by Donna Raider
“Come on. You guys can make out in the back room of the bowling alley, but right now we need to get signed in on time or forfeit.” Richie yelled as he skipped downstairs.
##
Bowling teams from all over the state were checking in and picking up their packets. Kathryn and Frederick were running the registration counter. The alley had twenty-four lanes so twenty-four teams could bowl at the same time. Strand and the sheriff from Brighton were the officials for the tournament.
Thirty teams had been eliminated by the time the Cross family arrived. After their competition, only two of their town’s teams remained in the competition, Richie’s team and Emily’s team. They wouldn’t bowl again until later that night in the semi-finals. Eight teams would go into the finals on Saturday.
Max had dropped Mary off on his way to the pet shop with a promise to return as soon as he could close for the day. Mary was in unusually high spirits.” She looks like she got some last night,” the sheriff nudged Ruth as Mary walked between tables taking drink and pizza orders.
“You’re such a pig,” Ruth moved away from the sheriff, tired of her teenage boy mentality about sex.
“You really could be a little more genteel,” Samson chided his daughter. “That poor girl has been through a lot. Leah has been an excellent mentor for her and her husband. If the wicked queen can become as elegantly empathetic as Leah is, you could develop a little compassion for those less fortunate than you.”
That was the problem. Emily didn’t think anyone was less fortunate than she was. For most of her adult life, she had wallowed in self-pity. She was the queen of excuses and blamed everything bad in her life on someone else; her parents, Leah, even Richie, but especially Leah.
“Oh! My mistake!” Leah’s words and shocked expression ran through her thoughts a dozen times a day and haunted her dreams at night. Those three words had ruined her life. She never stopped to think that she had caused the utterance of those three words.
The sheriff glared at her father, then turned on her heel and stomped away.
Samson watched the priest and the mayor as they slipped into the darkness of the under-construction cafe area to steal a few minutes alone. He was truly sorry that he and his wife had been so critical of Leah when she started trying to change. If they had kept their mouths shut, perhaps their daughter would have worked things out with the beautiful woman. One thing he knew from many years of co-existing with the former wicked queen, was that when Leah loved, she loved completely. She was faithful, fiercely loyal and protective of those fortunate enough to be on the short list of people she truly loved. Infidelity was one thing the mayor would never tolerate.
Samson desperately wished there was some way he could help his daughter work out her commitment issues. He and Delilah set the right example for her. He couldn’t imagine ever cheating on Delilah or her cheating on him. One didn’t do that to those they loved.
##
“I feel like a teenage boy sneaking under the bleachers with my best girl,” Mika grinned as she led her wife to a dark corner in the closed café area. “I just couldn’t wait a minute longer to do this.” She pulled Leah into her arms and kissed her passionately. She wanted Leah to feel how much she loved her. Leah slid her arms around Mika’s neck and pressed her body against the priest. She slowly moved her soft, full lips against Mika’s setting her entire being on fire. Mika held her tightly, trying to quell the raging desire Leah had aroused in her.
Leah slid her hands down Mika’s stomach and under her shirt. The feel of Leah’s warm, soft hands on her body elicited a soft moan from Mika’s lips. “How much longer,” she said softly.
“Sunday,” Leah whispered.
“If I live that long,” Mika whimpered as Leah slowly moved her hands to her back.
“If you let me, I could…” Leah’s voice trailed off into a whisper.
“Not here,” Mika murmured against her lips, “but definitely when we get home.” Mika exhaled a breath she had been holding since Leah had slipped her hands under Mika’s bowling shirt. “We’d better get back. Everyone will be looking for us.”
“You feel so good,” Leah kissed her longingly as she slowly slid her hands from beneath Mika’s shirt. She could feel her wife’s need for her continuing to build. Mika had been antsy all day and was almost vibrating, just barely keeping control of her emotions that were seething under the surface. She bounced on her toes, rocked back on her heels and clasped Leah’s hand tightly.
“I don’t know how you courted me for two years,” she smiled. “You can barely go two days without coming apart at the seams.”
“Then I had no idea what I was missing,” Mika chuckled. “Now, I am very aware of what you can do to me.”
##
“We’re going to Naomi’s for dinner, then return here to bowl the final bracket tonight,” Leah informed her son and Amber. Why don’t you join us?”
“That would be delightful,” Amber smiled, grateful to be included in their group. “Your conversation is so much more interesting than the town gossip going around.”
“That is because the gossip is usually about some member of our family,” Richie laughed. “When you are related to everyone in town, you tend to be the topic of conversation.”
“Yes,” Amber nodded tentatively. “The topic of the day seems to be the sheriff’s cell phone. I am not sure what is so interesting about that. A Betty Boop screensaver or something.”
Richie blushed slightly, “One never knows what is going on with Emily,” he shrugged.
Gloria Thomas joined the group. “I need to speak with you for just a minute,” the young priest addressed Mika.
Leah watched as Gloria led her wife to Mary who seemed upset about something. Mika took Mary’s hands in hers and led her to a table away from the crowd of bowlers. Gloria went to Max. Both priests seemed to be counseling the couple. David soon joined Max and Gloria. Mary appeared to calm down, smiling at the priest and nodding her head. She leaned her body against Mika as if seeking support. Leah watched as her wife bent her head to speak softly into Mary’s ear. She knew Mika was trying to keep others from overhearing their conversation. Mary laid her head on Mika’s chest for a long time, before returning to waiting on the tables.
“Everything okay?” Leah slipped her hand into her wife’s. Mika frowned and shook her head yes. She didn’t want to discuss Mary’s personal matters in front of others. She led Leah toward the door leading from the bowling alley.
“Please place our order,” the priest addressed her son, as the group walked toward the diner. “Your mother and I will join you shortly.”
##
“Did he hurt her last night?” Leah asked as soon as they were alone.
“No, he wanted to have relations,” Mika spoke hesitantly, “but Mary wasn’t ready yet. She said he respected her wishes, but a few minutes ago, he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the unfinished café to chastise her for spending too much time at Levi’s table taking drink orders. It scared her. She’s afraid to go home tonight. I assured her she could stay at the convent.”
Leah nodded. “It must be terrible to love someone so volatile. It would be difficult to function, never knowing how your partner would react to even the smallest thing.”
Leah shivered from the cold. Mika embraced her, kissing the top of her head. “We’d better get inside. It’s getting colder.”
The couple greeted their parishioners and visitors from other towns, welcoming them and thanking them for supporting the tournament. The mayor of Brighton and his wife sat at the table next to the Cross family. He kept talking across the aisle to them.
Several couples were dancing at the back of the diner, and everyone was in a good mood. Brighton and Leah’s town had two teams going into the playoffs tomorrow, and they were good-naturedly teasing each other.
Either the sheriff was drunker than usual or had been sniffing something. She stomped to their table and held her hand out to Leah. “Dance?” sh
e barked.
Mika watched as her wife glared at Emily as if she had lost her mind. Mika also saw the slight glow beginning to appear in the palm of her hand. Cranky Leah was on a short leash tonight.
The priest quickly stood and took Emily’s elbow, “I’d love to,” she grinned as she shoved Emily toward the dance floor.
“What the hell?” the sheriff growled as Mika began moving her around the dance floor. “I wasn’t talking to you.”
“I am aware of that,” Mika said, “but she was about to fry you. We don’t need the world to know what she is capable of.”
The sheriff relaxed and enjoyed the dance. It had been a long time since she had danced with anyone as accomplished as the priest. “Where did you learn to dance like this?” she asked.
“Years of practice,” Mika answered.
“Look, priest, I’m sorry. I…” Emily faltered.
“It’s okay,” Mika sympathized with the woman. Nothing was more devastating than unrequited love. “It is best not to confront her tonight. She is a little out of sorts right now.”
“Oh, yeah, last week of the month,” Emily grinned. “I remember those days. It was like living with the wicked queen, but so hot.”
A slight pang of jealousy shot through Mika as she thought about her wife being with the sheriff.
“I believe our dance is over,” the priest said leading her back to her friends.
As Mika sat down, Leah caught her hand. “That was very kind of you,” she murmured, “but look at what you started.”
Mika looked up to see several of the town’s women heading toward their table. “Are you letting Mika dance tonight,” one of them inquired sheepishly.
Mika gripped Leah’s hand tightly, silently pleading with her wife to save her. “No, dear,” Leah smiled patiently. “We are just here to dine.”
##
After dinner the New Judah teams walked to the bowling alley and signed in to begin the playoffs.
Richie, Amber, Leah and Mika moved to the lane assigned to them for their final game of the night. Isaac, Emily, Gloria and Ruth were in the lane next to them. Everyone was waiting for Emily and Ruth to show up. Mary quickly appeared to take their drink orders. As always, Mika and Richie ordered soft drinks. Leah and Amber opted for hot tea.
Mika leaned over to her wife and whispered, “I’m going to wash my hands before we start. Leah squeezed her thigh and removed her hand from its usual resting place. When the priest was gone longer than expected, Leah walked toward the restrooms. She noticed movement in the darkened café area and thought her wife was waiting for her. As she approached, the priest had her back to her. She was talking to someone. Leah watched in horror as Mika leaned down and kissed Mary.
Leah gasped, turned on her heel and ran from the café. As she exited the women’s room, Mika saw her wife running toward the exit of the bowling alley and ran to catch her by the elbow. Leah swung around so quickly she caught Mika off guard. The sound of her open hand contacting Mika’s face echoed like a gunshot throughout the facility. The force of her blow sent Mika staggering backward through some empty chairs. Only a table broke her fall. She quickly recovered and again caught Leah by the arm. “Honey, what…?” the priest, gasped.
“Don’t touch me,” Leah whirled on her, “Don’t you ever touch me again. How could you…?” She flipped her wrist and threw Mika hard across the bowling alley. She hit the wall between the women’s room and the dark café.
“Leah,” Mika yelled. “What’s going on?”
“What is going on?” Leah screamed, stomping toward her. The look in Leah’s eye was even more malevolent than the one worn by the wicked queen when she had slit Mika’s throat. “I trusted you. I love you. How could you? How could you…? Oh, my God,” Leah gasped, her eyes moving from Mika to the entry of the café. Mika followed her line of sight and saw Mary and Gloria coming out of the dark café area. She immediately knew what had happened. Wearing the same bowling shirt and jeans as the priest, Gloria was a ringer for Mika.
Instantly Leah was on her knees beside Mika. “Oh, Mika, I am sorry. I…I thought…” she loudly sobbed as she reached to help her to her feet.
Mika shrank away from her. “Please, Leah, don’t touch me.” She quickly stood and looked around at the astonished faces of their friends then she walked outside.
The bowling alley was silent as a tomb. Leah was still on her knees gaping at the priest’s exit. As she stood, she surveyed the room. She cringed at the look of fear on the faces of those around her. The same fear she had seen in the eyes of Delilah and Samson and Max. In one moment of jealous rage, she had wiped out all the progress she had made over the past five years. Her friends and her son were cowering in front of her. She was once again the Wicked Queen. None of them mattered. What mattered was that Mika had refused her touch.
Leah pulled her shoulders back bringing herself to her full height. Everything about her was regal as she went to find her wife. Mika was sitting on a bench outside the building. She moved to stand in front of her. “Darling, I’m sorry,” she half sobbed, half whispered, the tightness in her throat making it difficult to speak. Mika refused to look up at her. Leah dropped to her knees, trying to look into Mika’s eyes. She had never seen her angry and steeled herself for the look of fury she imagined in Mika’s eyes.
The side of her face was swelling. Leah knew it was painful. A perfect handprint was embossed onto her beautiful cheek, Leah’s handprint. Leah reached to touch Mika’s face, to vanquish the pain and the angry reminder of what she had done.
Mika caught her wrist and pulled it away from her face. “Leave it,” she commanded. “I want you to live with what you’ve done to me.” The look in her eyes was dark, not dark blue, but black, blacker and colder than the deepest ocean. They were filled with pain and disbelief. Where Leah had always seen love and adoration, she now saw only desolation. She had hurt more than Mika’s face. She had hurt her soul.
“Darling, please let me heal…”
“We need to finish the evening,” Mika stood abruptly and walked back into the bowling alley.
“Mika, thank goodness you’re here,” Richie looked as if he was fighting back tears. “You’re up. So far Emily’s team is ahead of us, but you and Mom haven’t bowled.”
The priest picked up her ball and hurled it down the lane. The pins scattered in every direction as the ball shattered their formation. Leah threw an equally destructive ball, and both bowlers stepped away with strikes.
No one stood a chance against Richie’s team, as Leah and Mika threw strike after strike. Richie and Amber were holding their own and the team score just kept adding up. Leah and Mika bowled perfect games. Their ball placement wasn’t perfect, but the sheer power of the impact of their balls against the pins caused the lane to shake, leaving nothing standing. It was almost as if they were throwing the balls at one another. Each, trying to overpower the other. Their team advanced to the finals the next day.
Mika quickly changed her shoes, then walked to her son, handing him her bowling bag. “I’m going to walk home,” the priest said softly. “You make certain your mom gets home okay.”
“Mika are you okay?” Concern clouded the boy’s eyes. “Are you coming home?” He couldn’t keep from staring at the perfect handprint his mother had left on the priest’s face. It was beginning to turn purple.
“I’m fine, son,” Mika smiled slightly, “I just need to clear my head.” She handed the boy the keys to the car. “Make sure Mary goes to the convent with Mother Superior.”
The priest lost track of time as she tried to organize her thoughts. One thing she knew for sure; Gloria was in big trouble.
Mika walked and prayed, seeking guidance for her actions. She had seen the look of disbelief and fear on the faces of the townspeople as they witnessed the demonstration of Cranky Leah’s temper. Mika had endured the looks of pity cast her way as they completed bowling their game, and Emily’s loudly whispered, “Whipped.”
Emily had
walked up to their table as Mika was changing shoes and dropped an envelope of money in front of her saying loudly. “We took up a collection, Mika. We think you need a wing for abused priests on your new shelter.” Mika was pleased that no one had laughed at Emily’s insult, and she had slunk away, aware that no one thought she was funny.
Richie had stopped his mother from incinerating the sheriff.
Mika wasn’t sure what to do, but she was sure she couldn’t spend eternity with her wife’s jealous rage. Leah was right; it was terrible to love someone so volatile.
##
Leah unlocked the door and moved aside as Richie pushed past her. “Richie, wait for I…” she pleaded but found she had no excuse for what she had done. She trusted Mika. Why had her mind gone to the worst-case scenario?
“Mom,” Richie turned pleading eyes toward her, “what have you done? You’ve got to fix this.”
“Richie, I don’t know what to do,” she sobbed.
“You have to do something,” the boy cried. “Mika is everything that is good about our lives. She’s the one that saved you when you had reached the end of your rope. She brought life back into this town. She’s fun, and happiness and love. She’s my other mom, my very best friend. She loves me. She loves you, Mom. She loves you so much. Mika saved you and me, Mom. She is our Savior.”
Leah silently watched as her son ran, sobbing up the stairs and slammed the door to this room.
Leah was horrified by what she had done. When she saw the priest kissing Mary, her heart had died. Fury and jealousy had erupted like hot lava, searing her soul. She loved Mika so much. How could she betray her like this? Her first urge was to destroy them both, but she had overcome that deadly reaction and simply walked toward the exit. When Mika grabbed her, it had been too much. How dare she touch her after what she had done to her? Slapping Mika and throwing her across the room were still mild compared to her desire to burn her to the ground. When she saw Mary and Gloria come out of the dark café, she realized that the priest kissing Mary had been Gloria Thomas, not her wife. Her insides had turned over, making it almost impossible for her to breathe. Her relief to find that it was Gloria and not Mika had made her knees weak. She had rushed to her wife to plead for forgiveness. She was greeted with the coldest voice she had ever heard. “Please, Leah, don’t touch me.”
