by T J Vertigo
Brooke rolled her eyes. "Mom, I told you, I fell asleep. It happens, I will make sure I call you next time, the second I yawn."
"The least you could have done was left me her phone number so I didn't have to go half blind squinting at the phone book."
"Sorry." Brooke played sheepish.
"You should be. I was worried half to death! I woke up for my middle of the night pee and you weren't home!"
"Ma, it's done. I'm fine, I'm here and it won't happen again. You can calm down now. It's over."
"Just wait until you have children." Harriet threatened. "Oh, wait a minute..." She turned deadly serious. "You are going to give me grandchildren aren't you?"
Brooke's eyes widened. "I don't know that."
Harriet looked crestfallen. "You don't?"
"Ma, please! Can we not talk about this now?"
"Don't you want kids?"
"Maybe. And don't you bother Cayden about it!"
"Oh! Cayden is coming?"
"I'm going to ask her to dinner, and if you do one thing, ONE THING to embarrass me, I'll stab myself in the heart with the salad fork. I swear."
"Brooke! Don't talk like that. I wouldn't do anything of the sort." Harriet huffed.
Brooke narrowed her eyes. "Well, alright." she said, still skeptical.
* * *
Cayden was roused from an afternoon nap by the doorbell. She sat for a minute in hopes the person would go away, but the bell kept ringing. She scowled as she shuffled sleepily to the door. "Who?"
"It's me, who else?" Jodie replied.
The shop keeper scowled harder, knowing exactly what the visit was all about. She sighed and opened the door to stare at Jodie.
"Just spoke to Wade, lemme in!"
Cayden's shoulders slumped, and she stepped to the side. She watched Jodie waltz right into the living room and make herself comfortable. "Why don't you harass Brooke?" she asked, closing the door.
"Oh, I will, trust me." Jodie smiled and patted the space next to herself on the couch.
Cayden yawned and sat down purposely in a chair instead.
"I don't smell." Jodie said, sniffing her armpit.
"No, but I do. I haven't showered yet." Cayden said with a short chuckle.
"Oh, so Wade was right! You guys were at it all morning?"
The tall woman nodded. "Pretty much."
"That means that Brooke found her groove! Fantastic!"
"Believe me Jo, she didn't need to look very hard to find it." Cayden grinned. "That woman is something else, insatiable."
Jodie bounced up and down on the couch with excitement. "Really? I'm so happy for her.. and you, you lucky shit!"
"That's true, I am lucky." Cayden pursed her lips in thought.
"What's wrong then?" Jodie leaned forward and looked concerned.
Cayden sighed and cleared her throat. "I'm not sure that anything is wrong, but a whole lot of stuff is new. I'm not used to it yet."
"Like what?"
"Well, sex was never all that important to me before, now I just look at Brooke and .... well... I want her." She motioned with her hands, her eyes wide. "Then, she leaves, and five minutes later, I want her to come back. Even worse, I don't even want her to go in the first place!"
Jodie smiled knowingly. "Aw, Cayd, that is so fucking sweet."
"To you, maybe, but to me it's not. I don't know where all this is coming from."
Jodie moved to sit on the floor in front of the brunette. "Cayd, you big dummy, you're in love with her."
Cayden's eyes widened like saucers. "What?"
"Alright, tell me, when she smiles at you, does your stomach get all tingly? Do your legs feel soft when you kiss?"
"Uh.... yeah, but..."
Jodie patted Cayden's leg and shushed her. "Is her skin the softest you've ever touched? Does she smell better than anything you ever smelled?"
"Yes." The tall woman was starting to get scared.
"Is making her smile, the single most important thing to you?"
Cayden nodded. "I'm in love with her?" She asked, in awe.
Jodie giggled happily. "Yes!" She jumped up and threw her arms around Cayden. "Oh my god, this is so cool! It was bound to happen to one of us and I'm so happy it's you!"
Cayden's eyes felt dry and it occurred to her she hadn't blinked in a while. "This is what it's like to be in love?"
Jodie nodded and pulled away, climbing back down onto the floor. "Isn't it wonderful?"
"I suppose."
"Come on girl! Get excited, this is great news!" Jodie popped up and ran into the kitchen. She returned with two beers, handing one to the still dumbstruck shop keeper. "Well, open it! We need a toast." she said, taking the caps off of both bottles. She clinked hers to Cayden's. "To happiness. I couldn't think of a better couple."
Cayden swallowed her beer quickly, and shivered.
"So, when are you going to spring it on her?"
Both of the tall woman's eyebrows shot up. "I can't tell her! What if she doesn't feel the same? What if she freaks out? I'm her first woman."
Jodie smiled reassuringly. "If you've never trusted me before, now's the time. She feels the same."
"How do you know." Cayden's eyes narrowed.
"I just do."
Cayden sat there quietly, digesting this new information. She does? I can hardly believe I do! Am I supposed to tell her first? Can't she say it first and I can just agree? Oh wow.... this is crazy. I don't know her long enough to be in love with her. Then again, there is love at first sight... heh, but that didn't happen, or did it?
The phone rang and jolted Cayden from her thoughts. She reached for it and mumbled her greeting.
"Huh?" Brooke wondered if she got the wrong number.
Cayden sat straight up in the chair. "Oh, Brooke, hi!"
Brooke giggled. "What was that all about?"
"I was sort of thinking, sorry." Cayden replied sheepishly.
Jodie smiled from ear to ear, and hugged herself. Cayden waved her away and turned her back, blushing.
"I was just wondering, are you doing anything for dinner tonight?"
"No." Cayden answered rather quickly. She would love to see Brooke again as soon as possible.
"Great! Would you want to come over here for dinner? I know mom and dad are a turn off, but you know, if you do it now, it will be over with and you hardly have to do it again." Brooke closed her eyes and held her breath.
"Uh," Cayden scrunched up her face. There? Over there? With her mother?
"Please, Cayden?"
"Okay." Cayden's mouth hung open in surprise at her own answer. All she said was please and I gave in like that?
"Oh, thank you so much!" Brooke breathed again. "Mom is going to make pot roast, you'll love it, it's pretty good. You know, I'm glad you said yes. I miss you so much already." she confessed.
"Me too." Suddenly, the tall woman's palms began sweating and all she could think of was that she loved Brooke.
"You really do?" Brooke asked.
"Yeah, I really do. I sorta missed you right after you left." she said quietly, but not quiet enough. Jodie was standing in front of her grinning like a fool.
Brooke's insides felt warm and fuzzy. "Hearing you say that just made me melt. I wish I was with you so I could kiss you right now."
Cayden gave Jodie the evil eye and once again turned her back on her. "I'd like that very much. When should I be by your place?"
"6-ish. Dad likes to eat at a certain time. Thank you again for coming."
"Don't thank me, I want to see you. I would have asked you to come over here anyway."
Brooke melted again. "I really can't wait to see you tonight."
"Me neither. I'll be there at 6."
When they hung up the phone, Jodie just smiled at Cayden with a sappy look. "What is your problem?"
"It's so sweet to see you all gushy and stuff. Who would have ever thought?"
Cayden blushed and grinned, still uncomfortable sharing her feelings. "Any
way, I'm going over there for dinner tonight, can you believe I said yes? Just like that?"
"Stranger things have happened, Cayd. Get used to it, you'll find yourself doing anything for a pout."
The tall woman chuckled. "It's like that huh? I used to laugh at people like me."
"Who says you can't laugh at yourself? Stop being so serious, tis is a good thing you know. This is love! How often does it happen? Have fun with it, get down with it."
"I have a feeling I'll be looking for that fun at dinner tonight. I can't believe I agreed to it. Dinner with Harriet and Bert." Cayden shook her head solemnly.
"Well, you can always picture them naked."
"Oh god Jo! Don't put that in my head!" Cayden squeezed her eyes shut and winced. Suddenly she leered and grinned wolfishly. "I'd rather picture Brooke naked."
Jodie laughed loudly. "That'll be great! I love it! Speaking of naked," Jodie giggled and then wiggled her eyebrows. "Was it really as good as you say or are you protecting Brooke."
"Oh no, she was super amazing. I had no idea what to expect, I was nervous, probably as much as she was, but it was perfect. I swear, I created a monster, she can't get enough."
Jodie snorted. "Oh, you poor thing." she said sarcastically.
Cayden snickered. "Yes, pity me." She joked. "Hey, you know how I just love to sit and chat...."
"I know, I know... you need to shower and think about dinner. I'm going." Jodie got up to leave. "I hope you know, I really am excited for you. This is a good thing, don't go and do anything to sabotage this. Brooke is the coolest woman I've met since I met you. You're both important to me now."
Cayden smiled shyly. "Thank's Jo. I will try my best. I promise. Now go, I have things to do."
Jodie kissed Cayden on the cheek and was gone.
PART 35
B ROOKE WASN'T AS nervous as she should have been about Cayden coming over. Instead, she was very excited, and couldn't control her energy. She bounced around the house either smiling uncontrollably, or giggling happily as she waited for dinner time.
"Brooke, can you help me for a second?"
"Sure, mom." Happy to have something to do, Brooke darted into the kitchen eagerly.
"Can you mash the potatoes? My arms are tired."
Brooke took the masher and went to work. "Home made 'tatoes ma? Did we run out of the fake stuff?"
"Don't you think Cayden deserves real potatoes?"
"Oh she deserves it." the blonde agreed. "She deserves anything she wants." she added quietly.
Harriet looked pointedly at her daughter. "Cayden is very important to you, isn't she?"
Brooke nodded and didn't look up from the potatoes. "It's like she's the most important thing. I think about her constantly, more than I ever thought about anything." She paused and glanced at her mother, who appeared to be listening in earnest, "I've been in relationships, I was in love before," she stopped mashing and looked her mother in the eye. "Why is this so different?"
Harriet sighed in thought. She folded her arms across her chest and leaned on the sink. "You've never felt like this before?"
Brooke shook her head. "No."
Mrs. Hewitt patted Brooke on the arm. "Tell me about it."
"Ma, I didn't even know her and I was dreaming about her. I thought it would stop once I got to know her, but now... she consumes my waking moments too! What's wrong with me?"
Harriet cracked a grin, she knew what Brooke was feeling all too well. "I think you'll be just fine, honey." She smiled warmly at her addled daughter.
Brooke sighed heavily. "I hope so." Finished with the mashing, she wandered distractedly into the living room. Sitting down, she continued to wonder. Mom smiles like she knows a secret. She says it's okay to feel like I do, but is it healthy? Am I obsessed? Is it normal to feel like I positively NEED to be with Cayden?
"Brooke?"
Brooke blinked a few times. "I'm sorry daddy, what did you say?"
"Well, " he began, then folded up his newspaper neatly. "I heard what you said to your mother," he crossed and uncrossed his legs uncomfortably. "She's right you know."
Brooke smiled at his effort. "Thanks daddy."
Bert picked up his paper again and disappeared behind it. Sure it was alright for Brooke to be this preoccupied with Cayden, but he was going to find out if Cayden returned the sentiments.
Brooke wandered into her room to check her hair and as soon as her bedroom door closed, Harriet ran into the living room. "Bert!" she whisper-shouted. "Do you think she knows? Should we tell her?"
"Harriet, leave her alone. She doesn't need us to stick our noses into this any more than you already have."
Mrs. Hewitt narrowed her eyes and huffed. "Fine." she said and marched back into the kitchen.
* * *
Cayden was rolling the last of the cat hair off of her shirt when Wade came home. As soon as he stepped into the apartment she stormed inside. "When did you teach that fat fuck to open drawers?"
"Huh?" Wade took off his shoes and looked confused.
"I came out of the shower, and that" she pointed at the cat who was obliviously licking himself, "was inside my drawer.. happy as you please!"
Wade chuckled at first but after seeing how unamused Cayden was, made a serious face. "Bad La La Bird" he scolded half-heartedly. "Anyway, the big question is why you look so spiffy on your day off? Where's the torn panties and over washed T-shirt I've grown so fond of?"
"I'm going to Brooke's for dinner." Wade's eyes went wide, but before he could respond, Cayden held up a hand. "No comments please. I'm nervous enough. I'm going and that's that."
A broad smile covered his face. "Aww, this is so damned cute. I bet she said pleeeease."
Cayden's mouth hung open.
"I know I'm right. Something is happening isn't it Cayd?"
"Big time." she admitted, swallowing hard. "I had a lot of time to think today, and well, um.. I think Jodie may be right. " she said, getting a case of the nerves all over again.
"Jo's right? About what?"
"She says I'm in love with Brooke." Cayden replied in a low whisper.
"Oh, pshaw. I could have told you that ages ago. Now stop being such a wuss, pull up your big girl bloomers and go see your woman."
Cayden took a deep breath. "You're right. I'm an adult who's scared like a child."
"Aw, Cayd, it's new. Trust me, it'll grow on you if you let it."
Blue eyes narrowed in thought. "Ya think?"
"I know. Hey, I'm not exactly inexperienced in this you know. I've been in love. All these new confusing emotions, especially the neediness, it will all calm down. You'll find peace, trust me."
Cayden cracked half a smile. " Thanks Wade."
Wade opened his arms wide. "Oh come here you big, in love ol' lesbian."
Cayden chuckled and accepted the hug. The reassuring embrace felt good and she smiled. "Well, time to face the parents."
"You just be yourself, you ain't all that bad."
* * *
Brooke jumped from the couch when the doorbell rang. Hurrying to get it, she bumped into her mother who beat her there. "Ma, it's my date not yours." she hissed.
"It's my house and I get to answer the door." With that, Harriet flung it open. "Why hello Cayden, you look lovely."
And I try so hard not to look lovely. "Hello, Mrs. Hewitt." Cayden replied respectfully, looking around for Brooke.
Brooke stepped in front of her mother, and pushed her backwards with her butt." "Hi." she said cheerfully.
Cayden had both eyebrows in the air at the curious behavior. "Am I late or something?" she wondered.
"Nope, you're right on time." Brooke said, suddenly getting a whiff of Cayden's cologne." God, she smells so good! "Come." she took the tall woman by the hand.
Cayden was surprised when she was led right past the living room and Mr. Hewitt, but grinned when she realized where they were going.
Once Brooke had Cayden behind her closed bedroom door, she threw herself into
her arms. "Mmm, I missed you so much today."
Cayden sighed happily and wrapped her arms around Brooke. She felt suddenly complete and not at all anxious any more. Wade was right, just let it happen, it will be alright. "I missed you too." She kissed the top of Brooke's head and relaxed into her body.
The smaller woman pulled back and looked into comforting blue eyes. "From the moment I first saw you, I was amazed at the color of your eyes. I still am. They're gorgeous."
Cayden grinned shyly and tried not to look away. "Thank you, and yours aren't so bad you know." She looked deeply into Brooke's eyes and her stomach flipped over at the honesty she found there. She looked away quickly.
"What just happened?" Brooke asked, worried.
Cayden took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "Nothing," she smiled. "I think I need a kiss."
Brooke didn't hesitate to cock her head back and offer her lips. She hummed in pleasure as their mouths met. Cayden's soft, warm lips never ceased to turn her knees to jelly, and when her hot tongue slipped past her lips, Brooke's stomach twirled.
Cayden lost herself in Brooke's kiss, it was always the most delicious sensation when their tongues met, but now, it reminded her of more intimate contact and she was immediately turned on.
Sensing a change in Cayden's intent, Brooke pulled away. "Whoa, easy there tiger. We have to eat dinner."
Cayden closed her eyes and willed her heart to slow down. "Sorry, I just... you make me... God!"
Brooke smiled and giggled. "You don't have to explain. I know exactly what you mean."
They stood there a moment to collect themselves before venturing out.
* * *
"Dinner's ready!"
The two women made their way through the apartment, Cayden again being led by Brooke. Once at the table, Cayden's nerves came back. Just as they did, Brooke squeezed her hand reassuringly, as if she knew how Cayden felt.
"Cayden." Mr. Hewitt said in acknowledgment. He was at a loss as how to greet her. Usually, he'd shake hands with Brooke's dates, but he wasn't sure this was appropriate for a woman. He nodded politely at her and made a mental note to ask Harriet of she'd heard of this on Maury.
