Disclaimer : Characters and situations are all from my imagination.
Warnings : Sex and love between women
Feedback : Constructive criticism and feedback, both welcomed at geonncannon@gmail.com
Copyright © 2012 Geonn Cannon
Michael was building up to something. Patricia could read it on his face; the way he contemplated his dinner and gave brief but concise answers to anything he was asked. The look had originally belonged to Nick, her ex-husband, and she'd first seen it when he was working up to asking her to marry him. She doubted what Michael had to say was quite that monumental, but she was prepared for anything.
They were at the dining room table, a rare family dinner that had happened almost spontaneously. Jill brought home chicken, Michael and Patricia were both there to eat, and Patricia suggested cleaning off the table to eat it properly. Jill's lesson plans went to the living room, Patricia's campaign debris was stacked on the counter and Michael's homework was deposited on the floor next to his backpack.
Now, poking at his potato salad with his fork, he took a deep breath. Patricia braced herself and locked her eyes on him so he'd know he had her full attention. He looked up, met her eye, and then looked at Jill to make sure she was paying attention, too. "So, um... there's this band. Radiation Canary. Callie really likes them, and they've said their next album will be their last one for a while. They're doing a tour to say goodbye to their fans." He tapped his fork against the edge of his plate. Patricia let the pause last; speaking up would only break his concentration.
"They're doing a concert? In, um, Seattle, in two weeks. I've got enough saved up for some tickets, and I thought that maybe I could ask Callie if she wanted to go. It could be her last chance to see them live but I don't think she can afford the ticket on her own, so." He cleared his throat. "And since the concert ends so late, I was thinking that, um, we could ask Dad if we could stay with him overnight and then just come back in the morning."
Jill looked at Patricia, passing the hot potato to her. Patricia closed one eye. "You want to go on an overnight date with your girlfriend?"
"Well, we'd... Dad has a guest room, right? And I would sleep on the couch or whatever. It's just easier than leaving the concert and driving up to the ferry and riding back... I mean, we'd be getting back at around two in the morning, if not later, so it just makes more sense."
"Have you talked to your Dad about it?" Jill asked.
Michael shook his head. "I wanted to make sure it was okay with you before I asked him, and I wanted to make sure he said it was okay before I bought the tickets, and I wanted to have the tickets before I brought it up to Callie."
"Good plan." Jill looked at Patricia. She raised an eyebrow saying she was okay with it, but she wasn't going to say so out loud until Patricia had weighed in. Patricia was grateful for that; Nick would have agreed immediately and tried to make her the bad guy.
"I don't know, Mike. It's kind of a big deal."
"I know. I should have brought it up before, but I didn't know how to... I had to figure out a way it would work. I just know Callie would really want to go, but she's not letting herself because she can't afford it. And I can, and I want to take her." He pushed around his food with the tines of his fork and Patricia caved.
"Okay." He looked up, and his expression of gratitude was enough of a reward for her. She smiled. "The tickets will probably sell out pretty quick if it's a farewell concert. Why don't you go ahead and jump online, see if you can get some good ones. If they cost too much, Jill and I can help you out."
Jill nodded. "Yeah. We'd love to."
He shook his head. "No. I mean, thanks. But I didn't want you to pay for any of it. I know you've been spending a lot on the campaign. I don't want to ask for anything else. The concert money is saved from the money Dad sends me and my allowance. Which, I guess is technically--"
Jill laughed. "Just go on before all the good seats are taken."
"But I haven't okayed it with Dad yet. If he doesn't want me to stay with him--"
Patricia said, "He'll want to meet Callie. And he'll be thrilled to have you overnight. Come to think of it, what day is the concert? A Friday?" Michael nodded. "Maybe he can show you and Callie around the city on Saturday. Make a weekend out of it."
"Really? Cool. But I don't want to buy the tickets and then get stuck without a place to stay. Just in case. Is it too late to call him tonight?"
"Yes," Jill said. "But how about this? If your Dad says no, I'll chaperone."
"Thank you." He stood up and hugged Patricia, then Jill. "Can I be excused?"
Patricia waved him off, and he went to retrieve his laptop. Jill grinned and picked up a piece of chicken. "You made the right decision. I went to a concert with a girlfriend when I was Michael's age, and it was amazing."
"And you behaved yourselves the entire time?"
Jill nodded. "Well, we got a little rambunctious during the Bible reading, and we held hands for five whole seconds on the bus there, but it was a different time."
Patricia laughed and craned her neck to make sure Michael wasn't lingering in the living room. "I'm just having horrible flashbacks to when I was his age. I lost my virginity around that time."
"Oh?" Jill raised an eyebrow. "On an overnight trip?"
"No, in my bedroom while my parents were downstairs watching TV." She smiled and shrugged in surrender. "It'll happen no matter how many barriers you put up. Since we're making such a big deal about it, trusting him to behave, odds are probably better that nothing sexual happens while he's away." She rested her elbows on the table, her hands folded together. "Of course, it means you and I will be home alone for an entire night. Maybe an entire morning, too."
"Hm." Jill licked some grease from her thumb. "I could do a load of laundry."
Patricia pressed the arch of her foot against Jill's ankle and slid her toes up under the cuff of Jill's pants leg.
"Your foot is on me."
"Is it?"
Jill nodded, her face the picture of innocence. "Is it sexually suggestive contact?"
"Could be."
Jill smiled. "Well, you can understand how I might be unfamiliar with the concept." Patricia pressed her lips together, but Jill sidestepped the coming apology. "Hey, I'm not blaming you. You've been running a hundred miles an hour on the campaign, and I've been dealing with school starting up again. As tired as we are at the end of the day, just spooning takes it out of me. But I do love the spooning."
Patricia chuckled. "It's a very nice way to end a hectic day. I've just felt bad since we... 'missed' our anniversary."
Jill nodded. They had planned to end their celebration by making love, but a day of shopping for school supplies with Michael, plus Jill trying to get her lesson plans squared away for the shockingly-fast approaching first day of school, and Patricia had been stuck on the phone with her campaign manager for most of the evening. They had a glass of wine, made out in bed for a while, but eventually begged off. They were both too exhausted to make it worthwhile. Things hadn't really settled down since, and they were setting a personal record for dry spells.
Patricia said, "So if Nick agrees... that night's just going to be you and me. No papers to grade, no speeches to prepare, just you and me."
"Sounds like a very nice plan." She leaned in and kissed Patricia, lingering until she heard Michael's bedroom door close. When he came back into the dining room, Jill smiled when she saw how relieved he looked. "Well? Got the tickets?"
"Yeah. I'm going to call Dad tomorrow, and then depending on what he says, I'll ask Callie."
"She'll say yes," Patricia said.
Michael nodded. "Yeah. She's crazy about Radiation Canary."
"She's crazy about you, too," Patricia said. Michael blushed and ducked his chin. "Why don't you go ahead and call her tonight? She could probably use the extra time to convince her parents to let her go, and you know you're going no matter what Dad says. You can take your food into the bedroom if you want some privacy. Just this once, and remember to put your dishes in the sink when you're done."
He thanked her again and hurried out. Jill chuckled and said, "You know, there's a chance Nick will say no and I'll be stuck chaperoning him."
"So I'll just go with you. We'll get a hotel room, and then... what, concerts are about two hours? It's not a whole night, but it's plenty long enough to get to know each other again." She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I can't believe my sex life is once again dependent on Nick."
"Ew," Jill said.
"Sorry." She took Jill's hand and squeezed. Whatever happened, their dry spell was coming to an end. All they had to do was work out the details. She had a feeling they could handle it, whatever Nick said.
#
Jill was in bed with her laptop, one earbud in while the other dangled. Patricia came in and quietly closed the door. "I texted Nick to kind of feel him out. I told him Mike was considering an overnight trip with a friend, and wondered if his guest room was available." Jill raised her eyebrows in hope. "I think the only problem will be getting Michael and Callie back before school on Monday."
"Awesome," Jill said. "Michael's going to be thrilled. And as a bonus, we get our weekend." She made fists with both hands and shook them excitedly.
Patricia mimicked Jill's little celebration, then started toward the bathroom. "What are you listening to?"
"I'm on Radiation Canary's website, listening to some of their samples. They're actually really good." Patricia left the bathroom door open as she undressed. "It's an all-woman band, and the two leads are gay. And very, very hot."
Patricia's laugh echoed off the shower stall. "Don't get any ideas."
"Hey, I'm not getting anything from you. I need my fantasies."
"Take out the headphones. I want to hear them, too."
Jill put her laptop down on the bed and turned it so the speakers faced the bathroom. She restarted the song, then found a way so that all the songs would repeat. According to the site, it was "thirty full minutes of free music!" She slipped out of bed and took off her pajamas, stepping out of the baggy pants and tiptoeing to the bathroom. Patricia had her head bowed under the spray, one hand resting against the tile as she idly plucked at the curls to keep them from tangling. Jill stepped into the stall and embraced Patricia from behind.
"Hey..." Patricia stroked Jill's arms where they crossed her stomach, spreading moisture over the dry skin until they were both dripping.
"I decided not to wait until the concert to break our dry spell." She kissed Patricia's ear. "I've missed you."
Patricia turned around in Jill's arms and they kissed. Jill had done the math before going to bed. The last time they made love was April, a few weeks after Easter. A whole summer gone by, a wasted three months. They pressed hungrily against each other, moaning directions rather than taking the time to form words. Patricia kissed from Jill's mouth to her cheek, to her earlobe and down her neck. Her hand moved from Jill's hip to her thigh, and Jill leaned to one side. She looked down, careful to put her foot on something non-slippery as Patricia's hand pressed against her.
"Trish..."
Patricia pressed against Jill, who put her arms around Patricia's neck and sagged against her. She arched her back, their cheeks pressed together as Jill thrust a few times and then tensed.
"Sh, it's okay," Patricia whispered into the shell of Jill's ear, her breath ragged. "Just come for me. It's okay..." Jill came, and Patricia shuddered as the muscles relaxed around her fingers. They pulled apart, Jill's weight still resting against Patricia, and they kissed softly. "It has been a while."
"Yeah." Jill chuckled. "Pretty quick. Sorry."
"No." She kissed the corners of Jill's mouth. "It was an appetizer. Wash my hair... we can finish up in bed."
Jill grinned. "Sounds like a plan."
They reluctantly pulled apart and Patricia turned around. She closed her eyes as Jill's fingers began moving through her hair, and she felt warmth spreading in her belly. She knew they wouldn't be too tired tonight, and the anticipation was familiar but unusual. She felt like she used to when she was about to sleep with someone for the first time. After, what, five months? Had they really gone nearly half a year without making love? That was unacceptable. They might as well be virgins again. She rocked her hips back, fitting them against Jill's as her hair was lovingly shampooed.
Mayor or not, she wasn't going to let another night go by without being with her wife, and five months was a record they were never, ever going to get close to breaking.
It was the one campaign promise she knew she would work tirelessly to keep.
End