Gemini

by Geonn Cannon

  Someone appeared in the kitchen door, and Molly felt Shane shake her head "no." The shadow disappeared, and Shane started to stroke Molly’s hair. “It’s okay. Take all the time you need, all right?”

  “She’s gone,” Molly whispered. Her hand had made a fist in Shane’s smock, her knuckles as white as the material she was gripping. “She’s gone, my April is gone.”

  Chapter Six

  “Beer?”

  “Another one?”

  “Oh, come on,” Molly said as she dropped onto the couch. “Live a little.” She curled her legs under her as she popped the top and handed the bottle to Shane.

  Shane checked her watch as she accepted the beer. “All right. But we should probably call it a night soon.”

  “Gail’s is closed for Christmas tomorrow.”

  “I know, but I got family coming in.” She patted Molly’s knee and said, “Your party was great. A real hit, babe. But it’s time to call it done...”

  Molly groaned and reached out to rub Shane’s arm. “Come on. Stay with me. Just a little while longer. Everyone else left.”

  Shane looked down at Molly’s hand on her arm. She hesitated for a moment and then said, “Everyone else left because it’s half past twelve on Christmas Eve, sweetheart. Gotta be in bed or Santa won’t come.” Shane patted Molly’s hand and said, “You should get to sleep yourself.”

  Molly leaned forward and moved to the edge of the couch next to Shane. “Stupid parties. In college, parties would go on until...two or three. Or until the cops came. I guess that was just April...”

  “Who?”

  “No one,” Molly said. She took a swig of her beer and sat it on the table. Her mood seemed to have darkened in the past ten seconds. “You want to go, go.”

  Shane hesitated, staring at the condensation on the side of her beer bottle. “Molly...” She closed her eyes and decided to hell with it. She put down the beer, turned to Molly, and kissed her. Their lips met with a beer-slickened smack, Molly making a quiet, surprised noise at the back of her throat as Shane shifted on the cushions to face her.

  Shane cupped Molly’s breast as she pushed her back onto the couch. Molly’s eyes were wide, confused, as their tongues touched for the first time.

  When Shane finally pulled back for air, Molly took the opportunity to gasp, “Stop!”

  Even drunk, even horny as she was, Shane knew what that word meant. She released Molly’s breast, pushed herself to the complete opposite side of the couch, and pressed the back of her hand to her lips. Molly was a bit slower in recovering, pushing herself up on her elbows and staring at Shane without expression. Finally, she said, “I’m not gay.”

  “I just figured...you know, you said April and I thought...y–you’re never with anyone...”

  “I’m not gay,” Molly said again.

  “I’m sorry,” Shane said. She stood up and said, “Thanks for the beer, Molly. I’m...” She grasped for something else, something stronger, but finally ended up with just repeating, “Sorry.” She grabbed her coat off the back of the armchair and headed for the door of Molly’s apartment.

  Molly caught up with her before she could flee.

  “It was nice,” she said. “But I’m...I’m not...”

  “I understand. I hope we can still work together.”

  Molly nodded and opened the door. “Merry Christmas, Shane.”

  “Merry Christmas,” Shane said, looking more than a little humiliated. She tugged her coat on and slipped out onto the porch. She paused before she stepped down onto the walkway and turned around. “Molly?” She looked up and met Shane’s eyes. “If you wanted, I could just do stuff to you.”

  Molly smiled at the joke Shane had heard on a TV show. “Go home and get some sleep, Tina Fey.”

  Shane relaxed, Molly’s smile meaning they had returned to the status quo. She smiled and waved. “Good night, Molly.”

  Molly closed the door and rested her head against the cold wood. She tried to banish the thought of Shane’s tongue touching hers, tried to forget the touch of Shane’s hand on her breast. But it had been so damned long...She unfastened her jeans and slid her hand over the hot flesh of her stomach. She bit her lip and let her fingers push past the elastic waistband of her panties, down to the...

  Molly lifted her head from Shane’s shoulder and blinked. “What...?”

  “I think you fell asleep,” Shane said. “Just for a second, though. Are you better?”

  Molly sat up and wiped her eyes. Her head had been lying almost on Shane’s breast, most likely the cause for the sudden memory of their ill-advised Christmas kiss. She pushed her hair out of her eyes and said, “Do I look puffy?”

  “No, you’re fine,” Shane assured her. She straightened the collar of Molly’s jacket and stood up. She extended her hand, and Molly clasped it, accepting her help to stand. “I’m not surprised you fell asleep, though. Have you been getting any sleep at night?”

  “Not since...” She left the event unspoken; they both knew what she was talking about. She straightened the hem of her jacket and then reached up to brush Shane’s shoulder. “I cried all over you.”

  “It’s fine. No one will believe I’m a chef unless I have some stains on my clothes.”

  Molly laughed and looped her arm around Shane’s elbow. “Thanks.”

  “Are we going to see you tomorrow morning?”

  Molly hesitated and shrugged. “Depends on how late the meeting with my sister’s... friend... goes.”

  Shane nodded. “Okay. Well, you know I don’t mind filling in for you. But it’s more fun when you’re here.” She smiled and said, “There are hardly any knife-wielding maniacs if you’re not here.”

  “It’s my cross to bear,” Molly said.

  Shane laughed. “Good night, Molly.”

  Molly waved goodnight and watched Shane go down the steps to the parking lot. As Shane’s headlights came on, Molly shook her head and wondered how she would possibly make it through her late meeting with Robin Fraser.

  ##

  “Doors are locked, the last meal is on the table,” Clifton said from the doorway of the kitchen. “You guys can eat. Thanks, fellas.”

  Molly took off her hat and pushed a hand through her hair. Clifton always thanked them at the end of the day. She looked at Lilly and said, “I’m going to head out...”

  “Skipping the family meal again?” Lilly said. “People are going to start talking.”

  “I have to go see my sister’s...” She almost said, lover, but caught herself at the last instant. “Um, someone who knew my sister.”

  If Lilly noticed the hesitation, she didn’t comment on it. “Okay.”

  Molly helped Lilly clean up a bit before she went to her locker. She tossed her toque and her jacket inside and said good-bye to everyone as she headed out. She pulled out her cell phone to check the time, and it began to vibrate in her hand. She jumped, staring at the “unknown number” in the display. She flipped open the phone and said, “Molly Page.”

  “Molly. It’s me, it’s...Robin.”

  She wished she could have faked surprise, but it made a sort of sense. April had always been able to do that. Molly would begin to wonder what April was up to and the phone would ring. Maybe the skill had rubbed off on Robin during their time together. Molly said, “Hi. I’m just leaving work. Did you want to meet somewhere?”

  There was a pause. “Uh, that depends. Do you know anywhere that’s open this late?”

  A couple of places, Molly thought, although none that are really conducive to holding a conversation...She paused at her car and scanned the empty ferry lanes. “You know what? Just meet me outside of my restaurant. We can talk on the benches outside.”

  “Okay. Give me about ten minutes?”

  Molly said, “All right. I’ll be waiting.” She hung up and tucked the phone into the pocket of her pants. There was a row of benches along the boardwalk, all facing the harbor, naturally. She walked to the corner of Gail’s outdoor seating area to th
e first bench in the row, where a streetlight cast a wide halo of light. She took a seat and crossed her legs, waiting for her sister’s...whatever...to arrive.

  ##

  “The Stage Manager has strep throat.”

  April’s face went pale. “What?”

  She and Robin had been sitting in front of the blackboard chatting when the secretary stuck her head into the room. April pushed away from the desk and glanced at the class as she rushed to the door. “Keep working,” she muttered as she hurried out the door. Robin stood and hurried after her. In the hallway, April said, “What are you talking about?”

  “Leigh has strep. Her father just called.”

  “Damn it.” April reached up and rubbed her forehead, beginning to pace. “Okay. Let’s just deal with the facts. How bad is it?”

  “Poor girl couldn’t even come to the phone,” Mrs. Jump said. She wore her bifocals on a chain around her neck, and her plump fingers went to it, twirling the gold chain back and forth across her knuckles.

  Robin looked from one woman to the other. “What’s going on? What are you talking about?”

  April motioned her out into the hall, and Robin joined them. “Leigh Morgan has strep.”

  “What does that mean?” She thought for a moment. “Oh, no, the Stage Manager?”

  April nodded sadly. “We never got an understudy and what is Our Town without the Stage Manager? This is bad.”

  “Now relax,” Robin said. She put her hand in the small of April’s back, hoping the secretary didn’t look too much into the touch. “Is there anybody you could move around? Maybe a, a minor character who's been to all the rehearsals?”

  April ruffled her hair and thought for a minute. “I don’t know...why?”

  “Well, you could take minor characters...some of the dead in the last act, maybe...and combine two parts. Take one person who’s been there the entire time and just...promote them to Stage Manager.”

  “The people who are playing the dead are playing the dead because they’re bad actors. And besides, the chances they would even remember all the lines...”

  “People who have been at every rehearsal should have at least a grasp of the lines,” Robin said. “I’ve been there every day and even I know all the lines. Trust me, they just kind of...seep in. Ask around at the dress rehearsal and see...what?”

  April was waving her hands to stop Robin from talking. She put her hands on Robin’s shoulders and said, “You know all the lines?”

  Robin nodded. “Pretty much.” She caught the look in April’s eyes and said, “Oh, no. No you don’t...”

  “Rob, you’d be saving my life here. I’d owe you.” She raised one eyebrow and suggestively bit her bottom lip.

  If the secretary hadn’t been watching them, Robin knew April wouldn’t have been shy about going into detail about what her reward would be. As it was, the glint in her eye was speaking volumes. Robin cleared her throat and scratched her cheek. “I’d, uh...I’d need a costume. There’s no way Leigh and I are the same...”

  “Stage Manager could wear street clothes,” the secretary said.

  “Or you could wear that white suit. You know the one? You never wear it because you’re afraid it will get dirty?”

  Robin sagged and looked to the secretary for help, but her eyes were just as hopeful as April’s.

  April squeezed Robin’s shoulders. “Robin. Please. You’d be saving my life.”

  Robin sighed and said, “I come out to make sure everything’s okay and I get roped into a job...Fine, sure, if you need me that badly.”

  “Oh, trust me. I need you. So bad.”

  Robin’s eyes fired needles at her lover, and she cleared her throat. “Then I guess I’m in. I’ll need a script, though. Just to refresh my memory.”

  “Great,” April said. “I’ll go get you one.” She leaned in and kissed Robin on the cheek, a perfectly innocent move in even the most cynical observer’s eyes. “Thank you, Robin. You’re a life-saver.”

  “Okay, April,” Robin whispered. She was standing at the door of her rented bedroom, coat on and cell phone in her back pocket. “I’m going to need you to talk me into this one, too, babe. I’m not...I don’t think I can talk to her.”

  “You can. You will. You have to.”

  “Of course, if you had just told me about her yourself...”

  “I couldn’t.”

  “Why?”

  But April’s voice was silent on that mark.

  Robin took a deep breath, opened the door and went down the stairs. The house was silent; Mrs. Appleton had already gone to bed and, if any other guests had arrived during the day, Robin hadn’t seen them. She quietly opened the back door and shuddered as she stepped out into the night. She wasn’t used to these northwestern nights. In Montana, cold was cold and hot was hot. She tugged her lightweight jacket tighter around herself and followed the same path she’d taken that afternoon.

  When she reached the corner, she looked up and again found herself at odds with her brain. April! God, it’s all been a mistake! No. Not April, never again April. She bowed her head and crossed the street. When Molly saw her coming, she stood and smoothed her slacks against her thighs. “Ms. Fraser,” she said.

  “Robin, please. I get enough ‘Ms. Fraser’ at school,” she said. She extended her hand and, after a brief hesitation, Molly took it and gave it a quick shake. “Thank you for agreeing to talk to me.”

  Molly nodded and gestured at the bench. They sat, not too close to each other, and regarded the water. Robin finally broke the silence. “It’s beautiful out here.”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  Robin looked at her and suppressed a sigh. Not going to make it easy on me, are you? “Hard to imagine why April left,” Robin said. She let the words hang in the air and, after it became apparent Molly wouldn’t take the hint, continued. “April never told me she had a twin. I’m sorry if I’m...every time you see me, I must look...”

  “I understand,” Molly said.

  “I don’t,” Robin said. “Keeping a sister secret is one thing, but a twin?”

  “April and I weren’t the best of friends when she left. Maybe we should have tried to remedy that over the years, but...” She shrugged and looked down at her fingernails.

  “What happened?”

  “I can’t tell you that.”

  “Why not?”

  Molly took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Because I’ve never told anyone. Because it’s something I’m ashamed of. Because...I think...that April could have forgiven me and our relationship might have been mended, but she knew I would never forgive myself.”

  Robin couldn’t take it anymore. Molly may be April’s spitting image, but the truth was this woman had hurt April. “What the hell did you do to her?”

  “I lost her virginity.”

  “Y...” Robin blinked, shook her head, and frowned. “You what?”

  Molly sagged against the back of the bench and looked down at her hands. When she finally began speaking, it was like she was reciting a speech from memory. “There was a girl in our class. Beth Gillis. April had a...a crush on her.”

  ##

  April looked past Molly’s shoulder and her smile widened. “Bethy!”

  Molly rolled her eyes and slammed the locker shut.

  “Hey, look-alikes,” Beth said. She sidled up to their lockers and bumped her hip against April’s. “What are we doing after school?”

  “We?” Molly asked as she rearranged her books in the crook of her arm. “April’s grounded.”

  April kicked Molly in the shin and gave her a warning look. She turned to Beth and said, “A bunch of us are going driving. Maybe to the duck pond. You wanna come?”

  Beth shrugged. “Who else will be there?”

  “Karen. Uh, Joey said he’d go...”

  “Sure. Sounds like fun. I’ll see you guys in the parking lot.” She gave Molly a polite smile and walked away with a graceful sweep of her skirts.

  Molly glared after th
e interloper and then turned her glare to April. “Mom and Dad are going to crap a brick if you don’t show up at 3:15.”

  “Oh, I’ll show up,” April said with a grin.

  Molly knew that look. It was the same look April had gotten right before she convinced Molly to switch places with her before a math test. That had only worked because Mr. Woodward was blind as a bat. Everyone else in the class had been in on the joke, rolling in the aisles. Still, fooling teachers and fooling their parents were two very different animals. Molly sighed, “Mom and Dad can tell us apart, dumbass.”

  April hooked her arm through Molly’s and walked her away from the lockers. “Yeah. They can. But if you had your hair down, I bet Beth Gillis would never be able to tell.” Molly wasn’t moved, so April whined, “Come o-on. You saw her! Wasn’t she gorgeous?”

  Molly rolled her eyes.

  “Okay, fine,” April sighed. “If you liked girls, then wouldn’t you say she was gorgeous?”

  “Sure. Fine.”

  “The duck pond is no-torious. It’s a rite of passage. It’s kind of like the batter’s box. It’s where Beth takes her potentials. So...”

  “Her potentials?” Molly asked.

  “...you can imagine how big this could be for me.”

  “You’re the one who brought up the duck pond.”

  “And she agreed! I’m not going to miss this opportunity just because I got a D in Flenk’s class. So you, dear sister, are going to put your hair down, you’re going to switch clothes with me when we get home, and you’re going to go to the duck pond with Beth.”

  Molly shook her head. “If she doesn’t ask you out Monday, you’re going to blame me for ruining your chances. I’m not going to any damned duck pond.”

  “Molly!”

  “April!” Molly mocked. She pulled her arm away from April’s and said, “You want Beth Gillis so bad, you can break your grounding and take your chances.”

  April glared at her and finally turned and stormed away. Molly sighed and flipped her ponytail over her shoulder.

  It was for the best.

  ##