Homecoming (28 page)

As they headed out again, Jill said, “One of the things I like best about you is how thoughtful you are. Most people wouldn’t move their car just so others could get a charge.”

“Most people are kinda jerks. There aren’t that many of us who use this station, so I know most of the cars. It irks me when one’s there for a few days, so I make sure I don’t do the thing that I find selfish, right?”

“Right.” Jill put her hand on her leg, then pulled it away. “Gotta stop that! It’s become a habit.”

“We’re sliding into all sorts of girlfriend habits,” Lizzie agreed. “I love that.”

“I do too. But we need to put them on hold for just a couple of days. Then we can indulge to our hearts’ content.”

“I love that expression,” Lizzie said, wistfully. “You make my heart content.”

“You do the same for me.” Jill gave her a fond look. “You’re the girliest, most romantic woman I’ve ever dated. Clearly, I didn’t know what I wanted in a woman until I met you.”

***

That night, they carried their bags into a nondescript motel room about a half hour from Fenway. It was one of the lower-ranked chains, but there were two queen-sized beds and the place was clean.

They’d carried all of Janet and Mike’s stuff up to their room, despite both of them complaining that they could handle their own luggage perfectly fine.

Jill stood in the bathroom, neatly arranging her toiletries, while pushing aside a plastic bag full of Lizzie’s stuff, and another, bigger nylon bag with god knew what in it. Maybe there were some downsides to dating girly girls. They sure had a lot of toiletries. She changed into a T-shirt and cotton pajama bottoms, brushed and flossed her teeth, then took the band off her ponytail and brushed her hair.

When Jill walked back into the bedroom, her negative thoughts towards femmes immediately quelled. Lizzie had stripped her jeans off and was now wearing yet another camisole, this one cream-colored, and matching silky tap pants. “Once we start to sleep together, I can wear my normal summer pajamas—nothing at all,” she said, adding a racy smile.

“I”—Jill sat down on her bed heavily—“I was going to say I really like what you have on, but I might like the alternative better.” She made her hands into fists and rubbed her tired eyes with them. “Whose dumb idea was it to share a room?”

“Mine.” Lizzie sat by her and leaned into her body. “When I made the reservations, I didn’t think we’d be at this point.”

“This I’d-love-to-tear-your-clothes-off point?” Jill smirked.

“Yeah,” Lizzie said, sighing. “You send off some pretty sexual vibes for a girl. I don’t think we’re going to have any problems once we go”—she made a wide-eyed face and pointed to the bed—“there.”

“I’m pretty sure we’re going to be able to figure that out. You’re going to have to wrestle me into submission before you whip your big, throbbing cock out, but I assume that won’t be a problem for you.”

Laughing, Lizzie maneuvered around until she was stretched out with her head on Jill’s lap. “That’s the very first thing I’m going to do. No foreplay, either. You’ve got to be tough to hook up with Lizzie Davis.”

Looking down at her, Jill idly played with her hair, then began to run her fingers over her features. “You’re so pretty. I love looking at your face.”

Lizzie looked up at her, with such a tender expression Jill got chills. “I’ve always thought you were beautiful, but every time I see you, you get better looking. Is that my endorphins messing with my mind, or are you just some ever-evolving hunk of awesomeness?”

“The latter. By the time I’m fifty, people will have to shield their eyes so they aren’t blinded by my beauty.”

“That’s just what I thought,” Lizzie said, nodding sagely. “Sleepy,” she murmured, a big yawn making her jaw pop audibly.

“Me too.” Jill wanted to urge Lizzie to get up and go to her own bed, but it felt so nice to have her lying in her lap. They could just rest their eyes for a few minutes. She grasped all of the pillows and put two under her as she lay down, crosswise, on the bed. When she pushed one down her body, Lizzie grasped it and hugged it to herself, then made some soft noises and was out.

***

Something partially woke Jill. A knock? No, the sound was coming from behind her, not the door across the room. Lizzie had migrated, probably for warmth, and was now curled up against her, both of them lying crosswise on the bed. The light was on, but it seemed so far away. And she’d have to disturb Lizzie to get it. If she closed her eyes…

The door behind her opened; brighter light, the sound of a TV, then a gasp. The door closed as Jill levitated, panic roaring through her body. Lizzie grumbled and tried to curl up again.

Now the knock was unmistakable. Lizzie flew into a sitting position, her eyes remarkably wide. “What the fuck?”

The door opened a crack. “Lizzie, you must’ve taken your dad’s toiletries. I hate to wake you, but his inhaler’s in there.”

“I’m up,” she said, sounding fully awake. She was already in the bathroom while Jill was still trying to get her heart started again. Then she was at the door, opening it and passing the nylon bag to Janet. “Is Dad okay?” she asked.

“He’s fine. Go back to sleep, honey. I’m sorry I woke you.”

“It’s okay, Mom.” She opened the door a little wider and poked her head in. “G’night, Dad.”

“Sorry to wake you kids.” Mike’s deep voice carried into the room. “I thought you two’d be up late.”

“No, not tonight. See you in the morning.”

“Okay, sweetheart,” he said. “You girls sleep well.”

“We will.”

The door was open enough for Jill to turn and see Janet’s grim expression, with those narrowed eyes locked on her.
Oh, fuck!

Lizzie closed the door, then dropped, face-first, onto the bed. “Kill me. Kill me now.”

“I think I’m the one who’ll be killed.” Jill swallowed, sick to her stomach. “I’ve never seen that expression on your mom’s face.”

“It wasn’t good.” Lizzie rolled over, then got up and went into the bathroom. Jill heard her brushing her teeth, then she came back into the room. “Screw it,” she said, pulling the covers down and getting in the proper way. “There’s no reason to sleep apart now.”

“I’m about to have a stroke,” Jill managed. “Everything I was worried about just happened!”

Lizzie grasped her firmly and tugged until they were lying down, facing each other. “Listen to me,” she said, staring into Jill’s eyes. “She might be upset. She might give us a hard time. But she’ll come around. And my dad will parrot whatever her reaction is.”

“They
saw
us,” Jill moaned.

“My mother saw us sleeping close to each other. We weren’t naked. We weren’t having sex. If I tried hard enough, I could talk my way out of this.”

Jill’s eyes opened wide, and she stared at her, astounded.

“I could,” she insisted. “I’ve slithered out of worse situations. But I don’t want to do that. I’m going to tell them the whole truth. Tomorrow.”

“No,” Jill said, her head shaking fast. “Let them lead. If your mom tells your dad, and they want to talk about it, we will. If she wants to let it go—we do.”

“My mom
never
lets things go. She tells you exactly what she thinks, as soon as she thinks it.”

“I’m not sure she’s going to do that this time,” Jill said, not certain why she felt that way. “Let them take the lead, Lizzie. Please.”

“Okay. Okay.”

She moved up a little on the bed and tucked Jill up against her body. Even though she was shaking like a leaf in a bad storm, Jill allowed Lizzie to comfort her. To make her hope that, somehow, this would work out.

“I’m so sorry I screwed up,” Lizzie murmured. “I opened the adjoining door to check that they had everything they needed, and I forgot to lock it. I’m really, really sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Jill said, at least now understanding how the hell Janet had gotten in. “I never should have allowed myself to fall asleep.”

“You were in the bathroom when I opened the door. You couldn’t have known I did that. I should have been more careful.”

“It’s all right, Lizzie. Really. Let’s just…try to sleep.” Soon they were fully entwined, facing each other. What a rotten night. Their first time lying in bed together, with both of them so anxious Jill wanted nothing more than for dawn to come. At least then she’d know what kind of mess they were in, and if it could be fixed.

***

Jill wasn’t sure when she’d fallen asleep, but it had taken a very, very long time. When Mike banged on the door, calling out, “Breakfast time, girls!” she levitated once again, her heart racing.

Lizzie disentangled herself, got up and went to the door. She poked her head into her parents’ room and said, “If you’re ready, go on downstairs. We’ll get ready and meet you down there.”

“Should we pack up?” Mike asked.

“Yeah. We’re taking off right after breakfast.”

“Got it. Shake a leg, Bethie. We’ve got a big day ahead of us!”

Lizzie closed the door, and gave Jill a level look. “My mom obviously didn’t say anything to him. I’m not sure what his reaction will be, but he’ll have one.”

“Great.” Jill got up, feeling like she’d been pacing up and down the hall all night. In her dreams, she had been. “Do you want to use the shower first?”

“Doesn’t matter.” She put her arms around Jill and gave her a long, firm hug. “Buck up. The fact that my mom didn’t say anything means she’s thinking about this before she speaks. That’s probably good news.”

“Or really bad,” Jill grumbled, heading into the bathroom. She desperately needed some water hitting her in the face to have any chance at fully waking up.

***

Mike was his usual self. Cheerful, gabby, a little loud. He had a big plate full of everything the buffet offered. But Janet had only a cup of coffee in front of her, and she stirred it idly, not looking up.

“Your mother didn’t sleep well,” Mike explained. “She hates a strange bed.” His upbeat attitude made him seem just like the Mike Davis Jill had grown up around. His new medicine was really giving him another bite of the apple, and Jill could hardly have been happier for him.

She didn’t have much of an appetite, managing just some corn flakes and a cup of coffee. The stress obviously hadn’t hurt Lizzie’s appetite, and Jill watched her put down two waffles and four slices of bacon, then wash it all down with a couple of glasses of juice.

“What should we do?” Mike asked, turning to Lizzie. “This is your city.”

“We haven’t done the Freedom Trail in twenty years,” she said. “Wanna take a loop?”

His mood seemed to deflate as he considered the idea. “I don’t know, kiddo. I’m not sure I can walk that far.”

“That won’t be a problem,” she said, grinning. “I know you don’t need one, but I rented you a wheelchair. We’ll push you all over Boston.”

“You did?” He started to shake his head, and Jill could see his hard-headedness come to the fore. “Wheelchairs are for people who can’t walk. I don’t need that.”

“I know you don’t need it,” Lizzie said, “but it’ll make the day easier. Trust me on this, Daddy.”

She grasped his hand and gazed into his eyes, refusing to look away. Jill could see him soften, then he rolled his eyes and laughed.

“Have I ever won an argument with you? You’ve had me wrapped around your little finger for thirty years.”

“Beth has a good point,” Janet said. “You’ll have more fun if you don’t have to walk.”

“I give up. But who’s going to push me?”

“We’ll take turns, Dad,” Lizzie said. “And if you get tired of sitting, you can push me.”

“You’ve got a deal, kiddo. Let’s get going. I’ve got some history to explain.”

***

They’d arranged for the chair in Burlington, so they were ready when they drove along the Freedom Trail, with Mike directing. “Here’s a good spot,” he said. “Can we get out here?”

“Sure,” Jill said. She and Lizzie got the wheelchair out of the trunk, moving overnight bags, an oxygen tank and backpacks to extract it. Mike sat down and Lizzie started to push him, clearly testing to figure out how much force she had to use. “I’m good,” she said, meeting Jill’s look. “Will you park the car?”

“Got it.” Jill got back in, glad to have a few minutes alone. Janet wasn’t acting totally out of character, but she was off enough to make both Jill and Lizzie anxious. Jill was almost disappointed when she found on-street parking just a few blocks away. When she jogged back, Lizzie was pushing her dad up a gentle incline, but she was panting from the effort.

“My turn,” Jill said, sliding her hands onto the grips as Lizzie let go.

“That hill’s higher than it looks,” Lizzie complained.

Jill watched as Janet grasped Lizzie’s hand and pulled her to a stop. Then she met Jill’s gaze and gave her the hand signal for “Go ahead.”
Oh, fuck.
Lizzie was going to get her butt kicked. And Jill couldn’t do a thing about it.

She put her legs into it, and started to push Mike faster, giving Janet the space she demanded. “Remember seeing the Old North Church for the first time when you were a kid, Beth?” He turned his head. “Where’d she go?”

“Oh, she and Janet are right behind us. They’re looking at something. I remember the church,” Jill said. “I was telling Lizzie that the first time I recall coming to Boston was when Mark and I were in eighth grade. You were one of our chaperones. Even though we were here for the game, you made sure to take us around for some history.”

“You remember that, huh?” he said, sounding delighted. “That teacher you had thought her job was to keep you kids in your seats. She didn’t know the first thing about teaching.”

“I remember thinking that at the time,” Jill agreed. “But no one takes kids seriously when they complain about a teacher.”

“You were never a complainer,” Mike insisted. “You were the kind of kid I used as a bellwether. If you said something was so, I knew I could count on it.”

Jill put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Thanks. And I knew you were one of the few adults I could talk to and not be ignored.”