Old Flames

Old Flames: Chapter 26

Old Flames: Chapter 26

Teresa smacked her palms on the bar and screeched, “Can we talk about something other than kids?!”

Lainie and Dusty grinned at each other.  For the last hour, they discussed diapers, breast-feeding, toys, daycares, shared baby stories, grumped about how little the Daddies did to help, and more diapers.  Teresa, single and devoid of children, had just about had enough, but Lainie’s world centered around her kids.  She tended to talk and think about them a lot.  And Dusty, the new mother, became part of that club right away.

“Sorry, Teresa,” Dusty muttered, sipping from her Sprite.  She couldn’t drink alcohol since she still breast-fed, and had claimed herself as the D.D. for the night.  Lainie, unused to drinking since she didn’t go out much, only sipped from her wine glass.  Teresa, on the other hand, had downed two beers and was working on a giant jug with strawberry margarita swirling around inside of it.  That woman was either determined to have a good time, or Lainie and Dusty’s kid talk was driving her to a stupor of intoxication.

“I’m going to freshen up,” Teresa announced, sliding off her barstool unsteadily.  “Then we’re dancing.”  Lainie and Dusty groaned in unison.

When the tall beauty disappeared around a corner, Dusty leaned over to Lainie, “I can’t dance.  Can you?”

“Does the Hokey Pokey count?” Lainie wanted to know with a laugh.

“Maybe.”

Just then Lainie’s cell phone rang.  “Hello?”

“Hey,” Aaron said, “You told me to call you if anything happned.”

Lainie felt a chill go up her spine.  She stood quickly.  “What’s wrong?”  She knew she should have stayed home tonight.  Trading scary stories with Dusty about how her husband and how Gary hadn’t been able to handle the kiddos just got her anxiety up.  She could be wrong about Aaron.  Maybe he really wasn’t cut out for this.  Babysitting while she was across the street was one thing.  While she was across town?  She searched around the floor for her purse, ready to leave immediately.

“Chris ate some dogfood,” Aaron announced with a chuckle.  Lainie held her phone away from her, blinked at it, and then returned it to her ear.

“Sorry...what?”

“Chris ate some dogfood,” Aaron repeated.  “I think he likes it.”

If Lainie could reach through the cell towers and snatch him baldheaded, she would.  “You gave my son dogfood?”

“I didn’t give it to him,” Aaron said.  “We were feeding Bowser, and he decided to take a bite.  Chloe almost threw up when she saw him do it.  Just wanted to let you know that happened.”  Then he hung up.

Lainie huffed angrily.  He was doing this on purpose.  Dusty frowned at Lainie as she resumed her stool.  “What’s up?”

“Aaron gave Chris dogfood to eat, and he likes it,” Lainie announced calmly, though she was seething inside.

Dusty rolled her eyes.  “Eric does that.  Eats it off a spoon with Spunky, our Lab.  Did he say if it was dry dog food or canned?”

“No, he didn’t say,” Lainie replied.

“Well, have you ever read the ingredients in those thing?  Spunky eats better than we do.”

Aaron sent her a text message, Chloe likes it, too.  Argh!  That man!

Teresa came back, dragged them both to the dance floor.  Lainie did her best to move to a pulsating beat, all the while, thinking about Chris eating dog food, and she grinned.  She would have loved to have been there to see that.

“See?!” Teresa shouted over the music when she saw Lainie smiling.  “This is a lot more fun than talking about kids!”

Lainie only shook her head because Teresa had no idea.  They danced through three songs.  Men tried to surround Teresa and her majestic body, but she manuevered away from them, sidling up close to Lainie as she wrapped her arms around her.  Lainie caught Dusty smirking at her, and she couldn’t figure out what was so hilarious.  But then Teresa whipped around, gyrated her bottom into Lainie’s hip, and Lainie came to a dead stop.

“Oh, my God!” she whispered, because if she shouted, then the whole place would know.  “You’re gay!”

Teresa draped an arm over Lainie’s shoulders as she led them back to their stools, planting a kiss on Lainie’s cheek.  “You’re just now figuring that out?”

Lainie stumbled away from Teresa.  “Oh, my God!” she said again.  “I’m not!”

Teresa laughed.  “I know, but you’re so damn pretty, I thought I’d give it a shot.”

Lainie worked her mouth up and down, though no sounds came out of it.  She could feel her cheeks flaming red, and she rushed toward the bathroom.  Oh, my God!  Oh, my God!  That was the only thought in her head...well, besides, Holy Hell!  Teresa was coming on to her.  

Why?!

Did I put out any signals?

Oh, my God!

Did Dusty know?  Was that why she was laughing at me?  Did Aaron know?!

Lainie hid in one of the stalls, trying to get some breath into her body.  She closed the lid to the toilet and sat down on it, not caring about what kind of germs she was collecting.  Was this why Teresa insisted that she come tonight?  To...”give it a shot”?

She dropped her head into her hands.  Her first night out in years, and she’d been hit on by a lesbian.  Talk about degrading.  

Okay, that wasn’t fair.  Teresa was a beautiful lady, and Lainie should be blessed that someone like that was interested in her, but...

Was this what she’d become?  A single mother who was only appealing to the same sex?  Did Aaron even find her attractive, or was it because of the twins?  Or was he just too damn lazy to find someone else, and decided to settle on the ex-girlfriend with a ready family?

Something fiery and hot rose up on Lainie.  No!  I won’t become a consolation prize!  If Aaron wasn’t interested in her...just her!...then to hell with him.  She had too many other problems than to get involved with a man who only wanted her because she had the perfect children and his childhood sucked, so he was making due.

In fact...  

Lainie jerked to her feet.  It was time to settle this once and for all.  She needed to get home and ask Aaron what he wanted from her.  She wasn’t about to replace one man with another just because she could and he was willing.  She wanted love, dammit!  She wanted to be loved!  And if Aaron wasn’t that man, then...

The bathroom door opened.  “Lainie...?”  Teresa called.  “Are you okay?”

Lainie set her shoulders and emerged from the stall.  “I’m fine, but I think I’m ready to go now.”

Teresa looked like a puppy about to cry.  “Hey...I didn’t mean to upset you.  I really do think you’re pretty, but...it’s the booze talking, alright?  If I weren’t half drunk, I would have never...  Can we still be friends?”

Lainie gave Teresa a quick, friendly hug.  “I’m fine, and everything’s okay here.  Yes, we can still be friends.  I’m flattered that you think that way about me, but...”  Lainie trailed off.  She didn’t know if she should say anything about her semi-relationship with Aaron.  She didn’t know what he’d been telling people, and if he hadn’t said anything, then maybe her assumptions about him were correct.  He only wanted the perfect family, and not necessarily a chance to love her again.

Teresa smiled.  “But you’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

Lainie bit her lip.  “With who?”

Teresa rolled her eyes.  “With the captain, dummy.  And now that I know it’s mutual, I won’t go hunting on his territory again.”

Lainie blinked at her.  “What do you mean?  Did he say anything to you?”

Dusty entered the bathroom, heard the last part of the exchange, and said, “He doesn’t have to.  Everyone can see it.  That man’s got it bad for you.’

“I don’t know...I think he just wants the easy way out,” Lainie admitted, feeling a bit weird about having this discussion in the germy bathroom, but that’s what other women do right?  They gather in the bathroom and talk about men.  She inhaled deeply.  “He had a crappy childhood, and I think he just wants that perfect family life so bad that he’s applying for the job of the kids’ Daddy, just so he doesn’t have to take the time and energy to make one for himself.”

Teresa and Dusty exchanged a glance.  “If you think that,” Dusty said, “then you don’t know him that well, do you?  Aaron never takes the easy way out.”

“Tell me aboout it,” Teresa piped up with a groan.  “He drills me constantly at work, to make sure it’s perfect and everything’s smooth.  Sometimes I want to strangle him, because he’s relentless.  He works us to the bone, and he does the same for himself.”

Lainie looked at both of them.  She still wasn’t so sure.  He’d taken the easy way once before, instead of talking to her about her mother and his dad.  He’d blamed her for it.  He’d gotten angry at her because of it.  He broke her heart because he couldn’t deal with his own.  

And he won’t do it again.

After tonight, she’d know for sure how far he was willing to go to make this work.  If he truly loved her, then there was no easy way here.

Her cell phone jingled again.  “What?” she scowled into the receiver.  Aaron chuckled.  

“I just wanted to let you know what happened with--”

Lainie cut him off, “Listen!  Give them a bath and put them to bed!  I’ll be home in twenty minutes!”  She smashed the end button and took a few more deep breaths.  “Dusty, can you take me home now?  I can call a cab if you’re not ready to leave.”

“Nah, I’m ready,” Dusty grinned.  “I’d like to see how you handle our captain anyway.”

“I’m going to stick around for a while,” Teresa said.  “There’s a redhead that’s been smiling at me for a while.  I’ll call a cab if I can’t get a ride.”

Lainie and Dusty hugged Teresa good-bye,  told her, "Be careful. Don't do anything stupid," and the two women left the club.  At home, Lainie darted out of the car and tore up the front porch, ready to lay the cards on the table.  Aaron was sitting on her couch, flipping through the channels on the television with the sound turned down low.

“You didn’t have to hurry home,” he said, shutting off the television.  “If you’d given me a chance, I would have told you the kids were already in bed.”

Lainie pointed a stern finger at him.  “You, stay right there,” she said, and went to peek in on the kids.  They were both sound asleep.  Good.  Though she would have liked to say good-night to them, she hoped they would have hear her ultimatum tonight.  Going back into the living room, Lainie saw Dusty grinning at a frowning Aaron.

He stood by the window with his hands stuffed in his pockets.  “Thanks, Dusty,” Lainie told her.  “I’ll take it from here.”  Dusty waved and left.  Aaron turned to Lainie.

“Why do I get the feeling I’m still in deep water?”

Lainie crooked a finger at him.  “Follow me,” she ordered and went out the back door.  She stood on the patio and placed her hands on her hips, waiting for him to casually stroll outside behind her.

“Sooo...” he said slowly.  “What’s up?”

Lainie rounded on him.  “Did you know Teresa was gay?”

He actually had the grace to look embarrassed.  “Yeah...sorry.  What did she do?”

“Oh,” Lainie flipped her hand up lazily, “She opened my eyes for me.”

“Oh, yeah?” he asked, moving closer.  “About what?  Have you decided you’re better off with female company?  Because that would put a damper in my plans.’

“Your plans?” she inquired with a raised eyebrow.  “And what would those be?”

He smiled softly.  “Well, you, of course.”

“Me?  Not my family?”

His forehead creased as he frowned with confusion.  “Your family?  What are you talking about?  I don’t even like your mother.”

“Not my mother!” she hissed, barely keeping her voice down.  “I’m talking about my kids.  Who do you really want, Aaron?  Would you still have plans for me if I didn’t have kids?  Because there was a time when you didn’t want me then either.”

He scowled at her.  “I thought we cleared all that up, Lainie.  I was an idiot back then to let you go.  I don’t want to do that again.  I want you.”

“You want me now, you mean,” she said.  “You want me now that I have a family, and I’m all primed and ready for you to pick up the pieces and remake your childhood the way it should have been.”

Aaron scrubbed a hand through his hair.  “Lainie, I don’t have a freaking clue what you’re talking about.  We go from Teresa to plans to my childhood, and I really don’t know how to make it any more clearer to you.  I love you.  I want to be with you.  Yes, you have kids.  Yes, I’m willing and eager to pick up any piece you toss at me, but that’s not why I want you so bad.”

“Then why, Aaron?” Lainie asked, frustrated to the point of tears.  “A lesbian hit on me tonight!  A lesbian!  Other than Teresa, there’s been you and Gary, and Gary only wanted me without the kids, and you only want me with the kids.  I want to be wanted for me!  I want to be attractive, dammit!”

Aaron pushed up close to her, backing her to the house.  She felt trapped by the intense look in his eyes.   “Lainie, I don’t want you only because of the kids.  I want you because you have kids--”

“That’s what I’m talking about!” she interrupted.  He pressed a finger over her lips.

“Lainie, shut up.  I want you because I see your kids as a reflection of who you are,” he said in a low voice.  “I see the sweet side and the feisty side and the caring side, and I see how beautiful you are through your kids.  I love you because of who they are.  I love you because they are yours, and they are perfect, just like you.  I look at you, and I want you.”  He grabbed her hand and pressed it to his groin. Lainie jumped at the intimate contact.  He definitely wanted her.  “I want you here...”  He raised her hand to his heart; it pounded ferociously.  “And I want you here.  The way I want you has nothing to do with yesterday or my childhood or my family or yours.  I want you and I love you because you are you -- kids, pieces and all -- and I find that sexy as hell.”

He smashed his mouth to hers, not letting her argue any further.  Lainie let out a sob, which he swallowed, and let him kiss her.  God, she needed this.  She needed to be kissed like she was the only woman in the world.  It had been too long.

“I want you, too, Aaron,” she whispered, crying softly and leaning her head back against the siding.  “I love you, too, Aaron.”

“I hoped you did,” he said, smiling and wiping tears away from her cheeks.  “You are so beautiful, you know that right?”

“Teresa mentioned something to that effect,” she teased him, thankful everything was right were it should be in her life.

“Stay away from Teresa,” he growled.  “She’s a bad influence.”

“She’s nice,” Lainie argued.  “I like her.”

“Just don’t like her too much,” he said, smiling again.  Then he got serious again.  “You think that, maybe, when everything gets back to normal, with your housing situation and all, we might be able to spend some time together.  Just the two of us.  Start dating again?”

Lainie groaned.  “Dating?  I don’t want to date ever again.”

He grinned.  “Well...we could skip that part, if you wish, and go straight to the wanting-you-so-bad-I’m-going-crazy part.”

She looked at him.  She ached inside.  She wanted him, and she sighed.  “If the kids weren’t asleep down the hall, we could get to that part now, but...”

He kissed her again, smothering more arguments.  Lainie tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling him down to her, yearning for more than just a kiss from him.  “The twins go to school on Monday, right?”

She chewed on her bottom lip.  “Yeah...”  Oh, dear.  Was he about to suggest...?  It had been a really long time since she’d had sex.

“Then I’ll take the morning off,” he said, curling a strand of hair around his finger and focusing on that, speaking roughly.  She blinked at him.  He sounded...nervous.  “Maybe we can have an early lunch, or...”  He shrugged, tugging gently on her hair.  Lainie placed a hand on either side of his face to make him look at her.

“Are you scheduling a booty call?”

He made a choking sound low in his throat.  “Um...I wouldn’t put it that way precisely.  I just thought we could spend the morning together, doing...whatever.”

Monday was too far away.  She grinned.  She couldn’t wait, but at least the wait would give some preparation time....wash her sheets, get a good body scrub in, do some shopping for items she hadn’t used in a very long time...things like that.  Prepare.

Pecking him on the mouth, she said, “Monday, nine o’clock sharp.  Don’t be late, because I won’t wait for you.”

After a solid pause, he finally grinned back.  “I’ll be early.”  He kissed her languidly one last time, then disappeared around the corner, leaving through the side gate, which was quite brilliant of him.  If he’d gone through the house, he might not have made it through to the front door.  Lainie slumped against the house for a moment and felt peace settle over her.  So...he loved her for her.  That was smart of him, too.

*****

Aaron unlocked his front door, walked over to his chair in a daze and fell down on it.  Monday...  Sex with Lainie, on Monday.  He glanced at his watch and mentally calculated the hours until then.  

He’d already waited ten years.  Two more days shouldn’t kill him.  Bowser trotted into the room, laid his big head on Aaron’s leg, rolled his eyes and snorted, as though to say, Yeah, right.  You almost pulled her down in the dirt outside her house.  

Aaron scowled at his dog.  “How would you know?  You were clipped as a pup.  You don’t know what it’s like to want a woman so bad it hurts.”

Bowser growled, Yeah, thanks for that, by the way.  It’s been a treat.

“Oh, you shut up, too,” Aaron scoffed and pushed Bowser away from him.  Two more days...nothing to it.

*****