New Beginnings

by KC Richardson

  Kirsten remotely opened her garage door and pulled her Audi Q5 into her space. John’s space was empty, indicating that he was probably still at work. She ignored the little stab of irritation and regret that revelation evoked and glanced at her watch. It was already four o’clock. She needed to get dinner started.

  She texted John to see when he would be home, then exited her car and walked through the door that led to the kitchen. After she’d placed her purse on the granite counter top and washed her hands, she started the preparations for dinner. She was grateful for the mundane task of adding the ingredients and mixing them together because they kept her from thinking too hard about her passionless marriage. An hour later, she placed baked chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, and salad on the dining table and poured herself a glass of chardonnay. John hadn’t texted back, so Kirsten assumed she would be eating alone—again. Her frustration roared back to life.

  Her solitude had been increasing over the past couple of months, and quite frankly, she was getting tired of it. This wasn’t what she’d signed up for when she’d said, “I do.” She’d thought they would work hard during the week and play hard on the weekends—hiking, mountain biking, and maybe some camping—as they had done while they’d been dating. But here she was on a Sunday evening eating alone while her husband was at the office.

  She wanted them to start a family. She was thirty-four years old, and while that wasn’t ancient by any means, she wanted two or three kids and didn’t want to be using a walker when they graduated from high school. But in order to get pregnant, they would actually have to have sex, something they hadn’t managed in the past several months or so. By the time John dragged himself to bed, Kirsten was already asleep. They’d barely kissed, and even those had been chaste.

  Kirsten cleaned the kitchen and put the food away. She climbed the stairs to their master suite and drew a warm bath scented with lavender bubbles. She lowered herself into the giant soaker tub and let out a hiss as the water enveloped her. She tried to relax, but thoughts of her marriage kept floating through her mind.

  Kirsten had met John at a beach party while she’d been in graduate school, and John had been in his last year of law school. Kirsten had been attracted to him. With his tall, athletic build, dark hair, and dark eyes, he’d reminded her a little of John Kennedy Jr. She’d thought him kind and considerate; wickedly smart with a great sense of humor. They had dated for four years before John had proposed to her while on a ski vacation in Lake Tahoe.

  Kirsten had been thrilled when he’d presented her with a ring and only too happy to accept, but if she were going to be completely honest, she would have to admit that there had never been an all-consuming passion in their relationship. She loved him dearly, but she’d never experienced that with him. In fact, she’d never experienced that with anyone. Maybe she had read too many romance novels, like her best friend, Brenda, had always accused. Maybe that type of passion didn’t really exist. But despite the lack of fire, she knew he would make a good father someday.

  Kirsten’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the garage door opening. She pulled the plug and watched the bath water circling the drain. She couldn’t help feeling that her marriage might be going right along with it.

  Chapter Four

  The following Saturday morning, Kirsten was in the kitchen pouring herself a cup of coffee when the phone rang. Spotting the caller ID, she grinned as she answered. “Good morning, Brenda.” Talking to her best friend always put a smile on her face.

  “Hello, sunshine. What’re you up to today?”

  “I don’t have any plans. Why? What kind of trouble are you planning on getting into?”

  “Why, Kirsten, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I was calling to see if you wanted to go hiking this morning.”

  “That sounds perfect. Pick me up in thirty minutes.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Kirsten hung up the phone and went to her room to get ready. John had left before she’d awoken that morning. Kirsten felt she should be more upset that she would spend another day alone while her husband was at work, but she didn’t. She was looking forward to spending time with her.

  Thirty minutes later, Brenda pulled into the driveway and honked. Kirsten grabbed her day pack, locked the front door, and got into Brenda’s car. They laughed and joked on the short ride to Peter’s Canyon, where they planned to spend the next two hours hiking.

  As Kirsten exited Brenda’s car, she saw a couple at the trailhead holding hands and looking adoringly at each other, and her good mood faltered. That was how she’d imagined she and John would spend their weekends—hiking in the morning, going out to lunch to their favorite café, then going home and spending the rest of the day lazing in the pool or making love, or, even better, making love in the pool. She felt an overwhelming sadness and was grateful for the sunglasses that hid her tears.

  “What’s up, Kirsten? You got quiet all of a sudden. Are you okay?”

  She smiled sadly. “I’ve been thinking about my marriage. Something’s not working, and I don’t know how to talk to John about it.”

  “What exactly isn’t working? Are you two arguing?”

  “No. Nothing like that. Actually, we don’t spend enough time with each other to argue.”

  “Is he still working long hours?”

  “Yes, and the little time he is at home, he’s watching television or on the computer. We haven’t gone to bed at the same time in I don’t know how long.”

  “So, you haven’t had sex for a while?”

  Kirsten grimaced. “It’s been several months since we made love.”

  “Several months? Honey, aren’t you…um…how are your needs getting met? If you know what I mean.”

  Kirsten shrugged. “I’m taking care of it.” She winked at her.

  “Is that so? Do I even want to know what you’re insinuating?”

  “You know what they say; if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself.”

  Brenda laughed. “But don’t you miss it?”

  “Well, sex with John is okay, but it’s never produced fireworks, and since he doesn’t always bring me to orgasm, I’ve become very well versed in the art of pleasuring myself. Now, I can produce fireworks.”

  Brenda was laughing harder now and had to catch her breath. “I’ve told you before, you read too many of those romance novels. But I do have to say, when you’re with the right person, the sex you experience blows your mind. Now, back to the serious topic at hand, pardon the pun. Is there more to it than John working long hours?”

  “I’m not sure, Bren. I just don’t feel the connection with him that I once had. It almost seems like we’re roommates rather than husband and wife.”

  “What has he said about it? Is he under stress at work, besides the obvious?”

  “How would I even know? We’re barely in the same room at the same time, let alone have any meaningful conversations. And, besides no sex, there’s not even any kissing or cuddling.” The guy riding the mountain bike past them slowed and looked back. Kirsten’s cheeks warmed, and she grabbed Brenda’s arm. “Come on. Let’s keep walking.”

  “I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Are you up to going to marriage counseling to see if it’s something that can be fixed?”

  “I’m not sure if it’s anything that can be fixed. But I do need to talk to him and let him know how I feel. Maybe he’s feeling the same.”

  Brenda linked an arm through hers. “I think that’s a good idea. When are you going to talk to him?”

  “Soon, but not tonight. He’s going over to a friend’s house to watch the fight on pay-per-view.”

  “So, you’re free tonight? Why don’t you come to my basketball game? Then we can go out for drinks afterward.”

  Kirsten and Brenda had met while hiking a little over a year ago on the very trail they were walking, and they’d become good and fast friends. But Kirsten was still discovering things about Brenda. “Since when do you play b
asketball? And why am I just finding this out?”

  “Hey! I’ll have you know that I played in high school and junior college. One of the women I work with knows I used to play and invited me to join her team in a women’s recreation league a few years ago. Our first game of the season is tonight. Did I really forget to tell you I was playing on a team?”

  Kirsten playfully punched Brenda in the arm. “Yes, Ms. Basketball, you did.”

  “Sorry. Anyway, you wanna come with me? We usually go to a neighborhood bar for some beers after the game. It’s pretty laid back, and my teammates are super cool. You don’t mind going to a lesbian bar, do you?”

  Kirsten was a little apprehensive. While it didn’t matter to her that Brenda was a lesbian, she hadn’t had much interaction with other lesbians since college, and those had mostly been with her dormitory roommate. They’d had a falling out toward the end of the school semester and had stopped hanging out together. It had been a painful time for Kirsten, one she didn’t like to think about.

  She didn’t know how comfortable she would be in a lesbian bar, and she worried that a woman would hit on her. She scowled inwardly. God, Kirsten, get over yourself. Just go with your friend and have a good time tonight. She put her arm around Brenda’s shoulders as they headed back to the car.

  “Sure, I’ll go. Sounds like fun.”

  Chapter Five

  “Screen. Switch. I got her!”

  Jordan picked up the guard who tried to come off the screen. When she pulled up to shoot, Jordan jumped and blocked the shot. Her point guard picked up the ball and started dribbling in the opposite direction. Jordan sped up the right side of the court ahead of the defender, and when her teammate threw the ball up toward the basket, Jordan caught it midair and put it through the hoop. Getting back on defense, Jordan pointed at her teammate and flashed her a smile, acknowledging the reward of her good defense.

  The opposing team called a quick time-out, and Jordan jogged with the rest of her team to their bench to grab a drink of water and to towel the sweat off her face and hands. There were just five minutes left in the game, and if her team could hang on to the lead, they would win their first game of the season.

  She looked to her left to say something to her teammate when she spotted two women coming through the door. One was obviously a player; she was dressed in sweats, and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. The other woman was dressed in a light blue button-down blouse, black jeans, and black boots.

  Holy shit. It’s the woman from the coffeehouse. Fuck me. Jordan’s stomach flipped as she recognized her. Like there was any possible way she could forget that gorgeous woman.

  “Jordan, let’s go. Match up.”

  The players ran back out onto the court, and something extraordinary happened. Jordan became a woman possessed. Every shot her opponent took, she blocked or altered, causing the other player to miss. When her team was on offense, Jordan either got the ball as she posted up and made the basket, or she got the offensive rebound from her team’s missed shot and made it. Jordan scored ten points in the last five minutes, and her team won by fifteen points.

  Jordan and her teammates congratulated the other team on a game well played and then congratulated each other for winning their first game. In the post-game huddle, they decided to meet at Lucy’s, the bar down the street that sponsored their team, for beers to celebrate.

  Jordan pulled on her dark blue hooded sweatshirt, keeping the hood on her head to protect her sweat-drenched hair from the cool night breeze. She sat on the bleachers to remove her black high-tops. Then she donned her dark blue nylon sweatpants and slipped into her sandals.

  Placing her gym bag over her right shoulder, she stood and gazed into the stands, trying to spot that stunning woman from the coffeehouse. Jordan locked eyes with her. Suddenly feeling uncharacteristically shy, she looked away and walked out of the gym.

  *

  Kirsten felt like she was under some sort of spell when she looked into the most vivid green eyes she had ever seen. She couldn’t look away. There’s something about that woman that is so familiar. I know I would have remembered her if we had met previously.

  Kirsten frowned in thought as she studied the woman. She was tall and slender with golden blond hair pulled back into a ponytail. She had a strong jawline and a small cleft in her chin. Kirsten noticed a dimple in her left cheek when the woman smiled at her teammates that she found absolutely adorable. She had a thin, celestial nose, full lips, and a look about her that could be considered sweet yet mischievous.

  “Do you know her?” Kirsten asked Brenda as she watched the woman walk out of the gym.

  “Oh, yeah. Her name is Jordan, and man, can she game. Not one of our players can keep up with her when we play that team.”

  “She seems pretty intense, considering it’s just a rec league.”

  Brenda laughed and shook her head. “She played Division I college ball, and if you’re going to play at that level, you have to have that intensity. It usually doesn’t go away.”

  Kirsten remembered the fierce look of determination Jordan had displayed during the few minutes she’d seen her play and wondered if she was that intense about everything she did. A shiver went up her spine when she thought of what other activities would put that look in her eyes.

  Where did that come from? She shook off that thought and returned to the present. She turned back to Brenda, who had removed her sweats and stood to join her team in warm-ups. “Go get ’em, Bren. And don’t get hurt.”

  Brenda laughed as she bounded down the bleachers.

  *

  After the game, Jordan had stopped home to shower and change into more appropriate attire. She now wore faded, baggy blue jeans, a tight black, short-sleeved T-shirt, and black cowboy boots. She walked the two blocks from her house to the bar, enjoying the cool spring night.

  When Jordan arrived at Lucy’s, she sidled up to the bar to order a pitcher of beer. The neighborhood club was a longstanding local icon and had a laid-back atmosphere. The bar was situated to the left where a few women were patiently waiting for their drink orders to be filled. To the right were some tables and stools that sat before the dance floor and a small stage where occasionally musicians provided live music. Just past the bar was a small, lit area with a pool table and a jukebox. The short, plump bartender turned around and smiled broadly at Jordan.

  “Hey, Jordan, how did the game go?”

  Jordan leaned over the bar to kiss the bartender in greeting. “Hey, Deb. We won our first game. We’re here to celebrate.”

  “That’s great. I saw a few of the girls from the team grab a table. Go join them, and I’ll bring the beer over.”

  Jordan joined her teammates, who were already working on their drinks. The group was talking about their win and the strategy they’d need for next week’s game. Deb brought over the pitcher of beer Jordan had ordered, and after refilling her teammates’ mugs, Jordan went back to the bar to order another round.

  She felt a tap on her shoulder, and when she turned around, she came face-to-face with Brenda Lewis, a player from one of the opposing teams in the league. She was astonished to see that the woman from the coffeehouse was standing next to Brenda. Jordan’s heart fluttered, and her breathing came to a halt.

  “That was a great game you played,” Brenda said. “Man, you really turned it on at the end.”

  Unable to pull her gaze from the gorgeous beauty standing beside Brenda, she muttered, “Thanks.”

  The other woman extended a hand to her and smiled a smile that produced enormous dimples. “Hi, Jordan. I’m Brenda’s friend, Kirsten. You played great tonight.”

  Jordan accepted Kirsten’s hand, and fire blazed in her palm. The heat traveled with lightning-quick speed to her heart, and just as fast, traveled south and took up root in the pit of her stomach. The fire must have short-circuited her brain because, once again, she was unable to string two words together. She just stood there looking like a complete idiot, powerless to
do anything other than keep her eyes locked on Kirsten’s. There was something about this woman that turned her brain to mush.

  “Well, Kirsten and I are going to get a table,” Brenda said, bringing Jordan back to the conversation. “I’ll see you next week at the game.”

  She let go of Kirsten’s hand reluctantly and watched as Brenda slid a hand into the small of Kirsten’s back and guided her to a table close to the pool table. The simple gesture sparked a fervent jealousy deep in Jordan’s gut, but she just as quickly pushed it aside.

  Christ, Roberts. What the hell is wrong with you? Get your head together.

  Jordan ordered another pitcher of beer and brought it back to the table. She was so embarrassed by her inability to formulate a sentence in Kirsten’s presence that she just wanted to go home, climb into bed, and dream about the blue eyes that had captivated her and left her speechless. She needed to snap out of this. They had just won their game, and they were there to celebrate. Celebrate was just what she intended to do.

  Jordan turned her full attention to her teammates and let out a belly laugh at a funny story one of them had just told. Several times, she caught her thoughts straying back to Kirsten and had to force herself to concentrate on her teammates. She also had to stop herself from turning her head to look at her. She knew that once she allowed herself to do that, she’d be hard-pressed not to stare, and she was certain she’d looked stupid enough for one evening.