Choose Me

Thanksgiving Dinner (Part One)

*Stef*

The door flings open, and I'm face to face with her. She practically takes my breath away, and I have to gather my thoughts before I smile softly. "Hi, Lena."

"H..hiii?"

"Surprised to see me? Didn't Amber tell you?"

She motions me inside, and I'm met with a waft of home-cooked food. "No. No, she didn't."

She seems distracted. Or maybe it's just the fact that I'm here that has her rattled. Either way, I hang my jacket up before running my fingers down her bare arm. "You look nice."

She flushed. "Thanks. Ummmm...did you want...something to drink?"

"A glass of red would be awesome, sweetness," I let the pet name slip without thinking much about it until she blushes even more. She slides both hands over her colorful, pencil skirt, and I watch as she walks away from me. How in the world am I going to make it through dinner and never say a word about Amber and her side beaux.

"Well, hello, Stefanie! Fancy seeing you here! Where's Sharon?" Dana is stirring a small pan on Lena's stove as I walk into the kitchen, and she waists no time getting to the point as usual.

"Ha! Nooooooo, my mother will not be here, but it's good to see you as usual as well," I smile as I lean in to kiss her cheek softly. She smiles warmly at me as she looks over at her daughter who is placing the cork screw on a new bottle of Cabernet.

"Lena, Lena, you're doing it all wrong! Here, let me!"

I wink as Lena's flustered gaze meets mine, and she finally sighs as she motions for me to follow her. I follow without being asked twice as Dana calls after us. "I didn't mean to insult you! Good Lord, dear! You should produce some tougher skin!"

"We'll be back in a moment, Mom!" Lena grabs my hand and pulls me down the hallway before opening her small laundry room. She drags me inside before pushing the door closed with one hand.

"What's...going on?"

"Why are you here?"

I laugh softly, "Wow, you look really mad..."

"Why? Are you a masochist? Or are you here to gloat? Why, Stefanie?"

"Lena, why would I be here to gloat?"

"Just tell me why, Stefanie! Why?" She is up in my face now, and her perfume permeates my senses making it awfully hard to focus let alone come up with an honest answer and one that does NOT include her wayward girlfriend.

"Listen," I place my hands on her forearms, "I wanted to see you. And before you ask, it's over..."

Her nostrils flare a tad as she juts out her lower jaw, something she does when she's really pissed and trying not to be. "This isn't a game for me. You...you think you can waltz in and out whenever the hell you want, and...and without consequences! Well, ya can't! Ya just can't! That's not how this works, Stef! It's not!"

I fold my arms across my chest as well as I smirk. "Wow! It's Stef now! Now Stefanie?" I realize I'm really pushing my luck with her, and she could either storm out or forgive me.

"Stef!" she warns.

I hold up both hands in resignation. "Fine! I came because I wanted you to know that it's okay. I get it. If you wish to be with Amber, fine. But I want our friendship...this friendship," I point between us, "To go back to how it was...grand and beautiful and special."

"Well, it can't!" she hisses, her face flaming red again. Her eyes are dark, and I couldn't be more turned on, but I decided to control myself even though I want to strip her and push her on top of the dryer, eating her out until she screams my name.

"Why can't it?"

"You KNOW why! Please, Stef! Do I have to spell it out for you!?"

"No...I get it, but let's just try? I mean, I could just go home and eat the ramen noodles I picked up earlier at Trader Joes..." I step out of my heels and make so I'm going to walk out of the laundry room, but she stops me.

"No," I meet her dark brown eyes, "Don't...stay...just...please..."

She sounds so dejected, and all I want to do is kiss her...make love to her. Instead I brush her face softly. "Oh, Lena," I say in a lower tone, more inaudible than not as she stares back at me. I trace her jawline before running my thumb across her full lips and back down her chin before pushing open the door. I'm gonna have to tell her. She will never trust me again if I don't.

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The rest of the evening went well without a hitch. As Lena brought out the two pumpkin pies, and Dana brought out a pecan and an apple, the soft dinner music still sounding in the background, Stef wiped her mouth with her napkin before standing to quietly excuse herself.

"Here, let me! You've done so much, darling," Amber rose and took the knife from Lena as she began to help Dana serve pie. It took a second or so before Lena relented and sat back down, looking across to Stef's empty chair. She hoped that she was okay, and it was true. She wanted to be with her more than anything. She just had to make it through the rest of this dinner and through tomorrow before Stewart and Dana flew back home leaving Lena free to break it to Amber she was done.

"Is this okay, love?" Amber held out a plate with a giant piece of pumpkin with a huge glop of cool whip, and Lena tried not to make a face.

"You know I hate pumpkin," she tried to keep her tone down but Dana overheard.

"Since when?"

"Since I was a kid, Mother. Can I have that piece of pecan?"

"I don't recall this, Lena! You ALWAYS wanted the very last piece of pumpkin! In fact, I remember you fighting with your cousin, Kendra, that one year and punching her in the face for it!"

Lena stared Dana down, wishing she would just shut the hell up. "Pecan! Can I have that pecan piece?"

"You don't have to get so hostile, dear, and over pie?"

"Just please! For the love of Christ! Would one person just stop to think of what I want? Huh?!" Lena stands up now, throwing her cloth napkin onto the table as all eyes were on her now.

"I don't understand, Lena...I was going to give you the pie!" Dana looked shocked at her daughter's sudden outburst. It was very apparent that Lena was cracking under all of the recent pressure, yet no one knew exactly what the issue was except for Stef who had just walked back into the room even though the curly haired woman didn't see her.

"It's not the pie! I don't care about the pie! It's me! Doesn't anyone see me!? Don't you care about what I want? Huh! I don't care about the pie! I just don't! I don't!" Lena burst into tears as the shock only sank deeper among everyone at the table, but not Stef. Stef knew, and she knew that she had to somehow get Lena away from everyone before her meltdown became worse.

But as she approached the woman, grabbing her hand softly, Lena could only wipe the tears away from her now red eyes as she looked at everyone at the table, sniffling and trying to speak.

"Come on, love, let's go for a walk," Stef whispered in her ear, but apparently she didn't hear her. Not at all. Because she not only grabbed Stef's hand, linking their fingers, but also raised it to kiss the back of it before declaring through her tears.

"Stef and I are in love."

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**Oh..................................EMMMMM..............................GEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**