Reality Bytes

by Jane Frances

  “Are you sure? Sue told me you came in awfully late today. I thought maybe you weren’t feeling too good.” Julie looked pointedly at Toni’s still covered pad. “Unless, of course, it was something else that kept you away.”

  Damn Sue. Toni cringed as her cheeks flamed. “Has the office gossip sent you in to do her dirty work?”

  “Yeah, right.” Julie folded her arms as if offended at the thought, but she broke into a grin. “You’ve got her going crazy out there wondering what’s going on.” She leaned forward. “Are you going to tell me her name?”

  The question did not come as a surprise. Before Toni returned to work, Julie had persisted with her daily phone calls, still determined to keep her fed and entertained. Toni just wasn’t a good liar and during last Wednesday’s call had admitted someone “special” was occupying her evenings. The admission was difficult, primarily because at that stage Toni was still in the dark about Kayisha’s identity. So, not only did she have to admit she met the special someone online, but that she had not yet met her offline. Nor did she know her real name, her age or what she looked like. “How do you know she’s a she?” Julie had asked.

  “I…” Shit, that was something that never crossed Toni’s mind. “I just know. She expresses herself like a woman.”

  “Uh-huh.” Julie’s tone told exactly what she thought of that argument. “Well, just be careful, Toni. I’ll ring you again tomorrow.”

  “Okay,” Toni had said guiltily, the knowledge that Julie was going home to an empty apartment—she and Anna still not having sorted their differences—weighing heavily on her mind. She almost told Julie to come over after all, but the part of her that could not stay away from Kayisha, and the words she relayed via a computer screen, stilled her voice.

  Now, however, Toni was bursting to say that glorious name out loud again.

  “Her name’s Emma.”

  “Emma,” Julie repeated softly. “Should I know her?”

  “I don’t think so. She’s one of Lisa’s friends. She fixed Virgil’s tail.”

  “She’s a vet?”

  “Yes.”

  “So you were speaking to Virgil’s vet and you didn’t know it?”

  “Yes and no. She’s not Virgil’s regular vet. She was a locum at the time.”

  Julie continued with her twenty questions and managed to extract the entire story. Eventually she seemed to run out of things to ask, and even though her coffee was long consumed, she made no move to leave.

  Toni studied the young woman sitting across from her. She seemed to want to say something but didn’t quite know how to get started. “How’re things in your world, Julie?”

  Julie picked up one of Toni’s business cards, turning it over and over in one hand. “Anna came over last night. We talked.”

  So there had been a development in the Julie and Anna story. “And?”

  “And she’s up for selection in the national team.”

  “Oh.” This did not sound like good news. Not for Julie anyhow.

  “So she’ll be going to Canberra next month.”

  “Oh,” Toni repeated.

  Julie blinked quickly. “If she gets selected she’ll probably have to move over there.”

  “You’ll miss her,” Toni said matter-of-factly.

  “I’ve been missing her since the day we met.” A rueful smile crossed Julie’s features. “Now there’ll just be a greater distance to miss her over.”

  “You could follow her.”

  Julie shook her head. “It’d just be the same shit, different location. The reality is, I come second to that damn floating ball.”

  Toni nodded sympathetically. “I’m sorry.”

  The phone rang and Toni glanced quickly to the caller display. Her expression must have advertised the caller’s effect on her heartbeat. Julie gave a knowing look as she rose from her seat. “I’ll let you get that.”

  “Thanks.” Toni’s heart went out to Julie as she watched her leave. Then her heart pulled in a completely different manner as she picked up the receiver. “Hi, Emma.”

  “Toni…I’ve just had a phone call.”

  “From?” Toni prompted when the line went silent.

  “From Frank.”

  “Frank?” Toni knew she should know who Frank was but her brain couldn’t make the connection.

  “From the practice in Albany.”

  “And?” Every muscle in her body tensed. Please God, she prayed, let it be good news.

  It wasn’t.

  “And I’ve been offered the job.”

  Toni gripped tightly onto the handset. “Did you accept?”

  “I said I wanted a bit of time to think it over.”

  Toni closed her eyes as hope rose, just a little. “And what are you thinking?”

  There was a pause on the line. “I’m thinking it’s a great opportunity. But I’m also thinking it’s a big move. I’ll have to completely relocate.”

  “It is a big move,” Toni echoed softly. She opened her eyes to rid the unbidden image that flashed under her lids—the image of Emma astride a horse; donned in the ubiquitous faded jeans and khaki, riding into the distance. Leaving her.

  “Yes, well…I just called to let you know. We can talk about it tonight?”

  “Sure, Em.” The flatness in Toni’s tone sounded obvious, even to her own ear. “Congratulations, by the way.”

  “Thanks, Toni. Speak soon.”

  The phone rang again just ten minutes later. Toni grabbed for it, the display announcing it was Emma again. Had she thought it over already? “Hi.”

  “Toni, I’ve just had another call.”

  Maybe Frank had changed his mind. It was a selfish thought, but Toni’s heart leapt at the notion. “Yes?”

  “From a practice I applied to in Sydney.”

  Christ. Toni felt sick. Emma had not told her of any interstate applications. “And they want you too?”

  “Not yet. But I’ve got a phone interview tomorrow morning, before I go to work. Because of the time difference between Perth and Sydney it’ll start early. At six-thirty. Toni, I know we agreed I’d come to your place, but it’d just be a bit easier if I stayed home tonight. Do you mind coming over again?”

  “No. No. I don’t mind. I’ll see you around seven.”

  The receiver was placed quietly onto its cradle and Toni stared at her page of love hearts. Albany. Sydney. Toni tore the page from the pad and folded it into four. The home she chose for it—a zip-up pocket deep in her briefcase—already contained an item. Toni pulled out the Snickers wrapper she’d placed there weeks prior. Immediately Heather’s words came rushing back: “Sweetheart, the fairytale doesn’t exist. It’s just that, a fairytale.”

  Toni swiveled her chair back to the window. The streak of bedroom-blue sky had expanded, the clouds parting and the sun breaking through. Toni decided it must be a sign. A sign that, were it written in some fairytale, would be seen as portent to something good.

  Toni screwed up the Snickers wrapper and threw it into the trash.

  At twenty-eight past six the next morning Toni asked Emma, “You nervous?”

  “A bit.” Emma sat fidgeting in her seat next to the phone.

  Toni kissed the top of her head. “You’ll be fine.”

  “Thanks.” Emma smiled weakly.

  When the phone rang, Toni left Emma alone, heading for the bedroom and her overnight bag. She’d shower and dress before going home to feed Virgil. Given the early hour, she’d have plenty of time for a cuddle and a play—if Virgil wasn’t sulking too badly at Toni’s absence two nights in a row.

  The water quickly flowed hot and Toni stepped under the stream. She’d only just finished soaping down when the screen slid open.

  “That was fast.” Toni was fully expecting to be blowing Emma a kiss on her way out the front door. Then again, she had spent quite a bit of time with the bar of soap in hand, just staring at the tiles.

  “Mmm.” Already dressed for the day, Emma held the screen open, un
perturbed at the water that splashed onto her clothes. “I told them straight up what Frank was offering and it seems they can’t afford me.”

  Yay! Toni mentally cheered. But while Sydney was now off the agenda, Albany still loomed large on the horizon. From last night’s discussion, she could see why the offer was being so seriously considered. Her eyes had opened wide when Emma whispered the cash component of the salary package in her ear.

  “And you should see the equipment they’ve got, Toni. It’s amazing.” Toni could only nod. This type of opportunity didn’t knock often.

  But neither did the offer of being part owner of a practice.

  Toni learned of Tricia’s offer of a partnership when Emma spoke of the Albany job giving her the chance to save enough to be considered for a business loan. Twelve months of solid saving would put her in good stead, she estimated. Toni blinked at this new information and her mind began to race, looking for some faster solution to the funding problem.

  Cathy came to mind.

  “No.” Emma shook her head, having apparently already considered that option. “It’s too close to home. What if everything went pear-shaped and I couldn’t pay it back?” Toni argued that was unlikely to happen, and even if things did go pear-shaped, then Cathy would be much less likely to foreclose than a heartless bank. She also pointed out that in twelve months’ time, Tricia’s offer may have expired. But Emma was adamant. “No, Toni. I won’t do it…And don’t you go getting any ideas about talking to Cathy on my behalf,” she warned. Toni reluctantly promised, although that was exactly what she had thought of doing.

  Emma’s stance on borrowing money from friends was admirable, and probably very wise, but right now, Toni resented the fact a seemingly simple solution was being ignored. If only she had a large spare stash of cash, she’d have insisted Emma take it. Anything to keep the woman she loved in close proximity.

  Toni blinked away the drops of water that fell from her fringe onto her lashes, surprised and caught off-guard by the admission she had just made to herself. Her head told her it was too soon, too fast, for such feelings. But when she met Emma’s eyes and felt her heart swell to the point of bursting, she knew with surety, however fast love had come, it was here to stay.

  The realization sent a sudden rush of vertigo, and Toni swayed slightly under the shower’s stream.

  “Are you okay, Toni?” Worry crossed Emma’s features and a steadying hand reached to grab her shoulder.

  “I’m fine.” Toni was also suddenly desperate to share this new knowledge. “Emma, I—” The words were cut short, mentally stashed in her briefcase, along with her page of love hearts. The words were the truth, but saying them under these circumstances would only sound manipulative. Instead she said, “Emma, I’m glad you’re not going to Sydney.”

  “So am I.”

  Toni stepped into the towel Emma held open for her. “I guess this means you’re going to take the Albany job.”

  Emma wrapped the towel around Toni. “It’s a great opportunity,” she said softly.

  “I wish they grew racehorses in Perth.”

  Emma’s deliciously throaty chuckle surrounded Toni, and she found herself enveloped in Emma’s arms. “Dear God, Toni. You are just gorgeous.”

  Not gorgeous enough to keep Emma in Perth though, it seemed. Once dressed, Toni left for home with a heavy heart. Emma did not say it outright, but Toni knew that sometime in the very near future she would be ringing Albany to say yes, she would be taking up the position.

  Sure enough, when Emma arrived at Toni’s house that evening she had not long been off the phone to Frank.

  “How long before you leave?” Despite having just taken a sip of the bourbon Emma brought with her, Toni felt as if her mouth was again thick with uncooked blueberry muffin flour.

  Emma raised her gaze from the tumbler she rolled between her palms. “Six weeks.”

  No! Toni stopped the words from crossing her lips by taking another sip of her bourbon, this time a large one. Don’t go. I love you. Stay here with me. Knowing she could not keep locking away her words once alcohol loosened her tongue, Toni set the tumbler aside. “Oh, well,” she said brightly. “At least that gives me plenty of time to arrange a ding-dong of a going-away party for you.”

  Emma just gave a weak little smile and poured another two fingers of bourbon into her tumbler.

  Toni didn’t give her the opportunity to sink it, rounding the kitchen table and prising Emma’s fingers from her glass. She set the glass well into the middle of the table and straddled Emma’s lap. “We’ll have party pies and sausage rolls, and lots of balloons and streamers. And party games.”

  Toni got the reaction she was looking for, Emma smiling. “Sounds very adult.”

  “What do you mean? Isn’t naked Twister adult enough for you?”

  “Naked Twister?”

  “Mmm.” Toni nodded somberly. “Don’t tell me you’ve never played?”

  “Well, no.”

  Toni laughed at the dubious expression that crossed Emma’s features. “I’m kidding you, silly. Although”—she leaned in to brush her lips along Emma’s jaw line—”I’d play it with you anytime.” They traveled to the edge of Emma’s mouth. “Just you and me though. No one else is invited.”

  Toni interpreted Emma’s soft whimper as agreement and covered Emma’s mouth with her own. With each kiss came increased awareness that in six weeks Emma would be far away, and with this awareness came an urgent need to make each embrace count. Toni uttered her own incomprehensible whimper as their kiss deepened. The future and what it would be taking away was temporarily forgotten; for the moment nothing else mattered but the here and now.

  The here and now saw Emma rise from her seat with Toni still attached to her lap and deposit her onto the table’s polished wooden surface. Another whimper escaped from Toni as hands pushed on her behind, drawing her closer, encouraging her legs to wrap around Emma’s hips. Standing, Emma had the advantage of height, and she eased Toni backwards onto the table.

  We’re going to do it on the kitchen table. Toni first giggled at the thought, then all of a sudden Emma’s lips were at her throat and her humor evaporated, replaced by a surge of lust that made her gasp. Her legs tightened around Emma’s hips and she thrust herself against her, squirming to find the position that would allow greatest contact. Finding it, she flung one arm out, looking for the edge of the table to grip onto.

  Her forearm touched cold glass. Then there was a loud clatter as the bourbon bottle tipped over. Startled into inaction, Toni could only turn her head and watch as the bottle rolled to the edge of the table. She was mentally preparing for the crash when another arm—Emma’s—shot out and caught the bottle by the neck just as it was about to disappear over the edge.

  What a woman! Toni was impressed by this second display of Emma’s lightening-quick reflexes. She looked up into the eyes of hazel and smiled. “I bet you couldn’t do that again in a hurry.” The bottle was placed well away from Toni, next to her discarded glass. “I’m not going to give you the opportunity to let me try.”

  Toni found her hands clasped and she was pulled back into a sitting position.

  “Toni.” Emma slid her lips across Toni’s cheek and whispered in her ear, “Take me to bed.”

  Maybe it was the words themselves, maybe it was the tone that delivered them, or maybe it was the warm breath that accompanied the request. Whatever it was, it left Toni weak with desire, and she could only nod wordlessly as she eased off the table and led Emma by the hand out of the kitchen.

  The trip to the bedroom was long, punctuated by extended stops where slow, burning kisses accompanied the removal of yet another article of clothing. The hallway was littered with discarded items, both Emma and Toni in only their underwear and T-shirts by the time they reached the bed.

  “Come here,” Toni said, holding her hand out to Emma. Emma joined her in the middle of bed, and there was a rustle of linens as they lifted themselves into a kneeling position.
Toni felt that subtle tension that comes when a lover is still new, but she liked the sensation, fingers tingling and her body shivering when they laid their hands on each other.

  Toni’s eyes followed the course of her hands as they trailed over the thin material of Emma’s T-shirt, and she drew in her breath when she felt the curve of breast and the hardness of nipples through the cotton. Toni watched Emma as her hands followed a similar course to her own. She saw her lips part slightly and her eyelashes flutter, but any uncertainty in Emma’s eyes was replaced with desire as hands continued their journey.

  Emma lifted her arms for Toni to remove her shirt and her chest heaved when Toni buried her head between her breasts. Toni shuddered when Emma bent to breathe in her ear and said, “Let me see you naked, Toni.”

  Again overcome by the words and their tone, Toni raised her arms. Emma’s fingers lingered over her waist, never leaving contact with her skin as she slowly pulled Toni’s top over her head. Her eyes wandered over Toni, hands sliding across her hips to slip under the seam of Toni’s underwear. Her lips left a warm trail down Toni’s stomach as she guided their removal, and she kissed Toni softly all the way back to her neck.

  “God, Toni.” Her voice was low, husky. “You are so sexy.”

  Toni locked eyes with Emma’s. “Kiss me again.”

  Toni lost herself in the warmth of Emma’s lips and shuddered as their tongues touched. They kissed tenderly and slowly, Emma’s hands cupping Toni’s face as she lifted herself to allow Toni to remove her underwear. For long minutes they kissed, desire growing as hands pressed bodies closer together. Toni felt her breasts against Emma’s and their pubic hair brushed as they knelt together, hips grinding in a slow, sensuous rhythm. The heat that welled inside Toni threatened to boil over as her outstretched fingers explored yielding flesh. Then she pulled away and clasped Emma’s hands, both of them panting softly.