together. She took a deep breath and entered, the smell of her mother’s fried chicken making her mouth water. “Hey, everybody,” she called, dropping her purse on the sideboard. She disappeared into the bathroom, and when she returned, she gave Brian a birthday hug and took the chair next to Ari. “Hi, baby,” she said, covering Ari’s mouth with a sweet kiss.
“Eww . . .” the kids whined, sending the adults into peals of laughter.
“I hope you’re not making some kind of a political statement,” Don Jr. said to Kenny.
Kenny cocked his head to the side, a piece of fried chicken grasped in his small hand. “Huh?”
Several of the adults began talking about the meaning of two women kissing in a straight society, but Molly’s attention remained focused on Ari, who watched the children intently, amused by their antics. She certainly seemed to enjoy kids. Whenever they visited, she was the one who never tired of reading stories, playing baseball or having tea with the dollies. She wondered if Ari wanted a child of her own, a thought she couldn’t fathom. She had not mentioned the subject. In fact there were many subjects she’d delicately sidestepped, too petrified to handle emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy was one thing, and with Ari there were no boundaries, but sharing her greatest fears and vulnerabilities was nearly impossible. She kept those buried deep inside a whiskey bottle. She remained quiet for most of the evening, enjoying her family and her beautiful girlfriend.
“Are you okay?” Ari asked once they had said their good-byes and headed into the night, both armed with leftover boxes from Teddy.
“I’m fine.”
Ari gazed at her intently, and Molly hoped her expression was convincing. She couldn’t handle all the questions that Ari would pose if she suspected her anxieties had surfaced. Ari naturally tried to reassure her every time she sensed Molly was questioning their relationship, and she found Ari’s concern equally annoying and helpful.
She took the easy way out and pulled Ari against her for a deep kiss. “Work was nuts, and I’ve missed you all day.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not now. Maybe later.” She walked Ari to her SUV. “So, it’s still early. Would you like to go to a movie?”
Ari shook her head. “No, there’s nothing I want to see.” She took Molly’s hand and kissed the base of her palm.
Molly grinned, content to play along. “What about a club? Would you like to go hear some jazz?”
“Nope.”
“Bowling?”
Ari smirked. “Too noisy and full of drunks.”
She pressed her against the driver’s side door and let her hands wander up the front of Ari’s blouse. “Coffeehouse?”
“Too public.”
“Drive-in?”
“Too outdoors.” Ari gasped as her thumb caressed the swell of her breast.
“Then what do you want to do tonight?” she whispered.
“You’re definitely on the right track.”
Chapter Eight
Sunday, October 15th
9:20 AM
When Ari awoke the next morning, she was alone. The phone had rung two hours before, and Molly jumped out of bed. She frowned, trying to remember what Molly said when she kissed her on the cheek and murmured good-bye—nothing like a Sunday morning of the FBI and missing informants to start the week. She rolled onto her back and gazed at the ceiling. Only hours before she’d had a similar view as Molly kissed her belly and let her lips wander southward. Ari’s cell phone chimed, interrupting the memory that was clearly taking hold of her body. She checked the display, hoping it was Molly and dreading to see it was Jane. Given the hour, she doubted Jane was calling with good news.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Okay, now I’m really freaked out. Isabel called me six times last night. She’s psycho, Ari.”
She sat up in bed and tried to focus. “So what did she say?”
“First, she called to ask me what I liked to eat, you know, for our date. Then she
“Eww . . .” the kids whined, sending the adults into peals of laughter.
“I hope you’re not making some kind of a political statement,” Don Jr. said to Kenny.
Kenny cocked his head to the side, a piece of fried chicken grasped in his small hand. “Huh?”
Several of the adults began talking about the meaning of two women kissing in a straight society, but Molly’s attention remained focused on Ari, who watched the children intently, amused by their antics. She certainly seemed to enjoy kids. Whenever they visited, she was the one who never tired of reading stories, playing baseball or having tea with the dollies. She wondered if Ari wanted a child of her own, a thought she couldn’t fathom. She had not mentioned the subject. In fact there were many subjects she’d delicately sidestepped, too petrified to handle emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy was one thing, and with Ari there were no boundaries, but sharing her greatest fears and vulnerabilities was nearly impossible. She kept those buried deep inside a whiskey bottle. She remained quiet for most of the evening, enjoying her family and her beautiful girlfriend.
“Are you okay?” Ari asked once they had said their good-byes and headed into the night, both armed with leftover boxes from Teddy.
“I’m fine.”
Ari gazed at her intently, and Molly hoped her expression was convincing. She couldn’t handle all the questions that Ari would pose if she suspected her anxieties had surfaced. Ari naturally tried to reassure her every time she sensed Molly was questioning their relationship, and she found Ari’s concern equally annoying and helpful.
She took the easy way out and pulled Ari against her for a deep kiss. “Work was nuts, and I’ve missed you all day.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not now. Maybe later.” She walked Ari to her SUV. “So, it’s still early. Would you like to go to a movie?”
Ari shook her head. “No, there’s nothing I want to see.” She took Molly’s hand and kissed the base of her palm.
Molly grinned, content to play along. “What about a club? Would you like to go hear some jazz?”
“Nope.”
“Bowling?”
Ari smirked. “Too noisy and full of drunks.”
She pressed her against the driver’s side door and let her hands wander up the front of Ari’s blouse. “Coffeehouse?”
“Too public.”
“Drive-in?”
“Too outdoors.” Ari gasped as her thumb caressed the swell of her breast.
“Then what do you want to do tonight?” she whispered.
“You’re definitely on the right track.”
Chapter Eight
Sunday, October 15th
9:20 AM
When Ari awoke the next morning, she was alone. The phone had rung two hours before, and Molly jumped out of bed. She frowned, trying to remember what Molly said when she kissed her on the cheek and murmured good-bye—nothing like a Sunday morning of the FBI and missing informants to start the week. She rolled onto her back and gazed at the ceiling. Only hours before she’d had a similar view as Molly kissed her belly and let her lips wander southward. Ari’s cell phone chimed, interrupting the memory that was clearly taking hold of her body. She checked the display, hoping it was Molly and dreading to see it was Jane. Given the hour, she doubted Jane was calling with good news.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Okay, now I’m really freaked out. Isabel called me six times last night. She’s psycho, Ari.”
She sat up in bed and tried to focus. “So what did she say?”
“First, she called to ask me what I liked to eat, you know, for our date. Then she
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