Joint Venture

by Tey Holden

  “Zinderella!” Alex knew that Karen hated girly stories.

  “Na! How about if we read Adam’s Smith, The Wealth of Nations?”

  “Mommy!”

  “I guess that’s a no. Then how about Economic Principles for Dummies?”

  “Mommy!”

  “Okay, Winnie the Pooh, it is.”

  Addy remained downstairs smiling.

  Part 2

  The following day, Addy was thrilled to have a regular schedule, at least as regular as any of Addy’s days could be. As she was driving Alex home from school, she reflected on the face-off she had with Elizabeth’s mother at the school playground some time ago. Since then, there had been no more incidents. Life had gone back to normal and there was peace. If that woman had anything against lesbians, she should deal with it, or perhaps talk it over with whoever she had the problem with, but to tell a child not to play with her friends because her parents were lesbians was plain wrong, and she would not allow it.

  Whether Elizabeth’s mother had spoken with the principal was never known. Elizabeth remained at the school, and Addy and Karen had noticed a change in demeanor in her mother. Maybe the principal had straightened things out. After all, Addy and Karen were well known and highly regarded in Altee. Since the lesbian subject didn’t come up again, Alex had no more questions about it.

  All through pre-school and kindergarten, Alex enjoyed going to school and playing with her friends. Karate, swimming and other after-school activities kept her busy most of her time. “Mommy, I azked Elizabeth if she wanted to come to my house to play, and she zaid that her mom zaid no because of what goez on in our houze. What goez on in our house, M’Addy? What did she mean, M’Addy?”

  Addy felt a sudden rush of blood to her face. That awful woman! Again, poisoning the hearts of the young. What right did she have to judge others? Who did she think she was? “I don’t know, sweetie. Elizabeth’s mother has her own way of thinking and nothing will change that.”

  “I don’t like Elizabeth’s mother. She lookz at me funny.”

  Addy almost agreed with her, but refrained from saying anything thinking that since Alex was a child, she might repeat what she heard. Then she looked abruptly at Alex, in a somewhat concerned way. “Funny? In what way?” Addy wondered if the woman had been mean to Alex. If that was the case, she was going to have a piece of her sooner rather than later. A chunk of her!

  Alex shrugged. “She never smilez. She haz a mean face.”

  “Alex, has she been mean to you?”

  Alex nodded. “No.”

  “Alex, promise me something.”

  “What, M’Addy?”

  “That you will tell me about any time Elizabeth’s mother looks at you funny, or talks to you, or if she’s ever mean to you.”

  “Okay, but why?” Alex asked.

  “Because you are my daughter, and I care about what people say to you, if they are mean to you, or if they look at you in a funny way. That’s why!”

  Alex shrugged again. “Okay, but she iz very weird.”

  Addy felt a sudden sadness come over her. She realized that Alex, through no fault of her own, would always have to deal with people who would be judgmental about her parent’s lifestyle. She tried to cheer up thinking that, on the other hand, Alex was very fortunate because she had parents who adored her and who provided a loving environment for her development. Nevertheless, she wondered whether that would be enough in the future. As Alex grew, she would be more aware of people’s prejudices, and she wondered how Alex would be affected. Why was the world so unfair? Why would Alex have to live under such circumstances? Laurie didn’t have to deal with any of that, why should Alex? The uncertainty was unsettling, and she drove home troubled by her thoughts.

  The minute Alex got out of the car she ran inside the house looking for Peanut Crunchy to take him outside. She then ran with him upstairs to change and then came down to eat her snack. This was always the same routine. There was just enough time for her to eat something and play with Peanut Crunchy before, either Karen or Addy, took her to her karate or swimming class.

  When Karen saw Addy’s face, she immediately detected that something was wrong. Addy was a very emotional person and she had trouble not showing her feelings. Besides, they never needed much explanation to know when something was wrong with the other.

  “What’s troubling you?”

  “We’ll talk later. It’s nothing that can be fixed.”

  Karen stood in front of her, looked her in the eyes and studied her face. Her examination confirmed that it was not an urgent matter. “Okay. I’ll be back in an hour and we can talk.”

  Karen and Alex left and Addy made some tea and sat by the window looking at the early blossoms in her garden. She was mad and felt her eyes fill with tears as the anger inside her grew. She thought of her adorable, darling child and her heart ached. “A lot of love! That’s what goes on in this house. Good love! The kind of love that people search for all their lives and most never find. That bitch! I bet she fights all the time with her husband, or she hates him, or maybe even has an affair going on! Bitch! Picking on my innocent child!”

  When Alex and Karen came back, Addy had already calmed down and was fixing dinner in the kitchen. “M’Addy I kicked butt today! We got to zpar and I got this kid who waz bigger, and I did this and this,” Alex showed Addy the karate moves, “and then I won! I won! I woooon!” She ran all around the room with Peanut Crunchy barking behind her.

  Addy smiled and then looked at Karen who was also smiling, but looking at her with a quizzical face. “So, love, what happened to you earlier?” Karen came closer and brushed Addy’s arm with her hand, while Alex took off for the family room with Peanut Crunchy running behind her.

  Addy told Karen about Alex’s question, while Karen opened a bottle of Cabernet Franc and poured the wine into two glasses and then took out a cheese block from the refrigerator.

  “And you are upset because?”

  “What do you mean because? Because that bitch is—.”

  “Addy we knew all along this was going to happen, at least I did. I don’t know about you because sometimes you live in a world of your own creation, which I love to be a part of because it’s wonderful, but it is not the real world.” She came close and ran the back of her hand down Addy’s cheek. “The real world is damn hard. It’s critical and judgmental, and Alex is going to have to deal with all that crap. I told you how things are. You lived in a different world when you were raising Laurie. But this kind of thing was my every day shitty world growing up. And why? Because I’m a lesbian.” While she talked, Karen poured two glasses of red wine for them.

  “It’s not fair! You are better than most people. You are unique and wonderful and—.”

  Karen embraced her. “It’s how it is. There are a lot of people out there who cannot accept that some people dance to a different tune. I grew up in that environment and, although it is tough, I did well. Alex will do well also. She’s a strong, confident kid. We are going to raise her to be a strong person, remember? Weren’t you the one who said that? Plus, she has two loving parents giving her all the support in the world.”

  Addy pouted. “Yes, but it’s not right.”

  “No it’s not right, and we must teach that to her, so that she does not grow up to be like those people. And that will be our contribution to the world. Cheers!” She raised her glass of wine up in the air.

  Just then Alex reappeared. “Is dinner ready? I’m hungry, M’Addy.”

  Addy knelt on the floor in front of her and hugged her. Alex looked at Karen wondering what the hug was about. Karen shrugged and smiled. Alex gave up wondering and hugged her mom back. A hug was a hug, and she loved Addy’s hugs. “I like your hugz M’Addy. You are warm and zmell good.” Karen grinned at her daughter’s remarks.

  “I love you little girl! Don’t you ever forget that!”

  ***

  The summer after kindergarten, right before they left on vacation, Karen decide
d to cut her hair. Alex was the first one to spot her when she got out of the car. She went out to meet her and came back waltzing in, pulling Karen by the hand. “M’Addy, M’Addy! Look Mommy Karen cut her hair!” Karen’s hair had been shoulder-length since they had met, this new style was more of a page cut, still long, but a lot shorter. Addy quietly looked up and immediately smiled. It was hard for her not to smile when looking at Karen.

  “Doezn’t she look beautiful, M’Addy? Do you like it?” Alex, still at five, talked pronouncing the ‘s’ like a ‘z’. The matter had been a subject of innumerable conversations between the women. Karen was convinced that there was a problem and that they should consult a speech therapist. Addy was of the opinion that it would eventually fade, but to calm Karen down she agreed to give it one more year and if ‘the problem’ persisted then she agreed to take Alex to a speech therapist. Karen was not too happy, but at least, it was a compromise. “I don’t want to hear her giving her Valedictorian speech in the ‘z’ tone!” Addy rolled her eyes and laughed.

  Still staring at Addy, Karen spoke. “Alex, I think Mommy Addy likes it.” Addy had the goofiest grin and was hypnotized looking at her. When she realized that Alex was looking for a response from her, she finally spoke.

  “Yes. I love it Alex. I was going to wait until later to tell Mommy how beautiful she looks with her new haircut,” Addy gave Karen a very seductive look, “but I totally agree with you. She looks absolutely gorgeous.” Alex was jumping around very happy about her pretty mom and about her other pretty mom liking the new haircut.

  Addy was still grinning looking at her blonde, when Karen came closer. “I guess you do like it, huh?” She was devouring Addy with her eyes. Addy knew this was Karen’s way to tease her, knowing the effect of the green eyes on her.

  “Very much.” Addy smiled and bit her lower lip. She also had her own tricks and knew well how to provoke Karen. Karen looked at her lips and grinned. “Why did you cut it?”

  “I thought it looked kind of dead and dry and you always say short is so much easier.” Then she felt worried that maybe Addy was not as happy as she pretended to be because she had done it without telling her first. “If you don’t like it, I won’t cut it again.”

  “I like it. I like it either way.” She put her hands around Karen’s neck and whispered in her ear. “You are gorgeous no matter what.” She kissed her on the neck and Karen shivered.

  Alex saw them and grinned. She loved to see her moms kissing, but when there was a lot of smooching, she’d make a face, shake her head and run off. Being the little tornado that she was, she ran by them shaking her head and smiling. “Peanut Crunchy needs to peepee. I need to hurry! When is dinner going to be ready, M’Addy? I’m hungry.”

  Looking at Karen still, Addy replied. “You can tell she’s your child, she’s always hungry.” Then she addressed Alex. “We’ll have dinner soon. We need to go to bed early tonight, we need to get up early tomorrow for our trip.” Then she came closer to Karen and whispered so that only she could hear, “and I need some time to tell my Blondie how beautiful she looks with her new look. By the way, you didn’t happen to get a Brazilian also, did you?”

  Karen burst out a chuckle and spoke sarcastically. “Honey, there is no way I would put myself through that, so if you want Blondie with a Brazilian, you are going to take matters into your own hands.”

  Addy smiled mischievously. “Good, I don’t like the idea of anyone messing with my Blondie, not even for a haircut. But the idea of me doing it sounds tempting.”

  “You are not serious, right? You are not going to put me through that, are you?” Karen was worried, and she followed Addy with her eyes around the kitchen expecting an answer.

  Addy stopped and seemed thoughtful, then laughed. “You know, I’ve never seen one of those, so if I wanted to see one, I guess you’d have to be the one, or—.”

  Karen pulled her closer and smiled. “There is no ‘or’ when it comes to this matter. If you want to see one, it’s going to have to be on me.”

  Addy smiled wickedly. “So, you’d let me do it?”

  “Honey, I had a baby for you, a Brazilian would be a piece of cake.”

  Addy gave her an adoring smile. It was true. Karen would go through whatever for her. Still, she wondered whether Addy was serious or just kidding. Addy was full of surprises. After so many years, Karen still couldn’t believe that a woman, who had doubts as to her sexuality and had never been with any other woman but her, had turned out to be the greatest lover she’d ever had. It was only her ultimate luck in life that the woman she ended up with, and whom she adored, turned out to be the hottest thing on earth in the sack.

  “Be at ease, Blondie. I’m not about to ruin a perfect thing. I like it just the way it is.”

  Karen smiled breathing a sigh of relief. “Thank God! Sometimes with you I don’t know what to expect.”

  Addy was in the kitchen preparing dinner and Karen was helping here and there. She chuckled. “Look out, I may change my mind.” Karen came close, breathed on Addy’s ear, kissed it and took her ear lobe in her lips and sucked it. “Let’s hurry that dinner, Blondie’s gone wild. She might even let you go through with the Brazilian, if that’s what it takes to get attention.” Karen placed her hands inside Addy’s pants and massaged her buttocks. She always liked to do that, claiming that there was plenty to grab.

  “Don’t worry Blondie, you’ll get your attention, there’s no need to get Brazil involved. Plus, if you don’t get your hands out of my pants there might not be any dinner, and by the way, may I remind you that our daughter is in the next room?”

  Karen smiled and kissed her. “Yeah, yeah, I’m very much aware that we have at least thirteen more years of her. Let’s hurry that dinner. How can I help?”

  It was Addy’s turn to read a story to Alex that night. Alex loved when Addy read to her because Addy had the most interesting comments on the stories. Like she’d wonder why there were only seven dwarfs. “Why seven? And why were they all men. Wasn’t there a mom somewhere? Do you think there was a dwarf town nearby?” Alex immediately became captivated by the questions. And when Addy had too many questions, Alex would ask her to continue reading “to see what happened.” That night Alex insisted on a second story, and then the ritual proceeded with the prayer, the goodnight kiss, and finally Addy tucking her in.

  “M’Addy?”

  “Yes, baby, what is it?”

  “Don’t forget you zaid you were going to tell Mommy Karen how pretty she lookz with her new hair cut.”

  Addy smiled. “I haven’t forgotten, sweetie, I will make sure to tell her, don’t you worry. Good night, baby.” Addy kissed her again.

  Karen had not forgotten either. In fact, she was quietly waiting for her in bed with the lights out. “What took you so long?” Only the dim light from the nightlight in the bathroom was on.

  “I had a request for a second story.” She spoke as she went into the bathroom.

  “You are spoiling that child. Putting her to sleep takes longer every night.”

  “I can’t help it. I like reading to her.”

  As Addy approached the bed from the bathroom, she could almost sense the expectant green eyes waiting for her. Addy took off her clothes while standing in front of the bed.

  “Showoff.”

  Addy smiled. “Just for you.”

  Karen’s heart pounded as the gorgeous brunette took her time and eased onto her. She engulfed Addy in her arms. “Umm, merciful God! Thank you for all your blessings!” Karen’s hands caressed Addy’s back and buttocks while Addy snuggled and placed small kisses all over her neck.

  Addy chuckled. “And for those you are about to receive.”

  Much later that night, a very exhausted and barely audible Karen whispered. “I love how you love me.”

  Addy grinned as she combed back the golden strands of Karen’s sweaty hair. “I love to see you like this, all discombobulated and exhausted from my love.” Karen smiled shyly, burying her face
in the crook of Addy’s shoulder. “Sleep now.” They kissed, and held each other. Then there was a silence filled with the comfort of completeness.

  ***

  The next morning, Addy woke up first and went to the bathroom. Karen was sprawled on the bed belly down. When she came out of the bathroom, Addy stopped to admire the beauty on her bed. She chuckled. There were clear teeth marks on one of her buttocks. I’m going to pay for that! Addy left the room and went down stairs. It was early even for the little one who was usually up at the crack of dawn.

  It was normally Karen who woke up first, but whenever Addy beat her to it, Karen would come down immediately after claiming that she missed Addy’s warmth. Alex had already come down when she heard the usual Saturday breakfast noises in the kitchen. She was in the family room watching cartoons and drinking her juice box waiting for Addy to make pancakes.

  Because Karen was taking her time to come down, Addy got worried and went upstairs to check on her. When Addy came in the room, she found Karen sitting on the side of the bed and quickly pulling the flat bed sheet around her. The fitted sheet was pulled out of the mattress, the comforter was half hanging on the floor and some of the pillows were on the floor and others piled up in a corner of the bed, all evident remnants of the previous night’s activities.

  “Rough night?”

  Karen grinned and pulled her down to kiss and hug her. “How about you? Was your date good?”

  Addy gave her the bad-girl look. “My dates are always good. What’s with the Roman costume?”

  Karen chuckled. “I thought it was Alex coming in.” Alex had already caught them in awkward situations and they were always prepared to cover up.

  Addy smiled. “I came to check on you. Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine.”

  Addy pulled from the embrace and kissed her while patting her leg. “Come on get up, we can’t do this now. Alex is waiting for her pancakes.” She started to get up to go.

  Karen pouted. “Addy, I think I passed out last night.”