by Carrie Carr
"I can't believe the nerve of that woman! I ought to go in there and--" Amanda threw her hands up in the air. "Maybe a good whack in the mouth would teach her."
"Dearest, violence never solved anything." Anna Leigh led the furious woman to their car.
"Maybe not, but it would sure make me feel a hell of a lot better." Tossing her purse on the floorboards, Amanda got in on the passenger side and slammed the door. "Obnoxious bitch."
Using a touch more decorum, Anna Leigh slid behind the wheel and started the car. She wasn't used to hearing Amanda use that kind of language, and, for a moment, she was startled into speechlessness. She wasn't sure how to handle her volatile granddaughter.
As the silence lengthened, Amanda realized how she must have sounded. She felt ashamed of her actions, if only because it embarrassed Anna Leigh. "I'm sorry." She cut her eyes over to her grandmother. "I don't know why I went off like that."
Anna Leigh relaxed. She patted Amanda's leg. "I do. It's called hormones. I'm afraid it's only going to get worse, the further along you are."
Great. It was the last thing Amanda wanted to hear. Her short temper had always gotten her into trouble and she certainly didn't need any help in that area. She leaned her head against the seat and closed her eyes. "Poor Lex."
"She'll survive," Anna Leigh assured her. "But I'll make up the guest room, just in case." Her joke had the desired effect as Amanda burst out in laughter. She expected her granddaughter's pregnancy was going to be quite enlightening, for all involved.
Chapter Twenty-Two
IT WAS AFTER dinner the next evening before Lex and Amanda had a chance to talk about Lorrie's birthday. Through mutual agreement, they decided to have a family get-together for her instead of a party with a bunch of children. There would be plenty of opportunities in the ensuing years to forsake their sanity in such a matter.
That accomplished, they were upstairs in her room while Lex attempted to assemble their daughter's first gift. The toddler bed was small, low to the ground and the headboard was a heavy duty plastic, covered with cartoon characters. Since it was to be a surprise, Martha had volunteered to keep Lorrie at her house for the night.
Lex tightened another bolt. "I can't believe she's going to be three already. It doesn't seem possible." The wrench slipped, and she banged her knuckles on the floor. "Ow! Dammit!" She glared at Amanda, who stood nearby with her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. "Gee, thanks." Lex sucked on the injured joint. "Tell me again why we're doing this?"
"Because you promised she could have her own bed when she turned three. Be thankful she wanted the 'princess' bed, instead of the one that came in about a hundred pieces. You'd probably still be putting it together when she graduates from high school."
"Please, don't mention high school. It's going to be hard enough to let her go to kindergarten." Lex checked the instruction page again. "How the hell do they expect anyone to understand this gibberish? And how many different sizes of damned nuts and bolts does a kid's bed have to have?"
Amanda knelt beside her and turned the paper. "I think it would be easier to read if you had it going the right direction." She handed it to her partner.
"Smart ass." Lex picked up the wrench. She was tempted to throw it across the room, but looked closely at the bolt instead. "Would you mind handing me the box of sockets? I think I'm using the wrong size."
"Sure." Amanda used her foot to scoot the container. "Is there anything, besides handing you tools, you'd like me to do?"
Lex gave her the instruction sheet. "I think I'm on step eight, but I'm not sure. Maybe you can make sense out of this damned thing."
"I'll try." She read the first few steps before checking Lex's progress. "Is that piece upside down?"
"What?" Lex took the paper and looked at it. "Dammit." She'd have to disassemble half her work in order to fix her mistake. She exhaled heavily and started to take it apart.
Two hours and several more scraped knuckles later, the bed stood proudly in place. Beside it was a child-sized dresser, compliments of Jacob, where Lorrie could pick out her own clothes. Her closet was already equipped with short rods, an easy reach for someone of her stature.
Lex put the final tool away. "Next time, if something says, 'some assembly required', shoot me if I even think about buying it."
"Oh, I don't know. You did a great job, honey." Amanda placed her arm around Lex's waist. "I'm looking forward to seeing you put together her first bicycle." She was unable to hold her laughter when her lover groaned. "Maybe a swing set?"
"Uh, no. If we do that, you'll have to get me one of those pretty white jackets that tie in the back. There's no way in hell I'm going through this again." Lex flinched as a sharp elbow jabbed her in the ribs. "At least until next year."
Amanda patted her on the stomach. "Good girl. I knew you'd see it my way." She kissed Lex's jaw. "It's nice and quiet and we have the house to ourselves for the night. Know what I'd like to do?" She punctuated her question by nibbling on her lover's throat.
"Mmm?" Lex tilted her head back and closed her eyes. "I know what I'd like to do." She started walking backward while insistent hands unbuttoned her shirt. "Guess you have the same idea."
"Uh-huh." Amanda steered her across the hall and into the master bedroom. She slid the shirt off Lex's shoulders and quickly relieved her of her bra. Before they reached the bed, she found herself losing her top. Lex's hands covered her exposed breasts and she leaned into the contact.
Lex covered Amanda's lips with her own as they divested each other of their clothes. When the back of her knees hit the bed, she toppled over, bringing Amanda down on top of her. Blanketed by warm skin, Lex moaned. "You feel so good."
"So do you." Taking her time, Amanda kissed her way down her lover's throat, stopping in various places to leave soft bites behind. "I love you." She took a tender spot of flesh into her mouth and sucked gently.
"I love you, too." With pleasure chasing all thoughts from her mind, Lex relaxed and enjoyed Amanda's touch.
TWO DAYS LATER, brightly colored wrapping paper was strewn across the den floor. New toys, momentarily abandoned, surrounded their owner, who was stretched out in the midst of the paper. Lorrie lay on her stomach, sound asleep, still clutching a small baby doll that was already missing its clothes.
Amanda and Lex were snuggled together on the sofa. Once everyone left it had turned into a quiet evening. The birthday party had been a complete success, even if their guests had bent the "one present per couple" rule. Amanda's grandparents each brought a gift, which caused Lex to complain they cheated. When her grandfather and cousin showed up similarly laden, she shook her head and grumbled under her breath that she should have known better. Michael and Lois did the same.
Amanda thought it was all rather funny, especially since she and her partner did the same thing. They got Lorrie her new bed, and, so that she'd have something to "unwrap", Lex had searched the Internet for over a month until she found the perfect rocking horse. The Radio Flyer plastic spring horse came complete with colored rope mane and tail and a leather saddle. Lex made certain the wide base was safe and only had slight difficulty putting it together the previous week. It took all her considerable control not to give it to Lorrie the minute it was finished. Instead, Amanda coerced her into hiding it in the storage room until the day of the party.
Not too far away from the "ossie", was Michael's gift. The sturdy double easel was made of durable plastic. One side was a chalkboard, while the other held a large blank pad of paper. His daughter almost threatened his life when she saw the paint set he bought to go with it, until he volunteered to supervise Lorrie's artistic endeavors. By the end of the evening, both were well-covered in watercolors.
Lois gave Lorrie a painter's smock that had her name embroidered on the front. She admitted it had taken her the better part of a month to complete the project, but everyone was duly impressed with her attention to detail.
Although Jacob had already given a gift o
f a handmade dresser, he didn't want to show up empty handed. The matching rocking chair was Lorrie's size and she spent over fifteen minutes showing everyone how fast it "rockded".
The baby doll Anna Leigh brought was an instant hit. Lorrie wasted no time in undressing the life-like doll. She was even more thrilled by the extra clothes the doll had, and allowed her grandmother to help her dress the baby. It wasn't long before Lorrie quickly had the doll undressed again.
Travis had to enlist Lex's help in bringing in his gift. The kitchen play set now took up an entire corner of the den. Lorrie had wanted to place it in the real kitchen, but Martha vetoed that suggestion quickly. Ellie contributed a set of play dishes, and spent the better part of an hour having "dinner" with the new little chef.
Martha and Charlie were more subdued in their selection, but their gift was well received by the birthday girl. The set of rhyming books had Lorrie climbing up in everyone's lap, each person getting to read her a story.
Before she and Charlie left, Martha had dimmed the lights, with a promise to return later and help with the cleanup. Lex waved her off. Now, looking around the room, she was having second thoughts. "This place looks like a tornado tore through here."
"True." Amanda snuggled closer and rested her head against Lex's shoulder. "Once we get the birthday girl to bed, it won't take us any time at all to get it cleared away."
Lex tightened her hold on Amanda. "If I knew it would still be here in the morning, I'd say leave it. But knowing Martha, she'd get here bright and early and take care of everything. It's bad enough I can't get her to stop picking up after me."
"Well, honey, you are a full-time job." Amanda gestured to the sleeping child. "And she's growing up to be just like you."
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"Nah. But it does keep both Martha and me busy." Amanda squirmed when Lex unbuttoned her blouse and edged her hand beneath her bra. "Your fingers are cold." She jerked slightly. "Ow."
Lex quickly removed her hand. "What's the matter? Did I hurt you?"
Amanda caught Lex's hand and held it close to her body. "It's nothing serious. I'm a little tender there."
"Oh." At first she was hesitant to go any further. The last thing Lex wanted to do was cause Amanda any discomfort, but when Amanda placed her hand inside her shirt, Lex carefully placed her fingers near the top of her bra. "How's this?"
"Not good enough." Once she was certain Lorrie was still sleeping soundly, Amanda removed her shirt completely and took off her bra. She held her lover's hands and used them to cup her breasts, enjoying the touch. "That's much better." She was about to suggest something even more enjoyable when it hit. "Damn." Amanda slipped the shirt on, but left it unbuttoned. This constant rushing to the bathroom was already getting on her nerves, and it was only the beginning.
"Did I--"
Amanda quickly stood. "Sorry. I've got to," she tipped her head to the door. "Be back in a minute."
Lex watched her leave. "That's definitely a mood killer." She got up also and decided she might as well get Lorrie ready for bed. She knelt next to the dozing child and scooped her up into her arms. The little girl was so sound asleep she stayed completely limp. It was very easy for Lex to carry her out of the den and up the stairs to her room.
Lorrie was already undressed and tucked into bed when Amanda came into her bedroom. Lex was nowhere to be found. Amanda came in and kissed Lorrie goodnight and went in search of her missing mate. She found her where she had left her -- in the den. The discarded wrapping paper and empty boxes had been wadded up and piled in trash bags. Lex was wiping down the tabletops with a dishtowel when Amanda came into the room. "Someone's been busy."
Lex raised her head at the sound of Amanda's voice. "Yep." She took in her wife's attire. Amanda had taken the time to get ready for bed and the shimmering navy blue satin nightgown hugged her curves in all the right places. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you." Brushing her hand across the material, Amanda gave Lex a sexy smile. "I'm hoping not to be wearing it for very long." She turned and left, knowing she'd be followed.
"Good guess." Lex crossed the room after her. She decided her "mood" hadn't been killed in the least. In fact, things were progressing quite nicely. She turned out the light in the den and hurried after Amanda.
STEAM ESCAPED FROM the bathroom as Lex stepped out. Her wet hair was slicked back and dripped on the towel that hung around her neck. She was barefoot, and her jeans adhered to her damp skin. She was completely unaware of her appreciative audience, until a wolf whistle caught her attention.
Amanda was in bed, lying on her side so she could watch her partner get ready for the day. She crooked a finger in Lex's direction. "Come here." They had the morning to themselves, since Martha had taken Lorrie into town to visit Charlie at work. He loved showing his granddaughter off to the rest of the department and they all appreciated a chance to spoil the precocious little girl.
Never one to turn down an invitation, Lex walked over to the bed and sat. She leaned over to get a kiss, when Amanda's hand blocked her. "What?"
The nausea came without warning. "No. The smell. I can't--" Amanda quickly climbed out of the bed and raced for the bathroom.
Concerned, Lex followed. The sight of her wife kneeling in front of the toilet and retching was like a cold slap in the face. Uncertain what to do, she dampened a washcloth and moved Amanda's hair away from her face. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." She placed the cloth across the back of Amanda's neck, doing her best to keep from joining her.
After what seemed like hours to Amanda, she was able to scoot away from her new morning spot. She propped herself up against the wall listlessly while Lex fussed over her. "Honey, please. I'm okay." She took the damp cloth from Lex's hands. "Honestly."
"I'm so sorry. What made you feel bad? I'll fix it, whatever it is." Lex backed away, afraid of causing another bout of sickness. She didn't even realize she was standing in the bathroom topless.
Amanda closed her eyes. It was going to be a very long pregnancy if Lex panicked every time she got nauseous. "It's nothing you did. The weirdest things can trigger it."
"Is it my soap, or my shampoo? I can change," Lex continued to babble. She felt a chill and crossed her arms over her body. "I know that sometimes I come in from the barn and I have to shower. Between the usual horse smell and then when I clean out the stalls, I--" she stopped when she saw Amanda cover her mouth and pale. "Oh. Um, sorry."
"Why don't you finish getting dressed? I'll be out in a few minutes."
Lex nodded almost frantically. "Sure." She backed out of the bathroom. "Holler if you need anything. I'll be right outside the door."
After she left, Amanda took a deep breath and released it slowly. The sick feeling had subsided for the moment, but she was leery of moving too quickly. She slowly got to her feet and washed her face in the sink. Eyeing herself in the mirror, Amanda noticed the redness in her eyes, and her pale skin. "I thought you were supposed to be beautiful when you're pregnant. Not look like death warmed over."
"You are beautiful, love." Lex stood at the door, afraid her presence would set Amanda off again. "And you get more beautiful every day."
"I certainly don't feel like it." Amanda was pleased to see her partner now wearing a denim shirt. A cold front had moved through during the night, and she didn't want her to become chilled and catch cold. She took several steps toward Lex until she was close enough to touch her and held out her hands. "Come here."
Lex worried that being near her would make Amanda ill again. "Are you sure?" At her lover's nod, she moved forward and pulled Amanda into her arms.
There was no better feeling in the world. Amanda took a cautious breath, hoping against hope that whatever caused her to be sick in the first place was gone. Another, deeper breath brought no ill effects, for which she was eternally grateful. She buried her nose against Lex's throat, inhaling deeply. "Perfect."
"Thank god." Lex helped her to the bedroom. After Amanda crawled in
to bed, she started to step away when a hand grabbed her shirt.
"Come snuggle for a while?" Amanda patted the spot beside her. "And lose the clothes."
"Yes, ma'am." Lex broke a speed record for getting undressed, and quickly slipped beneath the covers. She'd call Roy later to have someone else take care of the horses. She had much more important things to do. Snuggling being on the top of the list.
Chapter Twenty-Three
HALLOWEEN. LEX ALWAYS hated this time of year. The streets of Somerville were overly crowded with people gathering decorations for a holiday she thought frivolous. Pumpkins were used at almost every turn by shop owners, and Lex thought it was ridiculous that Amanda ask her to pick up some. "One of these days, I'm going to tell her no." Lex realized the folly of her thoughts. "Right. Tell Amanda 'no'. That's not going to happen."
She was on her way to Sunflower Realty. They had mutually decided that it would be all right for Amanda to go to work part time. Amanda was getting restless at the house and so was Lorrie. Martha was the one who suggested they let Lorrie go to daycare half a day, which would allow Amanda to go to the office. It worked out well for all concerned, except Lex. She missed her playmates.
She adjusted the bags she held in her hands and struggled to get inside the office without dumping her bounty. Several women called out to Lex when she came in. Wanda held the manager's door open for her. "I'm glad you're here. She's been asking us every few minutes if any of us had heard from you." Wanda leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, "She's been driving us all nuts."
"Sorry about that. I had to scrounge everywhere for these damned pumpkins." Lex stepped into the office. The woman who sat behind the desk was concentrating on an open binder and talking on the phone.
Amanda raised her head after she heard the rustling of bags. "There you are. What took you so long? Did you get them? How many did you get? How big are they?"