lexus, and Rhi waited for her door to be unlocked. She heard the click of the automatic unlocking system, but was intercepted before she could get in. Wordlessly, Marika laid one steadying hand on her left shoulder and began gently rubbing around the wound, using the dressing for soft friction without directly touching the stitches.
Rhi groaned in pleasure at the relief, letting her head drop in sheer pleasure. "God, that feels good!" she moaned.
The lawyer chuckled and kept up the indirect scratching for another few minutes. Then releasing her assistant, she stepped back and asked, "Better?"
"And how!" Rhi said fervently as she turned to face her friend. "Thank you!" Marika smiled and rounded the car to her side.
Rhi was about to slide into her seat when she noticed an old silver Toyota pulling out of a space one row over, with Terry grinning widely at her from the driver's seat and Jan smiling indulgently in the passenger's seat. She blinked in puzzlement and then, with a tiny shrug, got into the Lexus.
"Have you ever been to Oly's?" Marika asked, as she navigated out of the parking lot.
"I've never been to any bar."
The lawyer gave a short whistle. "Okay. Are you sure you want to go, because we don't have to, you know?"
"No, I don't mind. Besides, Lee and Dana are counting on us to save them seats."
Marika laughed. "You're right, they are; and it wouldn't do to let them down."
They found a parking spot two streets over from Oly's; walking over to the pub, Rhi shook her head in utter amazement. Shewas going to a bar with friends. A month ago, the very concept would have been as foreign to her as boarding a shuttle for space.
She followed Marika through Oly's heavy front door, looking around curiously as they entered. She wasn't sure what she'd expected, but the pub was clean and cool, albeit with a smoky haze in the air. Most of the noise in the bar was coming from a back corner of the common room where the team had pulled several tables together and was making good inroads on pitchers of draft.
Terry beckoned them over and pointed at two chairs across from her and Jan. "Hey, you two, we saved you some seats."
Rhi was grateful to see that Val was at the far end of the table, huddled with the blonde pitcher, Laurie. Furtively she glanced around, but didn't see the firefighter. Smiling now, she took the seat beside Marika and across from Jan.
Then, concerned, she asked, "What about Lee and Dana? Shouldn't we save them some seats?"
"Not a problem," Terry said, bouncing to her feet. "We'll just add another table for them." She went to drag another small table over, and Rhi jumped up to help her. They slid it into place, and Terry winked at her with a grin before resuming her seat and slipping her arm around her partner.
A waiter came up and set a clean, damp glass in front of Marika. Turning to Rhi, he said, "Sorry, miss, I have to see some ID."
Rhi flushed, but pulled her wallet out of her pocket and dug out her birth certificate.
He looked at it, and said, "Got anything with a picture on it? A driver's license?"
Marika looked at him. "She works for me, Solly. I can guarantee she's over the age of majority."
Shrugging, he apologized, "Sorry, Marika, but you know Megan's rules."
Rhiannon pulled out her bus pass and sighed with relief when it was deemed acceptable. A clean glass was placed before her too, and Jan reached across the table to fill both newcomers' glasses.
"You work for Marika?" Terry asked curiously.
"She's Marian's replacement," the lawyer explained, taking a sip of her draft. Smiling at Rhi, she added, "And a darned fine one too!"
Rhi lowered her eyes, but couldn't help the blush of pleasure at her boss' heartfelt words. She picked up the cool, sweating glass and took a cautious sip. Grimacing at the taste, she looked up quickly to see if anyone had noticed, only to see Jan regarding her with an amused smile. She gave the redhead a sheepish grin and was relieved when Terry claimed her partner's attention.
Lee and Dana arrived to a chorus of greetings from the exuberant crowd, and the big woman made her rounds joking and teasing with her ex-teammates, while the nurse took the chair beside Rhi.
"How's the shoulder doing?" Dana asked, accepting a clean glass from an attentive Solly.
"Healing well according to my personal nurse," Rhi said with a smile, "but driving me crazy with the itching!"
"Well don't scratch too hard," Dana warned as she took a deep sip of her drink, murmuring appreciatively. "You don't want to ruin Dr. Mathieu's great handiwork. Besides the stitches should be mostly dissolved soon, and you'll feel much better."
Rhi watched Dana's obvious pleasure in the beer, and decided to try her drink again. Yuck! Doesn't get any better on the second try! Deciding it must be an acquired taste, she simply kept the drink in her hand while she listened to the din of conversations flowing around her.
Lee finally made her way all around the table and dropped into
the seat beside Dana. Snagging her partner's beer, she drained it with a mischievous look.
"Hey, you big goof! That was mine. Get your own," Dana ordered amiably, slapping one solid shoulder.
"And here I thought you loved me," Lee teased. "Would you deny a woman dying of thirst?"
"Have some water if you're dying of thirst, but leave my beer alone," Dana chided, refilling her glass and putting a protective hand over it.
"Water?! Blckk!" Lee motioned Solly over and throwing some bills on his tray, ordered more pitchers of beer.
Rhi leaned over to Marika and whispered, "How do we pay? Do I give my money to the waiter?"
She got a gentle smile and a return whisper, "Already taken care of, Rhi. I chipped in for both of us." Marika gestured at the pile of bills, one table down. Seeing her assistant frown, she shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I'll let you get the ice cream after driving lessons this weekend, all right?"
Rhiannon insisted firmly, "Ice cream and lunch." Marika had paid for dinner after work, asserting that it was her congratulatory treat, and while the young assistant didn't have any illusions that she could match the lawyer dollar for dollar, she was determined to carry her own weight.
Marika shook her head ruefully at her stubborn friend, but agreed. "Okay, ice cream and lunch...but I get to choose where we eat."
The assistant looked at her suspiciously, but decided to accept her terms. Negotiations over, Marika said quietly, "Would you prefer a pop?"
Surprised that her boss had noticed, Rhi said, "That's okay. This is fine."
The lawyer smiled and whispered, "Then why do you look like you bit into a lemon?" When Rhi had no ready comeback, Marika looked around for Solly. He was occupied with a table of newcomers, so she stood up and said, "I'll be back in a moment."
Rhi watched her walk to the long, room-length oaken bar before Lee asked her, "So, Lady Mouse, are you ready to hit the Stampede with us in a couple of weeks?"
Straight-faced, Rhi looked at her. "I think so. I've been laying in a good supply of antacids, just in case."
Lee guffawed, and the others around the table joined in. The big woman's capacity for junk food was legendary, and few were foolish enough to try and match her once she hit the Stampede grounds.
Rhi joined in the laughter until her eyes wandered to her boss, and the laughter caught in her throat. Marika was leaning against the bar, deep in conversation with the firefighter, who was tracing one finger down her friend's arm.
Darcy had obviously taken time to clean up before reaching Oly's, as she was no longer in the team uniform. In khaki shorts and a black tank top, the firefighter was an impressive sight, lean muscles clearly evident on long arms and legs, her short black hair slicked back and pale green eyes regarding Marika with obvious intent.
Stunned, Rhi watched as Marika laughed at something her companion said. She was overwhelmed with a desire to march over there and force the firefighter out of the lawyer's personal space. She had to fight to keep herself in her chair, wrestling with the unfamiliar feelings that surged through her. Anger was paramount, and something else...
Someone squatted beside her, and to her surprise, Rhi heard Jan ask softly, "Want to take a walk? Get some fresh air?"
Blindly, Rhi nodded and followed the redhead out of the bar without looking at her boss.
Reaching the sidewalk, she sucked in lungfuls of air, trying to cool her emotions, confused and overwhelmed by what had happened. Jan started walking down the street and Rhi fell into step. She was grateful for the other's woman's silence as she grappled with her own thoughts, trying to make sense of what she was feeling.
They'd gone about two blocks when Jan indicated a low, stone wall enclosing an old house that was now a realtor's office. "Feel like sitting for a minute?"
Rhi didn't say anything, but sat beside the older woman who looked up at the night sky.
"It's too bad the city lights wash the stars out so much, isn't it?" Jan asked casually.
The younger woman grunted, and she went on. "If you never ventured out of the city, you wouldn't know their brilliance, yet it's there all the time. We just can't see it."
Rhi turned her head slowly, wondering confusedly what her companion was talking about. Jan met her gaze compassionately. "Can I tell you a little story?"
Still puzzled, Rhi nodded.
"Last Christmas, I said some things to Terry that I regret to this day. I handled a difficult situation very badly, and sometimes it still amazes me that we got by it."
Surprised, Rhi blurted, "But you two seem so right together!"
Jan smiled. "Uh huh. But it wasn't a smooth ride getting to where we are now." She sighed and leaned forward, resting her hands on the stone wall and rocking a little. "When I fell in love with Terry, I was still married to a man that I also loved very much. I thought she was dating another woman, and even though I knew I had no right to feel the way I did, I couldn't help being overwhelmed with anger, hurt and confusion. I lashed out at her. I can still see the hurt in her eyes, and to this day, I hate that I put that there."
Rhi was quiet, contemplating what she'd been told. Hesitantly she asked, "Why are you telling me this?"
"You looked like you wanted to tear Darcy's arm off, and I'm not sure what you would've said to Marika right then," Jan laughed softly. "I know you don't know me, but I saw myself in you so clearly that I had to get you out of there for a few moments." She gave a self-deprecating shrug. "Maybe I can save you the trouble of learning the hard way, like I did. And..." she paused, "and sometimes it's easier to talk to strangers."
"I don't...I mean, it's not like..." Rhi scowled. She hated feeling out of control.
"Yeah, I know. Been there." Jan looked back up at the sky. "Still, sometimes it's just easier to think when you're out under the stars."
So they sat there silently, and Rhi found herself calming in the non-judgmental, supportive company of the older woman. Finally Jan suggested, "Maybe we should get back before they send out a search party, eh?"
Rhi nodded and stood. Ambling back to the pub, she felt much better. She still didn't quite understand what had happened, but she no longer felt homicidal. Well, it's an improvement anyway. She gave a wry grin. Yeah, like I could've even put a dent in steroid-woman!
They'd almost reached Oly's when Rhi asked curiously, "Who was the woman you thought Terry was dating?"
Jan gave her an enigmatic smile. "It doesn't matter. As it turned out, they were only friends anyway." She held the door open for Rhi and gestured her inside.
As they made their way over to their table, Rhi looked at her companion gratefully. "Thanks. It probably was a good idea to get out for a bit."
Jan nodded. "Anytime, Rhiannon."
Glancing at their table, Rhi found a pair of worried gray eyes focused intently on her. Quickly looking around, she saw Darcy at the far end of the table, chatting intimately with Laurie. She couldn't help a little sigh of relief, and she and Jan parted company as she slid in beside Marika.
"Hey, where did you go? I was looking for you," her boss said with concern.
"Oh, Jan and I were just getting a breath of fresh air," Rhi said casually, smiling at the redhead who was now snuggling under her partner's arm on the opposite side of the table. The two grinned in collusion, and Marika looked between them suspiciously, but didn't question further.
Marika pushed a Coke in front of Rhi. "Here. You'll probably enjoy that a bit more than the draft."
Rhi took an appreciative sip and nodded gratefully at her boss. "That's good, thank you."
She was startled by a chorus of boos breaking out at the far end of the table. Looking down, she saw Gale and Natalie weaving their way to the karaoke machine, arms slung over each other's shoulders.
"Oh no," Dana groaned beside her. Rhi eyed her curiously. "You haven't lived until you've heard these two do karaoke," the nurse explained.
When the two broke into an exuberant, but off-key rendition of 'Bad Moon Rising', Rhi und
erstood.
"Ouch!" Rhi winced, but had to laugh as she saw Marika and the big catcher, Robyn, with their ears plugged until the end of the song.
Catcalls and flying pretzels greeted the duo, who gave back as good as they got, threatening to launch into another song if their teammates didn't show a little appreciation for their talents.
Rhi's jaw dropped when Natalie spun around and mooned the table. Whoops and cheers greeted the display. Lee chortled, "Now that's what I call a 'good moon rising'!" Dana cuffed her, but Rhi noticed she was laughing just as hard as her mate.
Marika leaned closer to Rhi. With a chuckle she said, "They're about to get rowdy. Do you feel like cutting out now? We still have to work in the morning."
"About to get rowdy?" Rhi looked at her doubtfully. "They aren't there yet?"
"Oh, not even close," Marika assured her, standing and coming around to hug Lee and Dana. "See you guys later, all right?" They made their farewells, and Rhi locked eyes with Jan just before they left. She mouthed 'thank you', and got an understanding smile and 'you're welcome' in return.
On the drive home, Marika asked curiously, "Did you have a good time tonight?"
"Yeah, I did. Thanks for taking me."
"You're welcome." The lawyer paused. "So...everything was all right then?"
"Uh huh." Rhi refused to look at her companion, and simply watched the passing scenery.
"Okay. That's good."
Rhi could hear the doubt in her boss' voice, but knew Marika wouldn't press it. When they reached her alley, she unlocked her seatbelt and turned sideways.
Sincerely, the young woman assured her friend, "It really was a good day, Rika. Thank you...for everything."
The gray eyes softened. "You're very welcome. I enjoyed it too."
The women were silent for a long moment, just looking at each other. Then Rhi shook herself slightly and said, "Well, I'd better get going. See you tomorrow?"
"See you tomorrow," Marika agreed.
Rhi walked down the alley, stopping at her backyard and looking back to where the Lexus still idled. She raised a hand and waved, then walked up the broken path to her aunt's house.
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