I’m definitely going to have to make a trip up to that damned office. Bunch of old harpies has nothing better to do than hurt innocent people. "What did she say?"

"After we left Beth, she asked me how I knew her. So, I told her the truth."

" I bet that went over well," Randi observed. "Did she freak out?"

Kay sighed. "No. Well, maybe. Actually, she got all pissed off because I didn’t tell her I was gay sooner."

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Randi asked, outraged. "Does she think we make it a habit of going around and telling complete strangers our life histories? What kind of fucked up ideals are those?"

"Exactly. I told her I didn’t think it was anyone’s business but my own, and then I asked her if she went around telling people she was straight."

Randi laughed. "Serves her right."

"Yeah," Kay agreed, sadly. She brushed the tears from her face and released a heavy breath. "It really hurt, though. She was one of the only people in the office, besides Richard, who treated me nicely."

 

Okay, chickenshit. Here’s your opening. Try not to blow it this time. Randi kissed the top of Kay’s head and squeezed her close again. "Do you like the job?"

"It’s okay. Not really what I’d want to do with my life, but I guess it’ll do until I find something else." Kay looked up into Randi’s face. "What?"

Taking a deep breath to bolster her courage, Randi smiled at her friend. "Kay, these past few days have made me stop and think about what’s important in my life. Up until a few weeks ago, I would have told you that my work was the only thing I truly cared about." Seeing the acceptance on Kay’s face, she continued. "Meeting you has changed all of that."

"It’s done the same for me," Kay admitted quietly.

"I’m glad." Randi bent her head and kissed Kay softly on the lips. "I love you, Kay. I have for a while, but I was too chicken to admit it."

Kay’s smile grew. "I love you too, Randi." She laughed at the look on the older woman’s face. "Guess we’ve both been pretty chicken, haven’t we?" She was answered by another kiss, this one much longer.

***************

Glancing in the bathroom mirror at the image behind her, Kay smiled. "Are you sure you don’t mind? I’d be glad to stay home with you today."

Randi shook her head. "No, you were right. If you decide to quit, do it on your own terms, not on the basis of how ignorant your coworkers are." She pushed off from the door frame that she had been leaning against and walked up behind Kay to put her hands on the smaller woman’s shoulders. "Besides, if they get too obnoxious, I can just kiss you at the front door and give them something to talk about."

"That could be fun," Kay admitted. She turned around and studied Randi’s attire. "You want to just strip and wash those while I’m gone?"

A smirk answered her. "You trying to get me out of my clothes?"

Kay reached up and laced her fingers behind Randi’s head. "If I was trying to do that, do you think I’d be getting ready for work?" She pulled the dark head closer and kissed Randi thoroughly. When she pulled away, she was quite proud of the dazed look on the older woman’s face. "So, what are you going to do while I’m trying to work?"

"Huh?" Randi blinked several times and licked her lips, but couldn’t seem to lose the silly grin that covered her face.

"I asked," Kay started for the bedroom, poking Randi in the stomach on her way by, "what were you going to do while I was at work?"

"Oh." Randi watched as Kay sat on the edge of the bed and put her one shoe one. "I thought I’d go pick up a few things, then come back here and change."

Shoe tied, Kay stood up and tucked the crutches back underneath her arms. "That sounds like a good idea." She paused for a moment, then asked in a quiet voice, "how long will you be staying?"

Randi stepped into her shoes and then pulled them on. "Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d kind of like to take you out to dinner tonight to talk about that. What do you say?"

"Works for me."

"Cool." Randi followed Kay into the living room and bent to pick up Spike. "I’d better grab some chow for this guy, too. He gets grumpy if he misses a meal." She scratched the wriggling animal behind the ears. "Right, buddy?"

Spike licked her hand and looked up at Randi with complete hero worship in his eyes. Kay laughed and grabbed her purse, slipping the strap over her head. "If you two can be separated long enough, you want to drive me to work?" she teased.

"I don’t know," Randi deadpanned. "We’re pretty close." She walked over and held the small animal up to Kay’s face. "Think you can compete?"

Kay took Spike and kissed the top of his head. "Can you?"

"Brat."

A few minutes later, Randi had pulled the Corvette onto the main road when Kay noticed Beth’s tow truck. She stared at it as they drove by and frowned. "I can’t believe she parked that close to my house last night."

"You knew she was out there?" the vet asked, continuing down the road without another glance back.

"Not exactly. I knew she was out in her truck somewhere, because she called me last night from her cell phone. She refused to hang up unless I told her I loved her, and that we’d get back together."

Randi nodded, but didn’t say anything. She continued to keep her eyes on the road, but carefully listened to every word.

Kay looked at her for a moment, the sighed. "She must have followed me home last night. She kept crying and begging for me to take her back. I kept telling her I didn’t love her, but she wouldn’t listen." The stony silence from Randi was beginning to worry her. "I’m sorry, Randi. If I would have just lied to her, she would have probably gotten off the phone, and you wouldn’t have had to drive down here in the middle of the night."

"Don’t apologize." Randi looked over at Kay and smiled. "The trip was well worth it."

"But what about your job?"

"It’s not that important," Randi assured her, turning her attention back to the road. "Besides, I think I’m going to have to find another job."

"What happened?" Kay asked, worried.

Her eyes still on the road, Randi shrugged. "Got into another argument with Dr. Ass, I mean, Dr. Wilde. I ‘borrowed’ his car to pick up a patient, and he got all bent out of shape."

"You what? Why would you do that?"

"Because," she snapped, "if I hadn’t, that dog would have died. And it was his fault."

Kay looked down at her lap. "Oh. I’m sorry, Randi, I—"

"No," Randi pulled the car over and reached for Kay’s hand. "I’m sorry. I guess I’m just tired and cranky. Forgive me?"

Smiling, Kay raised their joined hands to her lips and kissed Randi’s knuckles. "Of course. But why did you borrow his car?"

"Because it was a St. Bernard," the vet explained, smiling also. "There was no way I could have gotten her into my car."

"Ah. So, is the dog okay?"

Another reason I love her. She cares about animals, too. How did I ever get so lucky? Randi remembered how much grief Melissa would give her whenever she’d have to work late. "They’re just stupid animals. I should be more important to you than playing with smelly animals all day," she used to say. Very lucky. "Yeah. She’ll be just fine, as long as Dr. Wilde doesn’t try to treat her anymore," Randi finished bitterly. Becoming conscious of the time, she edged back onto the road.

They drove in silence for several minutes, Randi thinking about the argument with Dr. Wilde, and Kay worried about going back into work. "Which way?" Randi asked, once they got to a light.

"Turn left, then go about six blocks to Holiday, then turn right. It’s the first building on the right after that."

"All right." Randi followed the directions until they were parked in front of the accounting offices. "Do you want me to go in with you?" she offered.

Kay shook her head. "No, I’ll be all right. But thanks." She started to get out of the car when Randi’s voice stopped her.

"I’m going to Price Mart to grab a few things, then I’ll be back at your house. Shouldn’t take more than an hour, okay? So just call me if you need me."

Leaning back into the car, Kay smiled. "I always need you," she whispered. "But I think things will be all right." She winked and straightened up, closing the door behind her.

"They will be now," Randi murmured, watching the younger woman make her way into the building. "I’ll see to it."

***************

Although she had only been there for an hour, Kay felt as if every eye in the room was focused on her. I wonder if Lucy told everyone my ‘dirty little secret’. Or maybe they all still think I’m interested in Richard. She mentally shook her head. He’s old enough to be my father. Even if he were my type, he’s way too old.

"Ahem."

Kay looked up and saw Lucy standing by her desk. Still hurt from the previous day’s events, she decided to keep a professional distance. "Yes?"

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" the older woman quietly asked.

"Depends," Kay muttered, grabbing a stack of papers and shuffling them. "You come over here to tell me the sins of my lifestyle?"

Lucy had the good sense to be embarrassed. "I guess I deserved that." She looked around the room. "Can we go outside to talk? Too many nosy people in here."

"Sure." Kay grabbed her crutches and followed Lucy out to the front of the building. She leaned back against the brick and stared at the other woman until Lucy looked away. "Well?"

With a heavy sigh, Lucy looked around until her eyes finally rested on Kay’s features. "This is hard for me," she started, but was interrupted.

"Hard for you? Lady, you have no idea what hard is," Kay growled. "Hard is growing up feeling responsible for your mother’s death, or getting a call at work and being told your little brother was killed by a drunk driver." She pointed an angry finger in Lucy’s face. "Hard is coming to terms with your own sexuality, and having it thrown in your face at every opportunity – even by people you thought were your friends." Kay took a deep breath to calm down. "Hard is finally finding the one person in the world that makes you feel whole, and living two hundred miles apart. Don’t try and tell me what’s hard." Emotionally spent, she grasped the top edges of her crutches and closed her eyes, until a light touch on her arm caused them to open again.

The older woman looked at her with tears in her eyes. "Look, I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I’m sorry for the way I acted."

Kay frowned. "For the way you acted? Like I was some sort of leper, or something?"

"Kay, listen. You caught me off guard yesterday with that little bombshell. How was I supposed to act?"

"Like a friend?" came the soft response.

Lucy lowered her head. "I don’t understand you, Kay. I thought you were like me."

"And how’s that?" Years of being labeled ‘different’ finally put Kay at the breaking point. "Did you think I was narrow minded and hypocritical? Or maybe self-centered and judgmental?"

"Hold on! You’ve got this chip on your shoulder, and when someone finally sees it, you get all militant and hateful. You’re no better than I am, Kay."

Kay raised sad eyes and shook her head. "But I’m no worse, either." She lifted one hand and wiped at her face. "No one’s the same. We just have to be able to accept each other’s differences and learn to get along."

"I honestly don’t know if I can," Lucy lamented honestly. "I really liked you."

"What’s changed about me? Is it because of who I decide to sleep with?"

Lucy frowned and backed away. "Please, I don’t want to hear about that."

Kay stalked forward. "Do you think it’s any easier for me to listen to all of you compare notes on your husbands’ lovemaking skills? Why is there such a double standard?"

"I don’t know!" Lucy cried, covering her face with her hands. "I don’t know," she repeated, more quietly.

Feeling sorry for the other woman, Kay reached out for her, but drew her hand back before she made contact. "All I want is to be treated with a little decency and respect. Is that too much to ask?" She waited until Lucy looked at her and held out her hands. "Just forget it." She started to walk back into the building.

"I’ll try," Lucy’s anguished voice followed.

Kay turned around at the door and looked back. "So will I," she agreed, going back inside the office. She just passed Irma’s desk when she heard a quiet voice.

"Dyke."

Turning around, Kay glanced back behind her. All heads were turned away, although she had a pretty good idea who had said it. Disgusted, she ignored the dig and continued on to her desk.

Richard stood up from where he had squatted to look through the bottom drawer of a filing cabinet. He glanced around the room, and followed Kay’s progress with his eyes. Looking around again, he stood up and walked behind her. "Kay?"

She stopped just as she reached her desk and glanced over her shoulder. "Yes, Richard?"

"Can I see you in my office?"

Great. Just what I need. "Sure." Kay sighed and followed him, unsure of what was going to happen next.

Chapter 20

The body language of the woman sitting on the front porch should have warned Randi to stay in the car when she pulled up to Kay’s house. She had spent over an hour buying clothes, toiletries, dog food and the like, and all she wanted to do was get inside and feed Spike. She stepped out of the bright yellow vehicle with several plastic bags in her hands. "Excuse me," she muttered, trying to step around the reclining body. Getting the door open, she didn’t see her guest follow her inside.

"Where the fuck’s my truck keys?" Beth yelled, pushing Randi in the back and causing her to fall into the lamp, knocking it to the floor.

That’s it. I’ve about had it with Miss Manners. Randi slowly climbed to her feet and looked down at the broken lamp. "You’re going to have to pay for that, Beth."

The muscular woman stood a few feet away, her arms crossed over her chest. "Oh yeah? You gonna make me?"

"I’m not getting into a pissing contest with you." The smell of old beer turned Randi’s stomach. "Why don’t you go home and get cleaned up?"

"I would, if you’d give me my goddamned truck keys!" She started towards Randi, but was stopped by the growling animal at her feet. "You’ve got to fucking be kidding me," she laughed, kicking out at Spike.

The small dog barely escaped the heavy boot, but continued to bark.

Randi rushed over and picked up Spike. "Don’t you dare touch my dog," she growled, holding him close to her body.

"That little thing is a dog?" Beth laughed. "I’ve stepped on bigger cockroaches."

"Then you need to clean house more," Randi retorted, walking away. Another vicious shove in her back and she fell to her knees, trying to keep Spike from hitting the floor.

"Bitch! I’m going to take care of you once and for all."

Randi grimaced as her knees throbbed. She kissed the growling dog on the top of the head and sat him down. "Sit," she ordered.

He stopped and looked at her, and then followed her hand gesture. Spike dropped down on his rear, but continued to bark at Beth.

"Who’s gonna protect you now, old woman?" Beth laughed, as Randi slowly climbed to her feet.

"I’m not going to fight with you, Beth," Randi said, backing up. "I’m sorry about your keys. I left them on the back bumper of your truck, because you were too drunk last night, and I didn’t want you out on the roads."

Beth stopped and frowned. "Yeah, right. You expect me to believe that you give a damn what happens to me? I’m the competition."

"There is no competition," Randi tried to explain. "I know we’re never going to be friends. But there’s no reason you have to keep trying to rip me apart, either. Like you’ve said, I’m an old woman." I’m too old to be brawling like a teenager. This is ridiculous. As the other woman started forward again, she held out a hand. "You say you want Kay back?"

"Hell, yeah." Beth started forward again. "And the sooner I get you out of the way, the sooner she’ll come back to me."

Randi limped away from her. "Do you really think that beating the hell out of me is going to accomplish that?" She stood behind the recliner, trying to keep the furniture between her and the unreasonable woman.

Confused, Beth stopped. "Why wouldn’t it?"

 

Maybe I can get her to listen to reason. "What’s one of the things you love about Kay?"

The burly woman smiled. "She’s got a great ass."