by Amber Jacobs
“Why don’t you two come inside?” Emily stepped back and waved them in. “Evelyn and Jason should be here soon, and Casey promised she’d come. Dinner’s all ready, so we can sit and talk for a few minutes about your trip.”
“Thanks.” Ashley took Leandra’s hand again and led the way into the living room. Leandra took in her surroundings with a quick glance, noting expensive oak furniture neatly arranged throughout the room and framed prints of classic oil paintings on the walls. The air smelled of polish and cinnamon, and the hardwood floor felt cold against her bare feet. In all, this house felt a lot colder and less welcoming than Ashley’s happy home.
As they entered the room, a man sitting in one of the plush armchairs put down the newspaper he was reading and stood up, smiling. Ashley returned the smile with one of her own and released Leandra’s hand so she could accept his embrace.
“Ashley! How are you, sweetheart? Let me look at you.” The man pulled back and ran his eyes over Ashley, then hugged her again. “You look great.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” Ashley stepped back and regarded her father fondly. “You’re not looking so bad yourself.”
The man’s smile grew even wider, then his eyes swept past his daughter to where Leandra stood, somewhat uncertainly, in the entryway. “You must be Leandra,” he said. “I’m Owen, Ashley’s father. It’s nice to meet you.” He held out his hand.
Leandra hesitated only a moment before she stepped forward and shook the offered hand, matching the firmness of his grip. “Nice to meet you, too,” she said. “Ashley’s told me a lot about you.” This was not quite the truth. Leandra knew Ashley’s father had first introduced her to photography by buying her a camera for her tenth birthday present, and she knew he had operated a successful real estate agency before retiring a few years ago. Beyond that, Ashley hadn’t spoken much about her parents. Still, looking into Owen’s intelligent, benevolent eyes and seeing a warmer welcome there than she’d received from Emily Richards, Leandra decided the polite lie couldn’t hurt.
“Come sit down, both of you,” Owen invited, gesturing to the couch. “Tell me all about India. I remember after your uncle came back from hiking through Nepal, he said the heat was so bad he was sweating out of his eyeballs. We also had some pretty funny and frank discussions about the joys of Delhi belly…bane of travelers everywhere.”
Leandra couldn’t help but grin as Ashley took her hand and led her over to the couch. She already liked Owen. He had a friendly, fatherly demeanor that eased her nerves a little, and his voice carried the same inviting, easygoing attitude as his daughter’s.
Ashley began telling her father about her trip, taking obvious care to gloss over certain details she probably felt would only worry her family, such as their conflict with the poachers. Emily joined them, and Leandra felt the older woman’s eyes studying her with curiosity that seemed not exactly hostile, but certainly defensive.
That makes sense, Leandra thought. I’m her daughter’s new lesbian lover, straight out of the jungle. She has every right to be defensive, just like Shar-Ranjana was protective of her cubs. It’s a natural instinct for a mother to want to keep her offspring safe from harm, and right now, she sees me as a possible threat. Sitting quietly, listening as Ashley talked about her jungle adventure, Leandra concentrated on the reassuring pressure of her lover’s hand against her own.
Owen listened to his daughter’s tale with interest.
“And how did you two meet up?” he inquired, when Ashley paused in her tale. His eyes met Leandra’s. “Were you working in the park while Ashley was there, Leandra?”
“Not exactly,” Leandra said, uncertain how to explain the nature of her presence in India. She glanced hopefully at Ashley for rescue.
“Leandra was sort of working with the rangers to help control the poachers over there,” Ashley quickly improvised, “and to keep track of the tiger populations. We met up one day, kind of by accident, and she offered to help me with my shoots.” She squeezed Leandra’s hand and gave her an adoring look. “Leandra’s an expert tracker, and she’s great with animals. We hit it off right from the start.”
“I see.” He regarded Leandra again curiously. “So, you gave up your job to stay with Ashley?”
Leandra swallowed nervously. “Actually, my job was kind of temporary, and I wanted to be with Ashley more than I wanted to stay in India.”
“And what are your plans now?” Emily asked bluntly, her eyes fixed on her daughter. “Evelyn was sketchy about the details, but she made it clear you two are living together.”
“That’s right.” Ashley faced her mother’s disapproval without flinching. “Leandra’s staying with me.”
“And what happens next?” Emily turned her attention to Leandra. “What are your plans for the future, Leandra? Were you thinking to apply for work in the area?”
Leandra stiffened under the assault of the older woman’s gaze. “I hadn’t thought much about it.” She paused, glancing at Ashley. “I guess I’ll probably look for something in animal welfare.”
“I see. And will you be finding a place of your own after you get back on your feet?”
“Mom.” Ashley’s tone was a warning and her eyes were slits of steel, but Emily was unperturbed.
“I just think you’re moving awfully fast.” She gestured to Ashley and Leandra’s clasped hands. “I mean, how long have you known each other? What, about a month? Less?” Ashley’s face colored, and Emily nodded. “You know the problems you’ve had in the past, Ashley. Living together could make things much messier down the road.”
“Mom, Leandra is not—”
Her response was interrupted—much to Leandra’s relief—by the musical jangling of the doorbell. “That’ll be Evie.” Ashley gave her mother a quick glare, then stood up, pulling Leandra with her. “I’m going to show Leandra the backyard,” she declared, then turned and dragged her lover away.
Outside, Leandra took a calming breath and smiled when she heard Ashley do the same. “I’m sorry about my mom,” Ashley apologized. “I knew she was going to be like this.”
“It’s okay. I understand where she’s coming from, really. She doesn’t know anything about me, and all of a sudden I’m living in your house and sleeping in your bed. Believe me,” Leandra said, and grinned wryly, “I’ve seen enough protective mothers in my lifetime that I don’t hold it against her.”
Ashley wrapped her arms around Leandra’s taller frame and squeezed. “Thanks for being so understanding. Although,” she said, with a wicked little grin, “if you want to do a little growling and snarling later on, I promise to look the other way.”
Leandra laughed, and kissed the tip of Ashley’s nose. “I doubt that’d give them the kind of impression I’m going for.”
“Mmm, but it might be good for a laugh.”
Grinning, the two women turned and looked out at the backyard. The twilight gloom was lit by several porch lights artfully arranged to display the landscaped garden and pool, and plates of finger food had been set out on a redwood table on the patio. The small lawn was obviously well tended, and a number of tree ferns gave the garden a slightly tropical feel. Leandra smiled. “Nice.”
“Yeah. My mom loves to get her hands dirty out here, and she’s got a pretty good eye for landscaping. When I was younger, I used to take my camera into the garden during foggy mornings and photograph the spider webs. They were all covered in dew, and the water beads would sparkle like diamonds in the light. It was great.”
“I can imagine.” Leandra smiled at the mental image of her lover as a child, taking pictures with youthful enthusiasm. “Your dad seems nice.”
“Yeah, he’s pretty great. He used to be a lot more uptight, but since he retired he’s kind of cooled down. I like him more, now that he’s not working.”
Just then, they were interrupted by a familiar voice. “Hey, you guys! What’s up?”
The two women turned to greet the intruder, and Leandra flashed Casey a grin. “Not much. And you?”
“Same old stuff. Some kid at school made a crack about me wanting to go barefoot, so I made a comment about his acne scars, and he got pissed and tried to throw a punch.” She laughed shortly. “Unfortunately, he tripped over his own feet and ended up falling flat on his face. I laughed so hard I almost wet my pants.”
Ashley rolled her eyes, but Leandra chuckled. Her mirth petered out, however, with the appearance of Evelyn, who was followed by a tall, handsome man with chiseled features and light brown hair. Casey turned when she saw Leandra’s focus shift, and grabbed the man’s hand, tugging him forward.
“Leandra, this is my dad. Dad, this is Leandra.”
The man extended his hand. “Jason Harrid,” he said. “Casey’s told me a lot about you, Leandra. It’s nice to finally be able to put a face to the name.”
Leandra shook hands and offered a polite response, feeling a little more confident now that the gestures of introduction and welcome were coming to her more easily. From the time she’d spent with Casey these last few days, Leandra knew Jason Harrid was a devoted father, and the scent lingering on his person helped her remember that he was a physician at the local hospital. His eyes were gentle and friendly, if a little uncertain. That was only to be expected, she knew. Casey had been adopting many of Leandra’s mannerisms recently, and in those circumstances, any parent would be curious.
Evelyn gave Leandra a welcoming smile of her own. “Nice to see you again,” she said kindly. “How have you been settling in?”
“Very well, thank you. Ashley’s been making me very comfortable. In fact, she’s been spoiling me pretty thoroughly.” She looked toward her lover with wicked humor.
Ashley caught the seductive glimmer in her eyes and cleared her throat, blushing. “I happen to believe you deserve a little spoiling.” Beside her, Evelyn smirked, obviously reading the sexual undercurrent that had flashed momentarily between them.
Owen and Emily soon joined the group, each carrying large platters of food that they placed on the table. Dinner was an informal affair, for which Leandra was particularly thankful. Plates and cutlery were brought out, and everyone helped themselves to what was available.
Feeling a definite sense of self-consciousness—after all, this was the first time in four years that she’d dined in even a casually formal setting—Leandra was extra careful as she selected coleslaw, salad, and a few slices of honeyed ham from the table and arranged them on her plate. Reaching for the cutlery, she couldn’t deny feeling a momentary pang of longing for the simpler delights of a meal of dried venison and rice served on a bed of leaves.
Ashley stayed near to Leandra as they ate, wanting to be close in case her lover got an attack of nerves, and also to ensure that her family didn’t overwhelm her. She recognized the tension in Leandra’s eyes, and the way she kept glancing around as though searching for an escape route. Fortunately, Casey was on hand to keep her somewhat distracted, eagerly showing her off to her parents, who were already curious about Ashley’s new romance. Ashley was grateful when her father joined them and began making friendly conversation, inquiring further about Leandra’s life in India and how she and Ashley had gotten together. Leandra fielded the questions well; her intimacy with the tigers and other animals gave her the kind of knowledge only a true expert could possess, and she managed to sound like a genuine ranger.
Ashley was impressed. She knew this was difficult for Leandra and had envisioned numerous potential disasters that could ruin this night, but her concerns diminished over the next few hours. Leandra came across as being a modest, quiet sort of person with a great love for animals, and the looks she cast toward Ashley were illustration enough of how much she loved her. The Richards family seemed to accept her into their midst, and Ashley gave her father and sister looks of thanks. Glancing aside, however, her expression turned slightly sour when she saw her mother’s worried, disapproving eyes watching from across the way.
Leandra was wearing cotton pants and a simple white shirt, comfortable and casual. With her intense eyes and her braided hair pulled back in a thick ponytail, she looked—to Ashley’s admittedly biased eyes, at least—ruggedly gorgeous. Her mother, however, clearly had a very different opinion. Although Ashley had always gone her own way in life, her parents always found ways to balance their support of her independence with their desire to stay close as a family. They didn’t always like or agree with some of her decisions, but Ashley knew that sooner or later, they’d get used to the idea of her having a girlfriend. Her concern was that Leandra might be hurt in the meanwhile by her mother’s initial dismissive attitude.
So when her mother went back inside, Ashley made a subtle gesture for Casey to take her place beside Leandra, then whispered, “I’ll be back in a minute,” into her lover’s ear. Leandra nodded and went back to listening to Owen, who was telling stories of Ashley’s many misadventures in her youth.
Ashley found her mother in the kitchen. Emily glanced up when she heard her approach, opening her mouth to speak. Ashley beat her to it.
“I think we need to talk about this.”
“About what?”
“About the way you’re treating Leandra.” Ashley folded her arms across her chest and glowered. “Everyone else is at least making an effort to be nice to her, even Dad, and I remember times when he was less than liberal-minded in his opinions. But you’re sitting out there staring daggers at her, without even trying to get to know her. It wouldn’t kill you to say something kind, or failing that, to at least stop being so hostile.”
Emily rested her hands on the kitchen counter. “You don’t understand, Ashley,” she said. “This isn’t something I ever thought I’d have to deal with. I don’t want you getting hurt because of this.”
“I’m not going to get hurt, Mom.”
“How can you say that?” Emily regarded her with a confused expression. “Ashley, you’ve never had a relationship last more than a month. Now all of sudden you drag home some woman from India, and let her move in with you! She has no job, no way to support herself, and no place to go if things end badly. How can you possibly say you won’t get hurt?”
Hearing her mother’s emphasis on the word “woman” made Ashley narrow her eyes. “Are you upset because I’m sleeping with another woman? Is that what this is all about?”
“No!”
“I think it is.” Ashley shook her head. “Well, I’m a grown-up now, Mom, and this is what I want. If you can’t deal with the fact that I’m a lesbian, that’s your problem, not mine. I don’t much care if you like me being with Leandra or not. But I do care when your behavior starts to hurt the woman I love.”
“Love? Ashley, I don’t care who you’re sleeping with, be they male or female. If you want to experiment, I think that’s great. But you can’t honestly tell me you love this woman. You only met her a few weeks ago.”
“That’s all the time it took.” Ashley shook her head again, trying to calm herself down. She didn’t want the sound of raised voices to carry outside. “Leandra is the most wonderful, caring, sensitive person in the world, and if you’d spend just five minutes talking with her with an open mind, you’d realize how much she loves me. Do you think this is easy for her? Coming here to meet you, knowing you might not approve of her?”
“Look, I’m sure—”
“Let me tell you, it isn’t. She’s scared out of her mind right now, and you’re making it that much harder for her to relax.” Ashley took another calming breath. “Leandra hasn’t had an easy life, Mom. It doesn’t take much to make her feel guilty, and she punishes herself for every little thing that goes wrong. Being around other people is hard for her, but she’s trying to make this work because you’re my family, and she knows you’re a big part of my life.”
“Ash, all I’m saying is that you should be careful,” Em
ily argued insistently. “I’ve seen you get all excited about a relationship before, only to have it fall apart a few weeks later.”
“Leandra’s not like anyone else I’ve ever been involved with. Why can’t you see that? She makes me feel complete, loved. She’d sooner jump off a building than hurt me, and she’d die to protect me from harm.” Ashley saw her mother’s resolve start to weaken in the face of her absolute certainty, and she took a step closer. “Can’t you at least give her a chance? She’s not half as intimidating as she looks once you start talking with her.” She threw in a hopeful little smile. “Please?”
Emily sighed, clearly helpless in the face of Ashley’s persuasive appeal. “I suppose.”
Ashley’s smile was sincere. “Thank you, Mom. It means a lot to me.”
“I’m not saying I’m going to like her right away,” Emily continued, “and I plan on keeping an eye on her. But I guess I can be a bit more civil to her.”
“That’s all I’m asking.”
Returning to the others, Ashley made a brief stop at the cooler that sat underneath the table and grabbed a couple of beers. Splashing noises from the pool caught her attention, and she smiled when she saw that Casey had changed into her bathing suit and was taking a dip with her parents. Leandra was watching with definite interest from the sidelines, and Ashley wished she’d thought to get a suit for her. Although, she thought, recalling memories of her jungle adventures, there are advantages to going without. Still, she knew how much Leandra loved the water, so she made a mental note to buy Leandra a bathing suit when she next went into town.
“Don’t get any ideas about stripping off and jumping in,” she teased, reclaiming her seat. “You’d give everyone a heart attack.”
Leandra grinned playfully. “Afraid to show me off?”
“No, but I don’t think they need to see all the…shall we say, intimate facets of your personality.”
Leandra laughed. “Don’t worry, I can restrain myself.”
“Good. We’re not in the jungle anymore.” Ashley glanced up in time to see Casey dive into the pool, squealing, then offered her lover one of the bottles she held. “You want something to drink?”
