At Last
Part 6
By: Girl Bard
Disclaimer: Please see Part 1.
The shrill ring of the phone just won’t stop, and some pretty ugly curse words leave my mouth as I climb out of bed and grab the offending item.
"Speak." I grunt, wishing my head would stop throbbing.
"Grace?" Kim’s voice calls and I lie back down in bed, closing my eyes. Last night just came back to me very clearly, and I’m not sure if I’m ready to deal with this.
"Are you there?" My friend’s voice, nervous as I’ve ever heard it, questions.
"Yeah, I’m sorry Kim, I was just waking up and I’m not with it yet. Does your head hurt as bad as mine?"
She snorts in response. "Worse. I’ve been up puking all night, though I’m not sure if it’s because I realize how big of an asshole I was or the alcohol I drank. Probably both."
"Well, I’m glad it’s not just me. The house is quiet which means Jaden took the dogs for their morning run." I comment, wishing I could have Jaden’s tolerance for booze and virtually have no repercussions from getting wasted.
"That’s disgusting." Kim comments. She is silent for a moment, and I know she wants to talk about last night. To prepare myself and wake up a little better, I get up, pulling on shorts and a tank top and make my way to the kitchen to grab a Coke. Kim is still silent as I sit down on the couch and sip my drink.
"Speaking of Jaden, does she have a bounty on my head or what?" My friend finally gets up the courage to ask, and I imagine what she must look like right now, probably curled up on the bed she and Stacey used to share, dressed in rumpled pajamas and twisting her fingers in her curly hair.
"No." I tell her, wishing I were still asleep. Or dead.
"Really?" Kim asks, her voice perking up. "Wow, I thought she’d be on her way over here to wring my neck. And I don’t blame her, I deserve it." She adds hurriedly.
"She took it better than I thought." I mention, taking a long swig of my Coke. "I mean, she was really angry and didn’t understand why, but I explained what has been happening with Stacey and it made things a little clearer. She loves me so much, Kim, and she’s so afraid of losing me."
"I know, and if it will make things better, I’ll talk to her." Kim says bravely. "I mean, I’ll probably be peeing myself the entire time, but I will if it will help."
The door opens, and two excited dogs come running in, panting from their exercise and slobber me with kisses. "Hang on, Kim." I tell her, putting the phone down for a second.
I find Jaden in the kitchen, her tall body glistening as she drinks almost an entire bottle of water. She’s so incredibly beautiful, not to mention sexy as hell in her tight shorts and skimpy top. "I shouldn’t let you out of the house like that." I tell her as I engulf her in a hug, kissing her breastbone through her shirt. Regardless of the fact I see her every morning after her run, it never ceases to cause a powerful reaction in me.
She wraps her long arms around me and kisses the top of my head. "Kim?" She asks, indicating the phone.
I nod slowly. "She called to apologize. She feels really bad, Jaden."
"Can I talk to her?" My big, bad, devastatingly sexy partner asks. Her blue eyes are twinkling, and she gives me a big, wide smile. I’m not sure what she’s planning on doing, and it kind of scares me.
"Um, sure." I drawl, hoping she will be good. Grabbing the phone I speak into it. "Kim, Jaden wants to talk to you, okay?"
"Eep!" I hear her respond, and I can’t help but giggle. Handing the phone to Jaden, I mouth, "Be good!" And she gives me a look, like she’s so innocent.
"Hi Kim, how are you?" She starts politely and I nod my approval. "Good, because I want you to know that I don’t want to kill you, okay?"
I can almost hear Kim’s relief through the phone. Jaden continues, "In fact, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and if you’re hot for Grace, then who am I to stop you from getting it on with her?" I gasp in outrage, putting my hands on my hips and glaring at her.
Kim is protesting, no doubt, but Jaden interrupts her. "I just want to be able to watch, okay?"
"Jaden Katrina Phillips!" I screech, grabbing the phone out of her hands. "Kim, I am so sorry."
My friend doesn’t respond, and Jaden takes the phone back from me. "Relax blondie, I’m just kidding. I’m not upset anymore, but I can honestly say that if you ever try anything like that again I won’t be as good-natured, okay?" She pauses, hearing Kim’s response before softening her tone. "I’m really sorry to hear about you and Stacey, and I know that must be a difficult thing to go through. What exactly happened?" Jaden asks, sitting down on the couch and stretching her long legs out.
I sit next to her on the floor, patting my two loving dogs that plop their hot, hairy bodies down on me.
Expecting Jaden to resolve any issues she has left with Kim, I stand up and head for the kitchen, starving but still slightly queasy from last night.
Nothing that a big plate of eggs and greasy bacon won’t cure. I know Jaden hasn’t eaten yet, so I start cooking, unable to repress a grin when the dogs join me with their noses twitching in the air.
"Hungry?" I ask them, noting their food bowls are filled with their Iams. They sit, like good dogs, Bella’s unusual brown and blue eye color staring at me intently. Bean tries the more pitiful approach, lying at Bella’s feet with her head cocked to the side.
"You two are spoiled." I mention as I flip the eggs and put the bacon in the microwave.
"Toast, Spots?" I call to my gorgeous partner who is lying with her head back on the couch.
She nods at me upside down and holds up two fingers. I put two pieces in the toaster for her and an onion bagel for myself. The eggs are soon done so I turn off the oven and grab plates from the cabinet.
Jaden rises from the couch, her little top revealing her toned midriff. As she joins me in the kitchen, I can’t resist bending over and kissing her exposed navel, resulting in a strangled moan from my normally reserved wife.
"Okay, I’ll see you later." She tells Kim before hanging up and mockingly glaring at me. She waggles a finger in my face as she hangs up the phone.
"You know, I’m trying to be a mature adult here and talk to your friend who smooched you last night. I don’t appreciate your wandering lips distracting me from my matureness." Her cerulean eyes twinkle and she tries to suppress her grin.
I lower my eyes and wind my fingers in the waistband of her shorts. "I’m sorry." I tell her apologetically. I let seconds pass before I begin to tickle her mercilessly.
"You sneak!" She shrieks as I hit a particularly sensitive spot. I move my hand down to her inner thighs, easily the most ticklish part of her body. She begins to collapse onto the floor, her strong arms reaching for my hands with no avail.
"Gotcha!" I call to her, proud of myself for pulling the wool over her eyes on this one. Using my weight, I push her down onto the cool tiled floor, pinning her with my body and tickling with all my might. My hand works between her thighs while my other moves up to torment her ribs.
Bean and Bella join the fun, assaulting my tall Spots with kisses and licks as well as climb all over her prone body.
"Erugh! You traitors!" Jaden screeches, twisting her face back and forth. I am now laughing helplessly, causing me to lose momentum. Jaden seizes this opportunity and I find myself suddenly flipped over and held down by her much larger size.
"Gotcha." She grins triumphantly, her cocky grin devastatingly sexy. I hear the click of the dogs’ toenails and I shut my eyes, preparing for what’s to come.
They assault my face and neck and regardless of how much I squirm, Jaden’s strong hands pin my wrists and make it impossible to escape.
‘Maybe if I try to scoot down and then roll quickly I can throw her off-guard.’ I tell myself, biting my lip as I suddenly move my body down and twist is to the left.
This throws Jaden off of me, like I’d planned, but I didn’t expect her arm to snake out and try to hold me in place. It catches the back of my tank top and I’m pulled backwards, my head connecting soundly with the hard floor.
"Oof." I groan in pain as the thud echoes through my head.
"Gracie!" Jaden coos, immediately sitting up and cradling my head in her lap. "Are you okay? I’m so sorry!" She tells me, her eyes conveying her apologies.
The ringing in my head slowly subsides, and I know it just seems worse because of my slight hangover.
"I’m fine, it wasn’t your fault." I tell her as I slowly sit up. "My grandmother always used to say, ‘Laughing makes for crying!’ and I guess that’s true." I joke, holding my hand to my slightly throbbing head.
Jaden looks so completely devastated that I kiss her nose quickly. "I’m fine, Spots. But I’m starving, let’s eat."
"You sit down, I’ll bring everything in." She says and I try not to roll my eyes.
"Are you going to wait on me all day? It’s a bump on the head, sweetheart, nothing more." I tell her as she helps me stand up.
"I don’t want to take any chances." She says, lifting me effortlessly in her strong arms. She carries me to the couch despite my protests and lays me down gently, fluffing a pillow for my head and pulling the light blanket over my legs.
I watch humorously as she fixes a little breakfast plate for the dogs complete with eggs and bacon, and pours the bacon grease over their dry food. "Mama’s puppies are hungry-wrungry!" She says to them, and I slowly shake my head from side to side in amazement.
After setting down their food, she brings me my plate and half-finished Coke on a little TV tray she sets over my hips. "Jaden." I tell her and she shushes me before retrieving her own breakfast.
No one would believe the tall, somewhat scary and intimidating cop I fell in love with is actually this mushy.
"You’re going to be a great mother." I tell her, pointing with my slice of bacon.
Jaden looks at me, her great blue eyes wide with astonishment.
I grin and continue eating.
July 29, 2001
It’s already 8:00pm and I can still practically see the waves of steam rising off of the concrete. I have Robbie and myself placed strategically in the shade of a tree, but it doesn’t help much. My horse is hot underneath me and I feel streams of sweat rolling down my back.
At least we haven’t had to do much today, the Common is filled with people to the brim, but so far the crowds have been peaceful and it’s been a nice, if not boring day.
I constantly scan the crowd for Grace, wondering where she and Kim are. Today is Boston Pride, and the turnout is great. They have a stage set up on the far end of the Common for musicians, and lots of booths both for food and shopping.
We have seven from the mounted force out today, set up in various parts of the large park. We’re not really expecting any problems, but it’s always good to be prepared when the crowds are this big. Horses are great for crowd control, even better than motorcycle cops.
My radio crackles with static, and when I hear my name being called, I lift it to my mouth.
"Phillips." I respond.
"It’s Davies." The cheery voice of one of my pals on the force calls. "I have two cute blondes here looking for you. Where are you right now?" Keith asks and I chuckle.
"Under a tree and enjoying the shade." I answer laughing.
"Jerk, I’m standing in the middle of the road waiting for the parade to be over." He responds and I answer sympathetically.
"Sorry, I had that route last year, it sucked big time."
"Yeah, well, should I send them over? One of them claims to be your wife." He says, and I blush.
"Yep, that’s the lucky girl." I tell Davies where to direct Gracie and Kim and sit patiently, knowing it will take them a few minutes to make the walk over.
I try to stem down the slight jealously I feel knowing Grace and Kim are walking around Pride together. They are such good friends and both naturally affection that in this primarily gay crowd they could easily be mistaken as a couple. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
I’ve been pretty mature about them staying friends, I had a talk with Kim and I do understand what she’s going through. I’ve thrown myself at people when my emotions were out-of-control. The last thing I want is for Grace to lose someone she’s so close with, but even Miranda says I’m justified in my jealously.
Do I ever think Grace would be unfaithful? No. I really and truly don’t. But I don’t know Kim as well as I know my partner and how can I be sure she won’t try anything again?
I can’t, according to Miranda. I just have to trust Grace and know that if her relationship with Kim begins to become unhealthy that she will back away.
I’m proud of my ability to not over-react and blow things way out of proportion.
Spying the two blonde heads through the crowd, I pat Robbie’s damp side and glance at my watch. My shift is over at 9:00 and then I will shower and change at the station before meeting Kim and Gracie for a late dinner. I told them to come and find me about this time, and as always, Grace is prompt.
"Hey." I tell her, unable to keep the silly grin off of my face every time I see her. She’s just so beautiful, especially today in her cutoff denim shorts and purple flip-flops. I don’t know how she’s comfortable to walk around in those all day, but she swears by them. Her short and messy hair glows in the retreating sunlight, and her lavender tank top shows her soft curves and strong shoulders. She is the quintessential adorable baby dyke, and I’m sure she’s had people fawning over her all day. In that aspect, I’m almost glad she’s with Kim.
"Hiya!" She greets me, squeezing my leg through my boot. "You’ve got to be dying from the heat."
"Yep. You guys having fun?" I ask, noting Kim’s nervous look she still gets when being around me. I hope that fades one day, I really do like her.
"Yeah, we saw a lot of cool people sing and stuff." Gracie says. "And I bought a lot of things." She indicates a heavy plastic bag and I chuckle.
"I can see that. We still on for tonight?" I ask, glancing around at the milling crowd.
"Yes ma’am." Grace answers, her eyes a light sea green today.
"Great. I’ll see you then. I love you." I tell her, wishing I could hop down from Robbie’s back and give her a hug.
"Love you." She tells me, squeezing my leg once again.
"Bye Jaden." Kim waves, almost shyly before turning to walk back into the crowd with Gracie.
Admiring my wife’s cute retreating form, I wish I could be walking around with her today, proud to be hers.
I am suddenly touched by an emotion so powerful it never ceases to scare me.
Nothing is more important than what I share with my Gracie.