by Joy Argento
“Well, you should,” Andi told her. “How would you like to put this on after supper so you can answer the door and pass out candy to all the little kids? They’ll think you’re a real monkey.” Andi looked at Emily. “That is, if it’s all right with your sister here.”
Mindy jumped up and down. “Oh p-p-please, can I be like a real monkey and p-p-pass out candy, Emily? P-please.”
“Sure you can, honey.”
“Can I do it now, p-pleeease?”
“How about I take it off now and you can put it on right after we eat. I promise. That way you don’t have to worry about trying to eat in it. All right?” Andi turned around. “Here, Mindy, can you unzip the back for me and I’ll take it off.”
Emily interrupted. “I’m going to go finish making supper while the two of you are doing that.”
“Do you need any help?” Andi asked.
“Nope, but you can help Mindy get the candy ready for tonight. Mindy knows where everything is.” Emily went back into the kitchen.
Thirty minutes later they were sitting down to a dinner of rib eye steak, mashed potatoes, salad, and peas.
“Andi, p-p-please pass the p-peas?” Mindy asked.
“Sure, here you go.” Andi passed her the bowl.
“Hey, how come you eat peas and they’re mushy but you won’t eat mushy baked beans?” Emily asked her sister.
“’Cause peas are green mushy. I like green mushy better.” Mindy pushed her glasses farther up on her nose.
“Well then, I guess that explains it.”
“Andi how come you are s-smiling so much today?” Mindy asked. “Isn’t your face getting tired smiling so big?”
Andi glanced at Emily. “I guess I am just really, really happy today. Haven’t you ever had a day when you were really, really happy Mindy?”
“I am really, really happy every d-d-day,” Mindy answered. “But my face can’t smile that much.” She grinned. “See, this it as much as I can smile. But you are smiling really big.”
“I’ll try to keep it under control,” Andi said. But her smile didn’t lessen.
“Andi, could you please help me with something in my room?” Emily said nonchalantly to Andi, after they’d cleared the table. “Mindy, would you mind putting the rest of the dishes in the dishwasher and then go wait for us in the living room? We’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Andi threw a look at Emily that said Are you sure we should do this? Emily nodded her head, took Andi’s hand, and led her to the bedroom.
“I am so sorry,” Emily said.
“What are you sorry for?”
“Because I couldn’t wait another moment before doing this.” Her mouth crashed into Andi’s, her kiss strong and demanding. Emily’s tongue caressed the inside of Andi’s mouth, searching for her tongue. When their tongues collided, it sent shivers down Emily’s spine. The stars and sun were created with that kiss, and Emily was pulled into a black hole. She fully intended to pull Andi in with her.
Emily ran her tongue up to the roof of Andi’s mouth and Andi took that opportunity to slip her tongue under Emily’s. She slowly massaged the underside of Emily’s tongue. Emily moaned deep in her throat. No one had ever kissed her like that before. She had trouble remaining on her feet. I need to sit down before I collapse. She started the downward motion onto the bed, but strong arms held her up.
***
Andi knew that if they landed on the bed, she wouldn’t be able to control herself. “Oh, no. No, you don’t. I checked the calendar before I came over here, and today is only Monday.” Andi’s voice came out in gasps.
“I wasn’t trying to cheat. I’m having trouble standing,” Emily said, in a voice so husky that it took away the little bit of breath that remained in Andi’s body.
“Uh-huh.”
“I’m telling you the truth. I had no intention of seducing you, at least not with my sister only a room away. It’s the truth,” Emily said again. “I’ve never lied to you. Oh, except about my feet being sensitive. I made you stop touching them because it was starting to turn me on and—oh, never mind.”
“Oh no, you are going to finish that sentence and then we’re going to get back out there with Mindy before she comes looking for us.” Or before I totally lose what little self-control I have left.
“Yes. We should do that,” Emily said. She pulled Andi’s mouth back to hers. It was another fifteen minutes before Emily and Andi emerged from the bedroom.
Mindy sat on the couch with the monkey suit on her lap. “What t-t-took you guys so long? I been waiting forever. I want be a monkey.”
“Then let’s get it on you. Bring it here,” Andi told her. “You are going to have to take off your shoes. You can put them back on after the costume is on you if you want.”
“No, monkeys do not wear shoes.” Mindy giggled.
“All right then, no shoes.” Andi helped Mindy step into the outfit and pull it up. She zipped up the back.
“Now the head. Now the head,” Mindy chanted.
“Maybe we should put the head on you when the kids start coming for trick-or-treating,” Emily told her.
“No, now. Can I have it on now, p-p-please?”
“Okay, but you need to take it off if you get too hot,” Emily said.
“I will. I will.” Mindy jumped up and down. Andi helped her pull the monkey head on, being careful of Mindy’s glasses.
“Can you see in there?” Andi asked.
A muffled sound came from the head.
“I can’t hear you. Nod if you can see.”
The monkey head nodded.
“Can you breathe in there?”
Another nod.
Andi looked at Emily, who was trying to suppress a laugh. “I’m going to help you sit on the chair and you can wait for the doorbell to ring. Want me to turn the television on so you can watch it while you wait?” More nodding.
Andi led Mindy to the recliner and eased her down. She turned the television on and found a rerun of Friends for her to watch. Emily sat down on the couch and Andi sat down next to her to wait for the first of the trick-or-treaters to arrive. Andi slid her hand discreetly into Emily’s. She thought Emily would be the one having trouble waiting until Friday, but she was finding it a struggle. Four more days, she told herself. Four more days until I make this beautiful woman mine.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“How much time do we have left?” Emily said to Andi.
Andi looked at her watch. “About fifteen minutes.”
“Then you need to hurry up and put it in. We don’t have all day, and you keep missing the hole. I thought you said you were an expert at this.” She shook her head in mock frustration.
“I’ve been doing this longer than you’ve been alive,” Andi teased.
“Then that means you would have done it for the first time when you were like two. Am I supposed to believe that?”
“It’s the truth. I was advanced for my age.”
“Then why are you having trouble doing it now?”
“You’re making me nervous. You’re too close, and I can’t move right. You need to move back a little.”
Emily took two steps back. Andi took a practice swing and then hit the golf ball a little too hard. It rolled toward the hole and then about a foot past it. She looked up at Emily, who only shook her head. Andi walked to the ball and took another swing, using much less force this time. It rolled slowly to the cup and stopped two inches short of it.
Emily growled.
Andi took one last hit and the ball went right into the clown’s nose. “That was a bogey, right?” she asked. Emily was keeping score.
“Um, let me think. Par on that hole was three. So four would have made it a bogey, and let me count here…oh yeah, you took eighteen swings. So, in fact, that wasn’t a bogey. Now let’s get going so I’m not late picking up Mindy.”
***
Dried leaves scampered across the driveway as Emily waited for the garage door to go up. Mindy had talked nonstop the whole ride
home. She’d spent a couple of hours at Daisy’s house after her day at Mirique Works, and she was excited to tell Emily and Andi all about it. They listened patiently and asked questions at all the right places. Emily pulled into the garage. The three women filed out of the car and into the house.
“Okay, Mindy, time to get dinner started. You can finish your story when we sit down to eat.”
Mindy skipped off to her room while Andi and Emily walked to the kitchen.
“Tell me what to do, honey,” Andi said.
“I wasn’t aware that you would need instruction.” Emily winked.
“I meant with supper, lady. You need to get your mind on cooking, ’cause I’m hungry.” Andi’s dimples took over her smile.
Emily tossed a box of macaroni and cheese to her. “Here ya go. Get cooking.” She handed her a pan from the bottom cabinet.
Emily’s expression turned serious. “I was thinking I should tell Mindy about us. I’m not sure how much of it she would understand, but I think it would be easier if Mindy knew. As it is now, I can’t even hold your hand in front of her. I mean, what if at some point I want to throw you on the kitchen floor and make out with you?”
“Well, I don’t think you would be doing that with your sister in the house, even if she did know.”
“Why not? It’s not as if she isn’t capable of stepping over us if she wants to get a glass of milk.”
“You are so bad.” Dimples again.
“Yeah, but you love it.”
“I do. Now get out of my way. I have macaroni and cheese to make.” Andi shook the box for emphasis.
Mindy continued her story about her visit to Daisy’s house throughout the meal. When they finished eating, Emily sent Mindy into the living room to find a movie on Netflix while she and Andi cleaned up the dishes.
Emily cornered Andi in the small pantry off the kitchen and planted several long wet kisses on her, which were readily returned. The sound of Mindy’s voice calling them pulled them out of their embrace, and they trudged into the living room.
Mindy looked up from the TV as the two women came into the room. “Geez, what t-t-took you so long? I thinked I might have to call the police or something.”
Emily and Andi looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Mindy asked.
“Nothing. Nothing at all.” Emily giggled. “Want to restart this movie so we can all see the beginning? And hop over to the chair so Andi and I can sit on the couch, please.”
Mindy changed seats, pulled the lever on the side of the chair to bring up the footrest, and restarted the movie.
Andi and Emily sat close together on the couch. Emily reached over and turned off the lamp so the only light in the room was coming from the television. She pulled her feet up under her.
“I almost forgot. Would you like a glass of wine?” she whispered to Andi.
“No, thanks. I have everything I need right here.” She discreetly took Emily’s hand.
Emily loved the feeling of Andi’s hand in hers. The softness and warmth astounded her. When Andi began to slowly run her fingertips up and down her arm, Emily’s breath caught in her throat.
“Too much?” Andi whispered, obviously amused.
“You’re driving me crazy. I may have to leave the room before I attack you,” Emily whispered directly into Andi’s ear, and then licked the edge of it.
“Oh, so not fair.”
Emily smiled in the dark. She squeezed Andi’s hand and did her best to turn her attention to the movie. She drifted off to sleep somewhere around the middle. Her head rested on Andi’s shoulder and the credits rolled on the TV screen when she woke up.
“I going to bed now. Good night, Andi. Good night, sleepyhead Emily,” Mindy said.
“Good night, Mindy. Sweet dreams,” Andi answered.
“Night, sweetie,” Emily said.
“I would be happy to spend the night right here with you sleeping on my shoulder. But, I don’t think you would be too comfortable in the morning if you slept with your neck at that angle.”
“Were we sleeping together?” Emily said, still groggy from sleep. She smiled up at Andi.
“I am afraid you were sleeping by yourself.” Andi kissed Emily’s nose. “Since Mindy’s gone to bed, I’m going to get going so you can get some rest.”
“Rest, yes, I need all the rest I can get because I don’t plan on sleeping at all this weekend.” Emily sat upright, allowing Andi to extract herself. “Oh, and you might want to rest too, because I don’t plan on you sleeping much either.” She gave Andi a sly smile.
“You are so bad,” Andi said. “Now, walk me to the door.” She pulled Emily up, draped one arm around her, and walked side by side with her.
Andi gave Emily a quick kiss on the lips. “Gotta go.” She turned and was gone before Emily had a chance to respond. Emily closed the door and leaned against it.
“Two more days,” she said out loud. Two more days until Friday.
She locked the door, turned the lights off, and got ready for bed. Slipping under the covers, she opened the drawer of her nightstand and pulled out a book. She opened it to the bookmark and continued reading. She was almost done with this one, How to Make Love to a Woman, the Lesbian Guide, and would more than likely reread the two books she had already finished. She was going to be ready when Friday arrived…
Chapter Twenty-Three
Emily woke an hour before her alarm clock rang. It was Friday. Too excited and restless to sleep any longer, she sat up and stretched, surprised she’d slept at all. Her mind kept moving forward in time to the evening, Andi seated across from her at a nice restaurant, smiling and laughing. Fast-forward the scene to Andi kissing Emily and removing her clothing as they lay on Andi’s bed.
Time for a cold shower.
She needed to cool down this porno flick running in her head. She let the cold water run over her for a few minutes before turning it to warm. She shampooed her hair and used the suds from the shampoo to wash her body, imagining they were Andi’s hands instead of her own. She pushed the thought away. I am going to spend the day in a pool of my own juices if I don’t control my thoughts. She was a grown-up, for God’s sake, not a teenager with raging hormones. She could control her thoughts. She could. Oh, God, how was she going to get through the day when she couldn’t control her thoughts?
***
Emily pointed the car in the direction of the Waterloo Outlet Mall, halfway between Syracuse and Rochester, with Mindy in the passenger seat. The drive took forty-five minutes. Dad was already there waiting when they arrived.
“Dad, you look great,” Emily kissed him on the cheek. “How are you doing?”
A clean shirt was neatly tucked into his dark blue pants. His coat looked new and Emily could tell that he had shaved that morning. His recent haircut made him look younger, and his smile was genuine.
“Doing good. I’m still missing your mom like crazy, but I figured I needed to start living my own life again.”
Emily was starting to see her old dad emerge again. It was a great sight.
Mindy went around the car and set her suitcase down. She gave her father a tight hug. “Hi, Daddy. I missed you so much.”
“I missed you too, kiddo. We’re gonna have a great weekend. Ever played bingo?”
Mindy shook her head.
“That’s okay. I’ll show you how. I’ve been going every Saturday night. I think you’ll like it.” He put her suitcase in the trunk of his car.
“I need to get going, Dad. I have some stuff I need to take care of.”
“We’ll see you on Sunday. Drive safe.” He gave her a hug. Emily watched them get into his car before backing out.
The traffic was light heading east on the Thruway, and Emily made good time. She made two stops before heading to her house to change. At the first, Vinnie’s Wine and Liquor Store, she bought a bottle of Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay, 2005. It was a very good year, the salesman told her. At the P
retty Petals Floral Shop, she headed directly to the roses. Emily knew that the different colors had different meanings, and she knew the common ones. Red for love. Yellow for friendship. But she was unsure of the other colors. Emily wanted the flowers to have an underlying meaning and not just play the role of being pretty.
“The white roses represent innocence and purity,” the middle-aged saleswoman with stylish glasses explained.
I don’t want that color, then.
“And are traditionally associated with new beginnings,” the woman continued.
Oh, actually that’s good. New beginnings. I like that. “How about the orange roses?” Emily asked.
“Desire and enthusiasm. That color often symbolizes passion and excitement and can be an expression of burning romance. And we also have the lavender roses here. These’re my favorite. They’re a symbol of enchantment. The lavender rose is also traditionally used to express feelings of love at first sight.” Hmm, if it was love at first sight, it only took her two and a half months to figure it out. But she liked the enchantment part. She was definitely enchanted. “I’ll take a dozen of each.” Emily pictured herself trying to juggle a bottle of wine and five dozen roses. “Umm, better make that four red roses and two of each of the other colors.” That would make an even dozen. Andi would be proud of my quick math skills.
***
“How beautiful.” Andi took the flowers Emily held out to her. “And you look nice too,” she said, with a smile. “I take that back. You look stunning,” Andi said, with total sincerity this time. Emily was glad she had taken extra time to pick out her clothes for the evening. She settled on a long-sleeved deep pink chambray shirt with a slight ruffle in the front, a fitted black blazer, and black dress slacks. Her earrings were Black Hills Gold dangle earrings in a stylishly longer length and a matching diamond accent pendant.
Andi’s outfit was equally stunning in its casual elegance. Her tan button-down shirt made her brown eyes appear even darker. Skin peeked out at the top where several buttons were left undone. Her dark brown pinstriped pants had a small pleat in the front, and a thin matching brown belt circled her waist. Brown dress shoes replaced the sneakers that normally graced her feet. She kissed Emily on the cheek and gave her a quick hug. “Come in here,” Andi purred. She took the bottle of wine from Emily and set it and the flowers on the hall table. She closed the door behind them and looked at Emily again. “Come here,” she repeated, staring directly into Emily’s eyes, her arms opened wide.